Lego bricks are generally awesome, and by all accounts The Lego Movie, opening this weekend, is as well. So we thought we'd make sure the folks at Lego didn't get too full of themselves by reminding the world of the worst toys, figures and building sets they've unleashed upon the world. JUST NO. I have no idea what possessed a single Lego engineer to create this cast-off from the Island of Dr. Moreau, let alone what made the company release it on an unsuspecting world. Or why they thought the two white round bricks underneath the nose-piece would represent two buck teeth and not some kind of abnormal growth. All I know is that all of these decisions were made in hate and fury. I put this is in quotes, because as you can see, while Lego assures us that this 1997 set is of a fire truck, it clearly looks nothing likeOh, it's red, and it is a vehicle, but that's pretty much where And what good is a completely bizarre fire truck without an
equally bizarre fire chief? Admittedly, this fire chief is too good to ride on the truck with his peons, and has his own mini-vehicle, without doors or even sides, to travel on. He also has his own little hose for… little fires? he's out fighting fires by himself? Because all the other Lego firemen think Call me crazy, but I think I'm got a pretty good idea how the robber could break into this bank. Or out, I guess. they behind the bars or in front of them? Is this guy trying to break into to access an ATM, or is he trying to get the endless void on the other side? either case, this thing sucks. Back in 1979, Lego created Fabuland, a line full of anthropomorphic animals, as sort of an intermediary set between Duplos andThey're kind of terrifying, like if Hunter S. Thompson had designed a toddler's Lego line while high on mescaline. But nothing is more chilling that The Fabuland Big Band set, featuring Peter Pig and Gabriel Gorilla.
monsters would listen to a band consisting of nothing but a drummer and tuba 6) Star Wars Final Duel IIYes, now you can recreate the thrilling action of Luke Skywalker's final duel with Darth Vader and the Emperor by… watching him walk down the hallway to his final duel with Darth Vader and the Emperor? long as he walks no more than four steps, because that's all the hallway In 1998, Lego introduced their K'nex-like building sets called Znap, because Zs make everything cooler. Indeed, the line wasn't overall bad — most of the kits looked all right, an they had crazy things like a Dino-Jet a giant ant along with the hover-subs and other vehicles. this piece of crap — which Lego tried to pass off as a "Jet-Car" — even more 8) Jack Stone Red Flash StationOkay, Lego, now you're not even fucking trying. Remember back in the early '00s, when Lego started trying to make sports games out of Legos? One of the earliest catastrophes was the NHL
Slammer Stadium, in which sentient giant head statues from Easter Island played a rousing game of hockey. But what's worse is the rink itself — a flimsy cardboard rink, surrounded by an even flimsier wall. If only Lego has some kind of more durable building material to work with! Horse and Clara Cow's Ice Cream Shoppe Another Fabuland set, obviously, begging a very disturbing question: Where does Clara get the milk to make the ice cream? Well before Lego Friends, Lego tried to reach girls with Belville set, a 1994 series which focused more on figures and playsets moreThe problem was the figures were godawful and the sets were a weird mix of fairy tale stuff and standard, mundane doll activities. Lego exhausted the traditional beauty salons and stables, they threw together this — sure, an interior designer is a pretty progressive progression for a doll to have in the '90s, but it kind of undercuts the message when her design
equipment consists of a stand-alone sink, a bathtub (the hell?) and a brush. can think of a sadder image than a girl trying to brush her ugly, tiny doll's plastic hair helmet, please let me know. I wasn't lying about the dolls. If Artoo had a skeleton, this is what it would look like. Lego couldn't be bothered to make a single piece that would prevent him fromFeel free to insert a C-3PO/Phantom Menace "I'm naked!" joke here, if you're a bad person. 14) Jack Stone Fire Response SUVDoes no one at Lego know what a goddamn firetruck looksOr an SUV, for that matter? In 2002, Lego had big plans for a new toyline call Galidor. They were so confident that they ordered a CG cartoon and had it on the air, about two teens named Nick and Allegra who are transported to an alien world threatened by evil aliens. It didn't do well at all, and I'm confident it wasn''t helped by this promotional figure of Nick, which looked like Chinese bootleg
toy assembled by the blind and then stuck in a microwave for a while. makes Prince Justin look like Ryan Gosling. Peter Pig has murdered the sentient Turkey man of Fabuland and eaten him, or at least plans to.For more than 50 years, LEGO sets have been a fail-safe gift for Christmas. They're fun, creative, colourful and educational — what's not to love? With that in mind, here are some of the hottest sets available right now for every budget. Whether you're buying for kids, brick hobbyists or fans of a certain movie franchise, you'll find something for them in this guide. In partnership with the Toshiba Radius 12 — where every feature is its best — Lifehacker’s Gift Guides will help you pick the best present for your loved one There's no getting around it: LEGO ain't cheap. We've subsequently divided our gift guide into price categories, ranging from "Cheap" ($20) to "Exxy" (over $120). Most links go directly to LEGO's Australian e-store, but you might be able to find slightly better deals by hunting around online.
People know they're getting LEGO as soon as they shake the present — so you might as well give the game away with some themed wrapping paper. LEGO's latest stab at the kiddie market is a series of collectible characters created in conjunction with the Cartoon Network. There are 18 characters to choose from: an ideal stocking stuffer for ages 6 and up. This year, LEGO joined the likes of Skylanders and Amiibos with a "toys-to-life" gaming range. The sets and tie-in video game feature characters from a variety of different franchises including The Simpsons, Lord of the Rings, Doctor Who, DC Comics and more. These standalone fun packs can either be added digitally into the LEGO Dimensions video game or just played with like normal LEGO. When in doubt, buy a LEGO jet. This set contains 100 pieces and can be crafted into three different vehicles. Suitable for ages 6-12. Okay, so this is technically a LEGO-shaped key chain light but it's still pretty cool. Wall-E is arguably Pixar's best film to date.
If you know any die-hard fans, this is the LEGO set to get them. Consisting of 676 separate pieces, it will keep them busy until lunch. The finished robot is posable and even comes with working tracks. Suitable for ages 12 and up. You can finally get Doctor Who's iconic time machine in LEGO form! The set comes with the Tardis (interior and exterior), the Doctor (Peter Capaldi), Clara, two Daleks and a Weeping Angel. It comprises 623 pieces and is suitable for ages 11 and up. Here's one for the art-loving LEGO fan: a meticulous reconstruction of the Louvre Museum in Paris made from 695 bricks. (Mona Lisa not included!) Some LEGO addicts prefer to toss the instructions aside and build their own creations. If you know anyone like this, the Creative Brick Box is the gift to get them: it packs in 1500 bricks and special pieces that can be assembled into anything that takes the builder's fancy. LEGO Dimensions is a new video game that is compatible with real LEGO toys — the physical sets you buy can be added into the game.
But to join the fun, you'll need the base game. The LEGO Dimensions starter pack retails for $119.99 and is available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Wii U. Jurassic World made around a zillion dollars at the box office, so there's a fair-to-strong chance that the kiddies in your life are big fans. LEGO has released multiple sets based on the movie but it's hard to look past the iconic T-rex. The 520-piece set also comes with a trap-shooting tracker vehicle, dino cage, three minifigures and a motorbike. Suitable for ages 7-12. As a Christmas gift, this one's a no-brainer. The 883-piece set includes a festive Christmas workshop,a toy conveyor belt, Santa's sleigh, a reindeer, Christmas tree, myriad elves and the big man himself. Space LEGO was always my favourite as a kid. This new version takes a slightly more realistic take on space travel — you get a shuttle with detachable fuel tank and boosters, a mobile launchpad, a service car, a countdown board and five minifigures.
It comprises 586 pieces and is suitable for ages 6-12. This is the ultimate LEGO set for Bat-fans. It comes with Joker's trap-filled theme park, a Batmobile and a selection of heroes and villains from the comics. Suitable for ages 8-14. The new Star Wars film hits cinemas a few days before Christmas, which makes this the go-to LEGO set for fans of the franchise. Based on the new movie, the set includes the iconic ship, an aged version of Han Solo, Chewbacca and a handful of Star Wars: The Force Awakens figures. Slave 1 is the spaceship piloted by the ruthless bounty hunter Bobba Fett in Star Wars: Attack Of The Clones. It comes with fold-out weapons, a display stand, a Boba Fett figure, Han Solo in carbonite, an Imperial Guard and a Stormtrooper. The set comprises 1996 pieces and is suitable for ages 14 and over. The line "who needs a bricky-mart?" from that old Simpsons episode finally makes sense. The 2179-piece set is a fold-out version of the fictional mini-mart and comes with a police car, Apu, Snake, Chief Wiggum, Homer, Bart and Marge.