Lego and Nintendo’s collaborations have been among the most eye-catching and sought-after in recent years. From little Super Mario builds, to a near-perfect replica of the original Game Boy, to complex Pokémon sets, collectors are clearly lapping up the ‘brickified’ versions of Nintendo icons. And perhaps the most ambitious one may be around the corner.
Straight from the r/Legoleak subreddit, we’ve received a first look at a Donkey Kong arcade machine potentially set to release in August for $200 USD. At the time of writing, the build hasn’t been formally announced, but considering the release date is soon and that this subreddit has been a reliable source of Lego leaks for a long time, we’re inclined to believe it.
As pointed out by VGC, its arrival roughly lines up with Donkey Kong’s 45th anniversary: 9th July, 1981. This Lego celebrates the original Donkey Kong arcade game, which introduced the iconic gorilla standing at the top of a New York City building and throwing barrels at Mario – called Jumpman then – as he tries to rescue Pauline from the enraged ape.
Perhaps more intriguing is the presence of a joystick and buttons, and internal ‘layers’ for different elements representing characters and scenery, which suggests there may be some surprise interactions made possible by interior mechanisms. Judging by past Lego Nintendo sets, which have some customisation options, and the upcoming Smart Play Pokémon builds, such potential is possible.
Nintendo seems to be paying special attention to the Donkey Kong IP as of late, with last year’s Bananza being the Switch 2‘s first inventive 3D platformer, and a rumoured animated film in the works as well. Eurogamer’s four-star review of Donkey Kong Bananza called it “the new best Donkey Kong adventure that doesn’t have the word ‘Country’ in its title”.
