Lego Mindstorms Robotics Guide from NXT to Newer Kits

By RWT Robotics Editorial Team · Checked against 8 sources · Published November 9, 2026

The LEGO Group stopped making Mindstorms at the end of 2022. Its official apps have now shut down as well: EV3 Classroom was available only until July 31, 2026, and the Robot Inventor app was discontinued on October 1, 2026. You can still program every Mindstorms brick ever sold. This guide shows how for each generation, explains what replaced the line, and tells you which kit is worth buying today.

Is LEGO Mindstorms discontinued? The short answer (November 2026)

Yes. LEGO announced in October 2022 that it would discontinue its Mindstorms robot products and related elements at the end of that year, and it kept the trademark. The official software followed in 2026. EV3 Classroom was offered for download until July 31, and the Robot Inventor app ended on October 1. SPIKE, the line that replaced Mindstorms, lost LEGO Education direct sales after June 30, 2026.

Here is where every recent LEGO robotics platform stands as of November 9, 2026.

Product	Set no.	Released	Sales ended	Official app	App support ends	FIRST LEGO League status
MINDSTORMS EV3	31313	2013	End of 2022	EV3 Classroom / EV3 Lab	Download availability ended July 31, 2026	Legacy; not eligible after 2027-28
MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor	51515	2020	End of 2022	Robot Inventor app, now SPIKE App	Inventor app ended Oct 1, 2026; SPIKE App to June 30, 2031	Legacy; not eligible after 2027-28
SPIKE Prime	45678	2020	LEGO Education direct sales ended June 30, 2026	SPIKE App	June 30, 2031	Eligible through 2027-28
SPIKE Essential	45345	2021	LEGO Education direct sales ended June 30, 2026	SPIKE App	June 30, 2031	Eligible through 2027-28
Computer Science & AI	45520 / 45521 / 45522	April 2026	On sale	LEGO Education CS & AI software, Python package	Current	Eligible from 2026-27

According to the LEGO Education SPIKE update page, resellers can keep selling SPIKE until their stock runs out. LEGO Education Customer Service will hold SPIKE hardware spare parts until June 30, 2028.

Does LEGO still make Mindstorms?

No. No Mindstorms set has been produced since the end of 2022. Brickset reported that LEGO kept the Mindstorms trademark, so a revival is legally possible. LEGO has announced nothing, though. Its robotics effort now runs through LEGO Education, not the consumer Mindstorms brand.

Is there a Mindstorms EV4 or EV5?

No. LEGO has never announced, teased or sold an “EV4” or “EV5”. The last Mindstorms product was the Robot Inventor 51515, and it did not use the EV naming at all. Listings or videos that show an EV4 are fan concepts or mislabeled products. The real follow-ups to EV3 were SPIKE Prime in 2019 and the Computer Science & AI kits for the 2025-26 school year.

Why LEGO killed Mindstorms (and what that tells you about SPIKE)

LEGO chose to focus its “Build & Code” robotics on its education line, SPIKE. Mindstorms already ran on the same hardware as SPIKE Prime, so dropping it was the obvious next step. The same thing happened to SPIKE four years later.

The October 2022 announcement

Engadget reported that LEGO would keep supporting Build & Code “through platforms such as SPIKE Prime”. At the time, LEGO promised to keep the Robot Inventor app running only “until at least the end of 2024”.

The Robot Inventor set made the decision easy. LEGO’s own help page says the 51515 hub can be programmed with the SPIKE App, because the 51515 uses SPIKE Prime hardware. The hub, motors and sensors share the SPIKE Prime electronics and the same connector. Running a consumer brand and an education brand on one piece of hardware meant paying twice for software and marketing. LEGO kept the education side.

The 2026 SPIKE retirement: the same playbook again

In January 2026, LEGO Education announced Computer Science & AI as the K-8 successor to SPIKE, as The Brick Fan reported. Kits shipped in April 2026. On the official SPIKE update page, LEGO says its direct SPIKE sales ended after June 30, 2026, and that SPIKE gets no new features after that date.

The support terms are better than what Mindstorms got. The SPIKE App gets bug fixes and support for new operating system versions until June 30, 2031. After that it stays available online but gets no updates, and it may stop working on newer systems.

From an engineering point of view, the lesson is simple. The bricks, motors and gears last for decades. The vendor’s software is what wears out. Hubs supported by open-source projects (Pybricks, ev3dev) stay useful long after the official apps are gone. Hubs that depend on one vendor app don’t.

Every Mindstorms generation, 1998–2020

Mindstorms went through five generations of programmable brick. For a hobbyist in 2026, the 51515 is the easiest to live with, EV3 is the most flexible, and NXT and RCX are mostly for collectors and retro projects.

Generation	Year	Hub/brick	Compatible with SPIKE parts?	Best way to program it today
Robotics Invention System (RCX)	1998	RCX, 3 inputs, 3 outputs, infrared link	No	Community tools such as NQC or leJOS
MINDSTORMS NXT / NXT 2.0	2006 / 2009	NXT, 4 sensor ports, 3 motor ports, USB and Bluetooth	No	Community tools such as NXC or leJOS NXJ
MINDSTORMS EV3 (31313)	2013	EV3, 4 sensor ports, 4 motor ports, Linux-based, microSD slot	No	EV3 MicroPython (Pybricks v2.0) or ev3dev
Robot Inventor (51515)	2020	Inventor hub, 6 ports, same platform as SPIKE Prime	Yes	SPIKE App or Pybricks

RCX (1998)

The Robotics Invention System brought programmable LEGO to consumers. It had three sensor inputs and three motor outputs, and it loaded programs over an infrared tower. Getting a working tower connected to a modern computer is the main hurdle today. Buy one for nostalgia, not for learning.

NXT and NXT 2.0 (2006/2009)

NXT robotics was the generation that brought Mindstorms into many schools. The NXT brick added Bluetooth, USB and Technic-style beams in place of studded bricks. NXT 2.0 added a color sensor. NXT motors and sensors use the same style of cable as EV3, and most of them work with an EV3 brick, so an NXT kit can still supply spare parts to an EV3 owner.

EV3 (2013)

MINDSTORMS EV3 (31313) ran Linux on an ARM processor. It came with 601 pieces, two large motors, one medium motor, an infrared sensor, a color sensor and a touch sensor. Because it can boot from a microSD card, the community could build full operating systems for it. That is why EV3 is still worth programming after LEGO walked away.

Robot Inventor 51515 (2020)

The Robot Inventor 51515 had 949 pieces, five signature robots and a list price of $359.99. Inside are the SPIKE Prime platform’s hub, four motors, a distance sensor and a color sensor. It is the last Mindstorms kit and the best-supported one today.

Can you still program LEGO Mindstorms in 2026?

Yes, every generation. The 51515 has an official path until 2031. EV3 relies on community Python. NXT and RCX rely on older community toolchains. Here is what each hub supports.

Hub	Block coding	Python	Status	Notes
Robot Inventor 51515	SPIKE App (Word Blocks)	SPIKE App Python, Pybricks	Official support to June 30, 2031	Robot Inventor app ended Oct 1, 2026
SPIKE Prime / Essential	SPIKE App	SPIKE App, Pybricks	Official support to June 30, 2031	Spare parts to June 30, 2028
EV3	EV3 Classroom/Lab if already installed	EV3 MicroPython (Pybricks v2.0), ev3dev	Community-supported	Original firmware stays untouched when booting from microSD
NXT	Old NXT-G installs	Limited	Community-supported	NXC and leJOS NXJ are the usual routes
RCX	Old RIS software	No	Retro only	Needs a working infrared tower
Technic, City and BOOST Move hubs (Powered Up)	LEGO apps	Pybricks	Mixed	Popular Pybricks targets

Robot Inventor 51515: SPIKE App or Pybricks

You have two good options, and you can switch between them.

SPIKE App. LEGO’s help page confirms the 51515 hub works with the SPIKE App. You get Word Blocks for younger coders and Python for older ones, and LEGO supports the app until June 30, 2031. The SPIKE App lessons are written for SPIKE Prime models, so expect to adapt builds that use parts the 51515 doesn’t include.

Pybricks. Pybricks is open-source MicroPython firmware. Its GitHub repository lists support for the Robot Inventor hub alongside the SPIKE Prime and SPIKE Essential hubs. You install it from Pybricks Code, a browser-based editor that connects over Bluetooth. You get real Python with precise motor control and a DriveBase class for two-wheeled robots.

A minimal driving program looks like this. Measure your own wheel diameter and axle track, because those numbers set how accurately the robot drives and turns.

from pybricks.hubs import InventorHub
from pybricks.pupdevices import Motor, UltrasonicSensor
from pybricks.parameters import Port, Direction
from pybricks.robotics import DriveBase

hub = InventorHub()
left = Motor(Port.A, Direction.COUNTERCLOCKWISE)
right = Motor(Port.B)
eyes = UltrasonicSensor(Port.D)


robot = DriveBase(left, right, wheel_diameter=56, axle_track=112)

while eyes.distance() > 200:   # distance in mm
    robot.drive(150, 0)        # 150 mm/s straight ahead
robot.stop()

EV3: life after EV3 Classroom

Can you run Python on your EV3 brick without the LEGO app? Yes, and it is now the main way to use the brick. LEGO Education’s July 2024 update kept EV3 Classroom available for download until July 31, 2026. After that date, plan around community software.

1. EV3 MicroPython (Pybricks v2.0). This is the version LEGO Education itself adopted as its Python solution for EV3. According to ev3dev, it is the same Pybricks build that ships in ev3dev-stretch. You flash an image to a microSD card, insert it, and the EV3 boots from the card. Take the card out and the brick boots its original LEGO firmware again.
2. ev3dev. This is the full Debian Linux environment underneath. It suits learners who want to SSH into the brick and use other languages.
3. Pybricks 4.x on the brick. The newer Pybricks 4.0 beta line runs directly on EV3, and early 2026 betas included EV3-specific fixes. It is still beta software. Pybricks 4.0.0b1 also dropped Pybricks-on-ev3dev, so anyone who wants Python on Linux stays on the v2.0 release.

A first EV3 MicroPython program is short:

\#!/usr/bin/env pybricks-micropython
from pybricks.hubs import EV3Brick
from pybricks.ev3devices import Motor
from pybricks.parameters import Port

ev3 = EV3Brick()
motor = Motor(Port.B)

ev3.speaker.beep()
motor.run_angle(500, 360)   # 500 deg/s, one full turn

Most people write EV3 MicroPython in Visual Studio Code with LEGO’s EV3 MicroPython extension, which handles downloading over USB.

A teacher asks: “I have a whole classroom of EV3 kits, are they just e-waste now?” No. The motors, sensors and gears are as good as they were in 2019. What changes is the workflow. Teachers move from LEGO’s block apps to text-based Python, which suits grades 7 and up better than K-5. For younger students, a lab of EV3s is harder to justify now. Keep the kits for older classes and for parts.

Getting your projects out of a retired app

A common community question: “EV3 Classroom app disappeared from the Play Store, my files are stuck in the sandbox, how do I get them out?” Users on XDA Forums have reported exactly this. On tablets, the app’s projects live in private storage that only the app can open.

• Do not uninstall the app. On Android and iOS, uninstalling an app deletes its private data, including your projects.
• Export while it still opens. Open each project and use the app’s own save or share option to write a copy to shared storage or a cloud drive.
• Check desktop installs. On Windows and macOS, EV3 Classroom projects saved as files are ordinary files you can copy.
• Keep a screenshot record. If a project won’t export, take screenshots of the block code so you can rebuild it in Python.

NXT and RCX: the community route

NXT bricks are still programmed through community tools: NXC (a C-like language) with the Bricx Command Center editor, or leJOS NXJ for Java. The main problem is installing old USB drivers on current operating systems, so an older Windows laptop helps. RCX needs a working infrared tower plus NQC or leJOS. Both bricks are fun to restore. Neither is a good way to teach modern robotics.

What replaced Mindstorms? SPIKE Prime, then Computer Science & AI

When LEGO discontinued Mindstorms in 2022, it positioned SPIKE Prime as the successor, and LEGO Education Computer Science & AI is now its current classroom line. If you are buying new for a classroom, CS & AI is the current LEGO line. If you are already invested in SPIKE, it remains usable until at least 2031.

SPIKE Prime and Essential: retired but supported

Should you buy SPIKE Prime if LEGO is discontinuing it too? For an FLL team or a school with existing SPIKE kits, yes, as long as the price at a reseller is right. You get official SPIKE App support to June 30, 2031, and Pybricks runs on the hub as well. For a new program with no existing kits, start with CS & AI.

LEGO Education Computer Science & AI kits (45520/45521/45522)

The CS & AI line is split by grade band. Each kit is designed for four students.

Kit	Grades	US price	Students per kit	Motors / sensors / controller	Brick count
45520	K-2	$339.95	4	Single motor, color sensor	276
45521	3-5	$429.95	4	Double motor, color sensor	321
45522	6-8	$529.95	4	Double motor, single motor, color sensor, controller	379

LEGO Education also sells a grades 6-8 classroom bundle for $3,499.00. The 6-8 kit includes connection cards and a USB charging cable. The component list includes no SPIKE-style central hub. That is a clean break from Mindstorms design.

For older students, LEGO describes a Python package that works in any IDE, including VS Code. That is a real step up from app-locked Python.

Is CS & AI a real Mindstorms successor for teens and hobbyists?

For classrooms, yes. For teens and adult hobbyists, not really. Mindstorms kits shipped with four or more motors and several sensor types for open-ended builds. The top CS & AI kit has two motor units, one color sensor and 379 bricks, split across four students.

So is the new Computer Science & AI kit actually AI, or just marketing? Engadget’s coverage of the launch describes students training their own machine learning models locally, with no data leaving the device. LEGO frames it as teaching AI as part of computer science, not as building a chatbot. That is genuine introductory machine learning: you collect examples, train a classifier and see where it fails. It is not a robot that thinks for itself. Treat “AI” here as curriculum, not capability.

FIRST LEGO League: which kit is legal when

LEGO Education says teams can use SPIKE through the 2027-28 season and CS & AI from the 2026-27 season onward. After 2027-28, SPIKE and other legacy LEGO Education solutions are no longer eligible. That means there are two overlapping seasons when both platforms are legal.

Season	SPIKE Prime / Essential	Computer Science & AI	Legacy (EV3, 51515)
2026-27	Eligible	Eligible	Check that season’s robot game rules
2027-28	Eligible	Eligible	Check that season’s robot game rules
2028-29 onward	Not eligible	Eligible	Not eligible

A rule for FIRST LEGO League coaches. Keep competing with working SPIKE kits through 2027-28. Spend the 2026-27 or 2027-28 budget on one or two CS & AI kits so your team learns the new platform during an off-season. Don’t replace everything mid-cycle. FIRST publishes the robot game rules each season, and those rules are binding.

Should you buy a used Mindstorms kit in 2026?

For a hobbyist or a motivated teen, a used Robot Inventor 51515 is the best buy. A used EV3 is worth it only if you are comfortable with Python and community software. NXT and RCX are collector items.

Used Robot Inventor 51515: the best-supported Mindstorms

Is it worth buying a used 51515, or should you just get SPIKE Prime? For home use, the 51515 often wins. It runs the same SPIKE App and Pybricks, and it includes more motors than a SPIKE Prime set. Resale trackers show the 51515 selling above its $359.99 launch price, so compare it with reseller SPIKE Prime stock before you pay. Choose SPIKE Prime instead if you need LEGO Education warranty parts or FLL lesson alignment.

Used EV3 (31313): only if you’re OK with community software

EV3 motors and sensors are excellent and cheap on the secondhand market. However, EV3 motors and sensors do not plug into SPIKE, Robot Inventor or Powered Up hubs, because they use a different connector and electrical system. A used EV3 is a self-contained system. Buy it for Python projects, not as a stepping stone to newer LEGO hardware.

Checklist before you pay

1. Identify the brick. An RCX, NXT, EV3 or 51515 hub decides your software path. Photos of the screen or light matrix show it at a glance.
2. Power it on. Ask the seller for a video of the brick booting and running a motor.
3. Check batteries. The 51515 hub uses a rechargeable pack. EV3 and NXT use six AA cells or a LEGO rechargeable pack. Look for corrosion in the battery compartment.
4. Count motors and sensors. A 51515 should have four motors, a distance sensor and a color sensor. An EV3 31313 should have two large motors, one medium motor and three sensors.
5. Check cables. EV3 and NXT need their own cables. SPIKE-family motors have fixed leads, so check them for damage.
6. Check the firmware. If a 51515 hub has Pybricks installed, that is fine and reversible.
7. Check current prices. Compare BrickEconomy and recent eBay sold listings rather than old MSRP figures.

Mindstorms alternatives by age and goal

The right replacement depends on who is building. Classrooms should look at LEGO CS & AI. Teens heading toward real engineering should move to open electronics. LEGO hobbyists should pair Pybricks with Powered Up hubs.

For classrooms (K-8)

LEGO Education Computer Science & AI is the supported LEGO choice. It is new, on sale and eligible for FLL. VEX Robotics offers VEX GO and VEX IQ, which have their own competition ladder. Both make sense for schools that want one vendor for curriculum and hardware.

For teens moving toward real robotics

What can your kid move on to after Mindstorms that isn’t a toy? These are good next steps:

• Makeblock mBot2. A ready-to-build robot programmed in Scratch-style blocks or Python through mBlock.
• BBC micro:bit robots. Cheap, popular in schools, and programmable in MakeCode or MicroPython.
• VEX V5. Metal construction and the high-school VEX Robotics Competition.
• Arduino. Real wiring, breadboards, motor drivers and C++. This is where you learn why motors draw current spikes and why sensors need debouncing.

Arduino projects are the closest of these to the work an electrical engineer does. Teens who enjoy that work often go on to ROS 2, Linux and Python, which are the same tools robotics companies hire for.

For adult LEGO hobbyists

Pybricks is the strongest option. It runs on the Technic Hub, City Hub and BOOST Move Hub as well as SPIKE and Inventor hubs. You can build with current Technic sets and still write proper Python. A 51515 hub plus a few Technic motors is a capable setup that doesn’t depend on any one LEGO app staying online.

Where to find Mindstorms building instructions and PDFs

Start with the official LEGO building instructions search on lego.com. Enter a set number such as 31313, 51515, 8547 (NXT 2.0) or 8527 (NXT). EV3 31313 instructions were published as downloadable files. The 51515’s main robots were built from in-app instructions, so if the Robot Inventor app still opens on any of your devices, save what you need now.

Fan archives and community sites such as Rebrickable host parts inventories and many alternate builds. For missing pieces, LEGO customer service and its replacement-parts service cover standard elements. For SPIKE electronics, LEGO Education Customer Service stocks spare parts until June 30, 2028.

Your next step depends on the kit you have. Install Pybricks on a 51515 or SPIKE hub, burn an EV3 MicroPython card for an EV3, or put a CS & AI kit in the classroom budget before the 2028-29 FLL season.

FAQ

Why is LEGO Mindstorms discontinued?

LEGO combined its Build & Code robotics into SPIKE Prime. The Robot Inventor 51515 already used SPIKE Prime hardware, so a separate consumer line duplicated work. Production ended at the end of 2022.

Does LEGO still make Mindstorms?

No. No Mindstorms set has been made since the end of 2022. LEGO kept the trademark but has not announced a revival.

Can you still program LEGO Mindstorms?

Yes. The 51515 works with the SPIKE App and Pybricks. EV3 runs EV3 MicroPython or ev3dev. NXT and RCX need community tools such as NXC, leJOS or NQC.

What happened to LEGO robotics?

Mindstorms ended in 2022. SPIKE took over and was then retired from direct sales on June 30, 2026. LEGO Education Computer Science & AI is now the current line, shipping since April 2026.

Is there a LEGO Mindstorms EV4 or EV5?

No. Neither product exists. The last Mindstorms kit was the Robot Inventor 51515 in 2020.

What replaced LEGO Mindstorms?

SPIKE Prime first, then the LEGO Education Computer Science & AI kits 45520, 45521 and 45522.

Is SPIKE Prime discontinued too?

Yes, for direct sales from LEGO Education after June 30, 2026. Resellers can sell remaining stock. The SPIKE App is supported until June 30, 2031.

Can I program the Robot Inventor 51515 now that the Mindstorms app is gone?

Yes. Use the SPIKE App, which LEGO confirms works with the 51515 hub, or flash Pybricks for MicroPython.

Does EV3 still work in 2026?

The hardware works fine. Official EV3 Classroom availability ended July 31, 2026, so most owners now use EV3 MicroPython or ev3dev from a microSD card.

Can EV3 motors work with SPIKE Prime?

No. EV3 and SPIKE use different connectors and electronics. EV3 parts work only with EV3 and, mostly, with NXT bricks.

Will LEGO ever bring back Mindstorms?

Nothing has been announced. Keeping the trademark makes a revival possible, but LEGO’s current robotics investment is in LEGO Education Computer Science & AI.

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Credits and sources

By RWT Robotics Editorial Team

• Facts were checked against the sources below before publication.
• Published November 9, 2026

Checking and sources

• Researched from 8 sources, listed below.
• Facts are checked against those sources; anything we cannot confirm is corrected, labelled or removed.

Sources (8)

1. LEGO Mindstorms to be discontinued – Brickset (brickset.com)
2. LEGO will discontinue Mindstorms robotics kits by end of year – Engadget (engadget.com)
3. LEGO MINDSTORMS Inventor – App Store (apps.apple.com)
4. About MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor – LEGO Help (lego.com)
5. LEGO EV3 Classroom app discontinued and files stuck in sandbox – XDA Forums (xdaforums.com)
6. July 2024 Update: App Availability for MINDSTORMS Education EV3 & WeDo 2.0 (community.legoeducation.com)
7. SPIKE update 2026 – LEGO Education (education.lego.com)
8. LEGO Education retires SPIKE portfolio – Blocks (blocksmag.com)

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