Lego BrickHeadz Sonic the Hedgehog review

Our Verdict

The blocky nature of the BrickHeadz theme pairs beautifully with Sonic’s 16-bit heritage. Lego has managed to capture Sonic’s likeness in angular caricature form and nail his vibrant coloring. This is a great gift for fans of the ‘Blue Blur’ and if you’re a BrickHeadz fanatic, it’ll make a fine addition to your collection.

Reasons to buy

• A great collectible/gift for the price
• Good Sonic the Hedgehog likeness
• The colors are spot on

Reasons to avoid

• The BrickHeadz theme isn’t for everyone
• Not a Lego set designed for play

Sonic the Hedgehog’s cartoony aesthetic certainly seems like perfect BrickHeadz fodder, so it’s hardly surprising that the ‘Blue Blur’ has been immortalized in brick form. The Lego BrickHeadz Sonic the Hedgehog (40627) is the 213th figure in the main BrickHeadz line-up. But the ‘Blur Blur’ isn’t the only Sonic character to receive the blocky caricature treatment, with Miles ‘Tails’ Prower and a Knuckles & Shadow double pack, completing the 16-bit-themed line-up.

BrickHeadz are collectible, affordable, and small, making the Lego BrickHeadz Sonic the Hedgehog one of the best cheap Lego sets, and a great gift for Sonic the Hedgehog and Sega fans or gamers in general, regardless of their Lego CV. And while the cutesy nature and simple build makes this a great set for youngsters, it’s essentially an ornament, making it one of the best Lego sets for adults, too.

So, if you’re interested in picking up this Sonic-themed trinket to pop on a shelf or desk, read on to find out whether it’s a triumph like Sonic CD or a swing-and-a-miss, like Sonic the Hedgehog 06. And if you’re totally team Nintendo, then you’d better check out the best Lego Mario sets instead…

Specs

Lego BrickHeadz: Sonic the Hedgehog specs:

Design

The BrickHeadz theme really lends itself to cartoon characters with bright, bold designs, just like Sonic. Based purely on promotional photos, I couldn’t help but feel the Sega mascot’s flying fox companion, Tails, looked the better of the two sets. And while that may or may not be the case, I’m happy to report that Sonic looks infinitely better in person.

Promotional photography really doesn’t do this little figure justice. This is largely due to the spines, which sit round the back of the figure and are not really visible in a traditional 3/4-angle photograph. Viewed in 3D and from various angles, Sonic’s slicked-back spines really give the impression he’s zooming along the Green Hill Zone. It would be interesting to see what the model would look like with longer spines. The shorter spines remind me of Sonic’s appearance in those first Sega Genesis outings, rather than the edgier appearance that featured in later releases.

That said, ‘Blue Blur’ buffs will notice that Lego has chosen to use green eyes (as per later appearances), when the original Sega mascot’s were black. This is an interesting choice. Most BrickHeadz eyes are black with two white squares for catchlights. The Sonic BrickHeadz figures (including Tails and co) have colored eyes with catchlights and black pupils. And I’m honestly not sure which ones I prefer, however, you could always swap them out if you don’t like them.

Regardless, of what era of Sonic this little figure best represents, Lego has absolutely nailed the vibrant colors and the electric blue in particular. There’s no mistaking this figure as Sonic the Hedgehog and every time I look at it, I’m reminded of the original game’s start screen: “Da, da, dada, daa, daa!”.

I also really like the way Lego has chosen to depict Sonic’s classic red-and-white sneakers. They’re simply constructed using 2 x 3 plates for the soles and 1 x 2 tiles and plates for the red and white details. The gold ring is a nice accessory and Sonic definitely looks better holding it. BrickHeadz aren’t designed to be played with and while Sonic has no playability features of note, you can alter the angle of his arms, allowing him to grasp the gold ring in either hand. He can also be removed from the base, where he has no trouble standing.

Ease of assembly

Most BrickHeadz come together similarly. You build up a couple of rectangular cores and use SNOT bricks (studs not on top) to attach details such as facial features and accessories to the front, back, and sides of the figure. Sonic is no different.

The set took me just 23 minutes to assemble, making it a great option for those with shorter attention spans. As with other BrickHeadz, it’s rated for ages 10+ and contains a good deal of small pieces. But I think that age rating is largely due to the lack of playability. The build itself is simple enough for younger Lego fans to enjoy with supervision. It’s certainly no harder to put together than the fantastic Lego Harry Potter Flying Ford Anglia (76424) and that has a 7+ rating. It also doesn’t come with any stickers which is always a plus in my book.

You begin by building up the waist, torso, and hands, with a few spines on the back. You then build up a cube of SNOT bricks to form the head, whereby you attach the face and more spines. The blue spines really are the most interesting and fiddly part of the build, they’re certainly what makes Sonic stand out among other BrickHeadz. You then move on to Sonic’s classic red-and-white sneakers, which are a neat addition. And of course, the final piece of the puzzle is clipping that gold ring into Sonic’s hand.

Pricing

The Lego BrickHeadz Sonic the Hedgehog is typically priced at $9.99 (£9.99), the standard fare for a BrickHeadz figure in 2024. The number of bricks in a BrickHeadz set can vary wildly, such as Iron Spider-Man’s 91 bricks compared to the yet-to-be-released Mirabel Madrigal’s 179 bricks. Sonic sits somewhere in the middle with a healthy haul of 139 pieces.

• The Lego BrickHeadz Sonic the Hedgehog is priced exactly the same as other single BrickHeadz sets
• Launched at the tail end of last year, I don’t expect Sonic to be joining the retiring Lego sets any time soon
• Quick and easy build makes this a great gift for younger Lego fans
  A great ornament for an adult Lego or Sonic fan’s desk or shelf

Here’s what the major retailers are asking for it:

The price-per-piece ratio is 7.2¢ (7.2p). Plenty of sets boast better value, but price-per-piece ratios aren’t everything. Pair what you end up with out of the box with the fun building experience, and I think most BrickHeadz are competitively priced.

Final verdict

Sega’s mascot has been crying out for a BrickHeadz rendition, ever since Lego snapped up the license, and I’m pleased to report that the Lego BrickHeadz Sonic the Hedgehog (40627) isn’t a disappointment. Like any BrickHeadz, the build and playability are secondary to the aesthetics. And it certainly looks the part.

The Lego designers have captured Sonic’s tricky spines very well indeed, while absolutely nailing the hog’s electric-blue coloring. There are better BrickHeadz out there, but if you’re a collector, you’ll want to add this one to your collection. If you’re a Sonic or Sega fan, it’ll look splendid wedged between a shelf full of cartridges or next to your Genesis.