LEGO Retro Tin (5007016) GWP Still Active Until Nov 25

Last Saturday and Sunday the LEGO VIP Weekend gave way some sweet promotional items (GWP or VIP point redemption). One item, Santa’s Front Yard (40484), will return for Black Friday through Cyber Monday. The rest did not…or at least so we thought. One item from that VIP Weekend wasn’t even a LEGO-brick set at all. It was a nifty tin plate, artificially aged, and sporting an old LEGO logo. The LEGO Retro Tin (5007016) required an above-average minimum purchase threshold to be acquired as GWP. Apparently enough people liked it, or there are still leftovers, that LEGO extended its promo.

As Brick Fanatics tells us, redemption of the LEGO Retro Tin (5007016) went beyond the VIP Weekend window. As of this writing VIP collectors can still claim it for a minimum LEGO purchase of over $250. The extended promo will last until this Thursday, November 25. Yes, it’ll end before Black Friday. But the operative word might be “probably,” especially if not enough people are getting the item to clear supplies. Still, there are enough big-priced LEGO sets to get right now to reach $250. Let’s find out if LEGO decides to extend this GWP redemption anew later this week.

LEGO Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2021 Promo Rundown

In case the excitement of the LEGO VIP weekend this past weekend made you forget: that was only the appetizer. The real highlight of November for shoppers is Black Friday/Cyber Monday. For the year 2021 that runs from November 26 to 29. LEGO’s November 20-21 VIP weekend had some special offers recurring for Black Friday. And of course, let’s not forget the LEGO Star Wars UCS AT-AT (75313) launching that day. We’ll also get new treats, some of which go active only on Cyber Monday. The Brick Fan got the scoop on a Cyber Monday VIP gift. LEGO Shop tells us the rest of it.

About that LEGO VIP item, it was spotted by The Brick Fan first on LEGO Shop Australia. They also posted the Black Friday/Cyber Monday promotions, seconded later by the rest of LEGO.com worldwide. What are we expecting this weekend? These:

lego holiday tree instore gwp

  • LEGO Star Wars Luke Skywalker’s Lightsaber (40483) – GWP with the UCS AT-AT (75313), a Black Friday launch
  • Seasonal set Santa’s Front Yard (40484) – GWP with LEGO purchases over $170
  • Seasonal Holiday Tree – in-store GWP with LEGO purchases over $40

And here we have the LEGO VIP exclusive offers:

  • Rewards Sale – vouchers and discounted VIP rewards starting Black Friday
  • VIP Sweepstakes – VIP members can join, no purchases needed; chance to win 1 million VIP points!

Finally, these VIP offers kick in ONLY for Cyber Monday, November 29:

lego vip blanket

  • LEGO Fleece Blanket – GWP with VIP purchases over $200
  • $5 discount voucher – get with redemption of 455 VIP points (usual rate at 650 points)

Enjoy your Black Friday/Cyber Monday LEGO shopping! This too is but a prelude for the hectic Holiday rush, after all.

Star Wars UCS AT-AT (75313) Midnight Opening Sale at Leicester LEGO Store

“We’ve sighted Imperial walkers.” So went the dreaded line in the Rebel Alliance’s Echo Base, planet Hoth, during “The Empire Strikes Back.” LEGO-wise, we’ve been sighting said four-legged AT-AT walker in (its latest) brick-built form all month. That was since November 5 when LEGO revealed their impressive Ultimate Collector’s edition of the Imperial AT-AT (75313). The set counts as one of the highlights for LEGO’s Black Friday 2021 event frenzy. It launches November 26 after all. LEGO Star Wars UCS collectors have marked this as a priority acquisition. In the UK, a LEGO branded store is already making necessary preparations.

According to Brickset, the UK flagship LEGO Store in Leicester Square, London is opening very early Friday night. How early? Try midnight on the dot of the 26th of November. Like a midnight book launch, this is to enable Londoners to get their UCS AT-AT (75313) real early. One would expect stocks of the set to run out quickly when the sun rises. As for the midnight sale, it will only run from 12AM to 2AM on Friday. One extra caveat however: would-be early buyers of the UCS AT-AT must first gain a special-access wristband from the Leicester LEGO Store the day before. And they’ll only have 200 to give.

LEGO Store Leicester Square will begin distributing the midnight UCS sale wristbands to customers at 10:30AM, November 25. These early birds will also receive a “special midnight opening gift” alongside their new LEGO UCS set (75313). Hopefully that wasn’t just a fanciful way of referring to Luke Skywalker’s Lightsaber (40483). This is already expected as a LEGO Star Wars GWP.

Reddit User Motorizes LEGO Titanic (10294) Pistons, Screws

Quite a lot of recently-released LEGO sets could be considered newsmakers, each and every one. But the set that really holds that distinction would have to be the LEGO Titanic (10294). A scale model of one largest early-20th Century ocean liner still translates into one of the biggest LEGO sets. Such is the size of this brick-built Titanic that it could be divided into sections to show off the interior. The insides feature moving parts, from the steam engines to the outside propellers they drive. At first glance the 10294 interior looks too cramped to insert motor functions. But a Reddit user refutes that perception.

Featured on r/lego over in Reddit, user bertr0id showcased a video of his motorization of the LEGO Titanic (10294). Looking at the model’s insides, with the ultra-micro-scale inner decks, it doesn’t seem feasible to put a motor in. One might have to remove some of the 9,090 set pieces to make room. Somehow bertr0id found a way, leaving only the motor battery outside with wires leading in. The motorization makes the steam pistons pump and the rear screw-props spin. However the first setup had the screws rotating in the same direction (they don’t in actual ships). The second attempt, uploaded over the weekend, corrects this.

The LEGO Titanic set (10294) has been a mind-blowingly beautiful and expensive new addition to collector’s wish-lists. The tiny details and the engine-propeller articulation gained much praise from builders. It may never have been meant to be motorized, but the efforts of bertr0id deserve recognition. Interestingly, his Reddit post got removed by moderators. You can still check it there.

ADDENDUM: Thanks to the creator himself, Bert “bertr0id” de Jong, for stating the correct action of the Titanic screw propellers.

LEGO Japan Showcases Two-Set Fusions of Sets Available on Amazon.JP

The key concept of LEGO has always been that, with any given number of bricks, one can build anything. True, most packaged LEGO sets are to build a specific building/vehicle/etc. They even have instruction manuals so that builders can assemble the pieces exactly as pictured. But ultimately, building with LEGO bricks can be one of the best outlets for creative freedom. LEGO Japan two Saturdays ago demonstrated that fact in partnership with Amazon Japan. The results of that promotional activity on social media would grab attention and ignite builder creativity.

Brick Fanatics brings us this interesting social media activity made possible by the Japanese divisions of LEGO and Amazon. The challenge: How would you combine two different LEGO set builds into a unified creation? LEGO JP’s original Twitter post (November 13, 2021) even provides an example.

The “Before” photo showcases the completed LEGO Technic Off-Road Buggy (42124) and LEGO Monkie Kid Lion Guardian (80021). The “After” photo reveals the Buggy revamped to have the Lion Guardian as a motif. LEGO Japan invites viewers to visit Amazon JP’s page, and post their own two-set fusions in the comments. Let’s go over to Amazon’s Japanese page now.

lego amazon jp friends

In the page, we see two LEGO Friends sets, Friendship Bus (41395) and Heartlake City Organic Café (41444). They get fused into a curious double-decker food truck.

lego amazon jp ninjago

Two Ninjago sets – Jungle Dragon (71746) and Zane’s Titan Mech (71738) – fuse into a dragon robot. It looks similar to mecha plastic models by Bandai.

lego amazon jp ideas botanical

The real Japanese essence of this LEGO-Amazon team-up lies in this particular build. LEGO Ideas Tree House (21318) plus Botanical Collection Bonsai Tree (10281) equals Sakura Tree House. The featured LEGO sets are mostly available on Amazon.jp, or you can just go LEGO.com. They’re very inspiring fusions, right?

LEGO Ideas Stratocaster Contest Now on Crowd Vote

Almost two months will have passed since the release of the LEGO Ideas Fender Stratocaster (21329). This set, which builds the iconic electric guitar (in two color options) plus Princeton amp, is undoubtedly a hot seller. To make things easy for collectors, LEGO Ideas launched a contest early in October. Ten lucky participating Ideas members could snag the Stratocaster set (21329). The grand winner will additionally receive not just the Ideas Grand Piano (21323) but a genuine Fender Player Stratocaster. The entry phase ended November 4. Following expert review, LEGO Ideas have put the best submissions to the Crowd Vote.

ideas stratocaster contest hendrix

To emphasize the musical nature of this contest’s prize, LEGO Ideas selected 40 entries during their expert review. It’s a Top 40 countdown, get it? The fan vote started last Friday, November 19, and will continue until this Friday, the 26th. Take a look-see now at these lucky review passers. They’re all brick-built diorama homages to the Stratocaster and its place in rock music history. No coincidence that the 40 entries contain a lot of Jimi Hendrix. You can also spot some Beatles and Buddy Holly, or even Green Day if you want something “recent.”

ideas stratocaster contest beatles

Of the Top 40 submissions to this LEGO Ideas contest, ten will get the Ideas Stratocaster (21329). Nine of these will be runners-up, with the last claiming a real Stratocaster guitar (#0144502513) on top of things. If you’re a member on LEGO Ideas, why not cast your vote? The winners will be announced December 2.

Not Two But Four LEGO Astronaut Minifigs on Artemis 1 2022 Space Mission

As 2021 nears its end, space flight fans await February 2022 and the first (unmanned) launch of the Artemis program. This unmanned mission will send an Orion spacecraft on a trip around the moon. The journey will test these all-new space delivery systems in anticipation of carrying a manned crew. But “unmanned” doesn’t mean “unoccupied.” The Orion capsule will carry humanoid test dummies to simulate flight conditions and test for radiation. Extra “passengers” include astronaut minifigures from LEGO, a partner with NASA for promoting the Artemis program. Initial reports noted two minifigs for the mission. Apparently the number’s actually double.

Brick Fanatics reports that there will be four LEGO minifigures going up with the Orion spacecraft on Artemis 1. We already know two of them: animated characters who star in LEGO Education’s “Build to Launch” STEAM exploration series. Their names, if you recall, are Kate and Kyle. Now apparently, they will be joined by two astronaut minifigs from the main LEGO City theme. The names of the new additions: Julia and Sebastian. The quartet gets to follow in the space-flight footsteps of three aluminum-built minifigures aboard the Juno space probe. They reached their destination, the planet Jupiter, back in 2016.

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LEGO looks to be harnessing their NASA partnership to synergize their upcoming space-flight LEGO City sets. We already covered the rumored Rocket Launch Pad (60351?) supposed to launch (product-wise) on March 2022. We have to wonder if Artemis 1 “astronauts” Sebastian and Julia are part of that set’s minifigure crew.

LEGO Ideas Ninjago Game Contest Showcase: Watch and Vote Now

As we’ve featured before, the LEGO Ideas Ninjago 1-Button Game Challenge is one of the most technical contests they’ve held. Not many Ideas members could just program a microgame using the game engine of Unity, LEGO Ideas’ contest partner. All the same, a lot of submissions were made during the intake phase until early November. The Ideas expert review thinned these entries down to 15. These microgames now face the vote of the LEGO Ideas community for a week-long period. The winners have cool prizes waiting for them by next month. But what do these competing microgames look like anyway?

The Ideas team has that covered, thanks to this video from Unity’s official YouTube channel. Two LEGO reps and one Unity do a pick-and-play showcase of the Top 15 Ninjago 1-Button Game challenge entries. Despite the title, the theme of the microgames didn’t need to strictly be LEGO Ninjago. That means you’ll be seeing some interesting simple-to-play games in the showcase. If you’re a LEGO Ideas member, you can vote for your favorite at the official contest page here.

Your vote could decide which of these plucky microgame designers win the prize LEGO sets and paid Unity perks. Remember that each Ideas member can vote three times per contest, and only once per single entry. The crowd vote ends next Thursday, November 25, with the winners being announced December 2.

Dubai Toyota Dealership Showcases 1:1 Scale-Build LEGO Land Cruiser 300

LEGO and cars make a perfect combination, and it has been since the brand’s early days. The evolution of LEGO bricks and pieces led to many automobile sets over the years of varying complexity. Even actual car brands know the power of promotional partnership with LEGO. Car enthusiasts must have been just as excited as LEGO collectors were to see the 1:1 scale Bugatti Chiron. That reconstruction may have made news due to being fully-mobile, but other parties have been building life-sized LEGO cars. So, in a topic we haven’t covered in some time, consider this to-scale LEGO car MOC from the Middle East.

Car and Driver tells us that the MOC build was commissioned by a Toyota dealership in Dubai, UAE. The subject: the 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser 300. Luckily for Al-Futtaim Toyota, they were able to contact a locally-based certified LEGO builder to work on this masterpiece. Said certified builder led a 12-member team to work on this life-sized brick-built Land Cruiser. It took them 2,688 total work-hours to complete the sculpture using 440,000 LEGO bricks. But what beauty the result was! The LEGO Land Cruiser 300 copies the actual SUV’s dimensions perfectly. Its combined brick-weight of 4,500lbs/2,050kg even comes close to the original’s over 5,700 lbs.

This LEGO Toyota Land Cruiser will be on display next to the real thing at Al-Futtaim’s showroom inside Dubai Mall. Emirati shoppers and tourists can drop in to check it out up until December 15. One might just imagine an official scaled-down LEGO set (Technic/Speed Champions?) just looking at it. Interestingly, the real Land Cruiser 300 is not going to be available in the US. Only the luxury-edition 2021 Toyota Lexus LX is coming over.

LEGO City Rumor: Rocket Launch Pad Set for 2022

LEGO and space exploration have long been a classic theme combination. From the basic rocket-ship builds with Benny spacemen, space-themed LEGO sets have gone bigger and better. Some of these sets have been seen in LEGO City as late as 2019. LEGO also teamed up with NASA for some awesome joint projects. Toy-wise we got the Space Shuttle Discovery (10283). Elsewhere, LEGO Education created the “Build to Launch” STEM exploration series. In October came rumors that the “Build to Launch” minifigure characters might appear in new space-theme LEGO City sets. New speculation now reinforces the possibility of a LEGO City space set coming next year.

We’ve started keeping an eye out on Instagram’s brick_clicker for possible upcoming LEGO set leaks. This new one doesn’t disappoint. Apparently LEGO City will get a Rocket Launch Pad set, numbered 60351. The only other information regarding this rumored set includes price ($169.99) and possible launch (punny) window (March 2022). Oh yeah, and apparently this will be a retailer exclusive. We have no idea yet if any included minifigs might depict the “Build to Launch” crew. Judging from pricing though, Rocket Launch Pad (60351) is bigger than 2019’s Deep Space Rocket and Launch Control (60228).

LEGO feels overdue in following up from the 2019 LEGO City space sets, but better late than never. We still await the possibility that the “Build to Launch” characters will migrate from their LEGO Education series. But for now, the above news involves a leak/rumor. Best to take it with a grain of salt. LEGO ought to confirm or debunk this speculation sooner or later.