Lego just made the Mario Kart set of my dreams

Although Lego has released many a Mario set over the last few years, few have piqued my interest as much as the one that's just been launched.

Not since the Mighty Bowser set have I been so excited by the collaboration, but the Lego Mario Kart: Mario & Standard Kart set looks to be an ideal monument for any self-respecting gamer and Lego collector.

Made up of 1,972 pieces and priced at £149.99 / $169.99 / €169.99, the set is available to pre-order from Lego.com now. It's an 18+ build, so designed for adults and their bookshelves, and it stands at 19 x 32 x 22cm when constructed.

It features Mario riding his standard kart, which you can choose in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Nintendo Switch (and the former Wii U version), although it doesn't look like the wheels can swivel to turn it into the hover version.

You can however alter Mario's pose, as the final build features a moveable head and arms.

The pre-order phase ends in a couple of months, with the set being made more widely available from 15 May. Hopefully, it'll be the start of a new collection of Mario Kart adult builds – we certainly wouldn't mind seeing Toad's kart made into a full set too.

You can of course pick up other Lego Mario Kart sets too, at much lower prices to boot. The Super Mario series includes several karts and scenery items from the game, including the standard kart along with a Toad character and a few additional items for under £20.

They're rated for a much-younger age group too, so you could build them with your kids, while also trying to tell them just how much better the original Super Mario Kart on SNES was (and arguably still is).