Today we are quickly talking about LEGO Marvel Studios minifigs 71031 Collectible Minifigure Series, 12 collectible characters sold individually in bags at the public price of 3.99 €. I ordered and received three boxes of 36 sachets that I have to sort through to share their contents with a few friends, so this is an opportunity to give you some very personal thoughts about this collection of characters.

Know first of all that out of three boxes sorted, only two, those of Minifigure Madness, allow me to obtain three complete sets of 12 characters. The third box, bought from Ticketmaster, contained only two complete sets with four copies of Captain Carter and only two copies of T'Challa Star-Lord. The distribution is therefore not always guaranteed contrary to what I have read in some reviews and the seller obviously has nothing to do with it.

As you already know, this series of 12 characters is based on four Marvel series all broadcast on the Disney + platform: Wandavision (Scarlet Witch, Vision and Monica Rambeau), The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes), Loki (Loki and Sylvie) and What If ...? (Captain Carter, Zombie Captain America, T'Challa Star-Lord, Zombie Hunter Spidey and "Thamora").

Some fans may see in this selection of characters only products derived from secondary content less attractive than the blockbusters usually available in theaters. But the health crisis has passed through there and these very successful series have frankly gained in visibility and popularity in part thanks to the regular postponement of the last theatrical releases which gave them time to create the event and find their audience.

Many are also those who would have liked to have the right to a little more content around the series concerned and there is ultimately only What If ...? who took advantage of two "classic" sets with the references 76194 Tony Stark's Sakaarian Iron Man et 76201 Captain Carter & The Hydra Stomper. The series Wandavision, Loki et The Falcon and the Winter Soldier did they deserve better than a few sachets? Maybe, but in the end we would have paid a high price to get the same characters probably associated with sketchy constructions based on vehicles or pieces of walls without much interest.

You don't have to look at these different minifigs for very long to see that LEGO has put the package on this series by using all the printing and molding techniques mastered. This technical debauchery for a series of characters in sachets is nothing new, as LEGO is undoubtedly seeking, as often, to give value for their money to those who agree to spend € 4 for a simple character without additional construction. The bar is set very high with these 12 new sachets and everything sometimes goes up to visual overdose: pad printing of the arms, legs on two sides, metallized areas, two-color injection or even new molds.

We find on some of these minifigs a level of detail rarely reached and those who are used to the sometimes minimalist minifigures of the LEGO Marvel range may be surprised by discovering the very accomplished finish of those offered in this collection. There is for example here only Monica Rambeau and Sylvie to be equipped with neutral legs whereas it is the norm in many boxes of the range. For the rest, we can conclude that the official visuals do not lie to us about the appearance of these different minifigs, which is not always the case.

We will also remember the attention to detail for each of these minifigs with a real resemblance between the characters seen on the screen and their plastic versions, accessories or references included. The hair of Captain Carter and Monica Rambeau is particularly successful and the figurine of Peggy Carter seen in the set 76201 Captain Carter & The Hydra Stomper suddenly seems bland. Vision may be a little too "gray" but it was difficult to give relief to the figure without using a few shades a little darker than those of the outfit seen on screen.

Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes both come with the same shield, those who have seen the series which revolves in part around the Steve Rogers estate will understand why. The version of Captain America provided here is really very faithful to the character's outfit in the series, we even find the drone Red Wing attached to the back of the character. Monica Rambeau is holding her red drone / helicopter in her hands, Loki is accompanied by Throg who only makes a brief appearance on the screen and Lokigator is in the same bag as Sylvie. The latter is a little minimalist without its horns but the reference has the merit of being there.

These 12 minifigs are not free from technical faults for some of them with, for example, some burrs on Captain Carter's face, pad-printed jacket sides on the hips which are not fully compatible with Loki's torso or even shields whose colored circles are not perfectly centered on some copies, but overall it is quite successful.

Once again, LEGO demonstrates all its technical mastery and confirms that the mediocre result sometimes provided in some sets is only a marketing and financial choice. This series of 12 very successful characters will satisfy the many collectors who do not bother with the constructions usually offered and who are content to acquire the different characters individually via the secondary market.

If it was necessary to choose between faithful figurines and with an exemplary finish sold alone and a few more minimalist minifigs accompanied by a handful of bricks, many would not hesitate to do without the ships and other vehicles provided in exchange for molds. unpublished which allow to refine the appearance of the characters and of some patterns on the arms or the legs of their favorite heroes. Some of the characters delivered here may seem dispensable, especially the variants from the alternate universes developed in the animated series. What If ...?, it's up to everyone to assess the interest of the five characters who are not from the usual continuity of the MCU.

Upon arrival, there is plenty to do a second or even a third series of 12 characters based on the four Disney + series already discussed, and I hope that LEGO will not hesitate to offer us something to supplement a little. plus our collections with other figurines of the same barrel, even if the gap between the "classic" figurines and those delivered in bags widens a little more on the occasion of this brilliant demonstration of all the know-how of the manufacturer.

Note: I am bringing into play a complete set of 12 characters. Deadline set at 6th October, 2021 next at 23pm. 

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 contents of the LEGO Marvel Infinity Saga set 76200 Bro Thor's New Asgard, a small box of 265 pieces sold at the public price of 29.99 € which vaguely reproduces the interior of the house occupied by Thor, Korg and Miek in the Norwegian village of Tønsberg now New Asgard.

Even if this is only a small sticker of 12 x 12 cm, the overall availability of this box is rather good news: we have no doubt escaped what could have been an exclusive set at a convention. US like for example the San Diego Comic Con.

The build is a pure exhibit product that nods to a scene from the movie Avengers: Endgame. No one will really play with this product which freezes a very successful scene and which changes us a bit from the various and varied clashes, ships and vehicles that populate the LEGO Marvel Super Heroes range.

The representation of the interior of the house occupied by Thor, Kork and Miek is here more than symbolic, the designer having simply piled up accessories to embody the ambient disorder that reigns in the place. On arrival, the mini diorama reproduces the atmosphere of the place well and even allows you to obtain the sign located at the entrance of the village.

We narrowly escape references to alcohol thanks to a few empty bottles, LEGO knowing how to stay within the limits of what is acceptable for a product advertised as intended for children aged at least 7 years. The sheet of stickers is quite substantial for a set of this size with seven stickers including three for the lids of pizza boxes lying around and a screenshot of Fortnite in a LEGO version. We also obtain two console levers and two statuettes in dark Blue, the element being present only once in the diorama but it is provided in duplicate in the box.

The interest of the set, which is in fact only a small decorative sticker, also and above all resides in its endowment of characters made up of two "real" minifigs and a more minimalist figurine.

And looking at it more closely, all this is still very approximate. Korg's minifigure may seem successful if you don't remember the movie too much. However, apart from the colorful shirt, the portrayal of the character lacks a bit of detail.

The legs are not the right color, not to mention the absence of textures that would have allowed to reproduce the relief of the creature seen on the screen. The same goes for the arms which, on the other hand, are the right color from the slightly too empty sleeves of the shirt but which also frankly lack texture. The head is decent although the angular cup gives it a bit too much volume for my taste.

Thor's minifigure is visually quite faithful to the character seen on screen with a very apt face, hair and legs, but the portrayal of a paunchy Chris Hemsworth is technically flawed. The color of the belly which extends over the hips does not match that of the torso and the black line which emphasizes the lower belly only reinforces this offset effect.

The official visuals are often extensively retouched and the promise is once again not kept technically. For a manufacturer who has been in the business for decades and who has had plenty of time and money to perfect their pad printing process, it is really time to start considering rolling up their sleeves a bit.

LEGO skipped a long plastic beard for Thor by simply pad printing the character's head and it's a wise choice that saves us a minifig in Santa Claus mode whose face is drowned under the plastic. No dark glasses on Thor's other face, LEGO uses same item as in sets 76192 Avengers Endgame: Final Battle et 76193 The Guardians' Ship.

What about the Miek figurine, except that the solution based on a very successful head that surmounts two flowers is quite disappointing. A dedicated mold would have been welcome even if we know that LEGO does not grant this privilege to everyone.

We are therefore not going to complain about being able to add two new characters and a variant to our collections even if the finish leaves in my opinion overall a little to be desired. Fortunately, the nod to a memorable scene from the film is there, and it's always more interesting than yet another motorcycle or a mech that is a little too minimalist.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at 1er October 2021 next at 23pm. 

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.

As promised, today we are quickly interested in the content of the LEGO set 71395 Super Mario 64? Block, a box of 2064 pieces which will be available via the official store at the retail price of €169.99 from October 1st.

This product aims to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Super Mario 64 video game marketed in 1996 and then playable on Nintendo 64. Those who have walked the different levels of this video game that has become cult for a whole generation and who still remember of its content will have quickly noticed that the set makes a significant difference: the Surprise Block ( Block?) to be built here was not present in the game, we had to wait for games like Super Mario Galaxy or New Super Mario Bros to see it appear in this form and in this color.

This is not a mistake on the part of the designers who also assume this large gap in the pages of the instruction booklet. It was necessary to pay tribute to the game launched in 1996 but it was also about wrapping everything in an object immediately recognizable by fans of all ages and this version of the Block? is arguably the most iconic and the most popular.

The rest of the set refers directly to the game Super Mario 64 with five levels rather well interpreted if we take into account the chosen scale. The four "visible" levels are Peach's Castle (game intro), Bob-omb Battlefield (level 1), Cool, Cool Mountain (level 4) and Lethal Lava Troublelevel 7). The fifth level, Bowser in the Dark World, is hidden behind a "secret" hatch. This is the level in which Mario faces off against Bowser on a rotating platform.

The internal structure of the 18 cm cube is quickly assembled, it is satisfied with a few amounts made up of various and varied parts with large elements that save the designer a few bricks. The interior remains empty, it must later accommodate the block of levels which comes to be stored in the available space.

We also install the front door, the return of which is provided by two red rubber bands, and I'm still a little skeptical about the presence of these rubber bands in a high-end product. It is really time for LEGO to innovate a little on this point and replace these consumables with springs or jacks a little more consistent. The surprise of the hidden level does not last long in the assembly process, the flapper with its notched wheels, rotating platform and the Bowser figure are very quickly present in the instruction booklet.

The assembly of the different levels will undoubtedly bring back some memories to all those who have played Super Mario 64 for a long time, others will simply see reproductions of levels as there are in many other games of the license. Many of the elements of these different levels are minimalist but the atmosphere is there and the theme of each space is immediately recognizable: King Bob-omb, a Chain Chomp and some cannons in the Battle of Bob-Omb, the penguins, the snowman headless snow and the slippery slopes of Gla-Gla Mountain, the puzzle, the volcano, the Bullies and Mr I in Fatal Laves and the castle of Princess Peach with its paintings seen in the intro of the game.

No stickers in this box, all decorative elements, even the smallest, are pad printed. We also add a sticker to scan using the Mario or Luigi figurine from the sets 71360 Adventures with Mario et 71387 Adventures with Luigi to take advantage of the relative interactivity offered by the set. In fact, it is simply a matter of walking the figurine on the different levels to provoke some reactions and collect around ten Power Stars: pass over the bridge Bob-omb Battlefield, make jumps, face Bowser, etc ...

The level block also uses two rubber bands that automatically deploy Peach's castle as soon as the two side flaps are removed. Here too, I would have liked to see two springs or in any case a more credible solution than these white rubber bands. The block is then installed on the cube, it is connected via two Ball Seals side which will allow it to perform the rotation necessary for its deployment and storage.

From the first use of the product, a fairly loud squeaking was heard when the level block was rotated. I checked several times that I was not mistaken during the assembly but I finally had to face the facts: this squeak came from the Ball Seals. A few sprays of WD40 later on the two ball joints, everything was back to normal and the friction between the ball joints and their seats had disappeared.

The mechanism works perfectly and every time. Just press the back of the top platen to start the block spinning and it's five minutes fun. Storing the levels in the bowels of the cube is also very easy and the block disappears leaving only a yellow surface. Tilea on the upper area of ​​the object.

Access to level Bowser in the Dark World is done via a hatch hidden in the back face of the cube, just lift it and press on the Bowser figurine to trigger the hatch opening and access the level. Too bad for the black support, a little pad printing would have been appreciable to reinforce the impression of dealing with a real bonus level and not with a somewhat anecdotal functionality.

You already know, we should not rely too much on LEGO to offer us real minifigs of Mario, Luigi, Peach and all the other creatures that inhabit the different levels of the game. As in the other playsets in the range, we must so here assemble the different characters. Mario and Peach are uninteresting nanofigurines that are all the same in keeping with the format of the different levels. Bowser is a bit more plush, but still less convincing than a cast figure. I specify it for all useful purposes, the interactive figurine of Mario present in the photos is not provided in this box.

Personally, I would have gladly contented myself with a simple Bloc? to build without all the additional elements provided here, to put on a shelf and sold for 30 or 40 €. However, we must remain honest and we can not blame the manufacturer for wanting to offer a product that uses the possibilities offered by the LEGO concept by integrating a very convincing mechanical functionality.

Nostalgia for the Super Mario 64 game, considered by many to be the best of the license, will obviously be a trigger that will motivate many fans of the Mario universe to buy this LEGO product. This cube with indisputable decorative potential is therefore aimed at a much larger audience than that of LEGO fans, I have no doubt that it finds its audience very quickly.

Those who would like to acquire the thing only to display the cube in a corner of their office or their room will probably think twice before spending the 170 € requested by LEGO. There are many reproductions of the Bloc? without features but very well made and for much less elsewhere.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at September 30, 2021 next at 23pm. 

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 new element that this year enriches the much appreciated Winter village in a LEGO version: the set  10293 Santa's Visit, with its 1445 pieces, its four minifigs and its public price set at 99.99 € which will be available in VIP preview from September 16 before global availability from October 1, 2021.

As I wrote when announcing the product, it will not have escaped the attention of the most assiduous of collectors that this new box is more or less inspired by the set. 10229 Winter Village Cottage marketed in 2012, we find here some of the very characteristic attributes of the cottage such as the blue walls, wooden beams, the large gray fireplace that runs along the building or the roof sections completely covered with snow.

This new set emancipates this year from the clearly identifiable function of several of the boxes in the range. Winter village like the station, the fire station, the workshop of Santa Claus or the house of the elves. LEGO indeed offers us a simple village house with its inhabitants and this is in my opinion good news even if some fans will undoubtedly be a little disappointed by the relative lack of "enthusiasm" of the product. The fact remains that the construction is neutral enough to be integrated into a "real" village which is not only composed of stalls with aggressive decoration or official buildings.

As is often the case with LEGO, once again you have to be content with a half-house with its decorated facade on one side and its furnished interior easily accessible on the other. We can't really talk about playsets with this product, I think no one will really play waiting for Santa Claus to enter the place by the fireplace, but the product can either be displayed on one side or on the left. 'other depending on the effect you want to achieve on your shelves. We could just regret that the front / interior distribution is not really proportional with a living room which frankly overflows what should be the other front of the house if we installed a roof with the same angle as on the front face.

The assembly is shipped fairly quickly but the process conceals some fairly original techniques that should satisfy all those who are a little hungry. Modulars during the year after taking advantage of the novelty usually available in January.

As you will have noticed, the house is not a simple "sliced" linear block with the facade on one side and the interior on the other. The designer has endeavored here to give a little volume to the construction and by ricochet to facilitate access to the various interior spaces by orienting the two lateral extensions at 45 ° in relation to the living room. The effect obtained allows more flexibility in the positioning of the construction of 19 cm high, 27 cm wide and 16 cm deep within a village made up of different sets and the parts less accessible than the living room become much more visible when the model is presented inward.

The finish is generally very correct even if the walls lack a little texture and if only the kitchen floor benefits from Tiles tile-shaped. The rest of the surfaces are exposed tenons, which is not a big deal, the spaces are very cramped anyway and filled with various furniture and accessories. Those who wondered where the idea to propose a blue variant of the Fiat 500 get their answer here with the many rooms that form the walls of the house.

The roof benefits from some rather ingenious assembly techniques with Technic beams which allow the various sections to be folded down on the frame. The solution is very useful here for the bedroom located on the first floor with a roof section that can be moved to allow access to the room without having to go there with your fingertips.

The fireplace may seem a little too imposing compared to the rest of the construction, but this is the price to pay to offer a sufficiently large duct to allow Santa Claus to descend into the living room where he swings the flames of the fireplace. hearth at the end of the slide. It's fun once or twice and the symbolism is there.

It is the tradition, it is necessary to integrate a luminous brick in these boxes and that of this year does not light the chimney or a room of the house. This time it is placed in the big tree and it is enough to press on the construction to obtain the promised lighting effect. It's anecdotal but the functionality at least has the merit of being different from those often offered in these boxes. Under the tree we place some gifts and the overall consistency of the set is there: We can guess that the young girl is passionate about space and astronomy thanks to the poster on the wall of her room and the planet attached to the framework, the rocket at the foot of the tree will undoubtedly make its happiness.

The exterior decoration of the house may seem a bit sketchy for a festive product, but there is still a large handful of green claws already seen in the set. 71741 Ninjago City Gardens to offer a little contrast to the construction, some cherries for a touch of red and lanterns with a very successful "smoked glass" effect. The separate module with the barrier and the letterbox brings a little volume to the front of the construction, it is a good idea to possibly reproduce for other houses in the village by extending the stone path in the process. the junction with the doorstep.

The interior of the house is well furnished with there also some good ideas such as the food processor, the micro-gas stove, the armchair near the fireplace or the bed in the first bedroom. The family table seems a little less convincing to me with its four chairs low to the ground. The successful effect of the tablecloth that crosses the table saves a little ... the furniture. The sheet of stickers remains reasonable with four stickers which illustrate the scene including a table representing the family who occupy the premises and a clock which confirms that Santa Claus passes at ten minutes to midnight.

The neutrality and "realism" of the product also benefits the various minifigures provided: it is quite simply a family that Santa Claus is visiting. Minifigs are commonplace in their everyday outfits, but a few additional civilians will be welcome among the elves, gingerbread men and firefighters. On the other hand, Santa Claus benefits from frankly successful elements and he is finally equipped with black "boots" of the most beautiful effect.

Interest in everything that revolves around the universe Winter village in the LEGO version cannot be discussed. The range has its unconditional fans who eagerly await the announcement of the new expansion every year and who bring out all their sets in November to install the most beautiful snow-covered village possible while others remain indifferent to this modern brick-based nativity scene. .

This 2021 vintage seems really successful to me, even if we could legitimately find the thing a little too austere for the theme. This house with smooth walls and white roofs may not be the ideal set to start a Winter village festive but it should nevertheless fit well into a diorama based on slightly more colorful constructions.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at September 24, 2021 next at 23pm. 

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 quickly tour the LEGO Marvel set 76189 Captain America and HYDRA Face-Off, a small box of 49 pieces stamped 4+ sold at the public price of 9.99 €.

This is a toy for very young fans of the Marvel Universe and so logically don't expect an out of the ordinary building experience or exceptional level of detail. The set is doing pretty well anyway, offering plenty of fun right out of the box with a motorcycle that is probably a little rough but strong enough to handle and a "gun" that allows you to try and knock out Captain America. .

The bike's chassis is identical to the one seen in red in set 4+ 76172 Spider-Man and Sandman Showdown (2021) but the four wheels with the golden rims are here placed inside the two elements and the result is rather convincing. The few elements that help turn the somewhat rough assembly into a motorcycle do their job and the whole remains recognizable. I would have put blue instead of black but I am not the designer of the set and this product is presented by LEGO as based on the movie Avengers: Age of Ultron, the bike is therefore a reproduction freely inspired by the Harley-Davidson Street 750 model seen on the screen.

The small firing station with gold and purple accents reminds us that the HYDRA uses Chitauri technologies and it allows you to launch a few discs. It is summed up in its simplest form, but the function undoubtedly takes precedence over the look of the object, even if the designer could have made an effort. No stickers in this box, everything is pad printed: the front of the motorcycle with its big, slightly pale headlight and both Tiles bearing the logo of the Avengers placed on the sides of the machine.

It is obviously on the side of the two minifigs provided that it is necessary to look so that this small unpretentious box finally finds its interest in the eyes of the collectors: they are both new.

Captain America reuses the head and the mask already seen in other boxes but the torso pad printing is unique. A slightly annoying detail: the pad printing of the character's "civilian" face, to match with the hair provided, frankly drooling around the eyes. The defect is more or less visible depending on the copies of the set, I was able to compare with another minifigure from the same product and the burrs are there even if they are less obvious. Steve Rogers' shield has a few burrs as well, but that's okay.

The HYDRA soldier's minifig has the face of an AT-AT pilot but it benefits from a superb pad printing on the chest with a red logo that stands out clearly on the outfit in winter camouflage version. Too bad the character's legs are not covered in a matching pattern, the figure appears as is as half-dressed.

In the end, this set will probably not mark the spirits as being a derivative product absolutely faithful to what it tries to reproduce but it does offer the possibility of filling your Ribba frames with minifig collectors a little more for less than 10 €. It's so rare in the LEGO Marvel range that there is no valid reason to ignore this little box.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at September 20, 2021 next at 23pm. 

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.