TheLegoGame Boy set has got me. I’ve been got. Not only does it look incredible, but it is even priced reasonably. Who saw that coming? From its swappable cartridges to its absolutelyadorablelenticular screens, this Lego set just does it for me. But, since I’m always looking for the next thing, it does beg the question, what other consoles should get this treatment?
I think I specifically want to target portables here, as I want more Lego consoles with lenticular displays and swappable cartridges. Beyond that, I want the console to bring something to the table. There needs to be a hook, or, at the very least, the console needs to have had some form of impact on the market as a whole.
Game Gear
The Rival
The angle for this one is pretty obvious, right? For the longest time, this was the only real competitor Nintendo had. In certain markets, the Game Gear was massive. To this day, it still has a pretty great library of games. For the cartridges, I’d definitely aim for one of the Sonic titles and maybe Shining Force Gaiden?
A hilarious inclusion would be if they made the lenitcular screens smear a little. I loved my Game Gear, but that was not a console that looked great in motion. What could be more iconic than having the Game Boy and Game Gear sets next to each other on your bookshelf? They were the yin and yang of portable gaming back in their day. It only makes sense that the Game Gear be given its own set.
Dreamcast
The Little Memory Card That Could
I know, I just said that I wanted to keep this list largely focused on portable consoles, but those familiar with the Dreamcast probably already see where I am going with this. The memory card, called the VMU,was actually atinyhandheld system!
You could build the big boy unit, and then build a little VMU to go alongside it. Hell, you could even sell alternative VMU kits that come with different games. And if we really want to go wild, since those games were so very, very simple, you could probably even make them fully functional. Thought, maybe that is a bridge too far?
Nokia N-Gage
The Catastrophe
Okay, here me out on this one. Not every landmark moment is a success, and the N-Gage did one thing better than any other portable console:no one bombed like the N-Gage. I think building an N-Gage out of Lego, and then displaying it, would be hilarious. People are going to admire the Lego Game Boy, but the Lego N-Gage? That’s a conversation starter!
Do you want to go see a perfectly operational ship? Probably not, right? Okay, what about a wonderful, beautiful,luxuriousship? I imagine you are more into that. But wait, there isone more option. What about going to visit the Titanic at the bottom of the ocean? Doesn’t that sound rad? The Nokia is the Titanic of handheld gaming. It deserves to be preserved in brick form!
TurboExpress
The Innovator
When Turbo Express fans look at the Game Boy, they probably scoff and think to themselves, ‘I bet it doesn’t even play Bonk’s Adventure.’ And if that’s you, you’re dead wrong. Bonk’s Adventure was eventually ported to the Game Boy. Wait, where was I going with this again? Oh yeah! The TurboExpress wasWAYahead of the curve. Not only did it have a backlit screen, but it played 16-bit (ish) games!
Now, I’ll admit, this one is a little more niche. It most certainly won’t have the impact of the Game Boy LEGO set, butsometimes niche can be good. Hey, we got a TurboGrafx-16 Mini console. Why not commemorate the super-cool handheld iteration of the TG-16 with a Lego set?
Game Boy Advance
The Pinnacle
This is a no-brainer, right? The gray brick is more iconic, sure, but the Game Boy Advance is still seen asthe pinnacle of handheld consolesbymanypeople. Of course, the question quickly becomes, do you go with the SP? That is definitely seen as the superior iteration. Or the original Game Boy Advance with the love handles. Personally, I think the love handles are the way to go, but verify to target the transparent Crystal edition.
Not only was the purple transparent console the most striking iteration, but it would be pretty novel building with translucent purple-blue Lego bricks. It feels like this would check all the boxes. You’d be selling something that is iconic, fun,andunique. What else could you ask for in a product that will sit proudly on your shelf?
PSP
The Rival 2.0
In my humble opinion, the PSP feels like the last great handheld console to release. Now, obviously, the Switch and Switch 2 are fantastic, as is the Steam Deck, but they are hybrids. They are so much more thanjusta handheld. While the Vita was an incredible piece of hardware, it didn’t get enough support to stand with the elites.
The PSP was a super-ambitious, powerful device that looked to do more than what most people would have thought possible. And better yet, it issexy. To this day, I look at my PSP and marvel at it. I want to build my very own Lego PSP. I want to plug in Lego UMDs. I think that would beglorious.
Game Boy Micro
The Cutie
Do you know what I always loved about collecting Lego when I was a youngen? There were different-sized sets that retailed at different prices. So, I may not have enough to buy one of the big sets, but it wouldn’t take too many mowed lawns to be able to get one of the smaller sets. While the Game Boy’s $60 MSRP is pretty reasonable, what about anultra-affordable set? Enter the Game Boy Advance Micro.
This little guyis not only adorable but also absolutely iconic. It is among the most desirable GBA consoles among collectors. Better yet, you could have a few cartridges that would then be swappable with the bigger Game Boy Advance release. That’d get ‘em double-dipping!
