The collaborations between LEGO and various popular brands are always a fun thing to see. Lately, LEGO has been releasing sets that are based on video game consoles, with the most recent one being on the Nintendo Game Boy. Prior to that, the company collaborated with Nintendo on a set that featured the Nintendo Entertainment System, which was out around the same time as their Super Mario series sets. There was even a LEGO set that let people build a PAC-MAN arcade cabinet, which included a miniature version bundled with it. As collectibles, these are fun things for gaming fans to pick up, especially if they love all things related to video games.
However, it may be a fun idea to see LEGO start looking at other game systems for potential sets. I love seeing a diverse lineup of retro game consoles getting the spotlight in ways that are unique and different from how we typically see them. With other gaming companies having already done collaborations with LEGO for character sets and other bundles, offering fans the option to buy and build more game consoles would be a big win for everyone. Here are three retro game consoles that I want to see become LEGO sets in the near future.
3 Super Nintendo
Now you’re building with power, super power
There are a ton of great LEGO sets that feature Nintendo-related franchises. We’ve not only gotten to build things from the Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda games, but we already have a set to build a full NES set up. So why not go to the next logical step when collaborating with Nintendo? I would like to see a similar LEGO set that lets us build a Super Nintendo system, with Super Mario World being the game on a small screen. Much like the one for the Nintendo Entertainment System, building the SNES could follow a similar premise. Featuring one of the most important games on the console as part of the full build, along with a cartridge of the game and movement on a screen just like the NES set.
What could be even more interesting is if a Super Nintendo set could also include other aspects of the console’s legacy, such as the other accessories or maybe additional cartridges of major games. If Super Mario World is the main game for the SNES in this set, then maybe including something like Donkey Kong Country or Super Mario All-Stars would be a great idea. For accessories, things like a small build of the Super Game Boy or the Super Scope could be neat supplemental items to have with it. As a concept, a Super Nintendo LEGO set seems like a slam dunk for both companies, given how successful every collaboration has been since Nintendo and LEGO started releasing them.
2 Sony PlayStation
Live in your world, build in ours
Source: Flickr, Mayuki Sawatari
At the current moment, there have been very few LEGO collaborations with PlayStation. The only ones with any attention are the Horizon: Zero Dawn set collaborations, which tie-in directly to the LEGO Horizon game. As a first dip into the world of LEGO, it’s an interesting adaptation of the PlayStation 4 original, but not something that die-hard PlayStation fans would be excited about when thinking of LEGO and Sony joining forces. If what was done with Horizon: Zero Dawn is the first of more LEGO sets down the line, then we need to see a LEGO PlayStation 1 console be released at some point. Would it also make sense to have builds for other PlayStation consoles that came after? Possibly, but sticking with the original PlayStation would be the smartest choice, since it’s the one that has the most history behind it.
Much like previous Nintendo console builds, a LEGO PlayStation should come with something that is a nod to one of the major game releases on the console. Would it need a small TV to build along with it? Not necessarily, especially if building something like an original PlayStation is already complex. But having a classic jeweled case box for a launch game or big release would be ideal, such as Gran Turismo or even Crash Bandicoot. But with this set, it could be focused more on the elegant and unique design of the console itself rather than everything around it. A LEGO PlayStation could stand out very differently from the Nintendo console sets greatly, and show versatility in the types of collaborations that LEGO is willing to do with retro console builds.
1 Sega Genesis (Model 1)
Welcome to the next level of building
When it comes to Sega collaborations with LEGO, there are already sets based on popular characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. As a tie-in to the classic game series and the recent releases of the Sonic the Hedgehog films, fans of the blue hedgehog are pretty happy. But as far as the brand of Sega itself outside Sonic, there haven’t been any sets whatsoever. Fans of LEGO have come up with concepts and beta designs for what could work as a full set for the Sega Genesis console, specifically the first model that was released in 1988 as the Mega Drive in Japan and 1989 in North America. With so much going on between Nintendo and LEGO for a while, it’s time that Sega jumped into the mix with something of their own.
A console set for the Sega Genesis should be very similar to that of the NES set, with a game and TV monitor to build with the console. Of course, the most obvious choice for a game to include would be the first Sonic the Hedgehog game, which is arguably the most iconic release for the Genesis. It would make total sense, since LEGO has already done so many different sets that feature Sonic the Hedgehog. It would be a great way to have things closely related to one another. But if LEGO and Sega were interested in being historically accurate with a set like this, then having the Sega Genesis set be paired with the original pack-in game that was released with the console would be interesting, which would be the game Altered Beast. The recent LEGO Game Boy set includes cartridges for Super Mario Land and Tetris, which were launch titles for the handheld back in 1989.
Building our favorite retro consoles
It’s pretty obvious to everyone that it can be fun building LEGO sets. The release of the LEGO video game consoles was an interesting idea that many people, especially fans of specific consoles, find very appealing. Who knew that combining retro game consoles and LEGO was such a slam-dunk of a concept? Although the current sets from LEGO based on the NES and Game Boy were real winners, it would be an even bigger win for the company to consider doing the same thing with other retro video game consoles that people love. Not only would they be great tie-ins to other LEGO sets that the company produces, but they would open up a wealth of potential for future sets and customers willing to buy them.
