2024 is the year of the LEGO dragon

With House of the Dragon back on screens and 2024 officially being the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac, we’ve dug into the best and weirdest of LEGO dragons on the market.

Everywhere you look right now, there’s a dragon, whether that’s whisking Matt Smith away on another blond-wigged adventure or ushering in a time of good fortune according to the Chinese zodiac in 2024. In the world of LEGO, it’s no different, with several brick-built dragons getting released this year alone – and plenty more in the back catalogues as well.

To that end, we’ve broken down some of the best – and most unusual – LEGO dragons currently available, so everyone can get in on the dragon-y fun.

The official LEGO dragon of the year

First up, we have to mention 80112 Auspicious Dragon, the LEGO Group’s official set released in celebration of the Year of the Dragon. Themed around the annual Spring Festival, a particularly important time for the mythical creature in Chinese culture, the set is fashioned after traditional Chinese imagery of dragons, featuring a golden-scaled serpentine body and red horns. The face is impressively detailed, highlighted with medium azul tiles and a red tongue, matching the red accents on its stomach.

80112 Auspicious Dragon comes complete on its own stand, with a nameplate in Chinese for a polish finish. It’s available to buy now worldwide for £69.99 / $89.99 / €79.99.

LEGO NINJAGO boasts the biggest dragon on the market

If sheer size is what you’re going for, LEGO NINJAGO 71822 Source Dragon of Motion is the place to look. At 1,716 pieces (the bulk of which go towards the dragon itself), it’s one of the largest, if not the largest, brick-built dragon available to buy – and it comes with the expected level of detail.

Designed closer to the fantasy depictions of dragons most often seen in Western countries with four legs and two wings, the Source Dragon of Motion is mainly made up of red and orange, with golden accents for the horns and claws. Extra claws on the wings make it ready for battle, accompanied with six tiny spirit dragons to boot. It’s also available to buy now around the world, priced at £129.99 / $149.99 / €149.99.

A brick-built dragon straight out of fantasy

For fantasy lovers who find themselves watching House of the Dragon and wanting one of their own, 21348 Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon’s Tale‘s offering might be in line with what you’re looking for. Although Westeros’ dragons typically have two legs (technically making them wyverns), the horns and scale details on the D&D dragon are closest to what we know and love from HBO’s on-screen versions.

The black claws and spines round off a dramatic brick-built dragon, with a permanent breath of fire thanks to a translucent element attached to the jaws. It’s worth noting that, if all you’re interested in is the dragon, you might find this a cost-heavy way to get your hands on one, paying £314.99 / $359.99 / €359.99 for the 3,745-piece LEGO Ideas set – only a fraction of which will actually go towards the dragon.

Nonetheless, you’re still getting an impressively detailed dragon build and, for fantasy fans, a host of other unique minifigures and fantasy elements that make it well worth a closer look. If in doubt, check out our in-depth review that touches on what to love about the set, D&D fan or not.

As subtle a display as a LEGO dragon can be

For those who love dragons but want more of a subtle LEGO set to display, LEGO NINJAGO 71819 Dragon Stone Shrine could be the perfect balance. It depicts a ‘dragon’ in the sense of featuring a stony shrine that looks like a dragon, the head pouring out a watery fountain with the backdrop of some vibrant pink cherry blossoms. The entire set looks like a rocky dragon curled around to make the shrine, complete with a range of minifigures to populate it.

Even for non-NINJAGO fans, it’s an undeniably pretty set, priced in the mid-range level when compared to other sets on this list at £104.99 / $119.99 / €119.99 for 1,212 pieces.

Pocket-size LEGO dragons, perfect for kids

Younger builders need a LEGO dragon to suit their size (and pocket money perhaps), so thankfully the LEGO Group has you covered there too. LEGO Creator 3-in-1 31145 Red Dragon is easily the cutest brick-built dragon out there, with its cartoonish eyes and vibrant colours. Turning to LEGO NINJAGO once again, 71803 Arin’s Rising Dragon Strike is more geared towards play, built in a flying pose with a colour-coordinated ride4r in the form of Arin and an opponent to fly against.

Neither will break the bank either, priced at just £8.99 / $9.99 / €9.99, ideal to buy as an early summer gift for a young LEGO builder in your life.

LEGO dragons have also had the Disney treatment

For slightly older LEGO fans, there’s still another option out there for a more child-friendly set. The black and purple dragon in LEGO Disney 43240 Maleficent’s Dragon Form certainly steals the show, dominating the comparatively small castle that’s also included in the set. It comes complete with two minidolls and a horse to round out the play and display options, as well as a vivid green transparent fire element.

43240 Maleficent’s Dragon Form breaks the mould from the majority of other dragons on this list in terms of its colour scheme, preferring to stick to darker tones of black and purple as opposed to bright ones of red and gold. At £59.99 / $69.99 / €69.99, it’s a reasonably priced set for the 583-piece set.

There’s still room for more unique LEGO dragons

With all the LEGO dragons on this list, you’d think that there would be no room left for the LEGO designers to explore – but you’d be wrong. LEGO NINJAGO once again comes in clutch with two pretty unique dragons. The first, 71793 Heatwave Transforming Lava Dragon, incorporates design styles from both Western and Chinese-style dragons, with two mood modes that see it stand on four legs or closer to a huge snake. It doesn’t have any wings, the only dragon listed here not to, but still features the reptilian face, horns, and claws that mark it out as a dragon for sure.

Last but certainly not least, 71809 Egalt the Master Dragon is perhaps the most distinguished dragon here, adding more character and personality to the build than any other. Curling white elements give the illusion of a moustache, matching the white and black colour scheme of the dragon overall. With movable limbs and foil wings, the LEGO NINJAGO set is just as good to play with as it is to take in the details.

Both are also mid-range in terms of price, making them even more tempting entries with 71793 Heatwave Transforming Lava Dragon costing £46.99 / $54.99 / €52.99 for 479 pieces and 71809 Egalt the Master Dragon priced at £59.99 / $69.99 / €69.99 for 532 pieces.

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