Tag Archives: Video Game

Even if you’re not an Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo gamer yourself, and even if you’ve never played one of the many LEGO games, it’s hard not to appreciate the strange and stunning LEGO creations inspired by video games. Look for lots of LEGO models inspired by Halo, the Legend of Zelda, Gears of War, Pokemon, Final Fantasy, and more. Game on!

Get tactical with a LEGO Black Ops II M8A1

Recently, my favorite entry in the Call of Duty franchise — Black Ops II — was added to Xbox One backwards compatibility. I picked up Treyarch Studios’s 2012 vision of combat in 2025 again, and felt inspired to build my favorite rifle in the game: the M8A1, a rifle based on the real H&K XM8.

M8A1 - Call of Duty: Black Ops II

In addition to being inspired by the design of the gun itself, I was motivated to build by the color scheme. Most of the rifle in game is tan, but its carry handle has a subtle bronze color. I showed this color difference with two LEGO colors: tan, and medium dark flesh. The latter color is fairly limited in parts selection, which made its implementation a fun challenge.

M8A1 - Call of Duty: Black Ops II

Working features on the LEGO M8A1 include a moving trigger, removable curved magazine, and a sliding ambidextrous charging handle. The tactical rail on the carry handle can attach a LEGO reflex sight that projects a red aiming dot onto a window piece. I show and discuss these functions, as well as a few techniques used to achieve the detail on the weapon, in this four minute video.

See more photos of the M8A1 on my Flickr, or check out other LEGO Black Ops weapons we have featured, such as the PDW-57 SMG and KRM-262 shotgun.

Slay the Locust horde with a 5000-piece LEGO Gears of War 4 Lancer

You won’t need biceps the size of watermelons to look tough with this Lancer Assault Rifle from Gears of War 4 built by Alec Doede. His replica of the iconic gaming weapon is incredibly detailed, with accurately constructed sights, grips, and angled paneling. I can hear the aggressive sound of the chainsaw bayonet revving up just looking at it.

Custom Lancer

Ladies like armor plating

Introduced to the Halo universe in Halo 4, the Mantis shook up the vehicle gameplay with a mech carrying immense firepower and capacity for celebratory crouching. ZiO Chao presents a LEGO version of this UNSC powerhouse in incredible detail. His accurate model is fully poseable, with flexible legs, cockpit, and armaments.

HALO Mantis standing

The minifigure-scaled mech comfortably seats a Spartan minifigure at the controls.

HALO Mantis breakdown mode

See more photos, including some progress shots, on ZiO Chao’s Flickr.

The strength to stand alone is the strength to make a stand. To serve a purpose greater than yourself.

Modern video games, even the most violent ones, are fantastic sources of inspiration. Clearly, Marcel V. agrees, as his most recent LEGO creation springs straight from the beautiful world of Horizon Zero Dawn. Marcel nicely captured the unique art style of the game. The crumbling bridge with exposed rebar is especially eye-catching, the robot beast is menacingly cute, and Aloy (and her brick-built bow) are perfection!

Horizon Zero Dawn

If Marcus’s gorgeous creation hasn’t sated your hunger for video game scenes built out of LEGO, how about devouring a few more for dessert? Check out Abernathy Farm and the Red Rocket Refuelling Station from Fallout 4, a slice of the apocalypse from The Last of Us, and Impa’s House from Breath of the Wild.

It’s a beaut’ in blue, and its comin’ for you

CrashHelmets seems to be relatively new to the LEGO hobby. But his latest build, the Asp Explorer from the game Elite: Dangerous, makes be believe otherwise. The builder has managed to skillfully integrate some rather complex angles, making this ship a spot-on representation of the one in the game. Don’t overlook the excellent color blocking either, as subtle splashes of white and orange complete this build’s aesthetic.

Asp_v1

To the edge of the universe and back. Endure and survive.

While it’s always going to be hard to top the massive 20,000-brick diorama of The Last of Us by Tim Schwalfenberg that we featured earlier this year, the post-apocalyptic video game is so full of atmosphere that I’m glad to see other LEGO builders tackle the haunting game. Christophe captures the protagonists as they approach a dilapidated building. Foliage cascades from an upper floor, with broken glass hanging from windows. My favorite detail is the air conditioning unit on the second floor.

The Last of Us

I do wonder what kind of interior Christophe has included in his build, because one of the only shots other than the one above is of Ellie’s guitar sitting silent in an empty room.

The Last of Us

Bricks rain from above!

Strider0630 has created a fantastic LEGO model of Overwatch’s Pharah, photographing her twice: using her ultimate weapon, and but also this little scene of her using her ultimate. Parts of the armor open up to release missiles; the clever use of transparent elements and smoke make this a perfect display piece that we’re sure many fans would pay to have on their desks.

Justice rains from above!

I will protect the innocent.

African architecture in Age of Empires II

You may recall Andrew JN‘s previously featured Middle Eastern vignette or his working trebuchet from earlier this year. Andrew has done it again with this beautiful Al-Khahr, inspired by John Snyder and largely based on the African architectural style house from the newly released expansion for Age of Empires II.

Al-Khahr

This build has so many colorful details that leap out of the picture: the reds of the awning, the blue ostrich egg, and the lime green creepers by the front door. I love the palm tree with older dying branches hanging under the newer lime green canopy – and a monkey! But my favorite detail of all is the camel who appears to be giving his master a rather stubborn look!

A challenger approaches

Take just one look at these stunning LEGO video game characters by Anthony Forsberg and you’ll be itching to play a few rounds of Super Smash Bros. Pictured from left to right are four of the toughest characters ever to enter the arena: Mr. Game and Watch, Fox McCloud, Pac-Man, and Kirby. These brick-built renditions of the pixelated icons from your childhood are pretty spectacular.

LEGO Amiibo

And to top it off, Anthony even built adorable miniature versions of these four foes!

Mini LEGO Amiibo

Hey, listen!

You there! Stop smashing those clay pots. Stop riling up those cuccos. Stop everything and check out this breathtaking LEGO creation by Jonas Kramm. Even if you don’t spend your weekends taming wild horses and searching for spirit orbs, you still have to admit that Kramm’s rendition of Impa’s House from Breath of the Wild is pretty amazing.

Impa's House

Kramm says it took him a month and 10,000 LEGO pieces to recreate the Sheikah character’s home. And the end result is instantly recognizable. The color palette, roof shaping, rockwork, and all the tiny details are spot on. The building has a fully-built interior and custom Link and Impa minifigs. There are even a couple of apples out front that you can pick up on your way through the village. After all, you never know when you might need to refuel.

Impa's House - Interior

If in doubt, use a plumber’s screwdriver

My father always referred to a hammer as a “plumber’s screwdriver”, which is maybe a little unfair on professional pipe-botherers. However, it’s the first thing I thought of when I saw Anton Sundström‘s LEGO Mario sculpture. Everyone’s favourite dungaree-clad videogame hero is wielding a rather fetching hammer here, in a re-creation of his look from Paper Mario.

Mario!

Although limited in its joints, the model has excellent pose-ability to match the videogame original. Check out this classic “jumping for a coin” action…

Mario!

Cosplay as Tracer from Overwatch with her full LEGO arsenal

Back in January 2017, I started probably my most ambitious project yet: a full cosplay of Tracer, the time-jumping mascot of the wildly popular team-based shooter game Overwatch, with LEGO elements. While the full costume is not yet complete, I reached a point in the project worth sharing, just in time for Brickworld Chicago this week. I completed her Pulse Pistols, Pulse Bomb, and Chronal Accelerator, which grants her full in-game set of abilities.

Tracer's full arsenal - Overwatch

I wrote about the Pulse Pistols in depth back in March, so I will cover the Pulse Bomb and Chronal Accelerator here. The Pulse Bomb, her ultimate ability, consists of two concentric gray circles surrounded by a black triangular trim. The circle held together by click hinges would normally require sixteen segments, but to maintain even angular spacing of the flame orange slopes and black trim, I reduced that to fifteen.

Tracer's Pulse Bomb - Overwatch

The Chronal Accelerator was the most difficult part of her arsenal to construct. I decided early on in its construction that the support straps would be held together by ball-and-socket joints like those commonly found in the Mixel series, as they are strong connections but also flexible enough for the harness to be worn on different body types.

Tracer's Chronal Accelerator - Overwatch

The whole harness was built front to back. The straps lined up in the front nicely; however, matching the angles they made with the reactor in the back was tricky. Angled Technic liftarms and flexible connection points received the straps in the rear, but still allow for it to be adjustable.

Tracer's Chronal Accelerator - Overwatch

The goggles are also wearable. As tempting as it was, I didn’t want to force the use of a LEGO canopy if it didn’t match the shape of the goggles in the game. Fortunately, the two canopies I used were a close fit. Vision is slightly distorted with the goggles on, but one can see through them.

Tracer's Chronal Accelerator - Overwatch

See more photos of the full arsenal on Flickr, and watch for the demo video to go live on YouTube in the very near future.