I'm on record as someone who spends lots of money on cardboard, so it may not surprise you that I also like spending loads of money on plastic. When Lego Pokémon sets were teased last year, I was as excited as a kid in a candy shop, and ready to be just as irresponsible with my lunch money. The first batch of models has finally been revealed, including a frankly kinda ugly Pikachu - but the biggest surprise for me is that, somehow, the Pokémon Center was able to manage stock better than they have done with any recent Pokémon TCG expansion.
Let's take a moment to take in the almost beauty of the new sets. As far as Lego sets go, these are… okay. The best Lego set of the bunch is also the biggest and most expensive, the triple-threat Pokémon Charizard, Venusaur, and Blastoise model. It's a 6,838-piece behemoth that highlights the final evolutions of the original starter Pokémon, and the price is an equally massive $649.99 / £579.99.
This big bruiser went on sale with a "one per person" stock limit at both the Pokémon Center and the Lego Store. Even so it was sold out on the official Pokémon store within an hour, and while it took a little longer to disappear from Lego's website, it's now gone. Unavailable. 'Coming Soon', as the depressing message reads. Like many recent Pokémon expansions, third-party sellers on eBay are listing the set in order to make a profit. Even the free gift that came with it is being sold for ridiculous prices. Greedy Gholdengos.
Fortunately, the other two Lego sets from the reveal are available at the time of writing. Both 'Eevee' and 'Pikachu and Pokéball' (I refuse to put a space between Poké and Ball) are smaller, have fewer pieces, and cost less, but it seems they're still in stock - and neither has the same one-per-person limit as the big kit. Pikachu is still a colossal $199.99 / £179.99, but Eevee - my personal favorite of the trio - is just $59.99 / £54.99.
Speaking of Pikachu, what in the uncanny valley? It looks strange, to put it lightly. His cute little face is way out of proportion, and I've seen hilarious comparisons between the Lego Pikachu and the Inkay that disguised itself as the electric mouse in the anime while Team Rocket's James was pretending to be Ash. Compared to the other two Lego sets, and the MEGA Pikachu, it's just plain bad. Insert 'look how they massacred my boy' meme.
Even though the triple threat Charizard, Venasaur, and Blastoise set sold out ridiculously fast, I still think that the one-per-customer limit is something that the Pokémon Center should implement for its exclusive products like Elite Trainer Boxes. Any friction against scalpers will help to get products into more collectors' hands.
Whether you're looking to add to your growing Pokémon TCG collection or you're hoping to grab some of the Lego Pokémon sets, make sure to join our Wargamer Discord for the latest news on everything related to our favorite 30-year-old franchise. Alternatively, you can always chat with other trainers or fans of other hobbies, from Warhammer to D&D.