Features

Weekend Musings #5: A Little Bit-o’ LEGO

5 November 2021

lego playstaion unsplash — Photo by Remy_Loz on Unsplash

I don’t just write about games, you know.

I also own a LEGO website, where I write about those colourful plastic bricks on a daily basis. LEGO’s a big part of my life, with built-up sets on display in practically every room of my home, and unbuilt, still-boxed sets taking up more storage space than I actually have. So, when I’m not playing video games, I’m usually building LEGO (or writing about it).

There’s something very satisfying about putting together LEGO. Chances are you’ve tried it – in recent years it’s more popular with adults than ever before. But if you’re one of the few who thinks it’s still for kids, or think you might not have the patience for it, I implore you to at least give it a go. Seek out a smallish genuine LEGO set, find a quiet hour or so and sit down to enjoy some time for yourself.

I’m not someone who has patience for ‘fiddly’ tasks. LEGO is rarely fiddly and never over-complicated. More often than not, it’s a relaxing activity that keeps your mind and your hands active – and the end result is something you can be proud of. When you’ve been looking at a screen all day, be it at work or playing games, it’s a great opportunity to focus on something else for a little while (even if you do have the TV on in the background, as I often do, but that’s not necessary). Stick on a playlist, and get building something.

There’s also a lot of crossover with LEGO and video games today, too. Nintendo’s partnership with LEGO has given life to a long-running gamified series of Super Mario sets, along with a fantastic brick-built NES console and the more recent Question Mark Block. There’s Minecraft-themed LEGO too, oh, and an official LEGO podcast all about LEGO video games. What I’m trying to say is that gaming and LEGO go hand-in-hand.

If you’ve recently built a LEGO set for the first time as an adult, I’d love to hear from you. Drop me a line on Twitter @ichangedmyname and tell me about your experiences. I love to see people embracing building for the first time.

(Yes, this all might just be a sneaky way to plug my LEGO website in the hope that you, dear reader, are as fond as LEGO as I am, and you might want to visit thatbricksite.com. I am shameless and I apologise.)

Anyway… back to gaming, and GameSpew: