Category Archives: LEGO

You’d probably expect a lot of the posts on a LEGO website like The Brothers Brick to be about LEGO, and you’d be right. If you’re browsing this page, you might want to consider narrowing what you’re looking for by checking out categories like “Space” and “Castle.” We’re sure there’s something here that’ll fascinate and amaze you.

LEGO Star Wars 40686 Trade Federation Troop Carrier – GWP [REVIEW]

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, and there have already been a few LEGO sets announced, like the Podracer diorama and the Droideka. But one of the most iconic characters introduced in that movie, aside from Darth Maul, is the B1 Battle droid. Providing comedic scenes of dialog and utter destruction at the hands of Jedi Qui-gon Jin and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and young Anakin. The latest Gift with Purchase from the LEGO Star Wars theme is a redesign of the battle droid carrier that helped deliver battle droids in the battle of Naboo, in case you don’t already have too many of these clumsy cannon fodder. LEGO Star Wars 40686 Trade Federation Troop Carrier will be available from May 1st through May 5th for a minimum purchase of US $160 | CAN $TBD | UK £145 from the Star Wars theme.

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

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LEGO Star Wars 75382 TIE Interceptor: the Ultimate Collector Series returns to its roots [Review]

2024 marks an auspicious year for LEGO Star Wars, as it hits its quarter-century. The theme has evolved and changed a lot over the years, but one mainstay has been the Ultimate Collector Series, which launched just a year after the Star Wars theme’s debut. 7191 X-Wing Fighter and 7181 TIE Interceptor were the first sets to be released under this banner in the year 2000. While the former has seen two re-releases, one of which is on shelves at the moment, the latter has not been re-visited at this larger, detailed scale – until now. With 1,931 pieces, it will retail for US $229.99 | CAN $299.99 | UK £199.99 (non-Insiders can get it from May 4th). Has it been worth the wait? Read on to find out!

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.

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This little LEGO snowspeeder is more like Rogue 0.2 than Rogue 2

LEGO has invested heavily in Chibi versions of famous Star Wars ships with their Microfighters line. But not satisfied with the current offerings, Batuu Bricks offers their take on the T-47 Snowspeeder from Empire Strikes Back. The proportions are downright adorable, and all the tiled panels provide the perfect shape. But the real star of the show is that cockpit canopy. With an abundance of bars, clips, and two hockey sticks, Batuu provides enough space for a pair of Rebels at the controls. I’m sure they’re ready to take on the whole Empire by themselves!

LEGO unveils Ultimate Collector Series TIE Interceptor and more alongside May 4th plans [News]

With LEGO Star Wars celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, May the 4th was always likely to be a big day for the theme. Today, LEGO has announced their plans for Star Wars Day, including a livestream event, a host of new sets, and some collectible memorabilia. The headline announcement is 75382 TIE Interceptor, which will be the next entry in the Ultimate Collector Series. With 1.931 pieces, it will retail for US $229.99 | CAN $299.99 | UK £199.99, and will be available from May 4th, with LEGO Insiders getting early access from May 1st.

Also arriving from the 1st of May are three Gifts with Purchase, availability of which will be through to May 5th or until stocks last. The main attraction here is 40686 Trade Federation Troop Carrier, which has a spend threshold of US $160 | CAN $TBD | UK £145 or more. The celebrations continue with a livestream event on May 4th, a 25-second film festival, and a coffee-table book entitled ‘The Force of Creativity’, pre-orders for which open on May 1st. More information on all that, as well as set photos, can be found below the jump.

Click here to read more information and see more pictures of the new Star Wars sets!

This Warhammer-inspired LEGO diorama is fast in friendship and in enmity

What do LEGO dwarves have to be resentful of? Well, elves got their own fondly remembered line, orcs featured prominently as Castle foes for a spell, and dragons appear in multiple themes and get their own zodiac calendar year. Oh, the indignity! We can’t know what animus brings motivates the dwarven king in Illia Zubashev‘s grand diorama, but chance are it involves gold, elves, or grudges. Probably all three. Illia calls this creation The Hall of Grudges of Karak Izûm, a sacred site for dwarves of the Warhammer ilk. It’s a truly grand scene where a lone minifig king and the holy Book of Grudges are dwarfed by a hulking statue and a towering wall of brick and stone, showing the immense scale of the underground dwarven empire. Illia employs a solid mix of profile bricks, offset tiles, and SNOT work (studs not on top) in the impressive wall and floor. The chonky statue of dark grey and gold makes impressive use of 2×3 rock tiles for a chiseled beard. But perhaps the most striking element of the scene is the diamond window of jutting trans light blue crystals.

The evenly lit scene represents the hall at night. Even more striking is the daylight version, where light shining through the crystal window transforms the underground scene.

A spherical Star Wars battleship in a vacuum

Say what you will about the prequels, the opening scenes of the Phantom Menace are extremely compelling. The red Jedi cruiser approaches a Lucrehulk battleship – depicted for us here in LEGO by Jonah – for some tense negotiations. Jonah has made use of a number of classic techniques to capture the smooth curved lines of the ship in the notably square medium of LEGO. The center part of the ship is made using the Lowell Sphere, and the wider curve of the arms is made using hinge plates. Jonah has also added plenty of trans-light-blue accents to increase the visual interest of this build! Unfortunately this LEGO model will probably be short lived, as I can see a certain prophesied child in military hardware approaching bring this battleship to an unfortunate end!

A LEGO journey through childhood

Once again, builder Maxx Davidson has treated us to some delightful eye candy, skillfully incorporating not only LEGO bricks, but also other assorted elements that might require a deep dive into the internet to confirm their authenticity as “LEGO-branded.” Titled ‘Assorted Childhood Toys,’ the undiscerning eye would be hard-pressed to identify these as toys built out of other toys. However, the builder has expertly used LEGO to transport the beholder to a place of reminiscence.

Check out more pics of each of the toys below

A glimpse of the traveler’s journey through Middle Earth

From the LEGO builder Caleb Huet, we have a diorama titled ‘The Traveler.’ It’s a safe assumption that this scene intends to transport our imagination to somewhere in Middle Earth. Inspired by Jordi Escamilla’s ‘Waterfall,’ the builder has transformed inspiration from 2D art into the third dimension. Intricately crafted rockwork, lifelike tree builds, and mesmerizing water effects cover the piece, with each element of this diorama standing as a testament to the builder’s creativity and skill. Together, they create a scene that leaves us marveling at the potential of simple plastic elements to evoke such depth and beauty.

Have a closer look at the carriage centered over the bridge, and note the build techniques utilized in the bridge itself. Partially-connected bricks form the underside arch spanning between abutments in a great bit of brick ingenuity. The world of LEGO creations has been enriched by the vast and captivating content of The Lord of the Rings, so be sure check out some of the other LotR creations featured on TBB.

Finding oneself in LEGO liminality

There’s something a bit off in this LEGO setting devised by Pan Noda. The intentionally-grainy shot of this brick-built mall food court definitely gives a Backrooms vibe. In a space typically characterized by the bustle of shoppers, the smell of fast food, and the occasional offer of a free sample, the stillness that occurs after hours sure can send a shiver down your spine. It’s hard not to wonder what could be hiding behind a pillar or counter. In fact, maybe it’s best to just get out of here… if I still can.

And if you’re up for more spatial and architectural wonders by Pan Noda, be sure to check out the TBB archives.

Dance to your Death with Sekiro’s Corrupted Monk

LEGO and video games have proven to be a powerhouse of family-friendly fun, but combat in LEGO games is a pretty basic affair. If punishing action is more your speed, perhaps you’ve wondered what a LEGO Souls-like game would look like? If it’s anything like Marius Herrmann‘s Corrupted Monk from Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, it would be a beautiful game indeed!

FromSoftware, makers of Elden Ring and Dark Souls, are known for their amazing enemy bosses that combine punishing difficulty with breathtaking dark fantasy character design. For many, the Corrupted Monk is the pinnacle of boss encounters, as dueling this demoness requires total mastery of the game’s robust combat system (unless you cheese the boss — no shame in that!). Marius’ model employs some incredible parts usage to capture the Monk’s haunting appearance, like the use of an inverted Ninjago Anacondrai helmet for a mouth and a frog for a nose. There are hand-strung beads made of eggs and flowers, as well as a vintage LEGO Scala pearl necklace for this classy lady of darkness. The color is striking, especially the draping tiled fabric in gold, yellow, and black. Given the vibrant colors, this is clearly the “True” version of the Corrupted Monk. Sekiro also features a spectral version of the boss, but I suspect creating a model this incredible using only translucent parts would be too punishing a challenge for even the most hardcore LEGO builder.

Relive the adventure of Jedi: Fallen Order with a LEGO Stinger Mantis

The Stinger Mantis is the iconic hero ship and base of Cal Kestis and his NPC companions during his adventures in the Jedi: Survivor and Fallen Order games. This fantastic piece of Star Wars design is recreated in high LEGO detail in this model by Tim Goddard. Tim has spared no expense, and pushed LEGO’s clutch power to achieve the outstanding greebling (or scientific texturing, if you will) on the ship’s vertical fin. I love the details on the outboard engine; the front of the engine is a white life preserver, while the rear nozzle features a ring of clip-and-tube-holders.

Check out more views of this cool LEGO Star Wars model

A fantastic build in more ways than one

My favorite LEGO set of last year (and possibly of all time) is the LEGO Lord of the Rings 10316 Rivendell set. I could wax verbose about that set, but I don’t have to — because everything I loved about Rivendell is back here in this piece, which builder Martin Gebert calls “Rivendell-inspired.” You can certainly see the official set’s influence — the organic blending of nature and masonry, the pastel greens and whites, the otherworldly architecture. And yet this build manages to take the fantasy even further — look at that lovely hanging fountain and the perfectly irregular smoothness of that outcropping. Best of all, this model (entitled “The Arrival of an Old Friend”) is just chapter 1 in a series, so be sure to follow Martin and keep exploring this incredible slice of a fantasy world.