Within the last few years, Nintendo and LEGO have collaborated on some amazingly intricate and interactive sets. Everything from the Nintendo Entertainment System and CRT television build to the soon-to-be retired dual-build of The Legend of Zelda Great Deku Tree, and even the new SMART Play Pokemon sets with interactive lights and sounds, Nintendo seems to be all-in on bringing their properties to brick form.
LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade
7
Earlier this week (after a couple of leaks), the LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade Machine set was officially revealed. Releasing August 1, it’s yet another impressively detailed and surprisingly interactive licensed build. With San Diego Comic-Con in full swing, I had the opportunity to stop by LEGO’s booth to get an up close and hands-on look with the upcoming set.
On first approach, I was immediately drawn in by how big it is in person. It’s made up of 1,371 pieces, and from the top of the “Donkey Kong” sign to the bottom of the base is over 15 inches tall. It’s also over 10 inches wide and about 5.5 inches deep, which may make it tough to display on a shelf, but you’ll likely want to keep it handy after playing with its interactive components.
The NES and CRTV set had one of the most robust and clever uses of LEGO bricks I’ve ever seen. You turn a crank on the side of the build to move the screen and make Mario jump around World 1-1. LEGO expert Kevin Wong built this set when it first released if you want to take a peak under the hood at the mechanics behind it. The LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade build has similar features, and I was able to get a feel for how it all works.
There are three different interactive functions. First, you can pull a lever on the left of the arcade cabinet to have DK deploy barrels down the scaffolding. Then you can use the middle joystick to move Jumpman closer towards the hammer power-up. Finally, on the right side of the machine is the jump button, which makes Jumpman perform his namesake, sending the barrel down to the bottom. When using the set with both hands (which I wasn’t able to since I was filming), you’ll be able to engage in a relatively close – if limited – one-to-one recreation of the classic arcade game.
The set comes with 21 barrels, but it’s cleverly designed to reload them from the bottom when you pull the lever, creating an infinite loop. I deeply appreciate the fact that the set doesn’t hide its mechanics on the back, and instead opts for clear bricks to show the barrel reload function. I love being able to see just how all the pieces come together to achieve such an impressive effect.
In terms of the design of the set as a whole, you’ll get an extremely detailed creation of a traditional Donkey Kong level, complete with bricks representing DK, Jumpman, and Lady (as Pauline was known as at the time). There aren’t any traditional minifigures, but I always appreciate bespoke brick designs and new colors on classic pieces. I wasn’t able to tell if the character portraits on the four corners of the screen were stickers or printed bricks, but they’re still a fun detail nonetheless. The brick-built “Donkey Kong” sign is another fun addition, but I can see that becoming a bit of a nuisance when trying to display on a shelf. Luckily, each letter’s attachment points are easy to access and quick to remove, so that’s an option if you’re low on space.
LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade at SDCC
Overall, I’m extremely impressed by how well this set functions. The interactive mechanics are smooth and responsive, and from a design standpoint is a beautiful recreation of the classic arcade machine with a painterly color scheme that will surely stand out on display. It makes for a great build for both adult LEGO fans and gamers alike, and you can be sure I’m going to be first in line to pick one of these up when it comes out.
The LEGO Donkey Kong Arcade set comes out August 1 and will cost $199.99. You can preorder it now directly through Amazon or LEGO.
Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social.