I am a big LEGO fan. I remember vividly playing with LEGO as a very young child with my grandfather throughout the 90s, and now, 30 years on, I am building LEGO with my own son.
This time, I get to choose which sets I build, that’s one of the only benefits of being an adult that I can think of, and being a retro gaming fan, I have had my fair share of retro gaming LEGO sets.
Below are my favourites, from large sets specifically aimed at adults who want to spread a set over a week, to affordable, smaller sets that cost under $50 and can be done in one evening.
And as you likely know, LEGO has partnered with Nintendo and SEGA throughout the year, meaning we have some incredible sets for us retro gamers. Here’s my favourites.
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Every product on this list was reviewed, tested and purchased by a member of the Retro Dodo team.
PAC-MAN Arcade Cabinet
- Release Date: Mid 2023
- Pieces: 2,651
- Pricing: $249.99
- Where To Buy: Amazon or LEGO.com
- Build Time: 6 – 8 Hours
The LEGO PAC-MAN Arcade Cabinet is by far one of my favourite sets of all time, not because of my time playing PAC-MAN growing up and as an adult, but because of the sheer intricacy of this set.
It’s targeted at over 18s for a reason, and that’s because it is somewhat complicated, and sophisticated in places, requiring attention, patience and determination.
It’s a large set, coming in at 2,651 pieces, and it assembles in parts that keep you motivated. For example, the beginning gets you to build the playable PAC-MAN statue on top of the cabinet that can be moved and spun with the press of a button.
Then the hard part, the cabinet itself, crafted using thousands of pieces. The hardest part is the actual display, featuring many moving parts and small pieces, which takes hours on end to complete.
Yes, you have to add all of the walls and pacs, alongside the cabinet itself. There are a couple of easter eggs hidden in the back, which I won’t spoil, a light up coin slot and a spinning lever which moves PAC-MAN around the screen.
It’s one of LEGO’s craziest sets yet, and is one that many LEGO enthusiasts will love exploring because of the sheer amount of small, tight pieces to place.
LEGO GAME BOY
- Release Date: October 2025
- Pieces: 420
- Pricing: $59.99
- Where To Buy: Amazon or LEGO.com
- Build Time: 1 – 2 Hours
It’s the set that we have all been waiting for, and no doubt it’s going to be the gaming LEGO set of the year. Coming in at 420 pieces, this set allows you to rebuild your childhood one piece at a time.
Featuring multiple cartridges that you build, a couple of unique easter eggs that I won’t spoil and it even comes with a minimal stand, allowing you to display it where you please.
I am glad that LEGO didn’t go overkill with this set. They could have certainly made it bigger, added pieces and added a large price tag with it, but they kept it small and kept it affordable, which I think was a great decision.
It’s a 1:1 replica of the original handheld console, and you can change the lenticular screen depending on whether you are using the Super Mario Land cartridge or The Legend of Zelda Cartridge.
It’s a superb set and hopefully the beginning of other GAME BOY lego sets that we will see throughout the coming years.
SEGA Genesis Controller
- Release Date: September 2025 (Limited-time offer, gift with purchase)
- Pieces: 260
- Pricing: $40+ (on eBay)
- Where To Buy: eBay
- Build Time: 1 Hour
The LEGO SEGA Genesis controller was unfortunately a limited-time offer, available only as a “gift with purchase” when customers spent over $150. However, as of writing this, it can be purchased on eBay for around $40.
That’s exactly what I did, and I was pleased with the purchase. It’s a small set, for sure and can be done in an hour or two, but it was a must-have for my LEGO Collection, seeing as my first home console was the SEGA Mega Drive here in the UK.
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Tip: This set offers American, UK and Japanese stickers to alter the “Genesis’ sticker section into a Mega Drive sticker with black or red buttons.
It starts with you building the easter egg at the back of the console, a diorama of the infamous Sonic the Hedgehog level, Green Hill Zone.
Then the second bag gets you to build the front of the controller and the stand, which it fits on perfectly, slightly angled and can be removed for “play”.
I believe it’s an underrated set for $40, it’s highly limited as it was only up for “sale” for a couple of weeks and is perfect for those who grew up in the 90’s.
Who knows, if you keep it boxed, it could be highly sought after in a few years? It makes a great gift, and LEGO fans will be unsure of how you got it seeing as it’s limited, so it’s your chance to be that “cool” family member or friend “in the know” if you do gift it.
Arcade Machine
- Release Date: August 2025
- Pieces: 468
- Pricing: $39.99
- Where To Buy: Amazon or LEGO.com
- Build Time: 1 – 2 Hours
The LEGO Arcade Machine set was launched in Augut of 2025 and has gone under the radar because of its size and niche target, but don’t let that fool you.
This is an incredibly underrated set for those looking for an affordable gift for themselves or retro gaming friends/family.
At just $40 it features over 468 pieces and allows you to build a “Space Invaders” like arcade cabinet with a secret section in the back, which features a “hidden” gaming room and a mini-figure.
The coin slots actually work with included “5” coins that can be placed in the slot and will fall out just below it. The custom bricks are great too, with nostalgic images on the side featuring LEGO pieces that look like space ships.
It took me approximately two hours to build, and at no point did I get bored or struggle with the set. It looks great on display because of its tall size, and has a tiny bit of playability, a couple of easter eggs (like the Outrun sticker) and comes with a mini-figure, which isn’t said for many at this price range.
It’s a great gift for ’80s fans who have fond memories of the good ol’ days with arcade machines.
Nintendo Entertainment System
- Release Date: Mid 2020
- Pieces: 2,646
- Pricing: $199+
- Where To Buy: Amazon or eBay
- Build Time: 6 – 8 Hours
By far one of the biggest retro gaming-themed LEGO sets of all time is the Nintendo Entertainment System, coming in at 2,646 pieces, slightly more than the , PAC-MAN set at the top of this list.
This set not only features the console itself,, which has a couple of easter eggs and a physical cartridge that needs to be built and inserted, but it also comes with an old-school vintage TV.
This TV is incredibly detailed and uses a rail system that can be span to move Mario himself across the screen. The level moves under him, forcing him to jump as if it were a LEGO version of the game on the screen.
This offers great playability and is physically, a large set which makes any gaming room pop. Oh, and it comes with a NES controller too, adding to the wow factor.
As of writing this, it is a retired set, but it can still be purchased on eBay, or other third-party retailers.
Super Mario Piranha Plant
- Release Date: November 2023
- Pieces: 540
- Pricing: $69.99
- Where To Buy: Amazon or LEGO.com
- Build Time: 2 – 3 Hours
A very popular small Super Mario set that was released on the tail end of 2023 is the infamous Piranha Plant.
A set that comes in at 540 pieces and makes a great desk accessory for anyone who loves Super Mario or wants to pimp out their Nintendo Switch 2 setup.
Not to spoil the surprise here, but this doubles up as a piggy bank too, coming with a couple of coins for you to store in the pipe. You can even use your own coins, too, should you want to hide some cash from your family!
To get access to your hidden coins, there’s a secret button too, making it even better for hiding coins!
Overall, it’s a fun, small set in terms of pieces, but it’s actually a fairly large piece when put together, and it won’t go unnoticed in your home or office. It’s a great buy for the price in my opinion!
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