Where has the year gone? It seems like not long ago we were celebrating the summer launch of the Switch 2, firing off red shells and racing around the open island of Mario Kart World. Here we now find ourselves braving the cold winter days ahead, with Christmas just around the corner. While the holidays can often be tough finding the right gift to buy a loved one (or even add to your own cheeky Christmas list for Santa), you can always count on LEGO to have a few sets sure to appeal to budding builders of all ages. And quite honestly, for gamers, they’re simply spoiled for choice when it comes to sets themed after their favourite pixelated brands. It feels as though LEGO is all in on the video game train.
This being a video game site, I figured it only made sense to take a look at just a few of LEGO’s options spanning games from multiple decades and consoles. Struggling for gift ideas this Christmas? Take a look at these five offerings, sure to get yours or someone else’s gamer itch scratched.
Shadow the Hedgehog – 720 Pieces – £59.99
Kicking off with a gaming series that I’ve always had a soft spot for, Sonic the Hedgehog has been a firm favourite of mine for over thirty years. While technically it was Nintendo’s Mario that would officially introduce me to the wonderful world of gaming, Sonic wasn’t far behind to tow the platforming line… just at a much higher speed and with added cool factor.
While I’ve certainly enjoyed previous Sonic the Hedgehog sets miniaturising key scenes, including Sonic Adventure 2’s Biolizard, Tails’ Tornado plane and even Eggman’s Drillster, the Shadow the Hedgehog piece marks the first not built around minifigures and rather a larger sculpture-like structure.
I’ll admit, on first seeing pictures of the set online, I was a little sceptical about how well LEGO would be able to replicate the rather unique look of Shadow’s head between his large eyes, pointed nose, and, of course, the red and black quills sticking out the back. Those worries were immediately flushed away as I started to piece the Ultimate Lifeform together. What’s more, I loved the minor Easter Eggs thrown in, such as a Chaos Emerald sitting inside Shadow’s head where his brain would be and a red mini crab hiding inside one of his quills (a reference to the series Badnik Crabmeat).
It should go without saying, but this is a must for anyone you know who’s a fan of the games, movies, or even just gaming in general. I only hope we see more Sonic characters getting the LEGO treatment like this. Knuckles next, please!
Perfect for:
- Sonic the Hedgehog fans
- Collectors of LEGO’s other mask/head models
Minecraft: The Trial Chamber – 322 Pieces – £34.99
While I’ve never been a true hardcore fan of the Minecraft series, it’s something I always admired from afar before eventually taking the plunge and joining in on the fun with my five-year-old son. I now have a much greater appreciation for that game and enjoy crafting every now and again together or simply toying around with the many (many) downloadable updates.
When it comes to the LEGO sets, meanwhile, these have proven very popular in our household, my son, the proud owner of a number of builds, including the Fox Lodge, the towering Mountain Cave and the Ender Dragon and End Ship (among others).
So, I thought it best to leave this set in the expert hands of him, a task he was more than happy to take on and complete the very same day. What he really appreciated was the fact that the set included some interactive elements – namely, the firing of missiles from two spots. As you can imagine, he had plenty of fun trying to aim at the skeletons.
At just over 300 pieces, it is one of the smaller Minecraft sets, but it doesn’t feel or look it. The actual structure is pretty sizable when complete, largely thanks to its use of height in the build. The set includes a group of minifigures, including a Shadow Hoodie, two skeletons and a pair of Breezes.
My son absolutely adored The Trial Chamber and currently sits proudly amidst his growing LEGO Minecraft world. This set makes for an ideal gift this Christmas for fans of the game and comes with a modest price tag, too.
Perfect for:
- Kids
- Minecraft fans looking to expand their collection
Mario & Standard Kart – 1972 Pieces – £149.99
LEGO have released a number of Mario Kart-themed sets over the past year, all designed to work with the Super Mario line, including the interactive Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach figures. While they do a fine job taking beloved karts and characters and turning them into LEGO, the Mario & Standard Kart takes things to the next level, going bigger and more detailed than we’ve ever seen the plumber yet.
The iconic Standard Kart is used here, first seen in Mario Kart DS, and looks fantastic, using some clever building techniques to create a smooth and curved look. As for Mario himself, he looks the part, fitting into his seat snugly and even able to position his hands to grab the wheel.
The entire thing sits on an adjustable base, meaning you can position the kart how you see fit. I aligned him next to some of the Fast and Furious builds I have on my shelf, and Mario comes out a little larger (helped thanks to being taller).
At nearly 2,000 pieces, the £150 price tag feels surprisingly cheap to be honest, and in my opinion, feels like you’re getting the most bang for your buck over many other gaming sets out there.
Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a bit of Mario Kart? Of all the sets in this list, this one feels like it has the widest appeal and would make for an excellent gift to race under the tree this year.
Perfect for:
- Adults and kids alike
- Builders who want something a little more complex than the smaller Mario Kart sets.
Horizon: Aloy & Varl vs. Shell-Walker & Sawtooth – 768 Pieces – £39.99
Based on the video game LEGO Horizon Adventures, which itself was based on PlayStation’s robotic animal open-world action game, this roughly 800-piece set has a lot to offer, with two robot creatures and two minifigures.
The minifigures of Aloy and her loyal ally Varl make for great LEGO versions of the video game counterparts. One thing I particularly love about them are the weapons and their level of detail. Both Aloy’s bow and arrow and Varl’s spear come with additional pieces to reflect fire, chill and shock variants just like in the game.
As for the creatures themselves, they are impressively designed with so much detail in both. The Shell-Walker, for instance, wonderfully infuses its crab-like structure with LEGO parts that emphasise its mechanical qualities. The Sawtooth, too, is just as eye-catching with both bots fully posable. In fact, what makes this set such a cool piece is that it looks great for displaying, whilst also working great for kids who enjoy playing with LEGO.
It goes without saying, but if you have the Tallneck in your collection, then this is an absolute must-have, a perfect accompaniment to expand your Horizon world.
Perfect for:
- PlayStation fans
- Those who missed out on the Tallneck set
The Legend of Zelda: Great Deku Tree 2-in-1 – 2500 Pieces – £259.99
I saved the best for last. This set is an absolute monster and one of the biggest video game-themed sets currently out there (just shy of the NES System’s 2646 pieces), and with a higher price tag than anything else on this list, it can be a rather intimidating purchase. However, in my opinion, the set is worth every penny, proving not just to be a faithful replication of the Great Deku Tree but an all-around wonderful build regardless of your Zelda knowledge.
From bag one, this set is a true delight as you gradually set out your green and grassy base before building up to the much-anticipated finale. Alongside the tree itself, you’ll also work on two smaller builds, Link’s house and the pedestal housing the iconic Master Sword. A particular favourite of the former is the chest hiding in the back containing potion bottles, a compass, the Hookshot and more nods fans are sure to appreciate. The latter, meanwhile, has its own base and slots in nicely in front of the Deku Tree, giving it even more depth and making it feel densely packed.
What is particularly awesome about this set is the fact that you can choose between two styles for the Great Deku Tree – one resembling his Ocarina of Time look and the other his more recent Breath of the Wild. Right out the gate, you’ll notice a clear change in foliage colour, but the differences go much deeper than that. I opted for the Breath of the Wild look (the game among one of my favourites of all time) which meant I got to build not only the Great Deku tree with gorgeous pink leafage and a moveable mouth but also some cute Koroks (who you find many of in your adventures in Hyrule) a number of smaller trees dotted around adding some much appreciated depth to the entire display. The Ocarina of Time version may not feature as much in the way of plant life, but major highlights include the Deku Baba and creepy Skulltula hiding out back.
The set comes with four minifigures – young Link and adult Link in his iconic green tunic, and Breath of the Wild Link and Zelda.
I’m not going to lie, this set is definitely one of the more expensive video game sets out there, but if you’re looking for a particularly special gift for someone or simply fancy treating yourself after a busy and stressful year, then I cannot recommend enough Zelda’s first LEGO set.
Perfect for:
- The Legend of Zelda fans
- Builders looking for something rather showy
- Builders who want a rather lengthy build
The Legend of Zelda set looks amazing!
Have you tried the Mario and Yoshi set? Is that any good?