Do you hear that, readers? That’s the sound of Christmas getting ever closer! And what better way to count down to the big day than with day 23 of TBB’s LEGO advent calendar roundup? That’s just what we’re doing, so why not join us as we open up the City, Friends, Star Wars, Harry Potter and Marvel calendars on offer this year?

As ever, our intrepid TBB team is on hand with witty comments, insightful observations, and bad jokes for each day’s builds. And of course, you can add your own thoughts in the comments section each day! So without further ado, let’s crack open the build for day 23…

There wasn’t much space for presents in the sleigh yesterday, so it’s a good job we get a trailer for LEGO City today. And if that’s not enough room, we can always put some in the second carriage for the Friends Christmas train.

I’m getting a sense of déjà vu from the tree in the Potter calendar. The Ewok hang glider is a neat build, but what is Marvel’s meant to be? Is it a target to help Captain America land his jetpack?

Kyle: Paying homage to Hawkeye, the Marvel calendar gives us a bulls-eye today.

Bre: Kyle, I thought the bullseye was suppose to be a giant Cap shield. Love the cute little train though.

Lino: Another rocket/tree. The train all together is rather cool.

Ben: I think it could be Star Wars’ weakest day today, but the pay-off for the part-builds arrives and both are successful offerings.

Daniel: The completed train feels like the perfect painted wooden toy made by the elves. Not sure about the captain America shield as a base for the tree though. Seems a bit undignified.

Bart: Love the amount of christmas trees in the Harry Potter advent. This little LEGO christmas train has to be the cutest so far.

The Friends calendar hasn’t had much to shout about this year, so it’s nice to see the whole consist getting some love from TBB Towers! And while City’s sleigh has its own yuletide pilot, the Friends have had to borrow a festive driver from Star Wars…

< 2023 LEGO advent calendars day 22 | 2023 LEGO advent calendars day 24 >

The post 2023 LEGO Advent Calendars, Day 23 [Feature] appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

 Join us as we open up the LEGO advent calendars on the rundown to Christmas!
The post 2023 LEGO Advent Calendars, Day 23 [Feature] appeared first on The Brothers Brick.  Read More Feature, LEGO, City, Friends, Harry Potter, LEGO Advent Calendar, Marvel, Star Wars The Brothers Brick 

When we asked what LEGO moments meant the most to our readers, you all answered with a plethora of LEGO moments covering the last 12 months. There were tales of set construction, attendance at conventions and shows, awards won, and one big collab that people can’t stop talking about! Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill out the form. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to cover every submission we received in this write-up. But don’t let that stop you from talking about your favorite LEGO moments of the past year in the comments. Now, let’s unpack all these great responses!

The sets we built

While several sets were mentioned in the responses, there was one that came up over and over again: Rivendell. The Lord of the Rings is a beloved theme for many LEGO builders, and the return of sets paying homage to Tolkien’s universe was definitely reason for celebration. Milo Page had some great words on his reaction to the set’s announcement and release:

“I have loved LEGO since I was a kid, but I only became interested (and then obsessed) with LOTR a few years ago. I’m also on the younger side, so I missed the initial wave of LOTR sets around ten years ago. When I first heard the rumors of a Rivendell set back in January, I just about lost it. I lost it again when the set was revealed. Not only had LEGO rebooted one of my favorite franchises that I had missed entirely as a kid, the set was absolutely gorgeous. The build is fantastic, it looks incredible, and it just feels like Rivendell from the books and the movies. LEGO knocked it out of the park with this set, and I desperately hope we get more like it in the future.”

And Jacob Tubbs shared a wonderful story about building the Wildflower Bouquet set with his daughter, proving the 18+ age limit on the box to only be a suggestion.

“I bought the Wildflower Bouquet for my wife for Mother’s Day, and the night before I secretly put it together with my 3-year old daughter, so we could surprise her mother the next day with it. She can’t read, and that includes the pictures in the instruction booklet. They are nearly incomprehensible to her.”

“I didn’t even realize at first that after I had finished one flower, she would find the pieces herself and start building the second flower. She just used the first one I built as the model to go off of. I only needed to help when the pieces were being difficult for her to handle. She built most of the flowers most of the way all on her own. I was very surprised. And very proud. And her mother loved the flowers all the more because of it.”

The events we attended

When we weren’t building sets, we were out attending conventions and events, displaying our work and enjoying that of others. For many of us, our best LEGO moment from 2023 happened on one of these excursions. And for Steven Stelter, that excursion took him to another continent:

“Attending my first AFOL Day at the LEGO House and first time in Billund with my friends from around the world.”

Others kept their convention trips more continental, while their experiences were no less consequential. Zane Houston, frequently featured for his outstanding mech work on TBB, attended his first convention this year at Brickworld in Chicago:

“When I got there I carried my cardboard box full of bubble wrap through the hotel only to see people backing U-haul trailers in to the convention hall and unloading massive, custom-built crates made for their displays. I felt like a fish out of water and I was questioning what I was even doing there. After setting up my MOCs I walked outside to head towards the food truck and Lego-celebrity Simon Liu stopped me and greeted me with a hug and immediately made me feel welcome.”

“Since Brickworld, I have stayed in touch with the amazing members of OrphanLUG. More than just accomplished builders, they are some of the nicest, genuine, and welcoming people I’ve ever met. It probably doesn’t seem like much to them when they share music, memes, and non-lego hobbies but for the first time in 13 years I have legitimate friends in the Lego community.”

But for some, it had nothing to do with meeting up with LEGO friends or displaying their creations. Some like Joe B. just wanted to take in a great display of brick-built creativity.

“My brother and his wife drove from out of town to spend a day at Brickworld Indy with me and my daughters and we had a great time. We saw lots of amazing MOCs and the girls got to build in a LEGO Masters style contest hosted by a former contestant. My sister-in-law may be a bigger AFOL than me now and starting to collect modulars and make her own city.”

By the way, here’s the result of Zane’s first LEGO convention. We certainly enjoyed the Chert Chewer here at TBB, too!

The awards and opportunities we earned

And speaking of awards, some of us achieved some great things in LEGO this past year. I know this was a meaningful year of opportunities for me, personally. But Blair Archer may just have me beat. He wrote:

“Starting my dream job as a Designer for The LEGO Group, after 10 years of working towards this goal!”

Congratulations, Blair! And not that it’s a competition, but Jan Woźnica also subtly hinted at his big LEGO moment of 2023.

“Release of the 21340 Tales of the Space Age set”

Other wins occurred closer to home, like when Kimberly Giffen took Best in Show at BrickCon for the second year in a row with the Silver Pavilion. But she keeps those larger accomplishments in perspective:

“But what I enjoy most is the community. It isn’t a big moment, it’s the combination of all the small moments. It’s a quiet conversation with another builder before a convention opens. It’s attending the monthly LUG meeting and sharing a dinner with other AFOLs. It’s about the shared experience of doing a LEGO event with someone.”

You can see Kimberly with her award-winning build below.

The masses we assembled

A good chunk of the submissions we received mentioned a mega collaboration that occurred this year at Brickworld. And while we’ve covered a few of the pieces from this mega metropolis, we haven’t truly displayed the scope of this massive collaboration. Pinkwheels gave a pretty good description:

“New Hashima Cyberpunk collaborative build; 80 some builders, 20’x20′ layout and hundreds of LEDs. Build included several SHIPs, a custom cyberpunk train and MUSIC! I don’t think I will ever see 40 plus people sitting around in the dark listening to music staring at a Lego MOC like we had a Brickworld. Not to mention the great fun and camaraderie we had as a group building it for 3 days straight!”

One of the contributors, Kit, did a great job wrapping up the experience with the excellent phrase, “I started building cyberpunk cubes, and finished building memories.” And another regular on the TBB pages, Casey McCoy, had the following to say of his experience:

“…Being able to be a small part of it was the highlight of my LEGO life. A specific highlight was the World of Lights that took place on Saturday night. The whole New Hashima crew sat on the ground basking in the neon glow for hours. Could have stayed there all night.”

See below for a shot of the finished collaboration. But be sure to check out TBB alum and New Hashima coordinator Simon Liu‘s Flickr page for even more angles.

Wrapping up 2023

It’s definitely been a memorable 2023, full of so many moments in this great hobby of ours. As I think about my favorite times from the past 365 days, I am constantly brought back to meetings and events with my LEGO users group and some of my fellow writers at TBB. Thank you again to everyone who took time to fill out our form, and let’s make some more great moments in 2024.

The post TBB readers speak! Your favorite LEGO moments of 2023 [Feature] appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

 Let’s recap the year of 2023 from the standpoint of our readers. What did you all find to be your favorite LEGO piece of the past year. Read on to find out!
The post TBB readers speak! Your favorite LEGO moments of 2023 [Feature] appeared first on The Brothers Brick.  Read More Feature, LEGO, Best of 2023, BrickCon, Brickworld, LEGO House, LEGO Ideas, New Hashima, Rivendell, Wildflowers The Brothers Brick 

Do you hear that, readers? That’s the sound of Christmas getting ever closer! And what better way to count down to the big day than with day 22 of TBB’s LEGO advent calendar roundup? That’s just what we’re doing, so why not join us as we open up the City, Friends, Star Wars, Harry Potter and Marvel calendars on offer this year?

As ever, our intrepid TBB team is on hand with witty comments, insightful observations, and bad jokes for each day’s builds. And of course, you can add your own thoughts in the comments section each day! So without further ado, let’s crack open the build for day 22…

We’re only a few sleeps from the big day, and we’re really getting in the mood as City has us building a sleigh today. There’s a carriage for yesterday’s loco to pull in Friends.

The Star Wars micro builds have been excellent this year, and today’s Star Destroyer keeps that trend going. Marvel’s Wong minifigure also looks good holding the tesseract. Harry Potter’s bench feels a little underwhelming by comparison, but I guess even minifigures need a place to sit!

Bart: A bench….

Ben: A little bit of an off day for all themes today but the sleigh is a nice build.

Daniel: Ohhh, HP phones it in again with a bench made with 3 parts. Sheesh. The Star Destroyer is okay, but I’m confused by the color choice and it feels like a weak build compared to the one that comes with the Super Star Destroyer set.

Kyle: Little known fact: the Tesseract holds both the Space Infinity Stone and the Holiday Spice Infinity Stone. The more you know!

Lino: The sleigh that slays.

Now that you mention it Lino, swords on a sleigh that’s zipping around people’s heads is probably a bit dangerous. Is that an OSHA thing? Or do sleighs fall under the remit of the FAA?

< 2023 LEGO advent calendars day 21 | 2023 LEGO advent calendars day 23 >

The post 2023 LEGO Advent Calendars, Day 22 [Feature] appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

 Join us as we open up the LEGO advent calendars on the rundown to Christmas!
The post 2023 LEGO Advent Calendars, Day 22 [Feature] appeared first on The Brothers Brick.  Read More Feature, LEGO, City, Friends, Harry Potter, LEGO Advent Calendar, Marvel, Star Wars The Brothers Brick 

A new year often means a new set of Collectible Minifigures from LEGO, and 2024 brings with it the landmark 25th set (not counting the licensed lines, like Marvel, DC, and the Muppets). Over time, a lot has changed about LEGO’s approach to this line – like new packaging and a more even distribution of figures. But hopefully, what hasn’t changed is LEGO’s commitment to quality, with the CMFs brining extensive prints, fun new accessories, and plenty of charm. So, let’s take a look at this newest set and see how it compares to the two dozen sets that came before it. 71045 Collectible Minifigures Series 25 will be available January 1st for US $4.99 | CAN $5.99 | UK £3.49.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Unboxing the case and packaging

Series 25 debuts a new tower style box, which holds exactly 12 of the new cardboard individual packages that debuted with the second series of Marvel CMFs. This means each tower can be expected to hold one complete set of figures (although we’re sure larger boxes will also be available). The tower allows for an individual figure box to be easily slid out of the slot at the bottom, and they can be reloaded via a similar slot up top.

The new individual boxes eliminate the ability to feel for any special parts, making it tougher to find the exact figure you want, but even distribution shouldn’t make it too hard to track down your favorites. As is traditional, the figures come disassembled, with a black display stand and checklist.

Triceratops Costume Fan

First up in the Series 25 roster is someone who will make a great companion to Series 24’s T-Rex Costume Fan. The Triceratops Costume Fan sports a brand-new dual-molded dinosaur head element, but reuses the rubbery tail of his T-Rex pal. The olive-green plastic is paired with brown spots on his arms and back, as well as a rather reptilian belly print on his torso.

He sports a double-sided head, one side with a slight grin and the other with a gigantic smile. No doubt he’s excited about meeting his hero from the recent Jurassic Park sets.

Sprinter

Athletics is a common theme for LEGO to explore in the CMF lines, and this series’ Sprinter is one of my favorites in that regard. We’ve seen the Sprinter’s prosthetic leg mold in use before, but I believe it’s previously only been available as a left leg. So, it’s nice to have that available for both legs now. He’s also sporting (get it?) a first-place stand and gold medal.

The Sprinter’s medium azure jersey is emblazoned with the number 2024, and his new mop of curly hair helps conceal his second expression – either pushing through the pain or elated by the win.

Film Noir Detective

The Film Noir Detective is one of the cleverer ideas we’ve seen in the CMF line. Cast entirely in black, white, and shades of grey, this private eye has stepped right out of an old black and white mystery movie. Why, then, is his accessory a primary color? Why, because it’s a red herring, of course. (Which he can examine with the included magnifying glass.)

The Detective’s dual-molded legs do a decent job of mimicking black trousers poking out from beneath a long trench coat. The up-turned collar might be a bit of overkill, and I like the look of the figure better without it. Also, this is one of the rare single expression CMFs, as the dark bluish gray fedora does little to hide the back of the head, even with that giant collar included.

Train Kid

What would a Collectible Minifigure line be without an over-the-top costume? From boats to trees to LEGO bricks, minifigures love a giant costume. Train Kid’s locomotive brings plenty of pieces with it, including red skateboard wheels and a printed dish. (In theory it should also have a black tile on the back, but mine either wasn’t included or got misplaced.)

Stepping outside of the train, you can see Train Kid sporting a pair of overalls with a neckerchief and a snazzy sand blue flat cap. The cap doesn’t quite cover the back of his head, so the single expression is all you get. But with that big smile and the color coordinated eye patch, a single expression is all you need. Plus, it’s always nice to get another pair of the posable medium legs.

Goatherd

The Goatherd is likely to be the most sought-after figure in the line, but more for his accessory than himself. That’s right, LEGO has finally brought the goat back. (It was previously only available in one single set, and the piece has fetched more than $60 on the secondary market in the past.) I’m sure there will be some who would have preferred the goat be in a mainline set, rather than packaged with a blind boxed figure, but once the line has reached saturation in the market, finding some loose goats shouldn’t be too vexing.

The Goatherd himself has plenty to like besides his animal pal. Dual molded legs and lots of medieval-style printing, as well as a backpack, hood, walking stick, and…a white round tile. What is that? A salt lick for the goat, maybe? He’s also sporting an unshaven face with awake and sleeping expressions.

Vampire Knight

Continuing the medieval trend, but veering into the realm of fantasy, we have the Vampire Knight. I used to love the Fright Knight subtheme as a kid, so it’s a ton of fun to see it revisited here. The Vampire Knight has a glowing battle axe made from four pieces, a battle helmet, as well as a shield printed with the Fright Knight logo. He also has a cape that’s red on one side, and printed with the Fright Knight theming on the other. Unlike a lot of the softer, modern cape accessories, this has that old school, stiff paper texture, which will help him blend in with your retro sets.

The Knight’s helmet entirely covers his face, which is a shame because he has a double-sided head with both closed mouth and open mouth/glowing eyes expressions. There’s a ton of charm to the vampire’s giant mustache, too. It makes his fangs sticking down look a bit like walrus tusks. (No one tell him I said that.)

Pet Groomer

A Collectible Minifigure line can’t be all detectives and vampires. You need a little of the everyday to help offer some variety, and the Pet Groomer fills that slot nicely. While the reappearance of the goat is sure to have people talking, I think the brand-new Afghan hound element might be more interesting overall. Hopefully a pair of scissors is all it will take to keep that dog looking its best, because that’s the only other accessory included.

There’s a case to be made that this is one of the weaker overall figures in the set. There’s plenty of printing on the torso and legs, on account of the apron, but it’s just an apron. And the two included expressions, grinning and smiling, don’t offer much variety. An “oops I cut off too much fur” look might have given the character more…well, character. The most interesting element of the figure is the new hair piece, a blonde ponytail with a dual-molded cochlear implant element. Between that and the new dog, it’s hard to say this figure doesn’t deliver, but I suspect no one is going to award it Best in Show.

Fitness Instructor

Speaking of everyday jobs with character, there’s absolutely nothing subtle about the Fitness Instructor. From her tattooed arm to her rock-hard abs, this is a minifigure with presence. Her ten-pound kettle bell keeps her in good shape and she stays hydrated with her Vita Rush-branded bottle.

She’s wearing gym shorts courtesy of some dual-molded legs and she keeps a smile on her face, even when she’s sweating.

E-Sports Gamer

And speaking of not subtle, the E-Sports Gamer makes a big statement. With pink hair, blue lipstick, and lime green headphones, you can tell this is not a person interested in blending in. Her sponsored uniform (featuring the aforementioned Vita Rush logo on the back) features dual-molded arms for a short-sleeved jersey look. And the eagle-topped pinstripes on the side of her pant leg will no doubt find itself as the pilot uniform in plenty of sci-fi custom builds.

And speaking of sci-fi, her included gaming keyboard and mouse are molded in black but printed with bright purple, yellow, and green, making them ideal for decorating any cyberpunk type-scenarios. Her double-sided expressions feature a stoic, “ready to tangle” grin and a cheerful, “I won” look for when she’s awarded her included trophy.

Mushroom Sprite

The Vampire Knight isn’t the only fantasy creature in this wave, but where the Vampire Knight is a creature of war, the Mushroom Sprite is just a fungi (or gal). Sporting a new hard plastic skirt piece over a static set of mini legs, the Sprite’s big draw is her mushroom cap. Dual molded in red and white, this hat will find plenty of uses among Super Mario custom builds (and maybe even a Smurf house or two).

The Mushroom Sprite also includes a friend from the forest in the form of a beautiful butterfly, molded in black with bright blue and green printing on the wings. The Sprite’s head features gentle smile and elated laughter expressions.

Fierce Barbarian

But friendly Sprites aren’t all that walk these woods, and the Fierce Barbarian is here to keep evil monsters at bay. The bright red hair and high cheekbones are giving Bridget Nielson vibes, but the overall design of the printing is versatile enough for all kinds of warriors. The arms have vambraces printed on them, and the dual molded legs feature furry pants and laced boots suitable for a Master of the Universe.

The accessories for this figure are limited to the sword. But what a sword it is – dual molded in two colors and sporting a hollow stud at the hilt. Beneath the Barbarian’s hair/headband piece you’ll find a stoic tough expression, or a rage filled snarl with battle paint around the eyes.

Harpy

The final member of this delightful dozen is also the most terrifying. Vampire Knight has nothing on the Harpy. From her dark blue faun legs to her dark purple wings and pink head, she’s like something out of Lisa Frank’s nightmares and I love it.

The Harpy comes sporting only the one expression, since her mohawk/ponytail piece doesn’t do much to cover the back of her head. But that’s okay. I’m less worried about the expression on her face and more worried about where she’s going to stick those golden Wolverine claws.

Conclusion and recommendation

I’ll be honest, I can’t imagine ever not recommending a line of Collectible Minifigures. This line continues all the trends that have made LEGO fans fall in love with the line. Great prints, new accessories, and most of all, tons of fun. And this set might be the most buyer friendly line to date. If you can track down a 12-figure tower you can score a whole set and don’t even have to worry about off-loading the extras.

71045 Collectible Minifigures Series 25 will be available starting January 1 for US $4.99 | CAN $5.99 | UK £3.49. They may also be available from third-party sellers on Amazon and eBay.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

The post LEGO 71045 Collectible Minifigures Series 25; is this series the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)? [Review] appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

 We’ve got an early look at the milestone 25th series of Collectible Minifigures!
The post LEGO 71045 Collectible Minifigures Series 25; is this series the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)? [Review] appeared first on The Brothers Brick.  Read More LEGO, News, Collectible Minifigures, Review The Brothers Brick 

Do you hear that, readers? That’s the sound of Christmas getting ever closer! And what better way to count down to the big day than with day 21 of TBB’s LEGO advent calendar roundup? That’s just what we’re doing, so why not join us as we open up the City, Friends, Star Wars, Harry Potter and Marvel calendars on offer this year?

As ever, our intrepid TBB team is on hand with witty comments, insightful observations, and bad jokes for each day’s builds. And of course, you can add your own thoughts in the comments section each day! So without further ado, let’s crack open the build for day 21…

After nearly a week without one, City ends its minifigure drought in style with a snowboarding Mrs. Claus! The presence of train tracks on the Friends ‘playmat’ suggested we’d get a train at some point, and the locomotive is here today.

The Harry Potter advent calendar has been pretty light on antagonists, but we do get Draco Malfoy today to provide a bit of snark. Emperor Palpatine’s throne is the Star Wars build, while Marvel’s dinner table looks awfully similar to one we got in another calendar on day 18…

Lino: OK, hear me out; Grannies on Snowboards! We could make a mint in the US market alone.

Kye: Lino, granny plans to break hips and records at the next Winter Olympics.

Bart: Granny looks good but so does Draco!

Ben: Mrs Claus looks great, and a snowboarder! Who knew?

We’re getting an awful lot of thrones across the calendars this year…

Daniel: I love the Emperor’s throne but surely they could have added a pine sprig to make it more festive.

In 1983 that chair of Palpatine was probably seen as a slightly mad high-tech throne, but these days it just looks like another gaming chair. Mighty comfy!

< 2023 LEGO advent calendars day 20 | 2023 LEGO advent calendars day 22 >

The post 2023 LEGO Advent Calendars, Day 21 [Feature] appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

 Join us as we open up the LEGO advent calendars on the rundown to Christmas!
The post 2023 LEGO Advent Calendars, Day 21 [Feature] appeared first on The Brothers Brick.  Read More Feature, LEGO, City, Friends, Harry Potter, LEGO Advent Calendar, Marvel, Star Wars The Brothers Brick 

The LEGO Group has had its hand in the video game industry for a long time. From its first PC games in the 90’s to popular, cross-platform, licensed titles in Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, Jurassic World, Harry Potter, DC, Marvel, and of course, Star Wars, it could be said that the company has had a prolific mark on gaming. But, like anything, there have definitely been games along the way that didn’t hit the mark. Join us as we dive into the latest partnership with Epic Games’ Fortnite to see if it’s a flop or winner. Plus, we’ll look at some loot! LEGO Fortnite is free and available now across multiple gaming platforms.

The LEGO Group and Epic Games sent The Brothers Brick some items for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

What is Fortnite?

Before we look at the game in detail, let’s first provide an intro to Fortnite. This Epic Games title has developed a few new aspects over the past couple years, but its most noteworthy claim to fame is how well it has executed “Battle Royale” mode. The main version of this game – which can be played across multiple platforms – involves a PvP (Player vs Player) arena consisting of a large, vivid world where 100 players are dropped to fight each other until there is only one victor standing. What makes it so popular is that there are multiple strategies to win, from hiding out until the end, to being a sniper, to building a giant structure and launching rockets to get attention. Instead of blood and gore, eliminated players evaporate into glitter and loot. The gorgeous map changes each “season” to include new loot, weapons, animals, vehicles, terrain, buildings, and even bosses that you can fight separately from the other players. You can also complete side quests to earn goodies from the season-specific “Battle Pass” like skins, dance moves and bling. Finally, the Sim-like character skins can be mixed and matched to create unique avatars for each player.

But, with all that said, Fortnite has other ways to play in its rich environment that don’t include killing each other. There’s a racing game called Rocket Racing, a concert stage called Fortnite Festival where live concerts with noteworthy artists perform, and a long-term survival story game called Save the World. (And of course, now “LEGO Fortnite,” which we’ll get to shortly.) Perhaps the best part is that all of these Fortnite games are connected and can be accessed in the same space, and are FREE (except for Save the World). There is no cost to jump into the game and play. There are items you can buy in the in-game store with “V-bucks” that initially cost real money to obtain – like the aforementioned skins, dance moves, etc. – but buying these items has no winning advantage in gameplay. Plus, earning XP (experience points) in one game gives you XP across all the games. XP can help you get goodies too!

How does LEGO fit into Fortnite?

In recent history, the creators of Fortnite have changed the Battle Royale game to offer the option to play with or without building (matchmaking on separate servers). Before that, fortune favored those who could build extremely fast. People using hotkeys on a PC surely had the best advantage over those on other gaming platforms. Save the World also has huge building aspect. But the point is this: harvesting resources and building structures has always been a big part of the game.  In fact, you’re born into Battle Royale with a pickaxe in hand for harvesting resources. Seeing as LEGO is entirely about building, it was a natural fit. Additionally, in some ways Fortnite is limitless, or at least has infinite ways to approach how you play, which is LEGO’s whole mantra.

The other thing here is that the rich landscape of Fortnite has largely stayed the same, with a somewhat subtle yet obvious twist: things like plants, animals, loot, and build elements are pretty tactfully translated into LEGO. Even skins have been adapted reasonably well, with over 1,200 showing up in both versions of the game, including the highly identifiable Fortnite classics like Peely the banana and Meowscles the muscle-bound cat. As mentioned a couple times, expressing oneself through dancing is a fun aspect of the original game, and again, this has translated surprisingly well into LEGO.

Gameplay

First and foremost, the biggest difference between LEGO Fortnite and Battle Royale is that LEGO is NOT a PvP game. You can attack or be attacked by creatures like skeletons, spiders, and wolves, but you can not attack or be attacked by other players. There are also two ways to play LEGO Fortnite. You can choose to create or jump into a world that is a “sandbox” where the focus is on building and exploring, and you choose your potential dangers. Alternatively, you can choose to create or jump into a world that is “survival” based, where the focus is to expand your village while specifically avoiding or managing dangers. These dangers include the aforementioned creatures, as well as hunger, temperature, and stamina.

While creating worlds, you have up to eight slots, with each world being quite customizable. In addition to sandbox vs. survival, you can choose a cover image and a seed number (starting point) if you’d like to pick up at a certain point of development in another person’s world. You can also choose whether or not the game will have enemies or consider hunger, temperature, and/or stamina. Finally, you can choose whether or not you’ll have unlimited resources, if you can be eliminated (and drop your inventory when you die), if there will be friendly creatures, or if there will be friendly villagers (NPCs, aka Non-Player Characters). If you dislike a world, you aren’t stuck with it forever. You can delete it and free up one of your 8 spots. Additionally, within each world, you are also allowed to give a “key” to friends so that up to 8 can play with you at a time.

Once inside the game, the general idea is to explore, collect resources (primarily wood, stone, and food), and build a thriving village. Killing bad creatures gives you unique resources, as does petting (or sadly, killing) good creatures like LEGO-built chickens, cows, and sheep. These resources help you craft specialty items. As you build a better village, you can upgrade it and more NPC villagers will join you. These villagers can be given jobs (like harvesting) to help you level up faster.

When crafting, you have a palette of basic building components, as well as blueprints for larger sections of structures and items. Because of this – like LEGO – the possibilities are endless.

Some resources can only be obtained from caves, treasure chests, or specific monsters, which you have to explore to find. Therefore another big element of play is to find, explore, and plunder caves. Additionally, sometimes a glowing orb will appear and guide you a chest or a llama piñata. These are the mascot of Fortnite, and when they show up in either game, the loot they drop tends to be especially good. (The GIF below is sped up significantly.)

The elephant (or creeper) in the room

While reading this, you might be thinking, “This sounds really familiar…” and you’d be right to a degree. LEGO Fortnite shares many similarities with Minecraft, the pixelated sandbox survival video game. It’s interesting and a bit cheeky that LEGO has had a partnership with Minecraft for several years, and now this. Minecraft and physical LEGO have always been a good match, with all of their pixel-y squared-ness, and the set line has been popular. However, there has never been a crossover videogame. It makes one question why.

Coming from the humble perspective of this reviewer, I think a couple things are at play. It could boil down to expensive licensing and complexity of implementation. Minecraft is not free, therefore not as accessible. Or it could be simple aesthetics. While Minecraft makes for good LEGO sets, LEGO does not necessarily make for good Minecraft. The visuals of animated minifigures that we have come to know and love do not translate as well into the uber-pixelated Minecraft universe. Converting LEGO to Minecraft or Minecraft to LEGO in a digital space seems almost pointless because it doesn’t really let either of them shine.

Minecraft might be the king of this style of sandbox gaming, but its not the only one. A handful of titles use similar mechanics successfully, and the LEGO Group is capitalizing on how well it plays into their schtick. Fortnite just provided the perfect backdrop and foundation for the concept to flourish. It elevates both brands better than the other pairing possibly could.

Our loot

As previously mentioned, Epic Games and LEGO did provide us with an influencers box of loot to review. Inside is a shirt, a brick-built llama (numbered and sealed in plexiglass), a poster, and a seemingly unrelated set: LEGO DreamZzz 71469 Nightmare Shark Ship. However, a note with the box mentioned that the Shark Ship does make a cameo in the game somewhere at some point.

The shirt is a product of Neutral brand, a company that prides itself on sustainability. This topic has been one that LEGO has tried to push and make a commitment to over the last several years, doing things like swapping from plastic packaging to paper. As previously stated, the llama piñata is the mascot of Fortnite, so it was fitting that one was included here. However, it sounds like this was a build activity at some recent events, so it’s not necessarily a rare exclusive, albeit numbered and sealed.

The poster came in a nice hard-case cardboard tube. It is apparently #6 out of 10 comic strip iterations. I’d love to see the others, but it’s unclear if these will be widely available.

As far as the Nightmare Shark Ship goes, you’re going to have to read our review to learn more about it!

Conclusions and recommendations

This review is being made after playing the game on both the PC and PlayStation 4 for a couple hours each. I cannot speak for other platforms but I found both to be a pleasant experience. I do see very easy entry for beginners, as the mechanics are quite simple and everything is labeled with the appropriate keys/buttons to push. In general, things are pretty intuitive. I really don’t have many complaints that are worth noting at this point. Perhaps my biggest gripe is that it stays nighttime too long for my taste. I also had a hard time finding a cave, but having just begun the game, I can’t complain too much. (Changing my outfit seemed to be my lucky charm though!) Additionally, FREE and accessible is nothing to take for granted.

If you’re a serious gamer, this will probably be a fun one to relax with from time to time. If you’re a casual, occasional gamer like myself, the same applies, but you might just find that it’s a little addictive, leaving you craving for more. For parents wondering if this is right for their kids, it’s understandable for you to be weary of Battle Royale, but I would highly recommend letting them give this one a go. It’s LEGO after all, and LEGO is made for everyone.

If you need more info directly from LEGO, you can visit the LEGO Fortnite parent’s guide here.

The LEGO Group and Epic Games sent The Brothers Brick some items for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

 

The post LEGO Fortnite – A video game match made in heaven? [Review] appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

 Come check out our take on the new partnership between Epic Games’ Fortnite and LEGO.
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After its gargantuan task of reviewing more than 70 LEGO product ideas, the LEGO Ideas design team has finally given its verdict. And as it turns out, the much-anticipated fan-crafted LEGO Ideas Twilight: Cullen House set is officially making its way into reality. This upcoming LEGO Ideas set managed to emerge as the next approved project from this year’s LEGO Ideas First 2023 Review.

The Potential of the LEGO Ideas Platform

The LEGO Ideas platform, since its inception back in 2014, continues to stand out as a platform where LEGO fans and builders can pitch their innovative LEGO set ideas. Community engagement plays a pivotal role, with projects accumulating over 10,000 votes considered for production.

And over the years, we have seen a steady and increasing number of creative builds finding their way to the coveted 10K spot where they get the chance to be reviewed as a marketable LEGO set. The fan-based platform has birthed a collection of remarkable sets, embracing originality and creativity which the LEGO brand is known for.

Pioneering Licensed Film Properties

What distinguishes LEGO Ideas from its other licensed themes is its potential to hear what the fan base wants, particularly about licensed properties based on the movie industry.

Fostering creations like the iconic DeLorean Time Machine (21103) from the Back to the Future franchise, or the more recent Disney Hocus Pocus: The Sanderson Sisters’ Cottage (21341), the mantle of the next cinema-inspired brick creation is now handed over to the LEGO Ideas Twilight: Cullen House set.

LEGO Ideas Twilight: Cullen House Set Takes Center Stage

As published on the LEGO Ideas blog site, the LEGO Twilight: Cullen House set has received the green light for production. Crafted by Nick Micheels, also known as LobsterThermidor over at the LEGO Ideas platform, this set meticulously recreates the iconic Cullen House from the Twilight movies. Comprising almost 3,000 pieces, it includes four minifigures: Bella, Edward, Jacob, and Carlisle.

Beyond the faithful depiction of the LEGO Ideas Twilight: Cullen House, the proposed set boasts additional features, such as a brick-built werewolf, a display showcasing the Cullens’ graduation caps, and a baseball bat with a glove. These additions are dedicated to encapsulating the film’s most defining moments.

Are We To See Future LEGO Ideas Twilight Sets?

The green light for the LEGO Ideas Twilight: Cullen House set offers another opportunity for LEGO to potentially expand the subtheme and offer more related sets. It’s not far-fetched, considering previous directions that LEGO opted to take with licensed themes such as LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog and LEGO Minecraft. We just have to wait and see.

LEGO Ideas Twilight: Cullen House – Pricing and Expected Release Date

Like any other approved LEGO Ideas set in the past, it will take a considerable amount of time before we can finally see the LEGO Ideas Twilight: Cullen House have a final pricing and release date. It’s safe to say that we might have some further news of development by the 3rd quarter of 2024.

In the meantime, be sure to follow us here on our blog for more LEGO Ideas news and updates.

The post A LEGO Ideas Twilight Set is Actually Happening appeared first on The Brick Show.

 After its gargantuan task of reviewing more than 70 LEGO product ideas, the LEGO Ideas design team has finally given its verdict. And as it turns out, the much-anticipated fan-crafted LEGO Ideas Twilight: Cullen House set is officially making its way into reality. This upcoming LEGO Ideas set managed to emerge as the next approved … Continue reading “A LEGO Ideas Twilight Set is Actually Happening”
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Following the reveal of the LEGO Ideas Twilight set, the next fan-made set that officially won the hearts of the LEGO Ideas team is the LEGO Ideas Botanical Garden. This fauna-inspired, brick-built garden has also triumphantly reached the coveted milestone of 10,000 fan votes with the eventual approval of the LEGO designers and creatives.

From Dreams to Bricks: The LEGO Ideas Legacy

Since its inception in 2014, the LEGO Ideas Campaign has been a beacon for imaginative LEGO fan builders longing to see their original brick creations materialize as official LEGO sets. This groundbreaking platform invites LEGO aficionados to submit their ingenuity, birthing a series of remarkable creations.

To date, the LEGO Ideas platform and fan base have borne witness to a cascade of exquisite models, each a testament to the boundless creativity of its proponents. Notable among these are other flora and fauna-inspired sets such as the LEGO Ideas Birds (21301) from 2015, and the more recent LEGO Ideas The Insect Collection (21342), both of which are supported by a huge LEGO following.

The Architectural Splendor of the LEGO Ideas Botanical Garden

Crafted by the ingenious LEGO fan designer Valentina Bima, known in the LEGO realm as Goannas89, the LEGO Ideas Botanical Garden is a testament to Bima’s architectural finesse. This botanical marvel boasts a meticulously detailed, fully-glazed greenhouse graced by a neoclassical entrance facade.

The approved set also features a spacious interior filled with botanical wonders —a cornucopia featuring a palm tree, a banana tree, an eclectic array of vibrant flowers, succulents, bamboo plants, and more.

LEGO Ideas Botanical Garden – Eight Minifigs Included

Valentina’s creation not only boasts architectural grandeur but also features a charming ensemble of eight minifigures, complete with an array of accessories, accompanied by a faithful canine companion. Comprising an impressive 3,000 pieces, this marvel stands at 11.3 inches in height, spans 10.4 inches in width, and delves 15.4 inches deep.

Pricing and Availability

While the fan-designed model showcased is an exciting glimpse into the exquisite craftsmanship of Valentina, it’s imperative to acknowledge that this is not the final rendition. There is plenty of room for this LEGO Ideas-approved project to be improved upon. Nevertheless, enthusiasts ardently anticipating the fusion of LEGO Architecture with the resplendence of brick-built flora and foliage will undoubtedly be excited to see and have the opportunity to build this set in the future.

Through the ingenuity of Valentina Bima and the support of LEGO fans worldwide, the LEGO Ideas Botanical Garden stands poised to usher in a new era of LEGO splendor. Any thoughts about this recently approved LEGO set? Let me know in the comments below.

The post The LEGO Ideas Botanical Garden Now Has a Chance to Bloom as an Official LEGO Set appeared first on The Brick Show.

 Following the reveal of the LEGO Ideas Twilight set, the next fan-made set that officially won the hearts of the LEGO Ideas team is the LEGO Ideas Botanical Garden. This fauna-inspired, brick-built garden has also triumphantly reached the coveted milestone of 10,000 fan votes with the eventual approval of the LEGO designers and creatives. From … Continue reading “The LEGO Ideas Botanical Garden Now Has a Chance to Bloom as an Official LEGO Set”
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Do you hear that, readers? That’s the sound of Christmas getting ever closer! And what better way to count down to the big day than with day 20 of TBB’s LEGO advent calendar roundup? That’s just what we’re doing, so why not join us as we open up the City, Friends, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Marvel calendars on offer this year?

As ever, our intrepid TBB team is on hand with witty comments, insightful observations, and bad jokes for each day’s builds. And of course, you can add your own thoughts in the comments section each day! So without further ado, let’s crack open the build for day 20…

Double food yesterday, double animals today! City and Friends are in sync once again. For the former, we have a dog guarding some milk and cookies for Santa; for the latter, we have a rabbit.

The Senate himself, AKA Emperor Palpatine, dons a fetching Death Star Christmas sweater for day 20. The Harry Potter build is a simple table and chair combo. Marvel has a tiny train and Captain America nano-fig. I’m pretty sure this depicts a scene from Winter Soldier.

Daniel: Milk and cookies for Santa’s chihuahua.

And another Star Wars character in a holiday sweater.

Bart: Love the reference to the best scene from the Antman movie.

Ben: That micro build train is a little delight. The Palpatine jumper is a great little design.

Lino: Palpatine’s finally getting into the Christmas spirit.

Kyle: Quick calendar comparison: the City calendar gives us a table, dog dish, and dog. The Friends calendar gives us a bunny of roughly the same size on a 2×2 jumper. Just really trying to drive the point home here.

Star Wars has established itself as a frontrunner for our team’s favourite calendar, but I don’t think it takes much to guess what our least favourite will be…

< 2023 LEGO advent calendars day 19 | 2023 LEGO advent calendars day 21 >

The post 2023 LEGO Advent Calendars, Day 20 [Feature] appeared first on The Brothers Brick.

 Join us as we open up the LEGO advent calendars on the rundown to Christmas!
The post 2023 LEGO Advent Calendars, Day 20 [Feature] appeared first on The Brothers Brick.  Read More Feature, LEGO, City, Friends, Harry Potter, LEGO Advent Calendar, Marvel, Star Wars The Brothers Brick