Top Sellers in LEGO Bionicle

LEGO BIONICLE® Ehlek

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Enemies who think Ehlik is an easy target are in for a shocking surprise. If his sea squid launcher and claws are not enough to protect him, he can use his spines to send out electrical bolts at his opponents. With an army of venom eels at his command, Ehlek is out to destroy the city of Mahri Nui. 54 pieces. Read Reviews

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LEGO Make & Create Café Corner

Lego Make & Create Café Corner

From LEGO
Price: $214.99

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Developed by LEGO fans and designers working together, this detailed and realistic street corner scene features plenty of special colors, rare LEGO pieces and creative building techniques, as well as authentic interior details and modular construction to let you enlarge the neighborhood as your LEGO collection grows. Built completely on minifigure scale! Includes 3 townspeople minifigures! Street base measures 10" x 10" (25.4 cm x 25.4 cm) and building stands over 14" (36 cm) high! Realistic features include opening front door, caf tables with umbrellas, striped awning, "Hotel" sign, trash can, street light, bench and more! Top two stories lift off to reveal inner rooms and staircases! Connectors at base of model allow you to join 4 Caf Corners together! Read Reviews

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Notable Batman Lego in the media

The first Batman LEGO Fan Film to hit the internet circuit was the 2003 fan film production Batman: Revenge (The Batman LEGO Film), although it did not utilize any of the official products as it was created nearly three years before the official line was released. Official films include the Cartoon Network Lego movie to promote their lego line, as well as several shorter videos for the same promotions, which can be viewed at Lego's official Batman website listed below. Students of the digital animation institution DAVE School created a CGI animated fan-film entitled Batman: New Times in the style of Minimates, but with Lego bricks comprising the backgrounds. There is also a gaining popularity among directors to make Batman LEGO Fan Films since the release of the official product line. An animator Richard Lewin who was creating a Lego Batman series has now cut down his 16 episode series to just 6 short movies and the first up is a film using the new Bane and Riddlers hideout set. Another LEGO Batman fan film in production from Pyromaniac Studios, named Batman: Defender of Gotham, will also utilize the new sets, and will also feature high end 3D graphics.

On March 27, 2007, Lego Batman: The Video Game was announced. The game is scheduled to be released in Fall 2008.

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LEGO Batman

LEGO Batman is a theme of LEGO building sets based on the comics, films, and cartoons featuring the DC Comics superhero, Batman.

Currently into its second wave, the sets feature vehicles, characters and scenes based on their standard accepted appearances in the comics. Many characters, such as Nightwing, Robin and Alfred have made their appearances in the sets so far,the villans are usually paired with vehicles such as Joker's helicopter, the Penguin's submarine, Scarecrow's biplane and Killer Croc's speedboat.

The inspirations for the various versions of vehicles and characters vary widely. For example, the Batmobile retains its basic sleek shape and prominent fins from the Tim Burton films. The Batboat is more of a hovercraft, and the Batwing looks very similar to the version in Batman Forever, albeit without decorative lights. The "Bat-tank" seems to be based off The tank-like Batmobile in Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns.

All LEGO Batman : See More...

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Cybermaster

Cybermaster was mainly sold in Europe and Australia/New Zealand, but was available for a short time in America via the Lego Club magazines. It was aimed at a younger audience as an early attempt of merging computer gaming with robotics and LEGO. The Pbrick shares many, especially software, features with the RCX but differs in appearance and technical specifications: 1 output (plus 2 built-in) and 3 sensors.

- It uses RF (27 MHz R/C band) instead of IR for communication.
- It has two built-in motors with integrated tachometers and speedos.
- It is limited to passive sensors (a simple A/D with internal pull-up resistors).
- The sensors shipped with it are colour coded and have internal resistors in their open state (allowing the Pbrick to sense which sensor is attached to which port).
- It has a fixed firmware (so it cannot be upgraded or replaced).
- It has limited RAM for programs and only one program slot.

Despite its obvious limitation it has a number of edges over its 'big brother', the RCX.

- The RF link has greater range and is omnidirectional.
- The built-in tacho and speed sensors on the internal motors provides the same function as the external rotation sensor to the RCX, but without using up sensor ports.

This makes it very useful for various mobile platforms and performing basic motion/positioning tasks.

It talks the same protocol as the RCX but cannot communicate directly to it (due to IR vs RF) but with a repeater (a computer with 2 serial ports and a simple program) they can be integrated.

Codepilot

Sold as part of the Barcode Truck kit. This unit was the first programmable brick (or Pbrick). It features a single motor, a single touch sensor and a light sensor. It is programmed by setting it to 'learn' and using the light sensor to feed barcoded commands. The command set is very limited. Since barcode is just a series of variances in light, this form of command entry was dubbed VLL (Visual Light Link) and has been used in several later Lego models.

Scout

Lego also released a brick named the Scout, which has 2 sensor ports, 2 motor ports, a built in light sensor, and no PC interface. The Scout can be programmed, but the user usually selects one of a collection of built-in programs. In order to program the Scout, a user must enable "power mode" on it. The Scout can store one program.
The RCX can control the Scout brick using the Send IR Message program block. The RCX does all of the controlling, and therefore can be programmed with the PC, while the Scout acts as a "slave". The Scout brick must have all of its options set to "off".
The Scout is also capable of using VLL to control a Micro Scout.

Micro Scout

The Micro Scout was added as an entry level to Lego robotics. It is a very limited Pbrick with a single light sensor and a single built-in motor. It has seven built-in programs and can be controlled by a Scout, Spybotics or RCX unit using VLL.
The unit was sold as part of the Droid Developer Kit (featuring R2D2) and later the Darkside Developer Kit (featuring an AT-AT Imperial Walker).

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Image gallery ( LEGO Minifigure )

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LEGO Minifigure Design variations

While nearly all minifigure heads, torsos, arms, hands and legs are the same size and shape, some sets have included figures that deviate from the standard. Minifigures built from special, uniquely molded pieces were first introduced in Life on Mars. Martians are composed of five tools: two pair of double arms, a mechanical torso, a conjoined leg piece, and a head. This configuration is also used for many Star Wars Droids; Battle Droids follow the same pattern, while Super Battle Droids feature a head fixed to a torso, General Grevious has space for four arms, and IG-88 has a head constructed of other Lego pieces. Other droids, such as Droidekas, Spider Droids and Pit Droids, are constructed entirely from standard Lego pieces, yet are still generally considered minifigures. R2-D2 and other astromech droids are constructed from unique parts, with a separate top, body and legs. The robots of Exo-Force and Bionicle miniatures have a design similar to the Star Wars Battle Droids, but with separate legs, movable hands, and a head affixed to a small torso.

Hagrid, the half-giant character from the Harry Potter series, uses a larger minifigure body, with only the head being separable. Minifigures have also featured unique head sculpts that differ from the traditional cylindrical shape; the first was Jar Jar Binks, included in a Star Wars set in 1999, followed by Yoda, C-3PO and Harry Potter goblin figures. Traditional accessories, such as hats and helmets, cannot be placed on these non-standard heads. Some minifigures, such as Wookies, Gamorrean Guards, Ewoks, and SpongeBob, have head pieces that fit like standard heads, but also cover part of the torso, similar to the ghost figures, except that these figures use short or standard legs instead of a brick. Collectors refer to this piece, and figures that use it, as sandwich boards, as it resembles the wearable sign of the same name.

Some minifigures created to resemble female characters, particularly in Castle and Pirate sets, use large sloped bricks instead of legs, to resemble dresses or skirts. However, these sloped bricks are taller than standard minifigure legs, making some characters seem awkward when placed next to taller females. Skeletons, usually found in Castle and Pirate sets, use the standard minifigure head, but unique torsos, arms, and legs designed to resemble a skeletal structure which was redesigned in 2007; although different, these figure parts are still detachable. Ghost figures have a full-body cape which attaches to the head of the minifigure, and a solid brick-like torso instead of legs. Shorter legs, without joints at the hip, are sometimes used to create minifigures which are shorter in stature than standard figures. Such pieces were first created for Star Wars sets but have since been used elsewhere, although primarily in licensed sets. Yoda, young Boba Fett, and Ewoks in Star Wars, goblins and Dobby in Harry Potter, The Penguin in Batman, both SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs in the LEGO SpongeBob SquarePants set, and the Dwarves from the Castle 2007 set all use this shorter piece in the place of standard legs. Additionally, Pirate minifigures sometimes include peg legs and hooks for hands, such as the Aquasharks and Aquraiders from Aquazone and characters in the Adventurers and Orient Expedition sets, most notably the villainous Baron character.

Other variations of the standard minifigure produced for Star Wars sets included the light-up lightsaber (LULS) minifigures. These figures were released as a part of the more expensive Star Wars Episode III sets in 2005. These figures look like standard minifigures, but to facilitate internal electronics, their parts cannot be removed; the only exception to this is the headgear, the left hand and arm, and each of the legs from the hips. When the head is pressed down, an LED illuminates the lightsaber blade. These figures rely on battery power for their special feature. The batteries last three hours and are not intended to be replaced, although replacement is possible. Many fans, especially children, were amenable to this innovation. Others however, particularly adult collectors, found these figures contentious, considering them to be an unwelcome gimmick. The fact that in two cases unique characters were produced solely as LUL minifigs, with no standard version available to collectors, was also an unpopular decision. Following the initial release of these figures LEGO announced no more were to be produced, due to their unpopularity and more expensive production. One set, the 7261 Clone Turbo Tank, which featured an LUL version of Jedi Knight Mace Windu, was even reissued with a standard version of the minifig and an extra Clone Trooper figure to make up the cost of the set.
Yet another variation on the minifigure is the magnet figure, used in such sets as Star Wars, Batman, and City. These figures include magnets in their legs, which allow them to stick to metal surfaces. Magnet figures are nearly indistinguishable from stand figures in appearance. Unlike the LUL figures, only the torso and the hips of magnet minifigures are inseparable.
A variety of clothing and accessories has been produced for minifigures, including caps, hats, and helmets. In Lego Star Wars sets, Clone Troopers and Stormtroopers have uniquely sculpted helmets, adapting the original character designs to the minifigure format. Rock Raiders have green helmets, while Astronauts feature standard helmets in an assortment of colors. Exo-Force minifigures feature anime-style hair, as does the Nightwing minifigure from the Batman Arkham Asylum set.
The most extreme design variation was a minifigure produced in an edition of five of the Star Wars character C-3PO, cast in 14-carat gold.

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LEGO Minifigure Design and construction

Minifigures generally feature six parts (widely referred to as tools in the toy industry): head, torso, hips, arms, hands, and legs; these six parts allow seven points of articulation: swivel head, swivel arms, swivel wrists, and swivel legs. Minifigures are usually packaged as four separate parts in Lego sets: head; torso, arms and hands; headgear; hips and legs.
Minifigure heads are cylindrical, and attach to a long, narrow cylinder molded onto the top of the torso, which allows the head to rotate. This feature also allows items to be attached to the figures over the torso, such as air tanks, capes or breastplates. The heads have a stud on top which is the same size as studs on standard Lego bricks which could allow one to be placed on it. Head accessories vary widely, and include hair, helmets and hats. The legs rotate independently to 90 degrees forward, and nearly 45 degrees backward. Minifigures also connect to standard Lego bricks in both a sitting or standing position. The hands of a minifigure resemble the letter C, which allows them to hold many Lego accessories. There are hundreds of different accessories, including swords, axes, wands, cups, guns, and, in the instance of Star Wars minifigures, lightsabers and blasters. Additionally the tops of the hands are approximately the same size as the studs on standard Lego bricks, which allows Lego pieces to be placed on top of them. These variations allow minifigures to be customized, keeping with the modular design of Lego elements.
In 2001 Lego further expanded the minifigure system, with the introduction of Bionicle figures. These figures are a part of a fictional story developed by Lego, and resemble biomechanical creatures. Initially, these figures were produced without articulation, only able to hold tools and weapons.
In 2003, the first minifigures with naturalistic skin tones (as opposed to the yellow used until this point) were released, as part of the Lego Basketball theme; these minifigures were also created in the likeness of living people. The following year, the use of natural skin tones was expanded to all licensed products; in which figures were created to represent film actors and other living people. Popular examples include Star Wars and Harry Potter minifigures.

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LEGO Minifigure History

When first reIeased in 1974, Lego minifigures were at the same scaIe as the current minifigures. However, these figures differed in tooling and articulation: they had solid torsos without separate movable arms, solid lower body pieces that were not moveable, and heads without printed features. They had a small variety of headpieces, including caps, pigtail hair and cowboy hats. An image on Minifigs.net shows the earlier, larger scale, human figures.

The first modern minifigures were released in 1977, with seven different figures in Castle, Space, and Town themes. For the next 11 years, minifigure heads were produced with a simple facial expression, rendered as two solid black dots for eyes and a smile, also painted in solid black. In 1989, minifigures in the Pirates theme were produced with different facial expressions.The Pirates minifigures also included hooks for hands, as well as peg legs; this was the first departure from the traditional body parts.

Another departure from traditional parts was the use of spring-loaded legs. These legs are joined together at the top. These legs were only featured in basketball sets, 2002-2003.
By 2003, Lego had reportedly produced 3.7 billion minifigures.

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LEGO Minifigure

Minifigures are small, plastic figural toys produced by Danish toy manufacturer LEGO, which are customarily sold with Lego sets, as characters intended to populate modular Lego environments. Although many Lego sets include minifigures, Lego also sells collections of minifigures separate from other sets. They are also referred to as as minifigs, figs or simply Lego people. Minifigures are collected by both children and adults, sometimes independently of Lego bricks themselves.

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LEGO Train Track

There are four different track types: blue, grey, 9V and RC.

Blue tracks are constructed of 2x8 plates as sleepers and pieces of rail. The rails are straight, inner curve and outer curve pieces. The straight pieces and outer curve pieces are grooved on the top to facilitate friction with the drive wheels of powered engines. The inner curve pieces have a smooth finish. The rails are only connected at each end on the sleeper with no intermediate sleepers. When laying out the track, this system is susceptible to distortion which can vary the gauge and lead to derailment.

The grey track introduced in 1980 was an improvement of the same design, with modifications to the rails and a new sleeper plate which included special clips to hold the track together more firmly. In addition, fixing points for intermediate sleepers were provided at the mid-point of each rail making the construction even more sturdy.

For both blue and grey tracks, electrical power (for 12v trains) was provided by means of separate conductor rails placed in between the running rails. It was possible to upgrade from battery power to 12v electrical power simply by purchasing an electric motor unit, transformer and sets of conductor rails (with the exception of special track pieces such as points and crossovers which were available in separate 12v versions, with the electrical connections included).

9V and RC tracks are one piece sections of straight and curved track. The sleepers are formed as one piece with the rails making for a more reliable gauge and turning radius. There are a number of intermediate sleepers which give strength to the piece, but also lend a more realistic appearance to the track. The attached sleepers are made to look like independent 2x8 plates, except for the end sleepers which are special. These end sleepers are shaped like 1x8 plates but have a connectors that allow the tracks to click together. When the end sleepers of two track pieces are together, the end sleepers combine to look like one 2x8 plate.

The track from all four eras are somewhat compatible. The gauge has remained the same throughout, as has the turning radius of the curved pieces. The points vary in configuration which may make laying out combined systems awkward. The end to end connection of the blue and grey track types with the 9V and RC track types only requires some "Lego" ingenuity on the part of the user. Of course, the 9V engines must be restricted to the 9V rails to operate.
Specialized pieces are available as points and track cross sections. Matt Bates created a program called "Track designer" to plan track layouts on the computer.

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LEGO Train Models

The early Lego train series of sets were developed in Germany. Many of the sets in the grey era were modeled after or inspired by prototypes in use by the Deutsche Bahn (yellow/red for electric trains, black superstructures over red running gear for steam locomotives). A few sets have been based on other prototypes – for example the French TGV trains and Austrian "Krokodil" engine.

More recently, sets modeled after United States trains have been released, reflecting the introduction and subsequent popularity of LEGO Trains in the US: the Santa Fe Super Chief(10020) and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (10133) Locomotive.
Lego also modeled the fictional Hogwarts Express (4758) under the Harry Potter license, although the model is neither powered nor does it use the correct type of wheels to be a true LEGO Train model. In 2005, Lego offered a 9V motorized Hogwarts Express, (10132), which was discontinued in 2006.

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LEGO Train Community

Lego trains are very popular amongst AFOLs (Adult fans of LEGO). Various Lego Train Clubs (LTCs) exist around the world. A worldwide Lego train organization ILTCO was founded to channel common LTC interests and to promote Lego railroading as model train standard (named "L gauge" similar to model railroad gauges such as "Z", "N" and "HO").

The relatively low popularity of LEGO trains largely due to their expense has seen the slow withdrawal of trains from many regular retail outlets; currently Lego Shop-at-home (which only ships to a limited number of countries) and Lego retail stores are the only reliable source of LEGO train sets and accessories.

A number of LEGO® train clubs around the world exhibit large model train layouts made of Lego bricks at various community functions, train shows, and Lego conventions, such as BrickFest. Some of the largest layouts in the United States have been the result of combined efforts by several train clubs at the 2005, 2006, and 2007 NMRA national conventions. Lego Direct has also introduced train sets designed by members of the Lego community (for example, model 10022 by James Mathis), and more recently the Train Factory set (10183) in March 2007.

Some enterprising members of the community have also produced small runs of rolling stock or train sets of their own designs as well as custom 9V track sold through BrickLink or personal websites.

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LEGO Train History

The history of Lego trains can be divided in four distinct eras.

The blue era (1966-1979)

The blue era is named after the colour of the rails.
1969 saw the introduction of Lego trains with Lego set number 080. The first train sets were push trains. Set number 115 introduced 4.5V battery operated trains (a railcar carried the batteries to supply power to a motor in the locomotive), which are probably the most compatible to tracks of all LEGO trains, and train sets numbered 720 (1969) and up operated on 12 Volt electrified rails.

The gray era (1980-1990)

In 1980 the trains theme got a major overhaul. The color of the tracks changed to grey (hence the name) and the transformer changed to support utility functions as remotely-controlled points, signals, wagon de-couplers and crossings. Not just the tracks changed color - the models themselves changed to a much more realistic appearance. Models were offered with much longer carriage/wagon bodies (although still considerably short of true scale length), proper swivel bogies and special windows which simulated having a pull-down glass section.
The 1980 train catalog enticed Lego fans with nighttime dioramas featuring lampposts and lights inside the trains. Notable train sets include the Electric Intercity (7740) and Steam Locomotive (7750) (for its large wheels). Many old 12V models (such as 7740) are now highly-prized additions to some 9V layouts as a change of motor is all that is required for compatibility.
Trains and tracks of the blue era after power was added to the tracks are compatible with the gray era. Additionally, those blue era trains with internal batteries that do not take power from the tracks are compatible with all tracks.
Blue and gray era trains were never officially introduced to the United States - the first train sets to go on sale were 9V models.

The 9V era (1991-2007)

1991 saw again a major overhaul in the train line. Tracks gained a new realistic appearance with (9V) power coming directly from the rails - in the blue and grey era electric trains were powered by an extra electrified (12V) piece of track between the rails. The new line abandoned the 12V power in favor of the 9 volt system to make it compatible to the battery operated elements found in the Lego Light and Sound line of sets. The remote-controlled accessories from the 12V system were also abandoned, with only manual point control available and no signaling capabilities. This effectively reduced the maximum practical size of the layout as well as the complexity of train operations that could be supported. This product re-design was formulated by The LEGO Company thinking at the time, which promoted simplification in all product lines, but drew criticism for reducing the "playability" of LEGO toys.

The 12V locomotives were not compatible due to the change in voltage and means of powering the motor, but many can be retro-fitted with 9V motors. The gauge did not change, therefore older rolling stock could still be used. However, the rails and wheels now have a different profile, and some users have found that 4.5V/12V wheels may have trouble passing through 9V switches.

Currently, 9V train sets are available through the LEGO Shop at Home ordering service and to some degree through LEGO Brand Retail stores. Custom sets can also be designed and ordered online using the LEGO Factory system. The 9V train line will be replaced, along with the RC train line, by a new type which uses LEGOs Power Functions systems for operation.

The RC LEGO Train Era (2006-2009)

In 2006, Lego introduced a new line of remote control trains. In an effort to reduce the cost of the track and make it easier for newcomers to enter the Lego Train community, Lego started making track entirely made out of plastic (foregoing the metal rails), and introduced a new train motor that runs on batteries and is remotely controlled via infrared (IR) remote control. This move has proven to be controversial in the Lego Train community, as the system has proven to be unfavoured by the community.

As of March 2007, LEGO only sells 9V train hardware through its Shop at Home ordering service and to some degree through LEGO brand retail stores. The 9V line is now referred to as the LEGO "Hobby Train" and is aimed at advanced, older train builders. LEGO offers few 9V train models at this point but compensates via the LEGO Factory system. Through this system, builders around the world design their own train models using LEGO Digital Designer, a computer program distributed freely by LEGO. These models can then be ordered from LEGO or shared online. Through this system, hundreds of new LEGO train models designed by fans are available.

LEGO also released set 10183 Hobby Train Box in March 2007. This set, designed by ten well-known LEGO train fans, includes over 1000 elements that can be used to build a variety of models. This set, in conjunction with LEGO Factory, represent the future of the LEGO Hobby Train.

The RC Train System versus the 9V Trains System

The introduction of the RC train line has some benefits, notably:

-Less expensive track, as track sections do not have have metal strips on the rails.
-The decreased production costs have already resulted in a new track piece being added to the system for 2007 (the double flying cross-over).
-Remote control allows for the independent control of multiple trains simultaneously. The 9V system allowed the speed of the train(s) to be controlled only by varying the voltage of the track, so any trains on the track would be controlled at the same time. The first released sets (2006) have 3 different InfraRed (IR) channels available allowing 3 three trains to be run at different speeds and in different directions.
-Remote control also allows for one train to be controlled by multiple controllers—-useful for a user at each end of a line, particularly when the line ends are out of IR range of each other.
-More complicated track layouts can be created without having to worry about the electrical polarity of the rails (both the 12V system and 9V system have this problem because one center conductor (12V) or rail (9V) was meant for the positive terminal and the other rail for the negative terminal).

However, the RC system also introduces some new issues:

-Infrared is not an ideal remote control system, as fluorescent lights and physical objects may interfere with it. The range is inferior to radio control.
-The trains use regular 1.5V AA-cell batteries, instead of using a more powerful rechargeable system. Previous generations of (12V and 9V) LEGO trains were plugged into the wall, avoiding battery-charging issues completely. The remote control uses 3 AAs and the train power unit uses 6, for a total of 9 AA batteries in use at any given time.
-Initial anecdotal reports have raised concerns about the power output of RC motors, since they are now battery based, rather than picking up an almost infinite source of current from the tracks, as with the 9V system.
-The RC Engine is weaker than the previous 9 volt motor due to limited number of rolling stock recommended to pull as well as having trouble going up custom made slopes.

The "Power Functions" LEGO Train Era (2009-)

On October 1st, 2007, LEGO announced that they are discontinuing both the 9V and the RC train formats in favour of the Power Functions system, recently introduced in other themes such as Creator and Technic. The new system will retain the standard L-Gauge and will be as backwards-compatible as possible; basic dimensions will remain the same and rails will be interconnectable with both the 9V and RC rail systems, and therefore also with 4.5V era track. The system will be introduced in 2009, replacing the current trains.

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LEGO train

Lego Train is a theme in the Lego Group products. The sets include locomotives, tracks, rolling stock, trackside buildings (such as stations, signal houses, etc).

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LEGO Today

Since it began producing plastic bricks, the Lego Group has released thousands of play sets themed around space, robots, pirates, vikings, ninjas, underwater, medieval castles, dinosaurs, cities, suburbia, holiday locations, wild west, the Arctic, airports, miners, community, boats, racing cars, trains, motorized Lego models, Star Wars, Jurassic Park III, Harry Potter, Spider-Man, Batman, SpongeBob SquarePants, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Ferrari, Bionicle, Exo-Force, and much more. New elements are often released along with new sets. There are also Lego sets designed to appeal to young girls such as the Clikits line which consists of small interlocking parts that are meant to encourage creativity and arts and crafts, much like regular Lego bricks. Clikit pieces can interlock with regular Lego bricks as decorative elements.
Recently, Lego has expanded to encompass accessory motors, gears, lights, sensors, and cameras designed to be used with Lego components. There are even special bricks, like the Lego NXT that can be programmed with a PC or a Mac to perform very complicated and useful tasks. These programmable bricks are sold under the name Lego Mindstorms.

In 2006 a new Lego Mindstorms kit called Mindstorms NXT was released. It is more advanced than the RCX, has a bigger screen than the RCX, and has a new array of sensors. They include touch, sound, light, and a new ultrasonic sensor technology. There is also a Bluetooth compatible hookup that can send and receive messages from one's cellphone and other Bluetooth compatible devices. The RCX was only compatible with Windows, but NXT is compatible with both Windows and Mac OS.

There are several robotics competitions which use Lego bricks and the RCX. The earliest, and likely the largest, is Botball, a national U.S. middle- and high-school competition stemming from the MIT 6.270 Lego robotics tournament. A related competition is FIRST Lego League for elementary and middle schools. The international RoboCup Junior autonomous soccer competition involves extensive use of Lego Mindstorms equipment which is often pushed to its extreme limits.

Bionicle is a line of toys by the Lego Group that is marketed towards those in the 7–16-year-old age range. The line was launched in January 2001 in Europe and June/July 2001 in the United States. The Bionicle idea originated from the earlier toy lines Slizers (also known as Throwbots) and Roboriders. Both of these lines had similar throwing disks and characters based on classical element. The sets in the Bionicle line have increased in size and flexibility through the years.
Lego Group operates four Legoland amusement parks, three in Europe and one in California. On July 13, 2005, the control of 70% of the Legoland parks was sold for $460 million to the Blackstone Group of New York while the remaining 30% is still held by the Lego Group. There are also several Lego Brand retail stores, including at Downtown Disney in both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts and in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. As of year end 2005, there are 25 Lego Brand Retail stores in the USA, a number of stores in Europe, and a franchised Lego store in Abu Dhabi.

Lego has also successfully branched into video games that appeal to a wide age range, with titles like Lego Star Wars: The Video Game, Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, Bionicle Heroes as well as the Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, the upcoming Lego MMORPG, Lego Batman, and Lego Indiana Jones.

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LEGO Design and manufacture

Lego pieces of all varieties have been, first and foremost, part of a universal system. Despite tremendous variation in the design and purpose of individual pieces over the years, each remains compatible in some way with existing pieces. Lego bricks from 1963 still interlock with those made in 2008, and Lego sets for young children are compatible with those made for teenagers.

Bricks, beams, axles, mini figures, and all other elements in the Lego system are manufactured to an exacting degree of tolerance. When snapped together, pieces must have just the right amount of "clutch power"; they must stay together until pulled apart. They cannot be too easy to pull apart, or the resulting constructions would be unstable; they also cannot be too difficult to pull apart, since the disassembly of one creation in order to build another is part of the Lego appeal. In order for pieces to have just the right "clutch power", Lego elements are manufactured within a tolerance of 2

Since 1963, Lego pieces have been manufactured from a strong, resilient plastic known as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or ABS. Precision-machined, small-capacity molds are used, and human inspectors check the output of the molds, to eliminate significant variations in color or thickness. Worn-out molds are encased in the foundations of buildings to prevent their falling into competitors' hands. According to the Lego Group, about eighteen bricks out of every million fail to meet the standard required.

Manufacturing of Lego bricks occurs at a number of locations around the world. Molding is done at one of two plants in Denmark and Czech Republic. Brick decorations and packaging is done at plants in Denmark, United States, Mexico and the Czech Republic. Annual production of Lego bricks averages approximately 20 billion (2 × 1010) per year, or about 6000 pieces per second.
In 2006, Lego Group announced a restructuring of the current production setup including the outsourcing of some of the production work to Flextronics, a Singaporean electronics company. Lego Group plans to close the production facility in Enfield, Connecticut and outsource this work to the Flextronics factory in Mexico. Flextronics will also oversee the factory in Kladno, Czech Republic. The Czech facilities would also be expanded due to the planned closing of the Swiss factory in Baar, which mostly manufactured TECHNIC parts.

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- 21st century

2000s

2000

Knights' Kingdom, Life on Mars, and Soccer/Football are introduced.
Dino Island, a sub-line of Lego Adventurers is introduced, then discontinued. RoboRiders are also introduced, then discontinued.
Lego Underground (Rock Raiders) and Lego Throwbots are discontinued.
Lego Studios is introduced.
The British Association of Toy Retailers names the Lego brick "Toy of the Century".

2001

January: Lego Bionicle is launched in Europe
June/July: Lego Bionicle is launched in the United States
LEGO Brand Retail stores are opened in England, Germany, and Russia.
Islanders and Imperial Armada, sub-lines of Lego Pirates, are reintroduced, then rediscontinued.
Lego Life on Mars is introduced, then discontinued.
Lego Alpha Team and Lego Harry Potter are introduced.
Lego Serious Play is unveiled

2002

Company slogan changes from "Just Imagine..." to "Play On"
Lego Wild West is discontinued.
Lego Island Xtreme Stunts, Spider-Man, and Lego Racers are introduced.
Lego Mania Magazine issues are changed to Lego Magazine.

2003

Lego introduces new skin tones for mini-figures based on actual people. This affected the Star Wars, Harry Potter, NBA, Ferrari and Spider-Man lines, but yellow skin tones are retained for all other figures.
Clikits, Lego Designer, Lego Hockey, Lego Basketball, and Lego Gravity Games are introduced.
Orient Expedition, a sub-line of Adventurers is introduced.
Lego Island Xtreme Stunts is discontinued.
Lego Inventor is introduced, then discontinued.
Lego World City is introduced.
September 13: Bionicle: Mask of Light movie is released.
Lego mini figure celebrates its 25th birthday.

2004

Lego replaces several of its long-standing colors including grey, dark grey, brown and violet.
QUATRO brick is introduced for children ages 1-3.
Lego Knights' Kingdom II is introduced.
Orient Expedition, a sub-line of Lego Adventurers is discontinued.
Lego Spider-Man, Lego World City, and Lego Gravity Games are discontinued.
October 6: Bionicle 2: Legends of Metru Nui movie is released.
Lego Group reports record loss for 2003 fiscal year.

2005

Lego System celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Lego Alpha Team is discontinued.
January: Lego City is introduced.
Spring: Lego Dino Attack/Dino 2010 is introduced.
Autumn: Lego Vikings is introduced.
October 11: Bionicle 3: Web of Shadows movie is released.

2006
Lego Exo-Force is introduced.
SpongeBob SquarePants, Avatar: The Last Airbender and Batman building sets are introduced.
Lego Sports is reintroduced.
Remote control trains are introduced.
Lego Mindstorms NXT is released.

2007
Lego Aqua Raiders is introduced.
Lego Mars Mission is introduced.
Lego 9V trains are officially discontinued.

2008

Lego Indiana Jones is introduced
Lego Batman Videogame is introduced
Lego Speed Racer is introduced
Lego Agents is intoduced

2010s

2011

LEGO Group license with Lucasfilm expires.

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- 20th century

1910s

1916: Ole Kirk Christiansen purchases the small woodworking shop in Billund.

1920s

July 6, 1920: Godfred Kirk Christiansen is born.
1924: Ole Kirk's shop burns down when a fire ignites some wood shavings. Ole Kirk builds a larger workshop, renting out most of the space, and using the rest for his own shop.

1930s

1932: Ole Kirk Christiansen's shop nearly goes bankrupt in the depression. With a lack of normal carpentry jobs, Ole Kirk starts producing toys, many of which were wooden pull toys.
1934: The company name LEGO is coined by Christiansen from the Danish phrase leg godt, meaning "play well". Coincidentically, "Lego" also means "I assemble" in Latin.
1935: The LEGO Duck is featured.
1937: Godfred Kirk Christiansen starts creating models.
1939: The company grows to 10 employees.

1940s

1942: A fire breaks out in the factory, forcing the company to rebuild.
1943: The company grows to 40 employees.
1947: Ole Kirk purchases the first plastic moulding machine in Denmark, and the company begins manufacturing plastic toys. The Christiansens are inspired by samples of the "Kiddicraft Self-Locking Building Brick", a design patented by the Briton Mr. Harry Fisher Page. December 27 - Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen is born.
1948: The company grows to 50 employees.
1949: Lego begins producing similar plastic bricks, calling them "Automatic Binding Bricks."

1950s

1951: The first ever film about LEGO is shot. The photographer is Chistian Lund, and the film is black and white with no sound.
1953:
Automatic Binding Bricks are renamed Lego Mursten, or "Lego Bricks."
First baseplates are created.
1954:
Godtfred Kirk Christiansen becomes junior managing director of Lego, and soon has the idea to turn Lego bricks into a toy system.
LEGO windows and doors are introduced.
May 1: The word LEGO is officially registered in Denmark.
First beam bricks are released.
1955:
Lego releases its first toy "system" of the Town Plan.
Lego bricks begin selling better, but are not yet the core Lego product.
Lego first exports toys to Sweden.
Godfred Kirk Christiansen demonstrates the LEGO bricks at a toy fair in Nuremberg, Germany.
First LEGO trees are released.
1956: A sales company for Lego is built in Hohenwestedt, Germany.
1957:
Godtfred Kirk Christiansen is appointed Managing Director.
First LEGO flags, lights, and windows.
1958:
The Lego brick design is improved to allow better versatility and "locking" ability.
Ole Kirk Christiansen dies; Godtfred inherits leadership of the Lego Company.
The LEGO company patents the stud-and-tube coupling system. This new system makes models much more stable. Sloping roof tile bricks are featured.
The company in Billund grows to 140 employees.
1959:
A small staff at Lego, the "Futura" division, is established to develop ideas for new sets.
Lego begins selling its products in other countries such as Norway, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK.
LEGO France, British LEGO Ltd., LEGO Belgium and LEGO Sweden are established.

1960s

1960:
February: Another warehouse fire consumes most of Lego inventory of wooden toys.
Production of wooden toys is discontinued; the company changes its focus to the plastic building bricks.
LEGO Finland and LEGO Netherlands are established.
By the end of the year, the company grows to 450 employees.
1961:
The LEGO wheel is introduced.
Sales start in the United States and Canada through a license agreement with Samsonite Corp.
LEGO Italy established
1961–1962: Lego makes an arrangement allowing Samsonite to begin producing and selling Lego products in Canada, an arrangement that would continue until 1988.
1962:
Lego sells toys in Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Marocco, and Japan.
LEGO 1/3 elements are introduced.
1963:
Cellulose acetate is abandoned in favor of the more stable ABS plastic in making Lego bricks.
Samsonite begins producing Lego bricks under license in North America.
Lego Austria is established.
The Lego Group starts Modulex.
1964:
The first Lego sets containing instruction manuals are introduced.
Lego sells toys in Lebanon.
A production plant, LEGO Werkzeugbau GmbH, is opened in Hohenwehenstedt, Germany.
1965:
Lego Samsonite is discontinued.
The company in Billund grows to more than 600 employees.
1966:
One of Lego most successful series, the Lego train system is released. Initial train sets include a 4.5-volt motor and rails.
LEGO is now sold in 42 countries.
1967: First LEGO hinges.
1968:
Train sets with a 12-volt motor are introduced.
On June 7, the Legoland Park in Billund is opened, in which 3,000 people visit on the opening day.
LEGO bricks with magnets are introduced.
1969:
The Duplo system, using larger bricks and targeting younger children but also compatible with existing Lego bricks, is released.
The company in Billund grows to 843 employees.

1970s
1970: The company grows to 1,000 employees.
1971: LEGO introduces furniture pieces and dollhouses for girls.
1972: Lego added boat and ship sets, with hull pieces that actually floated.
LEGO USA established in Brookfield, Connecticut.
1973:
LEGO USA moves to its present-day location in Enfield, Connecticut.
All Lego products are placed under one logo, a red square with the word, Lego, in white bordered by black and yellow.
Lego first sells toys to Hungary.
LEGO Portugal is established.
1974:
Lego figures are launched, starting with the Lego family.
Bricks and Pieces, the first official LEGO newsletter, is introduced in the United Kingdom.
LEGO Spain is established.
1975:
The company grows to 2,500 employees.
The Expert Series sets are introduced.
1977:
The Lego Technic (known as the Expert Builder) series is launched.
Lego Town is launched.
Lego Boats is launched.
Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen joins the Lego Group management.
Duplo people are introduced.
1978:
Lego introduces mini-figures with movable limbs and hands that can grasp utensils. This was the company's second most important design, after the brick itself.
Lego Castle is introduced.
Lego Space is introduced.
1979:
Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen becomes president of Lego.
Lego introduces the Space, Fabuland, and Scala themes.
LEGO Singapore is established.

1980s

1980:
Lego establishes the Educational Products Department.
New factories are opened in Switzerland and Jutland, Denmark.
It is revealed in a survey that seventy percent of all Western European families with kids under fourteen own LEGO bricks.
LEGO train tracks are introduced.
1981: The second generation of Lego trains is produced, including a wider variety of accessories.
1982:
Expert Builder series matured and became Technic.
The Lego Group celebrates its 50th anniversary on August 13th.
The book, 50 years of play is published.
LEGO South Africa is established.
First LEGO wind-up engine.
1983:
Lego launches the Duplo Baby series.
The company grows to 3,700 employees worldwide.
1984:
Lego Castle series is launched.
Lego pneumatics are added to the Technic series.
LEGO Brazil is established.
LEGO Korea is established.
1985:
Light & Sound sets are introduced.
Lego company grows to 5,000 employees worldwide; 3,000 of them being in Billund.
The gearstick is introduced.
1986:
Lego Technic robots controlled by computers are placed in schools.
Light and Sound sets are launched of Lego Town and Space themes.
Another factory in Manaus, Brazil is opened.
Godfred Kirk Christiansen resigns as chairman of the board of LEGO System A/S and LEGO Overseas.
Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen takes over for Godfred Kirk Christiansen.
1987:
Forestman, Crusaders, and Black Knights, sub-lines of Lego Castle, are introduced.
Blacktron I and Futuron, sub-lines of Lego Space, are introduced.
LEGO reaches almost 6,000 employees.
LEGO South Africa is closed.
Lego Club is established.
1988:
The first Lego World Cup building contest is held in Billund.
LEGO Canada is established.
The "Brick Separator" is introduced.
1989:
Lego Pirates theme is launched.
Lego Educational Products Department is renamed Lego Dacta.
Brick Kicks, the first official LEGO Club magazine, is introduced.
Space Police I, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
Soldier, a sub-line of Lego Pirates is introduced.

1990s

1990

Lego Model Team sets are released.
Lego is one of the top 10 toy companies of 1990.
Forestman is discontinued.
The Blacktron I and Futuron themes are discontinued.
Space Police I is discontinued.
M:Tron, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
Soldier, a sub-line of Lego Pirates is discontinued.
LEGO Malaysia is established.
The Duplo Zoo is launched.
9V Technic motors are first introduced in Europe, starting phase-out of 4.5V system.

1991

9V Technic motors are introduced in other markets including North America.
9V Trains motors are made 9V to bring the system into line with the rest of the Lego range. From this point on, all Lego electric parts are solely 9V.
Lego Paradisa is launched.
Blacktron II, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
Imperial Guards, a sub-line of Lego Pirates is introduced.
The company grows to 7,550 employees.

1992

Lego sets two Guinness World Records.
Paradisa and Duplo Toolo sets are introduced.
On Swedish television, the world's largest LEGO Castle is built.
The Crusaders theme is discontinued.
Wolfpack, a sub-line of Lego Castle is introduced.
Space Police II, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
LEGO Japan is established.
LEGO Hungary is established.
The first LEGO Imagination Center is opened in Mall of America in Blomington, Minneapolis, United States.
The three-blade propeller is introduced.

1993

Duplo introduces a train and a parrot-shaped "brickvac" that could scoop Lego pieces up off the floor.
Space Police I is re-released.
Wolfpack, a sub-line of Lego Castle is discontinued.
Dragon Masters is introduced.
M:Tron, a sub-line of Lego Space is discontinued.
Blacktron II, a sub-line of Lego Space is discontinued.
Space Police II, a sub-line of Lego Space is discontinued.
Ice Planet 2002, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
LEGO South Africa re-established.
The orange transparent brick is introduced.

1994

The Black Knights theme is discontinued.
Ice Planet 2002, a sub-line of Lego Space is discontinued.
Unitron, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
Spyrius, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
Islanders, a sub-line of Lego Pirates is introduced, then discontinued.
LEGO Mexico is established.
The company grows to 8,880 employees worldwide.
First pink Lego bricks.
Brick Kicks, the official LEGO Club Magazine, is renamed LEGO Mania Magazine.

1995

Lego Primo series is introduced.
Lego Aquazone is introduced.
Royal Knights, a sub-line of Lego Castle is introduced.
Unitron is discontinued.
Imperial Guards, a sub-line of Lego Pirates is discontinued.
Aquanauts, a sub-line of Lego Aquazone is introduced.
Aquasharks, a sub-line of Lego Aquazone is introduced.
Lego TechBuild, a sub-line of Lego Technic is introduced.
Lego TechPlay, another sub-line of Lego Technic is introduced.
July 13: Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, son of the company's founder, dies.
LEGO Belgium and LEGO Netherlands become LEGO Benelux.
LEGO dolphin element is introduced.

1996

March 29: LEGOLAND Windsor is opened in the United Kingdom.
The Lego Watch System is launched.
Lego Wild West is launched.
LEGO.com is launched.
Lego Boats is discontinued.
Dark Forest, a sub-line of Lego Castle is introduced.
Spyrius theme is discontinued.
Exploriens, a sub-line of Lego Space are introduced, then discontinued.
Imperial Armada, a sub-line of Lego Pirates is introduced, then discontinued.
Aquanauts, a sub-line of Lego Aquazone is discontinued.
LEGOLAND Billund reaches 25 million visitors since its opening in 1968.
It is estimated that 180 billion LEGO elements have been made and over 300 million people worldwide play with them.

1997

Lego launches its first computer game, Lego Island.
Lego introduces fiber-optic elements.
Lego Paradisa is discontinued.
LEGO Divers is introduced, then discontinued
Fright Knights, a sub-line of Lego Castle is introduced.
Roboforce, a sub-line of Lego Space are introduced, then discontinued.
UFO, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
Aquaraiders, a sub-line of Lego Aquazone is introduced, then discontinued.

1998

Lego launches the Lego Creator, Loco, and Chess computer games.
Lego introduces beige bricks.
Lego Adventurers and Insectoids series are introduced.
Lego releases Mindstorms, a programmable computerized brick with Lego-compatible sensors and motors.
The red Lego logo introduced in 1973 is updated. It is a graphically tightened version of the logo used for the past 25 years.
Lego rereleases the Crusaders, Black Knights, and Dragon Masters themes.
Royal Knights theme is discontinued.
Fright Knights theme is discontinued.
Insectoids, a sub-line of Lego Space is introduced.
Lego Aquazone is discontinued.
Aquasharks, a sub-line of Lego Aquazone is discontinued.
Hydronauts, a sub-line of Lego Aquazone is introduced, then discontinued.
Stingrays, a sub-line of Lego Aquazone is introduced, then discontinued.
Egypt, a sub-line of Lego Adventurers is introduced, then discontinued.
Lego Cyberslam, is introduced.
Lego CyberMaster is introduced, then discontinued.

1999

March: Legoland California opens in Carlsbad, California.
Lego Rock Raiders series is introduced.
Lego produces a Star Wars theme with Lucasfilm, beginning a trend of licensed Lego products.
Ice Planet 2002 is re-released.
Spyrius theme is re-released.
UFO and Insectoids themes are discontinued.
Jungle a sub-line of Lego Adventurers is introduced, then discontinued.
Lego Underground is introduced.
Lego Slizers (Throwbots) is introduced.
Lego Cyberslam is discontinued.
Lego TechPlay is discontinued.

Continue Reading

- Lego timeline

19th century

1890s

1891: April 7 - Ole Kirk Christiansen, founder of the Lego Group, is born.
1895: The woodworking shop, "Billund Woodworking and Carpenter's Shop", which would eventually evolve into the Lego company is founded in Billund, Denmark.

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