Month: August 2019

Helping the Blind to See the World through LEGO®

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The LEGO® Group to Pilot Audio and Braille instructions for the Blind.

At the Recognised Fan Media days in Billund, earlier this year, I attended a presentation by Matthew Shifrin. Matthew is no ordinary LEGO Fan. He has been blind since birth, and has never seen a LEGO brick. He had a story to tell us, and he delivered it with passion.

Matthew Shifrin prepares to tell the assembled Fan Media about his experiences building LEGO as a child.
A Labour of Love

For his 13th Birthday, a friend, Lilya gave Matthew a copy of 7573 Battle of Alumet, one of the sets tying in with Prince of Persia movie. At the same time, Lilya presented him with a large binder containing step by step instuctions – hand typed on a Perkins Brailler.

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Is this City Xtra set a low key tribute to the LEGO® 6000 Ideas Book?

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This year, we have been commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Publication of the 6000 Ideas Book. First published in 1979, this book tells the story of two minifigures: known to some as Mary and Bill, others as Indigo and Polka-Dot. This story unfolds through the town they live in, a visit to a moonbase, and finally visiting a jousting tournament at an ancient castle. All the way, providing inspiration for construction using a six colour palette, and the minifigures you have on hand.

One of the features of this book is the double spread sticker sheet, providing everything from the Minifigures torso designs used by our heroes, as well as signage used around the town.

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Set Sail For Forbidden Island 6270

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Recently, I have found myself becoming nostalgic for a childhood I never had.

As I have previously mentioned, this year marks the 30th anniversary of LEGO Pirates. Now, thirty years ago, I had just turned 20 and was well established in my personal Dark Ages: So Pirates essentially passed my by. Or vice versa.

Earlier this year I came across a copy of 6270: Forbidden Island – available locally, for a reasonable price. Set sail with me now as I put the set together, and come to see just what made the Pirates sets so amazing back in their day!

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LEGO Legacy: Heroes Unboxed – Now Open for Pre-registration.

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At the Fan Media days in Billund this year, I had the chance to see a presentation from the LEGO Games/ Gamesloft team about LEGO Legacy: Heroes Unboxed, an upcoming mobile game due for release in a month or two. Gathering figures and sets from the past 41 years, it looks set to reinvigorate interest in sets from past. You can read our announcement of the game here.

Today, Gamesloft have opened the platform for pre registration today: you can sign up to pre-register, and have access to great gifts when the game is officially released in the next month or two (I’m awaiting announcement of the release date too). you can sign up for pre-registration here. Read more for further details, and a new gameplay video.

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LEGO Pirates: 30 Years of Buried Treasure

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The first LEGO Pirates sets first appeared sometime in the second half of 1989. Maybe July; maybe August. Maybe September. It all depends on where you were standing. Join us as we present some of the Print Advertising Archive, as we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of LEGO Pirates.

The Hunt for the Pirate Treasure: “To win great Prizes”

In 1989, a new series appeared in the LEGO Catalogs.

Until then, LEGO Minifigures had been living in Castle, Space and Town with their permanent, identical smiles always on show. At this time we saw minifigures move into the Caribbean Sea, with the new Pirates theme. With that first range of pirates minifigures, several things changed: Captain Redbeard has a… red beard and eye patch; a hook for a hand and a wooden leg. He has certainly been up against a few things over the years, and yet still has a small on his face. He is also the first minifigure to have an official name.

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All Aboard for the Wonderful World of Disney [Announcement 71044 Disney Train and Station]

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Disneyland is often described as the Happiest Place on Earth, and one of the evergreen attractions is the recently reopened Disneyland Railway (following a diversion during the construction of Star Wars Land). Today, LEGO® announce the arrival of the 71044 Disney Train and Station, recreating the Steam Locomotive, Tender, ‘Blue holiday train carriage’, and a Parlor car, as well the American Main Street station. The set comes with five minifigures: Mickey, Minnie, Chip’n’Dale – in new outfits – as well as Goofy: until now, a gaping hole in the Disney Minifigure range.

The 71044 Disney Train and Station is recommended for Ages 12+ and has 2925 pieces. $549.99$499.99 AUD. Available August 21 VIPs, Sept 1 For general release in LEGO stores. [Edit: on release in Australia, the Disney train set seems to be selling for $499.99. That feels like a much better price]

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A Whole New World [41161 Aladdin and Jasmine’s Palace Adventures]

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I’ve been a bit distracted, by other things in life, over the last week or two, but I’m starting to get back on track.

If you are the parent of small children, there is a better than even money chance that you have been exposed to one of the Disney adaptations of a Classic Fairy story at some point or another – either animated, or reimagined in real life. Or even, considering the recent Lion King CGI release, Real Life™

Sets related to the Disney Princess branding have been a staple of licensed minidoll sets for several years now, but I have not spent much time with them. Today I have taken a look at one of this year’s sets based on Aladdin: 41161 Aladdin and Jasmine’s Palace Adventures. Is it based on the 1992 Disney Animated film, or the 2019 Live Action remake? This year, we see two of the three sets ever related to this story (ever) released, so I think it is safe to think that perhaps more than a little inspiration was taken from arrival of the new film. Join me as we explore the set, and take a couple of liberties along the way…

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What an Idea? Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of ‘Friends’ at Central Perk.

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So no one told you life was gonna be this way
Your job’s a joke, you’re broke
Your love life’s D.O.A
It’s like you’re always stuck in second gear
When it hasn’t been your day, your week, your month
Or even your year…

The Rembrandts “I’ll Be there for You”

This year, we celebrate 25 years since the debut of Friends. Of course, this is the nineties sitcom Friends, and not the line of girl focussed LEGO sets ‘Friends’ which first appeared back in 2011.

Another set in the Ideas line, this submission by Aymeric Fievet depicts the coffee shop Central Perk, one of the popular recurring locations from the series.

Bringing us mini figure depictions of the core characters, as well Gunther, the long suffering manager of the cafe, this set will be released on September 1 2019. It contains 1070 parts, and will be on sale for $AUD89.99 – $NZD109.99 – US $59.99 – CA $89.99 – DE €69.99 – UK £64.99 – FR €59.99 – DK 649DKK.

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A Man’s Got to Know His Limitations: Control+ and Powered Up Apps [August 2019]

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The New Technic Smart hub became available this week, as part of 42099 X-treme 4×4 Off Roader. This article discusses what we can expect the long awaited Control+ App to do and what it won’t. I also take a look at the ever expanding range of connected apps produced by LEGO A/S today.

The first of August has past and there have been a number of new, released. If you are a Technic Fan, you are possibly curious about the new 4×4 X-treme Off Roader 42099. Certainly, it’s one I have been looking forward to seeing.

I had an opportunity to see this new model, as well as the new Control+ App demonstrated by members of the design team while in Billund, at the Recognised Fan Media days in May this year. Amongst other things, the set features the new Technic Smart Hub, 2 new Technic XL linear motors, and one Technic L linear motor. I am excited to get my hands on this set as soon as possible, to build the set and experience the new Control+ App. I might have to wait until the Australian online store gets more stock.

I also hope to incorporate the new Control+ Hub in a MOC later in the year.

But Not today.

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In search of Bill and Mary II:

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Evidence for character development within and between LEGO Themes.

In which I go in search of changes that occur to characters within LEGO themes, and in search of characters moving between themes – as we continue to look out for evidence that the central characters in the 6000 Ideas Book: Bill and Mary to some, Indigo and Polkadot to others, can be seen to continue their life in LEGO City today.

The LEGO Ideas Book 6000 was released in time for Christmas, 1979. As such, I am celebrating its 40th birthday throughout the year. I have been particularly curious to see whether the main characters of this delightful childhood memory could possibly exist in LEGO City today. I would expect to find them much older than they were 40 years ago, to say nothing of a possible variation in how they dressed. However, LEGO City is not quite the same as LEGO Town. SO: I have been looking for evidence of specific characters appearing over multiple years within a theme, or potentially changing themes. If a character has been around for years, I have been looking for evidence of development – physical, or chronological. Do they look older? Have they changed in any way – sporting evidence of long term injury and so forth.

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