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When Lego founder Ole Kirk Kristiansen pivoted his business to plastic bricks, we wonder if he had any idea of the global phenomenon Lego would become. Today, there are many themes, for kids and adult collectors alike. It’s hard to keep track. So we’re doing it for you, with the Stuff guide to the best upcoming Lego sets.
Note: this list covers officially announced Lego sets. There are no rumours, leaks, nor models the writer ham-fistedly pieced together from a pile of random bricks.
August 2024 Lego sets
Buy these…
NASA Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle – LRV ($219.99/£189.99 • 1913 pieces): The last time humans set foot on the moon, they also tootled around in a Lunar Roving Vehicle. This Technic LRV does more than you’d expect. It’s got the usual steering and suspension, along with finer details – including moon rocks. But it also folds up, like the real thing, and adds three equipment displays, each with its own information plaque.
Imperial Star Destroyer ($159.99/£149.99 • 1555 pieces): There have been grumbles about the scale and shape of this minifig playset take on the massive Empire ship. But it’s still packed with details and even has a carry handle for ‘flight play’. Also – and importantly – unlike the discontinued UCS set it won’t take over your home – or choke-hold your wallet, Vader style, until it begs for mercy.
Guardians of the Galaxy: The Milano ($179.99/£159.99 • 2090 pieces): How many versions of the Milano do we need? One more, according to Lego. And, to be fair, this one’s a beaut – a great display set for fans, but with enough swoopability to whoosh through the air when no-one’s looking. Just don’t drop the thing, unless you want a Lego version of the ship before the Nova Corps repaired it.
Consider these…
The Avengers Assemble: Age of Ultron ($99.99/£89.99 • 613 pieces): In Stuff’s view, the scene this set was based on was more Age of Ultra-Bad CGI than Age of Ultron. But this Lego set looks much better. On display, it’s suitably leapy and dynamic. And in play, Lego Avengers can smash the trio of enemy minifigs in the most one-sided Marvel battle since Galactus accidentally sat on Baby Groot.
Castle Nocturnia ($199.99/£169.99 • 1742 pieces): The DREAMZzz range might be based on a rubbish cartoon, but the sets are superb – all suitably dream-like and nightmarish constructions. This one’s in the former camp, giving you a castle that looks like it’s right out of Monument Valley. OK, now we want official Monument Valley sets. Come on, Lego!
The Bowser Express Train ($119.99/£104.99 • 1392 pieces): Our favourite of the upcoming Lego Super Mario sets has plenty of characters and features. It’s ideal for kids still making brick-built levels to tackle. But it’s also the closest thing we’ve had to a Lego Super Mario display set. And even though Lego Mario’s dead eyes still look terrifying when he’s switched off, you can distract everyone from the horror by rolling the train along and watching the spoke puff bob up and down. Choo-choo!
Also coming in 2025: Lego Super Mario Kart. Vrrrrmmm!
July 2024 Lego sets
Buy this…
Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole ($179.99/£159.99 • 1506 pieces): If the Speed Champions Lambo didn’t do it for you, here’s a far more detailed take. Those 1506 pieces net you a sleek white ride to zoom across the desk, or to sit back from afar and admire, gazing adoringly on the brick-built V12 engine, deep-dish rims, rear spoiler and distinctive scissor doors.
Consider this…
Bumblebee ($89.99/£79.99 • 950 pieces): Lego Optimus Prime let you transform a pile of bricks into the Autobot commander, who could then turn into a truck. Now we get the smallest Autobot, who transforms from a robot (without knees) into a [totally not – legal ed.] VW car. It doesn’t click with us quite like Op did, but we still want one and are glad the line’s continuing. G1 Soundwave next, please, Lego.
Recent highlights – the best of 2024 so far…
T. rex ($59.99/£54.99 • 626 pieces): This feels like Lego’s taken the phenomenally popular Mighty Dinosaurs and given it the detail of Wild Safari Animals, Majestic Tiger and Forest Animals. We’re here for that. The stompy main build looks great and is infinitely more interesting than the moulded dinos found in most Jurassic World sets.
The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr ($459.99/£399.99 • 5471 pieces): The evil counter to Lego Rivendell, this ominous tower features the Eye of Sauron – and it even lights up, so the ten included minifigs can cower in its terrifying glory. Spin the tower around and there are vignettes to discover. And if the set’s 83cm height isn’t enough, Lego says you can stack multiples. Although you’d need more than a gold ring to fund that endeavour.
Notre-Dame de Paris ($229.99/£199.99 • 4383 pieces): Five years after a devastating fire, this Paris landmark’s reconstruction is almost complete. This Lego set, packed as it is with 1×1 tiles, may take you almost as long to build. But when you’re done, you’ll have a gorgeous brick-built model showing how the building looked before that fateful day.
Note: if you’re in the US, the T. rex above and Batmobile below won’t arrive until 1 August. We have no idea why. Still, if you buy Barad-dûr, that’ll probably take you six weeks to build anyway.
More great recent Lego sets from 2024…
Batman with the Batmobile vs. Harley Quinn and Mr. Freeze ($59.99/£54.99 • 435 pieces): Finally, the Batmobile from Batman: The Animated Series joins the 1960s and 1980s incarnations in Lego form. It’s a bit spendy, and apparently this Batman doesn’t only work in black or very, very dark grey. But whether or not you can tap into Bruce Waynesque funds, let’s face it: if you’re a fan of the show, you’re buying this one.
Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City ($299.99/£259.99 • 4210 pieces): A suitably flat set for the most 2D Batman, which you can wall-mount or place on a shelf. It’s packed full of details. You get brick-built takes on Arkham Asylum, Gotham City Court and the Bat Signal, along with the odd interactive element, such as the world’s tiniest Lego Batmobile. Which makes us want the above Animated minifig-scale one all the more.
NASA Artemis Space Launch System ($259.99/£219.99 • 3601 pieces): If your idea of space Lego is more grounded in reality, you’ll love the latest NASA set. As ever, there’s plenty of detail, including retractable launch tower umbilicals, separating rocket stages, and a dinky Orion module with foldout solar panels. In all, it should have space fans over the moon as they brick-build a rocket that’s part of a program to finally once again take people there.
And even more cracking Lego sets from 2024…
Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon’s Tale ($359.99/£314.99 • 3745 pieces): Celebrating 50 years of D&D, this set is quite the monster. And suitably, it includes some brick-built monsters too. The biggest is Cinderhorn, a gigantic posable dragon, braced to set fire to the included minifigs – or just sit atop the castle. All depending on whether it rolls a 6 or a 20. Or something.
TIE Interceptor ($229.99/£199.99 • 1931 pieces): This one has history – the TIE Interceptor was part of the very first Ultimate Collector Series line, back in 2000. But mostly, it’s about a massive swooshy spaceship of evil, ready to blast lasers at your UCS X-Wing. Or, you know, just sit there on a shelf, looking menacing – and infinitely more sleek than the comparatively gigantic UCS TIE Fighter.
Retro Camera ($19.99/£17.99 • 261 pieces): Lego’s recreations of old kit (console; typewriter; grand piano) are usually wallet-thumpingly expensive. Not here. This brick-built snapper – complete with film, strap and moving lens – is pocket-money friendly. And the retro TV ‘b’ build is adorable.
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