LEGO Just Revealed a Pinball Machine You Actually Play, and It Includes a Baby Astronaut

Builders have long wanted LEGO models that do more than sit on a shelf. This new Icons release answers with a brick-built pinball machine that delivers real gameplay through nothing but springs, levers, and clever construction. Announced today, the LEGO Icons Arcade Pinball Machine (set 11374) contains 2,274 pieces and forms a compact tabletop cabinet. It stands over 9.5 inches tall, stretches 15 inches long, and measures 11 inches wide. The price sits at $229.99, with LEGO Insiders gaining early access starting July 1 and everyone else able to order from July 4.

The overall form was inspired by vintage arcade cabinets from the 1980s. The outer and back sections are decorated in a variety of bright panels, bold text, and space images. A large white “SPACE” writing sits on top of a mission design that appears like it came straight from a vintage LEGO space kit. The color scheme combines rich blues, purples, oranges, and yellows, giving off that distinct retro vibe found on old space sets.

The right side has a spring-powered launcher that requires you to pull the handle back and let go to send the ball soaring up onto the playfield. Once up there, two flippers at the bottom allow you to keep the ball alive and provide the same sense of satisfaction as attempting to get the timing just perfect on a full-sized machine. They had the flippers respond directly to the side levers built into the cabinet, which added a whole new level of difficulty to the game. Spinning bumpers are placed over the field, and when the ball strikes them, it is sent in a different direction. The clear green ramp bridge running along the middle allows the ball to occasionally climb and drop back into play at a higher angle. This all adds up to some very colorful, unpredictable rallies, yet none of it requires any motors or batteries.

The primary goal is to hit the central asteroid target right on the spot. When you get it just right, the progress bar advances, carrying the story forward as you try to get the astronaut back to that floating space baby. Once the bar is full, it’s easy to reset everything so you can start a new game right away, with no trouble and no lost parts. The method is meant to allow you to have many play sessions without any additional procedures or effort.

You’ll receive two minifigures as part of the build: the iconic light blue astronaut in all its splendor, and a little light blue space baby floating above the main action. They’re the ideal addition to the model, giving it some individuality once everything is set up. The LEGO Builder app is used during the building process to provide 3D instructions that zoom and spin around. Mechanical components, such as the flipper linkage and bumper assembly, are assembled in phases, allowing you to see how each moving element fits together. After you’ve secured all of the moving elements, the finished result feels really sturdy.

Once the ball lands at the bottom of the playfield, the model returns to display mode, and the entire thing looks like a classic arcade cabinet, complete with a nice clean silhouette of space graphics on the sides and a light blue astronaut and baby floating above the main action. It looks great resting on a desk or shelf, merging the classic arcade mood with the clean lines of the Icon sets.