The BrickBoy emulator kit has launched on Kickstarter with pricing that could shock retro gaming fans. Starting at €129 ($150) for basic Game Boy emulation, the kit costs more than twice Lego's original $60 Game Boy set - and that's before you factor in needing the actual Lego model. With shipping delayed until March 2026, early backers are questioning whether nostalgia justifies the premium price tag when dedicated handheld emulators offer more power for less money.
The crowdfunding campaign everyone's been waiting for just went live, and the numbers are raising eyebrows across the retro gaming community. After being announced last week, the BrickBoy kit that transforms Lego's buildable Game Boy into a functional emulation device has officially launched on Kickstarter. But the pricing structure is already sparking debate about whether nostalgic appeal can justify the premium cost.
Three distinct versions hit the platform today, each targeting different levels of retro gaming enthusiasm. The Essential Kit strips things down to basics - grayscale Game Boy titles only, mono speaker audio, and a €129 price tag that translates to roughly $150. Early backers can snag it for €99 (about $115), but here's the kicker: that doesn't include Lego's $60 Game Boy set that you actually need to make this work.
Do the math and you're looking at $175-210 total investment for the most basic setup. That puts it head-to-head with Anbernic's handheld emulators that come ready to play out of the box with superior performance and broader game compatibility. The RG34XX, for instance, handles everything from Game Boy through PlayStation 1 titles at a similar price point.
Stepping up to the Gamer Kit brings the feature set closer to modern expectations. For €169 ($197), you get Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance compatibility, Bluetooth headphone support, and a rechargeable battery system. It's a meaningful upgrade that addresses some of the Essential Kit's limitations, but the price gap widens further when compared to dedicated devices.
The top-tier Collector's Edition pushes into luxury territory at €189 ($220). This version transforms the Lego Game Boy into what the creators call "a functional display piece running demos." It's clearly targeting collectors and display enthusiasts rather than serious gamers, though the practical value proposition becomes even murkier at this price point.
