Lego has officially revealed its latest Nintendo-themed creation: a Donkey Kong arcade set designed as a callback to the 1981 arcade hit that predates Mario's well-known name. This 1,371-piece set, launching on August 1 and priced at $200, will feature a buildable replica of the classic arcade cabinet.
The cabinet includes a mechanism to circulate all 21 barrels, mimicking the original game's challenging gameplay. Players can also interact with the set using a joystick to move a pixel-accurate Jumpman figure and a button to make him jump. While minifigures are not included, the set provides pieces to construct pixelated versions of Jumpman, Donkey Kong, and Lady.
Once fully assembled, the set stands 15.5 inches tall, 10.5 inches wide, and 5.5 inches deep. This release continues Lego's trend of producing Nintendo-inspired sets. Last year saw the popular 1:1 scale replica of the Nintendo Game Boy, and Lego's Pokemon line is also expanding.
New Pokemon Lego sets are on the horizon, including the Lego Iconic Trainer Moments: Poke Ball, a replica of the signature catching tool, alongside minifigures of Arcanine, Munchlax, and Rayquaza. A scaled figure of Red, the original Pokemon trainer, will also be available. These join a growing collection that will eventually include 12 sets with Smart Play compatibility, featuring interactive lights and sounds through Smart Brick pieces. Among these are the $120 Charizard vs. Jolteon Ultimate Battle display and the $70 Training House Pikachu. Other 'Smart Play Compatible' sets, which work with Smart Bricks but do not include them, are also set to launch, such as the Charmander & Geodude Cavern Clash and Cubone & Gengar's Spooky Showdown.
Preordering the Donkey Kong set from The Lego Store will include an exclusive Animal Crossing kit featuring Tom Nook, valued at $5.