{"id":34551,"date":"2026-10-31T22:30:38","date_gmt":"2026-10-31T19:30:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/console-classics.com\/?p=34551"},"modified":"2026-10-31T22:30:39","modified_gmt":"2026-10-31T19:30:39","slug":"lego-playstation-gets-a-working-upgrade-with-brickstation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/console-classics.com\/ru\/retrogaming\/lego-playstation-gets-a-working-upgrade-with-brickstation\/","title":{"rendered":"Lego PlayStation Gets a Working Upgrade with BrickStation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lego PlayStation fans can now turn the display model into a playable PS1-style console with HDMI, wireless controls, memory-card support, and authentic startup flair.<\/em><\/p>\n

A Display Piece That Finally Does Something<\/h2>\n

\u0421\u0430\u0439\u0442 Lego PlayStation<\/a> already looks like a tiny shrine to the 1990s. BrickStation gives it a more tempting job: actually playing games. Instead of sitting silently beneath a transparent lid, the miniature console can connect to a television and run PlayStation games through emulation.<\/p>\n

That shift changes the whole character of the build. It\u2019s no longer just a clever shelf ornament; it becomes a functional little time machine, complete with a working power button, startup sounds, vibration, and room to display a favorite game.<\/p>\n

\n BrickStation prototype overview
BrickStation prototype overview<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The project comes from the same team behind BrickBoy, an unofficial kit that transformed the Lego Game Boy<\/a> into a playable handheld. That earlier project attracted more than 5,600 backers and reportedly raised around \u20ac1 million, demonstrating that plenty of collectors want their miniature gaming hardware to do more than gather dust.<\/p>\n

Thomas Bertani, BrickBoy\u2019s inventor and technical lead, describes the motivation simply:<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWhen we saw the Lego PlayStation, we wanted to press power and hear it start up.\u201d \u2014 Thomas Bertani\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That\u2019s a wonderfully specific ambition. Not just \u201crun games,\u201d but recreate the little ritual of powering on an old console and waiting for it to wake up.<\/p>\n

How BrickStation Fits Inside the Build<\/h2>\n

The clever part is that BrickStation doesn\u2019t require anyone to rebuild the Lego PlayStation from scratch. The module replaces the set\u2019s left-hand side tray, the section associated with Ape Escape<\/em>, while leaving the rest of the model untouched.<\/p>\n

\n BrickStation installed in the Lego PlayStation
BrickStation installed in the Lego PlayStation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That approach follows a clear design rule established with BrickBoy: the added electronics should be removable, and the original build should remain intact. You can return the set to its standard display form whenever the mood strikes. No cutting bricks, drilling holes, or turning a collectible into a nervous afternoon project.<\/p>\n

The engineering challenge is surprisingly tight. BrickStation has to fit an entire playable console into the space of one side tray, while also making room for a speaker and a vibration motor. From the outside, the Lego PlayStation should still look exactly as Lego intended.<\/p>\n

At first, I assumed this would be little more than a tiny emulation board hidden inside a cute shell. The more I looked at the details, the more that impression changed. The designers clearly cared about the physical theater of using the machine, not just the technical ability to launch a game.<\/p>\n

The Power Button Has a Little Magic Trick<\/h2>\n

The most charming feature is the power button. It isn\u2019t decorative anymore. Pressing the Lego button turns on the console, while a small speaker and vibration motor recreate the sound and feel of a disc drive spinning up.<\/p>\n

\n The working BrickStation power-button mechanism
The working BrickStation power-button mechanism<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The trick involves a magnet placed inside the button. A magnetometer detects the press and tells the electronics to start. That may sound like a small detail, but it\u2019s exactly the sort of thing that separates a convincing retro project from a generic box hidden under a model.<\/p>\n

Bertani puts the emphasis on the original Lego control:<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe wanted the set\u2019s own Lego button to switch the console on, not a hidden switch somewhere else.\u201d \u2014 Thomas Bertani\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That decision makes sense. Reaching behind the model for a secret power switch would be practical, but it would also drain the fun out of the experience. The whole point is to interact with the miniature PlayStation as though it were a real machine.<\/p>\n

\n

Check out the BrickStation in action… pic.twitter.com\/UNkxa88zDD<\/a><\/p>\n

— Time Extension (@timeextension64) October 30, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n