If you’re a fan of Lego — and many are overly fond of the Danish plastic brick brand — and fit into one of two other geeky subcultures, you’re in for a treat next month. The company is launching something new for fans of retro gaming and interplanetary travel come June.
Specifically, fans can expect two weighty new sets to drop. One is a semi-functional Pac-Mac arcade machine and the other is a Technic replica of NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover. You know, the one that dropped off that Martian helicopter we’re all so impressed with?
Lego of my bank account
The Lego Perseverance Rover is expected to cost an almost reasonable R2,000 ($100) when it hits shelves on 4 June. That’s not bad for a 1,132-piece Technic, which relies more on interesting engineering than pure brick bulk for its build complexity. It’s got 360° steering, a movable arm (for collecting rock samples), and individual suspension, in case you want to test it out in some rough terrain. There’s also an augmented reality app, called Technic AR, that offers more information on the space hardware and its current status on Mars.
If the deep darkness of space isn’t your thing, then the murk of a 1980s arcade might prove more appealing. Lego’s Pac-Man arcade machine is a more traditional brick build comprising of 2,650 pieces and an approximate price tag of R5,200 ($270). The arcade machine depicts a game in progress, plus there’s “…a small vignette of a female minifigure playing Pac-Man on an arcade, hidden inside of the cabinet”.
In addition, buildable Pac-Man, Blinky, and Clyde models are part of the set, with their own rotating base so you can show off your authentic 1980s arcade cred. In the arcade machine itself, one of Lego’s light-bricks will light up if you drop a coin in. We assume you’ll be charging viewers for the privilege of looking upon this wonder of plastic construction.
Both sets are scheduled for a June release overseas. Expect them here in South Africa very shortly afterwards.
