The LEGO SEGA Genesis / Mega Drive is small but mighty, and comes in at an incredibly pocket-friendly $40.

LEGO

LEGO’s newest game collaboration is not only one of its best-looking and most-demanded — it’s also among the best-value sets the company has released in recent years. Late on May 1, the company revealed its first-ever LEGO SEGA Genesis Console (40926); if it was on the site, I’d’ve already preordered mine.

Following the Insiders-only Genesis controller (40769), which sold out in days and now commands over $40 on eBay, it felt like only a matter of time before LEGO would expand its SEGA-themed display models past Green Hill Zone (21331). Coincidentally, this Genesis and Mega Drive-themed set retails for under $40, though it’s a lot smaller than you might have guessed.

I’m not too surprised that the company didn’t opt for the same build scale as the famed (and now retired) LEGO NES (71374). It’s probably for two reasons, and the first is much more obvious: the Nintendo fanbase undoubtedly outweighs the one for SEGA, especially for a large-sized Genesis build, so it just wouldn’t sell to the same degree.

Secondly, the shape of the console is much harder to replicate than the boxy NES, which the set’s designer, Patrik, admitted in the launch announcement when he said: “Recreating the intricate details and curves of the console with LEGO elements was an enjoyable challenge, despite its difficulty.”

Thankfully, you can also customize it to your region. The 40926 model includes both SEGA Genesis and SEGA Mega Drive stickers, though it doesn’t clarify if you can have both options lined up at the same time with additional pieces. Not that this is in any way a dealbreaker — I’m just glad that a Brit like me can have the Mega Drive I grew up with.

As is becoming increasingly common in LEGO sets, especially gaming-themed ones, its best detail is hidden. By lifting out the cartridge slot, you uncover a Sonic-themed image that looks a lot like the extra life box in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, a game also included with the set to complete the console’s look with the most emblematic Mega Drive cart of all. The controllers are also very impressive, even if they use plug-style connectors — a fair design sacrifice in favor of a secure link.