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LEGO Systems unveils its largest collection of build and play toys ever–more than 200 new products for children of all ages and interests–at the American International Toy Fair in New York City. Boys and girls will be inspired to build with open-ended LEGO building sets or with themes such as city, dinosaurs, monsters, ninjas, heroes, and friendship.
“2012 marks our 80th year in business, and the classic LEGO brick continues to grow in popularity among children of all ages, thanks to our strong collection of evergreen themes, the best licensed properties on the market and brand extensions that help us to engage any interest or building ability,” said Soren Torp Laursen, president, LEGO Systems. “We have welcomed many new children into the LEGO play experience in the past year, and we know that our new collection—which brings many different play patterns into construction—will continue to excite them and will attract even more children who have yet to discover the creative joy of construction play.”
Preschool Building (ages 1 1/2+)
LEGO DUPLO introduces youngsters to building and delivers so many ways to play. Highlights include new Read and Build ($12.99 each), a series of kits that blend early reading with construction play, encouraging youngsters to build along as their parents read to them. Creative Sorter ($19.99) and Creative Cakes ($24.99) turn ordinary storage solutions into part of the build-and-play fun. The collection of “My First” DUPLO sets – My First Fire Chief ($9.99), My First Build ($24.99), My First Farm ($24.99) and My First Gas Station ($29.99) – combine building and role play, while fostering creativity and imagination. Additions to the LEGO DUPLO brand Cars 2 line and a new DUPLO brand Disney Princess collection let children recreate favorite scenes and role play with beloved characters from their favorite feature films ($12.99 – $39.99).
Classic LEGO Building (ages 4+)
Open-ended Bricks & More sets ($9.99-$29.99) offer a versatile assortment of LEGO bricks and elements to set imaginations in motion, with building instructions and visual inspiration to bring children’s ideas to life. CREATOR kits ($5.99 – $79.99) offer 3-models-in-1 box in themes such as vehicles, creatures, and buildings, allowing children to build, play, and then rebuild their creations. Experienced builders enjoy the challenge of TECHNIC sets, such as theQuad Bike ($24.99) and Jet Plane ($49.99), which replicate the movement of real-life vehicles and machinery.
LEGO Themes (ages 5+)
Designed from the input of girls and their moms around the world, LEGO Friends delivers a new theme option for builders ages 5 and up. Every set includes at least one of five best Friends in the form of a new mini-doll figure to inspire role play and stories after the building is complete.Andrea’s Stage ($9.99) is the perfect place to practice performing arts before the Friends hang out at the City Park Cafe ($29.99). Mia, who loves animals, volunteers her time at the local Heartlake Vet Clinic ($39.99). Olivia’s House ($69.99) features interior details and a modular construction that allows for the home to be built in a variety of different styles.
Six LEGO DINO sets create a jungle world where a team of scientists are trying to keep the dinos from fleeing the jungle and invading the city. Builders help round up the loose dinos with the Raptor Chase ($29.99) or the T-Rex Hunter ($69.99), keeping them at bay and the city safe with the Dino Defense HQ ($99.99).
New LEGO MONSTER FIGHTERS launches in August, taking builders’ imaginations to a bone-chilling world of classic monsters trying to blot out the sun forever. Builders help the team of Monster Fighters in a collection of seven sets ($6.99-$99.99) to overtake the mummy, werewolf, swamp creature, vampire, ghosts and mad professor.
Action and adventure continues to build in LEGO CITY. Five Transportation sets ($19.99 each) encourage classic role play for City builders, while new Forest Fire and Forest Police themes($5.99-$79.99) take rescue heroes beyond city limits to protect and serve. In August, builders can create heavy duty machinery to dig for gold in the new Mining theme ($11.99-$99.99).
One of the most successful LEGO themes ever, NINJAGO introduces a new chapter to a storyline that merges classic construction with social and virtual gaming experiences, anchored by 26 episodes of the NINJAGO: Masters of Spinjitzu animated television series airing on Cartoon Network. Children can customize Spinners (13 to collect, $9.99 each) with Booster Packs ($4.99 each), or construct 11 new building sets ($6.99 – $119.99), such as Destiny’s Bounty ($79.99), an ancient shipwreck hiding powerful treasure.
Collectors will rejoice over 48 never-before-seen LEGO Minifigures sold separately ($2.99each) in unmarked packaging via three new series releasing throughout the year.
Licensed Building Fun (Ages 2+)
LEGO DC Universe Super Heroes recreates famous comic heroes and villains. Available now, a collection of four BATMAN sets includes The Batcave ($69.99) featuring charactersBruce Wayne, Batman, Robin, Poison Ivy and Bane. Superman vs. Power Armor Lex($19.99) creates a scene where Wonder Woman is captured by Lex Luthor.
Five LEGO MARVEL Super Heroes sets launching in May feature The Avengers in sets such as Wolverine’s Chopper Showdown ($19.99) and Hulk’s Helicarrier Breakout ($49.99).
New for 2012, epic characters and scenes take LEGO form in the new LEGO THE LORD OF THE RINGS collection, based on the three films in THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy. Six building sets launch in June ($12.99-$129.99). To coincide with the fall movie premiere, a collection of LEGO THE HOBBIT ™ building sets launches late 2012.
Partnership with Disney continues in 2012 with eight new building sets inspired by the world-renowned CARS film franchise that children can use to recreate their favorite characters ($6.99-$49.99).
The popularity of LEGO STAR WARS continues to build with 20 new sets inspired by the Star Wars film saga and the animated television series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Highlights include new TIE Fighter ($54.99) and X-Wing Starfighter ($59.99) available now, and TheMalevolence and Jabba’s Palace (both $119.99) in August.
The wacky hilarity of LEGO SpongeBob SquarePants returns with new building adventures from Bikini Bottom – The Flying Dutchman ($24.99) and Bikini Bottom Undersea Party($49.99), both available now.
Constraction (Ages 6+)
The LEGO Hero Factory is producing new buildable, pose-able figures with powerful tools to tackle any challenge; product codes link to a new online game to deliver another level of immersive play ($8.99 – $34.99). Six buildable figures based on iconic characters also come to life – three from LEGO DC Universe Super Heroes and three from LEGO MARVEL Super Heroes ($14.99 each).
LEGO Games (ages 6+)
Building game nights to new heights, LEGO Games, the first collection of board games to build, play and change, grows. CITY Alarm ($19.99) encourages hours of family fun, and a brand new addition to the HEROICA adventure game genre, Ilrion ($19.99) can be played separately, or together with other HEROICA games to create a new and different adventure game challenge. Two additional games, launching in the fall, will be announced later in the year.
