REVIEW: Minifig Labs World Cup 2014 customised minifigures

[WhiteFang]

Hello everyone,

Minifig Labs.com - World Cup 2014 Minifigures

This time, I am very honoured to be able to share a very different review which cover a different type of minifigure customisation approach. Some of you may or may not be aware of this site which I am going to highlight, I am pleased to introduce a new Minifigures Customisation Manufacturer in the LEGO AFOL Community, Minifig Labs.

In this comprehensive review, I will be covering a total of eight customised minifigures which are designed and marketed for the current World Cup 2014 Fever. World Cup fans or supporters ought to take a moment to see if this customised product is worth your attention for your personal collection or a gift to soccer friend fanatic. Special thanks to the Scientist, founder of Minifig Labs for providing me with these nice customised minifigures with the customisation input that I wish for. I am also glad to have the chance to be able to interact with him to understand a little better on his customised products which is unique in its own rights. More importantly, Minifig Labs is a customisation manufacturer based in Singapore. This fact alone, excite me greatly, wondering what could local AFOLs do to bring something 'different' to our big LEGO community.

Minifig Labs is to allow end-users like ourselves to customise something different based on our liking within a given parameters. In this case, you can request for design customisation which you have in mind or to play around with their robust interactive minifigure customisation system with their existing parts selection. It does give fans a new platform to explore and experiment around which can be fun and interesting.

The packaging for the customised minifigures

The eight customised minifigures came in the above packaging. Upon opening it, you are able to see the content which is well protected by styrofoam backing and plastic sheet.

The breakdown

The content consist of a display casing, customised minifigures of your choice with either single or couple and a country sticker sheet. The display casing is a non-LEGO product. It is made up of four different components. The acrylic plastic at the front which show the top right corner and bottom left corner are printed and not stickered. You may apply the given country sticker at the back of the display to provide a well-illustrated simple background. These are all of the eight countries stickers which is specially made for the World Cup 2014. For information, Scientist is not predicting that this eight countries will definitely be in the qualifying rounds after elimination. I believed he want to outreach fans who are supporting these countries during the World Cup 2014.

The display casing have an unique feature. By removing the top flat plate away, you are able to place the second casing on the above to achieve the stacking effect.

The full line-up

There is a total of eight countries in this product range. From left, you are able to see Netherlands, Argentina, Japan, Brazil, Italy, England, Germany and Spain. End-users are put to a process to select the country that they wish to support. From there, you will be ask to input the jersey numbers that you will like to see which will be featured at the front of the centre torso, left side of the leg and back of the centre torso. You may also input the name of the player which you will like to name the minifigure. I am not sure of the character count though. Once payment is completed, Minifig Labs will process the order.

Backview of the customised Soccer Players

Gathering around to exchange some pointers

Minifig Labs utilise the UV printing technology and it is not the same as 3D printing technology. Please do not have misconceptions. Initially, I have no idea of what UV printing technology is all about, until I read that it is different from traditional printing which is solvent based. UV printing used UV inks and is cured under UV light for faster evaporated effect. Minifig Labs customised minifigure is made of decent quality which will allow end-users to have rough handling as long one does not super imposed deliberate scratching with pointed tool.

The torso, arms, legs, and sometimes minifigure's head are printed through UV printing technology. I like the fact that Minifig Labs is covering and putting more details at hard-to-reach areas such as the torso side arms and side legs. The print design looks nice from far, but upon closer inspection, you may noticed some coarse surface that does not translate to smooth finishing which is obviously one of the limitations of UV printing. I will consider Minifig Labs customisation quality to be under mid-tier range. It is one level better from applying waterslide decals or usage of home inkjet printers to achieve your customisation application. It is also one level down from pad printing, which is a different class of its own and command a higher and smoother quality on the final outcome. Thus, Minifig Labs is more of a mid-tier range and the biggest advantage that it actually allows individuals to achieve their own customisation effect to some extend which is not made available in most channels in the LEGO community. However, you may notice that some prints maybe a little inconsistent and is not as sharp as one will hope for. This is just my honest opinion of what I think it should be. For info, Minifig Labs used 100% LEGO parts for their customisation works. This is an image of a minifigure part assortment.

Without further ado, I will show you a series of pictorial images since pictures speak more than a thousand words and to let you decide for yourself if this is worth your efforts to acquire it.

1) Brazil Soccer Couple

1) Brazil Soccer Couple in display casing

No. 21 Brazil Soccer Player/Supporter

Side view of the customised minifigure

Back view of the customised minifigure

Front view of the Brazil Soccer Couple

No. 9 - Belun and No. 21 - WhiteFang

Belun SigFig with No. 9 Brazil customised minifigure (1)

Belun SigFig with No. 9 Brazil customised minifigure (2)

Let's run before we miss the match

Ohhh, these are our soccer jerseys

2) Germany Guy

2) Germany Guy in display casing

No. 8 - Germany Soccer Player/Supporter

Side view of the customised minifigure

Back view of the customised minifigure

WhiteFang SigFig with No. 21 Brazil and No. 8 Germany customised minifigures (1)

WhiteFang SigFig with No. 21 Brazil and No. 8 Germany customised minifigures (2)

3) Japan Guy

3) Japan Guy in display casing

No. 12 - Japan Soccer Player/Supporter

Side view of the customised minifigure

Back view of the customised minifigure

4) England Guy

4) England Guy in display casing

No. 23 - England Soccer Player/Supporter

Side view of the customised minifigure

Back view of the customised minifigure

Rufus sigFig with No. 23 England customised minifigure (1)

Rufus sigFig with No. 23 England customised minifigure (2)

5) Argentina Guy

5) Argentina Guy in display casing

No. 4 - Argentina Soccer Player/Supporter

Side view of the customised minifigure

Back view of the customised minifigure

Rufus sigFig with No. 23 England customised minifigure (1)

6) Spain Guy

6) Spain Guy in display casing

No. 14 - Spain Soccer Player/Supporter

Side view of the customised minifigure

Back view of the customised minifigure

CopMike sigFig with No. 14 Spain customised minifigure (1)

CopMike sigFig with No. 14 Spain customised minifigure (2)

7) Italy Guy

7) Italy Guy in display casing

No. 18 - Italy Soccer Player/Supporter

Side view of the customised minifigure

Back view of the customised minifigure

8) Netherlands Guy

8) Netherlands Guy in display casing

No. 13 - Netherlands Soccer Player/Supporter

Side view of the customised minifigure

Back view of the customised minifigure

Rick sigFig with No. 13 Netherlands customised minifigure (1)

Rick sigFig with No. 13 Netherlands customised minifigure (2)

We have a new player in town

I am sure you have spotted the new player in town. All in all, I hope you have enjoyed reading this simple and informative review.

Pictures can be found in My Flickr.

[Dorayaki]

Uhmmm these faces look really great, though abit off, and I want most of the prints. I wonder if skin colors could be different: though they're not specific characters, they do have cultural backgrounds (while the official GB team didn't use flesh colors). Also it's alittle lazy to make all the female figures use the same face, despite they're not the actual members of the world cup teams.

I'll look foward to know if I need this site. Thanx for sharing.

Edited June 18, 2014 by Dorayaki

[Holodoc]

Thanks for doing this extended review, Whitefang!

I would have surely missed this line without it.

Can you tell something about the costs of the fig(s)?

My favourite player is (of course ) the German guy. Number 8 represents Mesut Özil. Why in all the world does he have blond hair???

And talking about the quality of the printing: I'm not sure what all the stripes on the legs are supposed to be. He's wearing 4 pair of (different colored) socks?

[WhiteFang]

Uhmmm these faces look really great, though abit off, and I want most of the prints. I wonder if skin colors could be different: though they're not specific characters, they do have cultural backgrounds (while the official GB team didn't use flesh colors). Also it's alittle lazy to make all the female figures use the same face, despite they're not the actual members of the world cup teams.

I'll look foward to know if I need this site. Thanx for sharing.

Thanks Dorayaki. I believe it is not meant to replicate existing soccer players, but merely to acquire a minifigure jersey (torso and legs), to show the fans' support, like soccer fans wearing in the stadium during a match. Although I agree that the scope of customisation for the skin colour, facial appearance and hairpiece have been standardised, the degree of customisation is the choice of selected numbers and names that you wish to be printed onto it. Hope it explains.

Can you tell something about the costs of the fig(s)?

Holodoc, it is 'dear', but the rough cost for each minifig is amount to 40 Euro. Not a price tag, including myself that I am comfortable with.

My favourite player is (of course ) the German guy. Number 8 represents Mesut Özil. Why in all the world does he have blond hair???

If you noticed 'carefully', I am also supporting the German Team as well, which is why the minifigure got the name, 'Kenneth'.

It is not meant to represent Mesut Özil. I chosen the number 8 by myself.

And talking about the quality of the printing: I'm not sure what all the stripes on the legs are supposed to be. He's wearing 4 pair of (different colored) socks?

It's interesting that you pointed this and I can't recall off-hand how it supposed to look like in real life, but it does look similar to the country flag colour schema. I can't comment or elaborate further on that aspect.

[Holodoc]

Holodoc, it is 'dear', but the rough cost for each minifig is amount to 40 Euro. Not a price tag, including myself that I am comfortable with.

Oooookaaaaay..... So it was your birthday lately?

If you noticed 'carefully', I am also supporting the German Team as well, which is why the minifigure got the name, 'Kenneth'.

Way to go!

[KCMatze]

And talking about the quality of the printing: I'm not sure what all the stripes on the legs are supposed to be. He's wearing 4 pair of (different colored) socks?

Nope, I think it is like that:

White: shorts

black-red-yellow: Flag colours as outer lines of the shorts.

thicker yellow part: naked leg

and the final stripes are part of the socks, again representing the flag!

[Holodoc]

Nope, I think it is like that:

White: shorts

black-red-yellow: Flag colours as outer lines of the shorts.

thicker yellow part: naked leg

and the final stripes are part of the socks, again representing the flag!

You're absolutely right, KCMatze!

I found this:

The legs are actually well done, but still they look a bit weird on the minifig.

[ManInATopHat]

Whoa, these are actually pretty nice! I would usually avoid secondary market minifigs, but these look quite spectacular! The printing isn't perfect, but they still look decent, and the uniforms are for the most part accurate. Might consider buying some.

PS, Go Holland!

[WhiteFang]

To add one last bonus image, I actually took a last group photo of the eight customised World Cup 2014 minifigures, right behind my office table before half of them going to somewhere 'far'.

Oooookaaaaay..... So it was your birthday lately?

Nope, I think it is like that:

Thank you KCMatze for coming forth to clarify the mentioned design.

The printing isn't perfect, but they still look decent, and the uniforms are for the most part accurate. Might consider buying some.

I agree with your general sentiments.

[Robianco]

These look good but for me the costs are prohibitive. They'd make a nice executive gift though and I think that's maybe where the market is for these especially as they're personalised.

[WhiteFang]

Revived this, and managed to put these two minifigures together!

Showdown between Germany and Argentina!

Congratulations Germany! Coincidentally, I made this as my real name.

[Brickmamba]

Nice review, IMO would have been a lot better if the figures were based on actual players, as they stand just random figures with nice uniform prints

[Clone OPatra]

I'm glad you revived this, WhiteFang, since I somehow missed it before.

That said, I really find this product quite unappealing. The print quality of these is really not up to par, and the custom faces all look a bit off. The designs seem to be on equal footing with Chinese LEGO knock-off minifigs, mostly. That's terrible for 40 Euro. I know custom printed minifigs can run in high price ranges, but if you're going to pay that much the custom really has to be top notch. These are not.

[WhiteFang]

Nice review, IMO would have been a lot better if the figures were based on actual players, as they stand just random figures with nice uniform prints

Agreed with you, but the main focus for this launch is where the consumer is allow to be able to create their own supporters to support in this World Cup.

I'm glad you revived this, WhiteFang, since I somehow missed it before.

That said, I really find this product quite unappealing. The print quality of these is really not up to par, and the custom faces all look a bit off. The designs seem to be on equal footing with Chinese LEGO knock-off minifigs, mostly. That's terrible for 40 Euro. I know custom printed minifigs can run in high price ranges, but if you're going to pay that much the custom really has to be top notch. These are not.

Thank you for sharing your honest feedback. Minifig Labs.com has taken note of it and will improve based on the consumers' feedback as well. I will said there is definitely some limitations based on their current technology.

[Holodoc]

Now, did they redo the German torso with the 4th star on it?