A decade in LEGO City-Town. Which set was the best?

[Zorbas]

Awww come on, you know I still love ya, γείτονας! And your inability to count right won't change that

Note to myself.

Things to do in the new decade:

1. Learn to count.

2. ......

3. .......

[Matt Dawson]

For the record - my favourite Modular is actually the Green Grocer (although I have the feeling this year's Emporium will be even better), but I still had to put the Cafe Corner on top of my list there, seeing as this was the set which brought about the revolution...

The news of the Grand Emporium has gone quiet...

[Siegfried]

I just tried to ensure that this topic would be specific enough.

I must confess it annoys me when people say "Mods feel free to XXX". Obviously we'll close/move/delete/merge/ban when needed so to me it's unnecessary and just makes us look picky. Are we that bad? Am I that picky? Am I being picky now? How about now?

In sports they do.

In programming I often start counting from a number like 3000 for one reason or any other, but when counting less abstract things I always start at one. It seems more accurate that way.

Technicalities OFF!

The problem is we'll probably get people making the same topics next year...

So, for me 10200 Custom Garage is THE BEST SET period.

I think Customs Garage is one of the most un-appreciated sets ever. I've actually got a half finished review of it...

Same as the fact that we STILL don't have a :shudder: emoticon

Any image in mind?

[michaelozzie]

I love the Cafe Corner set and the following modular buildings. But i must say the City Corner set 7641 was my favourite. It has a look that fits in perfectly with my classic lego town sets. Also i liked the Truck and Forklift set 7733 as both vehicles had a great look.

[Zorbas]

I must confess it annoys me when people say "Mods feel free to XXX". Obviously we'll close/move/delete/merge/ban when needed so to me it's unnecessary and just makes us look picky. Are we that bad? Am I that picky? Am I being picky now? How about now?

No, you 're not bad nor picky.

I only wrote that having in mind if there was an extra suggestion from the mods on the topic. For example, whether to include the modulars or trains concerning this topic or something like that.

I had no intentions of pointing out your job. Sorry if that sounded like that.

No harm feelings I hope.

[Siegfried]

No harm feelings I hope.

No, not at all. I was just explaining my angle... and sorry for being a grump in your year-early topic.

[The Green Brick Giant]

I vote for 7905 Building Crane, since it's the set that finally convinced me out of my own dark ages

It's not a huge set in terms of true size (i.e. weight) or piece count, but it stands impressive.

That is an awesome set too. A friend of mine was over and he saw that and loved it.

[Piranha]

2000-2006 were crap years for City

2007-Present day were amazing

I don't consider or include the Modular building line part of City, because it isn't.

They are a totally different ballpark. I like to think of them as a part of the Exclusive theme that also includes others like the Emerald Night

That said I think the one set that really represents the huge comeback of City is 7641 City Corner.

There really has been nothing like it really. It combined buildings, vehicles, transit and civilian life quite nice. It sums up what City fans have been wanting, more Civilian sets.

It is an Instant Classic like notable others such as the Airport Shuttle and Main Street.

Edited January 4, 2010 by Macoco

[Svelte]

I don't consider or include the Modular building line part of City, because it isn't.

Agreed. It would make this topic more interesting, too, since everyone votes for a Modular set

For me, 2007 was overall the best year, with the great Recycle Truck, Cement Truck, City Harbour, Train Station (for the pricepoint, I thought this was a great little building and solidly designed), Gas Station... All the sets seemed well-designed and had bright but not overly repetitive colour schemes. They also were largely still good quality parts and used lots of new pieces in great colours (the big container panels, or the trans light blue pieces in the Gas Station). There was a nice spread of buildings, ships and vehicles and the models within each subtheme didn't feel samey (in comparison to 2008's Coast Guard, for example, where everything was blue, white, and orange, and it felt like they were filling a quota of x-amount of sets).

2008 was OK, although the Cargo theme had problems (the large green plane looked nice but was functionally useless) and this is where I noticed quality really dropping off. Coast Guard felt over simplified to me - not a phrase I toss about lightly! - and I think that the part palette became much more restrictive than in previous years. 2009 was most notable for the Farm sets and City Corner, but my favourite set of the year was the beautifully designed 4WD with Horse Trailer, which perfectly married the feel of old-skool Town while updating it to today's larger scale. Unfortunately 2009 saw the low-point of LEGO quality and saddens me that such a great design as the yellow bus in City Corner was built with some of the worst bricks I've ever seen

So, 2007 is the overall winner for me

[wooootles]

I don't consider or include the Modular building line part of City, because it isn't.

Well, understandable.

CC and GG are all-time LEGO greats (not just city/town) though, not just this decade, and not just in the city/town line.

If we were to exclude modulars, I can't give it to anything else other than the City Corner. First 5 years of Town is probably unanimously regarded as crap, so that narrows it down a bit.

The bus is a rarity in LEGO sets, but it's damn well executed in 6-wide. It's like a 3-sets in-1 deal, with the Pizza place and the skateboard shop. All of which are outstanding, and well, classic.

[diablorouge]

For me the best is 10182 Cafe corner followed closely with 7994 City Harbour!

[Legoliner Pilot]

Agreed. It would make this topic more interesting, too, since everyone votes for a Modular set

For me, 2007 was overall the best year, with the great Recycle Truck, Cement Truck, City Harbour, Train Station (for the pricepoint, I thought this was a great little building and solidly designed), Gas Station... All the sets seemed well-designed and had bright but not overly repetitive colour schemes. They also were largely still good quality parts and used lots of new pieces in great colours (the big container panels, or the trans light blue pieces in the Gas Station). There was a nice spread of buildings, ships and vehicles and the models within each subtheme didn't feel samey (in comparison to 2008's Coast Guard, for example, where everything was blue, white, and orange, and it felt like they were filling a quota of x-amount of sets).

2008 was OK, although the Cargo theme had problems (the large green plane looked nice but was functionally useless) and this is where I noticed quality really dropping off. Coast Guard felt over simplified to me - not a phrase I toss about lightly! - and I think that the part palette became much more restrictive than in previous years. 2009 was most notable for the Farm sets and City Corner, but my favourite set of the year was the beautifully designed 4WD with Horse Trailer, which perfectly married the feel of old-skool Town while updating it to today's larger scale. Unfortunately 2009 saw the low-point of LEGO quality and saddens me that such a great design as the yellow bus in City Corner was built with some of the worst bricks I've ever seen

So, 2007 is the overall winner for me

Funtionally useless? MOD it! My Cargo plane has spaces for four pallets of cargo and an accurate cockpit.

I agree with what you are saying about Coast Guard-- I almost feel as if you are pointing directly to the Helicopter (but not that you actaully are). I hate to break it to you, but the only <insert that tiresome argument> pieces in that set were the tail cone and the hull parts. IMO, it had on of the best brick-built cockpits we have ever seen! The only problem was that the power functions winch (are these still in production?) which, despite being advertised as pulling the life raft up, could not because of insufficient torque. The probable reason that the ship had a one-piece hull is to make it float, and it does a pretty good job of it. It even looks accurate.

2007 had some of the best sets ever, but that is when the rampant repetition of minifigure heads and bodies became worse (the only new torso, if I can recall, was the ship's captains', and it hasn't been used since). 2008 added on to this by repeating those same heads and torsos (sunglasses face and plaid shirt, bearded guy...) in almost every sets.

2008 was one of the worst years ever for City, not because of the sets, but because of the immense amount of stickers. I think that the only printed part for City in 2008 was the control slopes and computer slopes.

Edited January 7, 2010 by Legoliner Pilot

[Big Cam]

Even if I don't own it, I vote for the set that really brought me back from my dark ages: the amazing 10184 Cafe Corner

Although I don't own it, I must agree, I've never heard more buzz and discussion over a single set than this bad boy.

[Siegfried]

The only problem was that the power functions winch (are these still in production?) which, despite being advertised as pulling the life raft up, could not because of insufficient torque.

I didn't have that problem. Mine worked over and over again!

[iluvmyelement]

After everyone here was talking about Cafe Corner and Town Plan - I was feeling sorry for myself that I didn't buy Town Plan when it was still available. Now prices have skyrocketed. But I was very fortunate to find a store today that had 20+ left and they were on clearance to boot! (I also picked up an Eiffel Tower which I had been wanting). The hardest part for me was whether or not to buy more to sell. I only bought one of each. I usually hate the Ebayers who just grab up everything and turn around and ask double - but in this economy it's hard not to want to join them.

Edited January 7, 2010 by iluvmyelement

[Updike]

Although I'm not a HUGE fan of Lego city, two sets have amazed me- 10197-1: Fire Brigade and 10184-1: Town Plan. the detail nostalgia and peices are phenomilal, and allthough I don't own them, I once stood in awe looking at them on display in The lego store, and nearly bought the fire station.

[Zorbas]

I agree with Svelte on the Cargo Plane. I was positively impressed by the size and the overall look was great, not to forget that beautiful green colour.

The bad thing was that for a cargo plane, it couldn't carry too much gargo, especially after taking into consideration the size of it. That big wig piece was acting like a fence, dividing the hull in two.

If this plane also had a hinge mechanism for the tail to open (just like the Med-Star plane from the '80s,) and load the cargo, or even vehicles from there, that would have been a total success.

It still remains one of my favorites though.

The Coast-Guard line on the other hand offered us some very nice sets. The CG helicopter is in my opinion one of the best helicopters TLG has ever released with a very good percentage of it being brick built.

The Patrol Boat and tower and the pick-up truck with the jet scooter were also very nice sets. I even liked the CG platform for some reason. It looked strange from the catalogues and the box but when I finished building it, I liked it perhaps because it was something innovative.

[dr_spock]

From 2000 to 2009, my favorite is the Beach House.

[Rick]

From 2000 to 2009, my favorite is the Beach House.

That's Creator, although - as with the Modulars - I buy these Creator houses for 'Town purposes' as well.

If we'd leave the Creator and Modular houses out, then I'd definitely have to go with the City Corner. But overal, I think TLG has been on the right track ever since they released 'World City'. In my opinion that wasn't so bad as many of you seem to think. The police set with the 4WD and surveillance van wasn't too bad, just like the big surveillance truck (they had car doors!).

As of 2005 (the birth of the new 'City' theme), the sets have gotten better and better in terms of design and in the last few years also in terms of 'themes' covered. This doesn't mean I like every single set that comes out, but as far as I like 1/3 of what comes out, I'm happy. That way it's also a little friendlier on my bank account. In terms of the exclusives, the last few years have absolutely been spectacular. This is a great time to be an AFOL and I'm happy and thankful to have to resources to basically - within limits - buy what I like. I remember that in the late 1990s/early 2000s when I started waking from Lego hibernation, I was 'forced' to buy certain sets (like Island Xtreme Stunts) that were still somewhat decent (compared to the horrid Town Jr. offerings). Now there's actually a choice to be made, what to buy and what not.

I certainly hope TLG continues the trend it has started in 2003 (or 2005, however you view it) and we're bound to see many amazing sets. Hopefully from both the 'City' and the 'Exclusives' departments.

Edited January 8, 2010 by Rick

[Wout]

As some creators houses are also counted. I had the idea that Building Bonanza (around end 2004/ begin 2005) was a turning point in the history of town/world city/city.

It had many pieces, not <insert that tiresome argument> pieces. City was fun again.

The 2002 line of police was not that awful, but it was not good.

The 2004 line of port/ rescue had some nice things

2005 had for the first time little cheap sets with a fig in it.

2006 airfield was not that good

2007 port was nice, firestation was better than 2005

2008 policestation was better than 2005

2009 more civilion sets, very great. and nice farm

2010 new airfield, civilian and farm sets

Creator houses after Bonanza were all nice

Cafe Corner, Market Street and followers are great.

[dr_spock]

Rick, true, Beach House is a Creator set (I used it in my town). For a set with the word "City" printed on the box, I would say City Corner is my fav. I like the yellow bus and the playability factor of several structures and minifigs.