LEGO® Cloth Fest: Áron Gerencsér

Some products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

Editor's note: It is with sadness and joy that we announce this is Áron Gerencsér's final article for New Elementary, as he will soon join the LEGO Group as a designer! We can't thank Aron enough for the immense energy and creativity he has brought to us these last couple of years and trust that New E chums Sven, Lee, Markus and Chris will welcome him warmly in Billund. We can't wait to review his first product!

What with diving deep into the world of LEGO® pieces on a regular basis, we often find ourselves up to our necks in plastic of all shapes and sizes - it’s what we do after all. However, taking closer looks at all the various new elements does also result in us handling other materials as well - albeit rarely! 

Back in 2020, fellow New Elementary contributor Tom Loftus took a look at the inner cardboard packaging you get with some sets, but this time around Eero Okkonen and I will be taking a look at another non-plastic LEGO® material: cloth!

LEGO® Art review: 31206 The Rolling Stones

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

Two years ago, the LEGO Group introduced the LEGO® Art theme which has brought us 10 sets so far. These sets have a lot in common: They consist of a canvas made out of Brick Special 16 x 16 x 1 1/3 with Pinholes (65803) that is covered with 1 x 1 round tiles and/or plates to create a mosaic image, and as a finishing touch, a border is added. New Elementary has reviewed some of these sets already.

LEGO has now decided to change things up, bringing us 31206 The Rolling Stones: a 1,998 piece set available from 1 June for €149,99 / $149.99 / £129.99. Consider using our affiliate links if you're buying from LEGO.com; New Elementary may get a commission: USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop/for Europe 'Change region'. 

Will this shake-up have me shouting, "Wooo wooo" or will it have me saying, "I can’t get no satisfaction"?

LEGO® Monkie Kid parts review + MOCs: 80036 The City of Lanterns

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

2022 brought us a whole new wave of LEGO® Monkie Kid sets, a theme that caught our attention several times before with its creative builds and interesting pieces. Today we are shining a light on the inventory of LEGO® Monkie Kid 80036 The City of Lanterns, which launched January 1st.

The Glow Demon: Si-MOCs vs. Monkie Kid

Simon Liu (@si_mocs) returns as our guest builder today! A stalwart of LEGO® fan communities both in Canada and online, we knew Si would just love to take on another MOCcing challenge. Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

For my previous New Elementary guest article, I had the ‘privilege’ of reviewing 31200 LEGO® Art The Sith mosaic set, which was chosen for me. Much like the Iron Builder contest I help to run, the set offered pretty specific pieces to work with: about 3000 Plate Round 1 x 1. This time around, perhaps having proved myself a bit, I got to choose the set I would build MOCs out of. So I went off looking at sets that had an abundance of ‘interesting’ pieces.

One thing I’ve always loved working into my builds are LEGO pieces that are reactive to ultraviolet light. This gives MOCs that extra sci-fi feel, and there was only one set at the time that included a bunch of White Glow (aka Glow in the Dark) elements: LEGO Monkie Kid 80028 The Bone Demon.

What are the new LEGO® parts for May 2022 and which sets contain the most?

I've created a list showing all 338 new LEGO® elements added in May 2022, with links to which sets they come in so you can check for the ones you might be interested in. And for those of you who instead prefer our list of sets showing which contain the most new elements, click here.

LEGO® Horizon Forbidden West review & interview: 76989 Tallneck

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

Role-playing games elicit high hopes. Players expect a deep story, stunning graphics, and fulfilling gameplay, and only the best games spawn a successful franchise. Horizon Forbidden West solidifies the impact left by Aloy and her robo-dino co-stars of Horizon Zero Dawn, and now just three months after the sequel’s release a LEGO® set celebrating the series has just hit the shelves.

LEGO® Star Wars review: 75325 The Mandalorian’s N-1 Starfighter

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

Today we’re taking a look at LEGO® Star Wars 75325 The Mandalorian’s N-1 Starfighter, a ship described as being faster than a fathier and as smooth as a gonk’s scomp jack, and 'a real classic', according to Peli Motto. But how does the LEGO version stack up? Read on and see.

LEGO® Star Wars review: 75341 Luke Skywalker's Landspeeder

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

Springtime. Flowers, bugs, leaves, melting snow heaps... and May the Fourth (Star Wars Day), which brings us a new LEGO® Star Wars Ultimate Collector Series set. This year it's 75341 Luke Skywalker's Landspeeder, which has a price of 199.99 USD/ 174.99 GBP/ 199.99 EUR (DE) and will be available early for VIPs on Sunday 1 May.

The X-34 Landspeeder has several minutes of screen time in the original Star Wars, aka A New Hope, and while these minutes are not that action-packed the vessel is generally liked and has spawned a total six minifig-scale version. Heck, even the classic "these aren't the droids you're looking for" line was muttered from this floating countryside car. So it was about time for a UCS version. But how good is it? I received a pre-release copy from LEGO, and joined a roundtable interview with its designers.

LEGO® Disney·Pixar Lightyear review: 76832 XL-15 Spaceship & 76831 Zurg Battle

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

Today’s article features 2 of the LEGO® tie-in sets from the upcoming Disney·Pixar film Lightyear, the origin story of the astronaut who inspired the Buzz Lightyear action figure seen in the Toy Story franchise. As usual, we’ll start with the new and exciting parts in each set then take a look at the minifigures and completed builds.

The LEGO® 5x5 Curved Plate

What's this? A chopped-up blue onion? Nope, it's a handful of Plate Round 5 x 5 Macaroni (80015) - a new LEGO® element for 2022, and the subject of today's article. 

Building with Marvel's Eternals

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

The perpetual, joined media engine of Marvel and Disney keeps on churning and every year the sprawling 'MCU' expands in more and more directions. Not too long ago - though not even the most recent - the Eternals were added to this ever growing universe and accompanying their film were a crop of licensed LEGO® sets. 

LEGO® Marvel review & MOCs: 76206 Iron Man Figure

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

 

 

LEGO® 76206 Iron Man Figure heralds the return of LEGO Constraction! LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 76206 Iron Man Figure is a 381 piece-set priced at £34.99 | €39.99 | $39.99 and available now. LEGO designers have ditched the specialized elements of the character and creature building system (CCBS) and created an action figure purely with traditional LEGO System bricks. Does this new direction in design stick the (superhero) landing? Read on and see. 

LEGO® Monkie Kid parts review + MOCs: 80035 Monkie Kid's Galactic Explorer

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

80035 Monkie Kid's Galactic Explorer - with 1356 parts and a price range of 169.99 AUD / 169.99 CAD / 99.99 EUR(DE)/ 129.95 EUR(FI) / 89.99 GBD / 129.99 USD - is one of 8 playsets of the LEGO® Monkie Kid January 2022 line-up. It is also one of the coolest spaceships currently available. However, I'll leave the spaceship aspect to the Benny-heads while I dive deep into the interesting parts of this set, and then reveal two original character builds inspired by its contents.

LEGO® NINJAGO: MOCcing with the new-for-2022 parts

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

Once my reviews of the first wave of LEGO® Ninjago sets for 2022 were wrapped up, it was time for my favourite part of the process - making MOCs with the new moulds and recolours! This wave of Ninjago introduced SCCBS with the EVO sets marking an exciting new beginning for Constraction in LEGO System, with several new moulds that caught my attention in particular.

What are the new LEGO® parts for April 2022 and which sets contain the most?

I've created a list showing all 36 new LEGO® elements added in April 2022, with links to which sets they come in so you can check for the ones you might be interested in. And for those of you who instead prefer our list of sets showing which contain the most new elements, click here.

It's a short list, as a lot of April sets are released later in the month. These will be included in the May 2022 list. 

LEGO® Star Wars review: 75329 Death Star Trench Run, 75330 Dagobah Jedi Training & 75339 Death Star Trash Compactor

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

Today I’m taking a look at a new line of sets labelled as the ‘LEGO® STAR WARS Diorama Collection’. As you might guess from the name, each consists of a diorama depicting an iconic scene from the Star Wars movies. The 3 sets are:

• 75330 Dagobah Jedi Training Diorama from The Empire Strikes Back, with 1,000 parts (I love that round number!), RRP 119.99 AUD / 109.99 CAD / 79.99 EUR/ 69.99 GBD / 79.99 US.
• 75339 Death Star Trash Compactor Diorama from A New Hope, with 802 parts, RRP 149.99 AUD / 119.99 CAD / 89.99 EUR / 79.99 GBD / 89.99 USD.
  
• 75329 Death Star Trench Run from A New Hope, with 665 parts, RRP 89.99 AUD / 79.99 CAD / 59.99 EUR/ 54.99 GBD / 59.99 USD.

They are available from 26 April 2022 and you can pre-order now – please 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'.

LEGO® Marvel review & MOCs: 76156 Rise Of The Domo

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

Released in 2021 as part of the LEGO® Marvel theme, 76156 Rise of the Domo retails for £89.99 / $89.99 / 99.99€. It contains 1040 pieces, giving a price-to-part value of 8.7p / 8.7c / 9.6c.

I confess I am not familiar with any of the Eternals source material, but when I first saw pictures of the set I was immediately interested in it as the main ship had such an unusual shape and some distinctive decorative pieces. Let’s take a closer look at the elements which will be of particular interest to our readers.

LEGO® review: 10300 Back To The Future Time Machine

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

Hold onto your hoverboard, we're heading back to 1985! err, then 1955, then 1985, 2015, 1985 again, revisiting 1955... oh, you get the idea! Available from 1 April 2022 is the LEGO® 10300 Back to the Future Time Machine, containing 1872 pieces and will retail for £149.99 GBP / $169.99 USD / 169.99€ EUR / $269.99 AUD / $219.99 CAD. Will you be buying this set? Consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop/for Europe 'Change region'.

Bricks & Pieces joins Pick a Brick: New elements are unavailable

Pick a Brick and Bricks & Pieces were two different ways to obtain loose LEGO® bricks directly from the company, and as you may be aware the two services have just been combined into one. 

There are many advantages and improvements to the new system, which LEGO have been very communicative and transparent about with the fan community. However, there is a major change which renders the service largely useless to many, especially those of you who read this site: new elements are not currently available. And it might stay that way.

LEGO® Ninjago review & MOCs: 71755 Temple of the Endless Sea

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

71755 Temple of the Endless Sea is one of the largest sets in the 2021 Seabound subtheme of LEGO® Ninjago. It contains 1060 pieces with an RRP of £89.99 / $99.99 / 99.99€, giving a decent price-per-part value of 8.5p / 9.4c / 9.4c (slightly better in Sterling than other currencies). I was attracted by the Teal, Black and Pearl Gold colour scheme of the set, enjoyed putting it together, but thought it had great MOC potential. Let’s take a look at the new and rare pieces it contains.

What are the new LEGO® parts for March 2022 and which sets contain the most?

I've created a list showing all 427 new LEGO® elements added in March 2022, with links to which sets they come in so you can check for the ones you might be interested in. And for those of you who instead prefer our list of sets showing which contain the most new elements, click here.

LEGO® Technic review: 42141 McLaren Formula 1™ Race Car

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the authors' opinions are their own.

The ever-expanding LEGO® Technic "mid-scale car" line-up has been expanded with yet another entry; this time it's McLaren Formula 1. Coming 1 March 2022, this 1432-piece set retails at 179,99 EUR / 179,99 USD / 159.99 GBP/ 239.99 CAD / 279.99 AUD. What will it offer in looks, playability, and especially elements?

What are the new LEGO® parts for February 2022 and which sets contain the most?

TobyMac (on Rebrickable) has created a list showing all 50 new LEGO® elements added in February 2022, with links to which sets they come in so you can check for the ones you might be interested in. And for those of you who instead prefer our list of sets showing which contain the most new elements, click here.

LEGO® Speed Champions 2022: Interview with Christopher Stamp

The 2022 range of LEGO® Speed Champions has been revealed, and we were excited to once again speak to LEGO Design Manager Specialist Christopher Leslie Stamp. Tim Johnson and Ben Davies had a quick video chat with Chris at Fan Media Days in May 2021 where he told us about the highlights of each set: 76906 1970 Ferrari 512 M, 76907 Lotus Evija, 76908 Lamborghini Countach, 76909 Mercedes-AMG F1 W12 E Performance & Mercedes-AMG Project One, and 76910 Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro and Aston Martin Vantage GT3.

LEGO® Chinese Festival review: 80109 Lunar New Year Ice Festival

Tom Loftus (@inthert.lego) completes his LEGO® Chinese Festival reviews with 80109 Lunar New Year Ice Festival. Buying this set? Consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop/for Europe 'Change region'. Products in this article were provided by LEGO; the author's opinions are their own.

The second Chinese New Year set for 2022, 80109 Lunar New Year Ice Festival contains 1519 pieces, 13 minifigures and costs €99.99/ US$119.99/ £89.99. The age mark is 8+. While it releases alongside 80108 Lunar New Year Traditions, which I have already reviewed, It’s probably more at home next to 80106 Story Of Nian, which Lee reviewed in 2021, as it shares the same style of snow-covered rocky landscape. 

So grab your ice skates and wrap up warmly as we explore the new parts, the build and overview of the Lunar New Year Ice Festival.

LEGO® Ninjago review: 71767 Ninja Dojo Temple

Áron Gerencsér (@_pohaturon) continues his LEGO® Ninjago 2022 set reviews with 71767 Ninja Dojo Temple. Buying this set? Consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop/for Europe 'Change region'. Products in this article were provided by LEGO; the author's opinions are their own.

LEGO® Ninjago 71767 Ninja Dojo Temple is the largest set in the first wave of 2022 sets, coming in at 1394 pieces at the $99.99/ £89.99/ 99,99 € price point. Sharing shelf space with the EVO sets and Lloyd’s Legendary Dragon, it sprinkles a bit of the new SCCBS system into a more traditional playset. Let’s see if this is a dojo worth training in, or if the ninja should look for a new home! 

LEGO® Creator Expert review + MOC: 77942 Fiat 500

Kev Levell (@kevlevell) dives into the blue of the colour-changed LEGO® Creator Expert set, 77942 Fiat 500, and creates his own model too. Buying this UK-only set? Consider using our UK LEGO Shop affiliate link, New Elementary may get a commission. Products in this article were provided by LEGO; the author's opinions are their own.

The original LEGO® Creator Fiat 500 introduced a phenomenal number of recoloured elements; please see Tom Loftus’s comprehensive review of the lovely lemony Luigi. So, it is perhaps unsurprising that the contentious UK-exclusive baby blue cinquecento also comes with many recoloured elements too.

LEGO® Super Mario review: Luigi’s Mansion and Seaside sets

Zachary Hill (@zaxbrix) continues his LEGO® Super Mario 2022 analysis with reviews of 71396 Bowser Jr.’s Clown Car, 71397 Luigi’s Mansion™ Lab and Poltergust, 71399 Luigi’s Mansion Entryway, 71398 Dorrie’s Beachfront, 71400 Big Urchin Ride and the 71402 Series 4 Character Packs. Buying Super Mario sets from LEGO.com? Consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop. Products in this article were provided by LEGO; the author's opinions are their own.

Mario is finally sharing the spotlight of the LEGO® Super Mario theme with his brother Luigi. Today we’re reviewing two Luigi’s Mansion™ sets, three other Super Mario sets, and the Series 4 Character Packs. There’s new gameplay elements, familiar faces from every era of Mario, and ghost hunting. The new parts introduced have already been examined, so let’s jump into the full sets!

LEGO® Friends review: 41703 Friendship Tree House

TobyMac (@toby_mac83) reviews the LEGO® Friends 10th anniversary set, 41703 Friendship Tree House. Buying this set? Consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop/for Europe 'Change region'. Products in this article were provided by LEGO; the author's opinions are their own.

LEGO has marked several theme anniversaries in recent years: LEGO Star Wars turned 20 in 2019, LEGO Harry Potter did the same in 2021 and LEGO Ninjago turned 10 that same year. For Star Wars there were promotional micro-builds and several remakes of older sets. Harry Potter celebrated with a relaunch of the Hogwarts modular sets and released golden minifigures of the main characters. Ninjago featured golden figures too, albeit with some added colours. With LEGO Friends turning 10 in 2022, I was looking forward to what LEGO will be doing to celebrate. Will there be golden minidolls? A remake of some classic sets? Or maybe a set packed with references?

When 41703 Friendship Tree House was announced as the 10th anniversary set, well, to be honest I was a bit underwhelmed. Yes, it’s big and looks great, but where are all the friends? Where are the 10 years of theme history? So it was not love at first sight. But I’ve been tricked by box art before; often sets look better in real life than in photos. So, eager to discover what I’m missing, I climb into the tree house.

LEGO® Ninjago review: 71766 Lloyd's Legendary Dragon

Áron Gerencsér (@_pohaturon) continues his LEGO® Ninjago 2022 analysis today with 71766 Lloyd's Legendary Dragon. Buying this set? Consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop/for Europe 'Change region'. Products in this article were provided by LEGO; the author's opinions are their own.

The first wave of LEGO® Ninjago sets in 2022 are introducing the new 6+ EVO subline, but there are also “regular” sets for more advanced builders. Filling the obligatory slot of ‘medium-large dragon set’ that every Ninjago wave needs is 71766 Lloyd’s Legendary Dragon, and it sure lives up to the name even if it doesn’t inundate us with new parts. Between the surprising and engaging build experience and the satisfying end result, this is a suitably impressive set to represent the evolution of Ninjago dragon design. Let’s dive in!

LEGO® review: 10279 Volkswagen T2 Camper Van

Eero Okkonen (@eerookkonen) examines LEGO® 10279 Volkswagen T2 Camper Van. Buying this set, priced US$179.99/ £139.99/ AU$269.99? Consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop/for Europe 'Change region'. Products in this article were provided by LEGO; the author's opinions are their own.

10279 Volkswagen T2 Camper Van is one of the over forty 18+ branded sets of 2021. It is designed by former New Elementary contributor Sven Franic, who displayed his MOCs alongside me in the LEGO® House Masterpiece Gallery back in 2019, so there's also a personal aspect to this review. Let's see what Sven and Billund's part designers have come up with for this classic vehicle, captured in a beautiful Medium Azure and White colour scheme. 

LEGO® City Stuntz review: 60297, 60298 & 60293

TobyMac (@toby_mac83) takes some of the Stuntz subtheme for a spin: LEGO® City 60298 Rocket Stunt Bike, 60297 Demolition Stunt Bike and 60293 Stunt Park. Buying these? 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.

The October 2021 addition to the LEGO City Universe was a team of stunt-racers. These daredevils all have newly moulded bikes and ramps to perform the craziest stunts. I’ll be taking a closer look at these new moulds and figure out if this new series of sets are as entertaining as they sound. 

What new LEGO® pieces were released in January 2022?

TobyMac (on Rebrickable) has created a list showing all 1019 new LEGO® elements added in January 2022, with links to which sets they come in so you can check for the ones you might be interested in. And there is so much to be excited about here!

LEGO® Creator review + MOCs: 77940 and 77941 Mighty Dinos

Kev Levell (@kevlevell) plays with the brown and blue recolours of Mighty Dinos sets, LEGO® Creator 77940 and 77941, which were an experiment run in the UK market. He had two copies of each to work with. Products in this article were provided by LEGO; the author's opinions are their own.

There is something fascinating in seeing an official LEGO® set recoloured. Having built the original dinosaurs with my son numerous times, building the recoloured versions with him for this review was a real joy. Once again, I was struck by the versatility of the set, both as individual sets and as multiples.

The original green version, 31058 Mighty Dinosaurs, was designed by Mike Psiaki and the job of working out the recoloured versions was given to Morten Rauff. The concept of recolouring a set isn’t new, but it’s never been done by The LEGO Group as a product offering before.