November 1 saw the massive LEGO Titanic set (10294) finally become available…for preorders, that is. It won’t even start shipping until the 8th. But despite the prohibitive $629.99 asking price the LEGO Titanic manages to keep a grip on can-afford collectors. As we said, the thing is huge, the better to show off its exterior and interior layout details. Then again, the price and dimensions (135 cm long!) do daunt other casual LEGO builders. They must think, “Can’t LEGO make this thing smaller and more manageable?” To this, LEGO Ideas asks back, “Can you?” with their latest “Microtanic” building activity on site.
Just read the LEGO Ideas activity name – “Microtanic” – and you know what needs to be done here. The challenge to LEGO Ideas members is this: use the minimum number of pieces to recreate the LEGO Titanic (10294). The basic details are easily discerned on the set. Start from the bottom with the hull, black upper, and red lower. Above that on deck stands the predominantly white superstructure. That gets topped by the familiar four yellow-and-black smokestacks. All of that sounds easy enough to replicate with a few LEGO pieces, yes? But how accurate would it be to the actual LEGO set 10294?
LEGO Ideas puts the deadline for this Activity to next Tuesday, November 9. But already as of this writing, no less than nine members have submitted their Minitanics and Microtanics. I’m willing to bet that the surge of submissions won’t stop there. As an Activity, LEGO Ideas won’t award prizes beyond maybe featuring select builds on social media. But that’s recognition enough, isn’t it?