gifted

Go Off the Grid with LEGO ICONS 11371 Shopping Street. [Review]

ramblingbrick 18+, ICONS, Lego, Modular building, Review , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I have to admit, I have a rather soft spot for the annual modular set. When our family discovered that Adult Fans were a thing, back in 2009, we may well have picked up the modulars sets that were available at the time. Things have certainly changed over the years: faces have changed, flowers have changed, colours have exploded, and printed elements are more likely to replace a brick-built font on the building’s facade.

I was quite excited when the LEGO Group sent 11371 Shopping Street over for review, ahead of its January 1 2026 release. The set has 7 minifigures, 3456 pieces and will be priced at AUD 399.99/
£229.99/US$249.99/€249.99.

This new Shopping Street – incorporating a musical instrument store and a furniture store/carpenter – brings a few features that left me feeling nostalgic for the early days of modular buildings, while at the same time, feeling fresh and innovative. Let’s take a closer look.

Continue reading →

Creator 3in1 31166 Beautiful Horse – 3 Model Review

ramblingbrick Creator, Lego, Review , , , , , , , , ,
LEGO Creator 3 in 1 set 31166 featuring a beautifully built horse model with a vibrant color palette, set against a scenic base with flowers.

We have looked at a few creature builds over the last 2 years: the T. Rex, Panda, Kitten, Panda, Safari Animals, a Flamingo, and more – each coming with three options to build. One thing has been apparent: the number of brick designs in play has taken a quantum leap over the last few years. And with each set, the colour palette of these elements expands. Today, we will take a look at another: 31166 Beautiful Horse. Not only do we have the titular horse, but also a dear and bear to build. That said, just about anyone looking at it from a short to moderate distance might well be saying “Medium nougat parts pack”

Let’s take a closer look at this new Creator 3in1 set (provided by LEGO, all opinions are my own)

Continue reading →

10372: LEGO® Botanicals Hibiscus

ramblingbrick 18+, Botanical Collection, Lego, Review , , , , , , , ,
Close-up of the LEGO Botanicals 10372 Hibiscus set, featuring colorful flower petals in various stages of bloom, green leaves, and tan stems.

The LEGO® Botanicals theme has gone from strength to strength, and the latest wave brings us contrasting builds, proving interesting building experiences.

Today, let’s look at the Hibiscus: following in the footsteps of the Bird of Paradise and Orchid, it brings tropical beauty and colour while invoking some some interesting recolourings to produce a delightful display piece, perfect to distract you as winter settles in (I am writing this in July 2025, from Melbourne Australia, where the weather is a little cooler than we have been used to for some time.)

Let’s take a closer look. [This set was provided by the LEGO Group for review purposes. All opinions are my own.]

Continue reading →

10349 Happy Plants Spark Joy

ramblingbrick Botanical Collection, Review , , , , , , , ,
Two cheerful anthropomorphic plant pots, one yellow and one blue, each containing vibrant green plants. The yellow pot has a smiling face and arms, while the blue pot also displays a cute expression, showcasing the playful nature of the 10349 Happy Plants LEGO set.

Yesterday, we took a look at the latest 18+ Botanical set, the Japanese Red Maple. It demonstrates a great balance between organic form, a functional pot and a striking colour palette. Today I would like to look at the other June 2025 Botanicals release: the 10349 Happy Plants. This 217 part set is aimed at a 9+ audience, priced at $AUD29.9/USD22.99/€19.99 / £17.99 and is possibly the cutest set to have sprung up in this breakaway theme to date.

Unlike most of the other sets in this theme, the happy plants build and display experience focuses on the pots rather than the plants. With two pastel anthropomorphic pots, whimsical faces and the ability to hold hands, the plants themselves almost feel like an afterthought, but I think they are also part of the charm. Let’s take a closer look.

Continue reading →

10348 LEGO Botanicals Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree (review)

ramblingbrick 18+, Botanical Collection, ICONS, Lego, Review , , , , , , ,
LEGO Botanicals 10348 Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree model displayed with vibrant red and orange foliage on a green base.

A Bonsai Tree (10281) was one of the first sets released under the Botanical Collection label, back in 2021. Four years later, and it is still in the catalog. With Botanicals becoming their own theme this year, we have seen some delightful builds aimed at younger builders. But the grown-ups have not been forgotten, with the 10348 Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree being added to the catalog. It will be released June 1st, has 474 pieces and retails for $AUD99.99/€59.99/USD59.99/£54.99. The LEGO Group provided this set, but all opinions are my own.

Continue reading →

What Game is LEGO® playing? 42208 Aston Martin Valkyrie

BrankotheFather Lego, Review, technic , , , , , , , , ,
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.

Continue reading →

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.

Continue reading →

40767 Up-Scaled Space Baby: A good reason to order fresh LEGO?

ramblingbrick GWP, Lego, Review, space , , , , , , ,
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?

Continue reading →

10360 Shuttle Carrying Aircraft: Rambling Review

ramblingbrick 18+, ICONS, Lego, Review, space , , , , , , , , ,
A person holding a LEGO model of the Space Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, featuring the Shuttle on top, against a clear blue sky. The image includes text overlaying the model with the title '10360 LEGO ICONS Shuttle Carrier Aircraft: Rambling Review' and the word 'SWOOSH!'

After the conclusion of the Apollo Moon Landing, the public’s interest in Space exploration waned. Then we saw our first images of the next phase of NASA’s manned Space Program: the Prototype Space Shuttle Enterprise being transported on the back of a modified 747, before being released to glide independently for a landing. We knew something exciting was happening.

The 747 subsequently received a a new paint job and was involved in transporting the Space Shuttles from their landing site in California across the country to Florida, in time for the next launch, through to the end of the program in 2011.

While we have seen many sets depicting a space shuttle at this scale or larger, in varying detail ( at least 20 at the most recent count), this is the first time we have seen a LEGO set depicting any variant of the 747 jumbo jet.

So, will this new model inspire us like the Saturn V from LEGO Ideas in 2017 did? Let’s take a closer look. Along the way, we will include some insights from Andy Grubb, one of the design team members who worked on this set.

Continue reading →

10360 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft: Swoosh Test.

ramblingbrick 18+, ICONS, Review, space , , , , , , ,
A hand holding the LEGO ICONS 10360 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, featuring a NASA Space Shuttle attached to a modified 747-100, demonstrating swoosh testing.

The latest LEGO ICONS set, 10360 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, brings us the modified 747-100 and the prototype Space Shuttle Enterprise. The defining point of all LEGO Spacecraft and Airplanes is their swooshability. While this set is intended as a display model, my inner eight-year-old felt it should be taken out for a fly.

While I am still writing up my full review, I felt it important to share this with you now. You can see the results after the break.

Continue reading →