Brick Ranker Awards - Best Minifigures of 2022

10th December 2022

This year there were 801 new minifigures released by LEGO, from those including in sets, to promotional minifigures, and CMFs. We've meticulously and carefully considered each and every one of them to settle on our top 10 list. So, without further ado, let's get into it.

10. Swedish Chef (COLTM11)

LEGO Swedish Chef minifigure

The Muppets Collectible Minifigures was one of the best licensed series we've had. It delivered some fantastic minifigures of our favourite Muppets that made use of unusual and unique moulds to capture their likeness.

Picking a favourite from this bunch was difficult, and several of them were close to making this list, but the Swedish Chef stands above the rest. The head-and-hat mould was excellent, as was the vibrancy of the printing.

9. Werewolf (Lupin) (HP348)

LEGO Werewolf (Lupin) minifigure

We've waited 18 years for another version of Professor Lupin in werewolf form and it was finally worth the wait. The version from 2004 included a striking grey wolf head that now looks dated. It also sat awkwardly on a suited Lupin.

The new head is much improved, and his legs also got an upgrade by using the mould previously made for the Demogorgon minifigure. While it would have been nice if LEGO had used grey instead of dark dan, for better accuracy to the movie, it's still an incredible figure.

8. Neytiri (AVT001)

LEGO Neytiri minifigure

Minifigures that break the conventional mould are always interesting. The Avatar figures did just that by introducing longer legs and arms. We think they all look great, and it was hard to pick a favourite from them, but this version of Neytiri just edges it. The printing on the torso, and especially the head, is the most striking and contrasts superbly with the light blue skin tone.

7. Year of the Tiger Guy (HOL258)

LEGO Year of the Tiger Guy minifigure

LEGO has made a string of beautiful sets celebrating the Chinese New Year, all of which include a costumed minifigure in an outfit matching the current zodiac sign. 2022 was the Year of the Tiger, so we got a man dressed as a tiger.

His head mould looks fantastic, with very cute printing showing the tiger face. We also love the torso details and the unique tail piece introduced especially for this figure. The orange and black stripes are such a great combination and it's easily the best minifigure so far from the Chinese New Year sets.

6. C-3PO (SW1209)

LEGO C-3PO minifigure

Barring a chrome version of this minifigure being released, this is the most complete C-3PO we're likely to have for a while, as we've finally got a representation of his fabled silver leg. The droid's torso printing also looks great and is the most detailed yet, so for those reasons, he makes our top ten.

5. Vincent van Gogh (IDEA106)

LEGO Vincent van Gogh minifigure

LEGO released several excellent Ideas sets this year, one of which gave us the famous painter Vincent van Gogh. The colours on this minifigure are fantastic and his impressively detailed attire takes its inspiration from the famous self-portrait, which art lovers will certainly appreciate. Getting a minifigure of a real person is rare, so because of that, it will likely be very desirable in the future.

4. Dwight Schrute (IDEA114)

LEGO Dwight Schrute minifigure

Office fans rejoiced this year as we got Dunder Mifflin in brick form, along with minifigures of all the main characters, including the Assistant to the Regional Manager. Of all the 15 minifigures, Dwight Schrute has by far the best likeness to the real character and is instantly recognisable. His personality is also perfectly captured by his two expressions. As office fans ourselves, we couldn't have asked for a better minifigure.

3. Doc Brown (BTF002)

LEGO Doc Brown minifigure

The highly anticipated Time MachineTime Machine set gave us new and very detailed versions of Marty McFly and Doc Brown. With Doc Brown being such a well-loved character, minifigures of him are always going to be popular. However, this nostalgia alone is not the only reason he makes our top ten.

The yellow colour, showing his suit from Back to the Future 2, looks so good and really makes him stand out from other minifigs. Then there is the bright orange of his shirt and his alternative face with futuristic glasses shown in silvery chrome. All these combined makes for an awesome minifigure.

2. Aloy (HFW001)

LEGO Aloy minifigure

The Horizon Forbidden West: Tallneck set gave us Aloy, the protagonist from the Horizon video games. It's one of the very best looking minifigures from 2022 and is comprised of all exclusive parts, making her 100% original. The printing on the torso, arms, and legs is exceptionally detailed. The hairpiece, made from soft rubber, particularly stands out and cleverly incorporates the “Focus” device that the character makes use of throughout the games. This minifigure is going to be highly collectible in the years to come.

1. NED-B Loader Droid (SW1226)

LEGONED-B Loader Droid minifigure

There are so many great things to say about this minifigure. In terms of detail and accuracy, it's unsurpassed by any other minifigure released this year. The colour also looks great and it's hard to think of any way it could have been improved. It's brilliant and it takes our top spot for 2022.

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Posted by Graham on 10th December 2022

Graham is a passionate LEGO collector, who has a penchant for the Castle, Pirates, and Western themes. You can usually find him monitoring the latest developments and giving his opinion on what's hot and not in the LEGO world.