I’m always going to be a fan of the Squirtle-Wartortle-Blastoise line from the Pokémon games. But even then, I can’t deny that the coolest of the final 3 evolutions has to be Charizard. Daniel BrickSon has recreated the fire-type ‘mon in LEGO form, performing its signature Flamethrower move. The fire looks excellent, the yellow and red a great approximation of the 2D anime styling. And Charizard itself is fab, too, making use of many arch pieces in orange and teal to craft its 3D form. It makes me want to pick up my Game Boy to play Pokémon Red all over again… Oh hey, Daniel built one of those, too! (I’m still picking Squirtle, though.)
Tag Archives: Video Games
Fabulous Final Fantasy Carriage and build your own chocobo [Instructions]
If there’s one thing you can count on with a Final Fantasy game, even more than chocobos, moogles, or a mechanic named Cid, it’s the inevitable remake. In that spirit, Kevin Wanner, the Brick Ninja, revisits an earlier build with an all-new LEGO recreation of a beloved Final Fantasy VII scene. It’s impressive to see how the builder has grown in the intervening years. The chocobo looks fluffier than ever with a rounder aesthetic, and the terrain goes from afterthought to an immersive scene with integrated lighting. The main attraction is the carriage itself, which Kevin redesisgned from the ground up. Expanded to 8 studs wide, the carriage is now proportional and screen accurate and features an interior space for Tifa to make her under-cover trip to Don Corneo’s.
But about that chocobo, if you’re interested in building your own, click on the poster below for Kevin’s free instructions.
“Sorry about the mess. I’ve really let the place go since you killed me.”
Combining AI and LEGO is a sure path to controversy, but there’s one version of this toxic combo I’ll always support – brick-built versions of Portal’s GLaDOS. Coosey Goosey gives the video game villain GOAT her due with this incredible recreation of Chell and GLaDOS’ reunion in Portal 2. The builder takes advantage of newer elements for a wonderful mix of curves and cyber-greebles.
Coosey Goosey frames this fated reunion with a wonderful slice of the overgrown Aperture facility. Visible from behind, a Companion Cube lies nestled in the debris.
As happy as it makes me to see GLaDOS still alive in brick form, I do wish I could battle wits with her again in a new game. Then again, why mess with perfection?
Get your LEGO game on with this fantastic Gameboy replica
Nostalgia for video game consoles and hand-helds is a very popular obsession with gamers of all ages so it is not surprising that LEGO fans are feeling it, too. And you can’t get much more classic than the Nintendo Gameboy. This homage by DanielBrickSon hits so hard, especially for me since I had one of these myself. I won’t show my age by telling you what my first hand-held game was (Okay, it was an LED football game)
The builder captures the iconic look of the Gameboy right down to the simple d-pad and buttons, the square screen with huge black borders, and the rounded outer case.
And if you are asking yourself if that game cartridge fits in the back… you bet your Charizard it does!
LEGO MetalGreymon is digidestined to impress
While Digimon might not have the enduring popularity of their pocket monster rivals, these cyborg creatures have a fierce intensity that some fans will never forget. Especially MetalGreymon, the Ultimate form of Agumon and basically the franchise’s Pikachu. Only if Pikachu was a cyborg T-Rex with a metal claw and purple wings. Builder nobu_tary brings the beast from the digital world into LEGO and the results are digidelightful. nobu_tary excels at building chonky little dudes, which makes for a perfect fit with the Digimon design.
Move over, Monkey Kid. This mech brings Black Myth Wukong energy
Perhaps no character in folklore has been reimagined as often as Sun Wukong, the mischievous hero of Journey to the West. LEGO has devoted an entire line to reimagining Monkey’s adventures, complete with mechs and spaceships. Builder Psyro TtunTomato presents a Monkey mech that draws on another take on the legend for inspiration – the hit video game Black Myth Wukong. Of course, Monkey wields his magical cudgel, while the head is decorated with opulent tails like the video game version of the character. The builder fills out the scene with excellent spiky trees and dense overgrowth made of vines, leaves, and the sly hairpiece.
Of course, the purpose of a giant mech is to battle other mechs, and Psyro TtunTomato delivers with classic Monkey foe the Bull Demon King. The builder shows a talent for both armor plating and articulation, as the model strikes a dramatic pose. This fearsome mech is more than a match for Sun Wukong, and looks like it could bust a Hulk as well!
Itty bitty Big Daddy will leave you in Rapture [Instructions]
It’s been 18 years since gamers first explored the fallen “utopia” of Rapture and we still can’t forget the Big Daddies who haunt its undersea halls. In game, those lumbering living diving suits are the stuff of nightmares, but built at minifig scale by BrickAA, they’re not nearly as scary. Shall we call them “L’il Papas” instead? BrickAA has quite a knack for pint-sized mechs and makes many instructions for their builds freely available, including the instructions for this adorable Big Daddy. What are you waiting for? In the words of Andrew Ryan, “a fan chooses to build.”
Should you prefer your Big Daddies a little… bigger, why not revisit this classic build from Eero Okkonen?
Plucky Patapons emerge from Playstation Portable past in LEGO
If you were lucky enough to have a PlayStation Portable, then there’s a good chance you remember Patapon, the music and tactics mash-up that’s up there with Space Channel 5 and PaRappa the Rapper in the rhythm game Hall of Fame. Builder Vlad V boots up the little fellas for this pixel-perfect LEGO tribute. Vlad nails the personality of the silhouetted soldiers as they march to the beat. It’s a simple mix of parts, but it couldn’t be more faithful. And you don’t have to know the game to appreciate the lovely sunset mosaic. Already the “pat-a-pat-a-pat-a-pon” earworm is back in my head. If you’re also feeling nostalgic for Patapon, the spiritual successor Ratatan is on its way with more great character designs to inspire LEGO builds.
Rolling around with this LEGO build from Katamari Damacy
As LEGO has always been my primary hobby, I’m not the biggest video game enthusiast. But I’ve definitely put in way too many hours playing Katamari Damacy in my youth. As the Prince, I’ve rolled that sticky ball around rooms, houses, towns, and the world picking up all sorts of items, all in an effort to reform stars and constellations stripped from the night sky. And if that description hasn’t piqued your interest, this excellent LEGO build by Maxx Davidson certainly will. Fresh off of winning TBB’s Builder of the Year 2024, Maxx has nailed the Prince, his katamari, and even a few small bits from off the floor that he’s picked up — that red thumbtack is a brilliant mini-build in its own right. The King of All Cosmos would definitely be pleased!
LEGO test chamber shows that Portal love is still alive
It’s been over a decade since Portal 2 reunited Chell and GLaDOS for one last round of physics-based puzzles and razor-sharp comedy, but the game still holds a special place in our hearts. Thanks to builders adotnamedstud and _standaartwoudt_, Aperture Labs is open again for testing, this time in LEGO! The scene has it all: A button! Switches! Gravity! Science! Potato! Minifig Chell is joined by familiar friends GLaDOS (in a potato) and Companion Cube, while new sidekick Wheatly keeps an eye on things from above. The Aperture logo made from tiles is a wonderful touch. Seeing this scene makes me want to dig out the game to play through it again. In case you missed the LEGO Dimensions wave of gaming sets, the Companion Cube tiles and Chell minifig were a real thing!
Crash Bandicoot goes bananas for LEGO!
Sonic and Mario have shown that LEGO and video game mascots are a perfect match. While Sony Playstation doesn’t have a definitive mascot, there was a time when Crash Bandicoot nearly took the honors. DW_Builds pays tribute to the dashing hero with a model so apeeling it could only have been created for the New Elementary “Mind that Banana” contest. The builder takes advantage of the new banana colors found in the Botanicals Chrysanthemum set for Crash’s wild hair and comically gaping mouth. Jumbo macaroni tubes make up Crash’s curved torso and loping legs, while minifig arms serve as expressive eyebrows. These days Crash is more of a retro mascot than a vital part of gaming culture. Still, given the success of gaming IP in cinemas lately, maybe Sony will try and bring him into the live-action world with actor Timothée Chalamet providing mocap and Jack Black phoning it in as Dr. Neo Cortex.
Link’s legendary LEGO sword that seals the darkness
Throughout The Legend of Zelda series, earning the Master Sword marks Link’s transition into a worthy hero. Builder Dylan Mievis has created many memorable video game tributes in the past and definitely proves worthy with this LEGO model of the Master Sword as seen in Breath of the Wild. Coming in at 110 cm in length, the replica is life-size (insomuch as a video game prop can be) and painstakingly faithful to the original design, down to the embossed Triforce at the base of the blade. Dylan depicts the sword as Link finds it, embedded in a pedestal, just like in LEGO The Legend of Zelda 77092 Great Deku Tree. Even more game-accurate, Dylan pairs the sword with a beautiful Silent Princess flower. Go ahead and try to draw the sword if you think you have the courage (and enough heart containers!).