Earlier this year saw the release of the first wave of sets in the Hidden Side theme. A theme working on combining the best of LEGO brick based play with an Augmented Reality based game, Hidden Side seems to have hit close to the right balance with great set design, as well as an appealing underlying story.
When I first saw the sets at a Melbourne Toy Show preview in March this year, there were some new elements that caught my eye, in one set in particular: new train bearings and wheels. The thoughts of those present immediately turned to whether or not this was going to be a new feature across LEGO trains. Now that they have also appeared in the recently released Disney Train, it now appears that this is the case. Today I would like to look at the new Train bearings, a new rail element as well as a look at the Hidden Side set 70424: Ghost Train Express.
But lets start with the wheel bearings:
On the Left: the New (2019) wheel base and wheel elements; on the Right, the more historical 2006 Wheel base and elements.Continue reading →
It’s Sunday evening and I am exhausted. The weekend has been full of unfolding news from the New York Toy Fair: new themes, new sets, new Ideas, new films and new styles of Battle Pack. It’s been an exciting thrill ride. We have touched on a few of these topics over the last few days. However, I think the easiest way to cover the rest of the news is to just wrap it up here. Read on for further details.
In the run up to this weekend’s New York Toy Fair, a surprise announcement: the release of a new theme: LEGO Hidden Side
On display for the first time at the NY Toy Fair, this new theme takes the physical play of a brick built set, and combines it with an augmented reality game, while our heroes Parker and Jack explore their hometown of Newbury, solving puzzles with the aid of their mobile phones. There will be eight new sets, due for release around August, which can be used in conjunction with the phone app to enhance the play experience.
Kids, LEGO bricks and puzzles to solve: what’s not to love?
What do we know?
Jack and Parker: I love the new hoodie/cap element as well as the beanie/purple hair. New tile prints for the phones are also good to see. And a new dog! I can’t wait to see what else the sets will bring!
The LEGO® Hidden Side universe takes place in the fictional town of Newbury
The main characters, Jack and Parker, are teenage bloggers; through an app on their mobile phones, they can see the unseen
The play mission:LEGO Hidden Side challenges children to join a fearless team of ghost hunters, who dare see the unseen and help turn a haunted world back to normal one ghost at the time.
Through the game, children can explore the hidden, solve mysteries and catch the ghost
Ages: 7+
The product launches globally, though launch dates may vary depending on markets .
iPhone 6s and up; Also on Android
The app works on both mobile and tablet devices. However, the play experience has been designed with mobile in mind, to facilitate children’s ability to play with one hand in each world – playing with the LEGO set and holding the device at the same time.
