The Lego NES Has A Brilliant Easter Egg Tucked Inside The Console

The Lego Nintendo Entertainment System releases this weekend. We had the opportunity to check it out early and can confirm that it's absolutely as cool as it looks. The set lets you build a slightly smaller NES console, CRT TV, controller, and Super Mario Bros. cartridge. The console itself aims to be accurate to the real thing, except for one amazing Easter Egg Lego designers tucked away inside the case. For those who want to be surprised, you won't want to read any further.

When working on the top half of the console, one of the mini-builds contains some pieces that don't quite feel like they mesh with the rest of the set. I'll admit, I didn't even realize what I was creating at first. Using small titles and tiny green cylinders, you wind up building the hidden warp zone in Super Mario Bros. World 1-2, the first Easter Egg in series history. Its inclusion is fitting for a Lego set that hinges on nostalgia. Lego often includes Easter Eggs in big sets like this, but this one really captures the spirit of the build.

Importantly, you can access this Easter Egg with ease when the build is finished. A panel on the right side of the console pops off to reveal the platforms and pipes that lead you to World 2, 3, or 4. In the original game, World 1-2's warp zone could also lead you to the Minus World if a series of steps were completed exactly right.

The Lego NES releases August 1 at the Lego Store for $230. It will be available at other major retailers in 2021. Lego Super Mario launches on the same day, with the Adventures with Mario Starter Course costing $60. There are a whopping 10 expansions available on day one, and we have all of them rounded up in one handy guide.