Tag Archives: TRON

This TRON: Legacy tribute deserves a high-score.

A few years back, the lightcycle battle from TRON: Legacy got an official LEGO set. But if that was the 8-bit version, builder Koen Zwanenburg has given it the 16-bit upgrade. Inspired to start with the 4×4 macaroni tile as the sides of the wheels, Koen built the rest of the model to scale with that, resulting in a much larger representation of the film’s iconic vehicles. Koen smartly kept exposed studs visible on the riders for a textural contrast, so that they don’t completely blend in with the similarly colored bikes.

TRON Lightcycle Battle

A proper TRON cycle

Veteran builder Simon Liu made the most of an opportunity during his latest review for New Elementary. Given the chance to pick the set he wanted to write about, he jumped on the smorgasbord of glow-in-the-dark pieces available in June 2021’s LEGO Monkie Kid 80028 The Bone Demon. Making use of the angles and curves presented by parts selection in the set, Simon was able to finally execute a proper glow-in-the-dark TRON cycle. As a bit of a dream for Simon, he was excited to pull it off, no matter what the scale. Of course, that meant that things got a little more difficult once he got attached to that swoop of White Glow curve in the center of the bike. Sandwiching the two sides together at a scale he liked only left a tile’s thickness for the core of the body. The wheels were almost too easy, the clever curve using rounded 1×2 plates centered with that tile’s thickness to provide an attachment point for the glowing rims made with 3×3 1/4 arch bricks.  Black detailing on the body is complemented by 45-degree cut slopes near the base and handlebars, completing that quintessentially TRON light cycle feel.

TRON Light Cycle

Just one of a few great builds that Simon worked on for New Elementary, this TRON cycle entices the building community to see what else they can do with a fist full of glow-in-the-dark elements. Clearly, there’s potential for tech and sci-fi models so who knows what use Simon will find for these highly UV-reactive pieces this year. It could make for one interesting SHIPtember if he was feeling adventurous.

A brick celebration of sci-fi designer Syd Mead 1933-2019

Syd Mead, the designer behind the iconic look of Blade Runner amongst other movies, has died aged 86. Chances are, if you’re into sci-fi and LEGO then you’ll have tried to recreate one of his famous designs — The USS Sulaco from Aliens, the light-cycles from Tron, Johnny 5 from Short Circuit, or this, the famous Police Spinner from Blade Runner.

Blade Runner Spinner

Click to see a selection of LEGO models inspired by Syd Mead’s work

Star Wars meets Tron meets classic 70s sci-fi art in this awesome reinterpretation of the Nebulon B

Some LEGO contests begin with improbable premises, and in the case of Grid Wars, that means building a Star Wars vehicle in the TRON aesthetic. Many builders would struggle, but the theme plays to Shannon Sproule‘s strengths. I’ve followed his work for many years now, long ago falling in love with his ability to capture the complex, often asymmetric beauty, of classic 1970s science fiction illustration.

File Recovery Bus (Nebulon B)

In this case, his take on the Nebulon B escort Frigate results in a bold turquoise splash of abstract brilliance. Tapping into the original design’s unorthodox form, he imposes some dramatic angles and bold colours. Part spaceship, part Kandinsky painting, its an amazing testimony to what science fiction art can be.

File Recovery Bus (Nebulon B)

Upgrade your Tron lightcycles to add cool movement [Video]

Builder Jason Allemann, (aka JK Brickworks) has made a name for himself building kinetic LEGO sculptures, from Sisyphus eternally pushing a boulder to a ball maze that was turned into a real LEGO set, or even a tense Death Star trench run. But now he’s turned his hand to the new 21314 Tron: Legacy set to give it a bit of dynamism, making the lightcycles bob and weave as they cut their way across the grid.

What we love about Jason, though, is that he’s never content to simply show off something cool and leave us wondering how he did it. Instead, with every build he walks us through the steps of how his mechanisms work. Check out the video below.

Click to see the video and discover how they’re built

Tron Legacy Battle Mechs

One of the latest sets from the LEGO Ideas product line, 21314 Tron: Legacy is a pretty great set, based on a pretty good sequel (my opinion is probably controversial). But if light cycles aren’t really your thing, Chak hei Mok has put together an awesome display of two fighting mechs using the same color scheme and a selection of choice parts from the official set.

TRON - Warfighter Mech

There are so many great details to call attention to. The black pointed shield pieces provide some excellent angles, those rims from the Speed Champion line as engine vents on the back of the legs, and those black silver bars add just the right amount of detail. Best of all, these mechs fit the minifigures from the set, and look great doing battle over the alternate configuration of the stand from the set.

TRON - Warfighter Mech

Tripping the light fantastic with this Tron cycle

Hot on the heels of the official duo of cycles from Tron: LegacyFictitious Pasta brings us this epic microscale version of the bike from the original Tron film. The simple setting with scattered rocks and a gleaming light streak is perfect for the digital frontier. And in a twist that seems particularly appropriate, this model exists only in digital form, as the scene is an excellent CGI render.

........I got In

This model may be tiny, but don’t miss the excellent large-scale version of the same vintage Tron bike we also featured recently.

LEGO Ideas 21314 Tron: Legacy available now [News]

Last week we reviewed the latest LEGO Ideas set, 21314 Tron: Legacy. The set launches on March 31st, and is available now from the LEGO Shop online ($34.99 US | £29.99 | $44.99 CAD).

The new set includes two light cycles, three minifigures — Sam Flynn, Quorra and Rinzler — with a total of 230 pieces. You can learn more about the set in our hands-on Tron review.

Cruise virtual worlds in the LEGO Tron Vintage Light Cycle

Like the upcoming LEGO Ideas Light Cycles set, Joe Perez drew inspiration from Tron: Legacy and constructed a beautifully contoured LEGO rendition of the vintage Light Cycle from the original Tron. Great care for the detail and forms of the classic vehicle is evident in his model, and the addition of teal highlights is a fine choice.

Vintage Tron Light Cycle

Joe even created a rider for his Light Cycle, posing confidently with awesome wind-swept hair techniques.

Vintage Tron Light Cycle

Enter the grid with LEGO Ideas 21314 Tron: Legacy [Review]

After weeks of teasing, LEGO finally unveiled the new LEGO Ideas 21314 Tron: Legacy yesterday, and we’re pleased to bring you this early review of the set scheduled for release on March 31. The set includes 230 pieces and three minifigs, featuring two light cycles with blue and orange highlights.

Read our hands-on review of LEGO Ideas 21314 Tron: Legacy

LEGO Ideas 21314 TRON Legacy unveiled, available March 31 [News]

LEGO has officially unveiled the final design for the next LEGO Ideas set, 21314 TRON: Legacy. Designed by Tom and Drew (aka the BrickBros UK), the set includes 230 pieces which make up two Light Cycles and three minifigures. The set will retail for $34.99 USD beginning March 31, 2018.

We’ll have the complete, hands-on review of this new set for you tomorrow, but in the meantime enjoy the new product details and photos.

Click to get a closer look at the new TRON: Legacy set

LEGO Ideas Tron Legacy lightbikes revealed in teaser trailer [News]

LEGO occasionally releases little teaser videos to announce their upcoming sets, and we started this week off with the Harry Potter Fantastic Beasts trailer. Today we’re getting the first look at the new Tron set from LEGO Ideas that we first announced back in November.

Click to watch the teaser video