Alonzo Brickovsky Posted July 13, 2016 I will focus on large sets as they interest me most. I'm not really attracted to any theme, save maybe for Marvel SH. Generally I'm happy with 2016, even though it's a mixed bag. We did have, and I mean it, the worst UCS (or even D2C actually) ever, which is obviously Hoth. It deserves each and every bad word spent on it. And there's been a few. I was also disappointed with Batcave, especially its pricing, and Porsche to some extent (I love its look but for that price it should have PF, RC and whatever else, to deserve "ultimate" tag). And... that's it. Ghostbusters HQ and Big Ben both are terrific and moderately priced, they're just not exactly my cup of tea. I loved Maze. Spider-Man Bridge is fantastic and I already bought two. The Beetle will be mine one of these days, and Technic's BWE and Claas and of course - The Disney Castle, are must-haves for this year. I even found Prison theme attractive when I generally find City boring. Elves' and Nexo Knights' largest sets also look cool and on sale, they might be perfect parts packs with ineteresting, varied pieces. So... definitely not bad for me. Finally, after Star Wars ruling for many years, it's not on top anymore. For me, this theme could be closed even now. We've had a few versions of each vehicle already. Of course there are exceptions, like wonderful Ewok Village or the latest Slave I, but priced like that - no, thanks. I don't care for 80% of sets being released, but why should it bother me if I still don't have enough money to buy the rest? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ashnflash Posted July 13, 2016 (edited) I personally think the Superheroes characters and variants we've gotten are way better then any of the ones we've gotten in past years. BUT I am getting really tired of getting the same vehicles over and over again... I loved all the Star Wars sets that came out this year, and after giving up collecting Star Wars for Superheroes I couldn't resist a lot of the new ones! I also picked up a bunch of the new and incredible Minecraft sets and finished my display! LEGO DIMENSIONS has been absolutely spectacular! Also the Disney CMF was great this year too. Personally all the D2C's this year have been amazing! I love the Ghostbusters HQ and hope to get it! I did pick up the Batcave and Minecraft Village and adore them both! And the Disney castle is absolutely amazing! And the upcoming Dimensions packs and IP's are great! Also the LEGO Batman Movie... Like c'mon this for me has been the best year! My only complaints (And this is just my opinion) but I feel like Nexo Knights was a complete let down... I started to watch one episode and I couldn't stand it.... It wasn't funny or at all interesting to me and none of the sets interest me or the figures... The only things I'm only ever going to get is the free promotionals and calendar promotion. But overall BEST YEAR! Also the SDCC exclusives didn't hurt me this year too much either! Edited July 13, 2016 by Ashnflash Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
legoguy1984 Posted July 13, 2016 It has been a bit of hit and miss this year. Don't want to repeat what other people have said but the lack of any historical themes has been a little sad. Although on the other hand my budget for Lego got chopped to a quarter of what it was so at least I'm not going crazy over sets I can't have. GB HQ and the Disney castle are both great sets but I could never quantify spending that much on a "toy" for me, and the lack of sets I'm interested in pushed me to try out Bricklink and I'm happy with how that turned out. So everything kinda evens out at the end of the day. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrzej777 Posted July 13, 2016 It has been a bit of hit and miss this year. Don't want to repeat what other people have said but the lack of any historical themes has been a little sad. Although on the other hand my budget for Lego got chopped to a quarter of what it was so at least I'm not going crazy over sets I can't have. GB HQ and the Disney castle are both great sets but I could never quantify spending that much on a "toy" for me, and the lack of sets I'm interested in pushed me to try out Bricklink and I'm happy with how that turned out. So everything kinda evens out at the end of the day. Everyone got their preferences. I generally tend to buy sets because of the minifigs. The builds are secondary. Not getting any historical sets with historical minifis was not satisfying. On the other hand, I invested the money which I didnt spend on sets on CMF, pab cups, pab/bap orders, and recently on the nexo knights magazine (lava warrior). Looking forward to the next CMF series. In regard to the Disney castle, its definitely quite nice, but still I will not shell out that much money for a castle and some Disney figs. Still I appreciate the build. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikroBricks Posted July 14, 2016 My two cents: This year seems to have been a struggle of "themes." People don't like this theme or don't like that theme, etc. However, at least for me, once I got past that initial gut reaction, I found a bunch of sets that I really enjoyed. Ignoring the bigger things like the Ghostbusters Firehouse and Cinderella's Castle and the more questionable Hoth Base and Wayne Manor; Ninjago, Elves, and Nexo Knights have provided a ton of unexpected fun and great parts for me. I didn't think too highly of them originally, but after snagging some on sale and diving in, I found out that I really enjoyed them. I doubt I'll be keeping them on display, but I had fun and got some great parts for MOCs. I'd love some non-Licensed Space sets and some Fantasy-based sets too, but for now, I'm just going to try to put a smile on my face and enjoy the cool stuff out now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jared Posted July 14, 2016 Oh haha yeah this year has been disappointing as heck (for me personally), but not because of lego. HOWEVER, if we are talking about lego, I neither agree nor nor disagree with what everyone else said. It's been pretty meh. Although I haven't bought a single new 2016 set yet so.... although I will say the new Spiderman Marvel superhero sets look fantastic! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dr_spock Posted July 14, 2016 It is a bit premature. 2016 is not over yet. The good Technic stuff are still to come later in the year. I guess I posted that too soon. There is a must have Creator Beetle set now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TalonCard Posted July 15, 2016 I mostly only collect Pirate stuff now (for practical reasons--obviously I'd want one of every set ever if I could have it!), and I gotta say that even though the 2015 Pirate theme wasn't continued, this is one of my favorite years. There's the entertaining Angry Birds pirate ship, the pirate Batman figure, the upcoming Collectable Minifigure pirate, the Disney Peter Pan minifigures, the pirate-themed Mixels, and the Ninjago Sky Pirates which I've fallen hard for after building a few sets. My super-picky 11 year old self would have a fit after hearing this, but the Ninjago sets have some of the most exciting pirate-ish builds I've ever had. The Sky Shark is a pretty inexpensive set, for example, and yet you get all kinds of fancy special pieces, and a build that manages to evoke a boat, a shark, and a fighter plane all at once. Love it. My only complaints are that of others in this thread, that the sets are released in such a limited window that they can be hard to collect. I used to save up and buy a lot of the more expensive sets in the post-Christmas sales, even as recently as 2012. But now you've gotta be prepared to strike as soon as there's any kind of deal. That said, though, it's a lot easier to find older (pre-2002) sets than it used to be, and thanks to Bricklink and other sites I'm not nearly as worried about losing or breaking a special part as I was in the old days. (I remember cleaning two entire rooms looking for my only treasure map piece! ) TC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wodanis Posted July 20, 2016 I collect City, Star Wars, CMF and some Creator sets. I will only speak on these themes. City's inital offering of police and fire sets didn't picque my interest except for the boats which I don't own previously. Have yet to buy those however. The Ferry was a refreshing change of set albeit basic in terms of build. The caravan and garbage truck were quite good once I bought and built them. I'm loving the Volcano series. I have a few sets so far. The only thing that irks me was the price point for the August release large sets. $150 and 180 CDN respectfully. Both sets should have been around $100 and 120. Fun in the park although pricey is a must have for me. I was quite happy with the airport reissues. Looking forward to owning these. The gas station is wel done too. There are a few creator sets that are good. The inclusion of small brick built animals was a nice touch. The camper looks like a fun build. The brick bank I have to purchase and then I can judge if it's too small. Last year's detective office although detailed was far too cramped in the barber shop. I'm sure there will be more coming for this theme. Not a fan of the bettle but it looks like a great set. Star Wars has been horribly pricey this year. As a result I've yet to get any significant set from TFA. The battle packs are good, no complaints. There have been some enjoyable updates to the mini-figures. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alcarin Posted July 22, 2016 Sadly I have to agree, after LOTR ending and no real castle this year and me being a HUGE castle fan the only highlights of the year are some beautiful creator sets (which i rarely buy) some minifigures (and some to come, like Archer from next series) and thats pretty much it... Saved alot of money this year, but still have to buy Parisian restaurant,probably the best set so far in Creator series for the last 2-3 years in my opinion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackie Posted August 3, 2016 (edited) Yep, for me too, this year is LEGO disappointment - a huge one. It's not because of single sets, but because of the entire themes that are available. I don't put much hope into City sets, but for example, in the last years, there were nice Ninjago sets that I could buy as historical sets. The Ninjago City, Dojo, something like this. I almost exclusively want buildings, and historical ones are the greatest. However, what's currently available is just nothing for me. Then again, let's look at the themes. I think Angry Birds is the worst theme I have ever seen and when I heard it comes, I thought this was a joke. When I saw the pictures .... Well, some Creator sets are ok, but overall I really hope there is something new coming. Hopefully something that can be used for historical buildings / scenes, but I am open to so many themes. But the current offers are just not what I am looking for. Btw: Has anyone any information about new themes (not sets, but entire themes) that might be coming end of this year or next year? Any rumors yet? Edited August 3, 2016 by blackie Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BarkerJ94 Posted August 3, 2016 It's been okay, not the best thought, definitely the Star Wars packs could have done with some upgrades, Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Master_Data Posted August 4, 2016 This year hasn't been my best, either. I think I only bought two sets, both from DC Superheroes and a few Mixels. I always buy a bunch of the Minifigures, this year being no different, but in terms of sets, nothing really impressed me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kintobor Posted August 4, 2016 Then again, let's look at the themes. I think Angry Birds is the worst theme I have ever seen and when I heard it comes, I thought this was a joke. When I saw the pictures .... The worst? Worse than 4 Juniors? Worse than Galidor? Not by a long shot. I can think of several themes that have been worse than Angry Birds. Are they great? No, but I can think of several worse themes. Honestly, I haven't bought a lot this year, if only due to budgetary constraints. What I have bought I've been pretty thrilled with. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackie Posted August 4, 2016 The worst? Worse than 4 Juniors? Worse than Galidor? Not by a long shot. I can think of several themes that have been worse than Angry Birds. Are they great? No, but I can think of several worse themes. Honestly, I haven't bought a lot this year, if only due to budgetary constraints. What I have bought I've been pretty thrilled with. Ok Galidor, that's beyond all question. You are right, I should make this more clear: I think Angry Birds is the worst in the last years. During the time of Galidor and some other really bad themes, I didn't care for LEGO so I missed all of this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LegoFjotten Posted August 4, 2016 There have been some disappointments this year, but I don't think the year as a whole is a disappointment. Ghostbusters HQ, Brick Bank, Beetle - all home runs in my book I like the Disney Castle & Big Ben. Classic Batcave was ok-ish. UCS Hoth was disappointing. A few more D2C sets on the way that might be cool. Marvel sets overall are great! SW pricing in general has been very disappointing. Most other themes I have no opinion either way, I only buy the odd set and don't keep track. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Emmi Posted August 5, 2016 The Technic theme sure did NOT disappoint this year: Bucket Wheel Excavator Volvo EW160E Claas Xerion 5000 Trac VC Porsche 911 GT3 RS Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ondra Posted August 5, 2016 The Technic theme sure did NOT disappoint this year: Bucket Wheel Excavator Volvo EW160E Claas Xerion 5000 Trac VC Porsche 911 GT3 RS Porsche?Or that overpriced wannabe technic supercar with colour of service vehicles and standalone book that is useless and crush packages?I think this set is huge letdown... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Emmi Posted August 5, 2016 It is a bit of a letdown indeed ... and yes, way too overpriced. Hopefully LEGO learns from its mistakes and makes a real Ultimate Technic set next time! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RetroInferno Posted August 9, 2016 There have been some disappointments this year, but I don't think the year as a whole is a disappointment. Ghostbusters HQ, Brick Bank, Beetle - all home runs in my book I like the Disney Castle & Big Ben. Classic Batcave was ok-ish. UCS Hoth was disappointing. A few more D2C sets on the way that might be cool. Marvel sets overall are great! SW pricing in general has been very disappointing. Most other themes I have no opinion either way, I only buy the odd set and don't keep track. The starwars summer wave is indeed insanely overpriced, although the RO sets seem reasonnably priced except for the Striker. Just take a look at the Rebel frigate, looks like crap, 110$ with 936 pieces. ( even worse in CAN, 150$ ) Krennic's shuttle is 90$ with 863 pieces and has better figs ( I seriously hope that it won't exceed 120 CAN ). The summer wave is soo piss poor, it has to show in their sales and they seem to take a small path towards reducing the prices. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Artanis I Posted August 10, 2016 Just take a look at the Rebel frigate, looks like crap, 110$ with 936 pieces. ( even worse in CAN, 150$ ) Holy crap, it's $200 in Oz! Same price as the volcano helicopter, which has 400 more pieces & 4 more minifigs... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jmc0208 Posted August 11, 2016 Yes the rising set prices are definitely a concern. especially for licensed themes. This year has been ok for me thus far...the Civil War sets were pretty good and the 21305 IDEAS Maze is incredible (maybe best set of the year imo) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Missing Brick Posted August 13, 2016 (edited) Yes, I've not found any 2016 sets sufficiently appealing to justify a purchase at full price. So far I've just bought a handful of CMFs & mixels using VIP points - and picked up some 2015 sets on sale. I may pickup the Brick Bank eventually. But I can't help feeling TLG have wasted too much of their design resource on producing hundreds of ridiculously overpriced dimensions 'sets'. Edited August 13, 2016 by Missing Brick Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aanchir Posted August 15, 2016 Yep, for me too, this year is LEGO disappointment - a huge one. It's not because of single sets, but because of the entire themes that are available. I don't put much hope into City sets, but for example, in the last years, there were nice Ninjago sets that I could buy as historical sets. The Ninjago City, Dojo, something like this. I almost exclusively want buildings, and historical ones are the greatest. However, what's currently available is just nothing for me. If buildings are what you're after, have you taken a look at the Elves theme? The buildings in that theme are obviously more fantasy-inspired than strictly historical, but even so, I think they have a lot to offer. The Starlight Inn has beautiful rustic architecture, and Ragana's Magic Shadow Castle is perhaps the single best LEGO castle I've ever seen, in terms of feeling livable without sacrificing the usual castle features like a throne room, traps, and a dungeon. It also has a really dark and evil look that no LEGO Castle set its size in the past several years has really offered… the last $100 "evil castle" before it was Trolls' Mountain Fortress way back in 2009. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackie Posted August 16, 2016 If buildings are what you're after, have you taken a look at the Elves theme? The buildings in that theme are obviously more fantasy-inspired than strictly historical, but even so, I think they have a lot to offer. The Starlight Inn has beautiful rustic architecture, and Ragana's Magic Shadow Castle is perhaps the single best LEGO castle I've ever seen, in terms of feeling livable without sacrificing the usual castle features like a throne room, traps, and a dungeon. It also has a really dark and evil look that no LEGO Castle set its size in the past several years has really offered… the last $100 "evil castle" before it was Trolls' Mountain Fortress way back in 2009. I will most likely buy the elven castle, especially for my two girls. But look at those castles and compare them ... The problem is most importantly the color. I mean, they made pink stone elements (!) in the elven castle. If they had let them grey ... *cry* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
