My heart sank when the Lego Game Boy set teaser dropped back in January. As GamesRadar's best retro console collector and gaming handheld tester, I should have been completely hyped for the new Nintendo set, but I was instead haunted by price anxiety.
Thankfully, those fears were unfounded, as the Lego Game Boy set will arrive on October 1 for $59.99. That's way cheaper than I was expecting, given that the Legend of Zelda Lego Deku Tree costs four times as much, and while that's a much bigger set, I was still bracing for an upsetting price tag.
As someone who spends a lot of time fixing old Game Boys, I was also concerned the Lego set would miss the mark. In theory, recreating the portable console out of blocks should be a challenge since it's practically a grey brick, but the construction toy pioneers have created a model that's smashed my expectations in terms of detail.
Even at a glance, the Lego Game Boy is out to impress, as it replicates every element of the original handheld. I'd expect even a basic set to include a d-pad, maroon face buttons, and a faux screen. But, this kit adds in even minute details like the "Dox matrix with stereo sound" label on the screen lens, an ext connector port on the side with its matching cover, and even a serial number sticker at the back.
The real showstopper, though, is the Lego Game Boy's cartridge slot and swappable lenticular game screens. The Super Mario Land and Zelda: Link's Awakening carts are enough to make me nerd out, but you can also insert an insert that makes the handheld look like it's actually running the game.
It's hard to get a proper sense of the lenticular effect from photos, but Lego's example shots already look impressively convincing. Not only are the inserts the same color of green as the Game Boy's polarizing filter, but the lens helps it catch the light in the same way as the old non-backlit LCD.
Is this Lego Game Boy going to be living in my head rent-free until October? Yes, and I'll be looking to get my hands on it ASAP so I can compare it to my original handhelds. The fact that it's under $60 ensures it won't end up on the same unrealistic wishlist as various other Nintendo sets, and while you can still grab a real working console like the Super Pocket for that price, it's still destined to sit pretty on my shelf.
- More Nintendo Lego sets at Amazon
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$59.99$47.99 at Amazon
Looking for more kits? Swing by the best Lego sets for plenty of block models. If you want a real Ninty system, you'll want to check out Nintendo Switch 2 restocks and our ultimate Nintendo Switch 2 starter pack, too.
