Posts by Adam Jacobs

LEGO Architecture 21056 Taj Mahal: third time’s a charm [Review]

Here at TBB, we all were caught by surprise when the Taj Mahal showed up in the review box last week. This jewel of Muslim architecture had been previously depicted in LEGO form back in 2008 (10189) and in 2017 as a rerelease (10256 Taj Mahal, read our review). The newest rendition of the Taj Mahal is scaled down in size, so how does it compare to what was once the second-largest LEGO set of all time? 21056 Taj Mahal has 2,022 pieces and will retail for US $119.99 | CAN $169.99 | UK £89.99. It will be available June 1 in Europe and the rest of the world, and will be available from August 1 in the Americas. Read our hands-on review to learn more.

The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Read our full, hands-on review

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Fight for the New Republic aboard the Corvus!

Fly the Raider-class corvette just in time to finish off the Empire at the Battle of Jakku! Just in time for May the Fourth, builder Rubblemaker shows off his version of the mighty Corvus in its New Republic colors.

See more of this sleek Star Wars ship

Beachfront property worth building

Aloha, maybe? Wherever this is, I want to go there right now and forget that there are travel restrictions in place. The Beach Resort from builder Luis Peña is everything I could want in a tropical getaway.

Not only is this clearly an oceanside resort, but it’s also a really fancy one at that. The light blue transparent bricks are a crisp, clean contrast to the white on the buildings, giving them a very expensive look. The choice to make each structure different was a good one, with the triangle building and the curvy building having a five-star hotel vibe. The beach huts are just fantastic. They’re made with few pieces but you still know exactly what they are!

I could see myself lying under the tiny palm trees, but there’s a pandemic going on so I’ll have to wait until next year.

Over the water and past the finish line

Thirsty? Get a drink from this racer’s wake! Builder aido k created this fantastic racer to fly across the sea and leave his competitors behind.

I’m enjoying looking at this racer as much as the driver is flying it! With so few parts, aido k managed to pull off a ton of angles and little details. I love the round pieces on the bottom that seem to be what is keeping the racer alight. But the coolest detail would have to be the way the fin is dipping into the water just enough to cause a bit of spray.

I’d jump at the chance to see this racer from a few other angles as well. Here’s to hoping we do!

The Minions have arrived! LEGO Minions: The Rise of Gru 75546, 75547, and 75550 [Review]

Banana! In preparation for the much-delayed cinematic release of Minions: The Rise of Gru later this year, The Brothers Brick was given a sneak peek at three LEGO Minions sets, so today we’re taking a quick look at 75546 Minions in Gru’s Lab (87 pieces | US $19.99 | CAN $24.99 | UK £17.99), 75547 Minion Pilot in Training (119 pieces | US $29.99 | CAN $39.99 | UK £29.99), and 75550 Minions Kung Fu Battle (310 pieces | US $39.99 | CAN $49.99 | UK £34.99). These sets were revealed by LEGO more than a year ago and are now finally making their way to store shelves. All three sets will be available beginning April 26.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with early copies of these sets for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Click to read the full, hands-on review

Back at the base for repairs

Sam Malmberg‘s “Nebula 47 Hangar” is a feat of LEGO engineering. Let’s take a look at why this Federation scout ship is one of the best builds I’ve seen today.

Take your eyes past the Nebula 47 itself and gaze upon the beauty that is the pipework! The twisting tubes are fantastic, implying a network of vast support systems that are behind the bulkhead. Additionally, the arrow on the hangar deck is made from bricks in a pattern that isn’t common in sci-fi builds.

When I look at the Nebula 47, I see a little bit of the Ghost from Star Wars: Rebels. However, Sam has utilized his skill in creating a ship of his own. I dig the minifigure ski poles used as blasters on the wings. I also like the use of the color tan along the main body. Tan isn’t a color I often see on a spaceship, but this more than works. It’s out of this world!

The Star Wars Republic Attack Shuttle is on the way!

Minifigure-scale LEGO Star Wars builds are always few and far between. So when I saw builder Remco Rohaan’s Nu-class Republic Attack Shuttle, I almost fell out of my chair.

This baby is fully loaded with the best of the 501st Legion. Utilizing a cargo box to drop clone troopers and their equipment straight onto the battlefield, the Nu-class shuttle is nearly as much of a Grand Army of the Republic staple as the LAAT/i gunship.

The amount of detail is incredible when you consider the functionality of the build. The fact that the ramps lower and there’s internal lighting showcases the type of dedication we’ve come to expect from Remco. With 18 minifigures aboard, which is a feat of its own, this shuttle is ready for anything.

A race to the Moon? Challenge accepted.

Noblebun is one of the best sci-fi LEGO builders out there, proving that title with his newest creation, the V-X Vera.

“Roaring into the spaceport was the most beautiful ship I’ve ever seen in all my days. With a lean white bow and gleaming engines, she settled down into my docking bay. I thought I was lucky to just catch a glimpse of her, but now she could be mine to care for,” — Rhys Wheelright, chief of maintenance, Colony One.
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Time with a child is time well-spent

As a parent, I love spending time with my kids. Builder Felix Jaensch‘s “Orang-Utan with Child” creation is a beautiful tribute to those who play with LEGO with their kids.

There is so much that I love about this. Let’s start with colors: it’s incredible how accurate the orangutan is, with the parent having orange marking around the mouth and the child showing lighter colors. I’m equally stunned at the layering Felix did in replicating fur with bricks. It looks so real!

The tree itself is worth mentioning. Small color splotches help identify the tree as being in a weathered environment.

I hope to see more amazing builds like this from Felix this year!

Super fast speeder zips on by

Do you feel a need for speed? Are your competitors feeling hungry? Fix that speed craving and make your rivals eat your dust as you speed along in Oscar Cederwall‘s LEGO skitter vig.

Look at this speeder zip through the desert! It’s always great to see what sort of science fiction vehicles can be created, and this is no different. Using large blue pieces from buildable action figures was a clever idea, as was the decision to do an open cockpit. We’re able to see the figure, giving us a sense of scale with the dust clouds. Which, by the way, is probably my favorite part of this whole creation. I’m seeing how fast the driver is going and what kind of environment he’s in. This definitely shows Oscar’s talent!

Who will brave the deep chasm?

Anyone who is a fan of The Stormlight Archives novels will be thrilled to see Tim Schwalfenberg‘s LEGO take on The Chasm, a world in which the only source of light comes from cracks in the sky.

This creation is jaw-dropping. I love the color transitions as the light darkens deeper in the canyon. It really adds to the sense of depth in this build. How far does it go down? Sure, you can count the brick height along the chasm walls, but all the detail poured into this build gives the illusion of being near-bottomless.

The other detail I want to point out is the excellent plant work. From swampy saplings curing their limbs creepily to the vined flowers reaching upward for a glimpse of daylight. Like the color transitions, the way the vines wrap themselves along the rocky crevasse adds to the sense of how deep you are down in the ground.

I could gaze at this brilliant creation all day, though that might not be a wise idea. Watch out for chasmfiends!

Gnepnug the Forager gathers mushrooms

Behold! Another fun little LEGO creation by John Snyder featuring a woodland gatherer. I’ll be honest, my first thought upon seeing this build was, “Oh, look! The Wicked Witch of the West!” But then I saw the title and realized it was an insanely cooler character, Gnepnug the Forager. I’ve never seen anyone use a Bionicle leg plate before as a face, but this works! The use of multiple minifigure capes for worn-in clothing was a clever idea. I also appreciate the lack of a baseplate, with John instead opting for what appears to be a green LEGO sail piece.