The moment the brick-built PlayStation set was announced, the maker saw a challenge worth taking on: a model like that deserves more than sitting untouched, and the goal was to bring back the feeling of building and playing a childhood console. The answer is a working games machine tucked inside a grey brick shell shaped like the original Sony console.
Under the hood sits a Pi as the core processor, with wiring harnesses and circuit boards integrated throughout the enclosure. Games run on a TV over HDMI. Controls are flexible: original PS1 pads connect through a USB adapter, memory cards work, and Bluetooth controllers are supported as well. There is even space inside to show off a favourite disc.
Pressing the LEGO power button wakes the whole thing up, and every press triggers a small speaker and a vibration motor that recreate the CD drive spin-up. The boot sequence shows 'BrickStation' in the original Sony style. The first game tested was Crash: the system loads Crash Bandicoot: Warped complete with the Naughty Dog logo, and the Toad Village level gets a proper playthrough.
Two loose ends stand out. The maker noted that LEGO buttons do not press very well, and that is one thing I would want handled before calling this finished. The final Kickstarter version will be fully covered under the hood, with cables leaving through the back instead of through the set. As for heat, the console runs well below the temperature where LEGO plastic starts to soften.