Today we take a quick look at the other novelty LEGO on the theme of the Chinese New Year scheduled for January 10, 2021: the set 80106 Story of Nian with its 1067 parts, six minifigs, the Nian and its retail price of 74.99 €.

Since 2019, at the beginning of the year, LEGO has been marketing several boxes on the theme of the Chinese New Year with certain products inspired by Chinese culture and others focusing more on the various folkloric activities in vogue in Asia: in 2019, the sets 80102 Dragon Dance et 80103 Dragon Boat Race  reproduced very popular animations in China and in 2020 it was the lion dance, a lucky ritual very practiced in Asia, which paid homage to Chinese folklore with the set 80104 Lion Dance. This year is therefore the set 80106 Story of Nian which occupies this slot.

To put it simply, in Chinese folklore, the Nian is an imaginary creature that disembarks from the ocean floor on New Year's Eve to devour anything that moves. Suddenly, everyone takes refuge in the mountains to escape the monster, but as he still manages to make his way into the snowiest corners of the country, the villagers put red everywhere and bang on pots because the color and the noise frighten the monster. End of story, the monster runs away and everyone celebrates.

Since then, everyone has put red everywhere in homage to the color that defeated the Nian: doors, clothes, lanterns, etc ... and we throw fireworks or firecrackers in reference to the noise that frightened the creature . It is this legend that is at the origin of the Chinese New Year celebrations.

LEGO therefore offers us its interpretation of events with a snowy facade, a family of villagers and the Nian. We quickly understand that the wall with its doors only serves as a backdrop to stage the confrontation between the different characters and the wicked creature: it is really only a simple facade with a square on which can take place the figurines and the monster. It's basic, but nicely done and this exhibition product has good dimensions: 36 cm long, 17 cm deep and 25 cm high, including fireworks.

No mystery, a big part of the assembly phase involves stacking bricks to get the display. There are hardly more than two sachets out of the eight in the set which offer a slightly higher challenge with the construction of the Nian. The door of the house attacked by the Nian is successful but the rest of the construction leaves me on the whole hungry despite the few efforts on the snow and on the roofs.

The Nian is more interesting to assemble with its joints and decorations which make it a relatively mobile creature and well in the spirit of Chinese folklore. The designer had fun with some bananas for the contours of the eyes, ball joints remain light gray and dark gray and it is the lantern at the end of the tail that wins the sale.

The set does not escape the stickers, there are two to stick on the doors but the product does very well. Don't feel like you have to apply them if it's only to bitch in a few years when they come off.

As for the minifigs, we get three generations of "villagers" so that the discovery of this set and the legend it reproduces can be shared with the oldest who are probably those who know the history of Nian best.

Note that LEGO puts a lot of glasses on the nose of minifigs in this thematic box, rather logical when we know that China is the country of glasses with a population that has major sight problems: a Lancet study concluded that 80 to 90% of Asian students leave high school myopic.

For the rest, the pad prints are based on classic outfits, traditional costumes and neutral legs except for the type dressed as an ox, it is in the theme and if you buy a copy of the set 80107 Spring Lantern Festival, you will have a handful of civilians in addition to stage in the paths of the garden. LEGO saves some money by providing an identical torso for the adult and one of the children, the snowman is a bit neutral and he would have deserved a face and I especially remember the technique used by the designer to reproduce the fires of firework not fired and the Precious which serves as a door handle.

Those who collect the sets of this new "range", finally made available to all fans by LEGO after the exclusive launch in Asia of the first references, will in any case not hesitate long before acquiring the two sets planned this year. Those who carefully assess the value of the contents of a set before checking out should logically be a little less excited by this box than by the set.  80107 Spring Lantern Festival.

The theme is much less universal than that of the traditional park and even if the execution reserves some nice details here, the end result is not likely to unleash passions. Let's not forget that these products are mainly intended for the Asian market and that it was only under popular pressure that LEGO finally decided to make them accessible to the rest of the world.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at December 30, 2020 next at 23pm. "The" I try, I participate "are automatically deleted, make an effort.

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 set 80107 Spring Lantern Festival, a box of 1793 pieces that will be marketed from January 10, 2021 at the public price of € 99.99.

The theme of the set: the traditional lantern festival that puts an end to the Chinese New Year celebrations. To put it simply, on the occasion of these festivities, the Chinese go to their city's parks at night to stroll and admire the rows of decorated lanterns installed there. The Chinese calendar being modeled on the lunar phases, so it makes sense that some of the traditional parks pay homage to the star and this is the case here with beautifully executed round doors that serve as entry points to this garden.

The theme of the Chinese New Year is therefore always present in this box, but we pour a little less into the usual clichés and we get something more cultural than folkloric as was already the case last year with the set. 80105 Chinese New Year Temple Fair. It is not to displease me, the integration of this garden in a more global context will be even easier.

As much to tell you right away, I really appreciated the assembly of this box and even if most of us will miss certain references supported to the Asian culture, the whole offers a real playful and rhythmic progression . You will understand, this park with its adapted sidewalks is designed to fit between two Modulars and the whole itself offers a certain modularity with a garden divided into two parts to be clipped between them in the direction that suits you, knowing that in one of the configurations the paved path which circulates in the garden loses its continuity.

The techniques offered are often very interesting and we take pleasure in discovering all the subtleties of the different sub-assemblies that dress the space. But some of the designer's choices induce a fairly significant fragility of several portions of the set: the roof of the pavilion, for example, poses a problem with blue clips on the Clutch Power very limited which do not really hold in place on the steering wheel which serves as the central axis. Also pay attention to bamboos when moving the model, they are relatively fragile. This garden is not a playset for children aged 8 and over, impossible to have fun with without destroying something in the process and it is simply a decorative object designed to integrate a more global diorama.

The representation of a traditional Chinese park is obviously here condensed to fit on the two base plates provided (32x32 and 16x32) and we find all the usual attributes a little piled on top of each other. The green spaces are only symbolized by a few plaques and we must rely on bamboo shoots leaning over Ball Seals gray too visible to add some vegetation to the scene.

The alleys of the park are not entirely paved with ingots, the visible tenons will allow to stage the seven minifigs provided. The small pond covered with water lilies consists of tiles transparent, some of which are pad printed with a few carp, the effect is successful. No stickers in this box and the calligraphic Chun Lian banners hanging along the fence are made of flexible plastic.

The endowment in minifigs is also very interesting because it allows to obtain a handful of modern characters in "civil" without traditional costumes or disguises. That's always taken for a city diorama in which this park will easily find its place, the set is designed for that and it is about selling it to today's fans anxious to find a product that embodies certain of the most ancestral traditions of Chinese culture but which also makes it possible to stage current families.

The pad prints are successful, the characters are relatively neutral and some of them are accompanied by original and funny accessories. A nod to the passage to the Monkie Kid universe, a pad printing of the sweater sleeves which covers a large part of the arms, a pretty sweatshirt with the 2021 logo in the "American" style identical to the two teenagers, two smartphones including one with a selfie stick, a decorated roller bunny, everything is really very successful until the use of the transparent support which was used to stage the minifigs of the DC Comics collectible character series and which here acts as a straw for the slushie.

A funny detail: the dark mark on the neck of the red statue that is visible through the transparent head is not present on the official visuals. This black area is used as a reference during the pad printing of the torsos and it has obviously been retouched so that the minifigure is visually more homogeneous. In fact, it is immediately less successful when the model is facing the front.

In short, this very nice set does not hide its desire to be stuck between two Modulars and fans will finally have at hand an "official" green space which will give a little air to their row of buildings. It will be possible to ignore the festive side of the matter and make this garden a little more neutral by temporarily removing the different rows of lanterns, even if it means putting them back in place at the end of the year (see photo above). The ox with its luminous brick which is only lit as long as you leave your finger on the button can possibly remain in place to furnish, it's up to you.

The level of detail of the places is very impressive and the compactness of the diorama reinforces the impression of getting value for the money when it comes to various and varied details. Everything is assembled in just a few hours, but you will have to take the time to savor all the often very original techniques used by designer Justin Ramsden.

In the end, we note that LEGO does not skimp on resources or creativity when it comes to dredging up Chinese customers overwhelmed with more or less equivalent products but sold much cheaper than official LEGO sets. This is good news, in turn, the other products of the manufacturers benefit directly from the ability of LEGO to offer new parts, new elements in certain colors (blue bananas ...) and quality pad printing.

This box will be available from January 10, 2021 on the official online store at the public price of € 99.99. However, this set will not be on sale at your usual toy store.

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at December 29, 2020 next at 23pm. "The" I try, I participate "are automatically deleted, make an effort.

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 content of the LEGO Technic 42123 McLaren Senna GTR set, a box of 830 pieces, expected in January 2021 at the public price of 49.99 €, which allows to assemble a reproduction of the hypercar presented for the first time in 2018 at the Geneva Motor Show and since produced only 75 units.

LEGO is careful not to include an overall visual of the real McLaren Senna GTR on the packaging and is simply content with a view of the rear of the vehicle which is arguably the part of this LEGO toy that is most faithful to the model of reference. To put things in context, I remind you that the McLaren Senna GTR is it:

The LEGO version is a product of the Technic range and we therefore find under the hood a few assemblies based on axes and gears: a V8 engine whose pistons start to move when the vehicle is moving as LEGO has already proposed in other sets, a generic steering wheel that turns in a vacuum but a steering with a remote wheel on the roof and that's it. I'm not counting the two dihedral opening doors that pivot on a simple pine tree. Those considering a show model career for this vehicle will be able to remove the wheel placed on the roof, this is an "option" that simply improves the playability of the product.

The dilemma here is the same as for other LEGO reproductions of existing vehicles with a curvaceous and curvy design: how to pay homage to the reference model with a relatively limited inventory, there are over 300 pins here out of the 830 pieces of the set, and ensure that the LEGO product maintains a family link, however distant, with what is promised on the box.

The stickers sometimes fly to the aid of designers by skilfully masking some aesthetic shortcuts and the flexible axes are also often used to round off shapes. This is the case here with a cockpit and wheel arches whose curves are visually emphasized by several of these parts.

Some details and other refinements are obviously overlooked on this scale: no brake discs, suspensions or shock absorbers, but we still keep two mirrors. An effort on the rims would have been appreciated, but LEGO is content to provide us with generic versions, wider at the rear. Too bad for the axles which clearly protrude from the rear rims and which are not the same color on both sides.

The rear spoiler is almost convincing, it just lacks a bit of tilt to be truly faithful. The front is really very messy with a big gray sticker a little off topic and the need to imagine the headlight glasses here replaced by emptiness.

Fans of the LEGO Technic universe never fail to point out that it is not the point of this range to provide us with pretty models that really look like the reference models. By force of circumstances, we can actually say that this is often the case and rare are the products which are really faithful to what they are trying to represent.

The scale used here does not help: with a vehicle a dozen centimeters wide and 32 cm long, you inevitably end up being entitled to a few rough sub-assemblies that will require some imagination. , or a little bad faith, to find them convincing. The aesthetic both aggressive and graceful of the real McLaren Senna GTR is therefore overlooked in favor of a reproduction that vaguely pays homage to the reference vehicle. Let's not lose sight of the fact that this is simply a children's toy sold for 50 €.

Many will be satisfied with it, they are not looking for a model making activity with this range and mainly concentrate on the elaborate assemblies which in principle make the salt of this universe. Speaking of model making, we reached here records for a set of this size with 46 stickers to stick.

For those who want to get a better idea of ​​the impact of these stickers on the assembly experience: With 220 assembly sequences in the instruction booklet, we stick on average one sticker every 5 steps. The only two pad-printed parts in the set are the front fenders.

Come on, for 50 € and undoubtedly a little less in the months which will follow its marketing, this small set which one especially much spoke about because it is under official license will easily find its public among those which want to garnish the trailer of the set. 42098 Car Transporter. The latter already hosts the muscle car blue supplied with the truck and the orange Corvette in the set 42093 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, all these models displaying the same width of 12 cm.
Those looking for more convincing replicas of vehicles and who can afford to spend more will look to the big sets in the LEGO Technic range sold for up to several hundred euros.

Note: The set presented here, purchased by me, is put into play. Deadline fixed at 5th January 2021 next at 23pm. "The" I try, I participate "are automatically deleted, make an effort.

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 go around the LEGO Technic sets 42118 Monster Jam Grave Digger (212 - 19.99 €) & 42119 Monster Jam Max-D (230 - 19.99 €), two small boxes under official license Monster Jam which will be available from January 1st via the official online store and at most brands that sell LEGO products.

This is not the principle of retrofriction (Pull-back) which interests me the most here, the motor used by LEGO in these two sets is the one already available in many boxes since 2014 and it has been widely proven. These two new boxes therefore offer the same level of playability as the other references already on the market: we pull back and release.

On the other hand, this is the first time that LEGO has offered this type of product with an "official" license. We will remember for example the sets 42072 WHACK! et 42073 BASH! marketed in 2018 which were already original devices staged on an arena or circuit background but these two boxes were then only "house" LEGO creations.

For those who don't know, Monster Jam is a traveling Monster Trucks competition very popular across the Atlantic and incidentally broadcast in France on Canal + and on the Automoto channel of TNT. The license is also present in several video games and we no longer count the toys based on the various competitors who face each other with great reinforcements in ever more impressive stunts.

The arrival of the license Monster Jam at LEGO is arguably good news for die-hard Monster Trucks fans, although one could hope for better than these two vehicles that only vaguely resemble their TV counterparts.

LEGO has chosen to offer two of the most popular contending Monster Trucks, Grave Digger and Maximum Destruction (or Max-D). Unfortunately, the LEGO versions of these two machines are a bit lacking aesthetically and it is the very successful stickers that mostly save furniture. For those who would be tempted to acquire and link the two machines: There are similarities in the assembly sequences of the chassis of the two vehicles but the finishes bring a little diversity.

The use of Technic elements here makes it possible to obtain solid machines that will withstand shocks and landings on hard floors, but the finish is generally far from convincing. Worse, neither of the two vehicles benefits from shock absorbers or suspensions, the few mechanical elements visible on the two machines are there only purely decorative. Both flags are mounted on parts that remain movable for a vague floating effect when moving the vehicle. It's a bit thin for a range that calls itself "Technic".

LEGO is also missing the opportunity to reuse the tires of the Jeep Wrangler from set 42122, elements whose profile is much more faithful to that of the machines seen on the screen (see photo above). It should also be noted that LEGO offers an alternative model for each of these Monster Trucks, it is always that taken even if the proposed creations no longer have anything to do with the license itself.

In short, these two products are ultimately just toys for children to assemble and their belonging to the LEGO Technic range is due only to the use of beams and pins. No particular mechanism under the hood, the functions of these machines are reduced to the presence of the supplied retrofriction motors.

I am obviously not the target of these toys, but I hope this first salvo of officially licensed products Monster Jam is just the start and one day we will be entitled to a more elaborate version of one of the competitors with a real cushioned chassis.

As it stands, these two small boxes will certainly please a young fan of the license and we can be happy that the latter does not directly impact the selling price of these sets which are sold at the usual price of 19.99 €. LEGO could however have made the effort to add the "official" cardboard ramp already seen in 2017 in the sets. 42058 Stunt Bike et 42059 Stunt Truck.

Note: The set of sets presented here, supplied by LEGO, are as usual in play. Deadline fixed at December 31, 2020 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 Technic set 42116 Skid Steer Loader, a small box of 140 pieces which will be sold at the public price of 9.99 € from January 1st.

This involves assembling a skid steer loader with one arm, which is not the most common configuration for these small utility vehicles. However, some manufacturers such as JCB or Volvo highlight the interest of this new configuration compared to traditional double-arm loaders in terms of safety for the operator of the vehicle. This configuration makes it possible to free access to the driving position via a side door, in theory it allows faster evacuation in the event of a problem and it increases the driver's peripheral visibility.

At 9.99 € the box of 140 pieces including about forty pine, do not expect an assembly experience that will exceed fifteen minutes. It is still necessary to assemble at least one mechanism, the one which makes it possible to raise the armed side arm of the bucket. For the anecdote, this black bucket is the one that also serves as the roof of the central building of the set Structure 10255 Assembly Square marketed in 2017.

As a bonus, the inventory of this 2-in-1 box allows you to assemble a second model, a very correct hot rod whose instructions available only online are not available for the moment. This possibility of building something other than the starting model is interesting, it will extend the life of this product with a relatively small inventory.

The cabin is opened by pushing on the roll bar, the arm is raised by turning the knob placed above the cabin, the bucket is oriented using the knob placed at the rear and the visible gears allow to observe the operation of the mechanism.

It's a detail, but the youngest will undoubtedly learn something in the process before embarking on the creation of their own models. These entry-level products without any particular pretensions are always more interesting when they allow you to really discover a mechanical principle or an assembly technique that can then be reused in more ambitious machines.

This skid steer loader is colorful, but for once I would have preferred it with a yellow frame and black arm to make it look a bit more like the single arm models offered by JCB and Volvo. No stickers to stick in this set, the model does not really need them anyway.

In short, this little introductory product to the LEGO Technic universe will not revolutionize the range, but it is not without interest. For less than 10 euros, there is something to have a little fun, observe and understand the operation of an endless screw and learn a little more about the alternative solutions developed by certain manufacturers to improve the safety of loader operators. compact.

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at December 29, 2020 next at 23pm. "The" I try, I participate "are automatically deleted, make an effort.

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.