Lego’s Nintendo Game Boy is a brick masterpiece just shy of perfection

Lego's $60 Nintendo Game Boy replica weighs a few ounces less than the 1989 original, but it's nearly identical in size and surprisingly tactile. Every button clicks, the D-pad rolls smoothly, and the power switch snaps with satisfying precision.

Designer Carl Merriam nailed the proportions using a mosaic of Lego tiles that somehow captures the handheld's iconic curves and details. The set includes three lenticular panels that create moving images when tilted, showing Mario jumping or waves lapping at Link's Awakening's beach. Friends momentarily wondered if it actually plays games.

The build itself feels like assembling real electronics rather than just stacking bricks. Springy face buttons slide into place, car tires serve as Start and Select button mechanisms, and there's even a brick-built speaker with yellow "wires" hidden beneath the grille. The Link's Awakening cartridge includes a battery backup detail, just like the original.

Yet minor details feel frustratingly incomplete. The screen displays on a gray background instead of the Game Boy's signature green, and the back panel omits regulatory markings that could have been easily printed. It's tantalizingly close to perfection.