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

13 November 2020

LEGO® parts review: 10276 Colosseum

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10276 Colosseum is the largest LEGO® set to date, and here is our colossal review! Our guest author is historian and LEGO enthusiast Kevin J. Walter who founded the site Public BRICKstory to combine his two passions, and even built a LEGO Colosseum that hit 10k supporters on LEGO Ideas last month! Available priced 499.99€/ £449.99/ US$549.99/ CA$649.99/ AU$749.99. 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 free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.
“Ave imperator, morituri te salutant!”

“Hail, Emperor, those who are about to die salute you!” – Suetonius, Vita divi Claudii 21,6


What football provides in modern-day Europe, American Football in the US or cricket in India, was provided in the ancient Roman Empire by ludi – the entertainment of the people with various kinds of games, most of all the bloody gladiatorial fights. All of these sports have one thing in common: they were, and still are, hosted in massive stadiums and arenas.

With the latest Creator Expert model, 10276 Colosseum, LEGO® has finally revealed the archetype of every modern sports stadium, one of the “New7Wonders of the World” and the biggest tourist attraction in Rome. With 9036 (!) parts, LEGO is releasing its biggest set to date and the inventory isn’t the only huge aspect; the measurements of 52x59x27 cm (20.5x23.5x10.5 inches) quite literally earn this set the epithet “colossal”!

10 November 2020

LEGO® Ninjago review + MOCs: 70686 Spinjitzu Burst – Kai

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A rather odd LEGO® Ninjago element caught our eye this year, so we sent it to two members of our team to review and build MOCs with. First up: Inthert (on Flickr) reviews 70686 Spinjitzu Burst – Kai. If you're buying this set, consider using our affiliate links: USA LEGO Shop at Home, USA Amazon, UK LEGO Shop at Home, UK Amazon. New Elementary earn from qualifying purchases. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.


Ninjago has always been known for introducing new elements, but the latest mini-wave of Spinjizu Burst sets have raised the bar – or should that be levelled the bar? More on that later but first let’s take a look at the build of one of the three Burst sets currently available: 70686 Spinjitzu Burst – Kai.

30 October 2020

Forbidden Elementary: Sticker sheet cardboard box

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Inthert (on Instagram) returns today with a wholly (and holey) different idea for a New Elementary post. Welcome to Forbidden Elementary, where we look at elements that aren't elements. Heresy!

Designed to withstand even the most enthusiastic play, the average LEGO® brick doesn’t typically require individual protective packaging. However, some of the more fragile, non-standard elements like rubber bands, string and cloth pieces need exactly that and so are placed in small cardboard boxes to keep them safe from factory to consumer.


This particular specimen comes from the Speed Champions polybag 30342 Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo Evo which was available for free with qualifying purchases from LEGO in June and August 2020. Unusually, it does not contain one of the vulnerable element types listed above; instead it protects the tiny sticker sheet from getting crumpled in the bag. Before diving deeper into the wonderful potential of cardboard LEGO elements, let’s take a brief look at the model itself because without it, I wouldn’t have embarked on this bizarre endeavour.

27 October 2020

LEGO® Architecture review & MOCs: 21054 The White House

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We have not one but two authors today: Miller Keys (@miller.keys) and Kaitlyn Lee (@ktlynl_) who, you will be charmed to learn, became a couple after meeting as rival contestants on LEGO® Masters Australia. We sent them 21054 The White House for review with the additional challenge of creating alternate builds from this 1483-piece set, which retails for £89.99/ US$99.99/ 97.47€. If you're buying this set, consider using our affiliate links: USA LEGO Shop, USA Amazon, UK LEGO Shop, UK Amazon. New Elementary earn from qualifying purchases. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

LEGO® Architecture debuted onto the LEGO scene in 2008. Since then over 50 sets have been released, with two of those being models of The White House. The first – 21006 – in 2010, and more recently 21054 in 2020 which we are exploring today.

25 October 2020

LEGO® Hidden Side Review & MOCs: 70437 Mystery Castle

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Today we welcome new contributor Caz Mockett (BlockHeadUK), well-known for her Micropolis builds that have even graced the Masterpiece Gallery of LEGO House. Her first New E assignment is well-timed for the spooky week ahead! She examines LEGO® Hidden Side 70437 Mystery Castle before using some of its parts to create MOCs. If you're buying this set, consider using our affiliate links: USA LEGO Shop at Home, USA Amazon, UK LEGO Shop at Home, UK Amazon. New Elementary earn from qualifying purchases. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.


70437 Mystery Castle is the largest set in the current LEGO® Hidden Side releases for 2020. The castle is approximately 31cm wide, 27cm deep and 33cm tall in its closed configuration and 45.5cm wide by 26cm deep in its open position. It contains 6 minifigures, 1033 parts and is priced at £89.99/ US$99.99/ €97.47. The price per part is reasonable value at 8.7p/ 9.7c/ 9.4c respectively, especially when you consider that quite a few of the parts are quite large pieces such as corner panels, windscreens and moulded roof elements.

23 October 2020

LEGO® Ideas parts & minifigures review: 21324 123 Sesame Street

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Following his look yesterday at the completed LEGO® Ideas set 21324 123 Sesame Street, today Tim Johnson breaks it down to reveal the new minifigures, printed and recoloured pieces as well as many rare ones. This 1367-piece set is now available for £109.99/ €119.99/ US$119.99/ CA$149.99. If you're buying it, consider using our affiliate links to LEGO Shop at Home in the USA or UK. New Elementary earn from qualifying purchases. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

As we've all now seen, LEGO® Ideas 21324 123 Sesame Street is a vibrant set full of new and rare recolours of parts, and brand new minifigs too. Hang on a second – new moulds in Ideas? The press release confirms “exclusive buildable minifigures which have been moulded specifically for the set”. Seems that’s no longer against the Ideas rules; Brickset user Brick_Clicker noted the guidelines on the LEGO Ideas site now state: “Should we deem it necessary, we may introduce new LEGO element molds, new cloth or other non-brick elements in the final official LEGO Ideas set. This would [be] done on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the LEGO Ideas Product Development team.” Well, that is good news, although I really hope we get a CMF line too because I want Grover and The Count!

22 October 2020

LEGO® Ideas review: 21324 123 Sesame Street - the model & stickers

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Just revealed, LEGO® Ideas 21324 123 Sesame Street is reviewed by Tim Johnson across 2 articles, starting today with a look at the model and its sticker sheet. It measures 24cm (9”) high, 35cm (13.5”) wide and 21cm (8.2”) deep. A-haaa, I love to count the dimensions. This 1367-piece set is now available for £109.99/ €119.99/ US$119.99/ CA$149.99. If you're buying it, consider using our affiliate links to LEGO Shop at Home in the USA or UK. New Elementary earn from qualifying purchases. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

Warning: I haven’t been this excited about an IP since LEGO Doctor Who, and so unusually for New Elementary there will be scrutiny of the source material, the minifigures and even the stickers! We’ll start with the completed set however, so settle back, pop on an appropriate disco soundtrack and let me show you what you get, what you get in Sesame Street. 

20 October 2020

LEGO® Star Wars review: 75318 The Child

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Today we welcome another new contributor, Zachary Hill from the USA whose work some of you have already read on our Patreon. Today he reviews LEGO® Star Wars 75318 The Child which is priced at US$79.99/ CA$99.99/ £69.99/ €77.97. Consider using our affiliate links: USA LEGO Shop at Home, USA Amazon, UK LEGO Shop at Home, UK Amazon. New Elementary earn from qualifying purchases. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.


The Mandalorian’s irresistibly adorable alien baby is prime material for the relentless Star Wars merchandising machine, with The Child appearing on everything including headphones, lip balm and even coolers. Here at New Elementary, we prefer the galaxy’s cutest 50-year-old in LEGO® form. More than just googly-eyed goodness awaits fans in 75318 The Child, with a handful of newly recoloured pieces and a pile of rare bits included to build “Baby Yoda”.

18 October 2020

Minifigs & recolours: LEGO® 75551 Brick-Built Minions and Their Lair & 75549 Unstoppable Bike Chase

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Last time, Tim Johnson began working through all the new LEGO® parts from Minions: The Rise of Gru 75551 Brick-Built Minions and Their Lair (£44.99/ $49.99/ 48.73€) as well as 75549 Unstoppable Bike Chase (£17.99 / $19.99 / 19.49€) and today he completes this analysis by examining the Minion minifigures and the recolours. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

LEGO® Minifigures in 75549 and 75551

75549 comes with Stuart, Gru and Bob. Gru has 2 expressions and printing on the rear of his torso. The Minions come in their traditional overalls.

17 October 2020

New moulds & MOCs: LEGO® 75551 Brick-Built Minions and Their Lair & 75549 Unstoppable Bike Chase

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Today some important new-for-2020 moulds are examined as Tim Johnson reviews LEGO® Minions 75551 Brick-Built Minions and Their Lair (£44.99/ $49.99/ 48.73€) as well as 75549 Unstoppable Bike Chase (£17.99 / $19.99 / 19.49€) with some additional creative investigation courtesy of Kevin Levell. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

When the movie Minions: The Rise of Gru was postponed until 2021, several of the planned LEGO® tie-in sets met with the same fate. Two sets did however get released in April, which is good as there is much of interest to be found... in one of them. 


Unless you’re a bike fan or interested in the Minion minifigures, 75549 Unstoppable Bike Chase (shown on the right) doesn’t offer much to adult builders but 75551 Brick-Built Minions and Their Lair has thrilling new moulds – and is a hilarious build. Even if you hate these little yellow pipsqueaks, don’t you want to build silly giant mech versions of them?

Let’s discover what LEGO Minions are made of, starting with the new-for-2020 LEGO parts that comprise the giant Minions found in 75551.

16 October 2020

LEGO® Star Wars review: 75290 Mos Eisley Cantina – the build

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Following his review of its parts, Thomas Jenkins (on Instagram) continues his coverage of LEGO® Star Wars 75290 Mos Eisley Cantina today with a detailed look at the build process. The set has now been released priced US$349.99/ CA$449.99/ £319.99. If you're buying this set, consider using our LEGO Shop at Home affiliate links: USA or UK. New Elementary earn from qualifying purchases. The product in this article was provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina

The introduction of some long-awaited fan favourite characters into the LEGO® Star Wars minifigure canon got fans very excited upon the announcement of 75290 Mos Eisley Cantina, but what else awaits builders in the set?

Watch your step, this place can be a little rough...

15 October 2020

LEGO® IKEA® review: 40357 BYGGLEK & storage boxes

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We have a new contributor writing today; Omid (@nwbricks) who is a LEGO® City- and train-loving AFOL from the UK. His first assignment is an unusual one: the new storage boxes from IKEA®. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

History teaches us that very occasionally, when the stars align just right, some things are destined to be together. Romeo and Juliet. Mac and cheese. The Chuckle Brothers. These pairings are so utterly ingrained in mankind's collective psyche that to mention one without the other feels weird and incomplete; they are two halves of a greater whole, a plurality made singular.

But all that nonsense pales in comparison to 2020's new heavyweight power couple. Stand aside Kim and Kanye. Supreme x Louis Vuitton? Don't make me laugh. 

IKEA x LEGO is here. Say hello to BYGGLEK.

14 October 2020

LEGO® set review: 71374 Nintendo Entertainment System

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Yesterday in part one, Ben Davies looked at the new pieces in 71374 LEGO® Nintendo Entertainment System and today in part 2, he reveals the interesting techniques he found in its build. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this. If you're buying this set, consider using our LEGO Shop at Home affiliate links: USA or UK. New Elementary earn from qualifying purchases.
The box for the LEGO® Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is appropriately massive, measuring 58 x 47.7 x 12.1 cm (22.8 x 18.8 x  4.8 in). Like other large sets, the first several bags of parts, as well as the bagged instructions and stickers, come in a white cardboard sub-box.

13 October 2020

LEGO® parts review: 71374 Nintendo Entertainment System

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Following his extensive analysis of the LEGO® Super Mario sets, today Ben Davies returns to give the same thorough treatment to the 2646-piece 71374 LEGO Nintendo Entertainment System. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this. If you're buying this set which is priced £209.99/ US$229.99/ 224.19€DE, consider using our LEGO Shop at Home affiliate links: USA or UK. New Elementary earn from qualifying purchases.

Before diving into the building process of 71374 LEGO® Nintendo Entertainment System in our next post, let's first take a look at its parts – starting with the new moulds that have been introduced for the set.

11 October 2020

LEGO® DOTS review: 41916 Extra Dots Series 2

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Today Andrew Barnick continues his LEGO® DOTS analysis with a look at what you get in 41916 Extra Dots Series 2. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this. If you're buying this set, consider using our affiliate links: LEGO Shop at Home & Amazon USA. New Elementary earn from qualifying purchases.

Like the first series of ‘extra DOTS’ packs, each Series 2 pack includes 115 parts (109 inventoried parts, plus six extras). Also like those earlier packs, 11 randomised ‘surprise charms’ are included.

06 October 2020

LEGO® Star Wars review & MOCs: 75253 Droid Commander

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Victor Pruvost (leewanlego on Flickr) returns today with a fresh look at an unusual set from last year: LEGO® Star Wars BOOST 75253 Droid Commander. Plenty has been written about it already so Victor takes a deep dive into its parts before using some to create original models of his own. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.


Today we’ll take a break from our 2020 set reviews by focusing on a set released a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… Okay, not so long ago, actually, because we’ll be taking a look at 75253 Droid Commander, a 2019 Star Wars set containing 1177 parts, many of which are definitely worth taking a look at!

04 October 2020

LEGO® Monkie Kid review & MOC: 80007 Iron Bull Tank

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We turn to Inthert once again for our next LEGO® Monkie Kid review: 80007 Iron Bull Tank, and he has also reimagined the set by using it as a base to create his own version! The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

Just one of the many enemies the Monkie Kid & co. will encounter, the Iron Bull Tank consists of 470 parts, includes 4 minifigures (although one is rather large to be deemed ‘mini’ – no offence Sandy!) and is priced at £39.99 / $49.99 / 43.86€.

02 October 2020

LEGO® Technic review: 42111 Dom's Dodge Charger

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Today we welcome back Alexandre Campos (the Ambassador for PLUG, a Portuguese LEGO User Group) for his insightful and, as ever, comical review of LEGO® Technic 42111 Dom's Dodge Charger. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.


Much has already been said about 42111 Dom's Dodge Charger, especially about its fidelity to the source material (or lack thereof) and the source material choice itself, so I won't delve into that again. Instead I'll focus not so much on the final result, but more on how it was reached.

29 September 2020

LEGO® Winter Village set review: 10275 Elf Club House

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Unwittingly, we seem to have turned new contributor Lee (cityson on Flickr) into our Christmas correspondent; following his tussle with Winter Snowball Fight, this week he takes on LEGO® Winter Village 10275 Elf Club House. Before discussing its parts tomorrow, let's take a look at the build. The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.


The Winter Village subtheme of LEGO® Creator Expert has always been a curious existence to me. With their 12+ age suggestion, I tended to think of them as being a transitional phase for builders to get a taste of some more advanced techniques without being overwhelmed, and appropriately so given the family nature of the festival itself. However, this year’s offering, 10275 Elf Club House, has been given the new 18+ branding. Does the model live up to such a jump in rating? Let's find out!

27 September 2020

LEGO® Monkie Kid review & alt-build: 80008 Monkie Kid's Cloud Jet

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Continuing our LEGO® Monkie Kid reviews, today we have Tim Goddard (on Instagram) examining 80008 Monkie Kid's Cloud Jet, as well as creating a couple of cute little alternate builds! The products in this article were provided for free by LEGO; the author's opinions are not biased by this.

This is the second of two Monkie Kid sets that I have been sent to review and compared to the other, 80009 Pigsy’s Food Truck, this one is more to my liking. The Cloud Jet looks great, with interesting angles and vivid colours, and I found it to be much more interesting build-wise.