My younger years were spent in a few different ways: watching cartoons on our small portable TV, obsessing over Star Wars: A New Hope and building tiny buildings and cars with simple Lego bricks. Of course, Lego has changed dramatically since those days of the late 70s and now caters for a wide range of tastes and ages - and that’s where our guide to the best Lego kits for adults comes into play.
There’s a huge range of kits to build, including a model Fender Stratocaster, a Rolling Stones logo that’ll fit nicely on the wall, the famous Beatles' Yellow Submarine with mini John, Paul, George and Ringo figures, the iconic Ghostbusters ECTO-1 car and a large selection of Star Wars-related kits.
We’ve collected some of our favourite Lego kits below, so if you’re looking for a treat for yourself or a special gift, then read on.
Best Lego kits for adults: The Louder choice
As mentioned above, we’re big fans of this Lego Fender Stratocaster model. Not only do you get the chance to build this 1074-piece kit in a choice of red or black, but it comes with Fender 65 Princeton Reverb amp, stickers, a strap and adjustable whammy bar.
If you’re a video game fan, then this Lego Nintendo Entertainment System should take you on a pixelated nostalgia trip to the golden age of gaming. The NES comes with controller, a Super Mario Bros. cart and old-fashioned CRT TV which displays Mario’s platforming antics.
Best Lego kits for adults: Product guide
If your wallet won’t stretch to the real thing, or your guitar playing is as bad as mine, then this neat Lego Fender Stratocaster kit is a pretty good alternative. Included in the box is the Strat itself - which you can transform from red to black - along with a Fender 65 Princeton Reverb amp which is packed with detail. There’s a textile strap too, adjustable whammy bar, strings, a foot pedal, stickers and a stand so you can easily display the finished model.
It rocks in at 1074 pieces, so it should keep you occupied for some time. As an additional bonus, the Lego Strat also comes with a booklet describing the history of the iconic guitar.
Take trip back to in time and submerge yourself in the surreal waters of the Beatles in 1968 with Lego’s quirky take on the fabled Yellow Submarine - inspired by George Dunning’s animated film. The Fab Four are here, with John, Paul, George and Ringo represented in miniature psychedelic garb. What’s more, the band can fit inside the impressive-looking Yellow Submarine once you’ve completed the 553-piece puzzle. The package also comes with Jeremy Hillary Boob, Ph. D. who's holding a Lego apple for extra effect.
There a few more iconic rock logos than the famous Rolling Stones Hot Lips design which was created by John Pasche for Mick, Keef and co. back in 1970. It's been plastered across everything from album covers and t-shirts to bottles of gin, beach towels and bags - and has even been turned into an inflatable pool float. Now Lego have got in on the action by releasing the logo as a massive puzzle which can be wall-mounted once complete.
Before that's possible though, you'll have to sift through 1998-pieces which is a task in itself. But when you consider the only colours are black, white and red, it's going to take a bit of time. Fortunately, Lego have come up with an idea to ease the process - and by scanning a QR code on the packaging, you'll be rewarded with a Rolling Stones soundtrack.
Those of us of a certain age will remember with fondness Nintendo's 8-bit box of tricks, the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was home to a range of classics including Super Mario Bros. 3, Metroid, The Legend Of Zelda and Kirby's Adventure - all series which continue to this day through the Nintendo Switch.
This 2646-piece Lego version of the NES comes with a Super Mario Bros. cart which slots into the finished console, a replica NES controller, and an old CRT TV which can be interacted with to make Mario 'jump.'
All we need now is for Lego to go one step further and bring out a Super Nintendo version - specifically the UK/Japanese version with its rounded edges and not the box-like monstrosity that landed in North America.
We’ve mentioned the Beatles already with the eye-catching Yellow Submarine Lego kit, but if you’re after something a bit more arty, then this should fit the bill. Rather than follow the standard Lego building block design, this particular model allows you to create either John, Paul, George or Ringo from circular Lego pieces to form a portrait.
There are 2933-pieces in the box, so it should keep you occupied for some time. This Lego portrait creator also comes with a QR code which will lead you to a Beatles playlist to listen to while you work. Just be aware that if you want to display all four members on your wall, you’ll have to buy four packs.
There seems to be a distinct lack of Lego rock or metal bands around at the moment, but if you’re a jazz lover or a fan of live music, then this shining Lego Jazz Quartet will be a rewarding challenge.
The quartet features a drummer, bassist, pianist and trumpeter - and each can be posed to show off their moves. The set is made up from 1606 pieces so should keep you going through a full play of Like A River by Yellowjackets and Thrust by Herbie Hancock.
Included in the box are full assembly instructions for each member of the band, so you can build at your own pace. Nice!
The Star Wars galaxy has come a long way since the original film launched back in 1977. Just when you thought the ideas and blockbuster films would fizzle out like a wet blaster in the swamps of Dagobah, along came Disney to breath new life and ideas into the Star Wars saga with hits such as The Mandalorian, Andor, Solo, Rogue One and more. But for those of us who grew up with Luke, Leia, Han and Chewie and co., this Lego R2-D2 has pulled us in faster than the Death Star tractor beam.
It’ll take you a bit of time to build our pint-sized bleeping bin, as there are 2315 pieces to join together. R2’s head can be rotated and there’s even a hidden compartment for a lightsaber - perfect for daring rescues on Tatooine.
There are only a few movies and TV shows I can watch over and over again without any fear of being bored: Field Of Dreams, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Twin Peaks, Northern Exposure and, of course, the original Ghostbusters from 1984. So it’s only fitting that I include this marvellous Lego creation in this list of the iconic Echo-1 (or Ectomobile).
This brilliant 2352-piece model not only features working steering and its very own mini ghost trap, but it's packed with a host of paranormal detection gear on the roof and the attention to detail throughout is wonderful.
Batman's awesome Batmobile Tumbler has been given the Lego treatment thanks to this intricate 2049-piece model, making it the perfect choice for fans of the Caped Crusader. The kit comes with Lego versions of Batman and his nemesis The Joker, and both can be placed inside the finished Batmobile thanks to its fully functioning roof.
The Tumbler also comes with a stand so you display the model on a desk or shelves once finished. And don’t worry if it all looks a bit fiddly - there’s detailed instructions inside the box on how to build the vehicle from scratch. We only wish it came with functioning lights which we think would really complete the whole package.
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