Leaked Lego Donkey Kong Arcade set turns up in Target, and box art confirms it's playable

A leaked Lego Donkey Kong Arcade set based on the character's first appearance is now being spotted in brick-and-mortar stores, and the packaging seems to confirm what we suspected - it's actually playable.

Following an earlier leak that showed off its boxart, price, and release date, the Lego Donkey Kong Arcade set has shown up in Target. According to user taswellow on reddit, they found a copy just hanging out on shelves despite not having been announced yet. "They said I couldn't buy it but I could take pictures," taswellow notes, proceeding to show off rear box art which highlights working elements that make this model "playable."

Well, to a degree. While Mario/Jump Man seems stuck on a single level, you can move him and make him leap over obstacles via the joystick and buttons at the bottom of the kit. Just like in the original arcade game, barrels will also roll across the stage - either released by Donkey Kong or inserted via a slot in the side of the build. It may not be as playable as the original, sure, but it's certainly more interactive than most of the best Lego sets.

While a pinch of scepticism is understandable in today's landscape of AI recreations, I sincerely doubt this is fake. For one thing, its box art matches the previous leak exactly. In addition, the rear packaging features close-up 'action' shots that are simply too consistent and complex for an AI to ape (heh) without making a goof.

We don't have official confirmation from Lego yet, but judging by the fact that the Lego Donkey Kong Arcade set has now appeared in a major chain means its full reveal must be imminent. Keep your eyes here or on the Lego store over the next few days, in other words - we'll let you know as soon as it's confirmed.

This isn't the only leak that turned out to be real in July; following leaked screenshots, an absurdly accurate Lego Spongebob Squarepants set was shown off.