Power-up marshmallows and star-shaped cereal -- this Super Mario Cereal will beckon fans, collectors, players and cereal lovers alike.
Nintendo and Kellogg's have teamed up for Super Mario Cereal, set to become a part of a complete nutritious breakfast beginning in December 2017. Featuring "power-up marshmallows," Kellogg's Super Mario Cereal box itself is a special collectible of sorts.
The cereal is designed to promote "Super Mario Odyssey," a 3D Nintendo game for the Switch. And what better way to market the game's launch than to make the cereal box itself a collectible "amiibo," a scannable sticker for Nintendo Switch's NFC sensor that unlocks special in-game items, power-ups, outfits, new adventures and other fun bonuses. Those playing the "Super Mario Odyssey" game can tap the cereal box on the Nintendo Switch system and receive gold coins or a heart in the game.
Brad Schwan, senior director of Morning Foods Marketing, expressed excitement for this fully integrated Mario-themed cereal box. "We are thrilled to pack so much fun into one box of cereal," he said in an official press release. "The package adds value and excitement for fans, with marshmallow shapes in the cereal inspired by Super Mario power-ups to tie the theme together."
Fans can anticipate the limited-edition cereal box to hit store shelves across the U.S. as early as Dec. 11. Although some fanatics have already found Super Mario cereal in the Walmart and Target inventory systems, the limited-edition breakfast cereal is not currently available. So hold tight.
The last time Mario-themed breakfast cereal hit store shelves was 28 years ago, so pardon the extensive hype. And in true Kelloggian fashion, Super Mario cereal boxes will feature Mario-centric trivia and cartoon mazes flanked by familiar Nintendo characters -- a Hungry Yoshi, a panicked Mario, distressed Peach and a villainous Bowser. All of which harken back to days of watching Sunday morning cartoons, collecting cards and tiny plastic knick-knacks (Crazy Bones), and feeding digital food to our digital pets on our Tamagotchis.