Listen, Lego has always been cool, but the big success of The Lego Movie has only reminded us all that the brick-building line is more than just a toy -- it’s a way of life! The bottom line is we at IGN love Lego -- always have, probably always will. And while there are so many awesome Lego sets out there, past and present, the following 10 are the Lego sets that truly rocked our world. Imperial Flagship While Lego has been doing pirates since the 1980s -- as well as Pirates (the Johnny Depp kind) more recently -- this beauty is surely the, ahem, flagship of the theme. Like most of the items on this list, the Imperial Flagship makes for a great display piece (assuming you’ve gotten past the whole “I’m too old to play with Lego publicly” thing). It’s also a nice reminder that not all Lego collections need to be based on franchises. 9 Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon Look, there are a lot of excellent Star Wars Lego sets, and there are a lot of excellent Star Wars spaceship Lego sets.
Some would say the Star Destroyer should be on this list, or the Super Star Destroyer, or the Imperial Shuttle (sorry Peer!). But in the end, you gotta go with the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy, Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon! There have actually been about seven different Lego takes on the Corellian freighter, but the Ultimate Collector's set from 2007 and its 5100-plus pieces takes the prize. It also cost $500 at that time, which makes it the most expensive Lego set (in retail) ever. 8 The Batcave Lego has given us some really nice superhero sets over the years, with the company creating both Marvel and DC collections. But this Batcave set from 2006 is one of the finest examples of this partnership. Also called The Batcave: The Penguin and Mr. Freeze's Invasion, the set features over a thousand pieces, a chamber for Bruce Wayne to magically switch into his bat-costume, a bat-computer station, a vehicle repair bay, and of course several minifigures (good guys and bad). A different Batcave set was released in 2012, though this one remains a favorite if only because it was a nice preview of what the Lego Batman video game would be like two years later.
7 Technic Grand Prix Racer As part of the Technic Lego theme, the Grand Prix Racer -- which came out just last year -- isn’t simply a building set, but also features moving parts and “realistic functions” like independent all-wheel suspension, moving pistons, and steering capabilities. You can also power it up by adding a motor set (sold separately!) to this two-foot long baby, or convert it into a race truck. As for where you can play with this thing, you might need the Technic Mobile Crane to build some roads… 6 Galaxy Explorer Spaceship! While Benny “the 1980-something space guy” from The Lego Movie finally did get to build his ultimate spaceship during that film’s climax, for those of us who were around way back when, the original version of that vehicle still holds fond memories. The Galaxy Explorer, first released in 1979, was a jewel in Lego’s Space line of the era, though it must be noted that Benny was apparently not a part of that ship’s original crew, who were red and white spacemen.
But for those completists who need the movie version too, Benny’s Spaceship, Spaceship, SPACESHIP! set is coming this June. Read on for more Lego goodness... New Lego set features stay-at-home dad and working mom Lego's newest little yellow man is focused on building a happy home. In an effort to "mirror the world we live in today," Lego is rolling out stay-at-home dad and working mom minifigures as part of their Lego City line, which debuted at the New York Toy Fair on Thursday. While the working mom wears professional attire, stay-at-home dad rocks a beard, complete with a baby in stroller and a bottle. Daniel Karmann / AFP-Getty Images RELATED: Lego releases minifigure that uses a wheelchair Since the number of fathers staying home with their children has nearly doubled since 1989, according to the Pew Research Center, the toy company is making an effort to keep up with the times. "We need to stay in tune with the world around us," Lego president Soren Torp Laursen told Fortune.
"We aren't responding to demand from anyone. We are trying to portray the world around us and listen to our consumer base." petition, Melissa Wardy, an author and co-founder of the Brave Girls Alliance, urged Lego to come out with an all-female scientist series, noting that female characters make up only 16 percent of all Lego sets. /kROfakdI9e— Lego Academics (@LegoAcademics) August 12, 2014 RELATED: Barbie's beau Ken gets 'Dad bod,' hipster makeovers from shopping site Lyst "Girls can't be what they can't see and we demand more examples of girls and women that celebrate our intellect, courage and creativity," Wardy wrote in her petition, which received over 40,000 signatures. The full Lego City line, which also includes a young man in a wheelchair, is set to go on sale in June. View all Top LEGO Toys View all LEGO Angry Birds LEGO DC Super Hero Girls Free next day Click+Collect*Sign up to track 215 nationally aired TV ad campaigns for LEGO.
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