{"id":10415,"date":"2010-12-06T19:15:42","date_gmt":"2010-12-07T01:15:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=10415"},"modified":"2012-05-17T22:24:20","modified_gmt":"2012-05-18T03:24:20","slug":"vault-review-lego-minifigures-series-3-decoder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=10415","title":{"rendered":"Vault Review: Lego Minifigures
– Series 3 (+ Decoder)"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>It\u2019s Christmas time, and you know what that means: Lego Minifigures Series 3 (#8803)! Just in time to be the perfect stocking stuffers, this 3rd release has a little something for everyone. But this time around it\u2019s going to be a little more difficult to find the specific ones you want. <\/p>\n

Like Lego Minifigures Series 1 and 2, Series three adds sixteen more characters and unique elements to your bricked out universe. In this wave the barcodes have been removed from the package, making finding the specific one\u2019s you want a little more difficult. The good news is that Lego has still included a sorting system, it’s just a bit more difficult to decipher than the barcode system. We’ve provided a cheat sheet for this new system at the end of this article, but I’m also going to give you some tips on what to feel for in the bag to make things a little easier.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Click here to go directly to our Printable Decoder<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Unless otherwise noted, the figures below all have new heads, torsos, and legs.<\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
#1 Fisherman<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThis old man wiles away his days sitting on the dock, watching the large ships pass as he casts his line. Keeping himself dry and warm in his knit hat and orange overalls, he\u2019s ready to wait all day for the big one. The Fisherman has a brand new beard that\u2019s made out of a soft, rubbery plastic which I bet we\u2019ll see on a Santa Clause someday. He\u2019s also got a new fishing pole with a line you can attach his catch to. Decoding Tip<\/strong>: Feel for the fish or the rope to the fishing pole.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#2 Pilot<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThe Pilot fearlessly heads into the unknown for adventure. Prepared for anything, he\u2019s got his aviator\u2019s jacket, goggles, and a parachute in case things get dire. But he\u2019s not worried, because when you\u2019ve got a mustache that voluminous, danger flees from its sight. The Pilot makes a perfect addition to the Explorer from Series 2. I can already hear them plotting their next expedition. Decoding Tip<\/strong>: Feel for the parachute and goggles. The goggles will have an indented side, unlike the banana.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#3 Chief<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThe Indian Chief is a happy guy with his new large headdress and brown version of the Spartan\u2019s spear. He\u2019s probably happy because this headdress actually has hair in the back and doesn\u2019t make him look bald. Plus he goes perfect with the Tribal Hunter from the first series. Too bad I couldn\u2019t find mine. My Chief will just have to keep himself content by stalking the local cowboys. Decoding Tip<\/strong>: The headdress is very large and easy to feel.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#4 Samurai<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThe Samurai warrior is a noble fighter from an ancient time. Unlike the cowardly Ninja, the Samurai live by codes of conduct and rules of engagement. Wrapped in a printed ceremonial robe, the Samurai keeps his armor and katana close and in a respected place for when battle is needed. Decoding Tip<\/strong>: Feel for the sword or armor, which can be squished slightly by squeezing.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#5 Snowboarder<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThis snowboarding girl races down the mountain with her brand new board. Molded in a dark blue with hot pink and light blue snowflakes printed on it, her board easily matches her outfit and helmet. So watch out skier from series two, because this girls tearing up the powder and leaving anyone behind her stuck in the slush. Decoding Tip<\/strong>: The snowboard is easy to feel with both ends curving upward.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#6 Cyborg<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThe Cyborg is my second favorite figure from this series. Not only has his entire right side been altered with superior technology, but he\u2019s also wearing the Blacktron uniform. That\u2019s right, Blacktron has survived! One of the most feared groups in the galaxy is back with their own new ray guns and enhanced cybernetic warriors. Can the new Space Police handle this techno threat? Decoding Tip<\/strong>: The only unique part to feel for is his robot hand.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#7 Sumo Wrestler<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThe Sumo Wrestler may not look much bigger than a normal minifigure, but he still pack a wallop when he\u2019s pushing his opponent off the mat. This is the first time we\u2019ve gotten the fat naked yellow chest piece for a Lego minifigure. Also, you can tell the Sumo Wrestler isn\u2019t happy. It\u2019s probably because he only got a bronze trophy and not the gold one the Karate Master from series two received. Decoding Tip<\/strong>: The trophy is small and a little difficult to feel, but you can also try for the knob on his hairpiece.\/td><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#8 Mummy<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThe Mummy makes the newest addition to the group of horror figures in the series. Now the Vampire from series two and the Zombie from series one have someone to talk with. This Mummy is different from a normal mummy though. First, his skin is green. Second, his bandages are ice cream white. I guess even if you\u2019re undead, it doesn\u2019t mean you have to be dirty. The Mummy also comes with his pet scorpion. Or is it the scorpion that killed him? Decoding Tip<\/strong>: Feel for the scorpion.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#9 Elf<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThe Elf is my favorite minifigure in this series. The Lego Fantasy series was near perfect with its undead skeletons, evil trolls, and hearty dwarfs, but it was always missing elves. But now these noble forestmen can defend the Kingdom with their brand new longbows and large shields emblazoned with a stag. Plus, an all new hairpiece with pointy ears sets them apart from their human brethren. Decoding Tip<\/strong>: Feel for the longbow\u2019s unique shape.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#10 Tennis Player<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nWith her skirt and polo shirt, this Tennis Player is ready to kick some brick. She\u2019s got a confident look on her face and you can tell she\u2019s about to literally serve a defeat with her brand new racket. So you\u2019d better get two of her, or she\u2019ll be launching balls at all your other minifigures without remorse until she gets a partner. The look on her face is also great for mixing with other figures on this list for a confident Pilot, Baseball Player, or even Indian Chief. Decoding Tip<\/strong>: Feel for the racket.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n


\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
#11 Racecar Driver<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThis Racer\u2019s life is going great! Not only is his official sponsor Octan, the preferred fuel company in the Lego Universe, but he\u2019s also got an extra hair piece for when he takes his helmet off. Because no one wants helmet hair for their victory photos. Something else I found interesting is his belt reveals his name to be N. Groves. Decoding Tip<\/strong>: He\u2019s the only figure with a helmet and hair, so feel for both.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#12 Gorilla Suit<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nHe\u2019s not actually a Gorilla, you know? He\u2019s really a minifigure in a gorilla suit. You can tell by the zipper on his back, and you know, the removable mask. But it sure is hard being a gorilla. The suit is hot and stuffy and the poor guy inside is sweating bullets. Actually, he\u2019s not looking so good and I don\u2019t think that giant banana he comes with is going to help. Decoding Tip<\/strong>: Feel for the banana, but be careful not to confuse it with the Pilot\u2019s goggles.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#13 Alien<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nI\u2019ve seen this ugly mug before. He\u2019s one of the alien races in the new Space Police series. But this guy\u2019s got a couple new tricks up his sleeve. First, he\u2019s wearing a brand new purple space suit. Second, he\u2019s got a gold ray gun in the same style as the Spaceman from series one. I don\u2019t know how dangerous that purple beam is, but I\u2019d stay away from it. Decoding Tip<\/strong>: The head is the most distinct thing to feel for.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#14 Hula Dancer<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nWhen you arrive at the Lego tropical islands, these young pretty girls are there to greet you with maracas. The grass skirt she wears is a first and is made from the same material that they use for capes. It looks great on her and adds to the bikini top, lei, and printed flower in her hair. Speaking of hair, this is a brand new hair piece with the hair falling over the front right shoulder. It looks great, but she can\u2019t move her head with it on. Decoding Tip<\/strong>: Feel for the two maracas, but don\u2019t confuse them with the Rapper\u2019s mic.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#15 Rapper<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nThis minifigure thinks he\u2019s too cool for school with his retro 80\u2019s sunglasses, ironic ball cap, low riding jeans, giant gold necklace with a dollar sign, and gold teeth. Hmmm, he looks familiar to me. I wonder if he\u2019s the minifigure who married the Pop Singer from series two? Well he\u2019s out on his own now, laying down hits with the new gold trimmed boombox. Who plays tapes anymore? Decoding Tip<\/strong>: Feel for the mic, but don\u2019t confuse him with the Hula Girl who has two maracas.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
#16 Baseball Player<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nWalking up to the plate is the star player of the LegoVille Clutchers. This assured baseball player in his red and white striped jersey is ready to hit one out of the park with the new baseball bat element. Plus, his new ball cap element with a curved bill and molded seams is perfect for keeping the sun off his eyes. Get enough of these guys and you\u2019ll have a team. Now if they just had someone to play against. Decoding Tip<\/strong>: Feel for the bat.<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n\n\n

\nClick for Printable Version<\/em><\/caption>\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Even<\/a> though the barcodes have been removed from the packages, there are still ways to root out what\u2019s inside. On at the bottom on the back of each package is a series of slightly raised dots. Each figure has its own unique set of dots. They can be difficult to see, but we have compiled a new cheat sheet to point you in the right direction. This, in combination with the decoding tips I gave for feeling the bags should help you find, or at least narrow down your search for the figures you are looking for.<\/p>\n

If you save this decoder and print it from a picture viewing program “as is” (no enlarging\/scaling to fit) it should print to scale with the packages to let you compare between the decoder and the packages easier.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like the previous two waves, I\u2019m really happy with series three. I\u2019m really glad we finally got an Elf character, and I\u2019m hoping for a female Elf in future waves. I was also glad to see new parts like the Fisherman\u2019s smaller beard and pole. Plus, I love the guy in a gorilla suit. That was a very cool idea on Lego\u2019s part. What I didn\u2019t like seeing was the loss of the barcode system and the increase to $3 a figure. The higher price is especially bad when you don\u2019t know exactly what you\u2019re getting, which translates into buying more than you really wanted. I love these figures, but they need to stay a reasonable price.<\/p>\n

Also, we\u2019d like to leave you with a preview of things to come. A first look at the early pics of Lego Minifigures Series 4.<\/p>\n

<\/center><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s Christmas time, and you know what that means: Lego Minifigures Series 3 (#8803)! Just in time to be the perfect stocking stuffers, this 3rd release has a little something for everyone. But this time around it\u2019s going to be a little more difficult to find the specific ones you want.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6018,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[126,34,10],"tags":[810,662,811,812,663,2577,544,809],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.itsalltrue.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/legoTN.jpg?fit=50%2C50","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pObc6-2HZ","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13958,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=13958","url_meta":{"origin":10415,"position":0},"title":"Vault Review: LEGO Minifigures – Series 5 (+ Decoder)","date":"August 15, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Over the weekend our local ToysRUs received their first batch of LEGO Minifigures Series 5. I\u2019d been anticipating this for the last couple weeks, making sure to visit each time they got a new truck in. Friday night paid off and I spent way too long deciphering dots and crinkling\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Lego"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16587,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=16587","url_meta":{"origin":10415,"position":1},"title":"Vault Review: LEGO Minifigures Series 6 (+ Decoder)","date":"February 2, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"LEGO Minifigures Wave Six has been showing up all over the last couple weeks. Thanks to my local ToysRUs I was able to snag a complete set with relatively little hassle this time around. We have our decoder ready to go, but this time it\u2019s we\u2019re doing things a little\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Lego"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5750,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=5750","url_meta":{"origin":10415,"position":2},"title":"Vault Review: Lego Minifigures – Series 1 (+ Codebreaker)","date":"May 24, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"I was never content with the complacent yellow faces Lego men had when I was a kid. I still remember the first time I saw the Pirates theme in the 90s. These Lego men, although still smiling, now had beards, stubble, and sideburns \u2013 not to mention an occasional hook\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Lego"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12096,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=12096","url_meta":{"origin":10415,"position":3},"title":"Vault Review: Lego Minifigures – Series 4 (+ Decoder)","date":"March 21, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"I made a great discovery Friday night. \u00a0Our local Toys R Us set out its first box of LEGO Minifigures Series 4! \u00a0Luckily my girlfriend was with me, (she's always much better at picking these out than I am) and we spent a while up at the Service Desk feeling\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Lego"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":18742,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=18742","url_meta":{"origin":10415,"position":4},"title":"Vault Review: LEGO Minifigures Series 7 (+ Decoder)","date":"May 15, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Usually I first see and pick up my set of minifigures at Toys R Us, but this time it seems they\u2019re hitting all the stores at the same time. The first ones I found were at Wal-Mart, but over the next couple days both my TRU and Target also got\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Lego"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8847,"url":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/?p=8847","url_meta":{"origin":10415,"position":5},"title":"Vault Review: Lego Minifigures – Series 2 (+ Codebreaker)","date":"August 20, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Following on the popular success of the Lego Minifigures Series One (#8683) is the next wave of awesomeness. Lego Minifigures Series 2 (#8684) is as equally diverse as the first series, but with slightly more catering towards City theme fans this time around. With another sixteen figures to add to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Lego"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10415"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10415"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10415\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18795,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10415\/revisions\/18795"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6018"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.itsalltrue.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}