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.

Darkness rises and light to meet it

We’re currently a month and half away from the final installment in the Skywalker saga, (not that anyone at The Brothers Brick is counting). At this point, everything we know about it is from the toys, trailers and promotional images, but that can’t stop eager LEGO builders from making creations based on the movie. Following some brilliant recreations of scenes in other recent Star Wars movies, KevFett2011 has recreated what I’m sure will be a memorable and iconic scene from the next film. Potential spoilers ahead if you’re avoiding the trailers and/or our speculation turns out to be correct.

Star Wars Episode IX - TROS : Crashed Emperor's throne room

Click here to learn more

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It’s not always about the spaceship.

Don’t get me wrong; I love LEGO space ships. The more swooshable a build, the happier I am. Sometimes though, it’s not about the ship, but the people who keep them flying. In Repair Yard, builder Inthert shows us a slice of life from the mechanics who keep things moving. (And, apparently, the cat that helps out, too.) This model was created for a contest focused on the creative use of grill tiles, and there’s certainly several great examples of that here. Note how they are used with crossbows in the radar array on the right, as texture for the crates, and the steps in the stairs on the gantry. Look even closer, and you’ll see them as part of the engine detailing (coupled via minifigure handcuffs, no less) and the work stations in the background.

Repair Yard

The rest of the build is fun, too. I like the crack in the paved area created by keeping a slight gap between sloped elements, and the choice of lilac for the plant stems gives the whole thing a nice extraterrestrial vibe. I do wonder, however, if I’m reading the story of this vignette correctly. It sure looks like the mechanic on the ladder pushed that shiny red button, giving the other tech a face full of soot from the engine. Surely Inthert would be nicer to these characters, right?

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The Shrieking Shack is still screaming

Even though Halloween has ended, this Shrieking Shack will frighten any young witch or wizard no matter what day of the year it is. Created by builder Thorsten Bonsch, the Shrieking Shack was a notable location in the novel Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Thorsten is magnificent at capturing the demented style of the Shack as it was depicted in the movie version of the book, making the diamond-shaped framing the stuff of nightmares for any architect.

Harry Potter – The Shrieking Shack A

Looking past the building itself, you can view the equally impressive snowdrifts on the roofing, shingles and grounds surrounding the Shack. It’s clear that the setting of this build is in winter. However, you can bet that no one would want to get inside to stay warm. Perhaps freezing to death would be a less frightening alternative to the horrors that allegedly dwelt within.

We’ve covered several of Thorsten’s LEGO creations on our site before, so be sure to check them out too.

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

The Star Wars MTT brings the boys (and battle droids) to the yard

With stiff acting, boring political lectures and that abomination known as Jar Jar Binks, there was plenty wrong with the Star Wars prequels. Even as an adult I found myself glazing over when the senators and all the other grown-ups were talking about trade route tariff disputes but then perked up when there were explosions and laser battles. One thing that went well — in my opinion anyway, though yours may vary — is the films’ spaceship and vehicle design. I was not overly disappointed with the look and feel of everything and was in the camp that was impressed by the imposing Federation MTT (Multi Troop Transport). A builder by the name of Just Bricking seems to agree. Reminiscent of a charging bison, this creation expertly captures the complex angles of this unique design.

While the builder didn’t provide a video of this in action or even an interior photo, we’re told that this creation comprises 3,250 pieces and took two years to build. It is a massive 72 studs long, 32 high, and 22 wide. I can only imagine that this has a feature that would unfurl some complex rotisserie to deploy a battalion of battle droids into action like a hi-tech Trojan Horse.

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

LEGO reveals two new Chinese New Year sets for 2020 that combine into one gigantic festival [News]

LEGO has revealed two new sets to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year: 80104 Lion Dance and 80105 Chinese New Year Temple Fair. Both sets feature an incredible amount of new prints, recoloring of pieces and a significant amount of minifigures which all combine into a large festival setting. So today we have your first look at the sets and minifigures along with a video for each.

Honoring LEGO’s commitment to offer regional exclusives sets worldwide, the two new LEGO Chinese Traditional Festival models will launch in China and the Asia Pacific region starting December 26, 2019 with global availability beginning January 10, 2020.

Click to see all the details about the new Chinese Traditional Festivals sets

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

This tiny temple towers above the sea

As Andreas Lenander’s Temple of Qa’te demonstrates, you don’t need a ton of LEGO bricks to create a big world. Despite it’s tiny size, Andreas’ diorama has a lot of activity, from the sailing ship and waves in the sea to the temple mounted high atop a cliff. There is some clever microscale parts usage here, including white claws for the ship’s sales and plant stems with 3 leaves representing palm trees. The greenery and architectural style of the temple give off a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern vibe, making it the perfect destination for tourists escaping the winter chills.

Temple of Qa'te

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

LEGO Star Wars 75257 Millennium Falcon from The Rise of Skywalker [Review]

The ninth and final film in the Skywalker Saga is due in movie theaters in about a month and a half, and we continue to look at the first wave of LEGO Star Wars sets released in advance of the film. So far, we’ve looked at 75248 Resistance A-wing Starfighter, and today we’re reviewing the largest set in the first wave, 75257 Millennium Falcon. The set includes 1,353 pieces with five minifigs and two droids, and is available now (US $159.99 | CA $179.99 | UK £149.99).

Not counting the monumental UCS Falcon released in 2017, this is the third Millennium Falcon released since Han & Chewie’s Falcon The Force Awakens (2015) and Lando’s Kessel Run Falcon for Solo (2018). Other than minifigs, let’s find out what’s new about this latest iteration.

Read our hands-on review of LEGO Star Wars 75257 Millennium Falcon from The Rise of Skywalker

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Retro Transformer goodness

I remember when the first wave of Transformers reached the US; these toys were an instant must-have for everyone I knew. (And woe betide anyone who got to Toys-R-Us a few minutes late and had to settle for the not-quite-as-cool “Go-Bots” toys.) Alex Jones (aka Orion Pax) has been transporting us to those good times with a selection of Generation 1 Transformers, and he’s back with another round of stellar creations. Each model is a combination of clever building techniques and detailing, with a bonus of great retro presentation.

LEGO 10252 Beetle BUMBLEBEE

This is not the first time we’ve seen an amazing LEGO version of Bumblebee from Alex. (Has it really been ten years?) This upgraded 2019 version makes use of a lot of parts that weren’t around in 2009. Bumblebee’s vehicle mode is clearly based on LEGO set 10252 Volkswagen Beetle. There are a few design tweaks, but the beetle’s shaping is instantly recognizable. The yellow recolor alone would be impressive enough, but the fact that it transforms as well? That’s just nutty levels of awesome.

LEGO 10252 Beetle BUMBLEBEE

Alex didn’t stop there, though. There’s a giant selection of transforming goodness!
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The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

LEGO to donate one million LEGO sets through Build to Give campaign this holiday season [News]

LEGO has announced the return of the Build to Give campaign where the company donates one LEGO set per each holiday ornament built at an in-store display or posted online and tagged with #BuildToGive. Last year, LEGO donated 500,000 sets to children in hospitals, foster and child-care homes, and under-served communities as a result of the campaign.

This year, LEGO wants to double those numbers and will donate up to one million LEGO sets to children in need. The campaign runs from November 4 to December 8, including various in-store events and building challenges. The donated sets will be distributed by LEGO’s charity partners listed at LEGO.com/BuildToGive.

Click to read more and watch a video about the Build to Give campaign

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

We have a Hulkbuster!

If you saw our review of the LEGO Marvel Hulkbuster: Ultron Edition set last year, you might recall there was some disappointment with the figure’s appearance. John Car has come smashing though with a more faithful looking rendition of the Hulkbuster. While it uses some of the parts and stickers from the original set, the proportions feel bigger, beefier and Hulkier.

See more of this hulking Hulkbuster

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Build James Bond’s Lotus Esprit from The Spy Who Loved Me [Instructions]

Looking back at the action scenes from the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me make them seem downright cheesy today. Having said that, the reason why the Lotus Esprit is still remembered and loved is just how realistic the way the car submerged and reappeared on the sandy beach. Simple designs are sometimes the key to making things rememberable. Hachiroku24’s take on this vehicle not only looks great from the sides, but also has great detailing on the rear using simple 1×1 plates for its rear tail lights.

Lego 007's Lotus Esprit

Click for full instructions to build your own

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

TBB Weekly Brick Report: LEGO news roundup for November 3, 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 first week of November 2019.

The LEGO Batman actor has signed on to host and executive produce the “LEGO Masters” competition reality series. Read on to find out when and where the show will air.


TBB NEWS & REVIEWS: LEGO launched a new product line of wooden toys called Originals, and we have you covered from the news to our hands on review.


MORE TBB NEWS: We also got a look at some new Speed Champion sets along with pre-Black Friday sales already beginning.


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

Click to read even more LEGO news of the week

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.