Nintendo may have beaten SEGA in the console wars, but there is no denying that the SEGA Genesis, or Mega Drive as it was known in many parts of the world, remains one of the most beloved gaming consoles ever made. Now, fans can add a brick-built version to their collection with the new LEGO SEGA Genesis Console (40926).
Unlike the larger LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System (71374), which recreated a console, controller, cartridge, and even a retro television, the new SEGA set takes a more compact approach. At 479 pieces, it is designed as an affordable tribute to the 16-bit machine that introduced many gamers to Sonic the Hedgehog, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage, and plenty of other classics.
One particularly neat touch is that LEGO lets builders choose between two versions of the console. Depending on your gaming upbringing, the finished model can be customized into the SEGA Mega Drive, first launched in Japan in 1988, or the SEGA Genesis, which arrived in North America in 1989. In other words, LEGO has found a diplomatic way to avoid starting another regional console war.
The miniature console includes two detachable controllers and a removable game cartridge, while sticker decorations help recreate the look of the original hardware. LEGO has also hidden a Sonic the Hedgehog portrait as an Easter egg for fans to discover during the build.
Once completed, the model measures over 16 cm (6 inches) wide, 12 cm (4.5 inches) deep, and 4 cm (1.5 inches) tall, making it the kind of display piece that can sit comfortably on a desk, shelf, or beside an actual SEGA Genesis if you happen to still own one.
The LEGO SEGA Genesis Console (40926) may not play cartridges, blast FM synth music, or settle the Nintendo-versus-SEGA debate once and for all. What it can do, however, is give retro gaming fans a charming little reminder of an era when “Genesis does what Nintendon’t” was more than just a marketing slogan.
The LEGO SEGA Genesis Console (40926) is available now for US$39.99.
Images: LEGO.
