Lego Rip-off Brands

[Peppermint_M]

Well, maybe they do have more interesting bricks, or other themes, but they are made out of inferior-quality plastic that is nothing close to the quality of Lego's ABS.

No offense, but you are going to do a review of a clone brand set on a LEGO fansite? Seems kind of contradicting.

And no one seems to be angry that Best-lock almost directly copied LEGO minifgures?

Well, I studied History and Sociology at high school level (GCSE History and A-Level Sociology for those who understand) and I was always taught to base an opinion on research and when making an argument to have case studies and accredited sources (if not first hand experience) to back up my points and have something to contrast against my arguement too, (three for and three against, made revision a pain). So I decided to compare so called clone brands to the major brand to see if the opinion of Lego = Best is true or if there are good points to the cheaper brands.

If you notice I do have some reviews on the site already, Kim T made an index that includes them...

Also, the Best Lock figures are much more like Megablocks "transition" figures, not the earliest ones, nor the latest jointed figures. Examples include the power rangers, spider man and TMNT figures, far from anything near what Lego produces. Something you find out when you take a look for yourself.

As for plastic quality? You should see Tyco Bricks, they were as high quality as current Lego and the yellow bricks I have are as shiny and smooth as new while the Lego from the same time is scratched and dirty looking.

[Joey Lock]

What is with you guys?

Its a toy, Its meant to be enjoyed. Kids don't care whether they get a "hookey" Action-Man from the Pound shop, they just play with it, Its a simple, cheap toy. Its not going to transform and grab knives and kill your family and blow up your house with all the Lego in it, is it?

The reason Lego hasn't done anything since the "Attack on the Factory!" was because firstly, 'No One Cares'. Secondly, Lego get millions and millions of pounds a year, they wouldn't mind if a company hidden in China are selling "copies" of there product, because Lego are not losing any money since the "hookey" company are spending money on producing these sets. If you look on Ebay, the "hookey" Pirate ships you can buy are copies of the Black Seas Barracuda, however Lego do not produce this set anymore, so they wouldn't really mind if someone sells it.

So why, everytime a "fake" set is reviewed, do you respond " :sick: OMG, THATS FAKE! OMGZ!!!! :sick: "? Please tell me why...why.

Thats my opinion.

[Darth Legolas]

Wait, so you just saw them this month? I've been seeing those since 2006! I think there are also 7 other topics about this anyway.

[Omicron]

They need to get whoever is in charge of making these cheapo brands.

They can't. Laws are not universal.

-Omi

[CP5670]

I see a lot of people bring up Lego's supposedly huge quality advantage in these threads, and most of that talk is based on outdated knowledge. Lego is probably still the best out there overall, but the differences between Lego and the best clones are far less pronounced than they were some years ago, and TLG is largely living off their old reputation for quality today. In fact, I've heard that some of the clones actually have more printed and/or chromed pieces these days than Lego.

So why, everytime a "fake" set is reviewed, do you respond " :sick: OMG, THATS FAKE! OMGZ!!!! :sick: "? Please tell me why...why.

It's called being a fanboy. Not worth trying to understand the fanboy mentality.

[Luke McAwesome]

I honestly could careless about what other companies make. As long as we all understand that LEGO has the best quality, I'm fine.

You guys act as if "Mega Bloks are evil!" and what not, but I actually use some of their parts in creations, because, like Peppermint said, they have made sets that LEGO wouldn't dare venture into; Military and others.

And I used some castle fences from an old Mega Bloks set for Dinosaur-proof fences in a Jurassic Park dio, and they were better than anything TLG has ever made for that kind of part.

Another thing that sort of gets to me is the constant sensoring of the brand name, you act as if you could go to prison for it; such as M*** B***s. What is the point of this?

Mega Bloks, Mega Bloks, MEGA BLOKS! There, I said it. And I'm proud to say I mix brands and are not scared of it! If you can't stand it, don't look at my creations. Sure, I prefer LEGO's solid perfect ABS pieces over Mega Bloks' transparent, brittle, plastic any day. But that doesn't mean it's illegal to use it in a MOC.

/end rant

Edited November 6, 2009 by Striker

[Joey Lock]

I honestly could careless about what other companies make. As long as we all understand that LEGO has the best quality, I'm fine.

You guys act as if "Mega Bloks are evil!" and what not, but I actually use some of their parts in creations, because, like Peppermint said, they have made sets that LEGO wouldn't dare venture into; Militay and what not.

And I used some castle fences from an old Mega Bloks set for Dinosaur-proof fences in a Jurassic Park dio, and they were better than anything TLG has ever made for that kind of part.

Another thing that sort of gets to me is the constant sensoring of the brand name, you act as if you could go to prison for it; such as M*** B***s. What is the point of this?

Mega Bloks, Mega Bloks, MEGA BLOKS! There, I said it. And I'm proud to say I mix brands and are not scared of it! If you can't stand it, don't look at my creations. Sure, I prefer LEGO's solid perfect ABS pieces over Mega Bloks' transparent, brittle, plastic any day. But that doesn't mean it's illegal to use it in a MOC.

/end rant

Here here! Now his hit the nail on its head!

[larry marak]

There are now about 30 brick companies out there, Lego is still king of the clones, and hopefully will remain healthy for years, but at this point their departure won't even slow down the brick hobby. Relax. This should be an interesting Christmas toy season, Lego and Knex did phenomenally this year and many new contenders should show up in the shops this year, both compatible and non-compatible. Happy building.

[Millacol88]

I like that there are other companys who make brick-based construction sets. it gives TLC competition, which makes them try harder with their set design and pricing. If LEGO had a complete monopoly on the market, we'd be seeing very expensive sets that weren't that great and quality would probably take a dive. This is particularly true because MB and others charge much less for their products. TLC needs great set design and marketing to stay on top.

[user]

Ha I had a Halloween party yesterday and there was a lego head on my kitchen table and a megacrap body next to it so my friend put it together and I said "Oh nooo I'm turning into megabloks!" and he replied saying "It's like cancer only worse!" He said holding the megatrash lego hybrid.

[KimT]

Ha I had a Halloween party yesterday and there was a lego head on my kitchen table and a megacrap body next to it so my friend put it together and I said "Oh nooo I'm turning into megabloks!" and he replied saying "It's like cancer only worse!" He said holding the megatrash lego hybrid.

How the heck would he know?

[The Crazy One]

How the heck would he know?

I assume it was a joke.

[user]

How the heck would he know?

Yes Kim once again it was a joke.

[larry marak]

By the way, on the earlier reference to Best Lock copying Lego's design for the minifig, 2 interesting facts. One, when Lego desided to make its minifig (originally slated for release with the Space line) it delayed so long that one of Lego's design team defected to Tente of Spain and Tente ended up coming out with minifigs first. Two, Best Lock doesn't design or manufacture bricks or minifigs! They are purely a distribution company; they purchase clone parts on order from sources in China. When they started up they used the non-compatible (short brick, tall stud, channels instead of tubes) bricks made by Coko Bloko Toy Company in Chunking. Then four years ago (when European courts ruled that Lego's claim to exculsivity for the 2x4 brick with studs was invalid) they started purchasing from Cobi of Poland and Little White Dragon on Chengdu in China. The deal with Cobi fell through after a year and they stuck with LWD until the earthquake destroyed the factory in the great Chengdu quake 18 months ago. Best Lock has returned to purchasing parts from Coko Bloko of Chunking, and we are now seeing a wealth of porprietory lego-compatible parts from Best Lock (i.e., 1x5 bricks, 3 sided 75degree slopes, 1x2 2/3 tall bricks with studs on two sides, etc.

[The Who]

I don't mean to dig this up, but does anybody know if Oxford sets are sold anywhere in the USA?

I really like some of the sets, plus need some of the parts, and would rather not pay the shipping from eBay.

[Lordofdragonss]

Funny fact: Cobi (now Best Lock) was a Polish company. Sets have own design (mostly city), sets builded just with normal bricks, Minifigs that looks exactly like Lego ones (diferent printings of course), and one more thing. Quality was like real Lego. But in 2000 or 2001. Cobi-blocks where bought by big company from Germany, and then creazines started...

,

Cobi have many own themes... Like Space wars( great glitter eow?lements), Small Army (its still a theme now, but the models where a lot better!), Cobi hotel(or something like that.

And now? Ugly minifigs, poor quality, ugly and stupid models...(Rocket launchers in Rome? WTF?)

Oxword are the best knock-offs now, but they are really hard to get... And look out for Oxword bootlegs! They sucks....

[Peppermint_M]

I don't think they sell outside of Korea, unless you pay for the pricey imports off eBay, I have been searching around and so far had no luck getting anything to the UK or finding a seller based outside of Korea.

[The Who]

I don't think they sell outside of Korea, unless you pay for the pricey imports off eBay, I have been searching around and so far had no luck getting anything to the UK or finding a seller based outside of Korea.

Well, that stinks. I wish somebody like Toys 'R' Us sold them, which is not likely at all to happen.

[Peppermint_M]

You might have some luck with Sluban. They are bootlegs of Oxford sets as the Clone Ranger has warned, but they are more easily obtained here in the UK but I can't promise in the US, however with their low price and availiablity you might just find a seller from the UK who'd ship to the US with decent prices, if you are ok with a bootleg of a clone...

[The Who]

You might have some luck with Sluban. They are bootlegs of Oxford sets as the Clone Ranger has warned, but they are more easily obtained here in the UK but I can't promise in the US, however with their low price and availiablity you might just find a seller from the UK who'd ship to the US with decent prices, if you are ok with a bootleg of a clone...

If the quality is any good, I'll look into it.

I especially like Oxford because of the M1 helmets, as seen on Brickarms figs. I know Best-Lock has a few sets I've seen in TRU with similar helmets, but many people have said Best-Lock is terrible quality plastic.

[Peppermint_M]

Best Lock is variable. I have had some impulse sets that "spring" instead of stick, but then again I have had some good sets that are quite good.

[tophdawg]

Oxford does have some really cool sets, I've been trying to find their website but i cant, are they still in business. I would love to see some of their sets that are out now. I havent looked at them in a while. I remember Oxford had some intresting harry potter like sets a few years back.

Actually I just found their website its in Korean but Google could translate it for me. Its pretty cool check it out http://www.oxfordtoy.co.kr/eng/index.asp

Edited December 14, 2009 by tophdawg

[lightningtiger]

Thanks 'Tophdawg' for the link, the only set that truly impressed me was this looks a bit like 7994 city harbour of 2007, but at least this one has a proper container truck not a tiny flat bed and also in proportion containers too. Might MOC the truck and containers for my son's ship.

[Lordofdragonss]

Thanks for this site! I never know Oxword got Disney Licence:

I want it in lego!

[larry marak]

Disney spreads their license around quite a bit. Besides Oxford's license, and the Pixar and Pirates of the Carribean licenses that used to be with Megabloks and are now with Lego,, Disney has contracted with Kadawa of Japan to do souvenir bricks sets for the different areas of the Disney parks. Sold under the brand name Disney Brick-It, there are 8 sets, each with a plastic playmat. Together (and after buying 8 $20 sets) you have a brick symbolic model of the magic kingdom. Of the 8, my favorite is the Jungle Cruise set for Adventureland. It models the bend in the river where you find elephants frolicing by a natural waterfall. The elephants, crocodiles and hippos are thick cardboard punchout figures that stand up between rows of studs on the baseplate, so you see likenesses of the actual animatronic models when you build this set. Big Thunder is probably their second best set.

Warning for those buying these sets, Kadawa (sold over the last 40 years as Dia Bloks, Brix Blox, and Loc Bloks, use channels instead of tubes on the bottoms of bricks and plates, and are thus a non-compatible brand.