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LEGO Icons Anniversary Sets Revealed via LEGO Con 2022

Thus did LEGO Con 2022 take place this past weekend. And around the world LEGO fans and collectors marveled at the products revealed that Saturday. This may be a flowery description, but the mood does need setting. We’ll start unpacking the various unveilings from LEGO Con last June including two new LEGO Icons Anniversary sets that celebrate two of LEGO’s iconic themes.

First, we’ll look at the following LEGO Icons Anniversary sets celebrating the LEGO brick’s 90^th anniversary. There’s one for the medieval builders and another for the space explorers. At last, we see the Lion Knights’ Castle (10305) and the Galaxy Explorer (10497). Both sets fall under the new LEGO Icons theme.

As expected, these anniversary revamps of classic LEGO sets are geared for age 18+ collectors. We can expect these to arrive this coming August. But now, let’s peruse their official LEGO.com Shop product listings here:

Lion Knights’ Castle (10305)

Age 18+ | 4,514 pieces | 22 minifigures | $399.99 | Coming August 8

A long time ago there was a child who loved to build with LEGO® bricks. Now that child is grown up and there’s a new quest to enjoy. Celebrating 90 years of LEGO history, the Lion Knights’ Castle (10305) building set is a new interpretation inspired by the original LEGO Castle System and a build requested by fans for years.

A classic build reimagined – Enjoy quality time crafting all the details of this Lion Knights’ Castle (10305) buildable model, inspired by classic LEGO® castle sets from days gone by
Requested by LEGO® fans – Created to celebrate 90 years of LEGO history, this set was designed following a poll of over 55,000 respondents on the LEGO Ideas platform
4,514 pieces – Enjoy hours of mindful building as you craft all the details of this epic build. Discover details on every side, then open up the castle to explore the story-packed interior
Packed with medieval details – Raise and lower the castle’s drawbridge and portcullis, explore hidden passages, escape from the dungeon, turn the mill’s waterwheel and prepare for battle in the armory
Secret hideout – Build secret hideouts for the forest people. Drop them through the dungeon trapdoor when they invade, and help them escape through the secret passage

Galaxy Explorer (10497)

Age 18+ | 1,254 pieces | 4 minifigures | $99.99 | Preorder available, Coming August 1

Join the celebrations to mark 90 years of LEGO® creations with this nostalgic building project for adults. This anniversary collectible edition of the Classic 497 LEGO Galaxy Explorer model (10497) retains all the joy of the 1979 set but on a bigger scale.

Join the celebrations – Enjoy quality time crafting all the details of this LEGO® Galaxy Explorer (10497) model, launched to mark the 90th anniversary of LEGO creations
Inspired by the 1979 original – The spaceship retains the classic color scheme and blended delta wing configuration of the original ship and stands on its 3 retractable landing legs
Astronaut figures – The spaceship comes complete with 4 astronauts and their robot helper
Authentic accessories – Accessories include a surface rover, plus a rover compartment with tools and an extendable ramp
Detailed interior – Open the cockpit to reveal the interior, where there are seats for all 4 astronauts as well as living quarters with 2 beds, computers and storage compartments

Visit LEGO.com to recap the event highlights of LEGO Con 2022.

LEGO Icons Loop Coaster (10303) Gets Official Product Listing

Way back in 2018, LEGO wowed amusement park collector-builders with a Roller Coaster set (10261) of the Creator Expert line. Some four years later, speculation began building of a possible follow-up, with a set number even: 10303. The release date is supposed to be this mid-2022. It also means that this set will now come out under the new LEGO Icons moniker, replacing Creator Expert. Well now we can stop wondering because LEGO has made its official reveal according to Germany’s Promobricks. It won’t have the new Icons logo on the packaging yet, but that’s not really important at present.

Anyway, here we have images and information snippets for the LEGO Icons Loop Coaster (10303). If this is a follow-up of sorts to 2018’s (now-retired) Roller Coaster (10261), it’s a big step up. Where the older set featured turns and inclines, the Loop Coaster boasts more advanced track elements. By that we mean this ride has loops (naturally). Another key feature is the elevator ascent from the station. The lift carries the coaster up to the top of a 90-degree incline. That’s enough momentum to propel the ride through two loops before returning to station.

Being an 18+ Icons set, Loop Coaster will cost a pretty penny when it launches, though LEGO’s not specifying yet. Here’s some more info from the official LEGO.com product listing:

Loop Coaster (10303)

Age 18+ | 3,765 pieces | 11 minifigures | $399.99 | Coming Soon

A roller-coaster build for adults – Expand your LEGO® Fairground Collection with this collectible LEGO Loop Coaster Building Kit (10303). A project for adults and a gift idea for amusement park lovers

Power up your coaster – Designed with reality in mind, this buildable model is prepared for LEGO® Powered Up (available separately) so you can upgrade the roller-coaster with a motorized elevator

Fairground details – Accessories include a park bench with map, balloon cart, pretzel cart, hot-dog stand, height marker and a covered boarding station with opening barriers and a control panel

11 minifigures – Includes a ride operator, balloon seller, pretzel seller, hot-dog seller, a grandma, a young boy, and 5 riders. 6 of the minifigures have reversible heads to show different emotions

LEGO Creator Expert Becomes LEGO Icons in June – Packaging Rebrand Starts 2023

One significant development in the naming of LEGO themes happened back in the year 2020. That was when the brand officially retired the “Creator Expert” offshoot of LEGO Creator. The company reasoned that the naming potentially scared off potential LEGO newbies. As part of the reorganization LEGO began using the Age 18+ classification for sets formerly under Creator Expert designation. You might notice though that we still tended to mention the name in our reports. The LEGO.com Shop continued using Creator Expert in their online listings after all. But starting next month, Creator Expert will finally have a new moniker – enter LEGO Icons.

According to Brick Fanatics, the former LEGO Creator Expert line will now become LEGO Icons effective June 1. The new designation will also blanket encompass specific set subthemes that originally popped up under Creator Expert. If you recall the Botanical Collection and Modular Buildings that LEGO.com lists as Creator Expert sets, they’ll become Icons sets. That upcoming LEGO Optimus Prime (10302) will thus be known as a LEGO Icons set upon launch. Icons itself will slot under the wider “LEGO for Adults” classification of 18+ sets introduced in 2021.

LEGO’s statement on the reveal of the Icons theme is to help “adult consumers”. They note that 18+ builders tend to go for sets that either reflect their interests/passions or be deeply immersive. That being said, apparently upcoming sets will not carry the mark in product packaging until next year. We at The Brick Show might bet that the next LEGO modular-building set in 2023 will debut the Icons mark. For the moment, let’s appreciate the nifty branding as featured in the banner image at top.

New LEGO 90th Anniversary Space Set Arriving Soon

For your friendly reminder, this year is the 90^th anniversary of LEGO. That plucky Danish toy company turned global brand giant’s been a good part of the lives of children and collectors. And in celebration, LEGO’s been hyping up revivals of classic sets given fresh new design revamps. Cases in point: LEGO Classic 90 Years of Play (11021) and the upcoming Lion King’s Castle (10305). Of course, those aforementioned sets are just the beginning. In fact, there’s a rumor about a possible 90th-anniversary set in the vein of the classic Castle theme. That means a classic LEGO theme throwback is arriving soon as the LEGO 90th Anniversary Space set.

Brick Fanatics has it that a new LEGO set number’s been floating around for the Creator Expert or Icons line. According to the rumor, it’ll be a space-themed set that remakes a classic entry of that LEGO theme. The LEGO 90th Anniversary Space set number 10497 will allegedly bring a new version of the Galaxy Explorer from 1979. This classic set features a space shuttle, planetary outpost, and rover, plus astronaut minifigs. You can see from the image how bare-bones the vehicle details were back in the day. It also means that if the rumor is true, a Creator Expert or Icons treatment of the set will look extremely fine.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This is a rumor, and until LEGO makes an official reveal, we must treat it as such. There is, after all, the matter of the 90^th anniversary LEGO Castle (10305). Castle and Space were among the chosen themes voted for an anniversary set in 2022. The Castle (10305) was announced first, so one can assume it won. But maybe LEGO decided to give us more. You may be tired of hearing this by now, but it’s a matter of waiting once again.

From the Rumor Mill: LEGO Lion Knights’ Castle Set (10305) Coming August

In case you need reminding, this year 2022 marks the 90^th anniversary of LEGO. True, the LEGO brick only came to be in 1949. But we’re reckoning from the very start of the toy company founded by Ole Kirk Christiansen in Billund, Denmark. As part of celebration preparations from last year, LEGO gave adult fans a vote on what classic theme to revive. New sets from the top-voted theme/s would launch this year as part of LEGO for Adults. And as German LEGO news source Promobricks tells it, it seems that we can look forward to a revived LEGO Lion Knights’ Castle set.

From the 1980s to the early 1990s, LEGO released various castle-themed sets across multiple LEGO Knights lines. According to rumors, a LEGO Lion Knights’ Castle set will be numbered 10305, due to launch in August. It’s apparently based on the LEGO Lion Knights line from 1984, notably The King’s Castle of the Lion Knights (6080). The only other product detail this rumor has is the price: a whopping €349.99, or around $386.53 in exact conversion. It hints at two things. First, the castle build must be pretty huge. And second, it would seem only adult LEGO collectors could have that kind of cash on hand.

In closing, we’d like to remind readers that the above speculation from Promobricks should be considered a rumor and should be taken with a pinch of salt. We’ll have to wait until LEGO says something officially. Given that the rumored launch for this LEGO Lion Knights’ Castle set is slated for August, we might need to wait for a while.

LEGO Lands Multiple Nominations in 2022 Toy of the Year Awards

Every year the Toy Association honors the best products in the industry through its annual Toy of the Year Awards. It doesn’t take a follower of these events to know that LEGO is a regular nominee and awardee here. Being one of the biggest toy brands in modern history is a perk in itself. Furthermore, many of the sets they release year after year deserve nominations and wins. The 2022 Toy of the Year Awards is no exception. Of the 16 possible categories, LEGO has representation in at least eight. Some of these categories even have multiple LEGO nominees.

Here are LEGO’s 2022 nominated products:

It’s amazing that one set from LEGO’s misfiring Vidiiyo theme also made it in. Then again, that would be the Toy Association’s call. Maybe the accolade (and a possible award) may reinvigorate interest in the Vidiyo line. Who can tell? Anyway, we wish LEGO’s 2022 Toy of the Year Award nominees the best of luck.

Collectible of the Year

Construction Toy of the Year

Creative Toy of the Year

Grown-Up Toy of the Year

Playset of the Year

Preschool Toy of the Year

Specialty Toy of the Year

STEAM Toy of the Year

Vehicle of the Year