Nintendo signs off on Lego’s Donkey Kong barrel-throwing mechanism
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Lego has revealed further details of its new $200 Donkey Kong arcade machine set, including exactly how its endless-barrel mechanism works, after receiving informal approval from Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto. Designer Carl Merriam, known for previous nostalgia-driven sets such as the Lego Game Boy and Piranha Plant, told The Verge that Nintendo requested one specific change during development and that Miyamoto is reportedly "very happy" with the finished design, despite the two never having met.
The set features a working joystick and jump button for Jumpman (later renamed Mario), plus a lever that continually releases barrels using the same piece Lego first produced in 1989. Merriam explained the barrels are propelled by a pump-like system built around a 14-barrel internal stack that can hold up to 20 at once, letting six roll down simultaneously before collecting at the bottom. Nintendo's sole request was to make the "poison" barrels heavier than regular ones, achieved by hiding minifigure heads inside them, while the detachable Jumpman figure means fans can also reunite him with Pauline by hand.
- Lego's $200 Donkey Kong set has a working pump-driven barrel mechanism.
- Nintendo asked for poison barrels weighted with hidden minifigure heads.
- Designer says Miyamoto is reportedly very happy with the finished set.
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Lego’s Donkey Kong set recreates the classic 1981 arcade game, where a carpenter character called Jumpman (later renamed Mario) has to dodge barrels thrown by the giant ape Donkey Kong. The physical building set is designed to mimic the original arcade cabinet, including working controls, and has been developed with input from Nintendo, the Japanese company that owns the Mario and Donkey Kong characters.
The set's designer, Carl Merriam, has been speaking publicly about how it was made, including the engineering behind its main gimmick: a mechanism that repeatedly releases toy barrels to roll down the model, just as they do in the game. Because Nintendo is very protective of its characters and games, any official Lego version needs the company's approval, and Nintendo reportedly asked for one specific change during development.
The story matters mainly to fans of Lego and retro gaming, as it offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how a licensed product gets built and signed off by a famously particular rights holder.
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Originally published by The Verge as “Lego’s Donkey Kong arcade machine lets Mario jump endless barrels — Miyamoto is reportedly happy”.