Set Review ➟ 71363 Desert Pokey
Today we are opening another small expansion set for LEGO® Super Mario. This time it is the 71363 Desert Pokey. In Super Mario games, Pokeys are cactus-like enemies, composed of 3 to 5 balls. In the LEGO Super Mario version these balls are represented as cubes and, as is the case with all enemies in LEGO Super Mario, there is a hidden bar code inside the Pokey that will give us points.
The Pokey consists of 4 almost identical cubes. Of the three cubes that make up the body, one has the code. The flower on the head of the Pokey is well represented and the pyramid-shaped pieces on the sides of the blocks make it look like a real cactus. In addition each cube has a hook on the back. The purpose of this hook becomes apparent during the construction of the set.
The three upper blocks are attached to the rear wall so that they do not wobble when the lower block is removed.
The gameplay with Mario is quite fun. Mario stands on a sort of hammer seat and takes the Pokey apart from the bottom. At the base of the seat there is another barcode that makes Mario play a different tune. You also get points for making Mario turn left and right to dismantle the Pokey with the hammer.
You need to do it with some strength so that the hammer doesn't get stuck under the rest of the Pokey and it's a very satisfying feeling to defeat an enemy that way. Then you have to find the part of the Pokey that contains the barcode in order to get the points.
A third barcode is located on the Monty Mole. Another of Mario's classic enemies. Every time you scan the code you'll get 1 coin and you can scan as many times as you want… as long as you don't run out of time to finish the game.
The two cactuses on either side of the sand dune in front of which the Pokey is mounted are a nice detail.
Rebuilding the Pokey takes quite a bit of time - too much to do within a game, but if you want you can swing the hammer back and forth a few times more than is necessary to add points to your game.
We wish to thank LEGO for providing this set for review. The opinions in this review are not supported or endorsed by LEGO.
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