The best video game Lego sets

It doesn’t matter if you’re 4 or 40, Legos are always fun to play with. We all have memories of digging through some giant plastic bin of pieces searching for that one we saw 50 times before we needed it. If you grew up just a few decades ago, the best you could do was use your generic Lego sets to re-create the best video games as close as possible. Now, Lego has partnered with almost every major brand and company under the sun to make official Lego sets for everything from Star Wars to your favorite video game series.

If there’s a popular gaming franchise, odds are it has a Lego set. Whether you want to give a creative gift to a gaming fan or want to build yourself a nice display piece in honor of your favorite game, these are the best Lego sets based on video games.

Nintendo Entertainment System

This isn’t a Lego based of a specific game, but perhaps the most important console in gaming history. This set lets you build a scale Lego model of the legendary NES, complete with a controller and replica TV. Be ready for an intense build, though, because this entire set has a total of 2,646 pieces. The kicker, and what makes it worth that much effort to build, is that this set isn’t just awesome for display purposes. If you turn the crank, a little Mario figure will start running and jumping his way through a little recreation of World 1-1. It obviously won’t be as fun as playing the best Mario games for real, but for a Lego set it is very impressive.

The Legend of Zelda Great Deku Tree

There are so many obvious choices for Zelda-inspired Lego sets. Hyrule Castle is the easy one, but we would even suggest the Temple of Time or the King of Red Lions before thinking of the Great Deku Tree. Now that we’ve seen it, we can’t wait to get our hands on it. Sure, it isn’t the same Great Deku Tree from Ocarina of Time, but the Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom version is a close second. This isn’t too complex of a build at only 2,500 pieces, but does come with three amazing figures of Link in different outfits, Zelda, and even a little Korok. Being able to swap out the branches for different colors is a great touch to more easily fit into your decor.

Lego Horizon Forbidden West: Tallneck

If the existence of Lego Horizon Adventures wasn’t proof enough that the Horizon universe is perfect for Lego, then this Tallneck set certainly does. The world is filled with massive, complex machines that lend themselves perfectly to the blocky style of Lego. We do think the Thunderjaw would’ve been a better option, but maybe that one will come later. For now, we have the majestic Tallneck that serves as the moving towers in the game you need to climb to reveal the map. As detailed as it looks, this set only has 1,222 pieces as well, plus a cool little Aloy and Watcher figure. This is a set that looks so cool and sleek you won’t feel embarrassed displaying in the living room.

Super Mario 64 Question Mark Block

There are dozens of Mario Lego sets out there so we had to make a tough call picking just one. When pushed, we settled on the iconic Question Mark Block set. What makes this one more unique than most is that it can transform a bit from appearing like the regular block from the games to expanding with smaller sets based on Mario 64 levels to check out. This includes a chibi little Peach’s Castle, Cool, Cool Mountain, Lethal Lava Land, and Bob-omb Battlefield. This will be a fun build at 2,064 pieces.

The Deep Dark Battle

It all comes full circle with a Minecraft Lego set, doesn’t it? Technically, any massive pile of Legos could be sold as a Minecraft set, but thankfully Lego got a bit more creative. There are a few of these out there, but the Deep Dark Battle looks the most fun. This set lets you build and adventure through an ancient city where you can place treasure chests and other little items around the level. With a handful of figures, including one big mob to fight, this is one of the cheaper and kid-friendly Lego sets with only 584 pieces.

Sonic the Hedgehog Green Hill Zone

Sonic is on a major comeback thanks to a fresh lineup of games and the hit movies, so what better time than now to show your love for the spunky blue hedgehog? Sure, Green Hill Zone isn’t as iconic as World 1-1, but it does make a far more interesting Lego set than a flat brick road with a couple of pipes and pits. While it is just a segment of the level, it does have a little bridge over water, some enemies, a jump pad, and the all-important loop that you can rearrange however you want. This set doesn’t skimp on figures, either. You get Sonic, Eggman, Eggmobile, Moto Bug, and Crabmeat. And don’t forget the seven Chaos Emeralds, either. At 1,125 pieces, this is another great pick for kids and adults.

Isabelle’s House Visit

Besides Minecraft, Animal Crossing might be the most natural fit for a Lego crossover. There are a bunch of these to pick from, but all are aimed at a younger audience and perfect to slowly add to. As for the first one, the Isabelle’s House Visit set is a great pick. This small set comes with a cute little cottage to build, a small yard to decorate with plants, and an Isabelle and Fauna figure to play with inside and outside the house. It only takes 389 pieces to put this one together so even young Animal Crossing fans can put this together and have fun.