LEGO® Friends reviews: 41687, 41693 & 41683

Eero Okkonen (@eerookkonen) examines 3 upcoming 2021 LEGO® Friends sets for you today. Buying them when they're released on 1 June 2021? Consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. Products in this article were provided by LEGO; the author's opinions are their own.

Funfair magic, beachfront surfing or horseback riding? Today you can enjoy them all, as we review three LEGO® Friends sets being released in June:

• 41687 Magical Funfair Stalls - 361 pieces
• 41693 Surfer Beachfront - 685 pieces
• 41683 Forest Horseback Riding Centre - 511 pieces 

(CW: HP) LEGO® Harry Potter parts review: 76386, 76387, 76388 & 76389

Jonas Kramm (@jonaskramm) analyses the new parts and minifigures in the June 2021 range of LEGO® Harry Potter sets. For reviews of the actual builds, visit our sister LEGO fan sites. Editorial note: Although views expressed by Harry Potter's creator do not align with that of New Elementary, we continue to cover some sets for their parts. Read about our stance here. Products in this article were provided by LEGO; the author's opinions are their own.

In June 2021 a new wave of LEGO® Harry Potter sets will launch. Today we’re taking a look at what new moulds, recolours and interesting printed elements we can find in these four sets:

• 76386 Polyjuice Potion Mistake: 217 pcs - £17.99 / US$19.99 / 19.99€
• 76387 Hogwarts: Fluffy Encounter: 397 pcs - £34.99 / $39.99 / 39.99€
• 76388 Hogsmeade Village Visit: 851 pcs - £69.99 / $79.99 / 79.99€
• 76389 Hogwarts Chamber of Secrets: 1176 pcs - £129.99 / $129.99 / 139.99€ 

LEGO® Creator 3-in-1 review: 31120 Medieval Castle

TobyMac (@efraimaspie) reviews a much-anticipated upcoming set today: LEGO® Creator 3-in-1 31120 Medieval Castle. Buying this set when it is released on 1 June 2021? Consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. Products in this article were provided by LEGO; the author's opinions are their own.

Name a theme that LEGO should revive, and the most-heard answers will be Space, Castle and Pirates (and, surprisingly for me as this theme was launched during my dark ages: Bionicle). TLG has said those three ‘Classic’ themes will not return as stand-alone themes, but will instead be featured in the Creator 3-in-1 line. We’ve already seen 31109 Pirate Ship, 31107 Space Rover Explorer and 31115 Space Mining Mech as examples, and now Castle joins the line with 31120 Medieval Castle. 

LEGO® VIDIYO™ review: 43115 The Boombox

Caz Mockett examines one of the most exciting of the new LEGO® VIDIYO™ sets today: 43115 The Boombox, coming 1 June 2021 priced £89.99 / € 99.99 (North America 1 August US$99.99). Buying this set? Consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. Products in this article were provided by LEGO; the author's opinions are their own.

Many AFOLs were rather unimpressed with the chunky BeatBoxes when the new VIDIYO™ theme launched in March, even if they were more enamoured with the exclusive printed tiles and whacky minifigure characters which came in them. The LEGO Group heavily emphasised the interactive part of the theme, demonstrating the ability to make fancy pop videos with a tie-in from Universal Music, squarely aimed at the 9+ age bracket. But older fans were worried that it was a poor relation of the now-defunct Hidden Side theme which had also featured Augmented Reality trickery - at least Hidden Side had some decent sets which stood on their own merit without using an app, they argued.

And then there was a surprise announcement that VIDIYO was getting a second wave, in quick succession, comprising two more BeatBoxes and five playsets of varying sizes. The biggest of them, 43115 The Boombox, is what I have to show you today.

LEGO® Speed Champions 2021 interview: Design Manager Specialist Christopher Stamp

Back in May 2020 during the Fan Media Days, New Elementary contributors Tim Johnson and Francesco Spreafico spoke online to LEGO® Speed Champions Design Manager Specialist, Christopher Leslie Stamp, where he told us everything about the 2021 sets. (Well, almost everything – since then, they added another car to this year's assortment!) And so now, a year later with the sets about to be released on 1 June, we can finally share what he told us! This transcript has been edited for clarity, readability and narrative flow.

Set images ©2021 The LEGO Group, photograph ©2019 New Elementary

Which LEGO® sets have the most new parts? April & May 2021

Following our list of new parts from May 2021, today we list the most recent LEGO® sets showing the quantity of new parts each of in them. This covers sets added to Rebrickable in April and May.

Developed in partnership with TobyMac (from Rebrickable), we show both quantity as well as overall percentage of new elements. So if you like to buy sets knowing they'll contain stuff you don't yet own, you may like to use our table as one of your purchasing factors.

New LEGO® pieces for May 2021

TobyMac (on Rebrickable) has created a list showing all 99 new LEGO® elements added in May 2021, with links to which sets they come in so you can check for the ones you might be interested in. And this month, we've made an improvement to the list that many of you have been asking for! There's also an opportunity for you to help Rebrickable with information on a potentially new mould.

LEGO® City interview: the new Road Plates

An earth-shattering change occurred in LEGO® City in 2021: the introduction of brick-built roads, replacing the thin baseplates that have been used for decades. So New Elementary asked The LEGO Group about the development of this new 'element platform', including questions from our lovely Patreon supporters. The answers are a team effort from the LEGO® City team and Element Design. Before anyone asks; we did not ask them about the absence of curved road elements as the team had already stated; "At this point the LEGO® City team does not have a comment on corners."

Where did the idea for reinventing road baseplates come about - is it something that’s been on the LEGO® City team’s collective minds for a long time now, or a bit more recent? 

The idea has been hovering around the project for a number of years. The first time this system of elements was pitched as a concept was more than 10 years ago. 

LEGO® Creator review & alt-build: 31116 Safari Wildlife Tree House

Alice Finch (@bippitybricks) returns as our guest reviewer again today, with LEGO® Creator 31116 Safari Wildlife Tree House in her sights. She examines each of the 3-in-1 models before designing a 4th of her own! Buying this £29.99 / US$29.99 / 29.99€ / AU$49.99 set? Consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. The products in this article were provided by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

31116 Safari Wildlife Tree House is in the LEGO® Creator line and features an animal, a vehicle or structure, and at least one colourful bird in each of the three models. Seeing as most of us are still staying close to home, taking a trip on a LEGO safari is a welcome departure from the living room, office or wherever you have been spending the last year.

LEGO® Botanical Collection review: 10289 Birds of Paradise

Victor Pruvost (@leewanlego) reviews an upcoming addition to the LEGO® Botanical Collection today: 10289 Birds of Paradise. Buying this set? Consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

10289 Birds of Paradise, the third set in the recent LEGO® Botanical Collection, has just been revealed. With 1173 elements, it is the set with the highest parts count to date, and also the most expensive: it will cost 99.99 EUR / 89.99 GBP / 99.99 USD and will be released on 1 June 2021, except in North America where it will be released on 1 August.

(CW: HP) LEGO® BrickHeadz parts review + MOCs: 40495 & 40496

Eero Okkonen examines the parts in LEGO® BrickHeadz sets 40495 & 40496, both released on 1 June 2021, before using some of them in his own creations. Note, this article does not cover the actual build of the models – please visit other fan sites for that, such as The Rambling Brick. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

The target audience for LEGO® BrickHeadz sets 40495 and 40496 are people who want to have simple, rectangular models of Harry Potter franchise characters on display. These two Brickheadz sets, each containing multiple characters, are not what I would call “essential New Elementary content”; they’re fairly basic models with only a few unique printed parts. Also their theme licence has its problems: New Elementary has a stance on Harry Potter sets following JK Rowling’s shocking and hurtful views on transgender people, which you can read here. I am aware that reviewing this merchandise might work as an advertisement, and JK Rowling might even profit from it. I don’t like it. 

So, why do we review such sets? Firstly, we do not always know what pre-release sets we’re getting from TLG, and secondly, it’s worth knowing that all sets are not new mold powerhouses; and such sets may have other qualities. Due to this issue, I have deliberately faded out the Potter aspect of this article, rather focusing on the parts and creating my own models. I will also return to this issue later on. 

LEGO® Technic review: 42121 Heavy-Duty Excavator

Alexandre Campos is back with another 2021 LEGO® Technic set: 42121 Heavy-Duty Excavator. Buying this set? Consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

Excavators are a common sight in LEGO® Technic, ranging from some of the smallest sets to some of the largest. 42121 Heavy-Duty Excavator is the newest entry, priced €39.99/ £34.99/ US$39.99/ AU$69.99.

LEGO® Super Mario review: 71383 Wiggler's Poison Swamp

Nicolas Geeraert, a UK-based builder and former contestant in LEGO® Masters, is our special guest reviewer today. He's taking a look at the parts in the 2021 LEGO Super Mario set 71383 Wiggler’s Poison Swamp. Buying this £34.99 / US$39.99 / 39.99€ set? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

Alongside the Character Pack Series 2, a series of LEGO® Super Mario sets was released at the start of 2021 including 71383 Wiggler’s Poison Swamp. This is my first experience with the Super Mario sets, and so the lack of a Mario figure prevented me from reviewing the gameplay, but that should not spoil the fun. The set brings some great new parts and recolours, with a new SNOT element as the highlight.

LEGO® Brickheadz review: 40420 Gru & 40421 Belle Bottom

TobyMac (@efraimaspie) examines 2 new LEGO® BrickHeadz sets which are available from today: 40420 Gru & 40421 Belle Bottom. Buying these Minions sets? Consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

Minions… annoying little yellow figures that speak some weird language. I can’t say I’m a fan of them popping up everywhere. But, they do give us some neat LEGO® sets with new, interesting elements. Last year, 5 sets were announced, with only 2 released because the movie Minions: Rise of Gru is delayed. Tim Johnson has already taken a look at 75551 Brick Built Minions and Their Lair & 75549 Unstoppable Bike Chase, looking at both the new moulds and the figures and recolours. The other 3 sets are supposed to be released in June this year. But before we can get our hands on those, LEGO is going to release 2 other Minions-related sets, in the form of 40420 Gru & 40421 Belle Bottom BrickHeadz, and today we’ll be taking a look at them.

Si-MOCs vs. LEGO® Art

Simon Liu (@si_mocs) is our welcome guest today! A stalwart of communities in Canada and online, including the wonderful Iron Builder, we knew Simon would take the ultimate MOCcing challenge in his stride. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

There are lots of LEGO® sites out there, targeted at different audiences, but for a builder like myself New Elementary has always been my go-to source for parts and building analysis. I’ve always said I’d jump if asked to do something for New Elementary.  Tim knew this, but Tim’s a funny guy; he asked me to do some seed-part building with some interesting new pieces... from LEGO Art 31200 The Sith. You read that right, dear reader, Tim asked me to do a deep dive build with pieces from a mosaic set.

LEGO® Friends review & alt build: 41433 Party Boat

Lee (@citysoncreation) designs his own alternate model from a 2020 LEGO® Friends set for you today: 41433 Party Boat, which is priced 79.99€/ US$$79.99/ £74.99/ AU$$159.99. Buying this set? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | UK Amazon | USA LEGO Shop | USA Amazon | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

It may be a 2020 set but there is no such thing as a bad time to build and review a LEGO® party boat, so let’s hop on with Andrea, Emma and Ethan to take a break as I examine for you the second-largest boat set in LEGO Friends yet: 41433 Party Boat. Then, I use its parts in my own creation!

LEGO® Monkie Kid review: 80024 The Legendary Flower Fruit Mountain

Aron Gerencsér (@_pohaturon) completes his 2021 LEGO® Monkie Kid set analysis today with 80024 The Legendary Flower Fruit Mountain. Don't forget, it is Double VIP Points at LEGO.com until 20 April 2021 so if you're buying this set, or anything, please consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

The largest set in the first 2021 wave of LEGO® Monkie Kid sets is a stark departure from the usual aesthetic of the theme. 80024 The Legendary Flower Fruit Mountain is a 1949-piece set retailing for £159.99 / US$169.99 / 169.99€ (more currencies listed at the end of this post) which instead of a fancy futuristic vehicle or mech depicts a beautiful mountain vista with a mythic vibe, straying much closer to the theme’s Journey to the West roots. Let’s see if this dramatic shift works to the set’s advantage. 

LEGO® Designers interview: 10283 NASA Space Shuttle Discovery

Zachary Hill recently conducted an exclusive interview for New Elementary with not one but two LEGO® designers who worked on 10283 NASA Space Shuttle Discovery: the set designer Milan Madge and element designer Mani Zamani. This transcript has been edited for clarity, readability and narrative flow.

New Elementary: The Discovery Shuttle is an amazing spacecraft and the new LEGO® 10283 NASA Space Shuttle Discovery is a fantastic homage to it. How did you enjoy the opportunity to develop this set, Milan? 

Milan Madge: It was great working with NASA and it really was a childhood dream come true for everyone involved.

© 2021 The LEGO Group

New E: In the LEGO Designer Video, you mentioned a part of that childhood dream: admiring the Discovery which was in the LEGO catalogue when you were young. Which version of the Shuttle was that?

Milan M: That set was the Space Shuttle Discovery from 2003 (7470). I loved the pictures of that set but never owned it myself, so I built my own out of multicoloured bricks.

LEGO® NINJAGO® review + MOCs: 71719 Zane’s Mino Creature & 71721 Skull Sorcerer’s Dragon

Aron Gerencsér (@_pohaturon) reviews two 2020 LEGO® NINJAGO® stes today as well as building his own models using some of their parts: 71719 Zane’s Mino Creature & 71721 Skull Sorcerer’s Dragon. Buying these sets? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

LEGO® NINJAGO® has been spinning for a decade, and over the course of ten years we’ve seen nearly twice that many subthemes, with the latest having been a dungeon crawling fantasy adventure inspired by tabletop RPGs. 71719 Zane’s Mino Creature & 71721 Skull Sorcerer’s Dragon are two of the bigger sets in the wave, both featuring the “game experience” gimmick prevalent in it. 

Rolling a party consisting solely of thief-sorcerer multiclasses is a bold move. Let’s see if it works out for the ninja or if they get wiped by the boss. 

LEGO® Minifigures review & MOCs: 71030 Looney Tunes

Thomas Jenkins (@thomas_jenkins_bricks) reviews the recently revealed LEGO® Minifigures 71030 Looney Tunes, coming 26 April 2021. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

It seems we only just welcomed the release of a host of new Collectible Minifigures with series 21, but they’re back once more and feature a wealth of new moulds to represent Warner Bros’ iconic cast of animated characters. LEGO Collectible Minifigures 71030 Looney Tunes are available from 26 April 2021.

LEGO® Marvel Super Heroes review: 76199 Carnage

TobyMac (on Rebrickable) examines LEGO® Marvel Super Heroes 76199 Carnage, available priced US$59.99 from 11 April 2021, and £54.99/ AU$89.99 on 1 May. Consider using our affiliate links: USA LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop. New Elementary may get a commission. It's also available as a retailer exclusive in some countries. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

So, today I’m doing something a bit different. I first built 76199 Carnage for a review on Rebrickable.com, but when I found out how many interesting elements there are to be found here, I decided to write this additional piece for New Elementary.

Minifig shown for scale!

New LEGO® pieces for April 2021

TobyMac (on Rebrickable) has created a list showing all 55 new LEGO® elements released in April 2021 sets, with links to which sets they come in, so you can check for the ones you might be interested in.If you want a more detailed look at some of these new parts check out our recent reviews of 10283 NASA Space Shuttle Discovery.

LEGO® City review: 60243 Police Helicopter Chase

Tim Goddard (@tim_goddard928) reviews a 2020 LEGO® City set today with an interesting inclusion: magnets! Buying 60243 Police Helicopter Chase? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

Last time I looked at a brief history of LEGO® magnets, today I look at the 2020 return of the magnet and one of the two sets that these new offerings come in. But before the pull of the magnets overwhelms us, let us have a look at the rest of the set.

This is a fairly basic set, at least by New Elementary standards, and so something that AFOLs may easily overlook. It is the kind of set designed to appeal to younger children who might just be able to pester a parent into buying it for them during a trip to the supermarket. It offers good value for money and plenty of play value and I have often seen it available on discount.

Old Elementary: A brief history of LEGO® magnets

Tim Goddard (@tim_goddard928) is back with another delve into the parts of yesteryear: an overview of various magnets the LEGO Group have included in products over the decades. 

Magnets have been in LEGO® sets for a long time. They were first used as practical train carriage couplings starting back in 1967 and for were restricted to train sets for over two decades. A variety of parts were made exclusively for this purpose and they were just perfect for a bit of shunting and easy carriage separation.

LEGO® House Limited Edition review: 40502 The Brick Moulding Machine

Ben Davies has received an exciting set from Billund to review for you today: LEGO® 40502 The Brick Moulding Machine which is priced 599 DKK and only available in LEGO House in Denmark. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

Announced earlier this month, 40502 The Brick Moulding Machine is the latest exclusive set from LEGO® House, and the second in the “LEGO House Limited Edition” series, following 40501 The Wooden Duck introduced in 2020.

LEGO® set review: 10283 NASA Space Shuttle Discovery

Omid (@nwbricks) examined all the new parts in LEGO® 10283 NASA Space Shuttle Discovery yesterday and today he explores the build process of this 2,354-piece set. It's available from 1 April 2021, and if you're buying it (or anything) please consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

There’s actually two separate models in LEGO® NASA Space Shuttle Discovery to build: the Shuttle itself and its precious cargo, the Hubble Space Telescope. Each gets its own stand and information panel, but they can be combined into one display piece in a variety of ways and, yes, the entire telescope will fit snugly in the cargo bay - albeit with the solar panels removed.

LEGO® parts review: 10283 NASA Space Shuttle Discovery

Omid (@nwbricks) has examines the upcoming LEGO® 10283 NASA Space Shuttle Discovery over 2 articles, starting here with a look at its pieces and then his review of the build. Buying this set in April? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

Hot on the heels of last year’s 21309/92176 Saturn V reissue and the 21321 International Space Station, the latest instalment of the LEGO–NASA collaboration takes the form of an incredible Space Shuttle Discovery model. Take a trip with us back to April 1990 and one of the most important space flights ever undertaken: Mission STS-31, the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope.

The 10283 Space Shuttle Discovery is on sale from 1 April 2021 with 2354 pieces. There are no minifigs or microfigs included, so I invited some friends. It will retail for 179,99€/ £169.99/ US$199.99/ CA$269.99/ AU$299.99/ NZ$319.99. 

LEGO® Star Wars™ review & alt build: 75293 Resistance I-TS Transport

Thomas Jenkins not only reviewed 2020 LEGO® Star Wars™set 75293 Resistance I-TS Transport, he also created an alternate build! Buying this $99.99/ £89.99 / 99.99€ set? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | UK Amazon | USA LEGO Shop | USA Amazon | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

The I-TS Transport hails from Disneyland’s Star Wars-themed world, Batuu and although the vehicle shares a design similar to that of the Rebel frigates (like the Tantive IV blockade runner), this ship was unfamiliar to me. Given the relative obscurity of this vehicle, I imagine that this set went overlooked by most LEGO® fans in favour of the more recognisable vehicles and locations that made up the rest of the 2020 summer wave of sets. There are a few interesting parts and 2 exclusive minifigures to this set, which makes me hope this might be somewhat of a dark horse amongst last summer’s offering of Star Wars fare.

Old Elementary: Eero Okkonen's LEGO® vehicle fronts

Finnish LEGO® builder Eero Okkonen (on Instagram) continues his series of articles looking at unusual parts he likes to use in his MOCs, and today's article even includes a brand-new model. Last time he examined Windscreen 9 x 3 x 1 2/3 Bubble Canopy and Wedge 4 x 3 Cut Back with Cutout; today it is the turn of three more curved pieces intended for vehicles.

Cars are one of the evergreen subjects of LEGO® sets, and the parts specially designed for minifig-scale vehicles can be easily overlooked due to their everyday status, especially by builders who usually work at entirely different scales. I thought it might be interesting to briefly present several LEGO vehicle pieces I like to use in builds, along with examples of older MOCs of mine as well as this unpublished work: Jean of Emergent Dance.

(CW: HP) LEGO® Harry Potter review: Hogwarts Moments

Jonas Kramm opens the four LEGO® Harry Potter 'Hogwarts Moments' sets for you today. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this. Editorial note: Although views expressed by Harry Potter's creator do not align with that of New Elementary, we continue to cover HP sets. Read about our stance here.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” We won’t! Today we will take a detailed look at the inventories of the four new LEGO® Harry Potter Hogwarts Moment sets that were released on 1 January 2021 for £27.99 / $29.99 / 29.99€ each. They not only bring new book cover plates, but lots of interesting pieces and recolours to discover.

Often simply referred to as LEGO Harry Potter books, sets 76382 Transfiguration Class, 76383 Potions Class, 76384 Herbology Class and 76385 Charms Class are a miniseries of four 'books' which unfold to reveal a Hogwarts classroom playset inside.

LEGO® review: 80023 Monkie Kid's Team Dronecopter

Aron Gerencsér (@_pohaturon) resumes our 2021 LEGO® Monkie Kid reviews today with 80023 Monkie Kid's Team Dronecopter. Buying this set? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

80023 Monkie Kid's Team Dronecopter was the first of the 2021 Monkie Kid sets to be officially revealed, and gave us a bit of a preview of what to expect in terms of villains, designs and new moulds. With the wave now available, it’s time to judge just how emblematic this 1462-piece set, retailing for €129,99/£119.99 / $149.99/ 1099 HKD/ 12980 JPY/ 179900 KRW/ 599.9 MYR/ 199.9 SGD/ 4799 TWD really is! 

LEGO® 75551 Brick-Built Minions and Their Lair: Lee's alternate builds

Lee (cityson on Flickr) creates MOCs for you today using only the parts from LEGO® 75551 Brick-Built Minions and Their Lair, a 2020 set containing many interesting new moulds. Buying this set? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop (for other countries 'Change Region') or try UK Amazon | USA Amazon. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

Last October, Tim Johnson took quite a thorough look at all the interesting parts in the 2 released LEGO® Minions: The Rise of Gru sets. While fans are still waiting for the postponed movie and its tie-in sets to be released, I have taken some time to see what alternate models can be rebuilt from the lovely set 75551 Brick-Built Minions and Their Lair. 

Sadly, I found myself running into a classic creative block. On the bright side, the set has given me 3 Minions minifigures, so I decided to outsource my task to Kevin, Stuart and Bob and see what they can come up with instead.

LEGO® Designers interview: 10281 Bonsai Tree

Recently, Thomas Jenkins represented New Elementary in a virtual roundtable interview with the designer of LEGO® Botanical Collection 10280 Bonsai Tree, Nicolaas Vás (aka @PrinceGalidor) and Senior Design Manager Jamie Berard along with Jay's Brick Blog, the Brothers Brick, the Rambling Brick and Blocks Magazine. We each had 8 minutes to ask our questions, so what follows is but a short excerpt from our conversation (edited for readability and clarity). We sent Nick and Jamie our questions ahead of the interview and they came back with some really thoughtful responses. Be sure to check out the other outlets for more.

New Elementary: The pink frogs in the set as well as your own bonsai creations have inspired a number of custom trees blooming with crazy flowers in the AFOL community, are there any that have caught your eye?

Nick: There was a particular tree that I saw from a Japanese builder online and he had basically covered the entire tree with LEGO® Friends hedgehogs and it was fantastic to see that he absolutely gets what this product is about.

 

Which LEGO® sets have the most new parts? February & March 2021

We've been on a bit of a "lists of new parts" roll these last few days! We showed you the new parts from March as well as a list of LEGO® VIDIYO™ BeatBits printed tiles, and we finish up today with our regular list of the newest sets showing the quantity of new parts each of in them. This covers this month as well as the previous, as there weren't many new sets in February.

Developed in partnership with Toby Mac (from Rebrickable), we show both quantity as well as overall percentage of new elements. So if you like to buy sets knowing they'll contain stuff you don't yet own, you may like to use our table as one of your purchasing factors.

LEGO® VIDIYO™: BeatBits printed tiles

This month LEGO® VIDIYO™ was launched; the LEGO Group's latest virtual-meets-physical play product. This time the focus is on musical performance and video creation, and the accompanying sets include random printed 2x2 tiles, called BeatBits, that add fun effects to the videos you create once you scan them with the app. We showed them in our previous post but today we have them all listed in a table for you!

We hope to be taking a look at the new elements in the range soon  but if you're buying any, consider using our affiliate links – UK Amazon | UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | USA Amazon | Australia LEGO Shop. New Elementary may get a commission.

New LEGO® pieces for March 2021

March 2021 brings a lot of new parts and so once again, TobyMac (on Rebrickable) has created this list showing all new elements this month, with links to which sets they come in, so you can check for the ones you might be interested in. We also have specific information about LEGO® VIDIYO™ BeatBits. 

As always, 'new elements' means new moulds, recolours and prints including minifigure parts.

LEGO® City review: 60264 Ocean Exploration Submarine

Tim Goddard reviews LEGO® City 60264 Ocean Exploration Submarine today, part of the 2020 Deep Sea Explorers sub-theme. Buying this set? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | UK Amazon | USA LEGO Shop | USA Amazon | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

We go back underwater today to look at another of the 2020 LEGO® City sets that ventured into the deep, to search for mysterious aquatic monsters and the crystals that inevitably seem to scatter the seafloor in the LEGO universe.

The 286 pieces in 60264 Ocean Exploration Submarine make a realistic looking deep sea submarine, the rocky home of an anglerfish, a research drone and some well-kitted-out divers led by Jessica Sharpe. 

LEGO® House Limited Edition reveal: 40502 The Brick Moulding Machine

Today, Ben Davies reports on the exciting news that the physical LEGO® Store in LEGO House, Billund will re-open this week on Thursday 4 March 2021 and a new exclusive set will be available for sale.

Today, LEGO® House has unveiled their newest exclusive, and the second product in their “LEGO Limited Edition” series of sets after 40501 The Wooden Duck, which will remain available.

LEGO® review: 40450 Amelia Earhart Tribute

A new month means new LEGO® sets are available today! Although if you wait until 6 March (date may vary across countries) and spend US$99 / €99 / £99 you also get the gift-with-purchase 40450 Amelia Earhart Tribute, which Kev Levell reviews for you now. No matter when you buy LEGO, please consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

Before Christmas, my little girl was doing a topic at school about Amelia Earhart. In preparing for this review, I asked my resident Earhart expert what she knew about the aviation pioneer. Brace yourself for a little turbulence here, we have apparently learnt that Amelia was “cool”, “had a red airplane” and “flewed it ‘cross the ‘lantic ocean.” Oh, to be seven again!

With that esoteric knowledge in place, come fly with me as we review the upcoming ‘gift with purchase’ (GWP) offering from LEGO®. 

LEGO® Monkie Kid review: 80022 Spider Queen's Arachnoid Base

Aron Gerencsér (@_pohaturon) continues to work through the 2021 LEGO® Monkie Kid sets with 80022 Spider Queen's Arachnoid Base. It is available from tomorrow, 1 March 2021 along with the rest of the range, so get ready! – and please consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

If you’re excited about the new spider-themed villains of Monkie Kid’s second season, 80022 Spider Queen’s Arachnoid Base is definitely the set to keep an eye out for. It has 1170 pieces and comes at the price of US$119.99/ £89.99/ € 99,99/ 849.0 HKD/ 11980.0 JPY/ 149900.0 KRW/ 499.9 MYR/ 179.9 SGD/ 3699.0 TWD. On first glance, it boasts an impressive selection of purple hues among other even more exciting recolours as well as some interesting play features. Will we get caught in its web, or is it time to break out the insecticide? 

LEGO® Ideas 21325 Medieval Blacksmith: Kev's alternate builds

A month ago, Kev Levell (on Flickr) reviewed the parts and the build of LEGO® Ideas 21325 Medieval Blacksmith and today he presents a whole bunch of his own alternate models using only parts from the set and sticking with the set's theme. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

I love banging on about LEGO®, and beating something into shape using the elements found in one set. I've been forging ahead on a few ideas I had for MOCs inspired by the Medieval Blacksmith.

It hasn’t been either heavy, hard or hot work and no-one needed to do it, but I had fun in any case. Maybe I’ve hit on something that might interest you, I hope so.

LEGO® Monkie Kid review: 80021 Lion Guardian

Aron Gerencsér (@_pohaturon) continues his 2021 LEGO® Monkie Kid coverage today with 80021 Monkie Kid's Lion Guardian, coming 1 March. Buying this set? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

Large quadruped creature builds are a recurring staple of the more fantastical LEGO® themes, and Monkie Kid gets its first one in the March wave of 2021 sets with 80021 Monkie Kid's Lion Guardian. Coming in at 774 pieces it has a price of €69,99/ US$79.99/ 569.0 HKD/ 7280.0 JPY/ 99900.0 KRW/ 329.9 MYR/ 109.9 SGD/ 2599.0 TWD. Does this lion have a bite, or is it just roaring without teeth? 

LEGO® Technic review: 42118 Monster Jam Grave Digger & 42119 Monster Jam Max D

Omid (@nwbricks) is back today, monster-jam-packed with more LEGO® Technic reviews for you: 42118 Monster Jam Grave Digger and 42119 Monster Jam Max D. Buying these sets? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

In my second double-header review we take a look at the new Monster Jam LEGO® Technic sets, Grave Digger and Max-D. Featuring licensed trucks from the live motorsport event tour, pullback motors and some interesting recolours, they are aimed at intermediate young builders with just over 200 parts each. They both weigh in at £17.99/ $19.99/ 19.99€ and were released on 1 January as part of the first wave of 2021 sets. Start your engines!

LEGO® Monkie Kid review: 80018 Cloud Bike & 80019 Red Son's Inferno Jet

Aron Gerencsér (on Flickr) already has another 2021 LEGO® Monkie Kid review for you today – two little ones actually! 80018 Monkie Kid’s Cloud Bike & 80019 Red Son’s Inferno Jet. Buying Monkie Kid sets? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

With the first wave of 2021 Monkie Kid sets, LEGO® fans have a better selection of smaller, entry level sets than they did last year. Aside from polybags, 80006 White Dragon Horse Bike was the smallest 2020 set at 259 pieces. This time around, 80018 Monkie Kid’s Cloud Bike at 203 pieces retailing for US$24.99/ €19.99 and 80019 Red Son’s Inferno Jet at 299 pieces with a price of US$34.99/ €29.99 give the lower price points better variety. Are these sets a good introduction to Monkie Kid, or will they fizzle out?

LEGO® City review & MOC: 60263 Ocean Mini-Submarine

Tim Goddard (@tim_goddard928) gets inspired by a 2020 LEGO® City set today, 60263 Ocean Mini-Submarine – or rather, one of its massive parts: 44665. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

The LEGO Group has a long and glorious history of underwater themes, whether fantastical like Aquazone or more contemporary – like a LEGO® City subtheme of sets. Indeed, in 2020 we once again journeyed underwater with the Deep Sea Explorers sets which have the tagline ‘Supporting National Geographic Explorers’.  This seems to mean some cool aquatic animals and a light-touch pro-environmental feel. LEGO Friends also took part in this collaboration in 2020 with some jungle themed sets which also came with some nice, somewhat cuter animals.

60263 Ocean Mini-Submarine is the smallest of the range and falls into the 4+ age mark, a bracket which used to be called Juniors and is designed for those who are ready to leave swallow-proof DUPLO behind and tentatively begin their System journey. 

LEGO® Monkie Kid review: 80020 White Dragon Horse Jet

Aron Gerencsér (on Flickr) kicks off his series of 2021 LEGO® Monkie Kid set reviews today, commencing with the stunning 80020 White Dragon Horse Jet. Buying this set when it is released 1 March? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

80020 White Dragon Horse Jet is one of the smaller sets in the first wave of 2021 Monkie Kid products, including 565 pieces with a price of US$59.99/ 39.99€/ HK$329/ ¥4780/ 59900 KRW/ 179.9 MYR/ SG$64.9/ TW$1399. The set includes three minifigures, an interesting selection of parts and a blue cat with a mohawk riding a weaponised hoverboard. What more could you possibly need? 

LEGO® Brickheadz review: 40442 Goldfish and 40443 Budgie

We have more LEGO® BrickHeadz for you today as TobyMac (on Rebrickable) examines the upcoming 40442 Goldfish and 40443 Budgie which will be released on 1 March 2021. Buying BrickHeadz? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

LEGO has introduced a new subtheme for BrickHeadz this year: BrickHeadz Pets. In January we saw 40440 German Shepherd and 40441 Shorthair Cats, which Victor Pruvost recently reviewed. The sets each have a grown-up and a baby version of the animal sitting on a joined display. We've seen similar displays before, for instance with seasonal BrickHeadz, but not for 2 figures together yet.

Today, I'll be looking at the upcoming 2 additions, 40442 Goldfish and 40443 Budgie, both priced 14,99€/ £13.49/ US$14.99.

LEGO® Brick Sketches review: 40456 Mickey Mouse & 40457 Minnie Mouse

Thomas Jenkins (on Instagram) reviews two upcoming LEGO® Brick Sketches today: 40456 Mickey Mouse and 40457 Minnie Mouse which will be released on 1 March 2021 priced £14.99/ US$16.99. Buying them? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

LEGO® designer Chris McVeigh is back with more delightful recreations of two iconic characters: Brick Sketches 40456 Mickey Mouse and 40457 Minnie Mouse. It’s interesting to see LEGO continue to expand their range of art-themed sets and offer something different from the typical building experience. I’m certainly intrigued to see how these sets stack up.

LEGO® BrickHeadz Pets & Chinese New Year review: 40440, 40441 & 40466

Victor Pruvost (leewanlego) reviews 3 LEGO® BrickHeadz sets for you today: 40440 German Shepherd, 40441 Shorthair Cats and 40466 Chinese New Year Pandas. Buying your BrickHeadz from LEGO.com? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

The BrickHeadz theme enters its fifth year in 2021 with three sets of brick-built animals released this January: 40440 German Shepherd and 40441 Shorthair Cats (both priced 14,99€/ £13.49/ US$14.99) as well as 40466 Chinese New Year Pandas (19,99€/ £17.99/ US$19.99). Past BrickHeadz sets have usually been good parts packs for builders, with parts in unique or rare colours and exclusive prints. Is this still the case in 2021? Let’s find out!

LEGO® Technic review: 42120 Rescue Hovercraft

Today Alexandre Campos brings us a pre-release review of the latest LEGO® Technic set, 42120 Rescue Hovercraft, which will be available from 1 March 2021. Buying this set? Consider using our affiliate links: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'. New Elementary may get a commission. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

After 42113 Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey got cancelled at the last minute, Technic Rescue Services had to scramble to find something else to rescue figures with: a hovercraft.

Namely, 42120 Rescue Hovercraft. Let’s see what it does, and what interesting elements it brings.