I love these tiny Sega diorama toys and I need more

It’s a little too late for Christmas but I’ve stumbled across what may be the ideal, pocket-friendly gift for those who grew up with the Mega Drive / Genesis and I need more. So much so, that I’m earmarking a handful of cash in its creator expands their line.

What am I talking about? There’s a small but awesome line of Console Heroes toys which, at first glance, look like the Mega Drive / Genesis cartridges for Altered Beast, Sonic 2, Sonic 3 and Street Fighter 2. But open them up and you’re presented with a backdrop for each game.

The packaging also contains mini figures, which, when placed inside the faux cartridge creates a cool little diorama. There’s Ken fighting Ryu and the docks, Altered Beast’s protagonist taking on the game’s first boss, and a pair of Sonic 2 and Sonic 3 scenes.

I picked up the Street Fighter 2 and, despite it being so tiny, it’s awesome to look at. There’s a tiny clip-on energy bar, Ryu’s firing a floating fireball at Ken. It’s even got those little mooring bollards in the background.

There’s also a Mega Drive ‘console’ which also comes with a Sonic 1 diorama, but that tends to be pricier than the rest. However, as impressive as these dioramas are, you can’t fold them up with the characters and props inside, which is a shame.

Our other gripe is that, with five cartridges, this is a limited range. Where’s Streets of Rage 2, Ecco the Dolphin or Toejam and Earl? Come on, Console Heroes, get your finger out. There’s no Super Nintendo equivalent, but Nintendo is known for being more guarded with its properties.

So where can you get these Console Heroes Sega dioramas? I got mine from B&M Bargains in the UK, priced at £12.99, though a lot of them seem to have sold out. If you’re in the US, they’re available from Amazon, priced between $14.99 and $17.99.