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In lugnet.off-topic.fun, David Eaton wrote:
> How would you define "clone brands"? Something that's intended to be compatible
> with Lego? Or just any interlocking studded brick system? Cuz there are probably
> (I assume?) some totally non-compatible brands that are pretty bad quality.
Well, it's only my opinion, but I'd suggest that a "true" clone brand is based
on the studs-and-tubes system and is able to maintain reasonable clutch power
with LEGO bricks and plates. I used to consider the 3:1 plate:brick height
ratio to be an important factor, but Tyco and MEGABLOKS have both used a
successful 2:1 ratio, so that's out the window.
However, to my knowledge every compatible clone brand uses the 2x4 brick, so we
might propose a more detailed classification based on this nature of this brick
for each brand:
1. Compatible Clone Brand: The clone 2x4 brick matches the LEGO 2x4
brick in size and proportion, within a certain nebulously defined
threshold (microns, or what-have-you). This includes Tyco and
MEGABLOKS, for example.
2. Competitor Clone Brand: Adheres to the general interlocking brick
format but is not truly compatible because of differences in height
or proportion. May or may not work with LEGO to some extent.
Examples include Tente, Best-Lock, MEGABLOKS Nano, ATCO, and Loc-Bloc
3. Construction Toys: Designed to be wholly separate from LEGO and are
only incidentally compatible, if at all. Lincoln Logs, K'Nex, Tinker
Toy, and the like are included in this group.
> I know I've seen a page about clone brands before-- how many are out there that
> are actually compatible? Do any sites out there compare quality of clone brands?
Joseph Gonzalez maintained an excellent repository of information until he
entrusted it to me, since which time it has languished in html limbo. Here's a
brief list of compatible clone brands in what I consider to be decreasing order
of plastic quality, though my studies have hardly been exhaustive. Other
factors, such as cleverness of set design or piece:price value, are not factored
in:
Tyco, Coko, Larami, Oxford, Blok-Tek (there is evidence that these companies
have had access to the same molding equipment, so the degree of
separation between these companies is unclear. There is some clear
overlap, but other aspects, such as minifig design are distinct between
brands)
Byggis
Qubo
Hasbro's Built-To-Rule
Cobi, Block-Men (both have access to the same molding equipment, but not the
same molds or brick-types as Tyco et al)
C3 (currently in use by Mini-Mates for the Justice League line of sets)
Tandem (includes Intelli-Blox)
MEGABLOKS
Brick, Shifty (may be a single company and may have some affiliation with
Coko, but the link is uncertain and difficult to confirm. Both of these
brands are generally of much lower quality than Coko, and the brands
have violated LEGO's patent on numerous brick designs.
Ultra-Blox, Bricks By The Pound (really low quality plastic, kind of like
the plastic used in kiddie-pool toys.
There are others, but these are the ones that spring to mind first for me.
Dave!
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Profanity again
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| Hello, (...) Regarding Dave's comment on the distinction of minifig designs between brands; I have taken the liberty to do a rough comparison of the actual differences between an Oxford minifig and a Lego one. I am posting it (URL) here> as it (...) (20 years ago, 15-Sep-04, to lugnet.off-topic.clone-brands, FTX)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Profanity again
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| (...) Perhaps we could have implictly undestord code word substitutes for certain rude words. For example blasphous exclaimations could be replaced by "MegaBlok" and of couese, the word in question by "bley" (also a four letters) or the alternative (...) (20 years ago, 13-Sep-04, to lugnet.admin.terms, FTX)
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