LEGO Pokemon Sets Are Just the Beginning—Here’s What’s Next!

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On March 18th (next Tuesday), it was announced that the LEGO Group and The Pokemon Company International are planning to collaborate, creating Pokemon-themed LEGO sets for the first time, starting in 2026. A short teaser showcasing the partnership displayed four LEGO bricks merging into Pikachu’s recognizable yellow and brown tail as the electric mouse Pokemon gave a shock to a LEGO Pokemon sign. No specific LEGO Pokemon sets have been unveiled, but it seems probable that this collaboration might phase out Mattel’s eight-year-old Mega Pokemon building toy line due to their similarity with LEGO sets. With or without Mattel, this partnership opens up the possibility for an official LEGO Pokemon video game in the not-too-distant future.

Potential Pokemon LEGO Game Adaptations

Throughout the 21st century, many significant LEGO video games have predominantly taken a humorous, family-friendly approach, often based on renowned film franchises and video games like the iconic LEGO Star Wars series and the latest LEGO Horizon Adventures. However, LEGO Group’s CEO, Niels Christiansen, recently revealed that the company is expanding its in-house game development capabilities, hinting at a potential future where LEGO itself will primarily develop these games. In case of a hypothetical LEGO Pokemon game, it would probably involve collaboration with Nintendo and Game Freak to create the game, given their longstanding stewardship of the franchise that spans nearly three decades.

In contrast to LEGO games developed by TT Games, combining the Pokémon storyline with the LEGO format could pose challenges. For instance, following the entire journey of Ash Ketchum spanning over 25 seasons might be too extensive for a single LEGO game. Adapting major episodes from the first season leading to the storyline of “Pokémon: The First Movie” could create a lengthy or disjointed game. On the other hand, focusing on the story of Pokémon Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow might result in repetition since it would be the sixth iteration of a Pokémon game set in the Kanto region. Finding a balance between these options may be key to creating an engaging LEGO Pokémon experience.

The Potential Gameplay of a LEGO Pokemon Game

In terms of gameplay, the LEGO Pokemon games offer several choices depending on the specific game scenario. If it’s based on the classic Pokemon games, players can assume the role of LEGO trainer minifigures, exploring regions and capturing Pokemon. On the other hand, if the game emphasizes Pokemon battles more than trainers, the LEGO Pokemon game could resemble games like Pokken Tournament or Pokemon Rumble, featuring groups of LEGO Pokemon engaged in melee combat on various battlefields. The companies might design the LEGO Pokemon game similarly to Pokemon Rumble U, where purchasing physical LEGO sets or minifigures unlocks new Pokemon and content within the game, encouraging players to acquire these items much like collecting amiibo.

2009’s “LEGO Rock Band” and the upcoming 2024 title, “LEGO Horizon Adventures,” are the sole LEGO games that have been based on pre-existing video game franchises.

In this version, I aimed to maintain the original meaning while making it more conversational and easy to understand for a casual reader.

A LEGO Pokemon Could Imitate Mystery Dungeon or Minecraft’s Pixelmon

As a gamer, I’d love to see the LEGO Pokemon game draw some inspiration from the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. Since 2005’s Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red and Blue Rescue Team, these games have been weaving hilarious tales centered around Pokemon, often focusing on a team of Pokemon working together to save their settlement from crisis.

Just like other roguelike RPGs and dungeon crawlers such as Diablo, Mystery Dungeon combines third-person combat with dialogue sections, all while you’re hunting for treasure. So, imagine a LEGO Pokemon game playing out much like a Mystery Dungeon game, but with that iconic LEGO visual style instead of the usual cartoonish design we see in the Pokemon series. That would be pretty awesome!

Lego and Nintendo draw inspiration from one of the most popular Minecraft mods, Pixelmon, to develop a Pokemon game using Legos. Introduced in 2012, Pixelmon populates Minecraft worlds with Pokemon spanning all generations, even those recently introduced in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. In addition to mining, crafting, and building their own structures, players can engage in Pokémon battles, trading, breeding, and quest-like assignments and research tasks within Pixelmon.

Lego and Nintendo could create an official Lego Pokemon game that mirrors Minecraft’s Pixelmon but uses Lego bricks instead of pixelated blocks. This could offer a more detailed, self-contained alternative to LEGO Fortnite’s survival worlds, which are sometimes criticized for their lack of depth.

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2025-03-20 13:34