Author: Albert Balanza

Teacher, student, dad, AFOL, psych geek & everything in between. :)

It’s a Second Wind for the LEGO Creator Expert Vestas Wind Turbine (10268)

Though considered a rumor which circulated last month across the LEGO fan community, we can finally rest our horses and be assured that the LEGO Creator Expert Vestas Wind Turbine (10268) will be available to all starting Black Friday on November 23. This latest LEGO Creator Expert re-release is based from the original 4999 set that had a very limited run when it was launched ten years ago. Similar to another re-release such as the LEGO Creator Expert Taj Mahal (10256), this newer iteration of the Vestas Wind Turbine (10268) is a direct copy of its predecessor, save for a few additional pieces.

10268 Prod

LEGO is staying true to its advocacy of promoting sustainability not only through promoting renewable clean energy, but also raising awareness in using plant-based materials in its next generation of LEGO bricks. The LEGO Creator Expert Vestas Wind Turbine (10268) is the first LEGO set to be offered to the public that uses its new plants-based, Plants for Plants tree elements, practically replacing those from its older counterpart.

Read on for LEGO’s official press release, followed by an image gallery of the new Vestas Wind Turbine (10268). For a full product description, please visit shop.LEGO.com and be sure to check on the website again on November 23 when the set goes live for online purchase.

10268 Box3 v39

OUT OF THE VAULT & available soon to fans – The NEW LEGO Creator Expert Vestas Wind Turbine (10268)
  • The first-time consumers can purchase a LEGO set featuring new ‘Plants from Plants’ elements – made from plant-based plastic sourced from sugarcane
  • A key collaboration between the LEGO Group and Vestas®, the world leader in sustainable energy solutions
  • Through investments in wind power the LEGO Group balances 100% of the energy used to make LEGO bricks with energy from renewable sources.
  • Available from Black Friday (November 23rd)

[26th September 2018] While the world-renowned New York Climate Week (24 – 30 September) is live, the LEGO Group has today unveiled the latest LEGO Creator Expert set to come ‘Out of the Vault’ – Vestas® Wind Turbine following popular demand of the original and to celebrate play, creativity and imagination whilst also raising awareness about sustainability and renewable energy in partnership with Vestas®. This is the very first set available to purchase that features one of the all-new sustainably sourced plant-based plastic LEGO elements, Plants from Plants. This renewable energy focused set will be available directly in LEGO Stores and shop.LEGO.com this Black Friday (23rd November 2018).

The LEGO Creator Expert Vestas® Wind Turbine has been designed in partnership with the sets’ namesake and world’s leading provider of sustainable energy solutions, Vestas®, who have installed 65,000 wind turbines in around 80 countries.

The 826-piece model stands nearly a meter-high towering over a wooded hill, featuring the new ‘Plants from Plants’ spruce tree. Made from plant-based plastic sourced from sugarcane, the inclusion of these elements is part of the first steps in the LEGO Group’s ambition to use sustainable materials in products by 2030 and packaging by 2025.

This latest instalment in the LEGO Creator Expert Series has been designed to provide a challenging and rewarding building experience with a touch of nostalgia, with builders discovering a house complete with a furnished patio and a working porch light and powered wind turbine, as well as three LEGO Vestas® servicemen Minifigures and a LEGO dog.

The set measures 100cm high, 72cm wide and 31cm deep and features adjustable wind blades (not as big as the real thing of course, which measures more than 2m longer than a London double-decker bus, but impressive none the least), detailed tower, movable nacelle with aircraft warning lights and power functions to automate the set.

The LEGO Vestas® Wind Turbine celebrates creativity in addition to the LEGO Group’s commitment to making a positive impact on the environment. Through investment in wind power the LEGO Group balances 100% of the energy used to make LEGO bricks with energy from renewable sources.

Tim Brooks, Vice President, Environmental Responsibility at LEGO Group commented: “We strive to make a positive impact on the environment and are committed to climate action and to use sustainable materials in products and packaging. This wind turbine celebrates our first steps in bringing these ambitions to life and we hope it will inspire builders to learn about renewable energy. In August we released the first

LEGO elements made from plants and now our fans around the world can buy a LEGO set containing these unique elements.”

Morten Dyrholm, Group Senior Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Public Affairs at Vestas® said: “Today, wind energy is the cheapest source of energy in many markets, which have made wind turbines a sustainability icon across the globe and we are proud to partner with the LEGO Group on this relaunch. The original Vestas® wind turbine LEGO model was specially created for Vestas® to promote wind energy to a small audience within energy and as such, today’s relaunch to the global LEGO community tells the story of how wind energy have gone from niche to mainstream, not just within energy but the entire world.”

The LEGO Creator Expert Vestas® Wind Turbine is the latest in the Creator Expert line of products and will be available to buy on Black Friday (23rd Nov) directly from LEGO Stores and shop.LEGO.com.

Available directly from LEGO Stores & shop.LEGO.com from 23rd November

When a Mutated, Custom LEGO Carrot Becomes Evil

That’s why I always prefer to go natural and organic, because this next hilarious build from Tyler puts it’s so succinctly. If you’re an 80s kid like me, then titles like “The Attack of the Killer Tomatoes” will probably give you an idea why you should not take your food for granted. Yeah, eating vegetables are good for your body, but I guess this custom LEGO Carrot from the creative mind of Tyler (aka Legohaulic over at Flickr) will disagree otherwise.

evil carrot man

With just a handful of pieces, Tyler managed to whimsically capture the poor bunny’s dilemma. This carrot-turned-nemesis is easily recognizable. I love how Tyler managed to give this vengeful custom LEGO Carrot a personality of its own by using several green leaves pieces. The color is also spot on, as well as the many points of articulation that its legs and arms provide. But perhaps the best part of the build are the eyes and eyebrows – it reminds me of the determined and exaggerated eyes of Earthworm Jim. Plus the bunny… oh I surely hate to be in his fur right now.

Be sure to see the rest of Tyler’s original creation on Flickr to see more fun and wacky LEGO builds. He is also one of the bright, talented minds behind Build Better Bricks together with Sean Mayo. B3 is currently running its latest Mushroom Series inspired by characters and elements from Nintendo so do check it out as well.

Build Better Bricks Launches Its Mushroom Series

Ok, here’s the thing: we now know for sure that the rumored video game deal between LEGO and Nintendo is now completely debunked, and no further talks about this kind of deal is seen on the horizon. With the most recent Nintendo Direct episode showcasing the latest upcoming Nintendo Switch titles, there was no iota of evidence that will hint on a possible Nintendo-LEGO collaboration anytime soon. Okay, that’s pretty disappointing but it’s also a good thing because I can always go back to the LEGO brick that I always loved. Thanks to the outstanding efforts of the LEGO fan community we can somehow fill this LEGO-Nintendo gap with our own creations. With this in mind, we now have once again our Build Better Bricks Master Builders with their own Nintendo-inspired, Mushroom Series.

These minibuilds are excellent for that Nintendo Super Mario MOC that you’re working on, and the best part is, B3 saves you from the hassle of going to Bricklink and provides you already with new and authentic LEGO bricks and pieces to work on right out of the bag. Each of these minibuilds already has their respective instructions and parts included so you can build them right away. Check out what’s in store with B3’s Mushroom Series by clicking on their links below.

The Hungry Plant

115 pieces; $19.99

Color01 87e847ce cd82 4719 8ae7 da9cffa6b9dd 1024x1024

Friendly Green Dino

27 pieces; $14.99

Yoshi01 1024x1024 e1537837802743

Red Plumber

36 pieces; $12.99

png b5953a15 a5c0 48c9 b83d fa7b6d2fa562 1024x1024

Plumber Power Pack

70 pieces; $19.99

MarioLand01 1024x1024

In case you missed it, Build Better Bricks is also running a 20% off sale on its Arcade Series which will run only until today. This is a great deal considering the discounts – just enter the promo code ARCADEFUN upon checkout. So if you’re still working on that LEGO City Arcade MOC, be sure to check this out as well and watch out for more exciting creations coming from Build Better Bricks. Happy building!

LEGO DC Super-Villains Extended Gameplay Features Gorilla City

After catching a glimpse on all of the DC characters that will be included in LEGO DC Super-Villains video game, TT Games Developers Phil and Matt shares some of the new things to expect from the upcoming video game. Playing through the Gorilla City level, Phil and Matt demonstrates how things work in the world of LEGO DC Super-Villains.

If you recall, we already featured a 19-minute extended gameplay of LDCSV when it was shown in Gamescom 2018 at Germany last August. The said gameplay gave us an idea on how the overarching story evolved, and the different various customization of the player’s avatar aptly named as Rookie.

In this latest Gorilla City gameplay video, Phil and Matt highlights certain details about the new minifigure character designs such as those from the DC Rebirth re-launch. The Gorilla City gameplay video also showed the usual LEGO video game staples such as puzzle solving, the use of specific abilities to do specialized tasks (I love how the Reverse Flash’s speed can come in handy allowing access to the Speed Force and Luthor’s X-ray ability revealing mechanical parts behind walls), building certain in-game structures, kicking some minifigure baddies and a dash of healthy LEGO humor. Yeah, give it LEGO and TT Games in coming up with a LEGO banana and use it as battering ram.

lego dc super villains 2

lego dc super villains

We also get to see certain mechanics of Boss Fights, in this case with Gorilla Grodd going against Solovar. Phil also revealed additional boss fight levels where you are pitted against some of DC’s notable superheroes, such as Beast Boy and Raven in their own unique arenas, and many more. It is quite exciting to see how these things will turn out actually. It’s not every day that you get to stumble on a video game that allows you to play as the villains in order to thwart the good guys. Given the complexity of the different motives and agendas that each villain has – in this case Luthor going out of his way to recruit Gorilla Grodd, while the latter only wishes to gain control of Gorilla City and snatch it from Solovar – it is interesting to see how the plot thickens throughout the game.

lego dc super villains 3

The LEGO DC Super-Villains video game is scheduled to be released on October 16, and comes with a physical Deluxe Version retailing for $74.99.  Pre-ordering the Deluxe Version allows you early access to the game’s Season Pass and an exclusive Lex Luthor minifigure. While you’re at it, check out our initial collection of LEGO DC Super-Villains printable coloring pages.

lego dc supervillains ps4

WATCH: This LEGO Star Wars Porg (75230) Speed Build Video Gives You A Fun Background of Ahch-To’s Most Famous Bird

Let me start by saying that I’m not really an uber fan of the Porgs – those little, wide-eyed birds that Chewie love to snack on at the planet Ahch-To from The Last Jedi. Well, I don’t hate them, but I don’t really go crazy over them either. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why I really don’t admire LEGO’s latest brick rendition of this Star Wars creature. But a recent video posted by io9 somehow gives me a different perspective and appreciation on how Star Wars creature creators came up with the idea of adding the Porg in the Star Wars franchise. io9 video producer Tom Caswell gives us a bit of a back story on the creation of the Porg, while adding a nice LEGO twist: he does this while doing a LEGO Star Wars Porg (75230) speed build. Watch his video below.

Truth be told, there are already a handful of speed build and review videos of the LEGO Star Wars Porg out there, but I have to say that this video from io9 is the most entertaining to watch. This speed build video also underscores the creative process and the considerations that The Last Jedi’s set designers took in crafting the Porg. I may not be a fan of this extraterrestrial avian species, but I surely admire and respect the people behind its creation. Furthermore, though this particular LEGO Star Wars Porg (75230) speed build video may be less than 3 minutes, it actually took Tom a total of 3 hours to build this brick-built bird. With 811 pieces to boot, the LEGO Star Wars Porg is a “life-sized”, 7-inch replica of the TLJ Porg as we saw in the film. The set itself has 6 bags right out of the box, with Bag #6 containing the final pieces to build the Porg’s head. It also comes with a UCS-style plaque.

lego porg 3

A simple lever mechanism at the back of the build, at the tail to be exact, allows for certain play functions such as making the LEGO Porg flaps its wings and open its mouth. The back of the LEGO Porg is pretty impressive as well – I like the attention to detail and how this is achieved by using a variety of jagged LEGO pieces and cheese slopes to recreate a feather-like effect. However, I wish LEGO designers added an option of keeping the mouth and wings extended to add variety in terms of posing the set. In any case, this is one LEGO Star Wars set that you might want to have as a nice desktop or table top accessory. It may even be a breath of fresh air among all those LEGO Star Wars star ships that you have amassed over the years.

lego porg 4

The LEGO Star Wars Porg (75230) will be released on October 1, and is now listed at shop.LEGO.com with a retail price of $69.99.

 

Image credits: io9

LEGO Pop-Up Stores To Be Introduced in the US Starting This Year

The LEGO Group has announced a new retail concept store to hit US stores this year. Dubbed as LEGO Pop-Up Stores, this initiative will offer a new different shopping experience as compared to that of LEGO Brand Stores. In fact, the very first Pop-Up Store already went live last Friday in Manchester, Connecticut. According to the LEGO Ambassador Network, the LEGO Pop-Up Stores is an experimental marketing approach that allows LEGO fans who does not have access to any local LEGO Brand Stores to experience the same, though there are notable differences. So, how are they different? According to the blog post:

Whats the difference between a Pop-Up store and a typical LEGO Brand store?

  • Yes, you will be able to earn and redeem LEGO VIP points at Pop-Up stores.
  • There is nota Pick-a-Brick wall or Build-a-Mini station.
  • There are noLEGO Brand store Passport stamps available at Pop-Up stores.
  • There will notbe monthly minibuild activities or other in store events.
  • The product prices will bethe same at LEGO Brand and Pop-Up stores including any sales.
  • Pop-Up stores will tryto offer the same gift with purchase promotions.
  • Pop-Up stores will have new employeesbut also at least one experienced employee from a local LEGO Brand store.

Though these differences may seem easy to overlook and the initiative is of having a sort of “make-shift” LEGO Store is a welcomed gesture from the LEGO, I hope that they will find a way to offer the same gift with purchase (GWP) sets in all Pop-Up Stores as well.

Furthermore, since this project is still in its experimental stages, each of the six LEGO Pop-Up Stores to be opened across the US will be transient, operating only in a few weeks. A sign outside the store will remind customers and LEGO fans how many days are left until the LEGO Pop-Up Store wraps it up.

lego pop up store2 1

lego pop up store2 2

So what do you think of the concept behind the LEGO Pop-Up Store? Do you think it will take off? What other things or activities do you want to see in the store to make it more appealing? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Dinosaurs Fossils Skeletons – Natural History Collection Qualifies for the 2018 LEGO Ideas Third Review Stage

Earlier this month, the LEGO Ideas Team has officially announced the second set of qualifiers for this year’s Second 2018 Review Stage. From space exploration to a deliciously looking candy vending machine, this set of LEGO Ideas project qualifiers will now soon be joined by our very first LEGO Ideas 10K qualifier for the Third Review Stage. The Dinosaurs Fossil Skeletons – Natural History Collection LEGO Ideas Project proposal is based on the famous dinosaur fossils of the Natural History Museum. This LEGO Ideas project features several custom LEGO dinosaur fossils mounted on brick-built stands.

lego ideas dino fossils 3
The LEGO Ideas Project Proposal, Dinosaurs Fossils Skeletons – Natural History Collection by Mukkinn.

The Dinosaurs Fossil Skeletons – Natural History Collection project proposal is the very first entry for the Third 2018 Review Stage. Read on for the set’s description courtesy of its creator, Mukkinn.

Dinosaurs Fossils Skeletons – Natural History Collection

lego ideas dino fossils 2

Set presentation:

Did you ever dreamed to get your own Dinosaur Museum?

The collection “Natural History Museum” is giving you the chance to build and expose on your shelf the most famous and majestic creatures who walked on earth !

Don’t miss the opportunity to amaze your guests with these impressive and realistic reconstitutions of various Dinosaur species!

Set features:

Triceratops Fossil Skeleton and his exhibition base
Stegosaurus Fossil Skeleton and his exhibition base
Dilophosaurus Fossil Skeleton and his exhibition base
Brachiosaurus Fossil Skeleton and his exhibition base
Plesiosaurus Skeleton and his exhibition base
Parasaurolophus Skeleton and his exhibition base

Another LEGO Ideas project qualifier is almost at the end of its 10K finish line, with just 400 and more votes needed to qualify. The Chemical Plant by Ymarilego might soon accomplish this goal at the end of this last quarter, so will keep a close eye on this one as well.

New LEGO xtra Playmats Arriving at shop.LEGO.com

LEGO will be rolling out its first wave of LEGO xtra Playmats this October. If you recall, this collection of LEGO playmat accessories first came in to view last June after the reveal of the LEGO xtra polybag sets and minifigure accessories. The announcement of the LEGO xtra theme had a warm reception, especially from those who are into serious LEGO City MOC building. Though I really don’t think that the LEGO xtra Playmats will cater to all LEGO enthusiasts, it offers a lot of play opportunities for younger LEGO fans, and perhaps will be a nice additional element for certain vignettes. Whether you’re next inspired build will be minifigures on the road, a stroll in the grassy park, or an ocean-filled adventure, the LEGO xtra Playmats has it covered.

The LEGO xtra Playmats contains 11 LEGO elements per pack and will retail for $7.99. The nice thing about these packs is that they come in sets of two, with each Playmat having back-to-back prints and measuring 9 inches each. There is no news yet if the LEGO xtra Playmats will include additional themes in the future such as the timeless Castle, Space or Pirates theme (perhaps it’s the AFOL in me who is hoping), but it will really be cool if LEGO will offer those. For now, be sure to visit shop.LEGO.com every now and then to check when these playmats are available, or just click the following links below.

LEGO xtra Road Playmat (853840)

$7.99; 11 pieces

853840 853840 alt1

Set up new roads and cruise around your city!

 Stretch your imagination and playtime with the help of this LEGO® xtra 853840 Road Playmat pack, featuring 2 laminated, double-sided playmats with printed graphics, 2 buildable connectors and a shovel play-starter element to do some digging on your roads. The double-sided pieces let you create 4 different settings. Combine and use the LEGO xtra accessories with any LEGO sets, to enhance children’s play in any way they can imagine.

  • Features 2 laminated, double-sided playmats with printed graphics, 2 buildable connectors and a shovel play-starter element.
  • Playmats each measure over 9” (25cm) square.

 

LEGO xtra Sea Playmat (853841)

$7.99; 11 pieces

853841 853841 alt1

Catch some sun, sand and surf at the seaside!

 Expand your playtime to the beach with the help of this LEGO® xtra 853841 Sea Playmat pack, featuring 2 laminated, double-sided playmats with printed graphics, 2 buildable connectors and a crab play-starter element. The double-sided pieces let you create 4 different settings. Combine and use the LEGO xtra accessories with any LEGO sets, to enhance children’s play in any way they can imagine.

  • This pack features 2 laminated, double-sided playmats with printed graphics, 2 buildable connectors and a crab play-starter element.
  • Playmats each measure over 9” (25cm) square.

 

LEGO xtra Park Playmat (853842)

$7.99; 11 pieces

853842 853842 alt1

Take a break in the park with a little help from this LEGO® xtra 853842 Park Playmat pack, featuring 2 laminated, double-sided playmats with printed graphics, 2 buildable connectors and a snake play-starter element. The double-sided pieces let you create 4 different settings. Combine and use the LEGO xtra accessories with any LEGO sets, to enhance children’s play in any way they can imagine.

  • Features 2 laminated, double-sided playmats with printed graphics, 2 buildable connectors and a snake play-starter element.
  • Playmats each measure over 9” (25cm) square.

LEGO Star Wars Porg (75230) Now Officially Up at shop.LEGO.com

As early as last month, news has started to come in regarding the availability of the brick-built version of the most polarizing avian species in recent Star Wars lore. Love them or hate them, it seems that LEGO has already reserved a soft spot for The Last Jedi’s Porg, and has kept its availability under strict control since the infamous leaks of the LEGO Star Wars Porg (75230) came out earlier this year. Now that The Last Jedi’s luster is starting to diminish, followed by the equally received Solo: A Star Wars Movie, I guess LEGO has no more reasons to hold back.

Recently, LEGO’s servers have been updated to now include official images of the UCS-like LEGO Star Wars Porg (75230) set. Now listed at shop.LEGO.com, this particular Porg will be available to LEGO Star Wars fans starting October 1. The set will retail for $69.99 and comes in at 811 pieces. Read on for the full product description and some official images.

LEGO Star Wars Porg (75230)

Price: $69.99; Pieces: 811

75230

Build and display your very own porg!

Own an unmistakable character from Star Wars: The Last Jedi with this LEGO® Star Wars 75230 Porg! This faithfully detailed Star Wars toy includes intricate feather detailing, authentic colors and an opening mouth and flapping wings when you press the tail. The set also comes with a display stand with decorative fact plaque and extra porg mini build, to form the perfect centerpiece for your LEGO collection.

  • Features authentic detailing, an opening mouth and flapping wings.
  • Also includes a display stand with decorative fact plaque and an extra porg mini build.
  • Porg without stand stands over 7” (19cm) high.
  • Display stand measures approx. 2” (6cm) high and 1” (3cm) deep, and over 4” (11cm) wide.
  • Relive fun porg adventures from Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

75230 alt1 75230 alt2

More Info About The LEGO Movie 2 Sets Revealed by Amazon France

As we close in towards the end of this quarter, more and more info seems to land on the internet regarding the LEGO Movie 2 sets prior to the sequel’s theatrical debut on February, 2019. We had a full reveal of the new Wasteland Batman costume a few days ago, and it is expected that this Mad Max-like version of the Dark Knight will eventually make its way as a minifigure in any of the upcoming LEGO Movie 2 sets scheduled for next year. And speaking about new LEGO sets, Amazon France is on the lead again in giving us more information about these upcoming tie-in sets.

This year’s San Diego Comic Con also saw the reveal of three LEGO Movie 2 sets, with an expected release date of early January. Other than these confirmed sets, it looks like we will have additional 9 sets under the film’s belt and more as we count weeks before the rest of the reveal sometime late December or January. As consolidated by Price Vortex, we now have additional info on these sets’ piece count and expected retail price. Here’s what we have so far.

the lego movie 2 2

It is interesting to note that its very likely that there will be a LEGO BrickHeadz single and dual sets under this theme considering that there are sets listed above that are within the price range of 9.99 and 19.99 Euros. Another point of interest is set 70840 which seem to be the largest among all the listed sets so far. Amazon FR shows that this set’s box packaging measures at 58.2cm X 17cm X 48 cm.  (LxWxH),  which is very similar to that of the LEGO Movie MetalBeard’s Sea Cow (70810) D2C set clocking at 2,741 pieces. We can safely guess that set 70840 may perhaps be the largest direct-to-consumer set that LEGO has in store for The LEGO Movie 2.

the lego movie 2 1 1

Based from the looks of it, LEGO is posed to release a huge collection of tie-in sets that can rival those from the first film. Not included in this listing are polybags and other LEGO Movie 2 gift-with-purchase sets. We’re surely off to a good start in 2019. The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part is scheduled to open in cinemas in the US on February 8, with more LEGO tie-in sets to be revealed at the end of this year.  Remember to subscribe to our blog site and stay tuned here in The Brick Show!