Unlike the Character Encyclopedia we took a look at, this book is less focused on the character of the Minifigures and is more in line with other reference books that Dorling Kindersley is known for. It’s a pretty hefty beast, being much larger in all dimensions than the previous books. It won’t even fit on my shelves! This 255-page behemoth covers so much that I can barely think where to begin but why not follow the formula that works and check out the Minifigures!

That’s right, Minifigures, plural! Unlike most DK books, which only come with one Minifigure, this one comes with three! I believe the idea was to pick out three well known “iconic” Minifigures. As such, we are treated to a Townsperson, a Robber and a Stormtrooper. The Townsperson is the very definition of generic, sporting a plain red body and the iconic, yet strangely vacant, smiley face that was the standard for at least a decade. The Robber is a neat little Minifig, one that only debuted last year in a City theme set.  The Stormtrooper is also from 2012 as it is the latest redesign for a Minifigure that’s been around since 2001. 12 years is a long time to be around so I can understand his inclusion here.

The book itself does exactly what it says on the tin, following a linear year by year retrospective from 1978 to the early part of this year. The sheer volume of information and images in this book is astounding. I can only guess that the author, Daniel Lipkowitz, was either doing this for a year straight or had a time of researchers helping. I couldn’t sit down with this and abosrob all the information in one sitting, it was three or four. While the digest-sized Character Encyclopedia could be skimmed through in a night, this is a much bigger commitment.

One thing that I couldn’t escape from while reading was the waves upon waves of nostalgia that I felt as I flicked through the pages and smiled at Minifigs from my childhood. Ice Planet 2002, Aquanauts, Extreme Team, and the earliest LEGO Star Wars sets. All of them were a big part of my childhood and it makes me smile to see them again.

Early in the book, they state outright that some LEGO figs do not count as Minifigures and won’t be covered but I guess they changed their minds because the recent MiniDolls of the Friends theme still get covered a little. And I’m happy to report that the Team GB minifigures get a look in too!

LEGO Minifigure Year by Year: A Visual History is a nostalgic thrillride and a perfect coffee table book (because it won’t fit on your shelf!) for any LEGO fan, toy collector, pop culture buffs and even kids. At £25.00 RRP, it may seem steep but it’s worth every penny!

I’d like to take a moment to thank Dorling Kindersley for the opportunity to review these books and recommend you head over to their website, where you can currently get this book for 30% off, and check out the rest of their range!

Published by resource book kings Dorling Kindersley, the LEGO Minifigures Character Encyclopedia was released on May 1st 2013 to coincide with the release of the 10th Series of the collectible Minifigure blindbags and, thus, covers every character from Series 1 to the 10th. The book is a thick piece, dedicating pages to not just each individual Minifigure but also each series, the sub-groups throughout the line and a nice little information piece on how a Minifigure is designed and created as a physical toy. Speaking of, this wouldn’t be a DK LEGO book without some LEGO to go with it, would it?

The Toy Soldier is an exclusive Minifigure added solely for this book. He’s a fun little addition to the theme overall though he’s not one I’d have picked up if he was in one of the blindbag series. He’s a little plain and not to my personal tastes but I see the merit in him. He’s got bold colours and the extra printing on his legs and arms really sell his look. I also like the little detail of his wind-up key in his back. If I had any real problem with him, it’d be that he doesn’t come with the baseplate that all other Minifigures do so I hope you have a spare one lying around.

Back to the book itself; the pages are split into the various series in release order, with introductory pages for each and fun little pages interspersed about minifigures that share a common theme, such as beach lovers, musicians or even monsters. Each Minifigure features stats, their likes and dislikes, interesting trivia notes and great CG renders of the figures themselves.

And this is great. It’s a fun little guide to your favourite Minifigures. But as I was flicking through, something dawned on me. There was something missing… And then I realised that the Team GB Minifigures are completely absent from this book. They’re a notable series but I can only surmise that their lack of inclusion has to do with the fact that they were licensed specifically for the London 2012 Olympics and were exclusive to the UK. Such a shame too.

In summary, I can highly recommend this book. The LEGO Minifigures Character Encyclopedia is an informative, funny and essential reference guide for any LEGO collector. It’s especially useful if you just want to have a quick check on Minifigs you need and not refer to Brickipedia constantly.