Month: September 2019

Nostalgic Anniversaries Converge with LEGO Tower 1.4

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Last week saw the arrival of the latest incremental update for LEGO Tower – version 1.4 – the casual game produced by Nimblebit in association with LEGO Games. For regular readers of this blog, it will come as no surprise that I was extremely excited by the content released. As well as some bug fixes, interface tweaks, new roof toppers and new floors to build, this update provided some new parts for players to collect and dress the residents of their towers. Full of nostalgia, these new elements include torsos from the 6000 Ideas Book, as well as Pirate figures (with the theme celebrating 30 years this year), adding to a collection of pirate hats added in V1.3 a couple of weeks ago.

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LEGO Mindstorms and Amazon Alexa announce Voice control Challenge

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Today, LEGO and Amazon announce a partnership in a competition with a prize pool worth over $100 000. Running until the end of the year, builders are invited to build a model using LEGO Mindstorms sets, and set up commands to be followed via Amazon Alexa. Read on for further details.

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Quick…to the Batmobile (Review 76119)

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80 Years ago this year, Batman made his first appearance in Detective Comics #27. Thirty years and three weeks ago, Tim Burton’s Batman (with Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson) premiered in Australia, a couple of months after it appeared in the USA. I couldn’t get to the film for a couple of weeks…so I guess this week is probably the 20th anniversary of me seeing that film, which rewrote what we came to expect of superhero movies at the time.

And finally, for reasons I don’t quite understand, Warner Brothers/DC have declared September 21st to be Batman Day, 2019.

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Piratepalooza: Celebrating the Innovations Introduced by LEGO Pirates.

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Today, September 19, is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. To celebrate, I thought we might take a look at some of the innovations that we have seen introduced into LEGO through the original Pirates Theme.

As you may already know, LEGO Pirates turn 30 in 2019. Having made their debut in 1989, the Pirates sets certainly have a place in the hearts of AFOLs of a certain age. With obvious factions, great play features and rapid assembly, I can understand the appeal they might have to any child at the time of release.

While some of the features introduced in Pirates have been well observed by the LEGO Group over the years, others have been less thoroughly pointed out. So I thought we might take a look at some of these today.

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Rebuild the World: Nurturing Creative play.

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If you have been following the LEGO Social Media feed over the last few days you may have felt a little baffled. Following a 10 second teaser, featuring a man carrying an oversized bow and arrow… cross to an anthropomorphised lion and deer sharing a coffee… a life size LEGO Fire truck and a crowd of people dressed as minifigures – with oversized minifigure accessories: camera, flower, flippers look to the sky to see a rubber raft fly by. We are now excited to be able to bring you the short film in its entirety. (after the break)

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Build a Habitat for a Minifigure to win a set of Series 19 Collectable Minifigures

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Last week I presented my review of the Series 19 Minifigures. There are some great figures in this set, as well as some interesting accessories.

Now, I was sent a complete box of figures, but only really want one of the 3 complete sets in the box, so as with the Disney figures earlier in the year, I would like to run a competition, similar to the last.

Yes, build a minifigure habitat for one of the series 19 minifigures. This is an 8×8 plate, with one side and one back wall, designed to stack with others. You can have a little overhang over the open edges, but not extend more than 8 bricks above the plate at the base.

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Something Sweet for the Winter Village: Announcement 10267 Gingerbread House.

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Ginger bread houses seem to have become a tradition at Christmas time. And this year, the Holiday themed Creator Expert set is seeking to bypass the Winter Village, and is instead taking a left turn toward fairy tales and make believe, and giving us a Gingerbread House with all the trimmings, but none of the calories.

10267 Gingerbread House: Ages 12+. 1477 pieces

US $99.99 – CA $139.99 – DE €89.99 – UK £84.99 – FR €94.99 – DK 799DKK –AUD $159.99

Available October 1 2019; September 18th for VIP Customers.

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Series 19 Collectable Minifigures In Review

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The latest series of collectable minifigures was released on September 1st, and I was fortunate to be sent a box by the LEGO Group’s AFOL Engagement team for review.

This is the third set of Collectable minifigures released this year, after the LEGO Movie 2, as the Second series of Disney minifigures. I am now starting to wonder if the pattern was established in 2017 is now to be considered the norm: several licensed sets, and one set…now numbered for the year.

The New Normal: 3 series per year, only one unlicenced?

We had 3-4 sets in 2016: Series 15, Disney 1, Series 16 and the German Football team. The following year we had LEGO Batman Movie, Series 17 and LEGO Ninjago movie. In 2018 we saw LEGO Batman Movie, Series 2; Series 18 and the Wizarding World/Harry Potter series. So I am going to go out on a limb and suggest that next year we will have Series 20, and two other series. Perhaps one will be related to the Olympics; perhaps an all stars theme (Bill and Mary – 6000 Ideas Book)/classic castle/pirates and or perhaps a second series related to Harry Potter or TLM2. What do you think?

What’s in the box?

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Technic Land Rover Defender Officially Announced.

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After a couple of months fighting off leaking images, the new Technic Land Rover Defender is being officially launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2019.

It has 2573 elements and will be priced at $AUD329.99 $USD199.99 GBP159.99. Available 1st October. Read the press release, and see the launch video after the break.

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