Today we are quickly interested in the content of the LEGO Architecture set 21061 Notre-Dame de Paris, a box of 4383 pieces currently for pre-order on the official online store at the public price of €229,99 and which will be available from June 1, 2024.

The reactions were generally rather positive when the manufacturer announced the product, it therefore remained to be verified whether the assembly experience is commensurate with the final result knowing that the LEGO Architecture range must be up to the mark. lives up to the expectations of the most demanding fans on this specific point.

It was my sidekick Chloé who carried out the exercise with a progression spread over several days so as not to saturate and make the most of what the product has to offer. Slightly repetitive sequences are obviously on the program, it is the subject covered which imposes them, and weariness can quickly set in and degrade the promised experience.

The single instruction booklet which distills the 393 assembly steps, however, remains readable even when it comes to sequences requiring the installation of elements at the heart of a well-advanced construction, it is tone on tone ( or Tan on Tan) and the risk was to get a little visually lost during certain stages.

The systematic use of the red border to demarcate the parts or sub-assemblies concerned by the step in question is of great help, we never find ourselves lost in this pile of parts of the same color with the added bonus of an effect of perspective which can quickly become problematic on certain pages, even for the most seasoned fans.

My usual advice: if you intend to purchase this product, do not spoil too much the construction process as well as the techniques used and keep the pleasure of discovery intact. Your decision to buy or not this box from the LEGO Architecture range is not based simply on these arguments and knowing too much before opening the box will only spoil the promised experience.

The instruction booklet is put into context by the addition of a few pages of information on the process of building the real cathedral through four major eras, this information is in English on the document provided in the box but the booklet will be available in French in digital format as soon as the product becomes available.

Some facts come to enhance the assembly process throughout the pages, it is always a very appreciated attention which allows to put the product in its context and to explain certain aesthetic choices. The set is not, however, a history lesson; read up on the subject if you feel like it.

At the chosen scale, certain details are simply suggested or necessarily overlooked, this is inevitable and we cannot blame the designer who here did his best to preserve the main attributes of the building. We recognize Notre-Dame de Paris at first glance and anyone who still has any doubts will in any case have before their eyes the Tile pad printing usually used in sets from the LEGO Architecture range to specify what it is.

We could debate for a long time concerning the proportions of certain parts of the building, quibble over the inevitable aesthetic shortcuts, regret the absence of stained glass windows which are simply symbolized by transparent pieces or even discuss the choice of color Tan (beige) for the walls of the cathedral, the proposal is there with its scale and its constraints and we must accept it as it is or ignore it.

The beige used here corresponds to the "idealized" and sun-saturated visuals that we find almost everywhere, it is more or less in line with the image we generally have of places. For the rest, don't expect to come across a few gargoyles or install the fittings on the doors, this model gets to the point and it makes rather intelligent use of what the current inventory at LEGO has to offer.

Enjoy the internal spaces of the cathedral as construction progresses, they will then only become visible by removing the portion of roof which will allow a quick look at the cluttered interior of the model. The floor is partially covered with paving alternating black and white pieces, with a pattern which is obviously not on the scale of the rest of the construction but it works visually and the reference at least has the merit of existing.

We spend a lot of time adjusting certain sub-assemblies that only fit on a single stud so that the result conforms to the wishes of the product designer, with for example droid arms at the back or magic wands that you must orient at 45° at the level of the two towers on the facade.

We will also endeavor to straighten the flexible foils planted at the top of the two facade towers and the spire so that the construction does not lose its splendor. It is sometimes a little tedious, but by spreading the assembly of the product over several days we will enjoy coming back to it occasionally.

For those who are wondering, the three dish pad printed used on the model are identical, it is the same piece with the same pattern. No stickers in this box, they weren't necessary at this scale anyway. The twelve statues which surround the spire of the place are there, they are embodied by nanofigs which seem to me judiciously used and that of Viollet-le-Duc is turned towards the spire of the building. No particular religious symbols on this construction, if we obviously forget that the roof of this Gothic cathedral is itself a cross.

LEGO asks 230 € for this product, one could imagine that it is a lot to pay for a construction which ultimately only occupies 41 cm long by 22 cm wide but the invoice includes the many hours spent building the thing and the contract seems to me here to be filled with a global experience which features more than 4000 pieces, which can really be spread over time and which will not leave purchasers of the product unsatisfied as is sometimes the case with other boxes shipped too quickly.

Meticulousness is necessarily required here, coupled with a few steps of careful deciphering of the instructions and the challenge seems sufficiently high to satisfy even the most demanding fans of the LEGO Architecture range.

This product from the LEGO Architecture range therefore, in my opinion, largely lives up to what we can expect in this range with the qualities we know about it but also the usual limitations linked to the reduced scale of the products concerned. This model of Notre-Dame de Paris seems to me to be a good compromise with a pretty, sufficiently detailed model with a small footprint, a relatively reasonable price and obvious exhibition potential.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at 18th May 2024 next at 23:59 p.m. Simply post a comment below the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. Avoid “I’m participating” or “I’m trying my luck”, we suspect that this is the case.

Today we quickly take a look at the contents of the LEGO Harry Potter set 76433 Mandrake, a box of 579 pieces which will be available on the official online store from June 1, 2024 at the public price of €69,99.

We have known for a long time that the plastic variations of flowers and other plants regularly offered by LEGO have largely found their audience among the brand's adult customers, we therefore understand that the manufacturer wishes to capitalize on this popularity by adding a license which is also very popular to a product that imitates a plant seen in the Harry Potter saga.

Was it absolutely necessary to stretch the license to this extent by marketing a simple plant? Many fans will think that this is a good idea and it is not me, who regularly settles for products with sometimes even more anecdotal content marketed in the LEGO Star Wars ranges, who would contradict them.

We therefore assemble a Mandrake and its pot to replay the famous botany lesson and we can then have fun removing it and setting it in motion. However, don't expect to hear it scream, LEGO hasn't bothered to try to integrate a sound brick into the heart of the construction and you will have to shout instead of the plant.

However, there was undoubtedly a technical solution that could be used on this product to offer it a little more interactivity, similar to what was done earlier in the year in the LEGO Harry Potter set. 76429 Talking Sorting Hat which features a vaguely interactive Sorting Hat.

That being said, the result obtained here seems rather convincing to me with a plant whose root is quite faithful to the version seen on the screen and some large green leaves which can be adjusted as you wish. Pressure on the torso of the root sets the mouth and arms of this Mandrake in motion. It's fun for five minutes and the effect is guaranteed during your evenings with friends.

However, we regret that the sheets are flanked by huge stickers, they would have benefited from being properly pad printed to guarantee the product aging in the best conditions under the onslaught of the sun and dust. Especially for €70.

The Mandrake comes with its pot whose label confirms what it is, it is aesthetically very successful and the accessory will allow you to display everything in a very suitable way on the corner of a shelf. To store the plant in the pot, simply fold the legs of the figure and find the right angle so that the construction fits perfectly into the pot.

The product will undoubtedly seem too anecdotal for many fans who will prefer the sections of playsets available elsewhere within the June 2024 wave, but there will be quite a few fans of the Harry Potter universe who will be satisfied with this nod. have an eye for accomplished aesthetics and not be burdened with constructions intended to amuse the youngest.

It's well executed, the product has the essential functionality that allows it to make sense, all that was missing was that the Mandrake really screams that LEGO is making the effort to pad print the leaves of the plant. As is often the case, I remain a little mixed because the manufacturer quibbles over details which should no longer be an issue given the high-end positioning of its products, which is a shame.

This product is currently on pre-order at the public price of €69,99, I think we should wait carefully for its actual availability scheduled for June 1st to try to get it for a little cheaper from Amazon and others.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at 17th May 2024 next at 23:59 p.m. Simply post a comment below the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. Avoid “I’m participating” or “I’m trying my luck”, we suspect that this is the case.

Today we're quickly talking about the contents of the LEGO Star Wars set 75379 R2-D2, a box of 1050 pieces available on the official online store since March 1, 2024 at the public price of €99.99 and for a little less elsewhere.

This new product does not replace the “adult” version of the astromech droid still available since its launch in 2021 under the reference 75308 R2-D2 (2314 pieces - €239.99) with its black box, it is just a more modest and therefore less expensive interpretation of the same subject on the occasion of the celebration of 25 years of the LEGO Star Wars range.

This version of the droid, which only measures 24 cm high compared to 31 cm for the 2021 version, does not stand out, in my opinion it remains sufficiently detailed to be credible and it offers a completely satisfactory assembly experience.

Unsurprisingly, we start with the internal structure of the central cylinder on which we place the four faces, we then add the rotating dome, the two side legs, the third foot and we even have a few accessories to vary the scenarios.

Do not expect to have integrated mechanisms here allowing for example to deploy and retract the central foot or even to remove the tools from the body of the droid, there are none of these functionalities and everything requires a manual addition of the various additional accessories . I'll point this out for those who are wondering: this version of R2-D2 does not drive.

The droid's dome is made of visible tenons but the half-sphere is very correct with a pad-printed dish at the top which helps to visually reinforce the roundedness of the dome. Too bad for the blue color printed on the part which is a little too light and which therefore does not match that of the other elements present on the construction. Same observation for some of the ten or so stickers to be installed, those on a white background stand out due to the difference in color with the white parts used.

For the rest, it's flawless with a droid capable of holding in its emblematic position, very correct proportions, legs detailed enough to be credible and the possibility of exhibiting the thing in several different configurations thanks to the periscope, the third leg and additional tools. Too bad for the two pins visible on the outside of the two feet, we'll make do.

LEGO adds in the box a small display with a figurine of the character and the usual plaque distilling some facts about the astromech droid, undoubtedly just to give a little character to this less ambitious version but just as "collector" as that of the set 75308 R2-D2.

The information present is the same as on the plate which accompanies the 2021 version, only the blue visual changes, logically reflecting the model concerned. The R2-D2 figurine is the one already seen in other boxes with the pad-printed cylinder on both sides.

To celebrate 25 years of the LEGO Star Wars range, the manufacturer is adding a new character to certain sets and it is Darth Malak's turn to make an appearance. This is obviously off topic but collectors will undoubtedly find what they are looking for even if the figurine would have benefited from being in Dark Red with a little more careful pad printing. As it stands, I find it a little sloppy, especially for a minifig which should in principle celebrate the range's anniversary as it should. LEGO also provides the small pad-printed support which celebrates the 25 years of the range as well as the plate which will ensure the connection with the other supports delivered in other boxes.

For less than a hundred euros, I find that this version of the astromech droid ultimately does quite well thanks to an accomplished design, a very satisfactory finish and the presence of accessories which allow for some presentation fantasies. I still have a little trouble with the dome with stairs and visible studs even if we obtain an almost convincing half-sphere at this scale.

If you don't have any of the versions sold so far, this one is probably the one that offers the best quality/size/price ratio. If you can also find it for a few euros less elsewhere than at LEGO, then in my opinion we are close to a very good deal.

Discount -5%

LEGO Star Wars R2-D2 for Kids, Boys and Girls, Buildable Brick Droid Model with 25th Anniversary Darth Malek Minifigure and One

99.99 € 94.99 €

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Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at 16th May 2024 next at 23:59 p.m. Simply post a comment below the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. Avoid “I’m participating” or “I’m trying my luck”, we suspect that this is the case.

Today we are quickly interested in the LEGO Star Wars book 5008878 The Force of Creativity, a derivative product sold on the official online store since May 1, 2024 at the public price of €149.99.

The price charged suggests an exceptional product intended for the fans most committed to the Star Wars universe, it is therefore advisable to check if the promise is kept before committing to a pre-order with delivery scheduled for July 2024 .

It is difficult to criticize the packaging of the product, the work of just over 300 pages is delivered in a high-end box which suggests that we are dealing with something exceptional and new.

The box set is indeed magnificent, it is almost too much for a simple book but LEGO specifies that the work is accompanied by an "exclusive" time capsule described as a treasure made up of collector's items and which one could legitimately imagine filled with exceptional products.

Worse, this product is excluded from current promotional offers, its exceptional character probably placing it above the lot of boxes containing common plastic bricks. I reassure you right away, this is not the case.

First observation, not a LEGO brick on the horizon. Not even a pad-printed collector's brick, let alone a copy of the brick celebrating the 25th anniversary of the LEGO Star Wars range that we find in many boxes. There is only cardboard and paper here, a lot of paper.

Concerning the work itself, the most dedicated fans will not learn much from the pages. It is more of a collection of information available for a long time in other books or quite simply online and even if the quotes from the many speakers remain interesting, there is nothing to make it a real investigative work. and journalism. This book at least has the merit of approaching the LEGO Star Wars universe from all angles, including through fan work.

It is therefore a somewhat lazy summary of fan service printed on glossy paper and certainly richly illustrated which focuses everything on its appearance to the detriment of its content and we are left wanting more while having the impression of having already heard or read the information distilled throughout the pages. I would point out for those who do not understand, this book is only available in English and it is necessary to master the language of Shakespeare to really benefit from it.

We could say that the 25th anniversary of the LEGO Star Wars range needed to be celebrated with this beautiful book, but at €150 per item and promised delivery on the Greek calendar, I think we have the right to hope for a little more than visuals already seen elsewhere and anecdotes worn to the core.

This book being a pure product to glorify the manufacturer, do not expect to find any perspective on the work of designers or marketing people. It's advertising, certainly well packaged, but it's advertising above all.

As for the promised "time capsule", that's also the disappointment: The box contains some reproductions of documents relating to the launch of the LEGO Star Wars range in 1999 but you also have to make do with a postcard, instructions for products offered in LEGO Stores (without the bricks) and a few boards of little historical interest.

Still no plastic in sight but a mini diorama in low-end corrugated cardboard to assemble yourself which is unspeakably sad and whose manufacturing quality leaves something to be desired. It's definitely very meager for a "treasure" made up of collector's items.

I am not going to do more about this product, you will have understood that I am frankly doubtful about its interest and its price. In form, it is very well executed with a pretty box containing a book with careful layout and very clean visuals, but the substance is not there. In any case no more than in many other books which deal with the same subject and which present us with the same anecdotes for ten times less expensive. The time capsule, for its part, is a huge joke. This is obviously only my opinion and you will be able to form your own when the book is actually available.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at 15th May 2024 next at 23:59 p.m. Simply post a comment below the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. Avoid “I’m participating” or “I’m trying my luck”, we suspect that this is the case.

While waiting to be able to tell you about the new features for the second half of 2024, today we quickly return to the content of the LEGO Harry Potter set 76428 Hagrid's Hut: An Unexpected Visit, a box of 896 pieces available since March 1 at the public price of €74.99.

The latest version of the construction shown here dates from 2019 with the set 75947 Hagrid's Hut Buckbeak's Rescue (496 pieces - €64.99) and LEGO is taking the very laudable initiative this year to offer us a cabin inspired by the film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets closed on all its sides with the added bonus of the possibility of removing the roof and opening the construction to make an easily accessible playset. So we finally get the best of both worlds, even if we have to pay a price.

Nothing to say about the textural effects on the walls and roof even if some will find it all a little crude in places, it is consistent with the cabin seen on the screen. Even if the moss and grass are crudely interpreted here, the main attributes of the cabin in the film are there, it is perhaps lacking enough to raise it a little and add a few steps in front of the entrance but it is already very good Thus.

The roof is removable and it can be easily removed without breaking everything. Then simply unhook the two front half-sections and move them aside to open up the space which will serve as a play area for the youngest. In the opposite direction, the cabin will quickly be put away while waiting for other adventures, it's well designed.

The interior designs are successful without doing too much and leaving room to install a few figurines. Hagrid can sit in his armchair, there is something to sit on, some furniture including the shell of Norbert's egg is installed and some decorations are attached to the walls. This is enough for us to recognize the places. There are also four stickers to stick but nothing prohibitive.

In this box we obtain two of the fourteen collectible portraits which have been supplied with certain sets of the Harry Potter range since the beginning of the year, one of them serves as wall decoration and the other is stored in a cupboard . It's up to you to exchange them with your friends if you have any duplicates. Alongside the main construction, we also assemble the Crockdur doghouse. Nothing crazy, but it still makes for a truly complete diorama.

In terms of figurines, fans are rather well served here with Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy and Rubeus Hagrid. Two figurines complete the assortment: Crockdur and Norbert. Harry, Hermione, Ron and Hagrid are new in this form, Fangdur is finally entitled to his LEGO version and the update of Norbert's design is welcome.

LEGO is therefore making a good effort with this box which ticks all the boxes and which does not skimp on playability or casting. There remains the public price of this product, very high, which may make some fans hesitate. We can already find this box for a little cheaper elsewhere than at LEGO, with a little patience it will undoubtedly be possible to make some additional savings and this set will then be a convincing and accessible product.

Discount -7%

LEGO Harry Potter Hagrid's Cabin: An Unexpected Visit, House to Build for Children, 7 Characters, Construction Toy, Magic Adventures

74.99 € 69.99 €

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Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at 14th May 2024 next at 23:59 p.m. Simply post a comment below the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. Avoid “I’m participating” or “I’m trying my luck”, we suspect that this is the case.