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Olympic Team GB Minifigures Release Date July 1st
New set news Posted by yellowcastle, 17 May 2012 10:44
Multiple sites, including toynews-online.biz, are now reporting that the Team GB Minifigures will be released on July 1st. As with other CMF, they'll be priced at £1.99 each and will be available from the following retailers: John Lewis, Argos, Tesco, WH Smith, Smyths and Toys R Us. In addition to posting some new "cartoony" images, the sites are also confirming the figure names as Brawny Boxer, The Stealth Swimmer, Relay Runner, Judo Fighter, Tactical Tennis Player, Flexible Gymnast, Wondrous Weightlifter, Horseback Rider, and Agile Archer.
Thanks to Forum users andhe, CCC, LostInTranslation and kymellymel for the news!
48 comments, latest one posted about 3 hours ago.
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9474: The Battle Of Helm's Deep
Review Posted by Huw, 17 May 2012 06:50
This is the biggest of the LotR sets, weighing in at 1368 pieces and $130. In fact it's so big, I had trouble photographing it satisfactorily...
Its size is actually most impressive, it certainly looks as if you get your money's worth. It's around 50cm long, and the tower is about 25cm high.It comes with eight minifigs: King Theoden, Haldir (both unique to this set), Aragorn, Gimli and four assorted Uruk-hai, including a berserker, which only appears in this set.
The King has a articulated-back-leg horse to ride and has been suggested in comments to previous reviews, if you put two plates on his feet, you can achieve a more realistic pose as you can see from the picture.
The castle itself is modular, constructed from six sections that are held together with Technic pins. Like the other LotR sets, they are constructed from a lot of bricks, plates and slopes and while there are some large castle-wall pieces, you don't get the impression that the castle has been designed around them, I guess partly because it's based on a 'real' castle rather than one that LEGO has designed. The use of the new 1x2 brick piece, 1x1 slopes and sand green parts give the exterior walls a nice-uniform appearance.
The aerial view below clearly shows the size of the set, which is most impressive. If you want it even bigger, you can extend the walls using the 9471 Uruk-hai Army set.
It's an expensive set but I'd say it's worth every penny: excellent figs, well designed castle and, once you've done with it, a thousand useful parts for your own castle constructions.
Thanks again to Darren and Tim for loaning me these. Tim is offering Brickset users a 5% discount in his BrickLink store Brick Buy Brick, and will also do so in his new web toy shop, ToyAddict, when it launches in June. Darren is also offering 5% discount on orders under £50 and 10% on orders over £50 from his BrickLink store Gizmocom, until the official release day of the LotR sets. Just mention Brickset in the notes when you check out!
37 comments, latest one posted about 2 hours ago.
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Review: 3300003 LEGO Brand Retail Store
Review Posted by Huw, 16 May 2012 06:13
You may remember that LEGO announced that this set is going to be available to a 'select number of customers' at the opening events of brand stores in the USA during 2012 (see the list here).I've been sent one by the LEGO community team for review purposes, so to make a change from Lord Of The Rings set review this week, here goes...
It contains 280 pieces and comes in a surprisingly large box (26 x 14 x 6 cm)
However, there is a lot in it, basic bricks and plates and other useful pieces.
The 16x16 (2 8x16 dark grey playes) base is fully tiled inside and out of the shop
The interior of the shop, before the shelving has been added. Note the till, displays and of course the pick-a-brick wall at the back.
The shelving fitted, and display models at the front of the shop. Note the 'brand ribbon' at the second level of the shelves.
The completed model, minus the roof. The LEGO sign is a sticker, and the door features two 1x1 trans-clear headlight bricks, which are rare. The doors don't open.
The roof even has a 'yellow brick light fitting', which is typical of most brand stores I believe.
The finished model. There's a few more photos on flickr.LEGO brand stores are often made by AFOLs (even I've made one) and there's several currently on Cuusoo (here and here), so it's interesting to see this official version.
This is an excellent set and there's nothing not to like about it. If it's going to be free, that makes it even better! If you have the opportunity to get to one of the new brand store opening events in the USA, I strongly recommend that you do.
(Special thanks to the LEGO community team for making this review possible!)
33 comments, latest one posted about an hour ago.
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Free Hulk minifig offer starts today
shop.LEGO.com news (General) Posted by Huw, 16 May 2012 03:13
Buy anything over £50 or $50 at shop.LEGO.com between now and 31st May and get a free Hulk minifigure that is not available in any set. Click on the banner at the top of the page for more details.
(If you're in the UK, sorry about the $ sign in the ad.: LEGO didn't provide a banner specifically for the UK)
29 comments, latest one posted about 22 hours ago.
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New discounts at Amazon.com
Amazon.com watch Posted by Huwbot, 15 May 2012 18:42
Price Saving Discount 8678 Cars Ultimate Build Francesco $19.99 $10.00 33%
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Lord Of The Rings now available from shop.LEGO.com
Shopping news (USA) Posted by Huw, 15 May 2012 17:05
You've read my reviews, now you can order them and see how cool they are for yourself from shop.LEGO.com.
Please use these links to do so: USA | Canada. Until the end of May, you'll also receive a FREE LEGO movie poster of Frodo with ‘the one ring’ with every Lord of the Rings order.
The retail prices are:
40 comments, latest one posted about 7 hours ago.
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Cuusoo team provide more clarity around the review process
Brickset news Posted by Huw, 15 May 2012 14:09
The Cuusoo team has published the first of three blog entries that will explain the review process and subsequent production of models that reach 10,000 supporters.The salient points are:
- There will be a quarterly review cycle, with the first review scheduled for early June.
- Models will be evaluated for design, brand fit, strategy fit, and business case.
- It is likely that one project per quarter will be produced, and should more than one pass review in a given quarter, it will be queued for possible later production.
When we have been discusssing will-they-won't-they make this-that-or-the-other, we have only really considered design and brand fit (or at least, I have) but the other two evaluation criteria are of course equally important to the company and will, I suspect, cause some otherwise good projects to be rejected.
After all, if LEGO don't think they can sell enough of a certain model to make it worth their while making it, of course they are not going to bother. Strategy fit is an interesting one and something we outside the company will never get a feel for. Let's say some sort of 'space marines' theme is planned for 2014, then clearly they would not make a 'space marines' Cuusoo model to pre-empt it.
So, let's see how many more projects we can push to 10,000 for the first review: if you haven't already, please take a look through my hand-picked ones in Cuusoo Corner and support those that take your fancy.
27 comments, latest one posted about 8 hours ago.
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9472 Attack on Weathertop
Brickset news Posted by Huw, 15 May 2012 08:09
Today's Lord Of The Rings photo-review is of 9472 Attack on Weathertop. This is a mid-priced set (US $60, UK £50) that features, what I believe is the ruins of the Tower of Amon Sûl, a rock outcrop and five minifigs. There are two Ringwraiths on horses (of the new articulated back leg variety), plus three members of the fellowship: Frodo, Merry and Aragorn.The version of Frodo in the set also appears in 9470 Shelob Attacks, and Aragorn is also in 9474 The Battle of Helm's Deep, but Merry is unique to this set.
The ruins is an interesting build and is very brick- and slope-intensive. It makes use of plenty of plate hinges to create the curved outer walls.
It's hinged to reveal various interior details. Round the back there's space for the hobbits to light a fire and have a picnic. If I remember the movies correctly, Merry and Pippin were fond of their food, weren't they? :)In common with the other LotR sets I've looked at so far, this is a great set that features excellent minifigs, useful and interesting parts, and a 'proper' LEGO build to create a model that has a lot of playability. Highly recommended!
Update: I've been asked to mention a couple more things about the set...
The ring is exactly the right size to fit over a stud and is actually quite a useful piece for SNOT techniques because it will neatly let you join stud to stud. Let's hope it appears in more useful, and cheaper, colours in future. This set contains two spares.The Ringwraiths: There isn't a lot to add about these because you can see what they are like from the pictures below. They are all black, faceless and look suitably mean. The capes might be new, I'm not sure. I did find on one of them that the fold of the cape kept moving the hood upwards when it was pressed right down although the other one was fine so it was probably just they way it was folded.
Here are a few of more pictures from my flickr gallery:
Thanks again to Darren and Tim for loaning me these. Tim is offering Brickset users a 5% discount in his BrickLink store Brick Buy Brick, and will also do so in his new web toy shop, ToyAddict, when it launches in June. Darren is also offering 5% discount on orders under £50 and 10% on orders over £50 from his BrickLink store Gizmocom, until the official release day of the LotR sets. Just mention Brickset in the notes when you check out!
42 comments, latest one posted yesterday.
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The zombies are coming!
Brickset news Posted by Huw, 14 May 2012 15:58
Pictures of the Monster Fighters zombies 9465, have not yet been published to the LEGO.com cache but a Polish LEGO blog has uncovered hi-res pictures of it. The vehicle looks like it's equipped with some serious zombie-squashing apparatus, doesn't it!
(thanks to Nori for the news)
44 comments, latest one posted yesterday.
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Brand store to open in Manchester, UK
Shopping news (UK) Posted by Huw, 14 May 2012 15:50
The location of the eighth brand store in the UK has been revealed on the jobs section of LEGO.com. It will be in Manchester, in the Arndale Centre, in the middle of the city.Clearly LEGO think there is a need for one there, despite the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre being only a few miles away in the Trafford Centre.
I believe there is to be another store opening in the UK this year, but its location still remains a mystery. If I had to guess I'd say it will be in t'north of country, though :-)
(thanks Martyn for posting this news in the forum)
29 comments, latest one posted yesterday.
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21016 Sungnyemun architecture press release
LEGO press release Posted by Huw, 14 May 2012 12:06
BILLUND, Denmark – LEGO® Architecture, which uses the LEGO brick to interpret the designs of iconic architecture around the world, has added its first Asian landmark - the Gate of Exalted Ceremonies in Seoul, better known as the Sungnyemun.
Sungnyemun has stood in the heart of South Korean capital since 1398 as one of the most complete examples of Joseon Dynasty architecture. It is listed as the country’s foremost National Treasure.
“Sungnyemun survives as a symbolic marker of a lost place in time,” says the architect and designer of many of the LEGO models Adam Reed Tucker. In capturing the essence of Sungnyemun in LEGO bricks Adam looked at the aesthetics rather than engineering, especially the use of colours, patterns and materials that define the ‘spiritual DNA’ of a culture.
Construction of Sungnyemun started in 1396 and was completed two years later. Further alterations and renovations continued over the next 600 years. In 2008 the wooden structure was completely destroyed by fire and it is expected that the restoration – using traditional hand tools – will be complete at the end of 2012.
LEGO Architecture products feature well-known buildings, and the work of important architects. Aimed at inspiring future architects, engineers , designers and architecture fans around the world, the range contains a booklet featuring step-by-step building instructions prefaced by history, information and photographs of each iconic building, its design origin, its architect and its architectural features.
The LEGO 21016 Sungnyemun will be launched officially at the Danish Pavilion during the EXPO 2012 exhibition held in Yeosu, South Korea. It will be available for purchase from June 1 in LEGO brand retail stores, LEGOLAND Stores and online at http://shop.lego.com. The product is designed for ages 12+ and includes a booklet with facts and history about Sungnyemun. Recommended retail price is $34.99 in the US and €34.99 in most European countries.
15 comments, latest one posted yesterday.
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9476 The Orc Forge
Review Posted by Huw, 14 May 2012 04:12
My second LotR pictorial review, courtesy of Gizmocom and ToyAddict, is of 9476 The Orc Forge. I believe it is a Target exclusive in the USA.The main part of the set is some sort of primitive machinery for hoisting metal chunks (silver 1x1 round tiles) and tipping them into the black crucible. At the front there's a fire for heating the chunks, which is illuminated with a light brick. The base it stands on looks great and the slopes that go to make it, which includes 18 1x1 cheese slopes in olive green, account for a large percentage of the parts in the set.
The black thing at the front of the picture, which has trans-orange plates inside, is probably supposed to be for annealing the swords.
The set comes with four minifigs: Lurtz, two Mordor Orcs and a Uruk-hai. Unlike the Urak-hai armour in the army set reviewed below, the armour in this set has hand prints printed on it, which look great. As you can see, the ears on the Orc are a slightly different shape to those on the collectable minifig Elf. They are all highly detailed with printed backs and either double sided heads (Lurtz and Uruk-Hai) or back-of-head printing (Orcs).
This is a fun playset that probably won't appeal to everyone due to there being no 'conflict' in it. In the US it costs $40 and it will be £40 when available in the UK later in the summer.
Here are a couple more photos on flickr:
31 comments, latest one posted 3 days ago.
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Reminder : Survey Deadline Approaching
Miscellaneous news Posted by DrDaveWatford, 13 May 2012 16:13
LEGO has been in touch to ask us to remind any Bricksetters who haven't yet completed the latest LEGO survey to please do so before the May 17th deadline. The survey is more comprehensive and wide-ranging than usual, and the company is very keen to get as many responses as possible from the fan community.If you're aged 13 or over and have a few spare minutes, please click the relevant link below. As previously stated, LEGO have promised to share the main survey findings once they have analyzed the data, and I’ll post the results here when I get them.
Thanks again !
11 comments, latest one posted 4 days ago.
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9471 Urak-Hai Army
Review Posted by Huw, 13 May 2012 04:19
As mentioned below, I've been loaned the LotR sets for photography purposes by the good people at Gizmocom and ToyAddict, which is just as well because it's going to be a couple of months until they are available to buy in Europe. I understand several shops in the USA (including TRU) are selling at least some of them now: I guess it's only fair that you get something early given Europe had Star Wars and Marvel a few weeks before you earlier in the year :-)Anyway, I'll be creating a full minifig gallery in due course but for now I'm going to post photos of the sets, which were sent to me assembled, so I won't be able to tell you what the build is like.
First up, then, is 9471 Urak-Hai Army. This costs $35 in the USA and consists of a section of wall, 6 minifigs and a siege machine. The great thing about this is that not only is it a great 'army builder' it's also designed to be a 'castle extender': the wall section can be connected to 9474, The Batle of Helm's Deep, and I guess you could buy as many of these as you liked to build a massive castle wall. The back of the box shows how they can be combined.
The six minifigs are Eomer, a Rohan soldier and four Urak-hai. The latter all have the same legs, torso and head printing, but the addidion of helmets and armour to some of them has created three variations.
This is the only set that Eomer comes in, and one criticism is that, given the set is likely to be bought in multiples by those that want to stage large battles, it would perhaps have been better to have another generic Rohan soldier instead: after all, you only need one Eomer, right?
The horse is of the new articulated-back-legs type so it's possible to pose it in new ways. Unfortunately, however, the saddle prevents the minifig from bending forwards to be upright, which I'm sure he'd try and do in order to stay on the horse :-)
The seige machine is perhaps a little disappointing in that it looks big, heavy and fearsome, but it fires only small projectiles that don't look as if they'd have much of an impact on the castle walls. They do, however, launch at quite a speed.So to conclude then, it's a neat set and one that will be worth picking up multiples of. $35 doesn't seem too bad for it, although it'll probably be £35 in the UK which will make it a bit on the expensive side.
Next up, probably tomorrow: 9476 The Orc Forge.
45 comments, latest one posted about 14 hours ago.
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Modular Western Town to hit 10,000 votes at Cuusoo in the next few hours
Cuusoo news Posted by Huw, 11 May 2012 15:12
We've (nearly) done it! As I write the Modular Western Town stands at 9950 votes at Cuusoo and is sure to reach 10,000 in the next few hours which will be quite an achievement given it's not based on a licensed property and has been promoted only within the AFOL community.If you haven't supported the project yet, please do so now and do your bit to help it reach its goal!
Update: 22:00 GMT: We've done it! Well done everyone and thank you!
86 comments, latest one posted 4 days ago.
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