May The 4th Be With You!

A lot of junk shows up in the mail whenever I go to check it.  Lucky for me, on Thursday I received some mail from the LEGO® company.  It was an advertisement for LEGO's® Star Wars™ Day promotions.  From 30 April to 4 May at LEGO® Stores or from LEGO® Shop at Home, you can get the following:

     -Free Exclusive First Order Stormtroopers™ Minifigure
     -Double VIP points on all Star Wars™ Purchases
     -Free Star Wars™: The Force Awakens Poster on all Star Wars™ Purchases
     -A number of Star Wars™ LEGO® sets will be on sale

Also, if you've been paying attention.  The new LEGO® Star Wars™ Assault on Hoth™ (#75098) will be released on 30 April.  It's $249 and contains 2,144 pieces.  I haven't seen too many reviews of the set on any of the fan sites yet, but it looks like an interesting one.  

So if you'e been saving up for some Star Wars™ LEGO® sets, this might be the chance to get a good deal or at least some fun freebies. 

Set Review - Homing Spider Droid - #75142 - Star Wars

Another Star Wars set review I must do.  And I'll stop writing like Yoda now.  This is the Homing Spider Droid, #75142.  It comes from episode III in the second released trilogy.  This set is $29.99 in the US and contains 310 pieces.  That's $0.097 per piece which isn't too bad considering it's a Star Wars set.  This set was released on 1 March 2016 in the US and is still available now.  I got mine from LEGO Shop at home for double VIP points so I can't complain.  So should you get it too?

So let's get started.  The box front is pretty standard in the same theme that most of the other recent Star Wars sets I have reviewed have followed.   

The back also follows the same pattern.  It shows all the play features and the "weapons" included in the set.

The box contents are 3 bags of bricks, an instruction booklet that is shoved into the box and has a permanent crease, and the round Technic piece that serves as the main piece of the larger homing spider droid.

Bag 1 has 2 of the Battle Droids, completes the smaller homing spider droid, and starts the larger droid.  The Battle Droids are the same as previous sets.  The smaller homing spider droid is a simple build.  Nothing too special about it to talk about.

Battle Droids

The start of the larger homing spider droid.

Smaller Battle Droid with extra pieces.

41st Kashyyk Clone Trooper

Bag 2 continues with the larger homing spider droid.  In my opinion there are some good pieces included that could be useful in some MOCs or other builds.  It also includes a 41st Kashyyk Clone Trooper.  Last year LEGO released a minifigure pack of Kashyyk Clone Troopers.  This one is slightly different.  Last years are here and here.  The uniform is slightly different and they have the LEGO "shooting" blaster that flicks a 1x1 round plate.  This set has the standard LEGO Star Wars blaster.

Larger Homing Spider Droid build at the end of bag 2.

The final bag includes Yoda with a green light saber and adds the legs to the homing spider droid along with the weapon on the bottom.  The droid is a little flimsy and I think there was definitely a balance the designers took between making a larger, more expensive droid and a smaller, more affordable droid meant for kids aged 7 to 12 to play with.  As mentioned, there are some good pieces to used for MOCs too so if you don't like the droids, use the pieces elsewhere.

Yoda with light saber.

The final set with minifigures.

Overall, it's not a bad set.  The homing spider droid isn't a super exciting build, but if you're looking to recreate a Star Wars battle scene, this might be a good set to get.  The minifigures are good.  Yoda is always popular and you can't ever have too many clone troopers right?  Well maybe you can.  The battle droids aren't really exciting and tend to be in a lot of sets so nothing too special there.  I rate this set as middle of the road.  It's not bad, but there really isn't anything too special about it.  What are your thoughts?

Set Review - Burj Khalifa - #21031

The LEGO Architecture Theme is one that I don't deal with much.  I have a few of the sets, but I don't often purchase many.  With that being said, they are actually pretty impressive small scale representations of actual buildings.  I recently purchased  the LEGO version of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world located in Dubai, UAE.  This set is numbered 21031.  This is actually the second version.  The first version (21008) was released in mid-2011 and was around until the end of 2013.  The current version (21031) was released on 2 January 2016 and is still available at the time of this blog post.  It is priced at $39.99 (in the US) and with 333 pieces that puts it at $0.12 per piece.  This is a bit pricey in my opinion.  Thankfully, I got mine at a discount from Amazon for $35.90 or $0.108 per piece.  Not exactly a super deal, but I'll take it.

Here is the box front.  Like most Architecture sets it shows the completed version with the name of the building and where it is located.  

The back shows the LEGO model next to a picture of the actual building.  It also gives dimensions of the model and a quick description of the building.

Here are the contents.  The box contains two bags of bricks, a card asking the builder to take a survey and the instruction booklet.  The instruction booklet contains a few pages of details about the building (in numerous languages) along with the building instructions (and is quite thick).

As you can expect, the build uses some SNOT (Studs Not On Top) techniques.  The age listed on the box is 12+ so while younger kids can build it, they may need the help of an adult depending on their experience with LEGO builds.  Here is the first picture I took during the build.  Like most Architecture builds, the base contains a plate with the name of the building printed on it.  The instruction booklet is so thick that I had to use the scissors to prop it open for the picture.  It wouldn't stay open on it's own.  This isn't a complaint, just an observation.

Here is the next build picture.  Did I mention this set comes with a brick separator?  At this point you can see how the structure is built and where the external decorative pieces go.  

Here is the final build.  At 15 inches tall, it was hard to get a good picture with my iPhone.

Here is the set laying down.  I'm not sure this is a better view.

Here is a close up of the base.  I like this version much better than the older one from 2001.  The detail is much better and I think it looks closer to what the actual building looks like.

I thought this build was sleek and a great detailed build.  I realize many like minifigs and some of the themes that have more "playability," but the Architecture theme really stands out as a way to show how LEGO bricks can be used to re-create just about anything.  If you are interested in these sets, I only have one in my store.  It's the Leaning Tower of Pisa and can be found here.  To view the current LEGO offerings direct from LEGO you can see them here.  As always, check Walmart, Target, and Amazon online to see what discounts they are offering.  Right now, Amazon has a few Architecture sets lists at 24% off in the US.  

Do you like the Architecture theme?  Let me know what you think in the comments.

What's inside the container?

It's always fun when the delivery folks stop by and drop off a container with a distinctive rattle in it.  Some of the delivery folks have even made comments that there must be happy children inside the home given all of the LEGO orders you guys make.  I'll qualify myself as a big child.  Anyways, LEGO typically ships USPS or FedEx.  Amazon orders ship UPS or USPS.  This poor order was shipped UPS and like many previous UPS shipments, it arrived looking like someone kicked it from the street to my door.  Upon opening it, thankfully the massive dent is where some of those air pack bags were so no damage to the sets.  

So what's inside?  Well 4 sets actually, but I'm going to talk about 2 here.

The LEGO Architecture theme is one that is under represented in my opinion.  Part of it, I think, is that it is geared towards older builders and not the 7 to 12 year old range that most LEGO sets are built for.  Also, there are no minifigures which are a popular reason to buy sets (in my opinion).  I have a few LEGO Architecture sets and only 1 in the store, but I figured I would branch out and try a few more.  Amazon had a sale so I went for it.  #21031 is the Burj Khalifa... the tallest building in the world which is located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.  I have never seen the real building, but it's pretty amazing looking just from pictures.  The other one I purchased was #21028, New York City.  This is part of the new Skylines series where they have mini-builds of some of the famous buildings in some cities.  Right now there is only New York City, Berlin, and Venice.  I hope they expand... perhaps to some cities in Asia like Beijing?  Either way, I am looking forward to building these.

Next week I will give an update on our Pencils of Promise campaign, list where we're at on Brick Classifieds, and talk about a few things that have been added to the Bricks for Bricks store.

Set Review - Droid Escape Pod - #75136

Are these the droids you're looking for?  As mentioned previously, I purchased a few Star Wars sets during the LEGO Shop at Home double VIP point sale and one of them was the Droid Escape Pod #75136.  This set is a recreation of R2-D2's and C-3PO's escape from the rebel ship and landing on Tatooine from Episode IV.  This set is $24.99 in the US with 197 pieces or $0.127 per piece.  This is quite high compared to the average of about $0.10 per piece, but as it's Star Wars, LEGO tends to set higher prices (and we keep buying them).  This set contains 4 minifigures, R2-D2, C-3PO, and 2 Jawas.  Should you get this set too?  Let's find out.

Here is the box front.  It's your standard container with a picture of the set, the minifigures listed on the bottom right, and then like the last few I've reviewed it has Kylo Ren in the upper right even though he wasn't in the original trilogy.

Here is the back.  Again, it's pretty standard.  It shows some of the features of the set and the Jawa's "weapons," 

Here are the contents.  There are 2 bags of bricks, a sticker book, and instructions.  As per usual, the instructions and the stickers were jammed into the box.

The first bag starts the pod structure.  There isn't too much special about this build.  Not a lot of interesting techniques and not a lot of interesting pieces.  The large stickers that go on the outside of the pod are not easy to put on.  It says for ages 7 to 12 on the front, but I doubt I would have been able to get the stickers on right at age 7.  Well, they would have gone on... just crooked.

So the final build.  Here's the pod itself all closed up.  I haven't seen episode IV in a while so I couldn't tell you how accurate this is compared to the actual.  With that being said, this set isn't designed for accuracy, it's designed for play... remember the front says ages 7 to 12.  

The pod opens up and you can put the 2 droids in.  It's designed to have C-3PO in front and R2-D2 in the back.  Now shown are the hidden "Death Star" plans that C-3PO can hold.  Other than that, not much else to this build.

Here's the final set with all the figures to include the 2 Jawas.

In my personal opinion, the selling point for this set is the minifigures.  C-3PO, R2-D2, and the Jawas are the ones offered in this set.  C-3PO has only been in some of the more expensive sets recently (like the $299.99 #75059 Sandcrawler or the $249.99 #10236 Ewok Village) so this is your chance to get him without paying a fortune.  Same for the Jawas.  C-3PO is shown with the Death Star plans.

So what are my parting thoughts?  For an adult fan of LEGO (AFOL) or a Star Wars fan, this set is about the minifigures.  This is not the set for someone looking for a good, fun build with lots of great parts that can be used elsewhere.  As I've said in the past, it could be a good set if you are a landscape/scene builder.  Although the desert of Tatooine doesn't sound like a very exciting build (do you have lots of tan plates/bricks?).  Have you purchased this set already?  What do you think?

If you're looking for Star Wars minifigures, you can find them here:
Clone Wars Minifigs
Episodes I-III Minifigs
Episodes IV-VI Minifigs (to include the minifigs from this set!)
The Force Awakens Minifigs

Click here for Star Wars Sets

Set Review - Star Wars Carbon Freezing Chamber - #75137

I opened up another one of the Star Wars sets that I purchased.  This one is the Carbon Freezing Chamber from episode V, the Empire Strikes Back.  Released in the US on 1 March 2016, this set is currently selling for $24.99 and has 231 pieces putting it at $0.108 per piece.  This isn't too bad for a licensed Star Wars set, but not the greatest if you consider it among the rest of the LEGO universe.  It includes 3 minifigures, but I'll get into that later.  

So let's get into it...  Here is the box.  Still not sure why Kylo Ren is on the box when it's a set from the original trilogy, but whatever.

Like most sets, the back of this box shows what you can do with this set.  It shows how you can "freeze" Han Solo, the spot where Han was tortured, an elevator, and of course the weapons in the set (Boba Fett's blaster).

There isn't much special about the box contents.  There are 2 bags and instructions that once again are shoved into the box.  No stickers in this set so that's a good thing.

The first bag comes with the Ugnaught (yes, I had to look that up) and starts the construction of the chamber.  Nothing too out of the ordinary with the build other than the use of Technic pieces to build the carbon freezing mechanism.  Here's what bag 1 gives you.

Bag 2 contains Boba Fett, Han Solo, Han Solo frozen in carbonite, and the remainder of the set.  Not a lot special here with the build.  I think it would have been nice to have the top to the chamber as well, but that would drive up the cost.  I guess someone can build that scene on their own, right?  The first picture shows Han before being frozen.

You can spin it around and see Han frozen.

Next up, the minifigures.  You've got the Ugnaught, Boba Fett, Han Solo, and then the frozen Han Solo (not sure if it counts as a minifigure or not, but I think so).

Should you buy this set?  If you're a hardcore Star Wars fan or if you want some of the minifigures, definitely get it.  If you're looking for a fun build, then not so much here.  Some of the pieces in the set are pretty good and can be used in MOCs, but not a lot of exciting parts that are out of the ordinary.  Let me know what you think of the set in the comments.

If you're looking for Star Wars minifigures, you can find them here:
Clone Wars Minifigs
Episodes I-III Minifigs
Episodes IV-VI Minifigs
The Force Awakens Minifigs

Click here for Star Wars Sets

Set Review - Star Wars Hoth Attack - #75138

With the double VIP points being offered from LEGO Shop at Home, I took advantage and bought a few sets.  Once again I have a backlog of sets to build and review, but that's a good thing.  Anyways, one of them included the Star Wars Hoth Attack - #75138.  It is from episode V, The Empire Strikes back.  With 233 pieces and priced at $24.99 it's $0.107 per piece which actually isn't too bad for a Star Wars set.  It has 3 minifigures and an Imperial Probe Droid (not sure if you can count that as a minifigure or not).  

Here is the box.  The front shows the final set in action with the 3 minifigures on the bottom right.  I'm not sure why a picture of Kylo Ren appears in the upper right, but whatever.

The back shows some of the play options and by favorite, the weapons included in the box.  I don't recall Han Solo throwing snow at the Imperial Trooper with a shovel, but it has been a while since I've seen the movie. 

Next up is the contents.  Nothing special here, just 2 brick bags labeled #1 and #2, a small sticker page (thankfully), and an instruction booklet that was crammed into the box so it is nice and creased when you go to open it (Come on LEGO!  You can fix this!).

Bag one contains the Han Solo minifigure and then some of the build.  The build isn't too out of the ordinary although for the play factor the option to have a smaller base as shown or a line as shown on the back of the set box isn't a bad idea.  If you're someone who likes to recreate scenes on your own, this might not be a bad set to get you started and then you can expand.  Here's the end of bag #1's build.

Bag 2 finishes up the set and has the remaining minifigures.  It includes an Imperial Snow Trooper and a Rebel Trooper.  It also has a Imperial Probe Droid and a weapon that can be set up and a large rifle for the Snowtrooper to fire.  For those who want to play with the set, you can put a minifigure into the cannon, it has the spring loaded shooter device, and the cannon rotates as you turn the rounded brick on the bottom.

Here are the minifigures.  They are Han Solo (I'm not really sure how you can tell it is Han Solo or not), a Rebel Trooper with a rifle, back pack, and a helmet with goggles that can be on the helmet or across the eyes, and then a Snowtrooper with a blaster as well.

Here is the final set with minifigures.

Overall what did I think of this set?  For those who want to play, it's not bad.  There are a number of features that make it good for kids (to include us older kids) to recreate a scene from the Empire Strikes Back.  In terms of the build, there isn't anything special about it.  No really challenging techniques, but a few good pieces that could be used elsewhere.  I think it's a good set for those who want to add their own pieces to expand it.  I often build a set and then add my own pieces.  Usually this is with LEGO City sets where you only get the front of a building and I'd like the back of the building to be included too.  If all else fails, the minifigures in this set are worth it for your collection.  As mentioned, it's hard to tell that the Han Solo figure is really Han Solo, but the Rebel Trooper and Snowtrooper are pretty good.  Since the set is just out, I haven't seen any discounts yet, but the double VIP points sale at LEGO Shop at Home might make this a good time to buy (sale ends 22 March).  Have you bought this yet?  Leave your thoughts in the comments if you have.

If you're looking for more LEGO minifigures, you can check out my store here:
-Episodes I-III minifigures
-Episodes IV-VI minifigures
-Clone Wars minifigures
-The Force Awakens minifigures

What do I buy my 4 Year Old Nephew?

I received a question and I figured I'd answer it on the blog.  What LEGO sets do you buy a boy aged 4?  Given the numerous amounts of sets out there with different themes, this is actually quite a challenging question.  I'll share my thoughts and I'm curious to hear if there are others.

The first place to start with LEGO in terms of age is the DUPLO line.  You can view LEGO's current DUPLO line here.   The age range listed on most of the sets is listed as between 2 and 5.  The DUPLO line has come a long way.  It now has sub-themes and a variety of sets to include Super Heroes and  Disney characters.  Should you get them for a 4 year old?  I think if he has DUPLO sets and enjoys playing with them still, then more DUPLOs wouldn't be a bad thing.  If he doesn't have them or already is into LEGO sets, then stick to LEGO.  If you're looking for a deal, Amazon's DUPLO sales are here.  You can also change it to view sales at Target and Walmart.

Next up in terms of age is LEGO Juniors.  This theme was started 2014 and the age range listed is between 4 and 7.  LEGO's current line can be found here.  What's good about this theme?  It uses standard LEGO elements and minifigures, but the sets typically have fewer parts.  Currently there are City, Super Hero, Disney Princess, and some pink sets geared towards girls, but still within the City line.  The sets are marketed as "easy to build."  This line could be a good place to start for a 4 year old boy who is just starting in LEGO.  Amazon has a few sales on Juniors sets which can be found here.  You can switch it to see Target and Walmart sales too.

Another option is one of my favorites.  The LEGO Classic line has an age range listed of 4 to 99.  Why centennials can't use them, I'm not quite sure.  You can view LEGO's Classic line here. Why is the LEGO Classic line good?  They are just boxes of bricks.  There are some examples of what you can build on the box and sometimes they come with idea books, but beyond that you can build whatever you want.  They come with some vehicle elements, elements to make animals, elements to build houses, and numerous others to encourage imagination.  Plus you never grow out of them.  You can use them to build whatever you want or connect them with other themes as you want.  Classic sales at Amazon are here.  As listed before you can see Target and Walmart sales too.  Also, you can read a post that I did on one of the Classic Sets here.  

The last theme I'd recommend is LEGO City (view the line here).  The age range listed is 5 to 12 so a year more, but that could be okay.  It could be a good set to build with him as a 4 year old or perhaps have a parent or guardian build with him.  As he gets older (if not already), he should be able to put it together pretty easily on his own.  Most of the City sets are not too challenging to build and there is a wide range of smaller, cheaper sets to larger, more expensive sets.  LEGO City always seems to have police and fire fighters.  There are usually others too such as space, construction, transportation, and a few others.  They tend to be pretty easy to find a retail stores like Target and Walmart.  As mentioned before, you can see Amazon discounts here (and switch to see Target and Walmart sales).  

LEGO has a bunch of other themes and all could be good options.  Not knowing what he is into, I went for the safer bets.  He could be a Super Hero or Star Wars fan and LEGO has numerous options for both. The age ranges listed on those sets vary based on the set so you'll have to take a look.  A quick view showed some Star Wars sets at ages 6-12 and others at 8-14.

I hope this post was useful and answers the question.  Good luck and happy building!

More Bricks on the Way

It's always exciting to get the news that "your order has shipped" and to know that some bricks are on the way to you.  There are a few on their way to me and I'm pretty excited about it.

The first order was from Amazon.  If you missed a recent blog post I had about where to find discount LEGO sets, you can read it here.  In the post I mention a few web sites that consolidate sales from the various retailers.  Brickset has one for multiple retailers to include Amazon.  You can view their Amazon sales site here (for the US).  As of late, Amazon has slashed prices on LEGO Dimensions so there are a lot that are steeply discounted.  There are also a lot of Creator and City sets on discount too.  One of the Creator sets discounted is the Blue Power Jet (#31039)  which I originally bought from LEGO for full price at $69.99.  At the time of this posting and when I purchased it from Amazon, the set is going for $49.38 or 29% off!  I should have waited to order!  I picked up another one at this price.  I'm not sure if I'll sell it or if I'll break it open and use it for the great piece selection.  I thought this set was great, but to see it on sale at Amazon like this and a few weeks back it was on sale at LEGO Shop at Home it makes me think that sales were not as good and they are trying to get rid of it.  Another thought... LEGO overpriced the original set and not enough people bought it at the original "high" price.

What else is showing up to join my brick stash?  As mentioned in my last post, LEGO is running a double VIP point sale.  It is supposed to run from 7 to 22 March 2016 in the US.  Details are posted at LEGO Shop at Home here.  Anyways, I placed 2 orders for some Star Wars sets.  The first were a few smaller sets that I purchased mainly for the minifigures.  They are (with links to their Brickset page):
     -#75143 - Homing Spider Droid (includes 4 minifigs to include Yoda)
     -#75136 - Droid Escape Pod (includes 4 minifigs... R2-D2, C-3PO, and 2 Jawas)
     -#75137 - Carbon-Freezing Chamber (Ugnaught, Boba Fett, Han Solo, Han in Carbonite)
Order #2 included,
     -#75138 - Hoth Attack (Han Solo, a rebel, and a Snowtrooper)
     -#75102 - Poe's X-Wing Fighter (Poe, X-Wing Pilot, Ground Crew member, and BB-8)
I will do some reviews once the sets arrive.  In the meantime I am waiting for them to arrive.  I think that LEGO must be inundated with orders.  I only received a notification for my second order and have not yet received one for my first.  Neither order has shipped.  This is odd as typically you get the order acknowledgement right away.  Amazon acknowledged my order right away and it shipped the next day.  We're at almost 2 days later for my LEGO Shop at Home order and one has yet to even be acknowledged.  Has anyone else had that issue?

I hope you all are enjoying some new bricks this week!

Double VIP Points and Pencils of Promise Update

Everything I've seen is that LEGO will be having a double VIP point sale from 7 to 22 March 2016.  That means that instead of getting $5 in store credit for every 100 points (you get 1 point for every dollar you spend), you will get $10 for every 100 points you earn.  If you've been saving up to buy a big set like a modular building or one of the larger Star Wars items, now might be a good time.  Also, LEGO has released a large number of new sets as of 1 March.  There are a bunch of new Star Wars sets, some new Super Heroes sets, and more.  Definitely check out the LEGO Shop at Home site for more info.  

As for me, I'll be looking to pick up a few of the Star Wars sets, but I can't quite decide.  The Millennium Falcon?  Poe's X-Wing?  Or maybe some of the new Star Wars sets that have some of the new minifigures?  We'll see.  

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If you've looked at the Brick Classifieds items for sales or at this site you know that I am running a Pencils of Promise campaign to raise funds to build schools and support students and teachers in Ghana, Guatemala, and Laos.  The campaign started on 24 January 2016 and we are giving 15% of our profits to Pencils of Promise.  After a little over a month, we have raised $13.86.  The amount is slowly going up and I'm confident at the end of this campaign we'll donate a lot to help them out.  Thanks to all who have made purchases so far!