How many pieces are in the Soft Starter Set?

Soft Starter Set contains 84 pieces.

When was the Soft Starter Set released?

Soft Starter Set was released in 1998.

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No. 9020

Soft Bricks

Soft Starter Set

Soft Starter Set is a delightfully peculiar blast from LEGO's experimental past.

Time on the shelf Retired

Released Jan 1998

View on eBay

Before you buy

Who it's for: Beginner build Perfect for LEGO historians, novelty collectors, and fans of obscure 90s themes
Build: 84 pieces · about 0.5 hours Build time is an estimate.
Cost: High-end Next to other LEGO sets. Check the store for today's price.
Availability: Likely retired

★★★☆☆ 3.2 AI-generated review score, not a customer rating

Collectors find Soft Starter Sets fascinating as a piece of LEGO history, though traditional builders criticize the lack of standard clutch power and limited modern utility.

📝 Our Take

Soft Starter Set is a delightfully peculiar blast from LEGO's experimental past. Released in 1998 during a fascinating era of alternative materials, this set leans into the tactile, squashy world of Soft Bricks designed specifically for younger builders or sensory play.

This set is perfect for nostalgic collectors and curious LEGO historians. With only 84 pieces, the building experience is less about complex techniques and more about interacting with the foam-like, squeezable texture of these unusual elements.

Skip this if you are looking for a traditional building challenge or standard plastic clutch power. Since these are specialized soft elements with print details like eyes and smiles, they serve a very niche display or educational purpose rather than modern MOC building.

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Hi! I'm BlockTalk, your LEGO expert. Ask me anything about the Soft Starter Set - building tips, investment potential, comparisons, or anything else!

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What material are the bricks in the Soft Starter Set actually made of? How rare are the printed face elements from the 1998 Soft Bricks theme? Can Soft Bricks connect with standard ABS plastic LEGO elements? Is the 9020-1 set difficult to find complete in its original packaging?

🧱 Building Experience

🧩

Pieces

⏱

0.5h

Estimated Build Time

📊

Beginner

Difficulty

Build Highlights:

Interacting with the unique soft, squishy foam material
Featuring classic printed eye and smile elements
Simple, chunky stacking reminiscent of early toddler-focused toys
A wonderfully weird conversation piece for any display shelf

📈 Investment Analysis

↑ Trending up since release

C+

Investment Grade

Retired

Soft Starter Set (9020-1) occupies a bizarre and rare niche in the secondary market, driving its current valuation well past its original 1998 MSRP. Because Soft Bricks were produced in limited quantities and for a very short duration, finding complete sets in good condition is increasingly difficult for completist collectors. However, investing in specialized vintage oddities comes with distinct risks. The market is entirely dependent on niche nostalgia and institutional LEGO collectors; general MOC builders and everyday fans will find no utility in these parts. While historical price trends show steady appreciation, liquidity is low, meaning finding a buyer willing to pay top dollar can take significant time.

Not Financial Advice: Content is for educational purposes only. Past performance doesn't guarantee future results. Full disclaimer

⚖ Compare Similar Sets

Compared to standard 1990s system sets, the Soft Bricks line was an entirely different beast, closer to DUPLO in target audience but unique in its foam texture. While standard sets from 1998 appeal to classic Town and Space fans, 9020-1 appeals strictly to novelty collectors hunting for LEGO's most unusual design experiments.

📦 Parts Inventory

Official piece count: 84
Parts cataloged in this inventory: 6 unique parts, 84 pieces

Missing a piece? Check this set piece by piece, with look-alike colors flagged and element IDs for replacements.

The inventory consists entirely of specialized foam-like soft bricks in primary colors, including rare printed face elements that are exceptionally hard to find intact today.

🛒 Where to Buy

eBay

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💎 Notable Parts

Yellow Brick Soft 2 x 4 with Smile Print (2x)

Yellow Brick Soft 2 x 2 with Eye Print (4x)

Red Brick Soft Curved 2 x 4 (4x)

Red Brick Soft 2 x 4 (11x)

💡 MOC Potential

🤖 Chunky, safe-to-squeeze robotic figures or toddler-friendly sculptures

From the community

Community Insights

Real opinions from Reddit and YouTube

What Reddit Says

No Reddit discussions found for this set.

What YouTubers Say

1 video found

BlockTalk summary

Second Brick to the Left presents nostalgic unboxings of 1990s LEGO Pirate sets, focusing on both Pirate and Imperial factions. The videos showcase the rebuilding process and offer insights into the condition of sets after long-term storage, appealing to collectors and fans of classic LEGO Pirates.