LEGO Collectible Minifigures 71048 Series 27 review

The latest series of LEGO Minifigures dives deep into the well of originality, and resurfaces with a few new and retro hits on its hands.

Following on from a licensed theme and an all-Space theme, LEGO Collectible Minifigures 71048 Series 27 is a return to the kind of eclectic minifigure series that have always proven popular among LEGO fans, with no attempt to tie any of these oddball characters together. As is always the case, some of these will prove instant classics, while others will be forgotten about completely once the dust has settled.

As has become customary, there’s a certain (if sparing) degree of pandering to nostalgic LEGO fans, and it’s clear that this series’ most overtly self-referential minifigure got the lion’s share (or rather, the wolf’s share) of the budget.

Look beyond the obvious favourites, though, and there are more than a few surprises hidden within this new series of Collectible Minifigures. Don’t forget to use Brick Search’s new and improved minifigure scanner to find your favourites.

Release: January 1, 2025 Price: £3.49 / $4.99 / €3.99 per box Pieces: Varies Minifigures: 1 LEGO: Order now

Wolfpack Beastmaster

Arguably the most desirable of this series of minifigures, certainly among nostalgic LEGO collectors, the Wolfpack Beastmaster brings back an iconic Castle faction from the early ‘90s, in much the same way that previous Collectible Minifigures series have resurrected factions such as the Black Falcons.

While a Wolfpack member also appears in 10332 Medieval Town Square, there’s a notably higher level of detail on this new minifigure, as not only does it come with chainmail printing on its legs and a plush fabric cape element that is clearly intended as an animal pelt, the box also includes a unique wolf element that will no doubt turn up in other sets as a husky dog too.

Add to this a minifigure head with two printed faces (one is, appropriately, contorted into a wolf howl) and it’s safe to say that the latest Wolfpack nostalgic revival does not disappoint. The only (relatively minor) problem with this is that alongside a bulky cloak, a long sword and a shield, it’s difficult to get the wolf to fit comfortably on the minifigure’s four-stud-wide stand, which will no doubt provide a headache for anyone looking to put this on display.

Pirate Quartermaster

Another offering that’s tailor-made to make nostalgic fans of LEGO themes gone by giddy with excitement, the Pirate Quartermaster is decked out in a level of detail that elevates it above typical pirate minifigure fare. The hairpiece for this character is particularly nice, providing some tight afro curls that are being worn high with the aid of a scarf. It adds some much-needed diversity to the LEGO pirate minifigure offerings, given that the vast majority of pirate minifigures instead feature straight hair.

The minifigure comes with a ragged fabric skirt element which is a little tricky to get into place, as these skirt pieces often are, but it billows out nicely once attached to help give the Pirate Quartermaster a more striking silhouette. While the Quartermaster’s cutlass is the same design that has been used since the earliest days of LEGO Pirates, the more interesting inclusion in this box is the cockatoo, a new custom element that looks delightful with a plume of yellow feathers on its head.

Steampunk Inventor

The most unique element of the Steampunk Inventor is a piece of wrist-mounted machinery that comes complete with a burst of steam, achieved with an ice-cream element. The wrist armour element is recoloured in gold for the first time here, and if it hasn’t already it will no doubt prove popular as a Pip-Boy solution for anyone trying to recreate the not-safe-for-LEGO video game Fallout in minifigure form.

While the hardware may catch the eye first with this set, the printing on this minifigure is among the best in this series, with the Inventor featuring both arm and leg printing as well as printing on his top hat. The level of detail in this design is stunning, and well worth a closer look.

Pterodactyl Costume Fan

71048 Series 27 comes with a minifigure dressed in a Pterodactyl costume to go with the Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus rex costumes that have appeared in previous series of Collectible Minifigures.

The Pterodactyl Costume Fan is decent enough, featuring a custom element for the costume’s head, as well as custom arms and printing on the feet to provide the pterodactyl’s claws, but while this will no doubt prove popular with dinosaur fans, this minifigure does end up feeling a little basic when stacked up against some of the more elaborate offerings in this series.

If there’s a highlight to this minifigure, it is not the pterodactyl costume itself, but rather the slightly sinister excitement on the minifigure’s face. Complete with severe eyebrows and grey-blue lipstick, this is a particularly fun face that conveys more emotion than the vast majority of female minifigure head printing.

Bogeyman

Case in point: while the most eye-catching part of the Bogeyman’s design is the large head element, complete with wide toothy mouth, this minifigure provides more than just a large and scary monster. It’s easy to underestimate the height of this head piece when viewing photos – in real life, while this minifigure doesn’t exactly tower over others in the series, it does have a surprisingly large printed face.

The Bogeyman comes complete with a book of scary stories, which will be a boon to anyone looking to add more variety to their LEGO library, and which features some very nice printing, especially on the cover.

Jetpack Racer

Poor Jetpack Racer. Despite being a minifigure that is clearly designed for speedy travel, it’s hard not to think that this one has arrived a little late, as it would have been a perfect inclusion in 2024’s 71046 Series 26 Space. Considering that the eJetpack Racer’s helmet element was originally designed for VIDIYO, it’s all the more perplexing that it’s taken this long for it to make its official debut.

The helmet is a genuinely impressive piece, dual-moulded to feature a strip of trans-red in the middle that allows for easy viewing of the Jetpack Racer’s discount Tony Stark smirk. The printing on this minifigure is stellar all around – the Octan sponsorship on the side of his legs is a nice touch – but the Jetpack Racer is let down a little by his actual jetpack, which protrudes a little too far from his body to feel comfortable.

Cat Lover

Okay, yes, the ball of yarn (or wool or what-have-you) included with thee Cat Lover is a nice element. And, yes, the minifigure’s woollen cat jumper is a delightful design that many of us would like to have in real life. And it goes without saying that the white cat fur on the minifigure’s legs is a very nice touch; one which calls back to Mrs Scratchen-Post from the LEGO Movie series of Collectible Minifigures.

The real draw for this particular minifigure, though, is not the minifigure at all, but rather the beautiful fluffy white cat element that is also included. LEGO cat lovers finally have an additional style of cat to include in their scenes, and one can only hope that before long we’ll get this element in a variety of different colours.

Longboarder

Dripping with ‘90s attitude, the Longboarder will no doubt grab attention for the minifigure’s eponymous longboard, and that’s entirely fair. But be sure not to overlook the details on the minifigure itself here, such as the incredible holes in her jeans, as well as her black and white shoe printing.

Perhaps the highlight of this minifigure, though, is her backwards cap, which features bright green spiky hair shooting out from the bottom and the front to really sell the minifigure’s edgy skater vibe.

Astronomer Kid

Here we have a first for LEGO minifigures: Astronomer Kid makes use of the same prosthetic arm element that debuted for the LEGO Friends mini-doll Autumn.

Not only is this an excellent opportunity to provide greater inclusivity to any LEGO scene by featuring someone with limb difference, there are also a variety of possible uses for this minifigure torso that features one arm which ends in a bar – just as a suggestion, for example, it means that a lightsaber handle can be attached directly to the minifigure’s arm, which is very exciting in and of itself.

The telescope that’s included with this minifigure is the same kind of thing that we’ve seen a million times before in LEGO form, but be warned: it features a bar with pin holder element that is placed directly on to a single stud, and if you’ve ever tried to separate these two elements, you’ll know that it’s basically impossible to do so without hurting your fingers (and maybe even your teeth).

Cupid

The biggest surprise with Cupid is his beautiful pair of white feathered wings. This minifigure could very easily have been built entirely of existing parts – the red bow is a piece that’s so old now as to be iconic in its own right, albeit not normally in red. Every other part of this minifigure has been seen countless times before, so it would have made sense to simply use the wing element from the Aarakocra Ranger in the recent Dungeons & Dragons Collectible Minifigures series.

Instead, Cupid features a unique wing element which is notably smaller than the Aarakocra wings, and can detach from Cupid’s back, in a move which is very welcome but not entirely expected where an existing element would have done just fine.

Hamster Costume Fan

It’s hard not to feel like the LEGO designers are running out of ideas for animal costumes as this point. Leaving the dinosaur costumes to one side, it’s been a little while since we’ve had one (Series 23 had a turkey costume and Series 22 had a raccoon), but this hardly feels like a triumphant return for the concept.

The custom hamster headpiece on this set is fine, but the printing here is a bit perfunctory, and the inclusion of a small piece of cucumber on a printed tile does feel a little lacking.

Plush Toy Collector

Plush Toy Collector is likely going to be a polarising minifigure. Some people, particularly older LEGO fans, will probably look at this and wonder what all the fuss is about. For younger fans, though, this minifigure taps into one of the big ongoing trends in children’s toys; very much the Beanie Babies of the 2020s. These are not just any plushies: they’re very clearly inspired by Squishmallows.

For some LEGO fans, the cute pyjamas and the pink hair may be fun, but the inclusion of not one but two off-brand Squishies in this set would be worth the price of the minifigure alone.

And that’s a wrap on 71048 Series 27’s 12 brand new minifigures: a mixed bag, but with some real highs in the mix. If there are any that catch your fancy in particular, it’s well worth using the Brick Search app to track down the specific boxes you’re looking for, as chances are high that a few of these will disappear from store shelves very quickly.

Our honest opinion: Series 27 probably doesn’t feature the strongest line-up of LEGO Collectible Minifigures to date, but there are enough solid hits to give LEGO fans plenty to be excited about.

These minifigures were provided for review by the LEGO Group.

Support the work that Brick Fanatics does by purchasing your LEGO using our affiliate links.