Its always cool when two favorites can come together in one casting release. For me, it was my love for the #Cool-One casting along with my nostalgia for the #Super Mario video games. When it was announced that the Cool-One would be part of the Nintendo Super Mario Bros. segment of the Pop Culture line, I knew I’d be obtaining this one. Though I have yet to come across this segment in the stores, I decided my wait was long enough and found an online seller unloading the Cool-One and 8 Crate from this segment at $3 each (these retail for about $4.50 to $5.00). So with shipping, these came out to the same price I would buy them for at retail.

In the Super Mario Bros. segment of the Pop Culture line, each casting wore its own “classic” Super Mario game. The list is below:

• Dairy Delivery (Super Mario Bros. – Nintendo, 1985)
• Cool-One (Super Mario Bros. 2 – Nintendo, 1987) SHOWN BELOW
• School Busted (Super Mario Bros. 3 – Nintendo, 1988)
• 8 Crate (Dr. Mario – Nintendo, 1990)
• Volkswagen T1 Panel Bus (Super Mario World – Super Nintendo, 1990)
• A-OK (Super Mario Kart – Super Nintendo, 1992)

While Super Mario Bros. 2 differed from the original Super Mario Bros., in that you could play as Mario, Luigi, Princess (Peach) or Toad to fight a whole new slew of bad guys, Super Mario Bros. 3 reverted back to the Mario trying to defeat Bowser. Considered not as widely popular as Super Mario Bros. 1 & 3 (here in the U.S.), Super Mario Bros. 2 was a classic that defined Mario for subsequent releases — most notably, his ability to lift objects and enemies. This was clearly illustrated on both sides of the Hot Wheels Cool-One release.

As you can see above, Mario is pulling the white turnip from the ground versus the photo below which is the driver’s side of the vehicle (and the side that faced out from the package) which shows Mario holding the turnip above his head. This subtle difference of graphics on each side is a common quality of the Pop Culture line.

Currently there are two versions of the Cool-One tool. One is reserved for premium lines and one is reserved for the mainline. The Premium lines tool allows for the Cool-One to have a metal base/body and allows for the interior to be a different piece from the engine. Also, one of the from windows is tilted open — a characteristic that carried over from early mainline releases of the Cool-One. The 2016 HW Screen Time Cool-One also features a Super Mario design and compares the two Cool-One castings >> HERE <<.

RELEASE DETAILS: Dark Red Body (metal). Tinted Windows. Green Interior. Chrome Engine/Air Intake. Chrome Real Rider 5-Spoke (RR5SP) Wheels. Unpainted Metal Base. Made in Thailand. Toy# CFP87. Released in 2015 as part of the Super Mario Bros. segment of the Hot Wheels Pop Culture line.