First LEGO x NIKE products revealed

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Last August, Nike and LEGO announced an upcoming multiyear collaboration. And then we heard nothing. Until today. Today, we have received out first glimpses of the results of the collaboration, with both LEGO and NIKE releasing collaborative products over the next few months.

Over the northern summer, we shall start to see footwear, apparel and LEGO Sets bearing both brands come to the market. There will be a couple of events occurring – a basketball themed experience at LEGOLand California and a LEGO-Football activation in London.

But first, we will see the release of the 43008 LEGO Nike DUNK set in July 2025 (preorders opening in some places now…) Read on for further details.

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What Game is LEGO® playing? 42208 Aston Martin Valkyrie

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Close-up view of a teal LEGO model of the Aston Martin Valkyrie, showcasing its detailed design and structural components.

I like my LEGO with a bit of colour. I like my cars with a bit of colour (heck, my own car has essentially a triple colour paint). So being presented with a teal supercar is cool.

Given the size of this set I didn’t expect anything too exciting, but I was curious how well the very curvy shapes of the Aston Martin Valkyrie could be captured and then I noticed a computer game mentioned on the box!

Screenshot from the mobile game Asphalt Legends Unite, featuring a teal supercar racing on a tree-lined road with pink foliage.

Join me while I explore why this game is mentioned on a LEGO set, and explore how well this decidedly not-straight vehicle translated into LEGO.

42208 Aston Martin Valkyrie contains 707 parts and is available from the 1st of June 2025 for AU$99.99/£54.99/US$64.99/€59.99. This set was provided by LEGO for review, all opinions are my own.

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10367 LEGO The Lord of the Rings: Balrog Book Nook [Set review and lighting experiments]

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Illuminated LEGO structure featuring the Balrog from The Lord of the Rings in a book nook setup with fiery lighting effects.

I find the idea of a book nook appealing: a sculpture or landscape hiding out between the books on my shelves to provide a whimsical distraction in the quest for information, stories and ideas. I must confess, i was intrigued when I saw the Balrog revealed as the subject of a Book Nook based on the Lord of the Rings, but in reality, it seems right: a Mines of Moria ICONs set would probably incorporate far more action packed location, and so this location brings us an excuse to get a LEGO set focusing on a most sinister or foes, without needing to focus on a much much larger model, of wallet busting proportions. But how does this work out in real life? Is the build substantial? Does it brutally assail your finances? Let’s take a closer look.

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You Shall Not Pass! With the10367 Balrog Book Nook, Durin’s Bain Comes to a Shelf near you!

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A LEGO display featuring the Balrog and Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings, set in a book nook with flames and stone columns, captioned "You Shall Not Pass!"

LEGO Themes have taken their origins from many places: the world around us, films, comics, television, scientific and exploratory adventures, our favorite cars and other machines. And some come straight from the company’s storytellers, bypassing the need for third party licensing.

We have a new collection arriving in June, encompassing a new form factor, and crossing multiple IPs: Book Nooks. The first revealed was the 10351 Sherlock Holmes Book Nook, bringing Victorian elegance to LEGO form; followed soon after by the 76450 Harry Potter Hogwarts Express Book Nook/Book Ends and today we can reveal that we shall also have one from 10367 The Lord of the Rings: Balrog Book Nook, in the form of the Bridge of Khaza Dûm, where Gandalf the Grey faced off against the dread creature, meeting his apparent doom.

LEGO set featuring the Balrog from The Lord of the Rings, showcasing an intricate model with flames and a battle scene against Gandalf. The set box design emphasizes key elements like the fiery backdrop and iconic quote 'You shall not pass!'.
LEGO set box for The Lord of the Rings: Balrog Book Nook, featuring a Balrog figure in a dramatic scene, surrounded by books on a shelf.

Each of these properties were popular as printed words before they leapt to the Silver Screen, and those books are still loved today. These book nooks are designed to sit on your shelves between your favorite books, adding a little life and action to the storage space.

The Lord of the Rings: Balrog™ Book Nook will be released on June 1st 2025, and comes with 1201 pieces. It will be priced at AUD199.99 / 129,99 USD / 119,99 EUR / 109,99 GBP

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New style nostalgia, with 42209 Volvo L120 Electric Wheel Loader

BrankotheFather Lego, Review, technic , , , , , , , ,
LEGO Technic 42209 Volvo L120 Electric Wheel Loader model displayed in a yellow and black color scheme with a front bucket.

For me, Technic is machinery. As a child I didn’t have LEGO Technic but I had Fisher-Technic (awesome stuff, but I digress), so my real first encounters with LEGO Technic were after I got out of my dark ages and the machines that resonated most with me were bulldozers, bucket wheel loaders, front end loaders or a tipping truck. These systems have something ‘Technic’ about them; they can drive, sure, but they can also do something else! These sets came in Yellow and Black, I think you see where I’m going here. This new Volvo L120 Electric Wheel Loader has this exact colour scheme and the same functionality of sets that I hold dear in my memory so I am excited!

The 42209 Volvo L120 Electric Wheel Loader is a new set containing 973 pieces retailing for AU$149.99/£89.99/$119.99/€99.99 and was provided by LEGO for review. All opinions are my own.

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Family means: 42210 2 Fast 2 Furious Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34)

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Where I did not expect to like this set. I mean; it’s grey, it’s a car, seen it all before, so I thought. I was wrong.

I’m not sure about Technic cars. I know cars appeal to many people, and most people drive cars so they can relate to them, but in a model their appeal is mostly in their shape or appearance. For me Technic is about mechanisms; things that move. A pair of wheels, some steering and even a transmission just doesn’t excite me that much anymore. Colour me surprised by The 2 Fast 2 Furious Nissan Skyline GT-R a medium-large scale Technic car that excites me.

LEGO Technic Nissan Skyline GT-R model in grey and blue, featuring detailed design elements and a rear spoiler, displayed on a white background.

This car is available from the 1st of June 2025 for AU$249.99/£129.99/US$139.99/€139.99 containing 1410 pieces. This number of pieces puts it below the really large scale vehicles, but well above the smaller Technic cars.

Two LEGO Technic cars from the Fast & Furious series displayed together, featuring a large Nissan Skyline GT-R in grey with blue accents and a black Dodge Charger with a detailed front engine.

Join me as I explore why this car was different for me, providing (almost) more excitement than the new 42209 Volvo L120 Electric Wheel Loader (review coming soon).

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What’s up with white?

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A close-up of LEGO pieces in different shades of white, with text overlay reading 'I Spent My Afternoon Comparing These Two Shades-Of White'.

In which we examine a few elements in the new shade 426 White, and explore the effect of some of these changes and more.

While I was reviewing at the 10360 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft recently, I noticed that the white tiles and plates appeared to be ‘more white’, and indeed less opaque than that which had been seen in recent years. New Elementary published an article on article acknowledging this change and a revised cool yellow recently.

I am curious about the specific rationale behind the change, so I thought I would take a look at some of the parts in 10360, compare them with other examples that I have, and see if there are obvious advantages to the new pigment. I’ll also set a test in process, to see if this new pigment is able to resist yellowing on sun exposure.

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Everyone’s a Winner with the LEGO® Ideas Minifigure Vending Machine

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A LEGO Ideas Minifigure Vending Machine set displayed on a countertop, featuring colorful capsules and various minifigures, with kitchen utensils and decorative items in the background.

About 18 months ago, Rob Vangansewinkel’s Ideas submission based on a capsule toy vending machine was accepted. Today the final model has been revealed, and it is sure to excite many members of the broader LEGO community.

A colorful LEGO Minifigure Vending Machine set featuring a transparent top displaying various colorful capsules, accompanied by a teal spaceman minifigure holding a donut and coffee cup.
Box design for the LEGO Ideas Minifigure Vending Machine featuring a red vending machine with capsules and minifigures, graphic instructions, and LEGO branding.

While the Vending machine is the primary build, fans are more likely to be distracted by the 16 minifigures encapsulated within. This set will be released on the 1st of June to LEGO Insiders and has a retail price of $AUD249.99 / €169.99 / £ 149.99 / $ 179.99.

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60473 The City Tower: Celebrating 20 years of LEGO City

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LEGO City Tower set (60473) featuring a vibrant multi-level building with a metro station, police and fire stations, a construction crane, a rooftop launchpad, and various vehicles and minifigures celebrating 20 years of LEGO City.

It was 2005 and the LEGO Group was in the process of turning away from near collapse and ruin. The Evergreen Town range had been out of development for a few years while licensed themes such as Star Wars and Harry Potter occupied the company’s mind (great ini the years a film was released, less so if it wasn’t). The closest thing to a ‘Real World’ town theme was LEGO World City. There were a smattering of fire craft, a train with station and engine shed, and an airplane done out in 13 different liveries. Nothing really felt complete, except for the police with their car, helicopter, truck and station (and some villains in a hovercraft as a separate set to boot). Had World City drifted a little too far from its roots? Were kids failing to relate to it? As the company underwent a ‘back to basics’ as part of its financial recovery, so too did World city get Revamped.

LEGO City: The City Tower set featuring a multi-level building with a train station, police and fire stations, a spaceship launchpad, and various minifigures, designed for children aged 8 and up.
An overhead view of the LEGO City: The City Tower set showcasing a multi-level structure, featuring a police station, fire station, and a metro station, along with various vehicles like a spaceship, police car, and construction crane. Seven minifigures are included, highlighting action-packed play possibilities.
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40767 Up-Scaled Space Baby: A good reason to order fresh LEGO?

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A large red LEGO Space Baby figure stands next to smaller pink and blue LEGO minifigures, with a text overlay asking if it's a good reason to buy LEGO.

After weeks of rumor and innuendo, the 40676 Scaled Up Baby Astranaut is going live as a gift with purchase on May 15th, with a purchase threshold of $USD150/€150/Aud 245

A group of LEGO minifigures including an adult astronaut with a communication device, a blue space baby, a pink space baby, and a female astronaut holding a tool, all displayed on a black base.

Space Babies have been a cause of some excitement over the last couple of years – appearing in 2023’s Series 24 minifigures (blue) and series 26 Minifigures (pink) with responsible adults, and also incorporated in to the 31142 Creator 3in1 Space Roller Coaster. While a white figure has appeared in miniature, it maintains a Classic Smiley face, while the babies have additional cuteness added. Will this cuteness survive the transition to a brick built model approximately 6x the size in most directions?

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