We're only a week into the Lego Ideas Pokémon Trading Card competition, and already the field is stacked with amazing builds. This contest, announced on March 31, invites fans to submit Lego Ideas builds that have the chance to be made into a real Lego model in the new Pokémon line.
Specifically, Lego wants a Pokémon TCG card build showcasing a fan-favorite Pokémon like Gyarados or Metagross. The contest runs until May 6, at which point fans will be able to vote on a shortlist of up to five models.
Not only will the winner see their design fully realized as a commercially available Lego product, they'll also receive 10 complimentary copies and 1% of the total sales. Runners-up will get free Lego kits, such as the new Lego Eevee set.
With 27 days still remaining in the contest, I expect there are some stunning builds coming up, still in the planning stages, but already there are some impressive creations well worth showcasing.
For instance, Lego YouTuber hachiroku24 has turned out this impressive Gyarados model, bursting out of the waves with his tail still submerged in an underwater cave. I particularly love how neatly the mouth fits together. If the stunning look of this thing wasn't enough, it even moves with the help of gears!
This isn't even the only great Gyarados. A user named Thornbeard has a fantastic build, displaying this sea serpents in all his majesty. The card frame here is a bit minimalist, but that's a very faithful representation of this Pokémon. It looks more like a Gyarados than the official Pikachu looks like a Pikachu.
Going for a more 'Lego Art' look, ShibaInRed's lovely Tyranitar model may not be bursting from the frame, but its use of color and shadow makes it absolutely something I would hang on my wall.
We could go on and on, but we have to stop eventually. Just one more, then, and I really like the elegance of ElderCalculatingCarrot103's Chandelure model. You wouldn't even know at first glance that this was a Lego build, it's just so tidy.
It would be pretty cool if this collaboration went both ways. Many years ago, there was a Pokémon Snap, 'photography' contest, where fans could submit their shots in the game to have them turned into a real Pokémon card. Funnily enough, those that survived are now among the rarest, most expensive Pokémon cards of all time