The classic real-time strategy game Starcraft II has inspired many LEGO creations over the years, but one of the most impressive has to be this stunning version of the multiplayer map Megaton. Built by David Frank, the map features the home bases for all three factions and measures over 16 square feet. Additionally, David has wired it with lights, giving features like the Khaydarin crystals a realistic glow.
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At a glance, this view of London hardly looks like a LEGO model at all. Even though the scale is tiny, builder Rocco Buttliere has packed it with amazing details. Encompassing the famous landmarks on both sides of the Thames, the giant model features the London Eye, County Hall, Houses of Parliament, and Westminster Abbey. Rocco has long been known as the master of LEGO architectural models, from downtown Chicago to the humble Rosenwald apartments, and even a 12-foot long Golden Gate Bridge, and this new architectural masterpiece easily stands with the best of them.
Click to see more of this stunning model of London
Ever since LEGO introduced the minifigure, the tiny plastic characters have enthralled children and adults around the world. With hundreds of new figures each year, they’ve consistently proven to be one of LEGO’s most popular attractions, featuring prominently in most of LEGO’s products, and of course, they’ve spawned a whole theme just for themselves. Eight years from their inception, we’re now up to Minifigures Series 18 (71021), though of course there have been more than 18 series, with some special themes like The Simpsons or Team GB falling outside the numbering system. This wave of Collectible Minfigures (CMFs) features 17 unique characters and will retail for $3.99 USD. They should be available around April 1, though if previous series are any indication they may begin showing up in stores sooner. Let’s dive in and see what Series 18 is all about. (Hint: it’s a party!)
We thought we’d already seen the full lineup of LEGO sets accompanying this summer’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom after getting a look at the New York Toy Fair and seeing the official photos of those sets last week. However, today Walmart has revealed even more sets, including a throwback to the original Jurassic Park that includes Dr. Grant, Ellie, Lex, and Tim in an iconic and terrifying scene with a velociraptor. LEGO is heavily investing in this license, with more than a dozen new sets across System, Juniors, and Duplo.
2018 marks the fourth year for Speed Champions, LEGO’s minifigure-scale line of licensed vehicles. As with nearly all the previous lineups, the six sets in this year’s wave focus on sports and racing cars. We’re kicking off our reviews with set 75888 Porsche 911 RSR and 911 Turbo 3.0, which features new and classic versions of the iconic sports car that’s defined the luxury brand for more than half a century. The set also includes a tiny bit of trackway with a lap clock, along with drivers for each car and a support crewman. It includes 391 pieces and retails for $29.99 USD. 
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Well folks, this is our final article from here in midtown Manhattan at Toy Fair New York 2018. Today we’ve brought you hands-on coverage of LEGO’s latest, including new Harry Potter, Jurassic World, and Star Wars sets, among others. Our day started this morning at 7AM when LEGO gave us an early-access tour of their booth before the Toy Fair officially opened.
Today LEGO announced that a Powerpuff Girls theme will be arriving in August, consisting of at least two sets. While LEGO hasn’t disclosed any set images yet, they have released images of the characters, which include Buttercup, Bubbles, and Blossom, the same three characters that featured in the Powerpuff Girls Dimensions sets last year.
How do you create a tree using chains? It seems an unlikely element to form the organic branches of a bonsai tree, but in this creation by Tim Schwalfenberg, each of the connected links forms a knot on the gnarled bark. The result is highly original and undeniably striking. Tim doesn’t say how many chains he used, but it’s certainly more than you might expect, if my own experiences with LEGO chains are anything by which to judge.
Tim hasn’t stopped with just this one tree, though. He’s actually created a series, each explore different techniques.
Last month we featured Patrick B.‘s lovely version of Bag End, Bilbo’s house in the Hobbit and later Frodo’s in The Lord of the Rings. It turns out Patrick wasn’t done making cheery hobbit holes, though, as now he’s followed up with Samwise Gamgee’s home on Bagshot End, which is just as welcoming and snug.
It’s loaded with details, including lots of clever uses for unusual elements, such as the unusual Scala flower pot and vase paired together along with mini-doll Belle’s light yellow dress as large garden jars. Each section of this homely dwelling bears close scrutiny to tease out all the shrewd techniques. Continue reading
Giving a fresh new twist on the classic LEGO grey-and-blue space theme, this shuttle by Horcik Designs is a perfect example of what fans like to call Neo-Classic Space. Despite its relatively small size, the shuttle seats two minifigures abreast in the trans-yellow clad cockpit, and the addition of lots of stickers adds a bit of extra flair that makes this spacecraft feel more industrial.
It doesn’t take a big model or a lot of pieces to be clever with LEGO. In fact, one of the best ways is to take take a piece and find a use for it so good that it looks like the element was purpose-made for it. Case in point: the hood of the tiny speeder by F@bz, which was originally the barding (blanket) of a Friends horse. It’s also worth pointing out the background made of brick anti-studs and spaced plates, with a Mars Mission aero tube in the foreground.
Most LEGO castles appear to lie in the grassy woodlands of Northern Europe, the sun-baked sands of the Sahara, or in a dizzyingly vibrant fantasy land. Brick Monkeys, however, is ready to take us somewhere new. This castle is set in what appears to be a drought-stricken clime where you can almost feel the dry leaves crackling as they fall from the trees.
The extensive use of earth tones blends well in this arid scene. The castle itself features many great details also, from the stained glass windows of the great hall to the ramshackle upper roof of the round turret, where plates have been layered haphazardly for a unique texture.
