This is proof that LEGO gaming sets don’t need licences to succeed

A lack of any official video game licences whatsoever doesn’t stop 40805 Arcade Machine from being a pixel-perfect LEGO set.

The LEGO Group has been dabbling in video game-related sets for a number of years now, with the vast majority of those models based on existing and proven digital IPs. That approach has led to successful partnerships with the likes of Nintendo, SEGA, Sony, Mojang, Epic Games, Atari, Namco and others, resulting in many ongoing collaborations and LEGO themes that continue to thrive to this day.

Sets inspired by the likes of Animal Crossing, Fortnite, Minecraft, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pokémon and Super Mario have or will all see new releases in 2026. Despite the immense popularity of those characters and worlds though, it’s a humble LEGO set from last year that proves to be a pixel-perfect release – and it’s one that doesn’t include a single licensed property.

Blast from the past

40805 Arcade Machine dropped on August 1, 2025 and is still available to purchase priced at £34.99 / $39.99 / $39.99, although it’s worth noting that the LEGO exclusive model will be retiring for good by the end of this year.

Comprised of 468 pieces, 40805 Arcade Machine successfully bridges multiple video game eras and manages to marry up nostalgia for the past with gaming’s current state of play. It’s presented as a retro coin slot arcade cabinet complete with a space shooter on the front, which can then be opened up to reveal a gaming den interior complete with a selection of modern consoles and tech inside.

This isn’t an entirely new concept, though: NINJAGO dabbled in similar models that bear more than a passing resemblance to 40805 Arcade Machine. Back in 2020, three customisable Arcade Pod builds were released by the theme, each featuring an angled video game-style front screen and an opening back section, with the latter full of accessories and room to store each set’s included minifigure.

What’s more, a few previous LEGO video game sets have also opted for a similar approach to 40805 Arcade Machine, such as the now-retired 10306 Atari 2600 that contained a mini build interior scene, 10323 PAC-MAN Arcade’s separate small side build and last year’s 40769 SEGA Genesis Controller GWP with a tiny Sonic the Hedgehog game concealed within.

However, instead of licensing an existing retro title such as Space Invaders, Defender or Asteroids for its exterior monitor screen and printed side elements, 40805 Arcade Machine instead opts for its own take on the video game genre, one that more closely mimics such hits of yesteryear as Galaga and Gorf.

The LEGO set’s detail-packed interior also eschews licensed properties, choosing to go for a range of items that provide a wink at the company’s own video game past and themes, as well as a selection of classic retro titles.

Game on

Those nods start with the left-hand side of 40805 Arcade Machine’s gaming pad, which utilises the set’s many stickers for a range of decorative items that include an arcade cabinet poster, console boxes that mimic those of the Nintendo GameCube, Xbox 360 and the original PlayStation, and even a mini Junkbot machine.

The latter is a seriously deep cut that refers to an online puzzle platform game that was available to play on LEGO.com all the way back in 2001, but has long since been removed from the site. The interactive title required gamers to guide a blocky robot around each level, eating all of the trash cans along the way, before proceeding on to the next stage.

The left-hand side section of 40805 Arcade Machine is then rounded out with a printed wireless controller that would seem to ape similar Xbox peripherals, as well as a male gamer minifigure who features an unshaven face and casual clothes, possibly hinting at just who the video game-themed build is really aimed at.

Retro goodies

Over on the right-hand side of the set are even more Easter eggs to uncover, which start with a two-piece version of a Classic LEGO Space Galaxy Explorer and a golden sai that could suggest a possible NINJAGO connection.

Moving down the wall reveals a stickered rear shelf full of geeky goodness, such as another image of a mini arcade machine, a tiny robot similar to the Collectible Minifigure included in 8827 Series 6, and a fly mask that could be a reference to either the now-retired LEGO Insectoids theme or the creepy Fly Monster character that popped up in 71010 Series 14.

On the lower shelf sit even more LEGO versions of video game consoles, starting from the left with the yellow, handheld Playdate, a pocket-sized machine similar to the Nintendo Game Boy; a PlayStation 5-esque machine complete with wireless headphones; a Nintendo DS-style device; a classic Xbox offering; and a fun take on the iconic SEGA Dreamcast.

40805 Arcade Machine completes its deep dive of non-licensed video game goodness with a PlayStation 2-style console with front-loading disc slot, which is connected to an old-school TV displaying yet another retro stickered nod to the past.

The video game on show is very similar in appearance to the classic Out Run, a SEGA arcade title that was released in 1986. Players could sit or stand behind the wheel of a red Ferrari Testarossa and race across multiple levels to reach checkpoints, trying to avoid spectacularly crashing along the way.

While all these nods, references and builds are clearly paying homage to video game history, they’re all doing so without trying to cram brand logos and product sponsors into your eyeballs. The effect is a build that feels reverential rather than cynical, basking in a shared admiration for video games. It’s a celebration of the wider hobby rather than a specific console, brand or game – and that’s where the lack of licensing really comes into its own.

The price is right

All of the above can be yours for just £34.99 / $39.99 / $39.99, so 40805 Arcade Machine really does leave you feeling like you’re absolutely getting your money’s worth. That’s especially true when comparing the set to other licensed builds in the same price bracket, such as 72035 Toad’s Garage with 390 pieces, 77055 Able Sisters Clothing Shop with only 322 pieces 77118 Silver’s Car vs. Knuckles’ Monster Truck with 378 pieces.

That’s not completely the case across the board though when it comes to licensed video game sets, as 21276 The Creeper includes 665 pieces and 77071 Supply Llama contains 691 pieces, both of which hit the exact same price point as 40805 Arcade Machine.

Considering its cost, piece count and impressive attention to detail, 40805 Arcade Machine still proves that adding potentially expensive licensed properties to such LEGO video game sets doesn’t necessarily need to be the way to go every time.

That thinking should give the LEGO Group the confidence to proceed with creating more video game-inspired sets that take the same approach, providing players with new models based on their favourite pastime, builds that could continue to dive ever deeper into the company’s own interactive history.

40805 Arcade Machine is available to order for £34.99 / $39.99 / $39.99, with the LEGO exclusive model currently still in stock in most regions at the time of this writing. You can also check out our original impressions on the set from our very own Matthew right here.

This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

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