There was never any doubt that the Super Mario Galaxy Movie would bring some heat in the merch department on the run-up to launch. Nintendo may have its Talking Flower primed and ready to go as a Mario Wonder Switch 2 tie-in (brand synergy, and all that), but we dare you to take one look at the 'Nintendo The Super Mario Galaxy Movie: Hatchin' Yoshi Interactive Toy' (catchy, right?) and not tell us that it's adorable.
The name is pretty self-explanatory on this one. Hatchin' Yoshi is an interactive toy that sees our beloved dino 'hatch' from his eggshell casing and then respond to touch and voice commands. He can rock back and forth, shake his little head, say his name — come on, what else do you expect from the little fella?
All of this cuteness doesn't come cheap, mind you. The Yoshi toy is now available to pre-order from Smyths Toys here in the UK for £59.99, with Walmart's $49.88 pre-orders opening in North America soon. According to the Smyths listing, the toy is expected to launch in early April, which perfectly lines up with the Galaxy Movie's new release date.
This is the latest 'hatching' toy from Spin Master, the company behind the similar 'Hatchimals' and 'Primal Hatch' ranges. Hey, the kids are clearly all about eggs these days.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will arrive in cinemas on 1st April. Nintendo came in hot with some fresh posters last week, and short TV spots and official trailers continue to show us more of what's in store. Let's hope Nintendo and Illumination still have a few surprises up their sleeve in time for the premiere.