Nintendo and The Lego Group have partnered for dozens of video game-themed sets over the years, ranging from Super Mario to The Legend of Zelda to Animal Crossing. Lego has also delivered buildable brick-based versions of the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy. And now, something new from the Nintendo world is coming soon: Donkey Kong.
On Thursday, Lego and Nintendo announced that Lego Donkey Kong will be “rolling soon,” posting a very brief teaser video to social media that hints at what’s to come. “There’s plenty more where this came from!” Lego said in an Instagram post. While the full reveal of Lego Donkey Kong is still forthcoming, the shot of a rolling, pixelated barrel offers a clear indicator about the theme of the new set: classic arcade Donkey Kong.
The Lego rolling through that video is modeled after the orange and blue barrels of the original 1981 Donkey Kong, implying that the set will be inspired by Nintendo’s breakthrough arcade game. One could easily see Lego and Nintendo delivering a buildable version of the beginning stage of Donkey Kong, with barrels that actually roll down a series of platforms. If that’s the plan, we should probably expect little Lego versions of Jumpman (aka Mario) and Lady (aka Pauline), and possibly even Lego versions of sentient Fireballs.
Nintendo and Lego haven’t been afraid to experiment with designs over the past six years. Sets have ranged from the play-inspired Super Mario courses to massive Mario Kart and Bowser builds. Lego’s version of the NES was more elaborate than it needed to be; it included a miniature CRT television with a working version of a Super Mario Bros. level on the screen. The Lego Game Boy set mixed things up with swappable cartridges and lenticular game screens.
Lego has already delivered two big Nintendo sets this year, with one based on the climactic battle from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and one based on Luigi from Mario Kart. This year has also seen the launch of new Pokémon-themed Lego sets, with the promise of plenty more to come. Nintendo and Lego also confirmed a new Mario minifigure slated to launch in 2027.
Donkey Kong is reportedly getting his own stand-alone animated movie from Nintendo and Illumination, which could arrive as soon as 2028.
Lego’s Donkey Kong set does not have an announced release date, but we’ll be keeping an eye peeled for details as they arrive.
Enjoy the creator of Mario getting absolutely grilled in a historic Nintendo lawsuit
Shigeru Miyamoto gave his testimony in the 1983 case against Universal, the proprietors of King Kong
