LEGO video games are commonplace. From LEGO Batman: The Videogame (2008) to LEGO Dimensions (2015), the brick-based toy company has dipped its toes into the world behind the screen many times over. However, until recently, this collaboration of physical and video gaming did not extend in the other direction, with criminally few gaming themed LEGO sets being released.

Truly starting in 2012 with the (unsurprising) release of Minecraft (2009) themed sets, gaming themed LEGO started small. These Minecraft sets were small in scale, easy to assemble, but faithful to the original game. With uniquely designed minifigures that have cubed heads and intricate printing for various ‘skins’ and many custom printed bricks that bring details of the game to life, LEGO Minecraft boded well and was a fantastic proof-of-concept for gaming sets going forward. The sets were suitable for adults with their display potential, and children with their exciting play features, bright colours, and ease of assembly.

This integration of target audiences young and old is something that would remain locked to LEGO Minecraft going forward however, as many gaming sets that followed would be obviously targeted to one demographic. The short lived LEGO Overwatch featured sets based on a game that was targeted to teenagers and up, with intricate builds that required complex construction techniques. LEGO Super Mario was where this distinction became fully realised, with an entire theme of gaming based sets being targeted at those under age 10.

LEGO Super Mario is distinctly un-LEGO in its presentation, rather finding its footing in the company’s ethics through its playability. Mario is a large scale electronic device that acts more like an action figure than a minifigure, making it suitable for play sessions with younger audiences. Likewise the courses that the sets feature are easy to construct, and easy to integrate with other sets in the theme, encouraging creativity and free-thinking when assembling. Definitely not intended for an older audience, LEGO Super Mario finds its niche in being an excellent introduction to gaming themed sets.

This separation in target audiences is truly brought to the forefront in the adult focused Mario themes. The Mighty Bowser, Super Mario 64 Question Mark Block, and Nintendo Entertainment System are three sets in particular that take the more child friendly Mario theme and incorporate it into adult aimed sets. These are challenging builds that are designed for long-term display when constructed, a dream for adult fans of both gaming and LEGO alike.

While LEGO Super Mario has quickly become the runaway star of LEGO’s video game themed sets, it is not the only theme having heart poured into it. Atari 2600, PAC-MAN Arcade, and LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog are themed sets that expand the potential of gaming LEGO. They are sets that take inspiration from a piece of gaming memorabilia or set-pieces in certain games that will make any collector or fan swoon. Most recently LEGO Animal Crossing has received a huge push with specially sculpted head moulds for the characters that give high hopes for the longevity of the theme in the same vein Minecraft saw long ago.

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