Following numerous leaks including the set turning up unexpectedly at Target last week, Lego Donkey Kong Arcade has finally been revealed – and it's available now.
This 1,300+ piece model is based on the ape's first appearance in the 1981 'Donkey Kong' arcade game featuring Mario (then called 'Jump Man'), and it's due to launch this August 1 for $200. While that means the iconic girders and rolling barrels are featured, this isn't just a display piece; Lego Donkey Kong Arcade is actually playable, with the joystick and buttons moving both Mario and releasing the obstacles he's got to avoid. That's certainly more interactive than many of the best Lego sets manage.
UK: £149.99 at Lego
Designed to look like an old-school arcade cabinet, this set uses its 1,367 pieces to recreate the original game as it appeared in the 1980s (albeit without a back, which it's swapped out for the character's 3D logo up top). While there aren't any minifigures here, it being playable – to an extent, anyway – makes up for that. It's 15.5in (39cm) high, 10.5in (27cm) wide, and 5.5in (15cm) deep.
In terms of how it works, players use the joystick to move Mario/Jump Man a short distance (about an inch or so) across the girders while pressing a button to have him hop over rolling barrels. As for those obstacles, you either pull a lever to release them or slot more into the side of the model. That puts it head and shoulders above the otherwise-excellent Lego Pac-Man Arcade, which was more of a display piece.
Not that this is the first interactive gaming set we've seen from Lego, of course. It pulled a similar trick with the NES set where you guide Mario through an iconic starter level, and recently announced a working Lego Arcade Cabinet. I'm loving this trend; it really adds value to and helps justify the cost of expensive display sets like this.
Will you be grabbing the Donkey Kong set, or are you hoping he'll get the minifigure treatment alongside the Mario range in 2027?
For more collectibles based on everyone's favorite ape, don't miss the best Donkey Kong merch. As for his rival, why not drop in on our guide to the best Super Mario merch?
