Latest news with #Minecraft
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
How restaurant chains are updating their marketing menus in tough economy
This story was originally published on Marketing Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Marketing Dive newsletter. Major restaurant brands frequently face stiff competition and low margins, a business reality that is even tougher to navigate during periods of consumer uncertainty. These concerns have been prevalent so far in 2025, as the Trump administration's fluctuating tariff plans have kept the economy on edge. Amidst the turmoil, a number of these businesses are leaning on their marketing organizations to buoy sales, including with big-swing creative campaigns, evolving loyalty strategies and investing in digital technology. 'With the rise in uncertainty and the possibility of rising prices because of tariffs, a lot of the chains are shifting the marketing strategy to be focused more on nostalgia or innovation, and moving away from price point,' said R.J. Hottovy, head of analytical research at location analytics platform While earnings reports for most quick-service and fast-casual restaurants have shown few bright spots, a recent analysis by Marketing Dive reveals several trends around how marketers are doing their part to maintain positive relationships with consumers. QSR leader McDonald's has been a red-and-yellow canary in the coal mine for the restaurant industry's struggles, with U.S. same-store sales dropping 3.6% in Q1 2025, a stark contrast from the 12.6% increase notched in Q1 2023 and 2.5% in Q1 2024. 'We entered 2025 knowing that it would be a challenging time for the QSR industry due to macroeconomic uncertainty and pressures weighing on the consumer,' CEO Chris Kempczinski said on McDonald's most recent earnings call. 'We're not immune to the volatility in the industry or the pressures that our consumers are facing.' McDonald's continues to try to put its brand at the center of culture and replicate the success of its Famous Orders platform and activations like the viral Grimace birthday campaign of 2023. The chain this year tapped John Cena to promote its value menu and unveiled a Pokémon Happy Meal, but its biggest win could end up being a partnership with 'A Minecraft Movie.' Launched in March, the campaign around the record-breaking video game adaptation was the chain's largest global campaign yet and rolled out in more than 100 markets. 'We're encouraged by the consumer response to the 'Minecraft' movie campaign and by our overall performance in April, which illustrates the benefit of our value platforms working in conjunction with full-margin promotions and outstanding marketing execution,' Kempczinski said on the Q1 earnings call. McDonald's national linear TV ad spend was estimated to be $39.6 million in Q1, up nearly 75% year over year, with an emphasis on savings-focused ads and its partnership with WNBA star Angel Reese, per iSpot data shared with Marketing Dive. The chain saw a 19.5% lift in web traffic driven by linear TV advertising, surpassing other burger brands in a recent study by TV outcomes measurement company EDO. The findings suggest that McDonald's could see further gains by optimizing its TV ad spend, shifting away from underperforming dayparts like primetime towards the early morning. 'QSR brands are seeing strong consumer response to value meal deal ads during this period of budget tightening, where every dollar — both for consumers and advertisers — must work harder,' said Laura Grover, senior vice president and head of client solutions at EDO, in a statement. 'As marketers navigate this uncertain landscape, impression quality becomes the key to driving smarter allocation decisions and ensuring stronger returns within a brand's existing media footprint.' While McDonald's works to hitch its brand to pop culture, Starbucks is trying to reassert its brand identity as part of a turnaround plan that includes significant marketing investments. The cafe chain in Q1 saw U.S. comparable store sales decline 2%, with a 4% decline in comparable transactions partially offset by a 3% increase in average order cost. Launched around the Super Bowl, 'Hello Again' and 'Starbucks Monday' generated record-breaking customer engagement and drove the chain's second-highest Monday gross sales day ever, CEO Brian Niccol said on the company's most recent earnings call. The percentage of customers ranking Starbucks as their first choice is the highest it's been in two years, and TikTok engagement has increased by nearly three times quarter-over-quarter, the executive said. 'We saw stabilization in our non-Starbucks Rewards member traffic, indicating our broad-based marketing campaign to reintroduce Starbucks to the world is resonating with our customers,' Niccol said. 'I think we're going to continue to just get better from here as it relates to the marketing side of the business.' Like Starbucks, Papa Johns is also undertaking a transformation strategy that includes amplifying marketing messages as a key priority. To that end, the pizza chain in March launched 'Meet the Makers,' the first creative work under CMO Jenna Bromberg, who joined in November. The campaign delivered early positive results, helping to increase customer awareness and consideration among QSRs, according to CEO Todd Penegor. Papa Johns' North America comparable sales were down 3% year over year in Q1. Informed by consumer insights, the chain plans to evolve the campaign to focus on its use of simple, fresh ingredients. Papa Johns has also relied on incremental media investments to both reinforce the brand and improve transactions. 'As we amplify our marketing message, we are investing to win share of voice at both the national and regional levels, drive transactions, support continued testing of value propositions, and increase our agility,' Penegor said on the earnings call. Across the restaurant landscape, marketers are working to fine-tune and evolve their loyalty platforms and rewards programs to better meet the needs of cost-conscious consumers. McDonald's continues to see strong systemwide sales from loyalty members, notching $31 billion for the trailing 12-month period as it looks to secure $45 billion a year by 2027 in this area. While the loyalty sales are encouraging, McDonald is looking to strike a balance between its everyday value menu and limited-time digital offers. 'Until you get to a point where the usage of the app is the majority of your traffic, relying on that as the primary source of value, it just doesn't work because you're not reaching the majority of your consumers,' Kempczinski said on the earnings call. 'For that reason, having a broad platform like we have, McValue, that's available to everybody… it's an imperative that you have that, which is why we've spent the time and energy getting that launched properly.' Cava — one of the big winners of fast casual chains in Q1 with 10.8% year-over-year growth — has also made its loyalty program a focus. The purveyor of Mediterranean fare saw sales through the program increase 340 basis points as a percentage of total revenue since an October relaunch. Total membership in the program is approaching 8 million members, with more than 50,000 new registrations per week. The results speak to the chain's new strategy around loyalty. 'The original goal was moving from a more transaction-based 'spend X, get Y' to a 'earn and bank points' model that would drive greater engagement and participation in the program, and that's what we're seeing,' CEO Brett Schulman said on an earnings call. 'So, you looked at our lower frequency or mid-tier frequency users, and we lowered the entry reward hurdle, and that has gotten those users more engaged.' For Cava, bringing guests into its first-party ecosystem increases opportunities for personalization and fosters a test-and-learn environment for engagement. The chain plans to roll out the second phase of its loyalty program, introducing a tiered structure that adds increased benefits and rewards based on visit frequency, per the earnings call. "The level of insights we have with our guests today plays a big role in informing the executional elements of a loyalty program." Michael Skipworth CEO, Wingstop Like competitor and loyalty innovator Domino's before it, Papa Johns in November lowered the redemption threshold of Papa Rewards, a change that helped draw about 1 million more loyalty members into the loyalty program in Q1, for a total of more than 37 million. While the change also caused a slight overall decrease in the size of orders, it drove growth among medium- and high-frequency loyalty consumers and caused faster repeat purchases. As brands with mature loyalty programs tweak their offerings, new entrants continue to emerge. Wingstop will pilot a loyalty program in Q4, with plans for a system-wide launch in 2026. The loyalty program will draw on insights and membership from the 50 million-strong database of its MyWingstop digital ordering platform and offer Gen Z and millennial consumers experiential engagement opportunities. 'We believe our loyalty program will be distinctive in the industry because we're not taking the typical transactional approach within our design. The level of insights we have with our guests today plays a big role in informing the executional elements of a loyalty program,' CEO Michael Skipworth said on an earnings call. Along with the behind-the-scenes work of building loyalty programs and integrating customer relationship management data, restaurant chains are investing in technology to boost their mobile and digital ecosystems. In the app space, Starbucks will update its offering to allow scheduling of mobile order pickup and improved price transparency. Chipotle continues to work to reduce friction in its app and Wendy's in Q1 added gamification to encourage customers to engage with the brand beyond purchases. Artificial intelligence (AI) remains the buzziest tech in marketing, in restaurants and beyond. Papa Johns last month partnered with Google Cloud to leverage AI to enhance personalization and its ordering and delivery experience. 'It's largely been generative AI, to this point, to help out firms fine-tune their message to consumers, but we're starting to see other things behind the scenes — other AI platforms — to get better insights for their customers and use that for one-to-one engagement,' said Hottovy. "These advancements are driving smarter targeting, increased efficiency and stronger returns on our digital marketing investments." Chris Turner CFO, Yum Brands Yum Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut, has teamed with Nvidia to accelerate its deployment of AI. The company in February revealed a suite of proprietary software-as-a-service tools called Byte by Yum that integrates a variety of tech offerings for thousands of restaurants. The suite's solutions are already yielding results, helping Taco Bell push the bounds of its ad creative and use personalization to generate additional sales. Digital sales across the entire Yum portfolio increased 12% YoY in Q1, growth executives credited to the company's investment in tech. Overall, Yum's worldwide system sales grew 5%, driven in part by Taco Bell U.S. system sales growth of 11%. 'Our U.S. brands are harnessing our powerful data engine and first-of-its-kind cross-brand consumer data platform to deliver personalized marketing campaigns,' Yum CFO Chris Turner said on an earnings call. 'Since the end of last year, we've expanded AI-driven marketing use cases across our brands, further embedding intelligence into how we engage and convert consumers. These advancements are driving smarter targeting, increased efficiency and stronger returns on our digital marketing investments.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
1 High-Flying Stock with Impressive Fundamentals and 2 to Keep Off Your Radar
Expensive stocks typically earn their valuations through superior growth rates that other companies simply can't match. The flip side though is that these lofty expectations make them particularly susceptible to drawdowns when market sentiment shifts. Separating true intrinsic value from speculation isn't easy, especially during bull markets. That's where StockStory comes in - to help you find high-quality companies that will stand the test of time. That said, here is one high-flying stock expanding its competitive advantage and two with big downside risk. Forward P/E Ratio: 52x Spun out from General Instrument in 1987, Microchip Technology (NASDAQ: MCHP) is a leading provider of microcontrollers and integrated circuits used mainly in the automotive world, especially in electric vehicles and their charging devices. Why Is MCHP Risky? Products and services are facing significant end-market challenges during this cycle as sales have declined by 3.6% annually over the last five years Operating margin declined by 11.6 percentage points over the last five years as its sales cratered Free cash flow margin dropped by 16 percentage points over the last five years, implying the company became more capital intensive as competition picked up Microchip Technology is trading at $59.18 per share, or 52x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with MCHP, check out our full research report (it's free). Forward P/E Ratio: 33.1x With engineering centers across the Americas, Europe, and India serving Fortune 1000 companies, Grid Dynamics (NASDAQ:GDYN) provides technology consulting, engineering, and analytics services to help large enterprises modernize their technology systems and business processes. Why Does GDYN Worry Us? Revenue base of $371.2 million puts it at a disadvantage compared to larger competitors exhibiting economies of scale Incremental sales over the last two years were much less profitable as its earnings per share fell by 8.5% annually while its revenue grew Push for growth has led to negative returns on capital, signaling value destruction Grid Dynamics's stock price of $12.50 implies a valuation ratio of 33.1x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why GDYN doesn't pass our bar. Forward P/S Ratio: 11.2x Short for microcomputer software, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is the largest software vendor in the world with its Windows operating system, Office suite, and cloud computing services. Why Are We Bullish on MSFT? Microsoft is one of the great brands not just in tech but all of business. It produces mission-critical software and bundles it together, resulting in cream-of-the-crop gross margins. The company's elite unit economics lead to robust profit margins that improve over time. This speaks to the scale advantages and operating efficiency across its diverse portfolio, which spans everything from Office and Azure to Minecraft. Microsoft has a virtuous cycle of returns. Its dominant market position enables it to generate strong free cash flow, and it reinvests these funds into promising ventures that further strengthen its competitive moat. At $460.25 per share, Microsoft trades at 32.5x forward price-to-earnings. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our comprehensive research report, it's free. Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs. While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like our Top 9 Market-Beating Stocks. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Sign in to access your portfolio
Hypebeast
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Japanese Government Releases Free 'Minecraft' Map
Summary The Japanese government has released aMinecraftmap modeled after one of its most renowned facilities. Dexertoreports that the free map was created by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). It's a reconstruction of the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel (G-Cans). The water infrastructure project was built to alleviate the overflow of water in the city's major waterways and rivers during heavy rain and typhoon season. It's also known as the largest underground flood water diversion facility in the world. The Minecraft map allows players to enter the G-Cans and explore the astonishing piece of infrastructure. The Japanese government explained that they created the map to educate players on infrastructures that help prevent disasters. 'We have realistically reproduced the huge shaft, epic-scale pressure-regulating tank, drainage pump equipment, and other features of the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel,' Japanese government officials wrote. They added, 'When designing the world data, we based it on actual blueprints and created it for Minecraft, pursuing realism. In addition, the game also includes ways to enjoy Minecraft, such as checking out places and facilities that are normally off-limits.' Construction of the G-Cans finished in 2006 with a total of five large concrete containment silos. These silos are connected by 6.4 kilomteres of tunnels located 160 feet below the surface. There's also a water tank that measures at 83 feet tall, and has 59 pillars connected to pumps. It can pump up to 200 metric tons of water into the Edo River per second. Check out the map on theEdogawa River Office homepage.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
All new crafting recipes in Minecraft summer update 2025
Image via: Mojang Studios With the much-awaited Minecraft Summer Drop for 2025, known as Game Drop 2, just weeks away, players have now gotten into experimental gameplay via beta and snapshots. The update revamps the world with new mobs, block interactions, and biome tweaks, yet it is the new-age crafting recipes that have the community buzzing. Here's a deep dive into the major crafting developments that are changing how players regard Minecraft and the world. Crafting the Dried Ghast Block Never before were ghast tears coveted as they are now. These eerie ingredients are now involved in the creation of one of the most alluring blocks in the update-the Dried Ghast. Place a single block of soul sand in the middle and surround it with ghast tears all around. This ghastly block sure sounds like it should have a magical purpose. Everything NEW in Minecraft 1.21.5 Update Place this block underwater, and it will slowly glimmer into a ghastling-a floating being that further matures into a happy ghast. This easy-going mob can at least be ridden, opening up aerial exploration that Minecraft has never known before. Harnessing Flight: Making the Harness The harness is useful for flight-certainly dreaming about flying would give Banfer his wings-before his dreams came true! There's the twist, the color of the wool you choose will set the whole visual theme of the harness. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Tukarkan Bitcoin dan Ethereum - Tanpa Dompet Diperlukan! IC Markets MULAI SEKARANG Undo The Harness thus becomes not merely utilitarian but a canvas onto which one may paint their own ideas of personal flair-much something an admirer of Minecraft's options for customization is bound to appreciate. Lead: Tool Transformed The simple lead has been longing for a thorough overhaul, and Summer 2025 throws in one. Now it can tether two mobs directly to each other (hello, llama caravans!) meaning that the mechanical strength of the lead was upgraded: tensile strength was increased, so it won't snap under so much strain, and the elasticity has been reigned in, so mobs aren't just rubber banding madly away. How to Make Custom Crafting Recipes in Minecraft 1.21.5 | Minecraft Datapack Tutorial Individuality is a motif running through these new recipes. From wool-dyed harnesses to personal flight companions grown from ghast tears, along the way, we'd be giving players more and more degrees of freedom in how they make and control their Minecraft worlds. Set for the June 2025 roll-out, these crafting recipes may do more than just walk the players into a few gameplay styles-from sky sailing to enhanced mob control. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Business Mayor
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Mayor
This Is Your Last Chance To Get The 10 Best Video Game LEGO Sets Retiring In 2025
Video game LEGO sets are the best of two worlds, combining the creativity and tactile fun of putting together a LEGO set with the beloved characters of a favorite video game. And there are plenty of LEGO sets created in collaboration with video game companies. Fans of Animal Crossing, for instance, can play the latest game on the Nintendo Switch, then log off and continue to interact with their favorite in-game characters through one of the game's corresponding LEGO sets. But if you've been waiting to get some video game LEGO sets, you might want to make the purchase sooner rather than later. No matter how popular LEGO sets are, they do eventually retire, and for some video game sets, the retirement date is approaching fast. Some video game LEGO sets will no longer be sold as of the end of this year, making them much more difficult (and expensive) to acquire. Fans considering taking the plunge into the world of video game LEGOs will want to act fast to get some of the most awesome, adorable, and just plain fun sets before they're gone. Unless stated, all the sets below are scheduled to retire on December 31, 2025. It's also worth noting that this date is subject to change, and retirement dates occasionally get rescheduled. 10 A Small Fortnite Kit With A Large Personality The unmistakable Durrr Burger is a staple from Fortnite, and this small 193-piece LEGO set recreates it perfectly, down to the lolling tongue. The fast food chain mascot is ubiquitous in the battle royale game, even showing up as a skin featuring a large mascot head and a colorful uniform. The Durrr Burger set is one of the smaller LEGO sets retiring this year, but at $14.99, it's a great catch for any Fortnite fan. Related A leaked image reveals an upcoming Mario Kart LEGO set that will bring to life one of the franchise's most iconic (and most hated) power-up items. The small set resembles a burger with a beef patty, tomato, and cheese between two buns. A pink tongue hangs out from under the top bun, and bulging googly eyes make the character appear to look in two different directions at once. An olive skewered on a toothpick tops the burger as the final touch on this gourmet fast food LEGO kit. As an added incentive, every set includes a LEGO Fortnite Operation Brite Starter Pack in-game. 9 The Turtle Beach House (#21254) Minecraft Crafting And Rafting A LEGO and Minecraft crossover makes perfect sense, since both the video game franchise and the toy are all about building and creating new worlds out of blocks. This particular kit features an adorable beach house shaped like a turtle, with plenty of little additions for Minecraft fans. The set costs $26.99 and contains 234 pieces, which include lanterns, a crafting table, a furnace, turtle eggs, and four adorable turtles—one big and three mini. Besides a green and beige turtle house, which has a removable top for easy access, this kit also comes with a bamboo raft and a small slice of beach. Two mob figurines are also included: a Turtle Skin Warrior and a trident-wielding Drowned. This kit is one of the many Minecraft sets retiring this year, including the other animal-themed abodes, The Fox Lodge and The Frog House, so this may be the last chance you'll have to complete your animal-shaped Minecraft houses collection. 8 Tails' Adventure Boat (#76997) Sonic And Tails Gotto Go Fast In The Water, Too Hit the water in a daring escape or just a joyride with Tails' high-speed boat LEGO set. This larger retiring set includes 393 pieces and is priced at $54.99, and features an interactive sphere launcher to bring the video game into the real world. The kit can be formed into a yellow and white boat measuring 4 inches tall and 8.5 inches long, with Tails at the helm and Sonic paragliding behind. A turtle (Tocky) riding atop a mechanical shark (Jawz) joins the duo along for the ride. Also included in the kit is the iconic arch formation from the Sonic games, with three rings just waiting to be collected on top. Just line up the boat, press a lever, and launch the large orange sphere for an exciting interactive element. Win points (or collect the rings!) for getting the sphere through the arch. 7 K.K.'s Concert at the Plaza (#77052) Own The Most Iconic Building In Animal Crossing: New Horizons K.K. Slider is in town for a performance, ready to serenade the townsfolk in front of the Resident Services town hall. Recreate a piece of your Animal Crossing: New Horizons island in LEGO form with this retiring kit, which comes with 550 pieces at $79.99. The set includes some of the franchise's most recognizable characters—K.K. Slider, Isabelle, and Audie—and locations—the island plaza's Resident Services and K.K.'s camper van (which has a removable top). Related Animal Crossing fan creates a precious stop-motion animation featuring the LEGO version of the stargazing astronomy-loving owl, Celeste. K.K. comes prepared with his guitar and a microphone stand, and after the concert, the characters can head to the adorable café for a sweet treat or a cuppa. In true Animal Crossing fashion, the island flag at the Resident Services building can be customized with the additional multi-color tiles included in the set. 6 Shadow the Hedgehog (#77000) Create And Display Shadow From The Helmet Collection While some LEGO sets are interactive and meant to be played with, others, like this Sonic the Hedgehog Shadow head, are intended to be displayed as a collectible. This $69.99, 720-piece LEGO set is marked as 18+ and is meant for adults to put together and display in pride of place, either with the other Helmet collection figures or on its own. The kit is a striking recreation of Shadow's head that stands at over 8 inches tall and 7 by 8.5 wide and long, and features a determined expression and the character's iconic black and red markings and spikes. The head is displayed on a special stand that includes a nameplate, so the final product looks more like a museum artifact than a LEGO set. Hidden inside the head and the stand are several Easter eggs for Sonic franchise fans, including a green Chaos Emerald. 5 Donkey Kong & DK Jumbo (#72033) Mario Kart's DK Races To The Finish Line Now is the perfect time to snag this Donkey Kong Mario Kart LEGO set before it's gone, with a new game coming soon in both franchises. Celebrate the Nintendo Switch 2 release of Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bonanza with this $34.99, 387-piece LEGO kit that recreates the large ape and his vehicle of choice for the racing game. The kit includes a large buildable Donkey Kong with his barrel-like kart of choice, the DK Jumbo. The set also comes with a target, and the DK Jumbo is equipped with a turtle shell launcher that can be used to shoot the projectiles at the target in a fun, interactive twist. Watch out for stray banana peels, though, as one of these iconic Mario Kart power-ups is also included in the set. 4 King Boo's Haunted Mansion (#71436) Explore The Haunted Mario Mansion Build a huge house full of fun Easter eggs and features with this 932-piece LEGO set from the Super Mario universe. The kit costs $74.99 and includes King Boo's mansion as well as buildable figurines of a scared small boo, yellow baby Yoshi, Dry Bones, and King Boo himself. Related A leaked post made to LEGO's Mexico page appeared to show off an early look at a new collaboration with the iconic Pokémon franchise, coming in 2026. While there's plenty to do in the outside courtyard, like toppling the king from his seat atop an interactive table, the mansion also opens up to reveal a detailed interior where even more fun can be had. The mansion's interior includes a magical sofa that acts as an elevator and a bookcase that hides the special key you'll need to unlock a special treasure chest for a fun surprise. This set is intended to be played with in combination with the Mario, Luigi, and Peach figurine sets for a tabletop version of a scene from Luigi's Mansion . 3 The LEGO Version Of The Iconic Fortnite Skin (Pun Intended) Ever wonder what goes on under Peely, the anthropomorphic banana in Fortnite? Apparently, the character's squishy exterior hides a skeletal structure. This can be clearly seen in the disturbingly realistic Peely Bone Fortnite skin, which was introduced to the game in 2019 and remains an iconic look that shows the character as half-banana, half-skeleton. This 18+ LEGO collectible set, which is retiring at the end of the year, is an accurate recreation of the in-game skin. The set consists of 1414 pieces at $99.99 and has everything you need to create a highly detailed display piece recreating Peely Bone in the real world. The 14-inch-tall character is depicted holding a paint launcher and a Peely Pick Pickaxe (read: a banana on a stick), and wearing a Banana Bag back bling. Best of all, you can pose him thanks to movable arms and wrists, with that never-fading smile plastered on his face. 2 The Mighty Bowser (#71411) The Massive, Fire-Breathing Mario Baddie The Mighty Bowser is one of the most impressive Super Mario LEGO kits, and it's about to be gone from the LEGO store forever. The set is a hefty $269.99, which reflects the large number of pieces included, 2807. Despite its interactive elements, this set is marked as 18+ and is meant to be built and displayed as a cool conversation piece or a unique collectible showing your love for the franchise and character. The set shows Bowser standing at 11.5 inches tall, between two torch-topped columns. Bowser is highly poseable, with arms, hands, legs, tail, and even eyes that can all be moved and positioned to recreate dynamic scenes from the Mario games. But the character hides an even more impressive feature: its mouth can open to shoot fireballs, just like its in-game version. 1 Kapp'n's Island Boat Tour (#77048) Hop On A Boat To Explore A New Animal Crossing Island Sail off to new lands aboard Kapp'n's ship in this Animal Crossing LEGO set that's retiring at the end of the year. The 233-piece, $29.99 set depicts the sandy beach section of an AC island, complete with a beach lounger, an umbrella, and two palm coconut trees. Of course, the set also comes with Kapp'n and his boat (serenading sea shanty not included) and a figurine of the popular villager, Marshal. The kit also comes with a fishing pole, bamboo, and several marine critters to capture, including a fish and a hermit crab. It even has a tiny LEGO shovel and a rock that hides some coins under it, just like in the Nintendo game. This set is part of the larger Animal Crossing LEGO collection, which has many kits retiring at the end of the year. Although several new sets have been announced for the summer, fans may want to act fast to get all the existing Animal Crossing sets before they're gone.
