He may only stand six LEGO plates tall, but the Indiana Jones in this series of “8-Bit Indy” vignettes by TBB alum Rod Gillies is still an archaeologist of action. And leading off the series is this fantastic bit of title lettering, showcasing the font associated with the franchise. I like the 3-D aspects here, helping the gradient letters pop out of the background even more. And don’t miss the tiny titular character sitting atop the 8-bit signage.
Check out some of the micro-highlights below!
This LEGO coffee house build comes to us from Isaac Snyder for this year’s Eurobricks event. The task? Building a house with significance to the builder. In this case, Isaac draws inspiration from a local coffee shop. Let’s take a closer look at the house, starting with the outdoor furniture. Check out the chairs with the tables! Some nice usage of brackets for the chairs’ seats and back, paired nicely with those plates with shafts. That’s something I really adore with builds of this scale–the parts usage ends up being really creative to imply/represent what the builder wants for the model. There are more techniques at work here too, like the brickwork. Using those half curved 1×1 tiles throughout the textured and plain bricks gives more depth and shaping to what would be flat walls otherwise. Excellent build all around from mine eyes.
Today LEGO has officially revealed the latest set based on real-life spacecraft with the LEGO Technic 42158 NASA Mars Rover Perseverance, a 1,132-piece model of the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab’s newest red planet vehicle, including its flying companion, the Ingenuity Helicopter. The 12.5-inch long model (32cm) features all-new wheel elements with working steering and articulated suspension, as well as with a moveable arm. Although the model is not motorized, there is a companion augmented reality (AR) app that can show the model on a Mars-like surface and allow users to check the weather on Mars or learn other facts about the fourth planet from the sun. The set will be available starting June 1 for US $99.99 | CAN $129.99 | UK £84.99.
I’ve always had a love for robotics and LEGO, so it’s always a good time when they come together like they do in this build from Karf Oohlu. These kinds of builds really show off the versatility of LEGO elements by capturing realistic details. For example, check out those hydraulics and mechanisms that would allow the arm to move. The arm itself looks posable with those hinges and joints. A great addition to the LEGO is the rubber seal at the base of the claw. It’s always nice to see additional materials, whether from LEGO or from other sources, included in builds. They lend some great textures and a grounded feeling to a build, and can smooth out the lines.
Every week readers of the The Brothers Brick Telegram channel choose the Creation of the Week: one project that impressed all of us the most. Who knew that an ordinary egg could crush six stunning builds? Turns out, a genious LEGO design by Bricktacular Builds is exactly what our readers love!
Meanwhile, the new vote is already on! Join our Telegram channel to follow all the best LEGO creations, latest news, and, of course, vote for your favorites. See you there!
LEGO has been leaning hard into video game nostalgia with the brick-built NES and Super Mario Mighty Bowser, but Nintendo isn’t the only 80s video game getting the brick treatment. Today marks the 43rd anniversary of Pac-Man’s very first reveal, and so LEGO is also revealing 10323 Pac-Man Arcade as the latest Icons set. The 12.5 inch tall (32cm) arcade cabinet mimics the original machine and is made of 2,650 pieces and features a light-up coin slot. The set includes a pedestal with larger-scale versions of Pac-Man, Blinky, and Clyde that can be displayed separately or on top of the cabinet. There’s also a minifigure-scale arcade vignette that slides into the back of the arcade. Pac-Man and the ghosts move around the maze thanks to a hand-crank on the side. The set will retail for US $269.99 | CAN $349.99 | UK £229.99 when it’s available starting June 1 for VIP members, with general availability following June 4.
Well really, there’s just as much life within this LEGO pond, built by Jannis Mavrostomos, as there is “on” it. The composition is lovely, and an interesting perspective that you don’t often see – including both above and below the waterline in an elegant way. I love the seamless transition and how it all blends together, and of course, the animals are fantastic. Both the mallard and the pike are easily recognizable, but I think I’m most impressed by the use of the cylindrical hinge element with heart tiles and hands to create the smaller fish.
While you’re here, check out more builds by Jannis, as well as loads of other exceptional animal creations.
The dynamic duo of Jake Hansen and Eli Willsea have combined their LEGO talents to construct a glorious jungle scene based around a very boxy temple. The contrasts here are brilliant! The natural chaos of the jungle, replete with bladed vegetation, juxtaposes the right angles and clean lines of the temple. I love the choice of non-transparent blue for the water, adding to the feel of consistent color patches throughout the scene. But the real star here is the consistent architectural style throughout the temple’s ruin. Re-use of common patterns makes the build feel whole, while subtle variations on those modules gives the viewer an idea of the site’s state of decay. The consistency is so impressive that I was shocked it was made by two builders.
The June 2023 Harry Potter wave includes a handful of unique treatments of the subject matter, and we’ll start our coverage with 76423 Hogwarts Express & Hogsmeade Station. This isn’t quite unique, but it does include the first Hogsmeade Station since 2004! And compared to the most recent Collector’s Edition Hogwarts Express, it is compatible with LEGO track, a welcome change. It also intriguingly features the return of metal train axles after a 5-year break. Does the rest stack up, or is it off track? Here’s our review of the set, which contains 1074 pieces and 8 minifigures, and will be available starting June 1st for US $129.99 | CAN $169.99 | UK £114.99.
This set is based on a license The LEGO Group has with the Warner Brothers films, not J.K. Rowling directly. The transphobic views expressed by Rowling do not reflect the values of The Brothers Brick or, indeed, those of The LEGO Group. The magical world Rowling created, in which many who felt a bit different could see themselves, meant a great deal to so many people, including those that Rowling now demeans. TBB affirms each individual LEGO fan’s choice to claim a piece of the world for themselves, or to reject it entirely.
In the Netherlands, wind turbines are a big part of the transition to renewable energy. With the turbines getting bigger, moving their components to wind farms requires ever larger vehicles. My latest LEGO model represents such a vehicle: a Volvo FH16 with a so-called mega-windmill trailer, in the livery of Dutch heavy haulage company Van Der Vlist.
The real truck has a six-cylinder engine that produces 750 HP. It needs all that power because the Vestas wind turbine nacelle that it carries weighs a whopping 70 tons. And the nacelle’s transport frames add another four tons. This also explains the combination’s large number of axles. They distribute the weight to protect the road surface. As a result, this is a big model. Even on a small scale suitable for LEGO minifigures it has a total length of 93 cm (about 3ft).
It’s not the biggest or most elaborate LEGO creation we’ve ever showcased here on The Brothers Brick but I was excited to write about it nonetheless. This little offering by Josephine Monterosso is called Illegal Robot and apparently, that was enough to pique my interest and get this wee bot onto my to-write list ASAP. She goes on to explain that this was built from modified parts and illegal connections. The shoulders and upper arms are cut ends from a chain and the hands are held in place via cut stickers wrapped around the pegs. The purists would not like this; the last time we upset them we got a record number of complaints from folks with AOL email addresses. I’m chuckling inside, Josephine. Thanks for being a total rebel!
This exciting fiery scene is brought to you by the LEGO Rivendell 10316 set; or rather Roland Buzai’s disinterest in buying it. Its admittedly hefty price tag is prohibitive for a lot of builders plus, Roland tells us, is not a favorite scene for Lord of the Rings fans. He’d rather spend the money on a Balrog set, which doesn’t exist, so instead he constructed his own totally badass Balrog diorama complete with copious flames and four LEGO LED lights built into the base. You hear that, LEGO? Your inability to produce a Balrog set has caused someone to come up with an amazingly creative solution. Wait, that’s not a valid argument. Nevermind! It turns out legions of dedicated Lord of the Rings fans have taken matters into their own very creative and very capable hands. Click the link to see what I mean.
