In all these years of collaboration with Nintendo, LEGO has never really touched on where it all began. No. It isn’t the NES, which LEGO has already immortalized in brick form. It was Donkey Kong, the arcade game.
Now, LEGO is giving the beginning of the story its rightful place in the plastic-brick world with the LEGO Super Mario Donkey Kong Arcade (72051). Designed for adult fans of LEGO (AFOLs, i.e., collectors and fans aged 18 and up), this 1,367-piece set recreates the barrel-launching and leaping action of the classic arcade game.
The model pays homage to the original arcade cabinet game—though I don’t recall it being this boxy—and boasts features including Jumpman, Donkey Kong, and Lady, plus the requisite scaffold, ladder, and hammer details.
Like the Pac-Man Arcade and the recent Pinball Machine sets, it is not merely a build-and-display set. It has some level of playability. You can pull the lever to release one barrel at a time, simulating it being thrown by Donkey Kong. After that, you may move Jumpman with the joystick and press the button to make him leap over the barrels.
A mechanism circulates the 21 included barrels in a continuous loop, allowing you to endlessly relive the game in the most non-digital way possible. Unfortunately, there are no sound effects. You will have to create those with your mouth while you are at it.
When completed, the model measures 27 cm (10.5 inches) wide, 15 cm (5.5 inches) deep, and 39 cm (15.5 inches) high. It makes the perfect addition to your LEGO Super Mario setup, as well as your growing brick-built arcade.
The order books are open for the LEGO Super Mario Donkey Kong Arcade (72051) at US$199.99, with shipping starting August 1, 2026.
Images: LEGO.