LEGO collaborations with vehicle manufacturers are awesome. We’ve got some Technic sets and the Speed Champions line to prove that. You think the LEGO-Bugatti team-up that led to the Technic Chiron (and its life-sized version) was sweet? Volvo, specifically its Construction Equipment division, has done great things with LEGO too.
The encapsulation of this collaboration is the Technic ZEUX Concept Wheel Loader (42081). LEGO and Volvo CE then held a contest on LEGO Ideas last year. Contestants were asked to build their vision for the future of heavy equipment vehicles, using Technic. The winner would see their creation being considered for possible testing by Volvo.
Architect Vida Andras, age 27 from Romania, presented the winning design. It’s a multi-purpose construction vehicle with short quadruped legs ending in tracked feet. The manipulator arm has a 3D-printer, allowing it to literally make the materials needed for construction. Andras calls it the Rottweiler.
LEGO and Volvo seem to like it well enough, out of a pool of 122 entries for the Ideas contest. One factor perhaps is that the Rottweiler’s design concept was similar to that of the LEGO-Volvo ZEUX: self-driving capability. If that weren’t a futuristic vehicle element as the contest rules asked for, then what is?
For his efforts, Vida Andras won a LEGO Technic ZEUX (42081) plus several more Technic sets depicting heavy equipment vehicles. His build, along with nine other Ideas submissions, were exhibited at the London Transport Museum. Display lasted until May 16.
“LEGO Masters” from the UK’s Channel 4 has proven itself as a popularly entertaining reality show. Seeing LEGO-building teams compete in elimination until one is crowned is a surprising audience magnet. Endemol Shine must’ve realized the potential when it licensed the show for overseas adaptation, Australia’s Nine Network among them.
“LEGO Masters Australia” has finally concluded its inaugural season this week on Nine. The finale which aired Tuesday, May 14, saw the final three teams go head to head. Their final task was to create their own brick build, with all the tech skill and visual storytelling they can muster.
In the end, the best-mate duo of Henry and Cade, both in their mid-thirties, triumphed. They created a diorama of a robot-Greek God Poseidon attacking a ship in a stormy sea. Their work was praised by judge Ryan “Brickman” McNaught, Australia’s top LEGO Certified Pro (LCP). Unfortunately, some viewers dissented.
On social media, these “LEGO Masters Australia” fans expressed their opinion that runners-up David and G (officemates) should’ve won. Their team created a large theme-park build with rides and attractions that moved via LEGO mechanics. They also flooded an opinion poll in Nine Network’s Twitter, up-voting David-G over Henry-Cade and the third-place team of Jordan-Miller.
Good job Henry n Cade, but damn… DAVID AND G WERE ROBBED
— Jeremiah Darroch 🇦🇺🏴 (@JJDarroch) May 14, 2019
Great model but David&G should have been the winners
As for David-G’s “theme park” final challenge, Brickman did have a significant criticism regarding the overuse of green LEGO elements. As for team Henry-Cade, he described them as playing to their strengths with impressive brick-sculpting.
While the decision is final, to the critics’ disappointment, the incident hasn’t been controversial enough to endanger “LEGO Masters Australia.” Nine Network has already renewed the reality LEGO-building program for season 2, with Brickman McNaught and host Hamish Blake returning.
Last year, the UK reality competition series “LEGO Masters” began to branch out worldwide. Two international editions were announced for Germany and Australia. The latter was picked up by the Channel Nine network, with host Hamish Blake and a panel of judges headed by Australian LEGO Certified Professional Ryan McNaught.
Up until this week the only known info on the premiere for “LEGO Masters Australia” is that it’s this year. Thankfully, Channel Nine has finally broken silence on the date. A new trailer for the program reveals it’s only going to start two Sundays from now. That means April 28.
The teaser rehashes certain scenes from the first full trailer of the show from last month. We get another look at the big brick, minfigure and element depository for the 2-person teams’ use. We also see snippets of either the builds by the contestants or set pieces created by judge “Brickman” McNaught. The space rocket in on scene’s probably his.
Viewers also got to see more screen-time on the part of the teams in competition, from married couples to friends and more. One particularly prominent team is that of a teenager and his grandma. In one scene she reacts funnily to her grandson’s mild oath.
This “LEGO Masters” is brought to Channel Nine courtesy of Endemol Shine Australia. The winning pair that survives all challenges thrown their way will win a cash prize of AUS$100,000.
Over a year ago, a certain challenge was held for members of LEGO Ideas. The winner of the “LEGO Moments in Space” would’ve had his creation be turned into an official LEGO set that is “gifted with purchase.” The winner was announced in March 2018, though the actual set production won’t be until this year.
Just when it seemed like Ideas member and challenge Grand Winner mjsmiley’s coin-operated “Cosmic Rocket Ride” may have been forgotten, the official set’s finally been spotted. German LEGO news source Promo Bricks originally reported last month that the LEGO “Space Rocket Ride” (40335) may have surfaced in a Croatian LEGO Certified Store. Now however, they have tangible proof of it.
Promo Bricks has gone to Croatia and actually gotten one of set 40335 from there, as seen in their Instagram page. Interestingly, they made no mention of it supposedly being a gift with purchase. Perhaps they actually bought it over-the-counter?
As can be seen between the original contest build by mjsmiley, and the official set numbered 40335, LEGO expanded on the design. The Space Rocket Ride has a bigger platform base. While likely still operated by a crank in the back, the base also includes a “functional” coin slot to insert LEGO coin elements in.
If this isn’t a region exclusive then hopefully collectors outside Europe can soon find LEGO Space Rocket Ride (40335) on their Shop@Home or local shop. Maybe then we can have definitive knowledge on whether or not it’s a GWP promo or a conventionally purchasable set.
Now surely, none of us have forgotten that 2019 is the 20th anniversary of the LEGO Star Wars product line. We’ve already covered the anniversary-edition sets for this year, but there’s more LEGO has in store. For instance, mere days after announcing a LEGO Ideas contest for their upcoming mobile game app, there’s now one for LEGO Star Wars too.
The theme for this LEGO Ideas contest is one of the most vital cinematic elements of the “Star Wars” franchise: big space-opera battles. From the ground-pounding encounters at Kasshyk, Hoth’s Echo Base and Endor, to the space dogfights of Coruscant and Yavin IV, all are celebrated in this building competition.
Interested contestants need only to recreate their favorite battle scene from any “Star Wars” film or TV show, whether in real LEGO bricks or through computer applications like LEGO Digital Designer. They must send their work, documented in only five images, to the LEGO Ideas contest page before May 3.
Exclusive prizes in store for the Grand Winner of “THE GREATEST BATTLES BUILT BY YOU!” include the following:
Uncommon 2007 Chrome Gold C-3PO Minifigure (4521221), one of only 10,000 ever made!
Tantive IV (10198) 10th Anniversary collection
For the two runners-up they’ll exclusively get:
R2-D2 (10225) 2012 Collection
Ultimate Collector’s Series Slave 1 (75060) 2015 Collection
When we announced the new LEGO-themed mobile app “LEGO Tower” this Monday, we also said a related contest is coming. Said competition is to be hosted on LEGO Ideas, and involves creating custom content that developer NimbleBit can add later. The announcement was to be made “later;” that meant now.
LEGO Ideas finally opened their official contest page in relation to “LEGO Tower” on Tuesday, March 26. Effective immediately, all interested contestants need only to use their digital LEGO construction tool of choice to design a themed floor that could be implemented in the NimbleBit app before its launch date.
“LEGO Tower,” based on NimbleBit’s “TinyTower,” has players acting as developers of their own multi-story skyscraper complex, with each floor occupied by minifigure residences or businesses, all paying rent to enable further construction of more floors and extra building facilities.
Six contest winners will be chosen to each win a $200 Shop@Home spree, a LEGO Creator Expert Corner Garage (10264) and LEGO Ideas Ship in a Bottle (21313). Their custom “LEGO Tower” floor will be an option in the game app, and they’ll also get a “special unlockable feature” when they play the game themselves.
For more details and in-depth contest rules, visit the official “LEGO Tower” Contest Page on LEGO Ideas. The final submission of entries is on May 2. Judging takes place from that date up to May 10, and the winners will be announced on May 22.
The second installment of J.K. Rowling’s “Fantastic Beasts” film series, “The Crimes of Grindelwald,” premiered worldwide in November last year. It was the 10th highest grossing film of 2018, and served to set up the Wizarding War that the original “Harry Potter” series referenced. Only in this year did it finally arrive for home media.
First, “The Crimes of Grindelwald” was made available for digital download last February. For those who prefer their media on physical copy however, the film’s Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD versions will arrive March 18 in the UK. To celebrate the occasion, Warner Bros. is partnering with LEGO to offer some nice goodies to “Fantastic Beasts” fans this week.
Back when the movie premiered in the UK, The LEGO Group helped with promotion by scattering large brick-builds of the surprisingly popular Niffler critter around London. One of these Niffler statues can soon belong to a lucky winner visiting the official “Fantastic Beasts” UK website.
This LEGO Niffler build is one of the prizes for the current “Wizarding Wednesdays” online contest. Those who enter the draw will stand a chance to win that, plus two major LEGO tie-ins released for “Crimes of Grindelwald” last year: Grindelwald’s Escape (75951) and Newt’s Case of Magic Creatures (75952).
While the Ultra HD, Blu-Ray and DVD media release for “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” is on the 18th in the UK, it’ll be coming earlier for the US, next week at March 12.
This week we waxed admiration for the recently revealed new upcoming LEGO Creator set, a beautiful brick construct of the iconic Ford Mustang (10265). No doubt LEGO is going all-out in hyping this set to fans of LEGO, cars, and both, if the promotional keychain to be simultaneously given out during the first ten days of the Creator Mustang (10265) set’s release is any indication.
In fact, even LEGO Ideas is getting in on the LEGO Ford Mustang bandwagon with their new contest. The prize is, of course, the LEGO Creator set (10265), an earlier Mustang set from Speed Champions, and a Shop@Home shopping spree.
The contest mechanics are simple: using real LEGO bricks (including variants like Duplo and Technic) or a digital LEGO building tool, contestants need to assemble a model of their favorite model of the Ford Mustang. Bear in mind, the Ford Mustang models have been around from 1965 to this day.
Once a contestant’s entry Mustang model is finished, they must take up to five photos of it to showcase its contours and features. Background is also encouraged, whether similarly LEGO-built or a real setting, a place “where you’d want to take your Mustang for a ride” according to contest rules.
After the pictorial, the submission only needs a title and description before it gets sent on to LEGO Ideas. The entry deadline is on April 3, and the winner plus two runner-ups will get a LEGO Creator Ford Mustang (10265) as well as the Speed Champions 1968 Mustang Fastback (75884). The Shop@Home shopping sprees are worth $500 for the winner and $300 for the runners-up.
For more details on this prime opportunity to get the LEGO Creator Mustang (10265), please check their official LEGO Ideas Contest page here. Do remember the “Acceptable Entry Content” to ensure your build gets accepted.
Following the announcement of the 16 finaliststhat made it through the gruelling Design Review Stage of LEGO and Bricklink’s AFOL Designer Program, the stage is now set for backing up your most favorite MOC finalist, with the hope of reaching its 100% goal of making it an official LEGO set. Some of these finalists have already reached its goal as of this posting, with some vying for support until April 15 when the AFOL Designer Program pre-order campaign ends. Here are the finalists once again, now with their respective pre-order price indicated. Click on the following links to know more, and if you wish to back this project by placing your pre-order.
Backers have until April 15 to support their favorite project, and they have up 3 pre-orders per set. After the pre-order periods ends, then backers and online supporters who pre-ordered can get their sets by May ahead of everyone else when the projects hit store shelves later in the second half of the year. Which one is your favorite?
Towards the last quarter of 2018, LEGO and Bricklink collaborated to launch the AFOL Designer Program. Similar to the LEGO Ideas Project, Bricklink’s first crowd project seeks to the encourage AFOLs, or Adult Fans of LEGO, to come up with their most original MOC (My Own Creation) to vie to become an exclusive LEGO set, in celebration of the LEGO brick’s 60th anniversary. The Design Review is finally over, and here are 16 AFOL Designer Program finalists that you can support with the hope of becoming the next LEGO set.
Starting next month, fans of these brick creations can pre-order up to 3 sets of each design during the pre-order phase which will end on March. Once the pre-order mark has been achieved, then production will begin until April when the first AFOL Designer Program sets will be shipped to their crowd backers and supporters.
This is a great way to encourage original work and creativity among the LEGO fan community. And in case you see something that you like among these 16 finalists, just click on the links below and come back on February 1 to place your pre-order. Which one do you like from these 16 AFOL Designer Program finalists, and which will you most likely pre-order? Share your comments below.
Give your horse a break from dodging tumbleweeds, and stop by the Wild West Saloon for a much needed drink. Just look for the cactus out front with a longhorn skull over the door! After settling in, order something from the Saloon’s beverage selection then hang out with other cowboys in the lantern light. If it suits you, walk up to the balcony to bathe in the setting sun while the pianist plays your favorite tunes. Now that you and your horse are well-rested, get back on the road and continue your adventure into the Wild West.
Experience modern living using a flexible space for your minifigs with Eight Studs. One housing unit can easily attach or stack with another unit, so you can either create a 2×8 space or a two-story unit for your minifigs. The minimal design allows you organize and decorate rooms for activities such as hanging out or playing with LEGO bricks. Feel free to move things around until you find that perfect balance. Eight Studs is about making connections with LEGO, and life is too.
Journey to the Art Deco era in your very own Vintage Roadster, which has enough room for you and a friend to experience elegance on wheels. With its classic sweeping shape, side doors, and monochromatic color scheme, no one will question your timeless sense of style. Even the sleek engine inside can be revealed simply by removing the front hood. No matter where you go with this Vintage Roadster, you will be the star of the show.
Go exploring on the island of Poseidonia after anchoring your yacht next to the small boathouse with a light blue roof. Then trek through the mountainous island and follow the staircase to the top where centuries-old buildings can be found. The main attraction here is the ancient statue of a deity who still guards the island to this day. Finally, hop back on your yacht and discover the cave that goes right through the island of Poseidonia.
Every castle is home to someone, and in this Löwenstein Castle lives a knight, his family, and his animals. The animals have their own housing that can be found right behind the outermost of the two main gatehouses – the outer bailey. The inner bailey has a roofed defensive corridor to offer protection from outside threats with an overhanging toilette bay, or “thunderbox.” Cross the drawbridge to get to the Great Hall and join the family for festivities after keeping watch over the castle. End the day with hiking up the centrepiece and highest point of the complex, the donjon or keep, to absorb panoramic views of the entire Löwenstein Castle.
Make your way to a bike stand where both tourists and locals alike can ride a bike to explore the city and then set it aside just about anywhere after they are done exploring. A truck driver will pick up the bikes using GPS antennas that communicate the bikes’ location to the truck’s tracking system. Furthermore, it includes a carrier tricycle, which minifigures can use to transport groceries or, of course, their children. With LEGO cities being focused mainly on motorized vehicles, add another method of transportation with Bikes!
So much creative potential lies within the iconic LEGO® brick, and this design gives the builder a taste of the limitless ideas just waiting to burst out. At the center of the design is a poseable anime character with your choice of heads. Micro models of different themes that surround the character include a: quaint castle, cargo ship with lighthouse, futuristic skyscraper, a cute parrot, and many more! Display this design with your favorite LEGO sets in your collection to inspire creativity. If you can imagine it, you can build it!
Become the next grandmaster with the Steampunk Mini Chess set! But first, you must learn the basics, starting with identifying the chess pieces. Take it anywhere around the world so that you can have impromptu matches to improve your chess game. Once you’re done challenging a friend or foe, you can tuck away the pieces into the built-in drawer so that they will not get lost. Even if you’re not interested in becoming a grandmaster, this Steampunk Mini Chess set will be the topic of any conversation.
There are some things you cannot escape (like your desk), but you can escape a sea monster that has vicious means of destroying your Viking ship. Don’t let the blue skies fool you! Armor up and prepare for battle against not just the sea monster, but the raging waters your Viking ship sails on. Be brave and soldier on! Lead your ship to safety, and your fellow citizens will reward you with priceless treasures.
Join two minifigures as they explore the ruins of Clovershire Castle! It’s a perfect day for a picnic, so they bring along a loaded picnic basket, a telescope, and a candle for exploring. What could be hiding in the castle ruins? Follow the stairway behind the ruins and over the bridge to find the hidden crystal, but beware of the snake down by the stream! Once you’ve finished exploring Clovershire Castle, head to the Festival of Lanterns to add your lantern to the ones floating in the water.
Cross a small bridge over a stream and underneath an apple tree to get into the Science Tower, a multi-colored, four-level building. A pair of scientists and their trusty hound work here and are up to new discoveries! Shadow them around the tower to learn more about their experiments, or do your own research in the library. As day becomes night, climb up to the top floor to test out the astronomical telescope in the observatory. Challenge yourself to identify all scientific experiments and inventions!
When there’s a fire, you can count on the firefighters arriving ASAP and being well-prepared to protect the community. While in the Antique Fire Truck, firefighters will ring the built-in bell to alert nearby citizens that the firefighters need to hustle to the scene. While some are readying the hose to contain the fire, the others can use the ladder to save citizens on a higher floor. An extra fire extinguisher is located on the side of the truck in case one malfunctions. After a long day of fighting fires, don’t forget to thank and celebrate these heroes for rescuing your fellow citizens!
Opt for a night out at the carnival and stop by the Hot Shot, a shooting gallery where you can get some target practice! From afar, you can spot the billboard for “Hot Shot” with a large rifle and bullseye attached. When you get inside the carnival, take a walk around and treat yourself to an ice-cold popsicle. Then when you are ready for a little friendly competition, look for the booth with the red wavy walls and yellow and orange overhang. If luck is on your side, you can win prizes like a life-sized teddy bear, special edition guitar, and a few other surprises!
The Skyline Express is the ultimate solution for the minifig commute. With room for up to six passengers, panoramic windows and sleek Scandinavian design, this modern light rail is the perfect balance between comfort and style. The split-level station provides travelers with the latest schedule information and convenient smart ticketing machines. Have some time to spare before departure? Get fresh juice at Jüs, the organic juice bar located on the ground floor, where it can satisfy even the thirstiest passenger! After getting your train ticket and refreshments, make your way up the stairs to take in the breathtaking views.
Since it’s the 60th anniversary of LEGO Brick, what’s a better way to celebrate than taking a look back at how it all started? Build an individual vignette for 4 different eras of LEGO’s history starting from 1937. Ole Kirk Kristiansen bought his first milling machine, and the company only made wooden toys (have you spotted the wooden duck?). In the second vignette, LEGO started molding plastic bricks in 1946. The third vignette is of a designer’s office to represent designers working on the amazing LEGO sets that we all are familiar with. Finally, in the fourth vignette, you can see a modern molding machine with a complicated tubing system in the background. That’s where the raw materials “travel” to the big molding machines that make LEGO bricks. Display all the vignettes together, or put them in different places, to share the story of LEGO!
What exactly are the various dangers on the Isle of Peril? Just in case you, or any member of your crew, are too curious to stay on the marked path, we’ll tell you just a few things of what you’ll face! Just above the steep beach, in the rocky entrance into the canyon is “The Cave of No Return.” The backside opens into a small ledge overhanging “The Lake of Doom,” where one can a plunge into the lake if one isn’t careful. Look out for “Laudably Large Land Lobsters” and the “four-tentacled six-snake-headed one-eyed colossal-clam-beast.” After passing through the waterfall, travel downward toward the lowlands to a dangerously dilapidated wooden bridge over inordinately large spikes. Follow the path marked in red on this 3D treasure map, and if you’re lucky, you may find the buried treasure.
