LEGO Game Boy design team avoided fan-created models

Any existing fan-designed LEGO console models were avoided altogether when it came time to assemble 72046 Game Boy.

The latest 18+ LEGO Super Mario set launched last week, with 72046 Game Boy proving so popular that it’s already on back order in some regions. The 421-piece retro console represents an impressive brick-built take on the iconic Nintendo gaming platform from the 80s, one that’s packed with surprises.

In a recent interview with Gizmodo, the 72046 Game Boy design team discussed the challenges surrounding the LEGO build and how they purposely avoided looking at any similar fan-made models during the set’s development.

“For a long time, the team in general has wanted to do the Game Boy,” said LEGO designer Simon Kent, “and we felt that now was probably the right time, and we also wanted to explore a different price point. Obviously, the NES came with a TV. It’s a higher price point, so we wanted to do something smaller to test that area.”

“One of the most interesting differences between being a LEGO fan and a LEGO designer is that we’re designing a product for people to build at home,” added fellow LEGO designer Carl Merriam, “and to make the experience of building the product fun is a totally different challenge than just making something look like the source material.”

While there have been numerous unofficial fan-designed versions of LEGO video game consoles created over the years, the 72046 Game Boy design team made it their aim to deliberately steer clear of any such models when starting work on the Nintendo handheld platform.

“If you search for anything related to intellectual property, there’s probably a LEGO version of it out there somewhere,” Simon explained. “We are very careful for that exact reason. We deliberately don’t look at fan-related material because we want to focus on the actual real thing and do what we think is the right thing with the partner who we are collaborating with.”

72046 Game Boy is priced at £54.99 / $59.99 / €59.99, but is currently on back order in the UK until October 8 and the US until October 18, although it is still available to purchase in Europe for now.

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