Lego has released a Donkey Kong arcade machine set, designed by Carl Merriam, that lets Mario jump endless barrels. The set is priced at $200.
The set doesn’t play exactly like the original Donkey Kong game, but it does contain a basic, fully functional game. Mario can be moved left and right using a working joystick, and a button can be pressed to make him jump. A lever can be thrown to release one of an endless series of barrels for him to jump.
Design and Mechanism
The barrels used in the set are the same original barrels that Lego released in 1989 for its first pirate sets, according to Merriam. He says it’s his favorite thing about the set, and the biggest challenge was figuring out how to make the barrels roll slowly enough without getting stuck.
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Merriam confirms that Nintendo actually works with Lego on its sets, and that Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Donkey Kong and Mario, is reportedly happy with the execution of the set. Nintendo did have one specific piece of feedback, which was to make the poison barrels heavier than the regular ones, so Lego added Minifigure heads inside them.
Barrel Mechanism
The barrel mechanism is essentially a pump, using a stack of 14 barrels going up the side of the model. Each time the barrel lever is pulled, it adds one barrel to the bottom of the stack and one falls out the top. The system holds 20 barrels, so there can be 6 barrels rolling down at a time.
The barrels roll all the way from the top to the bottom, where they are collected in a hopper that is connected to the barrel pump. This forms an infinite barrel loop, which is, by definition, “barrels of fun”. The biggest challenge in designing and testing the mechanism was getting the barrels to roll down slowly without stopping or getting stuck.
According to Merriam, the solution was achieved through a combination of rolling over steps, Lego studs, slopes, bows, and using Lego Technic beams, which are slightly thinner than Lego Bricks. This allowed them to capture the feeling of the gameplay where the barrel rolls down slowly.
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Joystick and Button Mechanism
The joystick moves Mario from left to right using a long lever up the back of the model, connected to a dingler. The jump button uses a similar mechanism used in a piano key, where pressing the button down in front of the model makes the other end of a see-saw lever press up on a long rod with Mario at the top.
When the button is released, gravity returns Mario to the bottom. The set also includes a slot to load barrels and levers in the back that let Mario move and two sliding doors that presumably let you clear any jammed barrels.
In the context of Lego‘s recent collaborations with Nintendo, this set represents a unique blend of nostalgia and innovation, allowing fans to experience the classic Donkey Kong gameplay in a new and interactive way.
