It’s been nearly a year since The LEGO Batman Movie hit theaters, but LEGO is continuing to create tie-in items for the moderately popular film. In November, we got the excellent 70922 Joker Manor, which impressed us with its complex techniques and new roller coaster system. Now the latest series of Collectible Minifigures is revisiting the world of LEGO Batman with 20 all-new minifigures. 71020 The LEGO Batman Movie Series 2 minifigures retail for $3.99 and are available now from Amazon, the LEGO Shop Online, BrickLink, and eBay.
Tag Archives: Reviews
10260 Downtown Diner brings 1950’s flair to Creator Expert modular buildings [Review]
Each January, LEGO releases a new Creator Expert modular building. Last year’s 10255 Assembly Square looked to the past and celebrated the 10th anniversary of the line, beginning with 10182 Café Corner. With 10 years full of European-style architecture, replete with curlicues and fluted columns, the line heads in a new direction this year with 10260 Downtown Diner, taking obvious inspiration from the American West of the 1930’s through 1950’s rather than pre-crash Paris or London (or even New York or Boston). 10260 Downtown Diner includes 2,480 pieces with six minifigs and retails for $169.99 in the US (with the usual regional price differences elsewhere).
What does this change in direction bode for the theme, and what do we think of the new design aesthetic?
Read our hands-on review of 10260 Downtown Diner
853663 LEGO Iconic Holiday Magnet [Review]
Each year LEGO reveals new ideas for holiday ornaments, and this time it’s an adorable 853663 LEGO Iconic Holiday Magnet consisting just of 45 pieces. The set is offered for $9.99/€6,99, and the reason for it to be a little bit pricey is a pair of modified bricks with magnets — somewhat peculiar pieces in uncommon color. At the same time, colours are what make this build a very pretty thing to decorate one’s dwelling with.
Click here to continue reading…
LEGO Architecture 21039 Shanghai skyline [Review]
Heading into 2018, LEGO’s city skyline series is growing again, with LEGO Architecture 21039 Shanghai available on January 1st from the LEGO Shop Online (and available now in some local LEGO stores). The set features many iconic buildings on the Huangpu River, including the Chenghuang Miao Temple, Longhua Temple and Pagoda, HSBC Building, the Customs House, Radisson Blu Hotel, Oriental Pearl Tower, World Financial Center and the Shanghai Tower. The Shanghai skyline contains 597 pieces and retails at $59.99.
While the set is technically the second largest Architecture skyline set by piece count (one less than 21028 New York City), Shanghai is largest by any other measure, ranking as the tallest, widest, deepest and heaviest of the skyline series so far.
Click to read our full review of the Shanghai skyline.
Top 10 LEGO set reviews of 2017 on The Brothers Brick [Reviews]
Stop for a moment. Let’s go back to the very beginning of 2017. What were your expectations for new LEGO sets in 2017? Most of us had no idea what the LEGO company was preparing for us fans. Little did we know that in 2017, the top 11 largest LEGO sets of all time would all be available for purchase from LEGO simultaneously. These are exciting times, with more large LEGO sets targeting adult fans than ever before, and we’ve had the pleasure to review many of them for you. And while we can’t yet tell what 2018 will bring us, let’s have a look at our Top 10 most popular reviews during the last 12 months.
It’s no surprise that several of these sets also made our 10 Best LEGO sets of 2017, so be sure to also check out that list to see what we think are the very best LEGO sets of the year.
Click to see the Top 10 Reviewed Sets for 2017
LEGO Star Wars 75205 Mos Eisley Cantina: How does the 2018 version stack up? [Review]
As it begins to arrive, the January wave of LEGO Star Wars sets brings old familiar scenes as well as new ones. Along with numerous vehicles and locations from The Last Jedi, this wave also returns all the way back to 1977 with a new version of the Mos Eisley Cantina. Set 75205 Mos Eisley Cantina includes 378 pieces and comes with a sticker price of $39.99. It’s also the third LEGO version of the watering hole in the galaxy’s most wretched hive of scum and villainy, so we’ll see how it stacks up, both on its own and in comparison to previous versions.
LEGO Star Wars: The Last Jedi – 75202 Defense of Crait [Review]
Although the Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi has only just arrived in theaters, LEGO is already preparing to release its second wave of sets for the film. The largest of these is 75202 Defense of Crait, which has 746 pieces and retails for $84.99, and it will officially arrive in stores January 1. This review will contain only mild spoilers for the movie, but consider yourself warned.
Read our full review of 75202 Defense of Crait
SPOILERS! Fun facts we learn about LEGO Star Wars sets in The Last Jedi [Reviews]
We hope that everyone who wanted to see Star Wars: The Last Jedi on opening weekend was able to do so. Many of us at The Brothers Brick have seen the movie (some of us twice already), and we’ve been furiously discussing little factoids and pieces of trivia from the movie that affect our understanding of details in current and forthcoming LEGO sets based on characters and vehicles in the movie. I’ve also been poring through the official reference books from DK, the Visual Dictionary and Incredible Cross-Sections for further insights.
Based on the movie and Lucasfilm-approved reference books, what have we learned about the LEGO sets? What did LEGO get right? What errors are in the LEGO sets?
MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD! Find out what we’ve learned about LEGO Star Wars sets from The Last Jedi
Top 10 LEGO Star Wars sets released in 2017 [Reviews]
2017 has been a fantastic year to be a LEGO Star Wars builder and collector. As we celebrate the release of The Last Jedi in theaters today, we’re asking ourselves what the best LEGO Star Wars sets released this year have been. Since several of the sets in our best LEGO sets of 2017 list were Star Wars sets, a couple of these won’t be a surprise. LEGO released dozens of Star Wars sets this year, and although we’ve only reviewed about 10 sets so far, we have built many of the rest. For sets we haven’t reviewed here on TBB yet, we’ll include a brief mini-review. Let’s dig in!
#10: 75160 U-wing Microfighter
The excellent minifig-scale 75155 Rebel U-wing Fighter set included a pilot minifig who wore a standard Rebel pilot helmet. However, the U-wing pilots in Rogue One actually wore unique helmets reminiscent of helicopter pilot helmets. So, for a paltry $9.99, you can buy 75160 U-wing in Microfighters form and pick up the one accessory that should’ve been in 75155. Still, this is a wonderful little set on its own merits, with a fantastic minifig (I believe I’ve already mentioned his headgear…) and a nicely miniaturized U-wing built from a mere 109 pieces.
#9: 75167 Bounty Hunter Speeder Bike Battle Pack
LEGO is notoriously stingy about doling out unique characters in large sets, while the Battle Packs have mostly been army builders with multiples of tertiary characters (like generic clone troopers or stormtroopers). However, 75167 Bounty Hunter Speeder Bike Battle Pack includes a fully redesigned Bossk, brand new 4-LOM, and a new printed piece for IG-88. Oh, and Dengar, for some reason. Despite my criticism of the inclusion of old Mr. Head Wound, stud-shooters for weapons, and the basic design of the non-canon vehicle, this set really is a fantastic way to get several iconic minifigs plus a handful of azure parts (125 pieces overall) for just $14.99.
See the rest of our top 10 best LEGO Star Wars sets of 2017
LEGO Star Wars BrickHeadz 41489 Rey & Kylo Ren Limited Edition Collector’s Pack [Review]
The LEGO Star Wars line is finally getting its own BrickHeadz characters, starting with the NYCC-exclusive 41498 Boba Fett & Han Solo in Carbonite, along with 41485 Finn and 41486 Captain Phasma. While it currently remains a Target exclusive, we recently picked up the double-pack 41489 Rey & Kylo Ren Limited Edition Collector’s Pack, which retails for $19.99 and includes 249 pieces.
The LEGO NINJAGO Movie 70656 Garmadon, Garmadon, Garmadon [Review]
The second wave of The LEGO Ninjago Movie tie-in sets were released on the 1st Dec, and now we are taking a look at of one of the larger sets, 70656 garmadon, Garmadon, GARMADON! Garmadon Shark Mech set was first seen back at SDCC and the movie version featured in the official trailer, safe to say that this set has been eagerly awaited. garmadon, Garmadon, GARMADON! has 830 pieces, six minifigures, rated ages 9-14 and is priced at £79.99 / $79.99 / 79.99€ (which equates to 9.6p / 9.6c / 9.6c per piece).
The Box and what’s inside
The front box art has already been revealed and shows Garmadon Shark Mech moving in on its prey of a hot dog stand with a side of innocent civilians.
The rear of the box shows the opposite of Garmadon Shark Mech about to munch on the hotdog stall or its vendor, with the play features detailed at the bottom. In addition, the size of the final mech model is detailed just in case the model is smaller than expected after seeing The LEGO Ninjago Movie (more on that later).
Read more about 70656 Garmadon, Garmadon, Garmadon
LEGO Star Wars 75188 Resistance Bomber from The Last Jedi [Review]
With Star Wars: The Last Jedi in movie theaters in just a few days, we’re focusing again on the LEGO Star Wars sets released ahead of the film’s release. 75188 Resistance Bomber joins a substantial line of LEGO Star Wars sets from The Last Jedi, including 75187 BB-8 and 75204 Sandspeeder we reviewed previously. 75188 Resistance Bomber includes 778 pieces with 5 minifigs and retails for $109.99.
Read our full review of 75188 Resistance Bomber