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Aside from the brick itself, nothing in the LEGO universe is more iconic than the beloved minifigure (AKA, minifig). And while these yellow guys and gals might be tiny, they have a big history.
Have you ever wondered about the major milestones for these little figures? You've come to the right place. We're highlighting every important moment in the history of minifigs, from their introduction in 1978 to going jumbo-sized in 2023.
1958: The Birth of LEGO (But No Minifigs Yet)
Although The LEGO Group was founded in 1932, the world didn't meet the LEGO minifigures that we know and love until 1958. This is the year that the LEGO brick, with its interlocking design, was patented.
While this is the birth of the brick, LEGO fans still wouldn't see the minifigure come on the scene for another 20 years.
1978: We Meet the First Minifigs
LEGO Perfection takes time, so it makes sense that LEGO didn't grace us with the first minifigure until 1978. The Police Officer Minifigure had the honor of being the very first to appear in LEGO builds, while the first female minifig was a medical professional that appeared in the Ambulance and Medic's Car Classic Towns sets.
The form of these first minifigs is identical to the minifigures of today. However, the design was much simpler, as they rocked modest faces consisting of two dot eyes and a curved line for a smile. Since then, we've seen LEGO minifigure faces include much more detail.
1979: Male Minifigures Get Hair
While the female LEGO minifigs of the time had long black hair, we can assume that all male LEGO minifigures before 1979 were bald. We'll never know for sure though because they all wore hats. However, LEGO is all about giving us options, so it started making a male hairpiece in 1979, that minifigures could wear as an alternative to hats.
1989: Pirate Minifigures Introduce More Details
LEGOIt took a decade, but LEGO minifigs started getting more detailed with the Pirate minifigures that were introduced in 1989. These swashbuckling figures included different facial expressions, facial hair, and body parts. Hello, peg legs and hook hands.
While not every future LEGO minifigure would come equipped with a peg leg, they did start to display more facial details than the figures that came before them.
1990: Minifigs Get Access to Dresses and Ghosts
LEGO The days of only wearing pants were gone for LEGO minifigures. In 1990, LEGO gave female minifigures the option to wear dresses. Who says LEGO minifigs don't have a passion for fashion?
In addition to adding dresses to the world of LEGO, 1990 also saw the introduction of a spooky glow-in-the-dark ghost minifig. This was not only the first ghost to be introduced, but it was also the first time we saw a glow-in-the-dark LEGO element.
1993: Minifigs Can Rock a Beard
The LEGO hairpiece let minifigs start rocking hair in 1979. But it wasn't until 1993 that these little LEGO people could also wear beards. It might have taken a while, but it was worth the wait.
The wizard minifigure named Majisto, Cerlin, Merlin, or Pokus (depending on the region) came out with a long white beard that was just as majestic as the character's name would have you believe.
1997: Minifigs Go Digital
LEGO September 26, 1997, was a big day in the LEGO universe. It marked the first time that minifigures had their own video game (at least in the United States). LEGO Island was a game for Microsoft Windows where you can play as five different LEGO minifigures, each with various skills.
In this open-world game, players explore LEGO Island, build vehicles, and complete side quests that help one of the main characters, a pizza boy named Pepper Roni, stop an escaped prisoner known as the Brickster. By 1999, the game had sold nearly one million copies and earned positive reviews from both critics and players.
1999: LEGO Minifigs Go to a Galaxy Far, Far Away
The last year of the 20th century marked the first time that LEGO launched licensed Star Wars minifigures with the LEGO Star Wars sets. This momentous event also marked another LEGO first: The brand literally broke the mold when it created Jar Jar Binks because it came with a unique head mold.
Clearly, the relationship between LEGO and Star Wars was a winning one. Today, there are over 1,300 Star Wars minifigs, according to BrickLink.
2001: Minifigs Become Two-Faced (In a Good Way)
It's not usually good to be called two-faced, but in the case of LEGO minifigures, it just leads to more fun and possibilities. In 2001, LEGO introduced double faces with reversible heads, allowing builders to swap up their minifigs expressions to match more moods.
2004: Skin Tone Changes for (Some) LEGO Minifigs
LEGOWhen you think of the iconic minifigure, a yellow face likely comes to mind. However, all licensed minifigures today feature flesh-toned skin as opposed to the classic yellow.
This change in coloration occurred in conjunction with the release of the Harry Potter LEGO minifigures in 2004. You could say we have Harry, Ron, and Hermione to thank for this lasting change.
2009: LEGO Minifigs Get Smaller
Okay, microfigures aren't technically minifigures, but they're so fun that we're going to mention them anyway. These little guys are just two bricks tall (compared to the standard minifigs with a height of four bricks). They were introduced as part of LEGO Games in 2009, and we're so glad they were.
2010: The Collectible Minifig Series Comes Out
LEGOThere once was a time when minifigures only came in LEGO sets, but the brand knew how much people loved these little guys and gals. To help its loyal customers satisfy their desire for minifigures, LEGO introduced the Minifigure Collectors line in 2010.
Collectors went crazy upon the release of this product line, and these collectibles are still just as popular today.
2014: Minifigs Hit the Big Screen
LEGO minifigs had already made their video game debut, but they didn't reach the big screen until 2014. The LEGO Movie was a blockbuster success and spawned other hits like The LEGO Batman Movie and The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part.
2016: LEGO Babies and LEGO Wheelchairs Hit the Scene
LEGO2016 was a big year for LEGO for more than one reason. The first was that minifigures welcomed a new family member in the form of an adorable LEGO baby minifig. This figure first appeared in the Fun in the Park set on June 1.
The second milestone was the addition of a minifigure in a LEGO wheelchair in the same set, which made the world of minifigs a much richer reflection of the real world. This wasn't the first LEGO wheelchair, as the brand offered buildable and DUPLO options. However, it was the first molded wheelchair designed for LEGO minifigs.
2022: Diversity Is the Name of the Game
LEGOYou could say that 2022 was the year of diversity for LEGO minifigs. For starters, the Table Foosball set contained minifigs with hearing aids, one with vitiligo, and a whole spectrum of skin tones. It provided great representation and allowed builders to customize their minifigures in ways they never could before.
Speaking of customization, LEGO also started experimenting with an online Minifigure Factory. While it's not currently up and running, you can check out the Build a Mini tower at your local LEGO Store to create customized minifigures.
2023: The Minifig Gets a Growth Spurt at 45
LEGOTurning 45 is a big deal, so LEGO decided to celebrate it by giving the classic minifigure a growth spurt. The Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure looks just like the one you can find on the LEGO Campus in Billund. As a fun surprise, the hat hides a standard-size minifigure operating the giant.
Could this be LEGO's way of telling us it has big ideas for the future?
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