Series 7 of the BrickLink Designer Program is heavily weighted towards medieval builds once again, so here are six of the best LEGO Castle models in the running this time round.
At what point will the LEGO Group admit defeat and rebrand this crowdfunding scheme as the Castle Designer Program? It surely can’t be too far away now, given a whopping 104 of the 376 submissions in Series 7 – or 28% of the overall total – fall under the Medieval/Castle banner. From flagship fortresses to smaller side builds and even unique twists on the theme, there’s plenty for LEGO Castle fans to get stuck into here.
If you don’t have the time or inclination to sift through dozens of potential LEGO sets, though, we’ve done the hard work and picked out six of the best designs in Series 7 of the BrickLink Designer Program. The crowd support phase for this series is open until February 21, at which point the LEGO Group will check through all the designs and determine the finalists based on their votes, brand fit and building experience.
We’ll find out which five sets have made the cut – and will progress to the crowdfunding phase – on March 17. Head here to check out all 376 submissions in Series 7 and vote for your favourites, or keep reading for the historical highlights…
The Island Castle
Designer: christromans Pieces: 3,807 Stickers: 1 BrickLink: Vote now
Designer christromans serves up something a little different for LEGO Castle: a fortress on the water. It’s something we’ve seen here and there from the LEGO Group over the years for various factions, and in Pirates too, but never for the Lion Knights, who are the centre of this build and its overarching narrative. The pitch is that the Lion Knights have been forced to flee their stronghold – perhaps in the wake of a siege by the Black Falcons – and have wound up seeking refuge on a distant island.
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Alchemist’s Shop
Designer: Shram Pieces: 2,126 Stickers: 1 BrickLink: Vote now
There are quite a few fantasy-themed medieval builds among the Series 7 submissions, and within those at least a couple hooked to alchemy, but it’s Shram’s Alchemist’s Shop that arguably has the strongest visual presence. That’s thanks not only to its warm and inviting colour scheme, but also the wonderful oversized potion bottle integrated into the roof (and its smaller matching counterpart atop the wagon).
This one also has a nice aesthetic link with the retired 21325 Medieval Blacksmith, even borrowing its roof tiling pattern, so would scale nicely with what is otherwise an outlier set in the wider LEGO Castle pantheon at the minute.
Dragon Attack
Designer: _TLG_ Pieces: 2,986 Stickers: 2 BrickLink: Vote now
Not all LEGO Castle-themed builds need to be actual fortresses, and _TLG_’s Dragon Attack is a great example of something a little different in the BrickLink Designer Program. This isn’t the first time they’ve submitted this giant fire-breathing beast to the program, but this time round they’ve tweaked the design of the dragon and added a small accompanying tower to give it a little bit more of a medieval flavour.
While the LEGO Group has put out one of its best-ever dragons recently in 31161 Medieval Dragon, that Creator 3-in-1 set would pale in size and significance next to Dragon Attack if this one makes it through. We have a feeling most of the BrickLink community’s focus is going to be on buildings, though.
Scarlet Bastion
Designer: moccermommy Pieces: 3,990 Stickers: 0 BrickLink: Vote now
Proving not all LEGO castles need to be huge slabs of grey (a little like SleeplessNight’s Adventure in Translyvania in Series 5), moccermommy’s Scarlet Bastion paints its walls in deep red and orange tones, then surrounds them with white trees and autumn leaves. It’s an inviting concept that also manages to pull away from the stable of Lion Knights, Forestmen and Wolfpack builds across recent series (save for a single cameo squirrelled away in the base).
This one’s already attracting plenty of comments from the BrickLink crowd, so could stand to be a firm fan favourite. That isn’t the only factor the LEGO Group considers when selecting the finalists, but it does help…
Mounted Castle
Designer: enowicki10 Pieces: 1,061 Stickers: 0 BrickLink: Vote now
If space is short and cash is king, look no further than enowicki10’s Mounted Castle. Coming in at just 1,061 pieces, this wall-mounted build takes advantage of LEGO Art’s hanger pieces to offer a colourful castle that won’t require shelf space to display. The designer’s intention was apparently not only to save space but also to create the impression of a castle ‘high in the mountains’.
Several parts of the model – including the trees protruding from either side – can also be removed and reconfigured to allow multiple sets to be connected together if you so choose. This one will probably be overlooked next to the bigger builds, but it’s worth checking out for its unique concept and execution.
Wizard’s Tower
Designer: zegel0802 Pieces: 2,493 Stickers: 4 BrickLink: Vote now
This isn’t the Wizard’s Tower’s first rodeo in the BrickLink Designer Program, but creator zegel0802 will be hoping the changes they’ve made to the model this time round are enough to help it find favour among the community – and with the BrickLink team responsible for choosing the finalists. It’s starting from a strong position too, incorporating unusual angles into a design that gives it a unique visual identity.
There’s plenty to discover when going hands-on, meanwhile, with a hinged design and removable roofs to access the detailed interior. A knob situated at the base of the tree can even bring it to life, adding a hint of magic to a build anchored around LEGO Castle’s iconic Majisto character.
Let us know your favourite LEGO medieval and castle builds in Series 7 of the BrickLink Designer Program in the comments.
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