How Did Lego Become More About Limits Than Possibilities?

The premise is bullshit. Lego now also sells specialized sets (though even those were toned down in recent years). Also is the important word here. It offers a wider variety of sets, much wider than in past decades. (Though the late nineties and early 2000s were a dark time when Lego hardly sold any sets that only used basic blocks. That has very clearly changed now, though.)

They still sell plenty of mainstream sets that use nearly exclusively basic bricks, like this one: http://creator.lego.com/en-us/products/default.aspx#5771

Or look at this magnificent set: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDj_zA1v450

Yes, even this set has more different types of bricks than those in the 70s had, but they are all very universal bricks. They are not in any way limited to a single or few uses.

If you really wanted to, you could even do lots of creative things with the pieces in that Harry Potter set. It’s easy to find ways to not make it look like it’s supposed to look.

As a kid I treasured special pieces. They were rare and could be incorporated in my own builds in novel and creative ways. The only ones I really hated were those with large print on them that was very specific. I’m not a fan of those bricks printed on those large wall pieces in the Harry Potter set. The rest, however, looks like pretty standard blocks that are universally useful. (Only the color is really weird.)

I still wouldn’t buy it – there are other, better choices – but even for that set he depicted the characterization is in no way fair.

Best recent toy I found on cool tools, that comes sans-instructions is Cuboro and you can always play minecraft: http://pinterest.com/pin/20266267042681163/