The Fabuland theme included sets that depicted the land of Fabuland and introduced Fabuland Figures, characters with human-like bodies with various animal heads. Fabuland was the first LEGO theme to introduce named characters that focused around a story and was the first LEGO theme to feature licensed products such as storybooks, playing cards, children’s clothing and animated TV series to enhance the playing experience through storytelling and role play. The FABULAND figures have heads of a mammal, a reptile or a bird sometimes topped by a peaked hat, and arms and legs with motion very similar to LEGO minifigures.
1988 LEGO Sets
In 1988, LEGO continued to expand and solidify its position as a leading toy manufacturer. The year witnessed the continuation of popular themes and the introduction of new ones. One of the notable introductions was the LEGO Pirates theme, which brought a fresh adventure concept to the LEGO world, complete with pirates, soldiers, island settings, and unique elements like the iconic LEGO pirate ship. This theme was groundbreaking as it included new minifigure facial expressions, departing from the classic smiley face to showcase more character-specific emotions. Meanwhile, the company maintained its commitment to educational products, with the DUPLO line catering to younger children and Technic sets offering more intricate building challenges for older fans.