The Belville theme which was introduced in 1994 and later discontinued in 2009 was created to appeal primarily to girls. While the sets revolved around the concept of the LEGO system it featured doll-like figures known as Belville Figures instead of regular LEGO minifigures. The Belville Figures featured multiple joints to make play more like normal doll play and were larger than minifigures. The Belville theme was the predecessor to LEGO Friends.
1998 LEGO Sets
1998 marked LEGO’s leap into programmable play with the launch of LEGO Mindstorms, combining motors, sensors, and code for user-built robots. LEGO also entered digital entertainment with games like LEGO Creator, LEGO Loco, and LEGO Chess. New themes included Adventurers, following Johnny Thunder’s global expeditions, and Insectoids, a sci-fi successor to Exploriens. LEGO Castle revisited classic factions such as Crusaders and Dragon Masters, reconnecting with its medieval roots while bridging into modern set design.