LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 3 discussion

[Mrlegoninja]

I am wondering, and sorry if this has been answered before, why are there two parts (A and B)? I wouldn't have thought anything of it, but the two separate pictures tell me otherwise. Are they going to be released at different times, or is it something else?

In Japan they have automatic dispensers for these. There will be two machines one holding each part.

[Dan the Brickman]

I would hope that the ears are part of the head. but, they probably are part of the hairpiece. Still, it would be nice to add some elves into the fantasy lego kingdoms. After all, we get hordes of orcs/ogres and undead armies. And dwarves. We just need elves!

[GMW79]

I am wondering, and sorry if this has been answered before, why are there two parts (A and B)? I wouldn't have thought anything of it, but the two separate pictures tell me otherwise. Are they going to be released at different times, or is it something else?

In Japan they have automatic dispensers for these. There will be two machines one holding each part.

Very true. Like I said a few pages back:

Good guess, but no. It has nothing to do with people reading a leaflet.

Here in Japan the Minfigs are released in sealed plastic "eggs" and dispensed individually from machines. Each series of Minifigs is divided into two groups and are in different machines. So if you put money in a Side A machine, you'll get one of those eight Minifigs. If you use a Side B machine, you'll get one of the other eight.

Ironically, just about every phone in Japan can scan barcodes, but because of the method I described, we can't scan them until *after* we've already bought them. In spite of that, our chances of getting what we want (despite the randomness) are better than if we had to choose from all sixteen Minifigs (1 in 8, rather than 1 in 16).

Anyway, hope that clears up the Japanese Side A and Side B thing for everybody!

[Lordofdragonss]

I would hope that the ears are part of the head. but, they probably are part of the hairpiece. Still, it would be nice to add some elves into the fantasy lego kingdoms. After all, we get hordes of orcs/ogres and undead armies. And dwarves. We just need elves!

And centaurs! Don't forget about centaurs!

IMO This series is the best, and even a Sumo wrestler is great to me! ( I love Sumo!)

But the best minifig f me in this set is of course Elf(It's Lego Elf! And he have ears!). Or Fisherman (White beard for dwarfs!). I can't decide!

[vexorian]

I wish this A and B stuff would be used everywhere and bags would come in two packages. This would make up for the lack of bar codes. I would for example get only B bags...

Edited November 8, 2010 by vexorian

[Aanchir]

Am I correct in saying these won't have barcodes to distinguish between the packets - and has this been confirmed officially? This is a shame and hopefully will not work in the company's favour as I will now be reluctant to spend money on figures I'm not too bothered about whereas before I was happy to if I was guaranteed to get the one I was looking for. Sounds to me like they are thinking it will be financially beneficial for them to do this but I hope it fails.

Also, have the series 2 packets been changed so the barcodes are now all the same. i was looking through a box in WH Smith the other day and could not tell them a part - it seemed unlikely the whole box would be the same fig?

Feeling the bags has always been and continues to be an option. I think a lot of people seem a bit spoiled thanks to the barcodes, thinking that they are a special right of AFOLs and the only reasonable way of identifying the figures.

My brother and I used the barcodes for four of our series 2 figures: the surfer, lifeguard, explorer, and karate master. Not having access to a mobile barcode-scanning app, I found that feeling the bags is much more reliable than trying to differentiate barcodes with my eyes alone, and managed to acquire at least one of every other fig in that way (although my brother and I only kept eleven of them; the others were gifts for other people).

If you can't be bothered to feel the bags, then that's no reason to assume LEGO should go back to using the barcodes to appease you. Fact is, LEGO isn't likely to add the barcodes back due to consumer demand because the barcodes were never there for the consumer's sake in the first place. The figs are intended to be blind-packaged, and I think we should be grateful that an option like feeling the bags is even available (you certainly won't be able to identify other blind-packaged products like trading cards in that way anytime soon).

[vexorian]

My store has Series 1 and 2 minifigs and I cannot use a bar code scanner because of how the box is kept out of reach until you request to get it. Feeling the contents is also hard to do. At least they allow you to pick specific bags.

So I tried MEMORIZING the bar code. Which did not end well, because apparently the Cheer leader's barcode is quite a lot like the Robot's . I ended up with a cheer leader, yay.

[Jonas]

In Japan they have automatic dispensers for these. There will be two machines one holding each part.

Just for illustration, here is a picture from a shop in Tokyo: a pair of machines selling Series 1 minifigs.

[The Green Brick Giant]

Thanks for the picture! That is really neat!

I kind of like that better because you have a 1 in 8 chance and not 1 in 16, however you can't feel what you are getting.

Live the set up though.

[GMW79]

... you have a 1 in 8 chance and not 1 in 16...

exactly!

[De-Brickifier]

I really like the variety of the new Series 3 Minifigures. The minifigures Lego line has made me happy.

[Mrlegoninja]

Just for illustration, here is a picture from a shop in Tokyo: a pair of machines selling Series 1 minifigs.

Thats a nice photo! I wish we had those in the US.

[CMP]

IS anyone seeing that spikey green thing on cyborg's arm?

[prateek]

I see that in the Japanese pamphlet thingy, but on this, I don't see anything.

[Fugazi]

IS anyone seeing that spikey green thing on cyborg's arm?

I think it's just the result of some bad photoshop, it looks like a part of the hula girl skirt.

[escortmad79]

IS anyone seeing that spikey green thing on cyborg's arm?

It's the Hula girls skirt!!

[Sirens-of-Titan]

Yes! These look great and the official pic looks pretty much unchanged from the preliminary.

I think the beard on the fisherman is going to make a big impact on history, action and town MOC'ers! The elf is going to be the most popular hands down; I can see people amassing legions of these guys and of course now we have the last and long-awaited faction from Fantasy era Castle!

Unlike the previous series, this one has something exciting and special in each figure (no more crash test dummies, witches, ring masters and divers!)

I won't be disappointed about getting multiples of any of them, save maybe for the sumo wrestler, but all is good because the trophy and hair save him from being generic.

[yumiyoshi]

They're much better than I thought.

Love some of them, and others of course are not so desiderable.

I'd like to have plenty of gorillas and baseball players.

Can't wait to have them all ! !

[Skrytsson]

I do look forward to January to get (some of these) figures. However, I do believe they are not better than Serie 2, there are several figures here I don't like. It feels like we have already seen Samuraijs, Indians, Racer-figures (though I like the hairpiece in new colour) and Spacefigures.

[Aanchir]

I do look forward to January to get (some of these) figures. However, I do believe they are not better than Serie 2, there are several figures here I don't like. It feels like we have already seen Samuraijs, Indians, Racer-figures (though I like the hairpiece in new colour) and Spacefigures.

Keep in mind, though, that many kids who buy the minifigures are too young to have encountered any of those themes. The Space Villain in particular doesn't really resemble figures from any past space theme-- his "cyborg" aesthetic sets him apart from older Space figures, and despite the Blacktron branding I can't think of any space figures besides those from Insectoids that had a comparable level of mechanical detail.

The others, too, are a lot more detailed and attractive (IMO) than their themed precursors. I myself love the race-car driver just for the hair, the celebrity-style grin, and that glorious Octan-branded jacket.

[yys4u]

I wonder if they will be release a month early like series 3....

Well at least in the US series 2 was supposed to be released in September, but I found them in CA at a lego store in late August.

So hopefully these will be accessible late December!

A little more detail...

I think they release date was supposed to be September 7th or 6th I got them August 22nd I think.

If something similar is planned for this series, I'm not sure if it would work.. Releasing on December 22nd?! Doesn't seem like they would release so close to Dec. without PLANNING for the Xmas rush.

Any thoughts?

[Delta 38]

In Japan they have automatic dispensers for these. There will be two machines one holding each part.

Oh, I see. That makes it somewhat easier for them. I barely got two minifigs of series two today (could have gotten more, but didn't have barcodes or time).

Still, I think that the whole collectible minifigs line is going way too fast. One wave per year is a lot better than two or more in my opinion. They're too hard to find and get already as they are.

Quick edit: not to mention that they're three or four dollars over here!

Edited November 12, 2010 by Delta 38

[krystalKING]

I can't belive it!,wow I should not have been gone so long!I am liking the cyborg!However,his face print interferes with one of my comic character's.I have no complaint's on him,except that his robotic leg and arm could have been black...Anyway,on to the alien,The respirator is pretty cool looking.And squidman gets a friend!

[Zeya]

I think that the whole collectible minifigs line is going way too fast. One wave per year is a lot better than two or more in my opinion. They're too hard to find and get already as they are.

Quick edit: not to mention that they're three or four dollars over here!

I personally think 2 waves per year is enough. Does anyone know if Lego plans to release 3 or 4 waves a year? guess s1 and s2 were 3 months apart, right? That would be about 4 series per year... *grumble*

[Klaus-Dieter]

Thank you very much for this clear picture of minifgure series 3, grogall!

There is not much to say since the prelims weren't changed much to the finals.

I really like the printed baseball caps and the snowboard.

I really dislike that the Native American Chief gets a Spartan lance .

Klaus-Dieter

Edited November 13, 2010 by Klaus-Dieter