In order to fit within the LEGO Group’s brand, licensed LEGO sets frequently reflect some aspect of the cultural zeitgeist or a pertinent property. One of the most obvious fits in LEGO history is Minecraft, a runaway success and actual blockbuster.
Since 2012, Minecraft-inspired LEGO creations have been trickling out in a gradual but constant stream. Although these models have found their design groove, fresh source material is continually being produced by new Minecraft updates and game releases. In turn, this has made it possible for LEGO Minecraft to successfully combine established favorites with novel ideas.
Visit LEGO.com to view the current Minecraft LEGO collection, which includes biomes, mobs, and more created out of LEGO bricks.
LEGO Minecraft history
Markus Persson and Mojang Studios are the makers of the open-world sandbox game Minecraft. It was fully released for PC in 2011, and console ports soon followed in 2012 and the years that followed. It is currently the most popular video game of all time, with over 238 million copies sold worldwide.
There are many similarities between LEGO and Minecraft. It appeals to a wide range of age groups, however probably young fans are most drawn to it, and it makes it quite simple to construct intricate structures and intricate machinery. Additionally, it has attracted interest outside of the typical gaming community. In addition, the Danish Geodata Agency has produced a scale-model of the entire country of Denmark in Minecraft. Some schools have used Minecraft for instructional purposes.
One year after the game’s widespread debut, in 2012, the first Minecraft LEGO set was released. It didn’t, however, merit its own theme at this time. It was an early version of the LEGO Ideas theme, formerly known as CUUSOO, which transforms user-created models into official LEGO creations. The different biomes and realms of the Minecraft universe were replicated in a realistic Minecraft range that eventually joined this microscale construct.
In 2014, minifigure-scale sets made their debut, featuring scenarios that were well-known to gaming players. Mines, caves, farms, and even the End, an enigmatic dimension where the Ender Dragon resides, were early examples. The range gradually widened to include additional regions of the world of Minecraft; the deadly, lava-filled Nether and hot and cold biomes first appeared.
The popularity of Minecraft allows for skyrocketing costs and part counts (and actual mushrooms to appear in the range). One particularly intriguing build was 21127 The Fortress, which made it simple to change the layout of its castle model. The introduction of the Crafting Box series expanded the range’s ability to support more flexible construction. The 21116 Crafting Box was a 2014 early release that provided a variety of pieces for creative building. For fans of Minecraft in 2017, 21135 The Crafting Box 2.0 would provide a comparable opportunity.
By 2018, LEGO Minecraft had begun to investigate fresh methods for set design. Compared to what was previously accessible, vignettes like 21138 The Melon farm presented significantly smaller, less expensive scenes. In 2019, we were able to replicate Minecraft characters on a much larger size thanks to models like 21148 Minecraft Steve BigFig with Parrot. The blocky design of LEGO was a wonderful match for the boxy characters in Minecraft.
New LEGO sets for those features appear as they are added to Minecraft. Several block-based bees were introduced in 2020’s 21165 The Bee Farm, which was initially seen in Minecraft in 2019. Other works, like 21168 The Warped Forest, show weird, brand-new regions of the game world.
Characters from spinoff games have also been made for the Minecraft theme. Top-down, dungeon-crawling gameplay and new characters like the Redstone Abomination were introduced in Minecraft Dungeons. This amiable character appeared in The Redstone Battle in 21163 in the year 2020.
Millions of people still play Minecraft every day, and several new models have been introduced in 2022. We anticipate that the LEGO Group will continue to develop alongside Minecraft.
LEGO Minecraft sets
An intriguing design challenge is presented by Minecraft LEGO sets. Like other video games, Minecraft is governed by a strict set of rules that users must (usually) follow. It is impossible for LEGO Minecraft to simply duplicate the game’s construction blocks in order to maintain fidelity to the original. Along with how players engage with them, it must also take into account how they interact with one another.
This concept is extremely clearly illustrated in 21113 The Cave. Despite being a little portion of the universe of Minecraft, it contains many elements from the game. As a player might mine stone blocks for their personal purposes, they are dotted throughout the model among ore blocks and are simple to isolate from the larger model. Similar to this, 21118 The Mine would mimic the black bricks (which stand in for obsidian) that may be found when water and lava meet using blue and orange tiles, respectively.
A potent mechanical defense in the worlds of 21123 and Minecraft is called an Iron Golem. This concept is mimicked by the Iron Golem, which causes a fully fledged Iron Golem to appear. The minecarts from the game are recreated in other models, such 21169 The First Adventure, which even uses a sliding platform to represent swimming over a waterfall. This illustrates how gameplay is fundamental to LEGO Minecraft, despite the fact that the theme by definition lacks it.
The emphasis on visual correctness over mechanical detail is seen in many Minecraft models. But there are instances when taking some artistic license is necessary. As an illustration, you can exchange in-game things with welcoming Villagers. Since the trading process doesn’t involve any elements from the game world, 21128 The Village includes a market stall to represent it.
The modular nature of LEGO Minecraft models is a very beneficial aspect. Most constructions have slightly higher sections that can be joined together using 24 bricks. This not only makes for a compelling game world, but it also gives LEGO aficionados many of customization options.
To more clearly demonstrate how the gaming environment mirrors the LEGO world, 21116 A “Block Translator” was included in the crafting box. This diagram demonstrated how the elements of Minecraft were represented by its bricks. A redesigned edition might be necessary because the world of Minecraft has consistently gotten bigger and more diverse.
LEGO Minecraft minifigures
Numerous characters from popular culture can be represented by a regular LEGO minifigure. However, a few have proven to be difficult to design, requiring new head, leg, and even arm elements.
It was the same with LEGO Minecraft. The line unveiled a new, boxy headpiece that provided a better representation of the blockhead brethren in the game. The Tesseract recently appeared in the Captain Carter & the Hydra Stomper episode 76201, one of the many uses for this element both inside and outside of the Minecraft theme.
Steve has become as an emblem for the game of Minecraft as a whole with his blue shirt and purple pants. He is the default avatar for the game and a logical selection for the first Minecraft LEGO kits. Steve has gotten modified armor components, including two new helmets for his square skull, in addition to specialized equipment and weaponry.
Of course, LEGO enthusiasts required more than one primary character in a world based on imagination. Alex originally featured as a minifigure in 21121 The Desert Outpost and was later revealed as Steve’s female equivalent. The player character roster on later models would be significantly expanded; the 853609 Skin Pack and 853610 Skin Pack each added eight additional characters to the game to spice things up. In many current sets, Steve has also been replaced with additional skin styles that are more diverse for you to acquire.
Numerous opponents are encountered in Minecraft, so fresh pieces of art were required. While some creatures, like the Zombie (and Zombie Pigman), don’t use particularly unusual body parts, others, like the Creeper, do. The enigmatic Endermen also demanded tall, single-piece bodies, and their lengthy arms are made of well-known LEGO bricks.
The Witch now has a single-piece torso that more accurately depicts her folded arms. The Villagers also use it to indicate their various jobs in a variety of colors.
Minecraft minifigures are some of LEGO’s cutest characters because to their unusual designs and vivid, pixel-like printing. We’re hoping the minifigure variety keeps up as the theme develops.
LEGO Minecraft Mountain Cave
The 2017 release 21137 The Mountain Cave continues to be the most ambitious model in Minecraft. It boasts an expansive, hollow slope and has a ton of play elements to be found. It dwarfs other Minecraft LEGO kits by a wide amount with 2,863 pieces. 53 cm on each side, 29 cm on the bottom, and 31 cm on top.
The set’s elaborate minecart track was a major appeal. 21137 The Mountain Cave has several slopes to allow for independent mobility, and a functional elevator lets you elevate it back to the top of the mountain.
The usage of a bright brick in this arrangement was another distinctive aspect. It was made to be plugged into particular areas of the cave, imitating Redstone, burning lava, and torches in the process.
There are still several intriguing elements in 21137 The Mountain Cave, although there weren’t many minifigures available. The Charged Creeper also made its minifigure debut, and they are decked out in a variety of armor components in various colors. This minifigure symbolizes a more lethal, explosive Creeper because to its transparent blue components. It’s a practical addition to one of LEGO Minecraft’s most daring models, and it has subsequently appeared in other models, most recently in 21174 The Modern Treehouse.
The usage of a bright brick in this arrangement was another distinctive aspect. It was made to be plugged into particular areas of the cave, imitating Redstone, burning lava, and torches in the process.
There are still several intriguing elements in 21137 The Mountain Cave, although there weren’t many minifigures available. The Charged Creeper also made its minifigure debut, and they are decked out in a variety of armor components in various colors. This minifigure symbolizes a more lethal, explosive Creeper because to its transparent blue components. It’s a practical addition to one of LEGO Minecraft’s most daring models, and it has subsequently appeared in other models, most recently in 21174 The Modern Treehouse.
LEGO Minecraft village
21128 For Minecraft enthusiasts, the 2016 edition of The Village offers a more pastoral atmosphere. In Minecraft environments, villages are created procedurally and provide a variety of homes for the villagers to reside in. For explorers, they are a convenient source of food, shelter, and other necessities.
Early Minecraft sets featured player-built homes, but The Village marked the first time that theme was presented in LEGO form. The finished model, which was 49 cm broad and 44 cm deep, required 1600 components.
The Village used inventive building designs because the village buildings in Minecraft are a little on the small side. The blacksmith’s shop’s façade may tilt upward, providing easier access to its furnaces and benches. In the meantime, the butcher shop and library both opened up like doll houses. This makes it easier for fans to observe things like moving bookcases.
Other elements of the set were more straightforward but provided more detail. The watchtower allowed you to see approaching adversaries (including an unfortunate Zombie Villager, which remains exclusive to this set). A brick-built well provided water, and the garden gave wheat, carrots, and potatoes in various phases of development. Just watch that you don’t fall in.
Future models would feature comparable structures; 21169 For instance, the Illager Raid features a garden, a house, and a market stand. The Village, however, continues to dominate the Minecraft theme in terms of scale.
LEGO Minecraft dungeons and mines
The game’s name suggests that in order to find important resources, players of Minecraft must go underground. Given this, there are various hazardous environments to play in with Minecraft LEGO pieces.
21119 The Dungeon seems like a logical place to start. Despite being one of the lesser models in the Minecraft lineup, it has a number of useful functions. Highlights include Zombie minifigures, a treasure chest, and a rotating Zombie Spawner. Until it is destroyed in the game, this item continuously produces zombies.
As was already said, you may combine several underground settings thanks to Minecraft’s modular design. 21124 One of the more elaborate underground models was The End Portal. It has a variety of foes and allows for “transportation” to the desolate End realm. Sections of the model were hinged to add visual interest, and 12 printed Eye of Ender tiles were incorporated for realism.
The Minecraft theme’s underground scenes keep showing up, and new features come along with the updates. 21147 The Bedrock Adventures were a great place to start because there were many of different building blocks, ladders, and critters to play on. 21155 A massive Creeper made of bricks may be found in the Creeper Mine (although regular Creepers were in short supply, ironically).
21169 The First Adventure will be available in 2021. Even though it lacks several features from earlier sets, the overall design is undoubtedly more elegant than those of its forebears. A reasonable representation of Minecraft’s residents can be found in Steve, Alex, two skeletons, and several animals. In a genuine homage to the game, the set also simulates lava flow and sand falling from the sky.
