Today we take a quick tour of the content of the LEGO Marvel set 76262 Captain America's Shield, a very large box of 3128 pieces currently in pre-order on the official online store and which will be available at the retail price of €209.99 from August 1, 2023.

I'm not drawing you a picture, this is about building a reproduction of Captain America's shield 47 cm in diameter and you will have understood that the assembly phase is not the strong point of this derivative product: it will have to work on the assembly line to finally have the pleasure of displaying the thing on a shelf alongside, for example, the hammer from the LEGO Marvel set 76209 Thor's Hammer (119.99 €).

If you are wondering where the 3128 pieces of the set are, just look at the photos below to understand that this shield is not a simple disc on which we would distribute plates diverse and varied colours. The internal structure of the accessory consumes most of the inventory and it is designed so that it supports standing and moving. It is also thanks to these alignments of parts that the shield takes on a little volume with a very successful curved effect and the designer has applied himself to proposing a model that fits rather well with the aesthetics of the reference accessory.

It's the subject that wants that, so almost the entire assembly process is broken down into sequences consisting of building the same thing 18 times, and those who love LEGOs for the diversity of assembly techniques will be in for their costs. Here, it is only the end that justifies the means and we are bored while waiting to finally have the possibility of exposing this shield on its support. The only instruction booklet provided seemed strangely thin for a product of more than 3000 parts, I quickly understood why by discovering the sequences consisting of multiplying the same sub-assemblies in a loop.

The whole is flawlessly rigid, thanks in particular to the solid cross made up of axes which takes place in the center of the construction. Placed very quickly in the center of the construction, it ensures the shield a perfect distribution of the sub-assemblies which constitute the internal structure of the object and makes it possible to no longer have to worry about the solidity of the whole.

We could discuss the choice of colors, I would rather have used dark colors, Dark Red et dark Blue, rather than basic shades for the outer surface of the shield, the result would have been only closer to that offered by the abundantly retouched official visuals of the product. In "real" with these basic colors, this shield immediately has less cachet than on the product sheet available online or on the box and it will be necessary to play on the lighting to attenuate the flashy side of the red and blue pieces a little used.

The black support supplied with its pad-printed plate which serves as a reminder that the owner of the object is indeed Captain America is a version on steroids of the usual presentation bases, you have to be able to hold the shield in place without risking it falling . The part of the internal structure of the shield which rests on the base is also reinforced, this is the area identified by a Plate red on the visuals above.

The central star offers a slightly more entertaining assembly sequence than the rest of the product, it's always taken and it's the finishing detail that gives a little cachet to this shield which looks like cracked up close over its entire surface. From further away, the object is necessarily an illusion while recalling that it is indeed a LEGO model with its studs visible on 100% of the outer surface. Nothing has been planned to be able to get rid of the base and hang this shield on the wall, but the most resourceful will necessarily find a solution to install the object, the area with the Plate red seems to me sufficiently reinforced to allow it to be suspended.

The set therefore seems extremely well designed to me and nothing has been left to chance, except perhaps the absence of a handle at the back to grab the shield like a superhero. Was this by-product essential? Nothing is less certain but it will be up to everyone to assess the interest of having a large shield with a surface dotted with studs on its shelves.

LEGO adds a minifig of the owner of the shield in the box, just to furnish a little at the foot of the presentation base and to make the whole thing even more imposing by creating a comparison of scale. The supplied Captain America figurine is not exclusive to this box, it is the one already seen in the sets 76189 Captain America and HYDRA Face-Off (9.99 €) and 76260 Black Widow & Captain America Motorcycles (15.99 €) and we can conclude that this is good news for collectors of minifigs, they will not have to invest more than 200 € in this shield to obtain the figurine in question.

LEGO provides both the character's mask and additional hair. how you want to expose the character is up to you. Small printing defect on the shield accompanying the minifig in the box I received, it will once again be necessary to call on customer service to obtain a perfectly pad-printed element.

It is obvious that this product is aimed at customers who would not necessarily buy the usual classic sets and who want to be able to display their passion for the Marvel universe without getting stuck with the cars, ships and other motorcycles that the range distills for us year round. LEGO attracts here interior decoration enthusiasts who buy their New York posters at Ikea and who proudly display the word "Welcome" based on large wooden letters found at Nature et Découverte on the wall of the living room. It's simple: if this shield does not seem essential to you, it means that you are not the target of the product.

It is therefore lifestyle pushed to the extreme, and even if the object benefits from pretty techniques which allow it to obtain a very acceptable finish, the construction process is unequally monotonous which will undoubtedly put off the most LEGO fans looking for a bit of diversity in the techniques used. It will be without me, anyway I don't have the space to display this big shield at home and I already have the minifig provided.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at July 14, 2023 next at 23:59 p.m. Just post a comment under the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. 

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.

Today we take a quick tour of the content of the LEGO Technic set 42160 Audi RS Q e-tron, a box of 914 pieces which will be available at the retail price of €169.99 from August 1, 2023 via the official online store and in LEGO Stores.

Don't get too carried away on the product inventory, there are still more than 400 pins to use during the assembly of this interpretation of the vehicle in addition to the large handful of various and varied black panels. On the other hand, there are several elements of the CONTROL+ ecosystem in the box with 3 L motors and a Hub Powered Up which also serves as batterybox, their mere presence probably explains the relatively high price of this set. The model owes its successful finish only to the two huge sheets of stickers which bring together 47 stickers, it is difficult to do without these stickers if you want to obtain a machine with an aggressive and successful look.

The design of the LEGO version of the vehicle seems pretty decent to me, it was delusional anyway to hope for better, especially since it is a motorized model intended to bump into the living room baseboards and no a model with perfectly interpreted angles. This version, for example, ignores almost the entire front bumper with its air intakes and headlights, which are embodied here by a single large sticker. However, we recognize the reference Audi RS Q e-tron and that is the main thing.

The assembly of the 37 cm long by 19 cm wide and 15 cm high model is quickly dispatched starting with a first section which involves two of the three motors, with a first motor to drive the wheels which take advantage of new hubs, red rims and new tires and a second that manages the direction of the vehicle. The instructions are explicit enough not to be mistaken in the passages of cables and connections.

The second section then connects to the first via two large Technic frames, it uses the third motor to drive the rear wheels. The Bluetooth Hub with its new cover with four screws is installed on the way and I advise you at this stage to test all the functions of the vehicle to ensure that nothing has been incorrectly installed or incorrectly connected. You will thus avoid having to remove the various bodywork elements, the installation of which is sometimes a bit complex to rectify the situation.

The installation of the various body elements could have been entertaining if it weren't punctuated by the placement of numerous stickers. Not a pad-printed Audi logo on the horizon, it's a sticker fair and you quickly get tired of trying to line up the different patterns. One might wonder why a machine presented on the packaging as capable of hurtling down dunes and therefore of being used mainly outdoors is covered with stickers, but make no mistake, this is a simple indoor toy.

The vehicle weighing more than 1.20 kg is rather comfortable on the living room floor, but things get a bit tricky as often happens outside: the slightest obstacle can become a problem despite the generous wheel arches, the very soft independent suspensions and the sufficient ground clearance, the movements of the machine are a little more laborious depending on the terrain, it lacks torque and the turning radius is very limited. This is the case for most of the motorized vehicles offered by LEGO, they are above all children's toys, certainly motorized, but which above all offer various and varied challenges intended to occupy the youngest for a few hours via the dedicated application.

The Audi RS Q e-tron being an electric buggy specialized in rally-raid, it is not moreover a machine designed to offer the best crossing capacities, there are other references in the LEGO range for that like the LEGO Technic set 42129 4x4 Mercedes-Benz Zetros Trial Truck.

The CONTROL+ application available on iOS and Android will obviously be updated by the time this product is marketed and I was able to use a perfectly functional beta version. The interface that allows you to steer the vehicle is pretty, the controls are simple and accessible and you can have fun immediately without going through a laborious phase of acclimatization which would be a little discouraging. One joystick for steering, the other for forwards or backwards, it's simple and effective.

As usual, I tested two types of rechargeable batteries: classic Panasonic Eneloop Ni-Mh 1.2V 1900 mAh batteries and Ansmann NiZn 1.6V 1600 mAh batteries and the result is clear: Ansmann batteries offer more power and the machine moves noticeably faster and stumbles less on certain small obstacles. If you plan to really play with this type of product, do not hesitate to buy this type of battery and the essential charger compatible with the NiZn standard.

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I have to say that for once I am globally won over by the look of this modern buggy with its aggressive lines, and I did not expect to obtain a vehicle with breathtaking performance anyway. I have had many machines powered by LEGO in my hands and I now know that we should not rely too much on the promises made on the packaging of these different products. This Audi RS Q e-tron offers a good compromise which should satisfy all those who have understood that this is not a classic radio-controlled vehicle.

This children's toy is therefore in my opinion not the worst of what LEGO has produced on the same theme over the years, far from it, but you will still have to wait to find it for less than the 170 € requested. The youngest will have fun for long hours thanks to the various activities offered in the application and they will discover some interesting assembly techniques in terms of motorization, differential, suspension and steering, adults will perhaps see a nice show model of a modern vehicle with a very original look.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at July 12, 2023 next at 23:59 p.m. Just post a comment under the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. 

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.

Today we are very quickly interested in the content of the LEGO Star Wars set 75361 Spider Tank, a box of 526 pieces vaguely inspired by the second episode of the third season of The Mandalorian series, currently for pre-order on the official online store and which will be available from August 1, 2023 at the retail price of €52.99.

Confusion may reign in the memories of those who watched the third season of the series several months ago as soon as it was made available on the Disney+ platform and the set will then find some indulgent fans who will see it as a beautiful tribute to the concerned scene but all that seems to me all the same very summary and approximate.

The construction oscillates between crab-spider and spider-crab and it is of a relative visual sadness. I will be answered as usual that LEGO has probably worked on very (too) preliminary artworks of the thing but in my opinion this is no longer a valid excuse, especially when you have to pay 53 €.

We therefore assemble here the mechanical spider seen in the episode concerned and which still reserves some beautiful assembly sequences with a body that can accommodate a minifig, a rather correct head, six legs integrating a rubber element which gives them a semblance of cushioning and two movable clamps on Ball Seals. It is however very quickly put together, a little repetitive at times but it is the subject who wants it, and the thing will undoubtedly end up quickly at the bottom of a drawer even among the youngest. Do not look for the mechanism that allows the legs to move when the spider moves, there is none and the six appendages are fixed.

There are two Stud Shooters integrated into the hatch that closes the body of the spider but that will not be enough to save the furniture and justify the price of the product. For the price, LEGO could have at least added some accessories like the cage seen on the screen, just to have a little context around the machine and the characters provided. All it took was a few additional parts to expand the content of the set a little and offer it real playability, not enough to significantly impact the manufacturer's margin.

LEGO could also have made an effort on the color used for the spider, I know that the Star Wars range subscribes to gray but there was perhaps something here to embody the rusty aspect of the machine seen a little better in the caves of Mandalore.

We will probably almost all agree to conclude that this set will only find its audience thanks to the presence of the magnificent new minifig of Bo-Katan Kryze provided. The pad printing of the figurine is very successful and the hairstyle delivered as well as the facial features contribute to perfectly embody the actress Katee Sackhoff, central character of the third season of the series.

The hairstyle used lets the pad-printed headband appear on the character's head, it's perfect. I prefer this version of the character to that of the set 75316 Mandalorian Starfighter which for its part made direct reference to the animated series The Clone Wars, but it's very personal and I need both anyway.

For the rest, the Din Djarin and Grogu minifigures are those already seen many times in sets in the range, and the Darksaber is in my opinion a failure, LEGO contenting itself with using a classic handle and associating a simple black blade. There was probably better to do to embody the weapon in question, but its fate is sealed anyway and we will do with this uninspired accessory.
Those who have seen the episode in question will have noticed that a central character is missing here: the cyborg who controls the spider. One more figure would not have been refused, even if it is a secondary character, to make it easier to pass the pill of the public price of the set.

It is therefore in my opinion not the product of the year, it is too expensive for what it is, the reference to the series The Mandalorian is sloppy and only one of the three figurines is unpublished. Sorry for not crying genius this time, it's much too approximate and summary to convince me to spend the €53 requested. I will make the effort for the superb Bo-Katan Kryze minifigure but I will therefore wait wisely for this product to end up being offered at a much lower price elsewhere than at LEGO, which inevitably will eventually happen.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at July 11, 2023 next at 23:59 p.m. Just post a comment under the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. 

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.

Today we take a quick tour of the content of the LEGO DREAMZzz set 71456 Mrs. Castillo's Turtle Van, a box of 434 pieces currently on pre-order on the official online store at the retail price of €47.99 and which will be available from August 1, 2023.

For those who have not followed, the LEGO DREAMZzz universe is the new "in-house" license at LEGO and the manufacturer is once again putting the means to try to demonstrate that it is able to create a complete ecosystem of products without having to s rely on external licenses. Of all the attempts at LEGO, only the Ninjago and Monkie Kid ranges are still in the catalog, the other most recent home universes have all been more or less quickly dropped by the wayside for a long time after a few waves of boxes.

The LEGO DREAMZzz license therefore comes at the right time to try to generate a new long-term commercial dynamic and it is based in passing on an animated series broadcast on Youtube, Netflix or even Prime Video with a dozen episodes already online and a new season to come. LEGO has obviously planned a substantial lifespan for this new universe as well as many products derived from products already themselves derived with, for example, a slew of activity books to be published accompanied or not by various and varied figurines. Everything is obviously aimed at the youngest, so it is important to keep the target audience in mind to form an objective opinion on these products.

In this box, we assemble Madame Castillo's food truck parked a few streets from the home of the two young heroes of this universe, Mateo and Izzy. The version of the vehicle seen on the screen not being based on bricks, that of the set is therefore necessarily a largely simplified interpretation of the thing. We get an 8-stud wide vehicle vaguely inspired by a VW van with a rather basic interior, a few stickers and a removable roof.

The LEGO version looks just like the show, but it's yet to be seen how younger kids will enjoy these simplified, loosely inspired by-products of a series that features minifigs in a classic brick-free cartoon setting.

The van can be converted into a flying turtle or a submarine and therefore LEGO offers two variants of the starting construction. These transformations are rather well documented in the instruction booklet and it is not necessary to disassemble everything to transform the vehicle into Señor Tortuga. Changing from one version to the other only requires a few minor modifications and the process will therefore not discourage the youngest. There are still a few unused parts after each modification, but the remainder is limited.

We can therefore consider that the 3-in-1 aspect of the product is really exploitable here, this is not always the case in the products presented by LEGO as offering the possibility of assembling several variants of the product offered with very often a large pile of untapped coins. The sheet of stickers to stick on the van is substantial but all these stickers are not used, there remains a small handful of stickers (bottom right on the scan above) which will allow you to personalize the vehicle as you see fit. All the patterns visible on the different elements of the set and which are not on the sheet of stickers are therefore stamped.

As for the minifigs delivered in this box, it's a pad printing party. LEGO puts all its know-how at the service of this new range and this is in turn good news for all the other ranges of the manufacturer: the new parts or the variations of certain elements in colors not offered until now produced for the he LEGO DREAMZzz universe will sooner or later end up being exploited elsewhere.

Madame Castillo, for example, is converted here into a unique piece integrating the backpack worn by the character associated with two yellow arms from the Super Mario range. We will once again regret the gap between the official visuals and the "real" minifig, some details of the character's dress are a bit overlooked.

The young Mateo is also delivered in this box, he is the male hero of the series and the minifig is rather very faithful to the version seen on the screen except perhaps for the giant pencil which is here a simple stick with a mine at the end. In the animated series, minifigs break free from the limitations of plastic versions with mobility impossible to replicate in real life and the ability to grasp accessories much larger than real plastic hands allow. The Zoey minifigure is also highly detailed with over-the-top graphics on the chest and legs. We can't blame LEGO for saving money on the plastic versions of the characters seen on screen, it's visually successful.

The two mini-creatures, Z-Blob and Grimspawn share the same main mold which allows them to receive an accessory on the head and possibly wear an element under the arm. These figurines are not completely stable, but they can be plugged into a stud and the heads of each of these two creatures can be removed. The big one missing from this box is Tortuga, Madame Castillo's mini pet turtle in "real" life, which only appears in the set as a simple sticker.

The set is at least as confusing as the series, with a profusion of elements that may seem irrelevant if we ignore the pitch of this new license. Watching the animated series will not necessarily help, the passage into the world of dreams reveals a totally crazy universe which inevitably opens the way to equally crazy derivative products.

This box seems to me to be one of the most "readable" of the range, the transformation of the van into a turtle is a good idea well exploited. The public price of the product, 48 €, however, seems to me a bit high for what it has to offer knowing that the LEGO DREAMZzz license has no liabilities and that it is a simple launch. There is also no guarantee that the concept will go beyond this first wave and a possible other batch of sets already ready but marketed at the end of the year, sales will serve as a judge of the peace.

If the LEGO DREAMZzz universe is an industrial accident, there will be massive destocking and those who want certain pieces present in these boxes will find what they are looking for and if the range is a hit with the youngest, the most interesting elements will then be available in several sets. Everyone will win on arrival. In any case, LEGO will have invested time and money in new elements and new colors that will sooner or later have to be recycled elsewhere and that's always taken.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at July 9, 2023 next at 23:59 p.m. Just post a comment under the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. 

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.

Today we are quickly interested in the content of the LEGO Technic set 42161 Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica, a box of 806 pieces that will be available from August 1, 2023 at the public price of 52.99 €.

It's not worth making tons of them, with such a small inventory of 806 pieces including more than 250 diverse and varied pins, it is difficult to hope for anything other than this somewhat approximate model of 28 cm long 12 cm wide and 8 cm high. In my opinion, the designer is doing honorably despite the inventory constraints and, as often, he will have to make do with a few somewhat empty spaces and a few somewhat hazardous angles.

This is a children's toy and not an ultra-detailed exhibition model, so the contract seems fulfilled knowing that the vehicle offers as a bonus three essential features on this type of model: doors and a bonnet. front ends that open, functional steering that can be manipulated by turning the remote wheel on the roof (but not via the vehicle's steering wheel) and a V10 engine whose pistons visible at the rear come into motion via one of the rear wheels when moving.

No suspensions on this model, we are talking about a product at 50 €, we should not hope to have access to this type of mechanical refinement in this price range. The doors are fixed to the structure only via a single axis, they take a little play in use but nothing irreparable, it's LEGO and it is enough to push these two sub-assemblies well to restore their rigidity.

The assembly of this Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica with LEGO sauce is logically quickly dispatched, there are indeed a few stickers to stick here or there to refine the level of detail of the construction a little, dress the seats and embody the headlights and the toy the aggressive lines obtained should appeal to the youngest. It's LEGO Technic, so we find the "signature" mix of blue, brown or red colored pines that remain clearly visible on the construction, you have to deal with it as always.

Don't look too much for absolute fidelity to the reference vehicle, that's not the point of this type of toy which above all has the merit of introducing some techniques to the youngest fans before they move on to more advanced products. both technically and aesthetically. We also note that the Lamborghini logo is well stamped on the central part of the steering wheel but that it is not on the front cover. I would have made the opposite choice if I had been asked for my opinion on this point, the front cover deserved to escape the glaring difference in color between the sticker and the room that hosts it.

The problem with this product is elsewhere and you probably already know what it is all about if you have carefully looked at the photos in this article: you have to deal with at least three different shades of green, with two shades for the parts to which is added that of the bottom of the stickers. Those who bought the set 42115 Lamborghini Sián FKP 37 (449.99 €) have had the painful experience of these differences in color which slightly disfigure their model, the problem is exactly the same here.

LEGO does not currently provide any detailed explanation concerning the origin of the problem and one is entitled to wonder how a product suffering from this appearance defect can end up on the shelves without the manufacturer wondering if it is better not postpone it or simply cancel it pending an acceptable solution. It is not for lack of reminding the manufacturer on this point which is regularly mentioned at the LAN level in the hope of obtaining a convincing technical explanation but nothing has been officially announced to date. We will talk about it again if the quality department brings technical elements later.

Worse, the official visuals of the product present on the box and on the official online store are extensively retouched to hide this defect and many are those who will be disappointed when unpacking and opening the bags. There is no point in contacting customer service to obtain replacement parts, you will receive parts with the same defect until proven otherwise.

I am willing to admit that the problem is more complex than a simple story of the dosage of color pigments according to the type of plastic used, but the desire to hide this defect, which has been regularly present for several years now at LEGO on the visuals used to promoting the product is a questionable process to say the least.

That being said, those who are willing to put up with these unsightly color variations should have a little fun with a few slightly complex construction steps and the pleasure of obtaining a toy that looks and which is equipped with a few essential functions in this price range. The others will wisely wait for this product, which sails in the soft underbelly of the LEGO Technic range, to be available for less than 40 € at Amazon or elsewhere, the finish defect found confirms that it does not deserve to spend the 53 € requested.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at July 7, 2023 next at 23:59 p.m. Just post a comment under the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. 

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.