By William Goodman
LEGO is for everyone. That’s a statement that feels inherently simplistic or overly reductive, but it’s true nonetheless. As the building toy has continued to grow in popularity, children of all ages have found sets that speak to or are well-suited to them. And, as LEGO’s offerings grow, they’ve expanded into the world of pop culture. Sure, there are still plenty of City or Space sets to fulfill those builders’ dreams, but there are also a handful of branded offerings from massive pop culture franchises.
However, with so many options, it can be a little tricky to figure out which one to invest in — but luckily, we’re here to help. With the holidays right around the corner, here are a bunch of great, The Beat-approved sets from the world of DC, Marvel, Star Wars, video games, and more. With plenty to choose from, you may need to brace your wallet accordingly in case you decide you want, well, all of them.
Darth Vader Helmet
LEGO’s done a few different versions of helmets; we really like the Darth Vader one because of how striking it looks on a shelf, but also because Darth’s whole, you know, look is one of the most iconic in all of pop culture. It’s a great set for intermediate builders or those who don’t want something that feels like a “toy,” even though we know it is. And that’s half the fun!
Buy it on Amazon
The Great Deku Tree 2-in-1
Long-rumored, this is easily LEGO’s most hyped and anticipated release of the year, the Great Deku Tree is, as advertised, a two-for-one set that incorporates different setups from two of the most memorable Legend of Zelda titles: Ocarina of Time and Breath of the Wild. A mainstay across both titles, the Great Deku tree is a source of wisdom for Link throughout his journeys, and LEGO allows builders to choose their preferred iteration—right down to mini-figures for both versions, including Link and Zelda from Breath and both young and old Link from Ocarina. You may end up blinking a bit at that price, but the dual builds and the detailing on the mini-figure builds help to make that cost a little more palatable.
You can’t buy it on Amazon, but you can buy an LED light kit accessory!
The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell
One of LEGO’s biggest sets ever, Rivendell, comes in a trilogy (see what I did there) of sections that all assemble into a larger creation of Elrond’s high-council. A staggering 15-character mini-figures flesh out the full Fellowship in their last moment of respite before heading out on the possible task. The build experience here is quite substantial and can easily take a while if you pace it accordingly, with strong attention to detail — whether it be the elven weapon forge or the transparent bricks that evoke the flowing streams of the idyllic haven. The only missing thing is some of Howard Shore’s score to set the mood while you build.
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Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City
LEGO’s continued to roll out a few art-forward sets over the last couple of years—i.e., the Van Gogh Starry Night is a prime example of this—and now they’re expanding the line into branded offerings. The tried and true and much-beloved art deco style of Batman: The Animated Series comes to life with a stunning three-dimensionality thanks to this set that depicts the Gotham skyline. Little cutaways underneath the buildings give way to easter eggs for Batman all kinds of ages. Plus, you can hang it on the wall afterward and show it off to an impressive effect.
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X-Men: The X-Mansion
Can you hear it? The X-Men: The Animated Series theme song playing in the background? If you don’t yet, putting together this set from the world of X-Men ‘97 will certainly cause you to hum it. The mansion includes plenty of nods to the series and your favorite cast of mutants like Wolverine, Storm, Rogue, and more. Plus, there’s even a Sentinel for everyone to face off against — or if you’re looking to recreate that moment with Gambit from the first season of X-Men ‘97.
Avengers Tower
If the X-Men aren’t your flavor of superhero team, MCU fans will find lots to love in the impressive Avengers Tower set. Complete with really cool details—like Iron Man’s crane arms, a window for Hulk to hang off, and more—to re-create moments from the Avengers movies, the tower stands over 35.5 inches tall and boasts 31 minifigure—including Kevin Feige himself. Just make sure you’ve got enough room to show off in all its majestic glory. It’s what Tony Stark would want, after all.
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The Razor Crest
While The Mandalorian’s Razor Crest is, uh, well, currently exploded, his loss is your gain with this extensively detailed set. The best way to think about this one it’s basically a model kit for the ship but made out of LEGO instead of the other components of a model kit. The engine block comes off and allows for looks inside the cargo bay. Plus, there are a lot of other neat little easter eggs throughout the building process itself, which makes this one quite a lot of fun to complete.
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Dancing Groot
Sometimes you want something simple, yet fun. This dancing Groot set bridges the gap in a nice way, offering some playability to it (there’s a gear in the back you can move to, well, make Groot move) while still looking great on a shelf or bookcase. Plus, he comes with a few different accessories for builders to customize him as they see fit. The music for dancing, however, is sold separately.
Buy it on Amazon
PAC-MAN Arcade
Okay, let’s address this at the top. You can’t actually play this PAC-MAN arcade cabinet, but you can simulate elements of playing the old classic. Pressable buttons and even a light-up coin slot help to make this come to life in an exciting way for fans of the original or builders who are looking for an atypical build experience. Plus, builders can remove the back panel to see all the inside mechanics of how it works, as it’s a combination of both traditional and non-traditional LEGO bricks.
Buy it on Amazon
Back to the Future Time Machine
The thing about Back to the Future is that it’s often hard to figure out which version of the DeLorean is the best, but LEGO fans won’t have to make a decision with this set. The detailed version of the beloved time machine includes a light-up brick for the Flux Capacitor, Mr. Fusion, fold-down wheels, and much more. With Doc and Marty mini-figures, imagination won’t need any . . . roads.
[All of these products are chosen independently by staff. This site uses affiliate links and we may earn a small commission from them.]
