Lego’s Donkey Kong arcade machine lets Mario jump endless barrels - Miyamoto is reportedly happy

Key Points:

• The barrel mechanism functions like a pump, using a stack of 14 barrels along the side of the model; pulling the barrel lever adds one barrel to the bottom and releases one from the top, with the system holding 20 barrels total to allow 6 barrels to roll simultaneously.
• Barrels roll from the top to the bottom into a hopper connected to the barrel pump, creating an infinite loop where barrels continuously cycle through the mechanism.
• The main design challenge was ensuring barrels rolled slowly without stopping or getting stuck, solved by using a combination of steps, LEGO studs, slopes, bows, and thinner LEGO Technic beams to mimic the gameplay feel.
• Another significant hurdle was transporting barrels from the bottom back to the top, which was ultimately resolved by increasing the number of barrels rather than complex mechanical solutions like worm gears or force multiplication levers.
• Jumpman/Mario's movement is controlled by a joystick linked to a lever and dingler for left-right motion, while the jump button operates via a piano key-like see-saw mechanism that lifts Jumpman when pressed and uses gravity to return him when released.