Lego Fusion was a Lego theme that combined standard Lego bricks with a mobile

app App, Apps or APP may refer to: Computing * Application software * Mobile app, software designed to run on smartphones and other mobile devices * Web application or web app, software designed to run inside a web browser * Adjusted Peak Performan ...

(for

iOS iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...

and Android) that was designed to interact and communicate with the build models according to the principle of

augmented reality Augmented reality (AR) is an interactive experience that combines the real world and computer-generated content. The content can span multiple sensory Modality (human–computer interaction), modalities, including visual, Hearing, auditory, hap ...

. The theme was first introduced on 1 August 2014 and exclusively in North America only. It was eventually discontinued by the end of July 2015.

Overview

The Lego Fusion product line focuses on the combination of construction sets and game app to create the digital worlds with the smart-phones or tablets. This has been described by The Lego Group as "fluid play". Users create their own 2D models and scan by using an app named Lego Fusion. The product line includes Lego Fusion toy sets that each contain Lego bricks, Fusion capture plate and connect to the app. The toy sets are marketed at children aged 7 to 12 years old.

Development

Lego Fusion was developed by Lego Future Lab, Lego Fusion was invented as a way to marry digital and analog play. Lego Future Lab also used Qualcomm's

Vuforia Vuforia is an augmented reality software development kit (SDK) for mobile devices that enables the creation of augmented reality applications. It uses computer vision technology to recognize and track planar images and 3D objects in real time. This ...

mobile vision platform for this process. Lego Future Lab senior design manager Ditte Bruun Pedersen explained, "To them, it's not two separate worlds. It's one world that blends together. It's all just play." Lego Fusion used the combination of construction sets and scanning with a smart-phone or tablet to create digital worlds.

Construction sets

According to

Bricklink Lego A/S (trade name: The Lego Group) is a Danish toy production company based in Billund, Denmark. It manufactures Lego-brand toys, consisting mostly of interlocking plastic bricks. The Lego Group has also built several amusement parks aroun ...

The Lego Group Lego A/S (trade name: The Lego Group) is a Danish toy production company based in Billund, Denmark. It manufactures Lego-brand toys, consisting mostly of interlocking plastic bricks. The Lego Group has also built several amusement parks aroun ...

released a total of 4 Lego sets as part of Lego Fusion theme. The product line was eventually discontinued by the end of July 2015. Lego Fusion was released on 1 August 2014 in North America. As part of the marketing campaign, the Lego Group released three Lego Fusion sets alongside the theme's associated app. The next month, Resort Designer (set number: 21208) alongside the theme's associated app was released on 1 September 2014.

Town Master

Town Master (set number: 21204) was released on 1 August 2014 and based on

Lego City Lego City is a theme under which Lego building sets are released based on city life, with the models depicting city and emergency services (such as police and fire), airport, train, construction, and civilian services. Legoland Town is one of th ...

theme. The set consists of 258 pieces with a Fusion capture plate and one minifigure. It enables children to create 2D house models by placing bricks on the Fusion capture plate, scanning with the smartphone or tablet and playing with the Lego Fusion Town Master app to unlock their own game levels. The set included a

Lego minifigure A Lego minifigure, commonly referred to as a minifig, is a small plastic articulated figurine produced by Danish toy manufacturer The Lego Group. They were first produced in 1978 and have been a success, with over 4 billion produced worldwid ...

of Mayor. Lego Fusion Town Master app included the game levels of Lego City theme.

Battle Towers

Battle Towers (set number: 21205) was released on 1 August 2014 and based on

Lego Castle LEGO Castle was a Lego medieval and fantasy environment featuring knights and castles. It was introduced in Europe in 1978 and North America in 1981, and was supported continuously until 1999. It was also the name of a Lego theme within that en ...

theme. The set consists of 212 pieces with a Fusion capture plate. It enables children to create 2D tower models by placing bricks on the Fusion capture plate, scanning with the smartphone or tablet and playing with the Lego Fusion Battle Towers app to unlock their own game levels. Lego Fusion Battle Towers app included the game levels of Lego Castle theme.

Create and Race

Create and Race (set number: 21206) was released on 1 August 2014 and based on Lego Racers theme. The set consists of 223 pieces with a Fusion capture plate. It enables children to create 2D race car models by placing bricks on the Fusion capture plate, scanning with the smartphone or tablet and playing with the Lego Fusion Create and Race app to unlock their own game levels. Lego Fusion Create and Race app included the game levels of Lego Racers theme.

Resort Designer

Resort Designer (set number: 21208) was released on 1 September 2014 and based on

Lego Friends Lego Friends is a product range of Lego construction toys designed primarily for girls. Launched in 2012, the theme introduced "mini-doll" figures, which are about the same size as traditional Lego minifigures but are more detailed and realistic ...

theme. The set consists of 263 pieces with a Fusion capture plate and one mini-doll figure. It enables children to create a 2D house model by placing bricks on the Fusion capture plate, scanning with a smartphone or tablet and playing with the Lego Fusion Resort Designer app to unlock game levels. The set included a Lego mini-doll figure of Olivia. Lego Fusion Resort Designer app included the game levels of Lego Friends theme. The set was designed primarily for girls aged 7 to 12 years old.

App

The 3 Lego Fusion apps were released on 13 August 2014 and Lego Fusion Resort Designer app was released on 1 September 2014. Each of the Lego Fusion apps was based on different Lego themes. Each of the Lego Fusion apps allows the user to select the game levels, build the construction set by place in a Fusion capture plate, scan the Fusion capture plate with the game app and play the game levels.

Reception

In 2014, Will Greenwald of ''

PCMag ''PC Magazine'' (shortened as ''PCMag'') is an American computer magazine published by Ziff Davis. A print edition was published from 1982 to January 2009. Publication of online editions started in late 1994 and have continued to the present d ...

'' gave Town Master (set number: 21204) a 3.5 out of 5. In 2015, Lego Fusion product line sold well and was listed as one of the 15 hottest Christmas toys by

Toys "R" Us Toys "R" Us is an American toy, clothing, and baby product retailer owned by Tru Kids (doing business as Tru Kids Brands) and various others. The company was founded in 1957; its first store was built in April 1948, with its headquarters loca ...

, describing it as, "at best a 1.0 version of a digital-physical play experience."

Awards and nominations

In 2015, Lego Fusion was awarded "Toy of the Year" and also "E-Connected Toy" by the

Toy Association The Toy Association is an American trade association for the US toy industry. Description The Toy Association leads the health and growth of the U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of $98.6 billion, and represents hundre ...

References

External links

Official website
{{Lego Lego themes Products introduced in 2014 Products and services discontinued in 2015