Lego’s first Pokémon sets are now available for pre-order

We learned that Lego and Pokémon were going to join forces and the first results of their partnership are here. Pre-orders for all three kits are open now, with an expected ship date of February 27. As one might have guessed from the flashes in the previous promotional image, one of the first pocket monsters to get the brick treatment is with a Poké Ball. The 2,050-piece kit can be built to show Pikachu jumping out of the open Poké Ball in battle or resting looking at the builder with the closed Poké Ball between its paws. The Pikachu kit costs $200.

There is also a 587 piece model of which costs $60. On the larger side is a set including a trio of Pokémon: . This kit includes 6,838 pieces and can show the group together in battle formation or separately in their own mini environments. It costs $650.

Before we move on to the pre-order pages, though, here’s a word of warning. In Lego form, our little friends look… a little strange? I’m not the greatest Lego builder, but I am a pretty accomplished architect in Minecraftso I am well aware of the innate challenge of constructing a rounded shape from square blocks. Take Pikachu, for example. Part of her attractiveness is her chubby little cheeks. There are bricks with more rounded sides in this collection that hint at his usual roundness, but the proportions of his face seem a little odd to me. I also had the same reaction to the other characters, although Eevee seemed to have handled it a little better than the others. They’re all cute, but not as cute as other formats. But like I said, Lego is not my personal choice, so I may be in the minority here! If you like these brick-built pocket monsters, head over to the Lego website and purchase these kits faster than a Mewtwo.