The idea behind LEGO Ideas is brilliant. Step 1: Put a call out to LEGO builders to pitch and design their dream sets. Step 2: Have LEGO fans vote on their favorites. Step 3: Make the winning builds into official sets. Step 4: Split the profits and the credit with the original creator. By giving fans the opportunity to invest in not only in the creation of something but also in its economic success, LEGO has created a business model that's as close to 'can't fail' as possible.
LEGO Ideas also pushes LEGO to adapt. If the proposed set is weird or idiocyncratic, then the build will be similarly unconventional. It gives birth to ideas that might otherwise never be pitched at all. If you know the audience for it exists, it's easier to take a risk on a Ship in a Bottle or a Steamboat Willie.
Since 2010, there have been 76 LEGO Ideas sets, 53 of which are currently retired. Here are the best LEGO Ideas sets that are currently available for purchase.
For the blurb-averse, the side-scrolling catalog above has all of our picks in it. If you want more info and details about each one, though, keep on reading.
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