Category Archives: News

Stay current on the latest news and information about LEGO, from sales & deals to new set announcements. We also cover LEGO events and conventions all over the world.

LEGO Advent Calendar 2019 revealed and available for pre-order on Amazon (US) [News]

LEGO has revealed all of this year’s holiday season Advent calendars with new images and they’re now available on Amazon US for pre-order. This year we have an addition of Harry Potter to the regulars of City, Friends and Star Wars. The same prices are holding as previous years: $29.99 USD each for City and Friends, while Harry Potter will be priced at $39.99 along with the Star Wars set. They will be released on September 1, but if you want to make sure you’re good and ready before Christmas, you can pre-order them at Amazon right now.

Click to see the rest of the Advent Calendar sets

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TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for August 10, 2019 [News]

In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders all over the world, The Brothers Brick brings you the best of LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the second week of August 2019.

LEGO officially unveils the new Ideas Friends set just in time fore the show’s 25th anniversary.

TBB NEWS, REVIEWS AND INSTRUCTIONS: This week we had a cup of coffee with our Friends, found the elusive Barb minifigure and taught you how to make your very own Castle Byers.

Build your own reversible LEGO Castle Byers model from Stranger Things [Instructions] – Build your own upside-down LEGO Castle Byers model from Stranger Things with these step-by-step instructions!
Take a sip of ’90s pop-culture with the new LEGO Ideas 21319 Central Perk set from Friends – LEGO is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the US TV show Friends with a dedicated LEGO Ideas set.
LEGO continues the BrickHeadz theme with 40351 Ghost this Halloween – Get a preview of the newest BrickHeadz for Halloween, the spooky Ghost! Plus 3 more Christmas BrickHeadz new for 2019!.
LEGO Stranger Things Castle Byers event build & Comic-Con exclusive Barb minifigure [Review] – We take a look at Will’s fort Castle Byers and fan-favorite Barb released only at SDCC.
TBB’s Stranger Things building contest ends soon! – There’s still time to enter our Stranger Things contest. Be sure to get your entries in by Aug. 15! Read about all the details in the article.

OTHER NEWS: There were a few other interesting LEGO news articles from around the web this week. Here are the best of the rest:

The new VIP program: your questions answered, Brickset – Everything you need to know about the new digital VIP Program.
LEGO puts the new Technic 4×4 X-treme Off-Roader to the test, LEGO – Watch the new Technic 4×4 X-treme Off-Roader handle the ultimate obstacle course. On a crane!

LEGO continues the BrickHeadz theme with 40351 Ghost this Halloween [News]

LEGO seems to be slowing its BrickHeadz release cycle, but it’s not done creating the cute brick-built characters just yet. LEGO has just published images of the newest set in the line, 40351 Ghost. Presumably a Halloween seasonal item following in the vein of similar sets for the past several years, we expect the Ghost to cost $10 USD and be released sometime in the next month or two. The Ghost will be BrickHeadz number 83, and it includes 136 pieces.

Click to see more, including previews of 3 more upcoming LEGO BrickHeadz

Take a sip of ’90s pop-culture with the new LEGO Ideas 21319 Central Perk set from Friends [News]

It’s been 25 years since the day Rachel entered the doors of the Central Perk Café dressed as a bride, kicking off the story of the six most famous friends in New York City. Recently, The LEGO Group has been doing an excellent job celebrating anniversaries of the most remarkable events (such as the moon landing) and the 25th anniversary of the US TV show Friends is yet another fantastic occasion for one special set, LEGO Ideas 21319 Central Perk. The model of the iconic coffee-house consists of 1,070 pieces and comes with 7 minifigures of the cast. The set will be available for purchase beginning September 1 and will retail for $59.99 US | $89.99 CAN | £64.99 UK.

Click here to learn more about the new set…

LEGO Stranger Things Castle Byers event build & Comic-Con exclusive Barb minifigure [Review & Editorial]

LEGO has gone all out to promote the new LEGO Stranger Things 75810 The Upside Down set released earlier this summer, with a hilarious retro designer video, and a contest on LEGO Ideas (don’t miss TBB’s own Darker Hawkins LEGO contest). These are all things that every LEGO builder can enjoy together, but LEGO has also released two items to much more limited audiences — Will’s fort Castle Byers (a small build given away only to attendees of launch events in London and New York City) and fan-favorite Barb (a unique minifigure only available at San Diego Comic-Con). Both of these are now only available at exorbitant prices on the secondary market. The Brothers Brick picked up each of these so we could bring you a hands-on review.

Read our hands-on review of these unique LEGO exclusives from Stranger Things

TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for August 4, 2019 [News]

We take a closer look at the new LEGO Technic 42099 4×4 X-treme Off-Roader with our review. Keep reading our Brick Report to get all the details.

TBB NEWS, FEATURES AND REVIEWS: This week we saw over 65 new sets released, got instructions for the coveted SDCC Exclusives, reviewed the LEGO Technic 42099 4×4 X-treme Off-Roader and said goodbye to a beloved AFOL artist. Meanwhile, our mind-flaying Stranger Things contest continues gathering strength and entries.

LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series 19 revealed – Official photos are now available for the upcoming Series 19 Minifigures. Which ones will you be getting?
Public tickets for BrickCon 2019 LEGO Fan Exhibition in Seattle on sale now – Tickets for BrickCon 2019 in Seattle are now on sale. Will we see you there?
LEGO Hidden Side now available with more than 65 other new LEGO sets and gear – We have your guide to all the new LEGO sets now available for August, including the new Hidden Side theme, Architecture, City, Friends, Harry Potter, Jurassic World, Technic, Ninjago and even some cool shiny backpacks.
Instructions for LEGO San Diego Comic Con 2019 Exclusives now available – Build instructions for the San Diego Comic Con 2019 LEGO Exclusives featuring Batman, Star Wars and Captain Marvel.
In memory of Ingmar Spijkhoven – In memory of legendary LEGO truck builder Ingmar Spijkhoven.
VESTIGE – A LEGO space exploration short film documentary [Feature] – A rare insight into a campaign that was pitched to LEGO by Brian Ellis and team. Watch the video and behind the scenes production and read our interview to find out more.
A little dirt never hurt: LEGO Technic 42099 4×4 X-treme Off-Roader [Review] – The latest addition to the LEGO Technic lineup brings Powered Up motors, Control+ smart app and tons of fun indoors and outdoors.
TBB’s Stranger Things building contest is flipping things upside down – Only one and a half weeks left to enter our Stranger Things contest. Read about all the details in the article.

See more LEGO news from around the web

Public tickets for BrickCon 2019 LEGO Fan Exhibition in Seattle on sale now [News]

Every year the best LEGO builders in the Pacific Northwest gather for BrickCon in Seattle to show off some of their amazing creations. BrickCon is the country’s longest-running LEGO fan convention. The event is open to the public the weekend of October 5th and 6th at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, and tickets just went on sale. Last year tickets nearly sold out, so if you plan on going we recommend getting yours well ahead of time.

Adult fans who wish to get the all-access treatment can sign up for the full four-day experience, which includes the ability to display their own custom LEGO models, along with workshops, prizes, games, drafts, access to the friends-and-family night, and more. Signups for the full adult fan convention, which runs Oct. 3-6, are available now as well. Tickets for the full event are $75 if purchased before Sept. 18. After that, you’ll need to pay the late registration price of $100 or sign up at the door if any space is available (though that will cost even more).

We hope to see you in person in October for BrickCon 2019!

The Brothers Brick is an official sponsor of BrickCon.

LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series 19 revealed [News]

The 19th series of LEGO Collectible Minifigures has been revealed, thanks to German retailer jb-spielwaren. Get ready for adventures in space, in the bathroom, and also online. The new 16 minifigures bring a ton of new accessories, including a rubber duck in green and a gamepad tile. The series goes on sale later this month. Check out the gallery in our post and let us know which character is your number one pick.

Click here to check out all the minifigures…

A little dirt never hurt: LEGO Technic 42099 4×4 X-treme Off-Roader [Review]

Here is a simple truth: these days LEGO remains one of those few common activities that give you a rest from a smartphone. For me and for many of our readers, building with LEGO has always been a pastime that requires no downloads, installing or updates; you open a box and the play begins. Obviously, winning over modern-day kids who love digital entertainment and touchscreens is a tough challenge for a toy manufacturer. They say if you can’t beat them, join them, but LEGO thinks differently: if you can’t beat them, build them into the play experience. Along comes LEGO Technic Powered Up — the first generation of LEGO Technic electric elements that bring smartphones and tablets into play. With a whole lot of sensors and features, the new smart hub and motors are among the most advanced LEGO pieces ever produced. LEGO Technic 42099 4×4 X-treme Off-Roader introduces the new play system. The set includes just 958 pieces, but the new expensive electric elements are to blame for the price tag of US $249.99 | CAN $299.99 | UK £199.99. It is available starting today, so we are building and testing the model in an attempt to discover the limits of the new Powered Up system and Control+ smart app.

Click here to see our impressions…

In memory of Ingmar Spijkhoven [News]

Our friends over at The LEGO Car Blog have shared sad news with us today. Legendary builder Ingmar Spijkhoven has lost his battle against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). He is best known for building highly detailed trucks and has been featured here several times, the latest being an incredible 18-wheeler and trailer. His work has even been published in The Art of LEGO Scale Modeling.

ALS currently has no cure, with sufferers expected to live no more than five years from diagnosis. (Dr. Stephen Hawking was perhaps the most notable exception). You can learn how to help fight this debilitating disease through the ALS Foundation.

Igmar was an inspiration to many of us and will surely be missed.

LEGO Hidden Side now available with more than 65 other new LEGO sets and gear [News]

The brand new LEGO Hidden Side augmented reality product line is available starting today, as well as more than 50 new sets from Architecture, Harry Potter, City, Friends, Jurassic World, Technic and more. LEGO fans in the U.S. have had to wait patiently for this new wave of sets which has been available in Europe for a few months now.

LEGO is also offering two promotions including a reversible VIP tote bag and a LEGO Jurassic World polybag. If you combine this wave with the newly available LEGO Ideas Treehouse, Jurassic Park T-Rex, Creator Expert Harley-Davidson Motorcycle and Star Wars Droid Commander, there is an incredible amount of new LEGO sets just waiting to be built!

Click to see all the LEGO themes with new sets now available

Instructions for LEGO San Diego Comic Con 2019 Exclusives now available [News]

LEGO has released the build instructions for the 3 Sets that were released at San Diego Comic-Con. If you were not one of the lucky ones that got them at the event, here’s a great way to enjoy them if you’re a builder and would just want to enjoy these for display in your collection.

Click to reveal the download links