Lego. Better?

[jimmynick]

I don't know, really. From a completely objective standpoint, probably a resounding yes. TLG have so many new parts that are useful in sets and MOCs, they have great licenses like Lone Ranger and Indy - and all that's great - but I'm nostalgic for turn-of-the-millennium LEGO sets in themes like Star Wars (I prefer the old Gungan Sub to the new one, for example), Castle and Adventurers. It seems to me as though TLG used to make sets out of very basic pieces, and now they don't quite so much. And I'd love it if TLG returned to the kind of ugly, very studded sets they used to make.

Maybe it's because I don't buy LEGO much these days (not enough room or time), or that I still think of the current lines as they were 4 or 5 years ago, e.g. fantasy castle and what seemed to be a couple of really bad Star Wars lines, but I haven't seen too much change in TLG's products over the past few years. However, I know Architecture for one is definitely an improvement from what TLG had several years ago, and so are LotR and The Hobbit.

[polarscribe]

I'm just getting back into LEGOs as an AFOL after my 17-year Dark Ages, and comparing what's available now to what was available then... I think it's sort of like two steps forward and one step backward.

In hindsight, I left LEGO right as the "juniorization" wave began. My last new sets were from 1996, and looking at what came out shortly afterward... well, for many years there, I didn't miss much. My last really big sets were the 6339 Shuttle Launch Pad (1995) and 6598 Metro PD Station (1996). Just one year after the release of that classic -- which I would consider the apex of design for the Classic Town era) -- Lego put out the 6554 Blaze Brigade which appears to herald the beginning of the slide into terrible design and janky part selection. So looking strictly at that "nadir," the Jack Stone and 4 Juniors stuff, it's easy to say that LEGO has made great strides in the right direction.

I would call out the Great Vehicles series in particular for a combination of functionality, playability, design and realism that was never present in my childhood sets - mainly due to the additional space for features and details present because of the larger scale. While it's true that Classic Town doesn't mix as well anymore, I think that trade-off is acceptable to get the benefits. Put even a good Classic Town fire truck (say, the 6593 Blaze Battler) up next to the 60002 and there's just no comparison. The latter is a better model, a better build and more fun all around.

However, I would say the set selection has taken a fair step backward - while police and fire have always been major LEGO themes, I think Classic Town struck a much better balance in terms of having other stuff to do in one's city. Perhaps that will start to change with stuff like the to-be-released Town Square.

I'm just glad my mother stored my 100+-set collection dating from 1983 to 1996 in the garage all these years (albeit disassembled in a giant garbage barrel!) She refused to get rid of them and because of her stubbornness, I'll be able to pull out everything from the complete Ice Planet 2002 lineup to the 6542 Launch & Load Seaport!

Edited March 16, 2013 by polarscribe

[A2L]

To me it is a resounding Yes. I am really happy about the minifigures in particular. See LoTR. In wave 1 the prints of King Theoden and Haldir were exceptinal. However I didn't expect them to do surpass that so soon with Arwen and Elrond in wave 2. Today the figures convey so much more even after encapsulating the whole character in the trademark LEGO minifigure. I am also happy to see more printed parts replacing stickers (which unfortunately will always be there as kids love them).

[dcastdeclan]

How to make lego better: BRING BACK BIONICLE.

Okay, I know it's been done, but it would probably help out the company. I'm not saying now, I'm just saying that it should happen in five years or so. That way, the new builders see it as something new and the old builders feel the nostalgia. It's just like doctor who; they left it for a while, and when they brought it back it was better.

[Lyichir]

How to make lego better: BRING BACK BIONICLE.

Okay, I know it's been done, but it would probably help out the company. I'm not saying now, I'm just saying that it should happen in five years or so. That way, the new builders see it as something new and the old builders feel the nostalgia. It's just like doctor who; they left it for a while, and when they brought it back it was better.

If Lego had struggled at all since Bionicle's end, maybe that'd be a good plan. But as it is, Hero Factory seems to be a continuing success, and Lego's other themes have been successful enough to propel the company to the #2 position among toy manufacturers. So while the remnants of the Bionicle fandom might be happy to see Bionicle return, I don't think the Lego Group has anything to gain by bringing it back (at least, nothing that would be able to match what they could accomplish with a new theme instead).

[SweetiePie88]

Hey everyone,

I was browsing images of the various new sets (Lone Rangers, StarWars, etc.) and even last years sets and thought...

Is it just me or has Lego stepped up their game?

Now, not all the sets are home runs, but it many of the minifigures are amazing.

Some sets look more like mocs that builders on here made, and by that I don't mean they just look great but they use a lot of smaller pieces not just panels for walls.

The mine from lone ranger and the big set from galaxy squad in particular. The new starwars minfigures all look awesome.

Some sets look great for older children and adults, but I can imagine being a kid absolutely loving the Chima and Castle series.

Anyway, just my 2c. I've yet to buy any of the newer sets, so I can't vouch for quality, but they do look really good.

What do you guys think, has Lego stepped up their game to be more competitive? Or is the progression of new technology allowed for them to build better "toys"?

To be honest, I think they are heading the wrong way. There's to many short lived themes or sets coming out, sometimes 1 or 2 waves for a theme and maybe a year on the sets if they are lucky, and not enough long lasting themes. I recently looked at fall and winter 2012 catalogs and I couldn't believe just how many of the sets or themes don't even exist anymore.

And there seems to be increasing focus on Minifigure detail which to be honest is not something that's very exciting for me. I really don't mean to sound like an oddball but I've found that unprinted torsos to be something i'd want way more copies of over the fancier print torsos.

[Laservampire]

IMHO Lego is currently the most awesome it's been since the mid 90s.

That 1998-2005 period was utterly dire...

[Tariq j]

In some ways lego has upped the game with some sets, however in some particular themes they're focusing on the mini figures a bit too much and focusing less on the set.

[Palathadric]

I can't say I don't miss the good sets from the late 80's and early 90's. Those were great time with great sets and I may still consider that LEGO's peak. However, with the great Lord of the Rings sets, I don't know if I can really say that these are inferior to the ones from the 80's to 90's. They're just different. TLG is branching out in a new direction and, at least to me, it's hard to compare where they were then, to where they are now. They've climbed down from one peak and climbed back up another! It's all good.