Category: LEGO Ideas

After a lull in submissions, the LEGO Ideas First 2022 Review Stage is filling up with new product ideas again. One of the latest additions is the third train build for this batch of aspiring LEGO sets. We’ve already gotten a magical train to the North Pole and the world’s oldest electric hanging-car elevated railway. What has this new product idea got to make itself stand out? Ideas 10K Club Member LEt.sGO decides to go with historical weight. And what’s more, this LEGO model train will be a hit with fans of old-style detective stories. Have you read Agatha Christie’s?

If that last bit wasn’t any obvious, LEt.sGO has built a cool depiction of the Orient Express. This long-distance train service was begun by a Belgian company in 1883 to bridge Western and Eastern Europe. At its maximum extent, the express ran between London, UK or Paris, France, and Istanbul in Turkey. It actually operated until 2009 (connecting only Paris and Vienna at the end).

The build by LEt.sGO replicates the Orient Express rolling stock circa 1930s, with engine, tender and dining car. The car might be memorable to fans of Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express” and its film adaptations. The details in all the components are exquisite.

LEGO Ideas First 2022 Review has now passed the 30-submission mark, with no indication of being closed anytime soon. We’ll have to wait and see which of the Polar Express, Wuppertaler or Orient Express trains make it. That is of course not considering the other product ideas in the group.

The latest 10K-supported submission to the LEGO Ideas First 2022 Review Stage hits two trending criteria. First, this product idea adds to the all-too-common house/building set majority. Second, it joins two other builds in being “off-season,” as it were. First 2022 already have one idea for a winter cottage for Santa, plus an anniversary celebration of “The Polar Express.” The now-third aspiring set is also an original concept. Its creator Lepralego however found a way for his submission to stand out. Any old house or building is boring, Why not put the structure on someplace interesting, like on a bridge?

That’s pretty much the gist for Lepralego’s “Magical Village Over the Bridge.” It takes the medieval-era convention of building houses on stone bridges and gives it a Christmas Village spin.

Here we have a row of snow-covered shops lining one side of an arch bridge spanning a frozen river. These businesses are run by Elves for their number one customer: Santa Claus.

Does he fancy a haircut? There’s a beard trimmer. Oh, and let’s not forget the Candy and Nutcracker shops too. For ease of access, the shop buildings are fully open at the back, to better showcase the interiors.

If you’ve been following our LEGO Ideas 10K submission updates, you might recognize Lepralego’s handle. This 10K Club Member also created “The Meeting Place,” which got into the preceding Review Stage. This LEGO Ideas Third 2021 is currently the focus of expert review after Second 2021 revealed its results late last February. If LEGO Ideas was like the lottery, Lepralego is technically a ticket-holder for both the current and upcoming “draws.” We wish him well for Meeting Place and now Magical Village Over the Bridge.

Over the previous week, there were a good number of LEGO Ideas submissions that have reached 10,000 review supporters. It was our bad that we couldn’t quite keep up. To that end we’ll have a digest feature on each of the new 10-K product ideas joining First 2022 Review. True, LEGO itself has noticed that plenty of builds go through Ideas review with only handfuls becoming official sets. We agree with some fellow LEGO news sites that LEGO Ideas’ process may need re-tweaking. In the meantime, we’ll cover the 10-K sets like we’ve always done.

“The Gilmore Girls” House by marodipietro (10K Club Member)

It’s a great modular recreation of the house of the titular Gilmore family from the 2000s The WB/The CW series. There’s a two-story house and separate garage. Said house can open in half on hinges, along with the roofs for play access. The garage also contains the family car. This set has nine character minifigures: Lorelai Gilmore and daughter Rory, plus supporting cast. The interior is supposed to contain several Easter eggs from the TV show. Depending on when it might release if approved, this set could commemorate “The Gilmore Girls” on its 25^th premiere anniversary.

“Aladdin”: Friend Like Me (30^th Anniversary Special) by Lud985 (10K Club Member)

2022 marks the 30^th Anniversary of Disney’s “Aladdin,” released in 1992. This set depicts the “Friend Like Me” musical sequence at the Cave of Wonders. The buildable Genie boats points of articulation in his hands and even mouth. Aladdin (and microfig Abu) is also surrounded by quirky minifigs from the big dance sequence. Their performance platform even rotates. You ain’t never had a LEGO Disney set like this!

The Market Village by Commander Brick

Want to expand the world outside your LEGO Castle sets/builds? This product idea will help jumpstart your medieval village by giving it a market square. We have three key buildings: tavern/inn, smithy and storehouse. There’s also an open grassy area where outdoor stalls can set up. Being a village set, it’s also populated with minifigures. From villagers to peddlers to knights and noble ladies, you can meet almost anybody in this brick-built village.

Air Jordan 1 by legotruman (10K Club Member)

The LEGO-Adidas collaboration may have resulted in nice sportswear for the latter and limited-edition brick-built shoe sets for the former. But this product idea by legotruman may trump Adidas in terms of being iconic. How would you like a LEGO-brick replica of the first iteration of the Nike Air Jordan athletic shoe series? It may even come in different colors, either as included alternative pieces or set-color variants. This is sure to remind sporty collectors of when “Air Jordan” was the first name in shoes for athletics.

The Legend of the Sea Serpent by rebeljackot and jackotrebel

A mom and son duo had the idea of LEGO-building a house on a rock out at sea. From that project was born this submission, and it’s much bigger and better than its origin. Check out this family of three defending their island home from the massive sea serpent. We have a blend of heart-stopping action and potential drama playing out. Will the beast be driven off? You get to decide, if this set makes it past LEGO Ideas review.

 

And there we have it. Five 10K product ideas in the LEGO Ideas First 2022 Review Stage have been duly featured.

It’s not always busy at LEGO Ideas with 10-K submissions being added regularly to Review Stages. Still, those aspiring product ideas can be very inspiring, especially if they get reviewed and possibly approved. And sometimes they follow an established LEGO theme, but with features that official sets never had before. We sort of feel that way with this new entry to the Ideas First 2022 Review. 10K Club member poVoq dips into the LEGO Castles well for this build that hit 10,000 supporters. At first glance it looks like any other LEGO-brick castle already officially released, or built by others. But then the magic unfolds.

That may have come across as too dramatic to describe “Castle of Brickwood Forest.” But poVoq’s work here sort of warrants it. Sure, at first glance we see the basic LEGO castle elements: walls, drawbridge, towers and lots of minifigs. But this Brickwood Forest castle also boasts fun and easy play access.

The drawbridge and battlement can open apart to reveal the interior.

Even the main keep’s roof swings open like a lid.

Finally, the keep’s upper floors can slide out to widen the spaces.

Castle of Brickwood Forest was designed to emulate a castle siege. The included minifigs are divided into two factions, the besieging Black Falcons and defending Lion Knights.

The Falcons field a buildable horse-drawn war wagon and siege ladder. The Lions, who are led by their King, fight to protect the castle and its secret treasures. Castle chambers include a dungeon, kitchen, storeroom, throne room, two bedrooms, and a tower staircase. This is yet another big prospective set with 3,000 pieces. With this, building sets now dominate the entries for LEGO Ideas First 2022 Review. Will this be a good reviewer’s choice? That’s their future decision.

One can browse LEGO Ideas, particularly the product ideas with 10-K support awaiting review, and not fail to be impressed. The amount of complexity that goes into every product idea built is as variable as LEGO’s many theme lines. Some sets are simple enough in construction for younger builders to enjoy. Others would draw older LEGO veterans in terms of detail or mechanical functionality. One might see the latter best in machine sets, primarily brick-built vehicles. LEGO Technic also comes to mind. And indeed, this new 10-K review-ready product idea would be a perfect fit for the Technic theme too.

This submission, the 1990 Lancia Delta Integrale 16V Rally Car, is the brainchild of LEGO Ideas member Lumik. From the images thus far, you’d think this product idea easily rivals the various Technic supercars released in years past. Indeed, look at the photos and ask yourself: was this car model even made of LEGO pieces? Now check the follow-up images and be assured that it is.

The “pre-decal version” makes it quite clear too. Still, the structure is sound and the interior seats and dashboards will make you blow chef’s kisses. Lumik just set the bar for Ideas members designing Technic-esque submissions, in our opinion.

At present, only five product ideas or so on the First 2022 Review Stage are thematically similar to this build. But with the extra features Lumik put in, this Lancia Rally Car may have secured its review approval. Having 4WD connected to the steering wheel, and suspension too? Working headlights and gear-shift thanks to 3 Power Function Motors, with room for 2-3 more PF XL? If approved, this will cost a pretty penny. But collectors will eat this model up.

Many members of LEGO Ideas might build plenty enough product ideas to vie for support and review approval. The pace at which support builds to 10,000 will decide when a submission gets added to the currently ongoing Review Stage. As such, sometimes multiple builds by one member-creator might end up bunched together for reviewers. Speaking of which, that has indeed happened for this First 2022 Review Stage. Late last January, LEGO Ideas member Jiwoo saw his artistically eye-catching library build reach 10-K support. On the last weekend of February that submission is joined by another of Jiwoo’s LEGO City-esque builds.

What could possibly equal, or top, Jiwoo’s Library with its architectural design fusion aesthetic? How about a night at The Opera? Indeed, the newest Jiwoo product idea for First 2022 Review is a regally tall opera house. Its dimensions are rather similar to the earlier Library submission, with three levels (just no rooftop deck).

Rather than the mixed classical/modern look of his library build, The Opera is more opulent. From the front door, the hallway leads to two staircases: left to the orchestra seats, right to the balcony. The opera chamber itself is beautifully rendered. And Jiwoo also considered ease of access to the interior in designing the set’s mechanics.

Open Sesame, and All That

In the back of the building, at one corner, one can find a button. With a simple press, the rear wall of the opera house can open wide on hinges. Now one can check out the opera chamber, scaled for minifigures. Like with the library, The Opera comes with just one doorman minifig. But it would be possible to fill the inside with LEGO minifigures. Play out productions of “Barber of Seville” or maybe “Hamilton” if you prefer something modern.

Jiwoo’s LEGO Ideas submissions are yet more aspiring sets that could slot right in to any LEGO City neighborhood. They also have a unifying aesthetic of their own to really stand out from other brick-buildings. Nobody knows how First 2022 Review will play out, but this set has our vote if we had one.

We at The Brick Show have made the website visit to LEGO Ideas for 10-K support updates often enough. Whenever we check new additions to the current Review Stage, we see some cool submissions at Product Ideas’ front page. Some of these would eventually gain their needed 10,000 supporters and we’d cover them when they do. One such product idea has indeed performed that feat and we’ll feature it now. This one’s notable as a mechanically-focused set. We showed you such a submission as part of First 2022 Review, with The LEGO Toilet. 10k Club Member Minibrick Productions aims to outdo that with this build.

What could be better than a LEGO Toilet with flush mechanism? How about a near 1:1 reproduction of the Polaroid SX-70 camera? In the late 20^th Century, Polaroid was a household name in terms of instant-developing photography. The One-Step SX-70 is among the most iconic Polaroid camera models. Using 538 LEGO pieces Minibrick Productions reproduced the camera with instant photo pop-out action. The build provides for several sample photo-plates that could be swapped and loaded into the camera. A twist of the left-side gear and the “developed” Polaroid photo rolls out or in as needed.

Beyond the photographic print rollout, this brick-built Polaroid cam features a transparent viewfinder. The front can also open up to insert photos, but the interior also replicates the SX-70’s inner workings. Minibrick Productions proves their well-deserved 10K Club membership in LEGO Ideas with this submission. We know we come across as contradicting ourselves with every new “strong” submission. But this one’s pretty cool. Will the Ideas Reviewers agree? It’ll be a long wait to find out. In the meantime, this First 2022 Review Stage will have more 10-K entries yet.