LEGO Super Mario Soda Jungle Maker, Mario Playset, Buildable Nintendo Birthday Gift for Kids, 71434

I'm not usually a huge fan of Legos due to the expense, but this kit is both nostalgic because I love Nintendo and has very cool features. My biggest complaint is I wish that one main character or more came with it, but...it is Legos were talking about here. XD If you want the 'customization machine' feature to work, for instance, you need a main character which isn't included. At least, I don't know another way to get it to work. I love the bright colors, 'soda jungle' theme, and the accuracy of how the characters and the Mario world looks in this set. I really enjoy the figurines, especially Shy Guy %26 Wiggler, two of the great classics from the SNES! XD Difficulty level wise, I feel like most kids under the age of 8 are going to need a lot of guidance if they use this kit, if they're going to set it up according to one of the designs/make it look like a real Mario world. I imagine the Mario/Luigi figures need to have the scenes set up a certain way to work, although since they aren't included, it's hard for me to say. XD I think Lego has a lot of creativity %26 fun going for it, but it's not easy to get the builds to look like they do on the box unless your kiddo is extremely spatial/architectural. This can be a great family activity or quiet time play, though, and it can also facilitate cooperative play with siblings and/or friends. Overall, a cool idea and I'd like to see how this set works with the other sets...but it's a lot of cost for something that might be a hit or not....