Mario sneaks ads into playtime

You know those Lego Mario sets? The ones with the electronic eyes and mouth? Turns out they get firmware updates, too, and the latest one is doing something creepy:

Yes, that's Mario plaintively calling for his brother - a brother who's rumored to be coming in one of this summer's new sets. Which might be kind of cute, if Lego weren't using electronics to advertise directly to children in a space that should be all about play.

'80s kids may have been the first generation to grow up with TV shows that were glorified commercials, but at least a He-Man toy never woke up one day years after release and specifically spoke in a real human voice to say he missed Battle Cat. Marketing to kids through their toys like this is kinda sus, Lego.

And of course, Simpsons did it: