The Nintendo franchises we want to see as LEGO after Animal Crossing and Mario

LEGO crossovers with Nintendo are increasing following official confirmation that Animal Crossing would get its own brick treatment.

After Super Mario was the first to receive LEGO attention, Animal Crossing is now following suit after an announcement on Oct. 5. And while details are scarce, it’s been reported that Tom Nook and company will feature in five upcoming sets.

The collaboration between Nintendo and LEGO has also seen a Nintendo Entertainment System, consisting of 2646 pieces, released to the world with authentic reproductions of the console, controller, Game Pak cartridge, and a still of a Super Mario game on the screen.

It seems that there is no end in sight for Nintendo and LEGO, so we’ve turned our attention to the franchises that deserve their own sets.

Pokémon

LEGO’s long list of crossovers with games, movies, TV shows, and more has one glaring omission that would arguably be the biggest that they could ever tap into, as the possibilities for Pokémon LEGO sets are endless.

From huge dioramas of popular Pokémon like Pikachu, Charizard, and Mewtwo to being able to build classic structures from the long-running franchise, there’s plenty to do. I’m already dreaming of LEGO Pallet Town, Pokéballs, Pokécentres, a Pokédex, and an array of gyms.

All of those ideas are before you even tap into the other spin-offs that Pokémon has created like Detective Pikachu, scenes from the TV series, or movies, or even bringing classic Pokémon cards to life.

It’s as close to a money-printing machine as you could ever get, so why are we still waiting!?

Legend of Zelda

Zelda has hit new heights with the success of Breath and the Wild and the sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, and the possibility of being able to rebuild some of the beautiful landscapes featured in both games with LEGO is mindblowing.

From Shrines to The Master Sword, there’s a wide range of sets that could be built around Zelda, ranging from active sets that can be played with to the more decorative pieces that would instantly become a focal point of any room.

Locations like Kokiri Village, the Temple of Time, and Hyrule Castle could become massive sets with highly detailed features and would be extremely sought after.

Super Smash Bros.

The Smash Bros. series has successfully brought characters from a wealth of Nintendo franchises, and further afield, into one title, and LEGO sets based on the highly-successful game franchise would be a masterpiece.

There is no shortage of maps that could be given the Lego makeover, while the list of characters is also just as extensive. From Mario to Donkey Kong, Kirby to Zelda, a LEGO Super Smash Bros. set would be an eye-popping collection.

LEGO already produces blind bags with minifigures, and doing the same with Super Smash Bros. would be an excellent way to feature as many characters as possible, while the sets themselves could showcase some of the best maps like Skyloft, Delfino Plaza, Temple, and more.

Metroid

A huge, towering LEGO Samus would certainly be a stand-out set if the Metroid franchise was given the LEGO treatment, and it would create an interesting set to complete due to the intricate details of the Metroid Suit—particularly the rounded and circular areas, which are trickier to replicate in LEGO form but has been done before.

A whole host of characters could feature and have similarly huge builds, or the focus should shift to recreating stand-out environments from the Metroid franchise, like the Impact Crater, which could also include Metroid Prime or Frigate Orpheon.

The concept of Metroid LEGO sets has already proven to be popular, with a 1:6 scale figure of Samus Aran having attracted over 6,470 supporters on the LEGO Ideas page, closing in on the 10,000 supporter requirement needed for it to be reviewed by a LEGO expert.

Donkey Kong

Okay, technically Donkey Kong already exists in LEGO form, but having everyone’s favorite ape as merely an expansion pack to the interactive Super Mario playset is a bit of a slap in the face.

It’s time Donkey Kong got the proper LEGO treatment and I can think of nothing better than a bumper, 2500+ piece behemoth that can stand off against the LEGO Mighty Bowser—with giant barrels to go alongside him.

A bumper Donkey Kong treehouse would also be a welcomed release, featuring the full cast of Donkey Kong characters, and you could even give characters like Funky Kong their own giant Bowser-esque treatment.

If Nintendo wanted to stick to the Super Mario route, an interactive game centered around a classic Donkey Kong level would also be a great set to build and play with.