Without transition, we continue with a quick test of the LEGO Stranger Things set 75810 The Upside Down (2287 pieces - 199.99 €), a luxury spin-off for die-hard fans of the hit Netflix series, the third season of which arrives next July. The set is available now in the LEGO Shop and from tomorrow morning in your favorite LEGO Store, if you are a member of the VIP program.

As with all merchandise, if you are not a fan of the universe in question here, you have just saved 199.99 €. If you are a fan of the Stranger Things series, this set is a very nice tribute to the first season but it will cost you more than a t-shirt or a poster. It's up to you.

That being said, Netflix has been careful to partner with a brand that, like the series, readily surfs nostalgia to establish its legend. I am also amazed that no LEGO product placement has taken place in the first two seasons of the series, it will certainly be for the next episodes.

This set is stamped "Netflix Official Merchandise", it is therefore at least the fruit of a partnership between the two brands and possibly an order from Netflix which wishes to make a little more profitable this nostalgia which constitutes the whole backstory of the series. There are many product placements in Stranger Things, that LEGO is associated with merchandising is not surprising.

As I said above, this box is based on the events of the first season of the series broadcast during the summer of 2016. From the second season, broadcast at the end of 2017, the children of the cast had already grown up, Dustin had teeth and Eleven had hair. The third season will feature teenagers and the minifigs in the set will therefore remain a tribute to the very first season of the series. Only Jim Hopper (David Harbor) and Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) will remain more or less timeless.

LEGO has chosen to represent the house of the Byers, very present in the first season of the series, especially when Will Byers communicates with his mother from the Upside Down via the light garlands installed in the living room. The choice to reproduce the family house was logical and the result is up to what one would expect from a set at 200 €.

To symbolize the Upside Down, LEGO has therefore reproduced with a mirror effect the house of the "normal" version by staging it in the dark and disturbing parallel universe seen in the series. The idea is good, even if some may see it as a somewhat confusing choice, particularly because of the presentation of the whole.

In the box, you will find two instruction booklets that are actively involved in the fan service with some facts about the series scattered over the pages. The real plus: it is possible to share the assembly of the set with other fans, each one taking care of one of the two versions of the house of Byers, to then bring it all together.

The two parts of the set are brought together thanks to two uprights which integrate some Technic parts covered by the tree trunks and the foliage which come to be fixed on the sides of the two versions of the house of the Byers via a series of Ball Seals. The visual symmetry works perfectly and the mirror effect is really very convincing.

There's nothing stopping you from displaying either or both of the versions on your shelves if the choice of LEGO isn't right for you. The fixing device that unites the two houses is ingenious and the whole, which may seem a bit fragile at first glance, is flawlessly stable. On the other hand, it will take patience to dissociate the two parts of the set, the connection points placed at the level of the uprights and around the house being very numerous. You also have to remove some decorative pieces before you can unhook the two side uprights.

Everything has been thought out so that all interior fittings can stand upside down. The accessories are all fixed on the walls and on the floor, nothing falls. Even Sheriff Hopper's vehicle is plugged into a stand that holds it when it's the Upside Down version that's placed on top.

Even if the purpose here is not to "replay" the different scenes taking place inside the house, LEGO has taken care to offer a successful interior filled with winks that fans will appreciate: search of Will and Barbara Holland, the poster of Jaws (The Teeth of the Sea) seen in Will's room, the bear trap used to capture the Demogorgon, etc ... The fan service print version is spread over the two large sheets of stickers provided (see above).

The central element of the set is obviously the wall covered with the alphabet which allows Will to communicate with his mother from the other dimension via the string lights. LEGO had the good idea to integrate a light brick that you can activate at will to light up the scene. It's playful, and the benchmark works even though those LEGO light bricks don't light up much and still can't stay on all the time without tinkering with a system that keeps the push button pressed.

The set also allows us to obtain the vehicle of Sheriff Jim Hopper, a Chevrolet K5 Blazer rather well modeled by LEGO. The vehicle is designed to be able to easily install Hopper behind the wheel and you only have to remove the roof to access the interior.

At the back in the trunk also accessible by removing the roof, there is one of the rare direct nods of the set to season 2 of the series: a pumpkin that recalls the sequences in which Jim Hopper investigates on the strange phenomenon which destroys many crops in the vicinity of Hawkins.

Among the references to the second season of the series, we find a purple hat hidden under the roof of the house in reference to the fourth episode of season 2 (Will the wise) and there is also a drawing of Will with the Mind Flayer (see sheet of stickers above).

There is no license plate on the front of Sheriff Hopper's vehicle, it is not an oversight and it is normal. No plate in the series and in the USA, several states including Indiana do not impose a plate on the front. Even though the town of Hawkins does not exist, it is located in Indiana, so the series relies on this rule.

The minfigs delivered in this big box are overall very successful, even if as I said above, they are based on the first season of the series and will ultimately remain a direct reference to the episodes of 2016.

Bowl cut and red and yellow anorak for Will Byers, it's perfect. Striped polo shirt and beige jacket for Mike Wheeler, it works. Cap, green stamped t-shirt WaupacaWisconsin, hair that overflows and mouth without teeth for Dustin Henderson, it is in conformity. Warrior outfit and slingshot with yellow elastic for Lucas Sinclair whose head is adorned with the camouflage headband, everything is there.

The piece that serves as both hair and cap for Dustin is beautifully executed and the rendering is impeccable. Out of the four young heroes in the show, it's flawless and if I had to make a criticism I'd say Mike Wheeler's hair isn't totally true to the character's hairstyle in the first few episodes. There are also the essential walkie-talkies that serve as a means of communication for children.

Joyce Byers' minifigure is also quite convincing with a hairstyle very close to that of Winona Ryder in the series. Jim Hopper is a bit more generic, hard to see David Harbor in it, but the minifigure will do even without the American flag on the right sleeve and the Hawkins Police Department crest on the left sleeve. Too bad for the lack of customization of this generic sheriff which deserved some additional details.

Pink dress, blue jacket and blonde wig for Eleven (Eleven), with of course an Eggo waffle in the character's hand to respect the product placement, and it's pretty successful except that LEGO forgot to provide us with an accessory to play as the real haircut of the girl. The pink fabric skirt spoils the overall aesthetic of the minifigure a little and contrasts with the very pale pink of the torso, but we will do with it.

Finally, the Demogorgon is impressive. LEGO had the good idea to create a hood that plugs into the head of the minifigure to obtain two different "faces". The pad printing on the curved surface of the creature's mouth is really successful.

As you can see from the official visuals, the display provided only allows four characters to be displayed and that's a shame. I understand that Will is somewhere else at this point in the story, but I would have preferred to be able to line up all the characters provided on the same medium. By the way, I note that the logo of the series is a sticker and at 200 € the "official" box I would have appreciated a nice pad printed plate.

Every fan of the series will have an opinion anyway on what LEGO should or could have done: The Castle byers in the forest ? a school hallway? A piece of the lab? For the most assiduous fans, there is in the series what to fill dozens of sets. For those who have watched the show like they watch dozens of other shows on Netflix or Amazon Prime and have already moved on, one box will suffice. The fashion of "binge watching"has also somewhat killed the potential for a series to become cult over time. A few years back, it was also the regularity of the broadcast and the spacing of the episodes that created over time a meeting essential and gradually installed content in popular culture.

In short, this derivative product has everything to please as long as you appreciate the universe of the Stranger Things series and have the means to afford something other than a poster or a mug. This is obviously not a flamboyant example of LEGO's ability to develop its own universes, but it is a clear demonstration of the brand's know-how when it comes to creating goodies luxury in the service of external licenses.

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included as usual. To participate in the draw, all you have to do is post a comment (avoid "I participate, I try, etc ..." be a little more constructive) on this article before the May 24, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

THE LEGO STRANGER THINGS 75810 THE UPSIDE DOWN SET ON THE LEGO SHOP >>

Today we quickly tour the LEGO Star Wars set 75236 Duel on Starkiller Base (191 pieces - 19.99 €), a small box which proposes to recreate the scene of the confrontation between Rey and Kylo Ren seen in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

It is obviously a set to be stored in the "license spin" box. Those who would have liked to reproduce this scene have long since had the minifigs of the two characters concerned in their collections and this playset does not add much more than what any diorama on a white background could allow.

Many of the reviews that I have seen or read so far bluntly gargle at the "features" built into this playset: the two trees that tip over with one of them revealing a cache in which there is a blaster and the platform that opens under the feet of the two protagonists, as in the film. I still remember that even the Kenner playsets of my childhood did better in terms of things that open, tilt, close, etc ... There is nothing to cry genius when a construction toy is good. use of all its possibilities.

To conclude like LEGO the fact that thanks to this set "... Children can relive unforgettable moments from Star Wars: The Force Awakens ..."is a bit pretentious in my opinion. The circular platforms Rey and Kylo Ren are on are movable but you have to manipulate them by hand so that the sabers collide. Two rods placed under the base would have been welcome to be able to easily move the two supports and watch a fight without fingers that disrupt the action.

In fact, this set is mostly a small exhibition product compact enough to hang around the corner of a desk or shelf without being too intrusive. It's a discreet nod to a scene in the film that probably didn't deserve better and those on a budget who would only like to afford a single box based on this film may find something here. to please yourself.

I see from here coming all those who will tell me that this set allows above all to obtain an exclusive minifig of Kylo Ren. And this is the case, with a minifig which is indeed new and for the moment exclusive even if it is in fact only a graphic variant of the minifig seen in the set. 75139 Battle on Takodana (2016) with a few additional tears on the character's tunic. The head provided here is new but the cape provided in the set 75139 has on the other hand gone by the wayside.

Kylo Ren has two facial expressions here, it is consistent with the unfolding of the scene concerned and the side of the face with the injury is very successful.

As LEGO often does things halfway, Rey's minifig delivered in this box is the one already seen in half a dozen boxes that feature the character. I know very well that it would have been difficult to do otherwise, Rey wears in this scene the same outfit as in almost all of the film.

However, a discreet modification of the pad printing of the torso and / or legs would have been enough to delight collectors and give a different destiny to this set. I point it out in passing because it's still just as inadmissible: the flesh-colored hue of the neck of Rey's minifigure is too dull and does not match the character's head.

In short, this little set about which LEGO declares "... Prepare for epic creative play on Starkiller Base! ..."is in my opinion a nice display product for an adult fan in need of space more than a toy to give to the little ones. You can see it as an Architecture set from the LEGO Star Wars range ...

I forced my 9 year old son, a Star Wars fan like many other things, to play with this playset and he just knocked over the two trees before going back to playing Moonlighter making fun of me and my "toy" " too expensive.

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included as usual. To participate in the raffle, simply post a comment on this article before May 20, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

Today we are quickly interested in the LEGO Marvel set 76125 Iron Man Hall of Armor (524 pieces - 69.99 €), a box marketed on the occasion of the theatrical release of the movie Avengers Endgame and which, you can imagine, has nothing to do with the film.

The Hall of Armor has been the sea serpent of the LEGO Marvel range for many years. Tired of waiting for an official version, many fans have applied themselves to creating their own displays to line up the many Iron Man armor sold so far. There are also many LEGO Ideas projects declined on this theme over the years.

The marketing of an official version is therefore a priori a good thing, regardless of whether it is on the occasion of the release of a film in which Tony Stark's laboratory does not appear. This is outright fan service and it is time for LEGO to respond on the matter.

On the other hand, we were badly used with the MOCs and other increasingly impressive LEGO projects which allow to store about fifty minifigs. The official version of the Hall of Armor is more modest and you will have to acquire several boxes to get something really substantial (and a small army of Outriders ...)

The reproduction of Tony Stark's laboratory that this set offers is however very correct and it can be the starting point of a more opulent version of the place with a little imagination and pocket money. We could even consider that this is a modular construction: the different elements can be rearranged or stacked depending on the presentation solution chosen and the space available on your shelves. Some accessories in the form of a nod to the fans (the blender, the proton cannon, a jetpack, etc ...) for the road and the set does its job.

The assistant robot Dum-U delivered here just asks to be joined by his sidekick Dum-E delivered in the polybag 30452 Iron Man and Dum-E and the central platform can still be used to stage the minifigure of the promotional set 40334 Avengers Tower...

Too bad for the stickers stuck on the monitors of Tony Stark's office, the patterns of which have difficulty in standing out on the transparent parts whose tenons are visible. I am really in favor of stickers on a transparent background which avoid color shifts but on this specific example, the transparency of the background really affects the readability of the content of these stickers.

We can also conclude that a simple display with a few accessories and sold € 70 is a bit expensive. As it stands, it is moreover only an embryo of a display unit and the set, once assembled, looks above all like a portion of construction that only needs to be expanded in increments of € 70 more ...

The two Outriders that LEGO has added in the box only serve to sell the idea that the set is not just a simple display but that it is indeed a playset.

There won't be many people to fall for it and LEGO would have done better to assume the obvious role of this box by providing two additional armor in place of the two generic creatures which have little to do there.

We will quickly forget the very coarse version of the Mark 38 "Igor" armor delivered here, it will undoubtedly please only the youngest who will be able to have fun with this large articulated figurine capable of accommodating a minifig.

The armor does not closely or remotely resemble the blue Hulkbuster seen in Iron Man 3. A BigFig in the spirit of those of Hulk or Thanos would have been sufficient, other "alternative brands" have done it and it is much more successful than this assembly of parts a little misshapen.

It is obviously on the side of the minifigs delivered in this box that you have to look to understand that this set is a must-have that every good collector must have.

Of the four armors provided, three are new and for the moment exclusive: The Mark I, Mark V and Mark XLI versions (41), all delivered with a transparent head since it is only armor to store in their respective locations. The Mark 50 version with Tony Stark's double-sided head was already delivered in the excellent set 76108 The Sanctum Sanctorum Showdown marketed since 2018.

The finish of the three new weaves is exemplary with very accomplished pad printing. Like many fans, I was waiting for LEGO to finally offer us a minifig with the Mark I armor and I am not disappointed. The minifigure is perfect from the front as from the back.

In the end, it is difficult for an assiduous fan or a collector to escape this set. It contains three new armors which alone justify its acquisition even if the Hall of Armor provided here is simply an interesting sketch of what it is possible to do by spending more to finally be entitled to an "official" display to put in. value on our shelves. Too bad about the "Igor" armor, but we'll make do with it.

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included as usual. To participate in the raffle, simply post a comment on this article before May 19, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

Today we take a little detour to the animated series Star Wars: Resistance with the LEGO Star Wars set 75242 Black Ace TIE Interceptor (396 pieces - 49.99 €) which allows to obtain the modified TIE fighter of Griff Halloran with its owner accompanied here by Poe Dameron and BB-8.

We could make it very short on this type of sets: Do you like the Star Wars Resistance animated series? Buy it. Don't you even know what I'm talking about? Save your money. Here.

Beyond this conclusion, which would be more than enough, we can always try to take a closer look to see what this box based on an animated Star Wars series really has to offer and it turns out that this set has some arguments capable of seducing the most assiduous of collectors.

Star Wars Resistance is Star Wars meeting Wipeout with spaceships whose design will bring back memories to anyone who has spent hours racing on the most unlikely tracks. It is also in my opinion a simple series of "recruiting" without real stakes intended for the youngest fans. The series focuses on the period leading up to The Force Awakens with a (very) light tone, ship races, omnipresent and a little heavy humor, ship races, etc ...

The set does its job by making it possible to obtain one of the ships of the series which lends itself rather well to an adaptation to the LEGO sauce. Nothing to say about the resemblance between the ship seen on the screen and its brick-based equivalent. It is faithful, the proportions are respected, the construction is solid and a young fan of the series will find his account.

The Black Ace is equipped with Spring-Shooters at the end of the wings, it has a stowage space at the rear to store the additional green missile supplied and a cockpit in which Griff Halloran can fit without problem, even and especially with his helmet on his head. The contract is fulfilled.

The ship is easy to handle without breaking everything and the two very thin fins placed at the front which I thought very fragile are securely attached to the cabin. the finish is very correct even if the side arches here vaguely reproduced with mobile white bars seem a little too basic for a product sold for 50 €. A few stickers to stick, nothing dramatic even if these stickers often age very badly in the hands of young, very active fans ...

On the minifig side, LEGO delivers a Griff Halloran whose outfit is rather faithful to that of the character and even provides hair to be able to use the minifigure in all possible contexts. The pad printing of the helmet is very successful and apart from the bluish tint used by LEGO for the painting with the skull motif, it is similar to the accessory used by the character in the series.

The detail that spoils the minifigure a bit: the absence of the character's tattoos on the arms of the figurine.

In the box, we also get a minifig of Poe Dameron for the moment exclusive to this box with a torso and a pair of new legs. The character's torso is really very successful with a nice pad printing on a white base and an orange area whose color is perfectly in line with the hips and legs of the character.

The three-day beard was not necessarily necessary here but we will do with it. By adding this minifig in the box, LEGO makes sure not to forget to flirt with collectors without relying only on young fans of the animated series to sell this box ...

BB-8 is also present in this set and we can even say that this version of the droid is exclusive to this box. The character is anyway unanimous with all generations of fans and it is delivered here with an upper cup whose pad printing has slightly evolved since the first versions of the character.

You will understand, this box is especially intended for fans of the animated series Star Wars Resistance who will undoubtedly find something to have fun there. For the others, the unprecedented version of Poe Dameron who, unlike Griff Halloran is a major character in the Star Wars cinematic universe, will perhaps convince them to spend € 49.99 (or less) in this set.

THE SET 75242 BLACK ACE TIE INTERCEPTOR ON THE LEGO SHOP >>

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included as usual. To participate in the raffle, simply post a comment on this article before May 16, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

Today we are very quickly touring the LEGO Marvel set 76123 Captain America Outriders Attack (167 pieces - 24.99 €). Those who saw Avengers Endgame will have understood that this box, like the other sets of the wave marketed at the moment, is NOT a product directly derived from the film.

After watching the movie, I went back to read the official descriptions of the sets concerned carefully and LEGO is indeed very vague on the subject by simply stating: "... to recreate exciting scenes from the Marvel Avengers movies ...". At no time does LEGO make an explicit reference to the film, even if on the promotional visuals of these boxes the manufacturer plays on the words with the slogan"... Prepare for the Endgame with the new Avengers sets ...". The timing of the sale of these different sets and the dressing of the packaging in the colors of the Quantum Suit obviously complete the confusion.

Unsurprisingly, the bike in this set is not in the movie. She is not in any film. The machine does not look like the modified Harley-Davidson WLA 1942 seen in Captain America: The First Avenger, nor to the Softail Slim fromavengers, nor to a Harley-Davidson Street 750, a model seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron. The designer was here a priori vaguely inspired by the 1942 version to give a vintage look to the machine.

That being said, this set is not a bad product: A big motorcycle with two disc launchers, a superhero, three villains, there is something to amuse the youngest. The bike is much too big for the minifigure but it is also an asset for the handling of the machine. The supplied ammunition is pad printed and these parts dressed with the usual logo will easily find their place elsewhere, for example in a Ribba frame bringing together all the different versions of the Avengers marketed so far.

The ammunition is ejected via a springless mechanism rather well integrated into the fairing of the motorcycle. The youngest therefore have the choice of weapons: they can therefore knock out the Outriders provided rather than run over them.

The two weapons placed on the sides of the front wheel are removable and they can be taken in the hand by Captain America. The effect is a little ridiculous and the minifig is unbalanced but it is a possibility touted by LEGO so I mention it here.

The set's only direct and obvious link to the film Avengers Endgame lies in the Quantum Suit of Captain America, and again the outfit presented here with the character's usual mask is not faithful to that of the film. Steve Rogers does not appear in this configuration in the film.

The supplied shield is very well done, the pad printing is clean and without burrs. The same goes for the new Captain America mask which is very successful. But there is one detail that spoils everything: Steve Rogers' new face is extremely pale and on both sides of the minifigure head. Where we should get a flesh-colored surface, we have to settle for a thin layer of gray ink dotted with a few scratches due to the parts rubbing in the bags.

Once again, we are talking about the LEGO trade here and this manufacturing defect is unacceptable. I know that the youngest fans who will be offered this box will not necessarily be sensitive to this problem but the collector who will invest in this box will necessarily be disappointed.

For those who would seek to find excuses at LEGO and who would explain to us that this gray shade is intentional, I refer them to the official visuals present on the product sheet where the face of Captain America is indeed flesh-colored (Flesh) ...

Please feel free to express your dissatisfaction with customer service and request that a replacement part be sent to you as soon as the issue has been resolved. If no one comes forward, there is no reason for LEGO to admit that the product has a defect and react accordingly ...

For the rest, this box allows you to obtain three Outriders. Left to be completely irrelevant, LEGO could have provided another member of the Avengers and only two Outriders ...

Like many of you, I went to watch the movie hoping to see the elements of the different sets appear on screen and come out of the room feeling like I had to add each of these boxes to my collection. I walked out disappointed and a little annoyed at the patchwork of constructions and minifigs unrelated to the movie offered by LEGO. Marvel has arguably also duped the merchandise makers by providing them with content vague enough to avoid spoilers. The imagination of the designers will have done the rest ...

In short, as far as I'm concerned, this set sold for 24.99 € is only of interest because it allows you to obtain an exclusive Captain America minifigure thanks to the new shield, head and mask even if the technical realization does not really live up to what you would expect from a manufacturer like LEGO.

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included as usual. To participate in the raffle, simply post a comment on this article before May 12, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

THE SET 76123 CAPTAIN AMERICA OUTRIDERS ATTACK ON THE LEGO SHOP >>