Review: the Lego PlayStation is almost perfect
2-11-2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Domagoj Belancic
I built the Lego version of the PS1. As a carefully crafted replica of the iconic console, it’s a dream come true for PlayStation fans. There’s just one sticking point.
Having built a Lego version of the Nintendo Game Boy last year, I’ve now tackled another iconic console: the PlayStation 1.
I enjoyed building it and am happy with the finished product – especially the dioramas hidden inside the console. The controller, on the other hand, is disappointing. You can do better than that, Lego.
The building process: smooth, with the occasional snag
The PlayStation Lego set consists of 1,911 pieces and 14 bags. According to Lego, the model is a «near 1:1 scale» replica of the iconic console. It’s six cm high, 26 cm wide and 19 cm deep. The instruction manual is a whopping 263 pages long, containing 422 numbered instructions. It takes me a little over six hours to piece the model together.
Once I get started, the «father of the PlayStation», Ken Kutaragi, greets me from the pages of the instruction booklet. Hi Ken! It’s nice to meet you.
I put the base of the console together first, sticking on the precious PS letters. I’m transported back in time, the PS1’s legendary start-up sound playing on repeat in my head. The instructions are clear, and despite the movable parts, it’s easy to get a handle on the building process.
Things get slightly trickier when it comes to the two pull-out dioramas hidden inside the PS1. These are detailed scenes full of tiny pieces that sometimes pop out while I’m putting them together. Even so, they’re still fun to build. Especially since you don’t fully realise what you’re actually building until later on in the process.
Each diorama depicts a different game that’s had a lasting impact on PlayStation history.
Racing sim Gran Turismo (1997) was the PS1’s best-selling title, establishing Sony’s console as a powerful and «mature» gaming platform.
Ape Escape (1999) was a revolution, as it was the first game that couldn’t be played with the original PlayStation controller. Instead, you played it using the additional analogue sticks on the DualShock, a revised controller released in 1997, about three years after the PlayStation launched.
Attaching the lid to the disc drive is an especially satisfying moment. It’s hard to believe that the next generation of PlayStation consoles will do away with physical games entirely.
Lastly, I start working on the iconic PS1 controller. I’m done with it sooner than expected – partly because Lego hasn’t given it any movable parts, such as buttons you can press.
The finished product is fantastic, but…
I’m happy with the result of my six-hour building session. With the lid closed, the Lego replica looks almost identical to the original console.
You can open the console’s lid using the button on the right-hand side. Unfortunately, mine gets jammed. If I push it down, the only way to get it back up is to shake it (that’s what she said). At least the Power button on the left works without a hitch.
The two dioramas inside work like drawers. If you pull them out to the side, you can take a closer look at the carefully crafted scenes. Very cool!
The controller slides into one of the controller slots. It’s just a shame that neither the directional pad nor the buttons are pressable. The Start and Select buttons in the middle of the controller are actually just printed on. Lego did a much better job with the buttons on last year’s Game Boy model.
As a PlayStation nerd, it also bothers me that the model is based on the first PS controller without analogue sticks (1994) and not the DualShock version with analogue sticks (1997). After all, one of the Diorama games is Ape Escape – the first game that could be played exclusively with the DualShock and its new sticks.
Other than that, I’m happy with my Lego PS1. It’s now sitting on my «nerd shelf» alongside my Lego Game Boy, shining in all its grey splendour next to the iconic brick.
Lego, if you’re reading this, I’d like sets based on the PS2, the GameCube, the Wii and the Nintendo DS next. But please include pressable buttons and match them with the right controllers. Thank you!
Sony provided me with a test set to review. The set can currently only be purchased from Lego directly. However, it’ll be available on Digitec and Galaxus from 1 December.
In a nutshell
This set has got my PlayStation heart racing
I love my Lego PlayStation. It takes about six hours to build – a fun and fairly straightforward process. Plus, the finished product looks almost identical to the original. Inside it, there are two carefully crafted dioramas showcasing Ape Escape and Gran Turismo, which pull out like drawers. The disc drive (RIP) pops up when you press the Open button. Unfortunately, though, the one on my Lego PlayStation gets stuck. The model also loses points for the controller. It may look cool, but it doesn’t have any pressable buttons. Given that one of the dioramas is dedicated to Ape Escape, I can’t understand why Lego decided to use the original PS controller without analogue sticks instead of the DualShock version with analogue sticks.
Pro
- Fun to build, despite the complex instructions
- Demonstrates some real attention to detail
- Pull-out components and a pop-up disc drive (RIP)
- Two cute dioramas inside the Lego console
Contra
- My Open button jams
- No real buttons on the controller
- No analogue sticks on the controller, even though a diorama inside the console is dedicated to Ape Escape
Domagoj Belancic
Senior Editor
Domagoj.Belancic@digitecgalaxus.chMy love of video games was unleashed at the tender age of five by the original Gameboy. Over the years, it's grown in leaps and bounds.
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