Following LEGO® Technic 42128 Heavy-Duty Tow Truck last year, LEGO pneumatics are still going strong and are now present in 42144 Material Handler. As a model, it resembles a cross between 42006 Excavator and 42053 Volvo EW160E, clad in red. As a source of elements for your creations, let’s see what it delivers.
15 August 2022
LEGO® Technic review: 42144 Material Handler
11 August 2022
Space Tools Parts Fest: Caz Mockett
We're challenging our team of astro-engineers to create original LEGO® models using 'Space Tools' - the minifigure accessories found in Classic Space sets.
I chose to take a look at part 4360: Minifigure, Utensil Camera with Side Sight (Space Gun) which made its debut in black in two 1982 space-related releases, 6880 Surface Explorer and 6950 Mobile Rocket Transport.
08 August 2022
LEGO® NINJAGO® review: 71774 Lloyd's Ultra Golden Dragon
Dragons are a common sight in the realm of LEGO® NINJAGO®. A quick search on Rebrickable shows 58 sets featuring a dragon. So the question will be: does 71774 Lloyd’s Ultra Golden Dragon have anything new to offer? With 998 parts, it is one of the largest dragon sets, and with 286 of these parts being in Pearl Gold, its shininess certainly stands out.
04 August 2022
Space Tools Parts Fest: Introducing the elements
We have decided to celebrate the release of 10497 Galaxy Explorer with a LEGO® Space-themed Parts Festival. We have a series of builders lined up to deliver new insight and MOCs to you – for the coming weeks, every Thursday is Toolsday!
If you haven't read it already, see Caz's thoroughly excellent review of set 10497 which is available now, if it hasn't sold out already! Please consider using our affiliate links if buying from LEGO.com, New Elementary may get a commission: USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop.
02 August 2022
What are the new LEGO® parts for August 2022 and which sets contain the most?
I've created a list showing all 410 new LEGO® elements added in August 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.
31 July 2022
See entries to our contest: Make a Wishbrick
We have 4 great prizes that you could win!
26 July 2022
LEGO® ICONS™ set review: 10305 Lion Knights' Castle
Last week we examined the numerous new and rare elements that appear in the upcoming 10305 Lion Knights' Castle. Today, we'll be taking a look at the final model and some of the innovative building techniques that bring it to life.
23 July 2022
LEGO® ICONS™ review: 10290 Pickup Truck
Kevin J. Walter returns as a guest author today with a 2021 set that is so gorgeous we really felt it needed to be reviewed, better late than never! Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
When I first saw the announcement
of the LEGO® Pickup Truck in August 2021, images of rural American farm life
came into my mind. Old MacDonald had a ride!
Its release last October was the third large-scale vehicle released in 2021 by the line formerly known as LEGO® Creator Expert (now LEGO® ICONS™), following 10295 Porsche 911 and 10279 Volkswagen T2 Camper Van.
The set contains 1,677 parts divided over 8 bags and has a nice little collection of props accompanying the pickup truck. Before we take a closer look at the build itself, let’s explore the new parts in this set.
20 July 2022
The LEGO® 1x1x2/3 Plate with Open Stud
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
18 July 2022
LEGO® ICONS™ parts review: 10305 Lion Knights' Castle
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
To mark the occasion of their 90th corporate anniversary, The LEGO Group is releasing several sets this year which pay tribute to historical fan-favourite products. The largest of these anniversary sets is 10305 Lion Knights’ Castle, which will retail for £344.99 / US$399.99 / 399.99€ / AU$599.99 from 8 August 2022 / LEGO® VIP members 3 August. If you're buying or pre-ordering it, please consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop/for Europe 'Change region'.
With 4514 pieces, this set review needs two articles! Today we begin by examining the new and interesting elements included.
14 July 2022
LEGO® Technic review: 42145 Airbus H175 Rescue Helicopter
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
The LEGO® Technic line includes what could be called the "modern large helicopter" range of sets: 9396 Helicopter, 42052 Heavy Lift Helicopter and 42113 Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey (the latter can be considered a helicopter, and regardless of being cancelled by TLG, copies did get sold). Now, the fourth is approaching: 42145 Airbus H175 Rescue Helicopter. Will you give it permission to land?
13 July 2022
LEGO® ICONS™ review: 10497 Galaxy Explorer
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
In 1979 The LEGO Group released a set which is still much loved by fans
of the LEGO® Space theme, designed by the now-legendary Jens Nygård
Knudsen. In the USA it was known as 497 Galaxy Explorer, while elsewhere
it went by the name of 928 Space Cruiser And Moonbase. Nowadays, fans
mostly refer to it as “Galaxy Explorer” or simply “928” since that was
the number printed on the sides of both versions of the ship.
Due for release on 1 August 2022 worldwide, the set will retail for £89.99 / US$99.99 / 99.99€ / AU$179.99 and contains 1254 pieces, giving a price to part value of 7.2p / 8.0c / 8.0c. If you are pre-ordering or buying this set, please consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop/for Europe 'Change region'.
08 July 2022
Contest: Make a Wishbrick
It’s contest time! Did you know that there are more than 3700 unique LEGO® elements in the official LEGO inventory? That’s a big selection, but do you ever feel that it’s just not enough?
We’d love to see what new original part you could dream up, and to make this contest more challenging, we’re getting a bit meta: we want to see your dream element built out of LEGO bricks.
Thanks to support from the LEGO Group, you could win a Sanctum Sanctorum or Galaxy Explorer!
04 July 2022
LEGO® Super Mario Luigi's Mansion review: 71401 Haunt-and-Seek
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
03 July 2022
What are the new LEGO® parts for July 2022 and which sets contain the most?
I've created a list showing all 56 new LEGO® elements added in July 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.
01 July 2022
LEGO® Speed Champions interview with Christopher Stamp: Iconic Movie and TV Vehicles
We were thrilled to be invited for a chat with LEGO® Speed Champions Design Manager Christopher Leslie Stamp about the upcoming sets 76911 007 Aston Martin DB5 and 79612 Fast & Furious 1970 Dodge Charger R/T, which we reviewed yesterday.
Kev Levell took the passenger's seat as Chris jumped behind the steering wheel and took us for a drive around the new sets and elements! The transcription has been edited for clarity, readability and narrative flow.
30 June 2022
LEGO® Speed Champions review: 76911 007 Aston Martin DB5 & 76912 Fast and Furious Dodge Charger
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
76911 007 Aston Martin DB5
23 June 2022
LEGO® City parts review and MOCs: 60351 Rocket Launch Centre
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
14 June 2022
LEGO® Cloth Fest: Eero Okkonen
Some products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
In the first part of New Elementary's Cloth Fest, Áron Gerencsér - now a set designer, congrats Áron! - dived deep into the history of cloth parts in LEGO® sets. In this final part, I'll have a look at the connections of these parts, also presenting three new MOCs that use them as, well, clothing.
10 June 2022
LEGO® Technic review and MOCs: 42137 Porsche Formula E 99x Electric
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
07 June 2022
LEGO® Technic set review: 42143 Ferrari Daytona SP3
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
04 June 2022
What are the new LEGO® parts for June 2022 and which sets contain the most?
I've created a list showing all 956 new LEGO® elements added in June 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.
02 June 2022
LEGO® Friends parts review & MOCs: 41704 Main Street Building
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
30 May 2022
Old Elementary: 10 years of LEGO® Friends
With LEGO® Friends celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, I wanted to take a look at what the history of this theme has brought to us LEGO fans. And I’ll start off with this statement: I love LEGO Friends! The models are colorful, detailed, and take place in ‘real-life’. They are great for city-building, and they have excellent playability. They also offer lots of ‘MOC-food’; with all the new elements and colors they have made available, Friends has made a great contribution to MOC design.
While LEGO City also offers great buildings, they are on a much smaller scale. The majority of Friends sets can easily be integrated into a city, whereas City has a lot of off-shoot subthemes that are much trickier to incorporate, like the Stuntz and Lunar Base series. And how many police stations does a city really need?
26 May 2022
LEGO® Technic parts review: 42143 Ferrari Daytona SP3
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
23 May 2022
LEGO® Minifigures review: 71033 The Muppets
Ever since 21324 Sesame Street was announced I have been looking forward to today’s set, or rather, series of sets: 71033 The Muppets Collectible Minifigures. Capturing the unique looks of the characters would be impossible without introducing some new parts, so naturally we’re gonna take a closer look at them. The series consists of 12 characters, all coming with newly moulded heads, and most bringing new prints for the torsos and legs.
20 May 2022
LEGO® DOTS Parts review + MOC: 41945 Neon Tiger Bracelet & Bag Tag
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
The LEGO® DOTS bag tag range was launched in 2021 and returned in January 2022 with two sets combining a bag tag with a bracelet. I've taken a closer look at the parts of one of these, 41945 Neon Tiger Bracelet & Bag Tag (AU$22.99/ CA$16.99/ DE€14.99/ FI€16.95/ £12.99/ US$14.99). The set also features some pieces in the new Neon Yellow colour introduced this year. At the end of this article I'll also share a new MOC of mine inspired by these parts.17 May 2022
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!
15 May 2022
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"?
09 May 2022
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.
06 May 2022
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.
05 May 2022
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.
03 May 2022
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.01 May 2022
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.
27 April 2022
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.
24 April 2022
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.
21 April 2022
The LEGO® 5x5 Curved Plate
17 April 2022
Building with Marvel's Eternals
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
15 April 2022
LEGO® Marvel review & MOCs: 76206 Iron Man Figure
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
11 April 2022
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.
04 April 2022
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.
02 April 2022
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.
30 March 2022
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'.
27 March 2022
LEGO® Marvel review & MOCs: 76156 Rise Of The Domo
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
21 March 2022
LEGO® review: 10300 Back To The Future Time Machine
Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.
17 March 2022
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.
10 March 2022
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.
03 March 2022
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.
24 February 2022
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?
07 February 2022
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.