Lego is one of the world’s most popular toys. Basic Lego sets take the form of building blocks that are designed to fit tightly to one another, allowing kids and adults to build intricate structures. However, there’s much more to Lego than basic blocks, with motors, robotics and games also available.



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Creating a Whole New World for Less: The Best Lego

 Deals

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Lego was founded in Denmark way back in the 1930s, when toy maker Ole Kirk Christiansen created a set of wooden blocks that fitted together to form larger designs. Taking its name from the Danish for "Play well", Lego started producing its famous injection-moulded plastic bricks in 1949, and it hasn’t looked back since.



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The 1960s and 70s saw the company introduce Duplo, its line of toys targeted at younger children, and the appearance of Lego’s iconic little figures, who allowed the company to create lifelike models of fire stations, schools, factories and even entire towns. Since then, a huge variety of different kinds of blocks, accessories and kits have appeared, many based around popular brands like Star Wars. The company has also expanded into video games and films.



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However, the core of Lego’s appeal remains the simple act of putting blocks together to create unique structures. For many children, Lego kits are the first step towards a lifelong love of craft and engineering.



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Lego: World-Famous Brick Toys

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At its simplest, Lego is just a set of building blocks. Starting with the largest and least complex (Duplo) and building up to Master Builder kits, Lego’s core brand is built around plastic blocks that can be assembled easily into an infinite variety of different shapes.

You can still purchase simple Lego kits, but most the company’s modern products are themed around different brands like Ninjago or Nexo Knights. These still come in box-based kits, but include far more complex construction kits and aren’t designed to be used in open-ended play. Instead, they tend to be used to create specific buildings or vehicles that are part of the Lego sub-brands. 



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The Different Versions of Lego Products

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Lego offer a huge range of different products on their website at www.lego.com, and it can be confusing if you are a first-time buyer. However, their product range can be broken down into the following sections:



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• Lego Classic – This is what many parents will have grown up with. It features the iconic building blocks, along with many other shapes of block like flowers, crosses, slanted blocks and wheels. The aim of this collection is to enable kids to explore their creative side and to let their imagination dictate what they create. Classic bricks come in a variety of box sizes and also include base plates to build on.


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• Duplo – Lego’s introductory product for younger children, Duplo toys always include larger bricks and keep the number of small parts to an absolute minimum to make sure that they are enjoyed safely.
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• Lego Technic – A more complex development of the Lego Classic category, Lego Technic brings in elements like pulleys and motors, allowing you to build machines and vehicles that actually move. Includes a wide range of working vehicles, sports cars and planes.
Lego Brands – Lego also stocks a massive range of branded kits. Brands that have partnered with the company include Disney, Star Wars, the Beatles, DC Comics, Batman, Angry Birds, Scooby Doo and Minecraft.

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• Unique Lego Worlds – As well as kits created with famous entertainment brands, Lego has also created its own brands including Ninjago, Lego City, Lego Friends and Nexo Knights. Many of these have spawned their own TV series after being introduced as Lego themes.

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• Mindstorms – A series of kits that allow users to program Lego robots to carry out basic tasks. Include special software to connect with robotic units and tend to be more appropriate for older children and teens due to the need to learn some basic coding.

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• Video games – Lego have been releasing computer games based around their products since 1995 (and have released 65 at the last count). You’ll find games for all major systems, including PC, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo 3DS. They have also started to roll out a sandbox-style open world game called Lego Worlds, which will allow users to build online structures using digital bricks.


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What to Think About Before Buying Lego Products



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The kind of Lego product you buy will depend on a range of factors. The age of the person who will be using the product is probably the most important. Lego generally advise that Duplo is suitable for children up to 3-4 years old. Above that, Lego Classic and basic branded kits will be ideal. Lego Technic will be fine for children over 10 years of age, while more advanced products like Mindstorms will only really be enjoyed properly by those above the age of 14.



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Some Lego products are explicitly educational as well, so they might not be the right Christmas or birthday gift for every child. It’s important to know the tastes and skills of whoever will be using Lego’s products, as the modern product range caters for an incredibly diverse range of abilities.

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Choosing the right collection is another factor. Collections like Ninjago are designed to be collected, and many fans are always keen to acquire the latest kits. If you know a collector, don’t be too hasty. Find out which kits they already have and which they need before you buy.



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It’s also worth thinking about what you want your child to do with the Lego you buy. While branded kits are great fun, they don’t necessarily stimulate the creativity as much as a large kit full of basic bricks. If you want to nurture your child’s engineering talent, a bucket of bricks and other accessories could be more beneficial than a Star Wars X-Wing or a dinosaur from Jurassic Park.



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However, having said that, branded collections can include some unique items that can be reused elsewhere. For example, Lego enthusiasts often purchase Star Wars boxes can use the components of Death Stars and Tie Fighters to build their own imaginative sci-fi designs.

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Choosing the Perfect Item from Lego’s Collections



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Now we know a little more about how vast the Lego universe is, and how many different products are available, it’s definitely a good idea to provide some more in-depth information about the company’s most popular products.



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Lego Star Wars



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Star Wars has experienced a renaissance in recent years thanks to the well-received new line of films (but it’s always been hugely popular). So, it’s not surprising that Lego has released a whole new range of boxes to coincide with the latest Star Wars movies.

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In the Star Wars section of the Lego website, you’ll find Death Stars, Rebel frigates, Tie Fighters, X-Wings, Hovertanks, Imperial Shuttles, Walkers, Speeder Bikes and much more. You can recreate scenes from the films like the attack on Hoth, create freezing chambers to encase characters and build a huge collection of figures, stretching from wookies and storm troopers to key characters like Darth Vader, Kylo Renn and Luke Skywalker. Basically, if kids adore the Star Wars universe, Lego is the perfect way to stimulate their imaginations.

However, the selection isn’t limited to Lego sets. There are also web-based games and Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which is available for PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One, Nintendo Wii and many other platforms.

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Lego Star Wars Mini Movie – The Final Duel

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Lego Friends



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Pitched at young girls, Lego Friends features kits like preparatory schools, fairgrounds, theme parks, riding clubs, treehouses, pop star houses, supermarkets, TV studios, party shops and airports. The collection is built around a fictional town called Heartlake, and the lives of five characters who are growing up there.

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Lego Friends is more than just a collection of building kits. The kits are designed to be used alongside cartoon episodes and online games that feature the main characters, creating an immersive experience for kids.

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Lego City

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Lego City is an extension of the Lego Classic range and deals with everyday life in cities across the world. The collection started out in 2005 with police and fire departments but moved on to include urban kits featuring trains, emergency services, coast guards, garages and harbours. It even started to feature less city-based sets like farms, forests and "Arctic exploration" – allowing people to build incredibly detailed little worlds of their own.



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The Lego City collection was so successful that it led to the release of two games: Lego City Undercover and Lego City Undercover: the Chase Begins (both of which came out initially for Wii U and 3DS, but are to be released across all formats in the near future).

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Lego Dimensions



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Lego Dimensions is an innovative combination of the company’s traditional building kits and online gaming. Players need to purchase a Lego Dimensions kit, which includes a toy pad and the blocks required to create the Dimensions Gateway. After that, they place their collection of branded Lego toys (like the Batmobile or Simpsons characters) on the pad. The game then transports players into gaming universes based around their toys. The more toys you collect, the greater the variety of gaming experiences.

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You can purchase Dimensions in a range of different packs.

The starter pack provides everything you need to begin, with the video game, the toy pad, the gateway bricks and three figures to get you started. The game itself supports most major gaming systems, including PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Wii U.

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Story packs come with a variety of figures from specific brands, including popular movies like Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Level packs are add-ons that provide more characters and access to different parts of the various games.
Team packs are add-ons that feature multiple figures who are designed to work together to enhance the player’s gaming capabilities.

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Lego Ninjago – Wu Cru Mini Movie

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Ninjago

Ninjago is one of Lego’s most popular animated franchises. Available since 2011, the Ninjago series of kits now features over 100 different options, so there should be something to give any collector.

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The plot of the series initially revolved around a conflict between a band of ninja warriors (Kai, Zane, Cole and Jay) and the Skulkin Army, a band of skeleton warriors led by Lord Garmadon. Dragons, robots and futuristic vehicles have all been added since then, but the basic team of ninjas still remains.

The range of Ninjago products on offer is massive. Along with detailed sets like the "Kryptarium Prison Breakout" and figures like Cole’s Dragon there are also "Flyers" which form part of a separate game where figurine owners can put them against each other in battle.

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A console game was released in 2011, followed by the more recent Lego Ninjago: Nindroids (for Nintendo 3DS and PS Vita) and Lego Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin (for 3DS, PS Vita and smartphones).

There have even been successful Ninjago graphic novels and board games. All of this means that if your child is a fan of the series, there will be plenty of suitable gift ideas, as well as products for different ages.



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Lego Technic and Mindstorms



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Lego Technic is a completely different kind of product to Lego’s branded collections. Instead of being designed purely for entertainment, Lego Technic was introduced as an educational tool. Seeing that their basic bricks were a good learning tool, Lego sought to provide a bridge between their Lego Classic kits and real-world engineering. For example, Lego Technic kits often include axles, gears, pulleys, motors and pumps.

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Mindstorms is in many ways a development of the Technic concept (and Mindstorm kits often include large amounts of Technic pieces). The major difference is the presence of the Lego EV3 Brick in Mindstorms sets. This device enables users to create programmable robots, it features USB connectors and accommodates up to 32GB of Micro SD capacity. It hooks up to other Mindstorms features like touch sensors, infrared sensors, colour sensors, motors and remote controls, creating a world of possibilities for creative young engineers.



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Minecraft

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Lego and Minecraft are the ideal fit (with Minecraft essentially being an online form of Lego construction). Lego offers a large number of real-world building kits that mimic features of the Minecraft universe, including snow hideouts, desert fortresses and farms. The Minecraft selection also features characters from the video game itself, known as Micro Mobs, and the collection as a whole is a great way for fans of the game to enhance their enjoyment.

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Lego Batman

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Lego stock a huge variety of movie and gaming brands, but none of them are as popular as the Lego Batman range, something that may related to the prominence of Batman in the Lego Movie and his role in another upcoming Lego film.

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Anyhow, fans of Batman will find plenty of Lego products to enjoy, from a replica of the Bat Cave to the Batmobile and characters like Mr Freeze, the Joker and Batman himself.

Lego Games

Lego no long restrict themselves to bricks and kits. Since 1995, the company has been releasing console and computer games regularly. Nowadays, Lego gamers have a choice of different options, including:



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Online games – Including action, strategy, adventure, creative and preschool games featuring popular Lego collections like City and Ninjago, as well as associated brands like Star Wars, DC Comics and Jurassic World.

Console and computer based games – Including Lego Dimensions (see above) and titles like Lego Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin, Lego Minifigures Online and Lego City Undercover.

Sandbox games – Lego also have plans to release a Minecraft-style sandbox game known as Lego Worlds which is projected to be released for Windows, Xbox One and PS4.

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Lego Worlds – Game Trailer

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Pros and Cons of Different Lego Products

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In the world of educational toys, Lego doesn’t have many competitors. If you want to teach your kids how to put structures together, there’s no better way to do so. There are similar products, such as Mattel’s Mega Blocks, but these never offer the same amount of choice (and don’t have Lego’s reputation for quality either). So if you want to bring up a master builder, Lego is still the go-to toy.



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However, if all you are after is entertainment, Lego has much more competition. Although the company has branched out to encompass movies, TV, online gaming and console gaming, parents will have to decide whether games like Lego Dimensions really offer enough fun to justify the expense. 

Not every child will get that much enjoyment out of branded kits either. Many of Lego’s branded collections are brilliant for committed fans of franchises like Batman or Star Wars, but they don’t have much long-term appeal as toys in themselves.

Then again, if you want to explore basic robotics and learn simple coding skills, the Lego Mindstorms range is unbeatable. It’s a sign that the company remains focused on delivering innovative toys which promote learning, not simply branded entertainment.



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How to Buy Cheap Lego Products



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Lego’s products can be purchased from a wide range of places. If you want to browse their full product range and have access to explanatory videos and factsheets, the Lego website at lego.com is the place to go. You can just add products to your online shopping basket and then check out when you’re finished.



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Alternatively, you’ll find most of Lego’s products at major UK toy retailers like John Lewis, Toys R Us and Argos. Amazon is a good place to search for discounts on older kits and specific products. Just type in the product code or the full name, and you should find anything you need on their online store.

If you are looking for Lego games, most of them can be downloaded from electronic retailers like the Xbox Spolish styktore or Playstation.com, and you can also buy them online from retailers like GAME.

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As with most toy and game retailers, Lego runs seasonal sales. Check out their deals when Black Friday and Cyber Monday arrive, and look out for discounts over the New Year’s period as well. But sales can take place at any time of year, so bookmark the Lego HotUKDeals listings to make sure you don’t miss out.



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Lego Offers at Bargain Prices at HotUKDeals

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Buy Lego Products at Big Discounts with HotUKDeals

Lego continues to innovate and introduce cutting edge new toys for kids and adults to enjoy. They offer imaginative tie-ins with the latest and most popular movie franchises, plenty of online games and a huge selection of boxes and kits to build your own creations. Lego offers regular price reductions on its product lines, so stay tuned to their HotUKDeals pages and save money on toys and games in the future.