Posts by Daniel

Top ten TBB LEGO reviews of 2023 [Feature]

With 2023 behind us, we’ve been looking back on LEGO moments, and crowning our LEGO Builder of the Year and LEGO Creation of the Year, congratulations to both. But one of the things that our readers enjoy about our content is our in-depth set reviews. Many of our readers (myself included) count on our reviews to help them decide whether or not to buy that new modular, or that Star Wars set packed with unique minifigures. So, lets take a look back over our most popular reviews of 2023 based on total views.

Find out which of our LEGO reviews was the most popular in 2023

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TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for December 30, 2023 [News]

In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders all over the world, The Brothers Brick brings you the best LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the 4th week of December, 2023.

TBB NEWS AND REVIEWS As we reach the end of another great year in LEGO news and reviews, we covered new sets from the Creator theme, LEGO Icons, Sonic the Hedgehog, Collectible Minifigures, and Jurassic Park. We also shared the first in our end of the year articles for your favorite LEGO moments of 2023. Fortnite and LEGO collaborated to launch a new game mode perfect for squading up with your friends for a LEGO-building survival mode. If you want even more news and reviews, be sure to check out our last Brick Report.

[REVIEW] LEGO Creator 31156: Tropical Ukulele — Dreaming of a tropical vacation? This buildable ukulele is a good place to start.
[REVIEW] LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 76996: Knuckles’ Guardian Mech — The latest Sonic character to get their own set.
[REVIEW] LEGO Icons 40681 Retro Food Truck Gift with Purchase: Bold bonus flavor? — A delicious hot dog food truck to add to your LEGO city.
[REVIEW] LEGO Creator 31148: Retro Roller Skate — Another light azure Creator set, with nostalgia on wheels.
[NEWS] LEGO offering many sets for up to 40% off in end of year sale — Lots of deals on LEGO sets you may have missed out on.
[FEATURE] TBB readers speak! Your favorite LEGO moments of 2023 — Our readers shared their favorite LEGO memories from 2023.
[REVIEW] LEGO 71045 Collectible Minifigures Series 25; is this series the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)? — The latest CMF line-up may be one of the best yet.
[REVIEW] LEGO Fortnite – A video game match made in heaven? — Squad up in a new LEGO-themed survival mode.
[REVIEW] LEGO Jurassic World 76964 Dinosaur Fossils: T-Rex Skull – Do we dig it? — A nice display set to add to your dinosaur collection.

Click through to read more LEGO news from around the world

LEGO Creator 31156: Tropical Ukulele [REVIEW]

The LEGO Creator 3-in-1 theme has been expanding its line-up to include display models like the Retro Roller Skate and smaller plant-based sets from last year. If you’ve been dreaming of a tropical vacation during these darker winter months (unless you live in the Southern Hemisphere, that is) then maybe this tropical ukulele or the alternate surfboard model is the perfect display set for you. LEGO Creator 31156: Tropical Ukulele includes 387 pieces and will be available on January 1st for US $29.99 | CAN $39.99 | UK £24.99

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

Read on for our full review

LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 76996: Knuckles’ Guardian Mech [Review]

The new LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog theme (launched earlier this year) has the potential to give Mario a run for his money when it comes to video game-inspired LEGO sets. With lots of unique molded minifigures and brightly-colored scenes and vehicles, fans of the franchise have a lot to get excited about. Knuckles’ Guardian Mech joins the line-up in January. The set features a mech for Knuckles, including his iconic pointed boxing gloves, as well as another character: Rouge. The latter is a bat-girl with a fancy flier intent on stealing the giant green gem that Knuckles is defending. LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 76996: Knuckles’ Guardian Mech comes with 276 pieces, and will be available on January 1st from the LEGO website for US $34.99 | CAN $44.99 | UK £29.99

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

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LEGO Creator 31148: Retro Roller Skate [REVIEW]

The LEGO Creator 3-in-1 theme has expanded their focus from play sets to include a variety of display sets in recent years. And it looks like 2024 is going to continue this trend with a recently announced wave of Creator sets. Joining the Adidas shoe in the footwear department is the retro roller skate. Riding the recent wave of nostalgia, generation X’ers get ready to jump in to the disco roller-rink with this latest entry. LEGO Creator 11348: Retro Roller Skate includes 342 pieces and will be available starting January 1st for US $29.99 | CAN $39.99 | UK £24.99

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

.Read on for our full review

TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for December 16, 2023 [News]

In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders all over the world, The Brothers Brick brings you the best LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the 2nd week of December 2023.

TBB NEWS AND REVIEWS As we approach the end of another great year in LEGO news and reviews we saw announcements from the Botanical and LEGO Ideas themes. We also reviewed the first Creator set from 2024’s revised Space theme. As we prepare our usual batch of end-of-the-year features, we also posted a form for you to tell us your favorite LEGO moments of 2023.

[REVIEW] LEGO Creator 31152: Space Astronaut is out of this world — A pretty stellar build-able astronautfor your space collection.
[NEWS] LEGO Ideas reveals their next set as 21345 Polaroid OneStep SX-70 Camera — Another great nostalgic dispplay set for Generation X.
[NEWS] LEGO commemorates Ninjago/DreamZzz crossover episode with “Enter the Dreamers” poster — An upcoming cross-over episode of the LEGO Dreamzzz show and Ninjago.
[FEATURE] What’s your favorite LEGO moment of 2023? — Share your big LEGO moments of 2023.
[NEWS] 10328 Bouquet of Roses added to LEGO’s Botanical Collection — Perfect for an early valentines gift for the LEGO lover in your life.

OTHER NEWS In case you missed our daily breakdown of LEGO Advent calendars, here’s what TBB contributors had to say about them. Potential SPOILERS ahead!!

Click through to read more LEGO news from around the world

LEGO Creator 31152: Space Astronaut is out of this world [REVIEW]

Ever since the launch (pun intended) of the LEGO Ideas Saturn V set, there have been several NASA-inspired sets over the years that have captured the imagination of space enthusiasts of all ages, from the lunar lander to the shuttle Discovery. LEGO is adding a buildable astronaut to this line-up of display-worthy sets. LEGO Creator 31152: Space Astronaut comes with 647 pieces and will be available on January 1st for US $54.99 | CAN $69.99 | UK £44.99

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

Read on for our full review

LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 76995: Shadow’s Escape [REVIEW]

While many people recognize Sonic from video games, and even from a fairly awful movie or two, there are lots of great characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, including Shadow, who, according to Wikipedia, is an artificial creation, and an occasional antihero of the franchise. The set features a glass holding cell where Shadow is created/captured, a small duck in a rhino-shaped vehicle, and a chopper. LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 76995: Shadow’s Escape includes 196 parts and will be available on December 1st for US $19.99 | CAN $24.99 | UK £18.99

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

Read on for our full review

This LEGO plant eats flies like you for breakfast

Since LEGO launched their Botanical theme, we have seen a number of models inspired by the lineup of realistic-looking plants in LEGO form. This American Pitcher plant by moptoptrev is a well-done recreation of this predatory plant that lures insects into a deep bell-shape lined with sweet-smelling fluid that then traps the poor helpless bug. And if you have wings, flying won’t save you as the lid drops into place to seal your fate.

This LEGO temple to the Minotaur is no bull

While this Minoan temple may seem simple at first glance, there is quite a lot going on in this scene by BrickiboT. Inspired by the architecture of archaeological sites like the Minoan palace at Knossos on Crete, the angled pattern along the roof is made from carefully arranged sideways plates and brackets. A small noodle bowl acts as the perfect accent. The plates and rounded plates in two colors, along with a variety of textured bricks gives the front of the temple a weathered look.

The rocky landscape, dotted with plants and vines is a good blend of straight and curved slopes, and even the small beach is filled with details, like the group of hermit crabs, and the head of an elephant disguised as a rock. The angled sides of the small boat are attached with handlebars fit into the undersides of rounded plates with holes. Well done!

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A hungry LEGO caterpillar with a can-do attitude

If you thought a LEGO watering can wasn’t much use outside of setting a scene in a garden, you have not seen an Iron Builder competition. In the contest, an unusual seed part is used in each build, to challenge the builder to think creatively. gGh0st does not disappoint with this caterpillar, whose many segments use the watering can in lime to great effect. The spout makes the perfect leg, clinging to the branch. But I do wonder what this would look like from any other angle…

The galaxy’s favorite droid gets a serious upgrade

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, R2-D2 discovered there was more to life than plotting courses through hyperspace. Greg Dalink tells a story with this fun mech built to fit R2-D2. Using credits saved up over years of loyal service, the galaxy’s most loved astro-mech commissioned an expert droid-smith to fashion a mighty mech, so he could join the rebellion and wreak havoc. And make sure to check out all of Greg’s mecha tributes to the Star Wars universe that we’ve featured on TBB!