This project involved the design of a promotional Happy Meal toy concept for McDonald’s, created to coincide with the release of the Super Mario Bros. movie. The toy took inspiration from the iconic “Lucky Block” in the Mario franchise and was designed to function both as a cube and as a foldable playset. Inside, the block revealed themed environments with peg holes where figurines could be placed, creating an engaging and interactive experience for children. The concept blended mechanical design, cost-efficient manufacturing considerations, and marketing appeal.

Goals

Create a cost-effective and manufacturable Happy Meal toy design.
Capture the visual identity of the Mario franchise while offering interactive play value.
Incorporate dual functionality, with the toy serving as both a block and a foldable playset.
Demonstrate consideration of manufacturing processes and unit cost reduction.
Support promotional goals for the upcoming Super Mario Bros. movie.

Features

A Lucky Block cube design that unfolds into a flat play surface.
Themed environments and biomes represented with stickers and peg holes inside the block.
Interchangeable figurine with a bottom peg, allowing placement anywhere on the environment.
Manufacturing-conscious design features, including filleted edges, intentional core-cavity structures, and large surface areas.
Extremely low production cost of approximately $0.21 per unit (6 tiles plus 1 figurine).

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Specific Contributions

Conceived and developed the toy concept and design, inspired by Mario franchise elements.
Created the Lucky Block foldable playset mechanism to balance fun and manufacturability.
Designed figurine integration with peg placement for interactive play.
Analyzed manufacturing considerations to ensure low cost and scalability.
Produced a poster and marketing sheet to communicate the design’s value and appeal.