LEGO partnering with Nintendo to bring Animal Crossing to life through LEGO construction sets
LEGO Animal Crossing Sets Bring the Beloved Video Game World to Life
LEGO and Nintendo have partnered up to bring the charming world of Animal Crossing to three-dimensional life through new LEGO construction sets. This collaboration allows fans to build and play within the world they love from the popular video game franchise. It's not the first time LEGO has looked to beloved gaming worlds for inspiration.
Animal Crossing is a life simulation video game series published by Nintendo where players move to a village inhabited by anthropomorphic animals. Players can customize their character and home, collect items and craft tools, and complete tasks for in-game currency. It has sold over 66 million copies worldwide since its debut in 2001 and has found immense popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as players found comfort and connection in the game's relaxing atmosphere.
The new LEGO sets will allow fans to build iconic locations and characters from the Animal Crossing games. The first wave includes Nook's Cranny set, where players can construct the shop owned by Tom Nook and purchase tools and furniture. It comes with figures of Tom Nook and the player character. Another set is the Island Getaway set where you can build a section of the island including a campsite, river, and character figures. Additional sets in future waves are expected to include the museum, residential services, and more fan-favorite locales.
LEGO has a history of partnering with video game developers to bring beloved gaming worlds to their construction toy platform. One of their most successful has been the LEGO Minecraft sets launched in 2014. These allowed Minecraft fans to build 3D structures and landscapes from the block-building survival game. The LEGO Minecraft sets have since expanded to include mobs, vehicles, characters and scenarios from the game. To date, LEGO has released over 50 unique Minecraft sets.
Another major collaboration has been with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for LEGO versions of Batman, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and other franchises. These allow fans to build iconic locations, and vehicles and bring beloved characters from the movies and games to life. The LEGO Batman series of sets has been enormously popular since 2008 when they first launched.
LEGO's partnerships with gaming worlds tap into the natural crossover between the construction toy format and block-based or creative games. It gives fans a new way to interact with and build their favorite games outside of the digital format. For gaming companies, it extends their intellectual property into the physical toy space and reaches new audiences of LEGO fans. The LEGO adaptations also help preserve gaming history and nostalgia for future generations.
The LEGO Animal Crossing line is expected to be a big hit with fans of both franchises. Animal Crossing's peaceful island living and charming animal residents translate well into a construction toy line. It will be especially appealing to younger fans or those new to the games. Building the iconic locations, characters and items is a fun way to experience the world without needing a Nintendo console.
LEGO and Nintendo will likely continue expanding the LEGO Animal Crossing sets if the first wave proves popular. Additional villages, seasonal changes, new characters and activities could be added in future waves. Like the long-running LEGO Minecraft line, the Animal Crossing sets have potential for many years of new builds. It marks another successful partnership between LEGO and the gaming world that will delight fans of both brands. The relaxing and creative nature of Animal Crossing is a perfect match for the open-ended play of LEGO toys.
