New LEGO "Friends" Theme

The_Brick_Builder

As a dad of three daughters, our house is filled with LEGO Belville. One of my daughters showed me the new pics of the LEGO "Friends" theme. My first reaction was the buildings were more realistic and better looking, the pieces were less juniorized, and there was more building. The figures are also smaller, and have a "Polly-Pocket doll" look to it. So what are your thoughts on this newer and improved Belville theme?

Heartlake Vet (My daughters are going to attack this set!)
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=3188-1

Butterfly Beauty Shop
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=3187-1

Mia’s Puppy House
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=3934-1

Emma’s Design Studio
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=3936-1

Stephanie’s Cool Convertible
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=3183-1

City Park Cafe
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=3061-1

Olivia’s House
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=3315-1

Heartlake Dog Show
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=3942-1

Mia’s Puppy House
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=3934-1

Stephanie’s Pet Patrol
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=3935-1

Olivia’s Tree House
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=3065-1

Olivia’s Inventor’s Workshop
http://brickset.com/detail/?Set=3933-1

LegoFanTexas

My thoughts are that my 3 year old girl turns 4 next August and will get the entire line at one point or another (on sale of course).

This line was LONG overdue... She will go nuts for this...

:)

Gee thanks Lego, get me to spend even MORE money with you!!!

drdavewatford

What are my thoughts ? I love the sets - some really interesting new parts and colours - but I'm far from convinced about the figures. I keep asking myself why they didn't use standard minifigures. The use of these new figures is a real disincentive to me and perhaps others who would otherwise have bought and enjoyed the sets and then used the figures in dioramas etc. alongside existing minifigs.

I recently blogged on this very topic if you're interested :

http://gimmelego.blogspot.com/2011/11/girls-stuff.html

What's fascinating to me is the strength of feeling that I've encountered about the new figures, both pro and con; you can see a few comments below the blog posting which maybe illustrate this point.

jagdjh

They aren't bad...definitely an improvement over Bellville. Like drdave I am not totally sold on the figures. Still think that Lego is missing the boat by making some sets that just aren't so 'boy'.

hleonffu

My daughter will go crazy for these. I am afraid to show her the pictures, although already was planning on purchasing the sets. She loves Belville and the other LEGO themes, specially the modular buildings (already build 3 models with her). This is long overdue by LEGO. I can see her using the figures with her existing Polly Pockets (as @The_Brick_Builder mentioned).

LostInTranslation

@DrDaveWatford: I keep meaning to comment on your blog but never get round to it! I am totally with you that the figs are a major negative factor for me in deciding if I'll buy these or not. Might get them for parts if they're reduced but not high on my priority list.

As a kid, I did have some Paradisa but also pirates and space. It never bothered me whether a set was intended for boys or girls, I just liked building the sets and making up stories for the characters (not much has changed in the last 20 years, it seems :)

MinifigsMe

I'm really looking forward to them! I think they're a bit too pink, but not too much so. The figs I'm not keen on, but they don't offend me, and since the scale is similar, I can just change them out. I'm really intrigued to see what little girls think of them. My 3 yr old neice loves lego (as does her aunt and mum ;-)) Although I don't like thinking of lego as being a boy toy, the reality is she'll prefer these to star wars (and probably any other less gender specific line), certainly for a few years yet anyway... I suspect she'll be a geeky girl in the long run though!
Also, I think it will be great for parents who want to buy lego for friend's daughter's but suspect if they're not already into it, they'll think there's a mistake in buying normal lego. Sounds sad to us, but I've heard the 'boys toy' a few times.
And I really can't wait for the new animals. Hedgehogs on my roads = comedy shots

MinifigsMe

(duplicate post removed)

legonut80

My little girl has just turned 3 and she already loves Lego, she has Duplo but she's more interested in all things little and loves normal minifigures. I've let her see the friends pictures and her little eyes lit up, pink big girl's lego my best friends is what she said. I think she will like the figures more than me though

krklint

I was saddened that the figures are not mini-figures. My nieces love the Harry Potter line, and they ask why there aren't more female Lego people, especially wearing police and firepeople outfits.

I'm sure the friends line will sell well, and I'm going to buy them all for my nieces, but I'm in the boat of those who keep wondering what marketing person at Lego doesn't recognize that female lego fans keep asking for more female minifigures. Btw, my way around this has been to order female heads from Lego [email protected] They may have the same face, but the girls are just happy the police force is all female :)

Duchessa

The best Lego theme aimed for girls is Paradisa, IMO. Almost everything in there is well designed, and building them is a joy. Well designed, great buildings and vehicles. They also have real minifigs, not some strange Friends/Bellville figures. I wish Lego would make more sets like that.

I will probably buy one or two Friends sets for parts, but that's it.

The_Brick_Builder

^^ Agreed. Paradisa was a fantastic theme for girls, or for a resort in a LEGO City layout.

Rollo_Tomassi

Didnt they try a boy-centric theme with different sized figures like that? Jack something? That didn't last too long either.

My little sister had a bunch of those Paradisa sets from during the time I wasn't into Legos. I might have to go down in the parent's basement and root around in her stuff and see if she still has them.

The_Brick_Builder

Yes, Jack Stone was a highly unpopular juniorized piece theme. It would be excellent if you were able to find those Paradisa sets! :)

ericjohn

I like the Friends theme, and could stomach the figures if there were more than one male figure. Surely one of these girls could have had a brother or something. I think that girls would like to have some boy figures to play with, and it would be nice to have some boy figures in the mix to get boys more interested in playing with these sets especially if they have sisters that would be playing with them.

jagdjh

Does anyone know when the Friends theme sets with be available?

Jasen

I kinda like the car in this set purely because I'm a bit tired of all the red sportscars

http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=3183-1

Bit of MOC and it could come up quite nice :)

streeker

January can't come soon enough for my girls. They absolutely love the colours and accessories. The creepy thing is that both my girls names are featured in the cast of characters, and the family bears an eerie resemblance to ours. Kind of weird but kind of perfect, too.

SutterCane

I really like the cafe. I like the bright colors and "pleasant" and fun look of the line. The figures don't really look that bad actually, but I think if they had actual minifigs I might actually get some of these sets. Still might get that cafe anyway thought.

BTHodgeman

I am an adult (male) fan of LEGO, and I think these sets are pretty cool. There is definitely a need for the "beauty salon/vet/"softer" sets" in an overall town. I agree that I don't like the figs (at least not for inclusion in a larger town), but on their own, they are not bad.

Brent

DavidRod8

With soon to have 3 daughters at home, this set spells trouble for me. On top of that, we have a Mia and an Olivia too.... Better start saving for those...

@legofantexas, we also have a 3 year that will turn 4 next August... Her birthday is on the 11th...

prevere

I still prefer regular minifigs (more customization options) for my daughter, 6. She has Darth Vader and other Imperial foes at a tea party with a custom Mary Poppins.

But I'll still buy a few of these for her. Love the old mid-2000s Belville stuff -aka the Royal Wedding Coach. Geez, those are pricey and rare.

LegoFanTexas

@DavidRod8 - wow, our little girl turns 4 on Aug 14th... Crazy, huh?

DavidRod8

Funny, I sent my wife pics of this sets and she said she didn't like the "bumps" in the chest and back area of the mini figs... I didn't see that many details...

@legofantexas that is crazy... Does your girl play with Legos? I had to buy mine some so she would let me build mine... We also have a 14 month old and another one coming in about 4 weeks so I been buying her duplo since I'm afraid the little ones would choke on them...

LegoFanTexas

@DavidRod8 - yep, she does... we got her the large pink brick box along with some Duplo. We also have a 18 month old son and a 6 year old son, but none on the way, can't afford anymore!!! :)

I'm quite sure my little girl will end up with the entire Friends line at some point, but she is young enough that I don't need to do it right away, I'll wait for sales.

legonut80

I think we will have them all in the end i might have to wait for some offers, my little girl will be 4 next october and with the duplo princess sets next year as well, whatever they will look like i'm sure she'd like those, i think it's going to be an expensive year. we have an 11 month old boy and talking of August birthdays my eldest son will be 6 on the 15th August

LegoFanTexas

How do we buy stock in Lego? ;)

BTHodgeman

haha - I've asked myself that a thousand times... Alas, TLG is a private company. GRR

LegoFanTexas

Yea, I knew that, just thought the point was worth saying...

BTHodgeman

Oh, I hear ya... :)

DavidRod8

The way that I see it now I might be stuck having to get 3 of each set as they don't like to share...

Lots of August babies... We are done with them though... We wanted a third one, but not this soon.... I figured we would wait a couple of years but oh well... We'll manage :)

prevere

Yea, I knew that, just thought the point was worth saying...

You really don't want TLG going public with stock. It would be the beginning of the end of Lego as we know it.

Whenever I buy a big collection on eBay or Craigslist - my daughter and I fight over the parts like vultures - it's pretty funny.

BigOnBricks

Looks like a big improvement over Bellville but the figures are weird. I don't get why they didn't use regular mini figures. Maybe they were going for more of a doll type thing.

DavidBrickley

The figures remind me of the Dr Who character building figures. It'll be interesting to compare the scale.