Differences between Lego Sets in different Regions/Countrys

[Black Falcon]

Since the discussion came up in the 2024 Space Sets thread and it would be merely offtopic to discuss it there further - but is indeed a quite interesting topic, I thought it would best to carry on in a new thread.

12 hours ago, Aanchir said:

I definitely agree! It's part of why I enjoy spending time reading old catalogs and magazines and stuff. I feel like a lot English-language LEGO fansites and communities tend to rely on BrickLink for set/theme/character names, and since the BrickLink catalogs often default to the American names for that stuff, many of international differences in these pre-2000s naming conventions kind of get swept aside. So it's fascinating to go back and realize how differently LEGO often approached this stuff, even between countries that shared a language (for instance, while even LEGO.com tends to refer to Majisto as LEGO Castle's first named character, Great Britain and the Netherlands had named LEGO Castle characters from as early as the theme's big 1984 relaunch!)

I would have guessed Brickset would be the origin ot this, but could be bricklink aswell (no idea which of them was actually there first). Anyways both seem quite similar. 

Anyways when we are looking at Adventures I always wondered about how the minifigures are listed there. I guess it depended on who listed it but there isn´t really any consictency. For Instance Bricklink lists 5913 (Dino Island) as Dr. Lightning's Car, while Bricklink lists it as Dr.Kilroy's Car - both state the Minifigure as Dr. Charles Lighting, since it is the same as in Desert - however in Orient Expedition both have the Minifigure listed as Dr. Kilroy. Gail Storm also was changed to Pippin Reed in the last series there - so I would guess they globalized the names then so they have the same names everywhere (at least in Germany, where they all had different names they were named with the ones listed on Bricklink and Brickset then aswell)

Also an other interesting fact, looking at the Adventurers Series, when you look at Sam Sinister and Baron von Barron. Barron only appears in the first Adventurers Series (the Dessert one) but in Dino Island only his henchman, Sam Sinister appears - though it is actually the same minifigure as Barron in Dessert, which results in the 5914 Sam Sinister and Baby T having the Baron von Barron Minifig listed. Also, in Orient Expedition he still has Barrons Face and Hand, but wears clothing that is more Similar to his own from Dessert.

Edited December 17, 2023 by Black Falcon

[MAB]

58 minutes ago, Black Falcon said:

Anyways when we are looking at Adventures I always wondered about how the minifigures are listed there. I guess it depended on who listed it but there isn´t really any consictency. For Instance Bricklink lists 5913 (Dino Island) as Dr. Lightning's Car, while Bricklink lists it as Dr.Kilroy's Car - both state the Minifigure as Dr. Charles Lighting, since it is the same as in Desert - however in Orient Expedition both have the Minifigure listed as Dr. Kilroy. Gail Storm also was changed to Pippin Reed in the last series there - so I would guess they globalized the names then so they have the same names everywhere (at least in Germany, where they all had different names they were named with the ones listed on Bricklink and Brickset then aswell).

Brickset doesn't actually catalogue minifigures, it directly imports bricklink's list. So whatever a figure is called on bricklink, it will have the same name and label as bricklink. Whereas they do catalogue sets and for older ones where there is a set name difference then they tend to use the British names, where known.

[Black Falcon]

1 minute ago, MAB said:

Brickset doesn't actually catalogue minifigures, it directly imports bricklink's list. So whatever a figure is called on bricklink, it will have the same name and label as bricklink. Whereas they do catalogue sets and for older ones where there is a set name difference then they tend to use the British names, where known.

Interesting, I didn´t know that. However I´ve read that in GB Johnny Thunder was called Sam Grant, but even in Desert the Set names state Johnny Thunder. In the end, it doesn´t even make sense to me that they have different names. I mean US and GB share (basically) the same Language, and even in Germany they had (new, different) English names.

[CP5670]

Several sets actually had slightly different versions for American and European markets, not just different names. Some early pirates sets had spring loaded cannons only in some markets. Train and technic sets with wall transformers had 110V and 220V versions. Sometimes only one region had updated revisions of parts due to different release years (small Technic pieces, light grays, etc.). The original classic space and expert builder sets had different numbers, but I'm not sure if they were actually different in any way.

Many sets were only sold in some markets too, like 12V trains in Europe and Unitron/Aquaraiders/Roboforce in the US. Most of the 1xxx/2xxx numbered sets were like this. Many large Technic sets in the early 1990s were not advertised in any of the American catalogs, so I'm not sure if they were ever sold here. I only learned about them many years later on the internet.

[Autumn]

Don't forget there were other names for the Adventurers: Johnny was called Joe Freeman, Kilroy was Professor Articus, Pippin was Linda Lovely, Sam Sinister / Baron (whatever he's called, the guy with the hook) was Mr Hates, and Pharaoh Hotep was Ramses. I think it might have been in Germany only but not entirely sure about that.

There was also the Slizers in Europe and Throwbots in America, with the latter one being a real boring name.

Some sets came with extras in some regions, like the old Knights Kingdom II action figures would come with game cards in the US but not in the UK.

I did see some comments about some people not remembering seeing any branding for space themes like Blacktron and Futuron, arguing that they were applied retrospectively, but I can definitely remember seeing those names in old catalogues when I was little. I wouldn't have called them that otherwise.

Edited December 17, 2023 by Autumn

[TeriXeri]

The main difference, as in actual difference is the Dino 2010 theme vs Dino Attack theme (both from 2005)

The sets are identical in terms of vehicles and dinosaurs, however the way things are build, are different.

Dino 2010 was the European version, focused on capturing those dinosaurs with ropes, nets and cages.

https://brickset.com/sets/theme-Dino-2010

Dino Attack was the American version, with a lot of weaponry, and vehicles drasticly different to have large cannons, turrets, or miniguns.

https://brickset.com/sets/theme-Dino-Attack

The box art is different as well, with Dino 2010 set in a jungle, with a volcano erupting in the background while Dino Attack is shown in the urban jungle, in what looks like an abandoned burned city with downtown and highrise buildings.

 

Edited December 17, 2023 by TeriXeri

[CP5670]

2 hours ago, Autumn said:

I did see some comments about some people not remembering seeing any branding for space themes like Blacktron and Futuron, arguing that they were applied retrospectively, but I can definitely remember seeing those names in old catalogues when I was little. I wouldn't have called them that otherwise. 

Futuron seems to have no logo in 1987 European catalogs I have. I think the sets first appeared in 1988 in America, and has the logo in American catalogs. Blacktron went the other way, coming out in 1987 in America and 1988 in Europe, but had the logo in both regions.

Dino Attack is a good example. Apparently TLG thought it was too violent for Europe, similar to the Blacktron Renegade, and watered it down.

[Black Falcon]

2 hours ago, CP5670 said:

Several sets actually had slightly different versions for American and European markets, not just different names. Some early pirates sets had spring loaded cannons only in some markets.

Well I knew in the US they had non working ones (here we only know the ones you can shoot with) - I actually thought that might still be the case?

2 hours ago, Autumn said:

Don't forget there were other names for the Adventurers: Johnny was called Joe Freeman, Kilroy was Professor Articus, Pippin was Linda Lovely, Sam Sinister / Baron (whatever he's called, the guy with the hook) was Mr Hates, and Pharaoh Hotep was Ramses. I think it might have been in Germany only but not entirely sure about that.

Baron was Mr Hates, and Sam Sinister was Sly Boots - GB had different names than that and US had others again - though for Orient Express I think they were the same for every country, however for some Minifigures they seem to have taken the English Version and for others the American one. However, Brickset lists some Sets that were included in Japanese Sweets, with Sinister called Sly Boots (The same name as in Germany) but Johnny Thunder is called Jones there.

1 hour ago, TeriXeri said:

The main difference, as in actual difference is the Dino 2010 theme vs Dino Attack theme (both from 2005)

Nice catch, I didn´t know they were actually similar themes.

[Autumn]

1 hour ago, CP5670 said:

Futuron seems to have no logo in 1987 European catalogs I have. I think the sets first appeared in 1988 in America, and has the logo in American catalogs. Blacktron went the other way, coming out in 1987 in America and 1988 in Europe, but had the logo in both regions.

You made me go looking at old catalogues online and the earliest the Futuron name and logo appears in a UK catalogue is this one from 1990 on page 29 with the Blacktron logo right next to it. The Blacktron name appeared in earlier ones but not the logo. The UK and European ones must have differed slightly as well.

1 hour ago, Black Falcon said:

Baron was Mr Hates, and Sam Sinister was Sly Boots - GB had different names than that and US had others again - though for Orient Express I think they were the same for every country, however for some Minifigures they seem to have taken the English Version and for others the American one. However, Brickset lists some Sets that were included in Japanese Sweets, with Sinister called Sly Boots (The same name as in Germany) but Johnny Thunder is called Jones there.

What I find even more confusing is that Barron was renamed to Sam Sinister later on globally for Orient Expedition, but Haunted House 10273 is called "Manor von Barron" with a portrait of Barron / Sinister. Curiously, there is also a skeleton with a top hat that must be Sly Boots / Sinister.

All the other characters seem to have their names well established, but those two's aren't so clear.

Edited December 17, 2023 by Autumn

[CP5670]

1 hour ago, Autumn said:

You made me go looking at old catalogues online and the earliest the Futuron name and logo appears in a UK catalogue is this one from 1990 on page 29 with the Blacktron logo right next to it. The Blacktron name appeared in earlier ones but not the logo. The UK and European ones must have differed slightly as well.

Yes I think they added the Futuron name retroactively. The Unitron monorail was also sold in Europe but appears as its own thing, and the Unitron name was never used there.

[Black Falcon]

1 hour ago, Autumn said:

What I find even more confusing is that Barron was renamed to Sam Sinister later on globally for Orient Expedition, but Haunted House 10273 is called "Manor von Barron" with a portrait of Barron / Sinister. Curiously, there is also a skeleton with a top hat that must be Sly Boots / Sinister.

Let me Quote myself from the starting post ;)

8 hours ago, Black Falcon said:

Also an other interesting fact, looking at the Adventurers Series, when you look at Sam Sinister and Baron von Barron. Barron only appears in the first Adventurers Series (the Dessert one) but in Dino Island only his henchman, Sam Sinister appears - though it is actually the same minifigure as Barron in Dessert, which results in the 5914 Sam Sinister and Baby T having the Baron von Barron Minifig listed. Also, in Orient Expedition he still has Barrons Face and Hand, but wears clothing that is more Similar to his own from Dessert.

So the guy in the Manor von Barron is indeed the Barron from the Desert Series - but the Sam Sinister of the later Sets. Don´t ask me how they came to that decision, but I would actually be very interesting to find out lol. A wild guess would be that they just mixed them up doing the Dino Island Series, because I can´t think of a better explanation - but I actually think that they relalised it later on, which is why they kinda made a mixed figure out of both of them in the Orient Expedition Series.

[Peppermint_M]

I recall only calling my Adventurer figure Sam Grant as the Scorpion Tracker sold as Sam Grant's Scorpion. It wasn't until visits to LEGOLAND Windsor and the stunt show/Explorer's Institute that I heard Johnny Thunder, but I think we had Pippin Reed not Gale Storm? I don't know about too much of the tie-in media otherwise. As a kid I called my other characters Lara (for Lara Croft) and Dr Carter (I was and still am a huge Egyptology nerd), Evil Eyes (Come on, I'm not wrong) and The Baron as his set I had was the Bi-Wing Baron and I was aware of the Red Baron being a pilot.

One funny thing. I work with a guy called Joe Freeman, I might have to track something down to give him a chuckle.