"Dare you to turn this into a working console" - Lego's latest Creator 3-in-1 build is begging to join my functioning retro handheld collection

A new Lego 3-in-1 Creator set has just arrived for under $20 / £20, and I've been challenged to turn it into a handheld. This is what happens when an expert in the best retro console options and a toy editor work side by side, as these crossovers are starting to feel like more than just cute little builds for your shelf.

Creatively dubbed "Retro Gaming Console", the new Lego 3-in-1 Creator set features the titular hardware alongside "a mini computer toy or a mini arcade game machine" as optional builds across 268 pieces. At a glance, the set looks fairly generic and serves as a fun display piece, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't now have ridiculous ideas for the kit.

This all started yesterday when my good friend Benjamin Abbot burst into my DMs with nothing but a link and a challenge. The words "Dare you to turn this into a working console" immediately sent my project-loving brain into a spiral, and before I could even consider whether trying to turn a Lego set into one of the best retro handheld options is practical, I accepted the challenge.

Lego Creator 3-in-1 Retro Game Console | $19.99 at Lego This set features three sets in one, as the name suggests, meaning you can build either a handheld, PC, or arcade machine. Naturally, you can use the 268 pieces to put together anything your heart desires too, which could come in handy if you're planning on cramming handheld guts inside it like me.

UK: £17.99 at Lego

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I've potentially bitten off more than I can chew with this one, but I'm feeling pretty inspired. Unlike with the recently released Game Boy that enthusiasts are turning into a functioning portable en masse, there's virtually no room to spare within the new Lego 3-in-1 set. There's a gap for sliding screen plates that help the handheld display faux gameplay, but the rest of the build appears to be solid inside.

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At the same time, there's a layout to work with here. The handheld specifically features dual joysticks, a d-pad, and face buttons, which help it look like an uncanny handheld emulator. Finding something that even stands a slight chance of fitting within a blocky shell is going to be the real challenge, though, and I suspect I'll need to either use an Anbernic RG28XX or perhaps even the Zelda: Game and Watch.

I'd maybe try to use the Mario version of that latter collectable handheld, seeing as it's still $44.50 at Amazon. The Zelda variant keeps creeping up in price (it's now sadly $73.99), but its wafer-thin design could work in a cramped Lego project like this. The RG28XX would be ideal since it'd give the build emulation powers, but there is a bit more going on inside Anbernic's device.

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Will I actually turn the Lego's Retro Gaming Console set into a real working handheld when it arrives on January 1, 2026? Well, for $19.99 / £17.99, I'd say it's worth a shot, and it could make for a nice, chaotic project to kick off the new year. I'll report back once I get my hands on one, but even if you normal about things like this, it's worth checking out even as some light game room décor.

• More Lego sets at Amazon
• More retro handhelds at Amazon

Looking for more sets? Check out the best Lego sets for all the greatest builds out there. We've also got a specific roundup of the best Lego gifts if you're building for a master builder.