Rumors Suggest a $200 LEGO Set Inspired by the Classic Donkey Kong Arcade Game is on the Way

The iconic Donkey Kong arcade cabinet appears to be the next exciting addition to the Lego x Nintendo collaboration, as hinted by a leaked image of the new set’s box circulating online. According to the post, this set is set to launch in August with a price tag of $200. While that might seem steep for a Lego set, retro gaming fans will quickly point out that it’s a bargain compared to the cost of an original cabinet.

From the single image available, the Donkey Kong set looks like a charming yet straightforward Lego interpretation of the classic 1981 arcade machine. It features a movable joystick and functional buttons, with the arcade’s “screen” crafted from plastic bricks, showcasing ladders, barrel obstacles, and hammer power-ups. It’s unclear if this Donkey Kong set will match the intricate detail found in the Pac-Man Lego arcade cabinet released in 2023, which retailed for $270.

The Pac-Man set allowed players to turn a crank to navigate Pac-Man and his ghostly foes across the screen. Additionally, larger Lego figures of Pac-Man, Blinky, and Clyde would rotate and change colors, visually representing the effects of Pac-Man consuming a power pellet. While the Donkey Kong joystick and buttons seem capable of moving a Lego Mario figure across the screen, the set doesn’t appear to be large enough to facilitate the complex mechanical interactions needed to fully replicate the gameplay experience.

For context, the Pac-Man set included 2,651 pieces, whereas the Donkey Kong set is reported to have only 1,367. Thus, while it adds a fun piece to Lego’s retro gaming lineup, it seems more suited as a display item than a fully interactive playset.