SOME things never go out of style, and it’s fair to say that things like Nintendo’s handheld Game Boy consoles and Lego sets abide by that rule.
Now, it appears that these companies have joined forces to create a new type of holdable nostalgia: a constructable Lego Game Boy.
Comprised of 421 pieces, the model matches the original size of the Nintendo Game Boy at a one-to-one ratio.
It also includes Lego-ized control buttons – specifically SELECT, START, the A and B buttons, and the plus-shaped control pad.
The set even features detailed minutiae straight from the first-ever 1989 model, like the contrast adjustment and volume dials.
Additionally, the Lego Game Boy kit also includes two old-school “games” – SuperMarioLand and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – both of which can be inserted into a gameslot.
The Lego Game Boy also comes with interchangeable screens.
Lego and Game Boy fans alike can already pre-order the set. Priced at $59.99, the model will be available for immediate purchase on October 1.
But despite the Lego set’s eye for and almost unparalleled replicated version of the real thing, is this brick-built version of the Game Boy actually playable?
THE SOCIAL MEDIA DEBATE HAS BEGUN
Considering the Lego model bears an astonishing resemblance to the original Game Boy, it’s not surprising that Internet slews have already taken to social media to debate whether or not it has the ability to play real games.
The consensus, as indicated by the specs of the Lego set, along with no mention of microchips or actual gameplay, seems like it’s a resounding no.
In one Reddit thread, users seemed divided over its worth as a non-functional collectible.
“[It’s a] bridge between my Lego collection and my small handheld collection,” posted one Redditor, adding that they “must have it.”
Others weren’t as enthusiastic, and a big part of this lack of excitement is its inability to serve as a playable console.
“Looks stupid, would rather have real one,” another stated.
At least one commenter lamented the lack of playability.
“A chip which can run [Game Boy] games is really small and cheap,” the Redditor lamented, adding that the model, “could have been so much more.”
So though the new Lego Game Boy throwback model is a dead ringer for the original console, it’s ultimately still unplayable.
LEGO’S PAST RETRO ROLLOUTS
Lego’s Game Boy set isn’t the first example of the buildable toy company releasing an essentially non-functional homage to a beloved retro gadget.
In December 2023, Lego revealed the rollout for its Polaroid OneStep SX-70 Camera Lego set.
Though the model bore an uncanny resemblance to the instant film throwback, it too was essentially only a buildable tribute to Polaroids of yore.
The only “photos” included in the kit were pre-made “photos” of generic Lego characters.
