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From 2008 to 2023: Comparing new and old LEGO Indiana Jones sets

The new Indiana Jones sets have all been previously tackled by the LEGO Group – so how do they stack up next to their predecessors?

As many LEGO fans eagerly await the release of the new sets in April 2023, many have looked back to see what changes have been made compared to previous Indiana Jones sets. While waiting for 77012 Fighter Plane Chase, 77013 Escape from the Lost Tomb, and 77015 Temple of the Golden Idol, we’ve looked back at the 2009 sets that they correspond to.

Several things stand out right away in all three new sets – the colours are brighter, the sets are more detailed, and the minifigures seem to be a lot more accurate. Let’s take a closer look at what else has changed.

77015 Temple of the Golden Idol

Starting with scenes from the 1981 film, we first got 7623 Temple Escape in 2008, which has now been updated as 77015 Temple of the Golden Idol.

7623 Temple Escape came with the OB-CPO seaplane, the registration number being a nod to Star Wars, and the set itself had several play features that included the famous boulder scene from the film. There were also some spears that could be manually pushed out as part of the traps of the temple, as well as the set mimicking the temple crumbling at the end as it does in the film.

What’s changed with 77015 Temple of the Golden Idol for 2023 is that the set itself is significantly more detailed, with the diorama utilising a lot more colour variations, particularly with the gold. There are quite a few new printed tiles, and the boulder function is a lot more streamlined thanks to the LEGO Technic pieces at the back of the model.

With the introduction of a light at the end too, fans are definitely going to enjoy the new sections and how easily they seem to function. The spears from the 2008 version haven’t been added here, but compared to the other new features you get, this doesn’t really seem to be a huge issue.

In particular, the minifigures seem to be a lot more accurate to the film, in terms of skin tone and facial expressions. Indiana Jones in particular now has a hair piece attached to his hat, and a dual facial expression with one covered in cobwebs and a spider.

77013 Escape from the Lost Tomb

7621 Indiana Jones and the Lost Tomb was a carefully symmetrical set which had the Ark of the Covenant, removable torches, and of course the two Anubis statues that stand guard near the ark. Like the previous set mentioned here, there are a few LEGO Technic play features, as well as a random blue gem which wasn’t in the film, but is still a fun touch. As well, we have a sticker which nods to the Star Wars Easter egg that was actually in the film, which is great to see.

In 77013 Escape from the Lost Tomb, the first thing that stands out is the change in the Anubis statues, which seem a lot more imposing and can actually rotate, as well as maintaining the falling feature. The golds and yellows are a lot more vibrant, and included are several snakes like in the film. In terms of design you could argue that the older set is a nicer one to display, given the symmetry, but between the falling snakes and a mummy, this set is clearly still a solid addition to the series.

We also still have the Star Wars easter egg sticker of C-3PO and R2-D2, which many will be happy about, as well as a few new additions in the stickers that more experienced LEGO fans may recognise.

77012 Fighter Plane Chase

These sets, which are from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, are all about the fighter planes from the exhilarating 1989 film. 7198 Fighter Plane Attack had a few play features with the D-EVKY, with a small flap and a moving propeller, and the grey MF-7198 fighter plane also had landing gears and flick-fire missiles. Three minifigures are also included (Indiana Jones, Henry Jones Sr. and a fighter plane pilot), allowing fans to easily recreate scenes from the film.

77012 Fighter Plane Chase differs in one main way in that instead of the two planes, we get the stolen car scene instead, allowing for a little bit more variety in building. The new fighter plane has new camouflage stickers, as well having more clear pieces which look a lot more realistic. The car is fairly detailed too, and stores a briefcase as well as a chest with an umbrella and a pistol. We also get the same three minifigures, which have been updated from their 2009 counterparts.

You can take a closer look at all three new LEGO Indiana Jones sets in our reviews by following the links in the table below.

LEGO set	Price	Pieces	Release date	Review
77012 Fighter Plane Chase	£29.99 / $34.99 / €34.99	387	April 1, 2023	Review
77013 Escape from the Lost Tomb	£34.99 / $39.99 / €39.99	600	April 1, 2023	Review
77015 Temple of the Golden Idol	£129.99 / $149.99 / €149.99	1,545	April 1, 2023	Review