Showing posts with label Set review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Set review. Show all posts

15 May 2019

LEGO® Stranger Things parts review: 75810 The Upside Down

Posted by Elspeth De Montes
The LEGO Group has announced its first ever product collaboration with Netflix, LEGO® Stranger Things: 75810 The Upside Down. The set was revealed today in launch events in New York and London with special midnight opening. It has 2287 pieces and RRP is US$199.99 /CA$269.99 / DE€199.99/UK £179.99. It is available now for LEGO VIP members, with a full release coming June 1.


26 April 2019

LEGO® Overwatch review: 75975 Watchpoint: Gibraltar

Posted by Elspeth De Montes
Our second LEGO® Overwatch review takes a look at the new and interesting elements in 75975 Watchpoint: Gibraltar. The largest set in the theme, it contains 730 elements, four minifigures and costs £79.99 / $89.99 / 89.99€ and has been available since January 2019.


There are some interesting new angles in this set and a few elements appear for the first time in a new colour, so let's take a closer look.

21 April 2019

LEGO® NINJAGO turntables

Posted by Admin
Sven Franic examines the unusual and interesting new turntable pieces that come in new LEGO® Ninjago sets like 70670 Monastery of Spinjitzu.

We don't often get younger age group LEGO playsets to pick apart here at New Elementary, which makes it easy to overlook some cool new parts. Ninjago model designers have really stepped up their game in interactive play functions, and I want to see if we can bastardize some of the novelties that come in LEGO Ninjago 70670 Monastery of Spinjitzu.


One of the recent features of several Ninjago sets are the hand-held minifigure turntables. Presumably to promote interactive and social play, the resourceful designers came up with a brick-built contraption allowing players to rotate a minifigure character and fight an opponent by mimicking some impressive ninja moves.

27 March 2019

LEGO® Overwatch Review: 75973 D.Va & Reinhardt

Posted by Elspeth De Montes
LEGO® Overwatch 75973 D.Va & Reinhardt is one of the smaller sets in the Overwatch theme. It features the two tank heroes D.Va & Reinhardt with an Overwatch minifigure character for each. The set has 455 parts and has been available since Jan 19 priced at £34.99 / $39.99 / 39.99€. Lets take a look at those elements.


This set has three completely new elements that have new moulds seen for the first time in 2019, great news for all of us parts-obsessed LEGO fans.

18 March 2019

LEGO® Ideas Review: 21317 Steamboat Willie

Posted by Elspeth De Montes
The next LEGO® Ideas set, 21317 Steamboat Willie, marks the 90th anniversary of the most famous cartoon character ever, Mickey Mouse. His fame was sparked in the 1928 black-and-white animated short film called Steamboat Willie which was also the first Disney film to have synchronized sound. Let's steam ahead with Mickey and take a look at the set that will be available from 1st April 2019 priced US $89.99/CA $119.99/DE €89.99/UK £79.99 and contains 751 parts.


The original LEGO Ideas proposal was submitted in 2016 by Máté Szabó who lives in Budapest and is an animator. The proposal hit the 10k votes mark in July last year and it was only revealed that the proposal would become a set last month when the review results were announced. Clearly a lot has been going on behind the scenes as the set has evolved into a larger, functional, impressive version of the original proposal. Let's take a closer look.

22 February 2019

LEGO® Creator review: 10265 Ford Mustang

Posted by Admin
The LEGO Group have just announced the next car in the LEGO® Creator Expert series 10265 Ford Mustang, based on the 1967 Fastback and will be racing into LEGO stores and online from 1 March 2019. It has 1,471 elements and priced US $149.99/€129.99/£119.99. Jonas Kramm gets into gear to take a closer look under the hood of this 1960s American muscle car.


The LEGO Creator Expert theme’s new addition to your garage is a classic 1967 Ford Mustang. It’s a dark blue beast that comes with two play features and - even more importantly – includes two new moulds and more delicious recolours.

18 February 2019

LEGO® Xtra 40341 Sea Accessories

Posted by Admin
We're always excited to receive new sets from The LEGO Group but this supplementary set was definitely one of the stranger offerings... so after scratching our heads we challenged a man who will seemingly face any LEGO® challenge, Tim Goddard (Rogue Bantha), to actually build something with them!

The LEGO® Xtra line is a very welcome one, offering a chance to purchase some useful parts at a reasonable price. The Xtra set 40312 Streetlamps released last year contains particularly great parts such as the new lantern (Design ID 37776). I was sent three copies of the new 2019 set 40341 Sea Accessories to, um, review I guess.


There is something a bit fishy about this Xtra set though; the parts are not quite so useful as those found in other sets in the range and I am not sure I would be tempted to buy a copy myself.

16 February 2019

LEGO® Ideas 21316 The Flintstones

Posted by Admin
Sven Franic reviews LEGO® 21316 The Flintstones for us today but will it be a yabba dabba doo or a yabba dabba don't? The set is available to VIPs this Wednesday 20 February 2019 with 748 pieces, four minifigures and retails for US$59.99/ CA$79.99/ 59.99€/ £54.99/ 549DKK/ AU$99.99.

LEGO Ideas is a constantly evolving system, but there are a couple of individuals who seem to have cracked the magic formula. This is fan designer Andrew Clark’s second Ideas submission to make it all the way to store shelves after 21304 Doctor Who in 2016.

21 January 2019

LEGO® MOVIE 2 review: 70840 Welcome to Apocalypseburg!


Posted by Admin
Coming 1 February 2019 (and already available for VIP members), LEGO® 70840 Welcome to Apocalypseburg!
 is the largest and arguably most thrilling set from THE LEGO MOVIE 2: The Second Part. But how do the parts stack up? Sven Franic takes a look inside this 3178-piece set and its plethora of Sand Green.


The flagship set for THE LEGO MOVIE 2: The Second Part focuses attention on the part of the film featuring the derelict remains of Bricksburg from the first film (which may have some resemblance to New York?). This is an opportunity to jump on the revived pop-culture trend of the post-apocalypse dystopia and a great way for adult fans to connect with what is probably the closest The LEGO Group will touch a certain Ozploitation trilogy from our childhoods. 

16 January 2019

LEGO® MOVIE 2 review: 70830 Sweet Mayhem’s Systar Starship!

Posted by Admin
Our series of set reviews of THE LEGO MOVIE 2: The Second Part continues today with 70830 Sweet Mayhem’s Systar Starship! Ben Davies (ProfessorBrickkeeper) returns to examine another bumper collection of exciting parts.

One of the first sets revealed for the toy line and featuring prominently in the initial trailer for the film, 70830 Sweet Mayhem’s Systar Starship! has been one of the most anticipated sets for The LEGO Movie 2, thanks in no small part to its unusual design, wide assortment of teal bricks, and inclusion of several new-for-2019 elements.

Before examining all the new parts, let’s take a look at the construction of the ship and the finished model.

11 January 2019

LEGO® MOVIE 2 review: 70828 Pop-Up Party Bus

Posted by Admin
We've been eyeing off the new 2019 color and those new LEGO® gears for a few weeks now, and here both of them are in 70828 Pop-Up Party Bus! Ryan Howerter takes a look at this 1024-piece set which is priced £79.99 / US$79.99 / 89.99€, available at the usual suppliers including Amazon USA and Amazon UK.

Out of the 25+ sets revealed so far for The LEGO MOVIE 2: The Second Part, the Party Bus is the only one to include this year’s new color: Vibrant Coral [TLG]/Coral [BL]. And boy, does it have a lot of it! Let’s get started.


09 January 2019

LEGO® Technic 42079 Heavy Duty Forklift

Posted by Admin
LEGO® Technic 42079 Heavy Duty Forklift retails at £54.99 / US$69.99 / 49.99€ but given this is a release from summer 2018 perhaps you'll now find it cheaper at Amazon USA or Amazon UK. However, is it worth forking out money to pick this one up? Ryan Welles investigates, without resorting to awful puns.

Forklifts were a popular subject for the LEGO® Technic line in the days were there were only studded building techniques. When the studless era began, forklifts became less common. There was a small one in 2003 (set number 8441), a rather impressive forklift in 2005 containing 729 pieces (set number 8416) and yet another mini-set ten years ago (set number 8290). But that's about it. It has been at least 15 years since a big or even medium sized forklift hit the shelves. With set 42079, the smallest of 2018's Technic summer wave line-up, the hiatus came to an end.


But does it make a good purchase for or is it better to save your money for the 2019 sets?


07 January 2019

LEGO® MOVIE 2 review: 70824 Introducing Queen Watevra Wa'Nabi

Posted by Elspeth De Montes
70824 Introducing Queen Watevra Wa'Nabi is the third set from THE LEGO® MOVIE 2: The Second Part that we are taking a closer look at – along with some commentary from Nick Vas, a LEGO Designer who was involved in its creation. It has 115 parts, including a new Lucy minifigure, Sweet Mayhem minidoll, Susan minidoll, and is now available priced £17.99/ 19,99€/ US$19.99 at Amazon USA and Amazon UK as well as all usual retailers.


First let's take a look at the new elements and printed parts in this small, colourful set.

05 January 2019

2019 LEGO® Speed Champions Part 2: the new elements

Posted by Admin
Following his review of the five new LEGO® Speed Champions sets for 2019, Ben Davies (ProfessorBrickkeeper) now examines the new, recolored and printed parts you'll find in them. 75890 Ferrari F40 Competizione, 75891 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Race Car, 75892 McLaren Senna, 75893 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon and 1970 Dodge Charger R/T, and 75894 1967 Mini Cooper S Rally and 2018 MINI John Cooper Works Buggy are all now available to purchase.

Across the new assortment of Speed Champions sets, a whopping twenty-two new elements can be found. These include twelve part recolors, eight parts with new decorations, and two completely new part designs. After taking a look at the complete sets in part one of my review, I am turning my attention to all of these new elements, and highlighting some of the more notable ones.


Two new part designs for the purpose of vehicle building have been introduced in the the latest wave of Speed Champions. These include a slim new wheel arch and a hubcap element which extends to cover the edge of the tire.

04 January 2019

2019 LEGO® Speed Champions Part 1: the sets

Posted by Admin
New year, new LEGO® sets and we also welcome a new contributor, Ben Davies (ProfessorBrickkeeper) who over the course of two posts will take a look at 75890 Ferrari F40 Competizione, 75891 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Race Car, 75892 McLaren Senna, 75893 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon and 1970 Dodge Charger R/T, and 75894 1967 Mini Cooper S Rally and 2018 MINI John Cooper Works Buggy. As is often the case at New Elementary, Ben chose not to apply the stickers. If you want to see how the cars look stickered, check out the reviews at your other favourite LEGO fan sites!

Since the theme’s introduction in 2015, LEGO® Speed Champions has continually offered a wide variety of licensed vehicles to autophiles and LEGO fans alike, ranging from consumer vehicles to racing cars.


29 December 2018

LEGO® Minecraft: BigFigs Series 1

Posted by Admin
LEGO® Minecraft are taking a different direction in 2019 with the new subtheme BigFigs, which features yet another new scale of Minecraft build. 21148 Steve with Parrot, 21149 Alex with Chicken and 21150 Skeleton with Magma Cube will be released 1st January and we asked Jonas Kramm to investigate the new pieces that come in these sets. 

The trend that LEGO® Minecraft sets are privileged to include new elements continues. Usually these are specific Minecraft moulds such as the tools and heads (which I’ve recently explored) but sometimes also includes pieces that aren’t so specialised, that will be used in other sets and themes afterwards as well. Let’s take a look at the new Minecraft sets called BigFig Series 1, and see what is new.


27 December 2018

LEGO® MOVIE 2 review: 70821 Emmet and Benny's ‘Build and Fix' Workshop!

Posted by Elspeth De Montes
THE LEGO® MOVIE 2: The Second Part is assembling in cinemas in February 2019, and the tie-in sets have just been released in stores. 70821 Emmet and Benny's ‘Build and Fix' Workshop! is the second set we are taking a closer look at. It has 117 parts, including new Emmet and Benny minifigures, and is now available priced £17.99/ 19,99€/ US$19.99 at Amazon USA and Amazon UK as well as all usual retailers. 

70821 Emmet and Benny's ‘Build and Fix' Workshop! is particularly aimed at preschoolers and young builders. Such sets were previously branded as LEGO® Juniors, now it seems they just carry a large 4+ age mark. The Juniors moniker was introduced for kids who knew they were getting too old for DUPLO and wanted "grown up LEGO"; perhaps the name was dropped as they didn't want something marked as junior either?

Conversely, it seems no grown up is too old for this set.

22 December 2018

LEGO® MOVIE 2 review: 70827 Ultrakatty & Warrior Lucy!

Posted by Elspeth De Montes
THE LEGO® MOVIE 2: The Second Part is assembling in cinemas in February 2019, and we happened to stumble upon a few of the tie-in sets placed on the shelf early in a John Lewis store. We took this opportunity to review some of the sets before their official release starting with 70827 Ultrakatty & Warrior Lucy! This set contains 348 parts and is due for release 26th December 2018 in the UK priced at £24.99/ US$29.99/ €29.99.


Clearly, we have not yet seen THE LEGO® MOVIE 2: The Second Part but from the trailers and the various promotional information we know that it takes place five years after the end of the first movie. We saw some DUPLO characters appear just as the final credits started to roll and it seems those invaders turned awesome Bricksburg into a post-apocalyptic wasteland, now known as Apocalypseburg.

20 December 2018

LEGO® Creator Expert 10268 Vestas Wind Turbine

Posted by Admin
LEGO® Creator Expert 10268 Vestas Wind Turbine is the latest set to get re-issued by The LEGO Group. How does this monster measure up? We tasked brainy builder Gary Davis with finding out... and managing to fit it all into one photograph.

I liked the 10268 Vestas Wind Turbine set form the moment I first saw it for real.  The completed model has great presence.  With one of its blades pointing straight up, it's nearly a metre tall, and what's more, it moves!  Unusually for a Creator Expert set, the Vestas Wind Turbine includes Power Functions lights and a motor to get those blades whizzing round.  (The model isn't quite as environmentally friendly as the real thing.)


This is a re-issue of the almost identical set (4999) from ten years ago.  That was a Limited Edition set only available to Vestas employees, but now it's available to us all.  There are some minor changes between the two sets, for example the Vestas branding has been updated and, reportedly, the mounting of the tower is now more stable. 

16 December 2018

LEGO® Architecture 21044 Paris and 21043 San Francisco

Posted by Elspeth De Montes
We asked New Elementary regular Sven Franic to take a look at the two new LEGO® Architecture sets due for release on 1st January 2019.  Read on to find out the new elements and build techniques within 21044 Paris and 21043 San Francisco.

The Architecture Skyline sub-theme has been running successfully since 2016 and we are getting some of the most recognizable cities in 2019. The most iconic landmark of Paris was featured in a number of previous Architecture sets, which is a good demonstration of the dynamics of scale and progress that was achieved by the introduction of new elements to build up the Eiffel Tower over the years.