Tag Archives: Alternate Builds

Every LEGO set is more than just the model in the instructions. Alternate Builds are a creative showcase for making something new using only the parts from one official LEGO set.

Hold on to your bricks – Dicken Liu’s amazing LEGO Alien spares no expense

Last week Dicken Liu made waves with an unlikely alternative build and instructions to turn the Creator 3-in-1 Cute Bunny into an Alien face hugger. Not one to rest on his laurels, Dicken is back with the most impressive and insane alt-build we’ve ever seen – a large-scale Alien Xenomorph and another spin on the face hugger, this time drawing exclusively on the parts from Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex (which reviews editor Bre called one of her favorite builds of all time). Was Dicken so preoccupied with whether or not he could create these alt builds that he didn’t think to stop if he should? Who am I kidding, of course he should have! It’s amazing. Force of nature Dicken Liu always finds a way.

Dicken is a prolific builder who over a few short years competed in LEGO Masters China, was invited to display his works at the LEGO House Masterpiece Gallery in Billund, and was crowned Builder of the Year in 2023 on this very site. His builds include everything from characters to architecture to silly gags. Lately, he’s been exploring alternate ways to display and remix sets, and with the Xenomorph rebuild, Dicken’s talents truly shine.

While Xenomorphs are most commonly seen in the films with a black carapace, tan works surprisingly well for the creature, matching the on-screen colors of the face hugger. Dicken manages to use the limited curved bricks from the T-Rex set to sculpt a dead-on Xenomorphy head, aand the the many bony elements give it the extra Giger touch. Conveniently, there are enough of the slender ribs left to make a face hugger with clasping legs and curving tail that make it much more menacing than the bunny version.

Dicken generously provided free instructions for his face hugger alt build, which lets anyone make their own LEGO face hugger for under $20. If Dicken shares instructions for this latest masterpiece, we will update so that you can re-engineer your own T-Rex into an even deadlier apex predator.

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In space, no one can hear you hop [Updated – With Instructions]

Taking an official LEGO set and building something new with it has been a common activity ever since the launch of the modern building block, with many early sets featuring alternate models pictured on the back of the box. But Dicken Liu has taken this to an entirely new level, and I will never look at a rabbit the same way again… The tan and light nougat color scheme perfectly matches the terrifying stage in the Xenomorph life cycle known as the facehugger. If you dare to look closer at the creature’s maw, you can even see a few small brown espresso handles serving as part of the creature’s squishy underbelly.

UPDATE: Looking to build your own adorable(?) facehugger? Dicken shares the instructions on Instagram.

Two alternate takes on 10350 Tudor Corner

We called this year’s LEGO modular, 10350 Tudor Corner, one of the best sets in the line. While many who assemble this impressive model will likely leave it fully assembled, Japanese creator Azurekingfisher was inspired to remix the parts into two alternate builds. Each preserves a section of the half-timbered walls from the original design but otherwise takes the architecture in a wholly different direction with results that are unmistakably Azurkingfisher originals.

In the first alt build is a multi-unit residence with climbing vines and an outdoor fountain. The second looks like an old carriage and guard house converted into a cafe. This design is a real charmer, especially the clock tower cube with mosaic faces and soothing pastel colors. While the original set was inspired by British architecture, Azurekingisher ‘s models evoke the Netherlands or Denmark in the springtime.

Which of Azurekingfisher’s modulars would you rather call home?

LEGO Creator 3-in-1 set Cute Bunny, I choose you! [Instructions]

We really like LEGO’s Creator 3-in-1 sets; our archives are full of glowing set reviews for this theme. But did you know that, once upon a time, Creator sets featured instructions for as many as 8 or 9 individual models? Flickr-based builder Jan Willem has invoked the spirit of these heady, more-than-3-in-1 days by creating a fourth build for the 31162 Cute Bunny set. In case you don’t recognise it, this is Rowlet, the grass (and, if you ask me, best) starter from the 7th generation of Pokémon games. It sure is cute! Jan has done a great job of recreating its rotund shape, especially considering he only used about three-quarters of the pieces!

If you fancy building your own Rowlet, Jan has made the instructions available for free download over on Rebrickable. But we’re still missing Litten and Poplio… Who fancies having a go at making alt-builds for those two?

An audacious rebuild of a LEGO Porsche 911 into an Audi TT

When LEGO released the excellent Creator Expert 10295 Porsche 911 it came with two variants right out of the box. For auto enthusiast Nathanael Kuipers, other car models are always waiting to be found within the parts of official sets, like this alternate build Audi TT. As Nathanael explains in his blog, the biggest challenge is working with the limited selection of curves and wheel arches from one set to find the unique shape of another model. The results here speak for themselves as you’d be forgiven for thinking this alternate build was an official set!

The model features opening doors, bonnet, and boot, as well as a working steering wheel. Nathanael’s solution for the iconic Audi logo in the grille is especially genius.

Nathanael regularly shares alt builds of official LEGO automotive sets. We also loved his pickup truck alt of 10265 Ford Mustang. I wonder what set Nathanael will remix next?

Psyduck Pokémon built from a lionized LEGO set

We’ve already looked at one alternate build of LEGO set 43247 Young Simba the Lion King, but how about we look at another, this time of the Pokémon variety? Builder The Frenchy Bricks has assembled the bright yellow-orange parts of our favorite Disney lion into quite the expressive Psyduck. With posable limbs and the perfect thousand-mile stare, here’s hoping it’s no headache to recreate my own copy.

“Luke, you switched off your Power Functions! What’s wrong?”

LEGO Star Wars did have a brief flirtation with the Technic brand at its inception, but while we’ve seen everything from supercars to Unimogs in Technic since, we haven’t seen even a single starfighter. Rather a shame, don’t you think? Thankfully Dyens Creations is on hand to fill that hole. This X-wing is an impressive model in and of itself. But where can you find the parts to build one? Why, they all come from 42145 Airbus H175 Rescue Helicopter! That added parts limitation really makes this model impressive. And being a Technic creation, it naturally comes with some motorised functionality: the wings fold, the landing gear retracts, the canopy opens and the targeting computer can be adjusted. Most impressive.

Alternate builds are an art unto themselves – so why not see what else people have turned their LEGO sets into in our alternate builds archives?

Awesome Akira-inspired alternate LEGO build of 10298 Vespa 125

My childhood consisted heavily of trying to create the alternate set builds on the back of the LEGO box. But builder Gerald Cacas must’ve been watching the anime Akira when he created this excellent alt-build using the parts from 10298 Vespa 125. While not in the same color as Kaneda’s red bike, this is still a beautiful recreation in baby blue, heavily relying on all the curved slopes from the Vespa model. The way in which the bike wraps around both wheels is astounding given the part limitation! All that’s missing is a brick-built Shōtarō for this thing to start zipping around Neo-Tokyo.

From this angle, you can really get a sense of how detailed the console is, as well as the engine located just in front of the back wheel. Both are absolutely marvelous, feeling futuristic and modern despite lacking that specific parts palette. It’s amazing that this pop culture touchstone is so easy to communicate with hardly a printed or textured piece!

If you can’t beat ’em... Re-build ’em

As much as I like LEGO’s current crop of Creator 3-in-1 sets, I have fond memories as a child of building Creator and Designer sets that sometimes had instructions for 8 or 9 different builds. I wonder if Firas Abu-Jaber has the same longing… Not content with re-shaping 10295 Creator Expert Porsche 911 into a Corvette Stingray, Lamborghini Countach and a Porsche 911 Turbo S, his latest iteration of the set has turned out a gorgeous Ford GT40 MkI.

The GT40 is famous for winning the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans race four times on the bounce, and the model depicted here is the Mark I which achieved the feat in ’68 and ’69. Confusingly, those came after the MkII and MkIV victories, while the poor MkIII never got a look in as a road car! The MkI wins were closely fought with Porsche, who would go on to dominate endurance racing, so there’s a hint of irony that this Ford is repurposed from the German marque. Not that you would know it from looking at it – I did a double-take when I read the description. I mean, it’s even got a fully-fledged interior and engine!

So counting the 911 Targa, I make that a 6-in-1 set so far… Here’s hoping we get to see more re-imaginings from Firas soon!

LEGO 31129 Majestic Tiger – There’s no tame in this big cat [Review]

From the jungles of Asia comes a new LEGO set that released on January 1st: the LEGO Creator 3-in-1 31129 Majestic Tiger. This 3-in-1 set features alternative builds of a fish and a red panda. The 775-piece LEGO Creator 3-in-1 31129 Majestic Tiger is available now for US $49.99 | CAN $64.99 | UK £44.99. It may also be available from third-party sellers on Amazon and eBay.
The Brothers Brick had the opportunity to review the 775-piece Majestic Tiger and share our thoughts on whether or not it’s worth purchasing.

Click to read the full, hands-on review

I’d respect Batman more if he drove a car like this

We’re still waiting for the release of the next Batman movie, but we’ve already seen LEGO release some tie-in sets like the 42127 The Batman Batmobile. That’s a pretty decent set, but Nico71 has taken things even further into a totally awesome and new direction. Nicolas has rebuilt the core kit into a T-Bucket hot rod!

Also be sure to watch their great video that goes into more detail, including showing off the working V8 engine, light effects, and other customization options!

Click here to watch the video!

Sleek and feature-packed Corvette made from the parts of a rival car

This smooth car by Firas Abu-Jaber is an alternate build using parts from the LEGO Porsche 911 set, and it looks fantastic. But any sports car is more than just flashy, this precision automobile is packed with features just like the official LEGO set, and others of the same scale.

From opening doors, hood, flip-up headlights, and even a detailed engine in the back, this car fits right in with the official set. The reflective surface also adds a touch of class to the final pics.

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