Yearly Archives: 2015

Resistance T-70 X-wing starfighter from the Force Awakens

I just got home from seeing The Force Awakens, and all I’ll share is that it was a Star Wars movie. Note that I cannot say the same for the Prequel Trilogy. It feels good to love Star Wars again. While several of us from the TBB team were off seeing Episode VII together, David Hensel posted his 21st build for the current round of Iron Builder — an X-wing in gray and blue to match 75102 Poe’s X-wing in black and orange.

My critique of the official set — that the LEGO X-wing is missing the long, tapered angle of the nose forward of the cockpit — applies to David’s own design as well, and it’s a bit unfortunate that he doesn’t seem to have the excellent new X-wing cockpit to use. Nevertheless, this is a great rendition of the iconic fighter from the new movie.

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2015 LEGO Star Wars & LEGO Friends Advent Calendars (Day 17)

We’re 17 days into TBB’s virtual LEGO Advent Calendar, and there’s a part of me that’s hoping for some sort of Episode VII easter egg.

We’ll be unveiling the mini-kits or minifigs from each Advent Calendar around this time every day, and we won’t ruin the surprise — you’ll need to click through to reveal the LEGO behind the tiny doors.

Click to see the Day 17 mini-kits!

Han & Chewie come home aboard LEGO Star Wars 75105 Millennium Falcon from the Force Awakens [Review]

Around the time you’re reading this, I’ll be sitting in a theater watching the first possible showing where I live of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. As much as I’ve enjoyed building the new Rebellion/Resistance vehicles from The Force Awakens — 75099 Rey’s Speeder, 75102 Poe’s X-wing and 75140 Resistance Troop Transporter — my favorite vehicle from the Star Wars universe remains the iconic Millennium Falcon. With 75105 Millennium Falcon, Han & Chewie’s trusty ride (and yes, home) gets a bit of a facelift for the new movie.

Full disclosure again: With my Prequel-induced LEGO Star Wars Dark Ages, I haven’t personally built the various Millennium Falcon redesigns released since the godawful original in 2000 (which I did like at the time). So, apologies again in advance if I miss any key comparisons with the versions from 2004 and 2011. That said, it’s also going to be hard avoiding comparisons with the wondrous UCS Millennium Falcon from 2007 — the only true minifig-scale Falcon ever released (and a set that managed to break through my Star Wars ennui).

As with the X-wing, spoilers here are doubtful, but hit the jump anyway for the full review.

Read the full review after the jump!

You’re one ugly mother

Some things are just so beautiful they’re ugly. Or maybe it’s the other way around. Either way, the latest portrait by Kiwi builder Grantmasters is for sure one ugly beautiful something:

Utilizing a number of typically specialized pieces such as cookie tiles, mushroom tops, and pterodactyl wings, Grantmasters has constructed a stunning portrait of one of cinema’s most infamous monsters, the creature known only as the Predator. Not only that, but this build is also the perfect companion piece to another portrait Grantmasters built back in April, that of the Predator’s arch nemesis, the Alien:

LEGO Collectible Minifigures Series 15 [Review]

We’ve gotten hold of a case of January’s Series 15 Collectible Minifigures, thanks to LEGO. Series 15 is the first “regular” series since early in 2015 when Series 13 came out. Since then we’ve gotten Simpsons Series 2 and the Halloween-themed Series 14. And this series is shaping up quite nicely, with a broad range of excellent minifigs. The key color this time around is orange, like Series 4.

As these show up in stores, be sure to check out our feeling guide for the blind packs to help you find a full set.

Since we got a full case, we’re able to provide a breakdown of the figures we got:

3 copies each of the Farmer, Skunk Catcher, Knight, Ballerina, Winged Robot Warrior, Native American Woman, Jewel Thief, and Queen.
4 copies each of the Winged God, Wrestling Champion, Janitor, and Astronaut.
5 copies each of the Patient, Left Shark, and Faun.

Read the full review after the jump!

This is the droid you’re looking for

In perfect sync with the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Singapore today, Jeffery Kong shares his 200 part R2-D2 build. Jeffery is well known for his LEGO creations with a uniquely Singapore flavour, but this time he has captured our favourite quick-witted astromech droid in LEGO form.

This small but perfectly formed rendition of R2-D2 has a great colour scheme, nicely curved shape and his legs move too; a perfect desk buddy for those Star Wars fans amongst us. You will have to make the ‘beep… blippity… bleep… whirr‘ noise yourself of course!

The cracks are showing along Route 66

As you cruise past this old diner located somewhere along Route 66 in your souped-up hot rod, it is clear that all is not well. I don’t know what has led to the scene in this diorama by Austrian builder Sanel Lukovic, but it seems that the derelict diner was abandoned in a hurry; that’s never a good thing!

The details that highlight the sense of abandonment are my favourite part of this diorama. Intricate features abound, such as the diner stool that has been knocked over, the broken window with a view inside, the can of coke that has fallen out of the rubbish bin, the broken, exposed fluorescent light tubes and the graffiti on the wall.

At first I thought the cracked road was due to an earlier earthquake but that doesn’t explain the whole story. Sanel tells me that far more sinister reasons are probably to blame…

2015 LEGO Star Wars & LEGO Friends Advent Calendars (Day 16)

Thousands of you out there are reading our virtual LEGO Advent Calendar series, but it’s Day 16 now and I’m getting bored, so I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

Click to see the Day 16 mini-kits!

LEGO Star Wars 75102 Poe’s X-wing Fighter from the Force Awakens [Review]

Our week of LEGO Star Wars reviews continues today with 75102 Poe’s X-wing Fighter from the Force Awakens. Poe Dameron and his T-70 X-wing starfighter have featured prominently in all of the teasers and trailers for the new movie, so there doesn’t seem to be much risk of any spoilers in this set (that, and it’s been out in stores since September).

Nevertheless, I’ll go ahead and bury the actual review below the fold, as I did with yesterday’s review of 75140 Resistance Troop Transporter.

Full disclosure: I’ve only ever owned one other System-scale X-wing, the original 7140 X-wing from 1999. I apologize in advance if I miss any key comparisons with the 2004, 2006, or 2012 redesigns (dark post-Prequel, post-fleshie years in which I had no interest in Star Wars).

Read the full review after the jump!

The perfect beach house retreat

If you caught the winter blues, then retreat to this cozy sunlit beach home by Michaela Clites (Littlehaulic) and you’ll feel warm in no time. Wander through each room and try to catch all the ocean-themed details and decorations. You can see close ups of the house on the builder’s Flickr gallery.

LEGO great ball contraption 2D printer

Of all the LEGO great ball contraptions I’ve seen, this is the first that can spell out a message. Leave it to the great mind of mahjqa to come up with a Mindstorm-powered device to arrange the balls in a pattern to form letters across a conveyor belt.

BrickUniverse Raleigh 2016 open for registration

BrickUniverse FOL Conference is returning to the Raleigh Convention Center in Raleigh, North Carolina from April 1-3, 2016. Registration for all three days is $55 and includes a goody bag, brick badge, and entrance to all of the FOL events. This is also one of the unique conventions that offer free registration to exhibitors. Check out the BrickUniverse website for more info.

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