Best LEGO Ideas set so far

[jFox]

For me, it's the Exo-Suit. I bought four in total over the last year or two... I'd see it on the shelf on a visit to the Lego store and think "what the heck, why not?" More green space figures, a great selection of parts, a lot of fun to customize into different types of mechs/suits/etc. To me, this set is one of the best representation of Lego IDEAS. It's not based on an existing theme, or even an existing real-world object (though I did really enjoy the Mars Rover and Ecto-1, with the Ecto-1 being a close second for me). Cool idea, great execution (with the exception of the loose bits on the arms), good price point too. I would love to see more sets like this, instead of bland sets whose only appeal seems to be the IP behind it.

[KlodsBrik]

Im looking forward to Doctor Who, obviously since im a Whovian. However i restrain from voting for it since i havent had it in my hands physically yet so i cant judge on the experience of the set.

The Ecto-1 must be my choice for now, however i also loved the minecraft set for small parts, i got a few sets for a very good price which is why i can say it was worth it.

Edited October 20, 2015 by KlodsBrik

[Oky]

Definitely WALL-E for me! It's so well designed and accurate, and the fact that it was designed by an AFOL who actually worked on the movie makes it even the more special to me. Then again, I'm clearly biased since WALL-E is the only theme among the ideas sets that I really care about aside from BTTF. The DeLorean Time Machine is the only other Ideas set I own and while I do like it, it does have its flaws. The only flaw that WALL-E has is the looseness of the neck, but it looks like they are working to fix it, so once they do that, it will be a flawless set.

[kinggregus]

Do you think that the above poll also reflects the sales of each of these lego idea sets (i.e. Ecto 1 being the most successful)?

[Robert8]

Do you think that the above poll also reflects the sales of each of these lego idea sets (i.e. Ecto 1 being the most successful)?

Perharps.... but I got the impression that Exo-Suit has been the most successful LEGO Ideas set in sales

[fred67]

I think the Exo-Suit has the broadest appeal. Sure, I loved Ghostbusters (and Wall-E - I think given time Wall-E will outsell the Exo-Suit), but my kids, for example, thought Ghostbusters was kind of "meh," and so was Back to the Future... so it doesn't have the appeal to younger audiences; those movies came out when I was in my teens - they're chiseled into my psyche.

But the Exo-Suit - while not my choice of best set, appeals to me AND a lot of kids.

At the same time, I don't think sales stats are fair - for whatever reasons TLG had, the Exo-Suit was around for a long time. Some of the Ideas sets came and, despite immediately selling out, were not given nearly the same love as Exo-Suit, BTTF, and Ecto-1. I agree with Blondie-Wan on this - I completely missed sets because I was busy at the time and couldn't come to Eurobricks every day. At the end of the week, some sets were already sold out, never to be seen again - blink and you missed it.

I won't understand the decision making process at TLG, but they're the most successful toy company in the world right now, so it doesn't really have to make sense to me.

Edited October 21, 2015 by fred67

[MAB]

I agree - having a number of the Discovery series of sets, I really like the fact that those sets got the votes they needed, and am saddened that most sets are now a media popularity contest as opposed to what's a really great set.

Are they (Shinkai, Hayabusa and Curiosity) really great though or just another popularity contest? Just like many of the recent sets are media related sets and make it due to the number of fans of the franchise, you could equally well say that, for example, Curiosity only made it due to it's fan base voting for it. The only difference is that it is a real life object as opposed to a media franchise, it still needed its fans. Ideas is by definition a popularity contest, as you have to be popular to get through. If you don't have a fan base, then the chances are unlikely.

I make a point of voting for practically all the projects of those sorts that I come across. I do hope we'll get more.

I really wish the NASA MSL Curiosity Rover had been available for more than a few days in total. That was the first CUUSOO / Ideas set to be available for such a brief period (at least apart from perhaps the Shinkai 6500, which was limited to Japan anyway), and I had no idea it would be gone so quickly.

That is only true in the US and Canada. In the UK and Europe it was available online for about three months and in-store for even longer than that.

[Blondie-Wan]

That is only true in the US and Canada. In the UK and Europe it was available online for about three months and in-store for even longer than that.

Even three months really isn't a terribly long time, but here in the U.S. it had nothing close to that; it was barely available at all here. In the U.S., it had a few days of availability, totaling perhaps a week or two at most, distributed between two narrow windows of availability a few months apart, and even that was online-only - the brick-and-mortar LEGO Stores never carried it as a regular item (though I do understand that my own closest store, one of four authorized to offer damaged box items at a discount or for VIP bonuses, and which therefore periodically receives shipments of extraneous sale-priced merchandise, on one occasion received a single copy of the Curiosity set for placement in their sale section; it didn't last long).

I no longer recall for sure, but it's possible the greater availability outside the U.S. contributed to my mistaken impression the set would be a little easier to get here than it was. I do remember that when the initial run swiftly sold out, I just naturally assumed another run would follow soon after, and it would become easier to get and remain available for a good while, as that had been the case with each of the three CUUSOO sets immediately preceding it. It wasn't carried in stores, and I didn't even know that until several months after it came out, since I lived far from any LEGO Stores at that time and was able to visit them only on rare occasions, and I never saw it specifically announced anywhere or discussed here on EB or anything like that (not until much later, anyway). I learned only by finally going to one of the stores long after its release and asking about it, being told they'd never carried it, and then when I got back home I began calling all the U.S. stores listed on LEGO's site and being told by each that they didn't have it and never did, with a few of them mentioning that they thought it was an online exclusive but weren't sure. I'd had no idea of any of this until several months after I could have used the info. Oh, well.

I've therefore never even seen a copy of the set in person. Perhaps in Europe, for all I know there are forty-seven thousand copies of the LEGO CUUSOO NASA MSL Curiosity Rover for every man, woman, child, dog, cat, and wildflower, and on your way to the bathroom each morning you regularly trip over three or four that have freshly materialized in your home during the night, and government officials convene in emergency sessions to discuss strategies for dealing with the horrible blights of trillions of LEGO Curiosity Rovers clogging the thoroughfares and byways of the land, but over here they're less abundant than unicorns, and I'm hardly more optimistic about ever even so much as seeing one than I am about acquiring an SDCC-exclusive minifigure.

It is, of course, very much a first-world problem, and hardly the most important concern, but it is disappointing. I was really looking forward to getting that set, but I can't justify aftermarket prices for it.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Blondie-Wan

[YellowCorvette]

Wall-E for me. It's well designed and accurate to the original source.

[MAB]

Even three months really isn't a terribly long time, but here in the U.S. it had nothing close to that; it was barely available at all here. In the U.S., it had a few days of availability, totaling perhaps a week or two at most, distributed between two narrow windows of availability a few months apart, and even that was online-only - the brick-and-mortar LEGO Stores never carried it as a regular item (though I do understand that my own closest store, one of four authorized to offer damaged box items at a discount or for VIP bonuses, and which therefore periodically receives shipments of extraneous sale-priced merchandise, on one occasion received a single copy of the Curiosity set for placement in their sale section; it didn't last long).

I no longer recall for sure, but it's possible the greater availability outside the U.S. contributed to my mistaken impression the set would be a little easier to get here than it was.

I think Europe only had one run too and was never really out of stock in the three months it was available. It just wasn't as popular here for "the common man" compared to in the US. I guess that is down to it being a NASA / US focussed set. I know I helped out quite a few people in the US buying them here and shipping them over for them throughout February and March. I never had any problem getting them until they were gone for good.

[Murrig Icehammer]

I voted Dr. Who, just to encourage more "classic" sci-fi themes (hoping for Some Star Trek things) being added.

[Blondie-Wan]

I think Europe only had one run too and was never really out of stock in the three months it was available. It just wasn't as popular here for "the common man" compared to in the US. I guess that is down to it being a NASA / US focussed set. I know I helped out quite a few people in the US buying them here and shipping them over for them throughout February and March. I never had any problem getting them until they were gone for good.

I don't think it was just popularity; I think there really weren't many copies available here. Certainly the fact it wasn't even offered in stores here at all but was over there does indicate they handled the release differently across the pond.

I voted Dr. Who, just to encourage more "classic" sci-fi themes (hoping for Some Star Trek things) being added.

I would dearly, dearly love for official LEGO Star Trek to happen, but unfortunately Mattel (Mega Bloks) recently acquired the construction toy license recently held by Hasbro (KRE-O), and will soon release Mega Bloks Trek sets. LEGO Star Trek won't happen for a while.

It has also occasionally been speculated or alleged by some fans that the terms of LEGO's Star Wars license preclude them from producing sets based on Star Trek, though I've never seen any real evidence of this and am personally doubtful. But you never know...

Edited October 22, 2015 by Blondie-Wan

[Tezclatipoca]

One choose is a tough challenge !

I voted Doctor Who as a fan of the show but I will choose The Research Institute and Ecto-1 for 2nd and 3rd place.

[Lady K]

So many good choices! I voted for WALL-E. I haven't been able to get my own yet, but was able to get one as a late birthday present for my son. A very well done product and it was such a joy to watch him build it. We both agreed a full WALL-E line would be fantastic to have, along with a dedicated CMF run as well.

[paul_delahaye]

Despite all the little fellas flaws, WALL-E does it for me.

I'm still annoyed LEGO have not replaced my Ghostbusters Instruction Manual. They never really accepted they screwed up with glue in the spine on that one!

[Murrig Icehammer]

I would dearly, dearly love for official LEGO Star Trek to happen, but unfortunately Mattel (Mega Bloks) recently acquired the construction toy license recently held by Hasbro (KRE-O), and will soon release Mega Bloks Trek sets. LEGO Star Trek won't happen for a while.

That's interesting. At least there will be a Star Trek theme, even if it's Mattel doing it.

If i think about it, it'd be appalling if lego had the Trek license and released a series of Trek Video Games...

Just imagine a Lego Picard or Sisko jumping around shooting at lego bricks and solving infantile puzzles, or a Borg cube filled with cute/stupid Lego Borg doing all kinds of slapstick. That's a really frightening and heartbreaking idea.

But on the other hand they already did Lego Batman... so i'm afraid Lego wouldn't be afraid of doing all this and even more, if they had the rights to.

So maybe Star Trek fans should be grateful that Lego does NOT have access to Trek license (yet), it's already terrible enough that Trek gets butchered by certain Video games companies.

Edited October 26, 2015 by Murrig Icehammer

[Blondie-Wan]

That's interesting. At least there will be a Star Trek theme, even if it's Mattel doing it.

If i think about it, it'd be appalling if lego had the Trek license and released a series of Trek Video Games...

Just imagine a Lego Picard or Sisko jumping around shooting at lego bricks and solving infantile puzzles, or a Borg cube filled with cute/stupid Lego Borg doing all kinds of slapstick. That's a really frightening and heartbreaking idea.

But on the other hand they already did Lego Batman... so i'm afraid Lego wouldn't be afraid of doing all this and even more, if they had the rights to.

So maybe Star Trek fans should be grateful that Lego does NOT have access to Trek license (yet), it's already terrible enough that Trek gets butchered by certain Video games companies.

Hey, it would still beat Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness. And at least the actual sets would surely be cool. Perhaps someday...

Anyway, to bring this back around to LEGO Ideas, there was also this project that somehow slipped through onto the site a while back. It's actually a pretty nice model, though I can't see TLG kicking off a Star Trek theme with a detailed life-sized hand weapon replica, even for a fantasy / sci-fi weapon (hmm - might this be why that lightsabers project a while back didn't pass review?). Of course, this one also fell woefully short of the vote count anyway.

[Ordinareo]

I wish you could vote for two sets.

[esampsonite]

I'm still annoyed LEGO have not replaced my Ghostbusters Instruction Manual. They never really accepted they screwed up with glue in the spine on that one!

Man, and here I thought it was just me. *shrug*

[x105Black]

For me, it's the Exo-Suit. I bought four in total over the last year or two... I'd see it on the shelf on a visit to the Lego store and think "what the heck, why not?" More green space figures, a great selection of parts, a lot of fun to customize into different types of mechs/suits/etc. To me, this set is one of the best representation of Lego IDEAS. It's not based on an existing theme, or even an existing real-world object (though I did really enjoy the Mars Rover and Ecto-1, with the Ecto-1 being a close second for me). Cool idea, great execution (with the exception of the loose bits on the arms), good price point too. I would love to see more sets like this, instead of bland sets whose only appeal seems to be the IP behind it.

It isn't based on an existing theme, but it is based on the Classic Space theme, which is a draw for me. More of these Classic themed sets would be most welcome. And the use of green for the minifigures is a great selling point as well. A classic minifigure redone in a cool, new, original way is always a great thing.

I voted for the Exo-Suit for these reasons. While I like a lot of the other sets, I have only purchased 2 Exo-Suits and 1 Ecto-1. Most don't appeal to me. If it's not in minifigure scale, I'm probably not going to buy it (unless it's just a good way to get certain parts).

[connyx]

The first time I laid eyes on the Wall-E idea I was totally in awe.

While I do find the others nice too, my vote goes to Wall-E.

[LegoCityNut]

I went for the Big Bang Theory. Whilst I found the build of the Ecto-1 to be a bit more interesting, I adore TBBT show, and the characters had a bit more appeal to me.

[62Bricks]

Exo-Suit. With birds a close second. Original ideas with great builds.

I put Birds and the Exo-suit at #1 and #2 for the same reasons. Research Institute is more of a minifig play set, and I prefer building, but it is also an original idea so I give it high marks. When these three came out I had hoped LEGO was starting to favor these kinds of original sets rather than imitations of licensed products. Then they dropped three licensed sets in a row.

[Blondie-Wan]

When these three came out I had hoped LEGO was starting to favor these kinds of original sets rather than imitations of licensed products. Then they dropped three licensed sets in a row.

And yet they've still approved slightly more unlicensed projects than licensed ones, including the most recently-approved project (the maze). They've also just reiterated a desire for more original projects specifically. I think original, non-licensed projects will continue to have a bright future in the Ideas program, just so long as they get votes (the last several review batches have all been dominated by licensed projects).

[62Bricks]

And yet they've still approved slightly more unlicensed projects than licensed ones, including the most recently-approved project (the maze). They've also just reiterated a desire for more original projects specifically. I think original, non-licensed projects will continue to have a bright future in the Ideas program, just so long as they get votes (the last several review batches have all been dominated by licensed projects).

True - I forget to include the CUUSOO-era models, which required fewer votes to be considered. It almost makes me wish for a lower vote requirement for non-licensed projects.