Year: 2016

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens Video Game Promises Unique Side Missions and a Collectible Minifig

 

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We mentioned in one of our post last week that “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” now has an official LEGO console game which will be launched via Microsoft’s Xbox One. Knowing that previous LEGO Star Wars video games can be pretty straightforward, that is, it tends to be solely dependent on the original movies’ plot and storyline, TT Games promises to have a different take on the latest movie from the galaxy far, far away. This time, they’re throwing in some side missions – six of them to be exact- that explores some of the character’s back stories all leading to the events that transpired in The Force Awakens. These are six optional missions that pop ups after completing story missions based on the film or once a certain amount of gold bricks has been collected by players.

One of these missions tells how C-3PO got this red arm replacement. This is not revealed and explored yet, except in a comic series but were hopeful that the genius writers from Lucasfilm will come up with something that could be way cooler than the plot in print.

Another mission that Game Informer hinted on involved certain dangerous creatures known as the Rathars which were captured aboard Han Solo and Chewbacca’s new freighter, the Eravana. The Rathars are ravenous creatures rumored to be responsible for the Trillia Massacre. The game will explore how these Rathars were captured and ended eventually into the hands of our timeless galactic duo.

If the side missions are not enough to get you excited and placing your pre-order, LEGO sweetens the deal by offering a Deluxe Edition that includes a rare and exclusive 30605 Finn (FN-2187) minifigure polybag bundled with the Season Pass for the game. Available both for PS4 and Xbox One, ‘LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ will be available on June 28 this year.

lego star wars force awakens pre order ps4

 

First Picture of LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens Encounter of Jakuu Set (75148)

A first look at the coming LEGO Star Wars: Force Awakens set, Encounter on Jakuu (75148), was found today on Amazon in the DK book LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens Level 2 Reader. As you see we will be getting minifigures of Rey, BB-8 and Unkar Plutt. A build-able Niima Outpost will also be included.

LEGO Encounter on Jakuu

This LEGO Paper Airplane Folding Machine Can Actually Make One – And Launch It

A custom LEGO Paper Airplane Folding Machine? Why not.

We’ve seen a lot of cool stuff lately on the different ways LEGO bricks can be used to make things easier: from dispensing tasty, chicken legs and nuggets, to dispensing toothpaste on a brush.

These LEGO MOC contraptions were meant to make things easier for us human beings in a funny, unusual way. So when someone thinks, “Hey, let’s build a LEGO paper airplane folding machine,” it’s kind of hard putting it in the right context. Not at least if you’re going to build as a tribute for a major electronics think-tank firm, and the one who’s doing it is a name that will appear on your screen when you Google, “World’s Best LEGO Robotics Designer.”

This Custom LEGO Paper Airplane Folding Machine is a Marvel on Its Own

custom lego paper airplane folding machine

Truth be told, building a paper plane factory around the LEGO Mindstorm project is not exactly a novel idea. The idea was spawned already by a YouTuber that goes by the name ‘Hknssn’. Using more than 7,000 LEGO Technic and Mindstorm parts, she (he) showed that building the LEGO paper airplane folding machine and being able to launch its product at the same time, is indeed complex rocket science. That was almost four years ago and as they say, technology eventually caught up.

 

In a similar vein, Arrow Electronics launched its campaign ‘Five Years Out’ with the expressed goal of encouraging innovation among young minds. What better way to do it than with the help of the creative minds behind promotions and marketing firm, Elevation Digital Media and the brilliant engineering and design skills of Arthur Sacek – and yes, it was his name that came up when Jon Stevenson, Director of Production for Elevation Media, Googled the flashy title.

Gizmodo has a pretty neat round-up of Sacek’s work including a Lego Pinblock animator, a copy machine, and a 360 degrees Milling Machine but none have been as wonderfully complicated as the LEGO paper airplane folding machine that can turn a single piece of paper into a flying contraption, and even launches it the end of the assembly line.

The mission-inspired video excellently pictured Sacek’s machine, and the spirit of innovation behind Arrow’s work. You could almost feel that you’re part of something greater than yourself, as you listen to JFK’s ‘Why We Choose To Go To The Moon’ speech… OK, let’s put a break on the nostalgia, shall we?

Using multiple LEGO Mindstorms intelligent bricks, and quite a bit of custom code, Sacek’s design looks far more streamlined and reliable than the one we previously mentioned, both in aesthetics and the final output of this custom LEGO paper airplane folding machine.

Arrow Electronics shared some of the behind-the-scenes action in the making of this LEGO masterpiece, showing how some parts of the paper airplane folding machine were designed and assembled. However, as it seems, Arrow and Sacek are a little keen on guarding and revealing their ‘trade secrets’, so it’s wise not to expect any instructions or building guides.  Perhaps we’ll have a better chance with Hknssn – if we can get in touch with her (him?).

This Custom LEGO Finding Dory Build Is A Promising One

This custom LEGO Finding Dory managed to enter the LEGO Ideas platform and needs your support!

Thirteen years ago, Disney and Pixar introduced to us what could be the most famous of all sea creatures ever rendered in CGI. ‘Finding Nemo’ was hailed not just for the good, and family values that it offered but also for the technical feats that Pixar accomplished during its time.

Set in the colorful underwater world of corals, squids, turtles, and sharks (remember the oath: ‘fish are friends, not food.’), Finding Nemo has set a milestone in computer-aided animation. This year, a long-overdue sequel is now slated to hit the big screen and this time, the one missing might prove to be a little bit difficult to find. ‘Finding Dory‘ is Pixar Animation Studios latest 3D computer-animated comedy-adventure released by Walter Disney Pictures.

This Custom LEGO Finding Dory Aims to Become the Next Official LEGO Ideas Set

Following the timeline of the original 2003 hit movie ‘Finding Nemo’, Dory, the forgetful but ever-reliable Blue Tang fish, suddenly recovers her childhood memories. With the help of her friends, Nemo and Marlin, they set off to find the ‘Jewel of Monterey’ with the hopes of reuniting Dory with her family. And what better way to celebrate the release of this recent underwater adventure through a custom LEGO Finding Dory build over at LEGO Ideas.

Custom LEGO Ideas Finding Dory Features

To help out in the search, LEGO Ideas contributors BuildFiend and Nunki-psi, came up with their replica of our colorful threesome sea friends. With 228 supporters and a lead time of 263 days, the duo hopes to garner 10,000 nods of approval from other LEGO supporters in order for their creation to be noticed and hopefully produced by LEGO. Their original creation includes:

  • Nemo with a stand on a coral reef vignette (and a little shrimp!)
  • Marlin with a stand on a coral reef vignette (and a transparent jellyfish!)
  • Dory with a stand on a coral reef vignette (and Squishy!)

Custom LEGO Finding Dory

All builds are playable with each having a nice display piece. All of the characters’ fins (yes, even Nemo’s ‘lucky fin’) and eyes are moveable and poseable, including Marlin’s mouth. With a total brick count of 611 pieces, their proposed Finding Dory build is a pretty great compliment for the upcoming movie. Check out the rest of their photos below.

 

 

 

 

Deadpool Posts Fake LEGO Deadpool Sets on Twitter

Yes, some of your hearts just dropped. You thought we were getting Deadpool sets….I wish. Yesterday, Ryan Reynolds, the actor who plays Deadpool in the upcoming film, tweeted some fake LEGO Deadpool Sets: 

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As you can see these are making fun of toy fairs and how they release set details…and movie spoilers, pre-film release. He also he had some fun with the piece counts, set names and set features.

Winter Village Train Coming Later This Year?

Yesterday, Eurobricks user nesquick posted that the 2016 Winter Village set will be a Holiday Train.

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Nesquik has been a pretty reliable source in the past. A Winter Village train is something we have mentioned a number of times in our videos and would be a great followup to the disastrous re-release of the Winter Top Shop (10249).

 

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