Vault Review: Lego Minifigures
– Series 1 (+ Codebreaker)

Vault


#16 Cowboy
This Cowboy may be a little loco. He comes with three guns, although he can only carry two. Maybe he can put one under his hat, which looks suspiciously like Indiana Jones’ (available for the first time in dark tan). Guess he’s planning on using all those bullets across his chest. The Longhorns belt tells me he’s not an Oklahoma cowboy. I like the new head and torso, but I would’ve liked to see a pattern on his plain, reddish brown pants. My dream of Lego chaps will have to wait another year.

Click for Printable Version

While Lego decided to blind box these figures, they also gave each package a second, unique bar code. Now, if you don’t read bar code, that’s okay because this gives any Lego enthusiast three options when buying the minifigures:

  • Simply ignore the bar codes and enjoy the random fun.
  • Track the bar codes you’ve bought to avoid buying doubles, but maintain the “suspense”.
  • Crack the code and buy the figures you want.

For myself, I did number two and three. My first time at the store, Manekochan and I sifted through the packages until we got sixteen unique bar codes. Or so we thought – when I got home, I ended up with two Super Wrestlers and no Magician. I had to go back, but I wasn’t going back without a plan. I wanted a decoder.

I knew there were a few available online for the European versions, but the United States minifigures have different bar codes. I’d struck out while looking for an easy printout of the US releases, so I did what anyone here at IAT would do, I took my fifteen packages to Noisy and had him make me a checklist.

Really, he brings it on himself. I mean, look to the right, and check out how sharp that looks. He’s practically begging to be given work. With Noisy’s Decoder in hand, I made my triumphant return to Toys R Us, found the Magician, picked up a couple extras, and rushed home to open ’em up.

The decoder didn’t really spoil anything. Even though I knew I had certain figures in my bag, it was still fun to open them up each time. I may have checked the codes at the store, but at home I enjoyed the randomness of opening up an extra robot or crash test dummy while searching for my magician. Lego has that much of a home run on their hands. I love series on and I can’t wait for series two.

If you click on the decoder, it will open in a new window and will fit on one sheet of paper. The good thing about the bar codes is that the first two-thirds of them are all the same. You only have to look at the last third (outlined here in a red box) to determine which minifigure you’re buying. You do have to pay careful attention, though, as some of them are very similar to others.

Click here to go directly to our Printable Decoder for Series 2

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53 thoughts on “Vault Review: Lego Minifigures
– Series 1 (+ Codebreaker)”

  1. Is it wrong that I think the cheerleader is hot?! LOL

    Great work on the decoder. It’ll be easier to pick a few of these up if I know which ones I’m getting. Blind boxing was a bad idea on Lego’s part.

    1. I don’t mind the blind bagging so much. If I didn’t want them all, it would be fun to just see what I got randomly.

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  3. This may not be the place to ask, but when did the Super Powers Penguin get a plane? That’s just weird. He looks stuffed into it!

    1. Thank you. I couldn’t do it without Noisy though, literally. He keeps me somewhat focused, and you know, also does this whole website programming thing.

  5. And great job on the decoder Noisy! Decoder sounds funny. I feel like we’re in a secret club.

  7. Oh Man these have just appeared on this side of the pond too, and i was looking to REDUCE the number of lines I positively, absolutely must get…….must get Ninja, must get Ninja, must get ninja, must get Ninja…..

    Crap. I’ll eat next month.

    1. It cost me about $32 for the set. But then I wanted more. That’s where I got in trouble, lol.

  8. *sigh* these aren’t out in NY yet… I need.. NEED the robot, zombie, wrestler and magician/20’s movie villain.. (and don’t think I’m not going to get 2 wrestlers/magicians for just that purpose!) also.. the cheerleader is begging to be tied to a railroad..

    1. Make sure when you check your Toys R Us that you ask someone. They were keeping ours at the Service Desk because they thought people were stealing them.

  9. I’m glad Lego put a code on the boxes. I think this is a great idea, but some of the designs are just really boring to me.

  12. Those are cool! I like the robot and the space man. Two things I wanted to grow up to be when I was a kid.

  15. what section are you finding these? in the lego section? or the collectible card game section?

  16. urm is this only for the U.S? cos if so then do u know how i would get a decoder for the U.K thanks

      1. thanks so much this is really helpful thanks a lot! urm i thought at first that european one was different from the UK one and then was gettin packets that i already had and knew and it all worked great! thanks now i can be a sad little person and decode the dummy and the cheerleader (the last ones i want) thanks again

    1. They have two bar codes on the back. A traditional one for the UPC code and a second one for the figures to be identified.

  19. You Rock!!! The decoder worked great. My son loves the set. Thanks!!! Saved me a bundle.

    1. I didn’t have to ask at ours, they were just sitting there. If you can’t find them though, it never hurts to ask if they got any in.

  21. Hey you know the cheerleader when you said’ My question is, what’s the “M” on her shirt stand for? I think it’s minifigure 🙂

  23. Thanks for the codes! I score huge Mom points for this one. Set complete…one very happy 8 yr old. Note to Canadian’s – some Walmart’s have them but they’re not always shelved with the Lego kits.

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