LEGO Piranha Plant (71426) Review: 40 Years in the Making

Full disclosure: StudSon was in the backyard playing baseball when this one got built. That’s fine. This set was never really for him anyway. The Piranha Plant is 40 years old and StudDad has been dodging it since 1985. Getting to build a LEGO version and park it in the man cave felt less like a hobby and more like settling a very long-standing score.

The Build Experience

StudDad tackled this one solo over an afternoon, minus two trips outside for pitching duty. Call it a true 2 to 2.5 hour build. The set breaks into three natural sections: the base, the stem, and the head. Each one is its own little chapter and each keeps you engaged. The base is the least exciting of the three, but it moves fast. By the time you get to the stem and head you’re locked in. The posable joints in the stalk and the hinged mouth are the payoff for the whole build.

StudDad’s Take

I first saw a Piranha Plant in 1985. I’ve been losing lives to that thing for over 40 years. It now sits in the man cave between a LEGO NES and a LEGO Game Boy and it looks completely at home. That’s really what this set is: a display piece for people who grew up with Mario. If you didn’t, I’m not sure it hits the same way.

The engineering on the head is genuinely clever. The stalk segments stack and stay posable without being floppy, which is harder to pull off than it sounds. My only real complaint is the base. Even then it’s more “fine” than “bad.” It’s four walls and some stacked plates. Gets you to the good stuff quickly, so I’ll let it go.

At $59.99 MSRP, it’s a stretch. You’re paying for the IP as much as the pieces. But here’s the thing: this set has been sitting at $42 almost since it launched. That’s not really a sale, that’s just what it costs. At $42, under 8 cents a piece, with a shelf piece you’ll actually want to display? Fair deal. And it retires in July. Stop thinking about it.

StudSon’s Take

I was in the backyard playing baseball when Dad built it. But I’ve seen it a lot since and it looks really cool on the shelf. It’s right next to the NES and the Game Boy and everything kind of goes together. The head moves and the mouth opens but there’s not a ton to actually do with it. It’s more of a look-at-it thing than a play-with-it thing.

I give it 7 out of 10. It looks awesome but I wish there was more to do with it. A Mario minifig in the set would have made it way better.

Should You Buy It?

If you grew up with Mario, yes. Buy it now. This set retires in July 2026 and once it’s gone the secondary market will not be kind to you. At $42, which is basically what it always costs, the math works. It’s a fun afternoon build and a shelf piece you’ll actually want to keep. Not a kids’ play set. Not a gift for a 7-year-old who wants something to zoom around. This is for people with a Mario memory.

If Mario means nothing to you, pass. The build is solid but the payoff is 100% nostalgia. Without that you’re building a very nice plant in a pipe.

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Product images courtesy of the LEGO Group. (Our man cave lighting makes everything look like mud, so we’re sparing you.)