Today we quickly tour the LEGO Creator 3-in-1 set 31107 Space Rover Explorer, a box sold at the public price of 54.99 € which promises us an extended assembly experience with three different models to assemble from the inventory of 510 parts provided.

I say it often, this Creator 3-in-1 range is arguably one of the last to regularly pay homage to the concept of the construction toy much vaunted by LEGO by really allowing to assemble something other than the promise made on the face. before packing. We are therefore entitled to hope to be able to extend the basic "experience" without having to dig into an additional stock of parts or download instruction files in PDF format. On paper it is, but in practice the secondary models are sometimes disappointing.

The Rover is a pretty model that should appeal to all fans of LEGO and the conquest of space: it looks great, the interior space is arranged without doing too much to leave room and it is sufficiently equipped to allow have a little fun with it.

The robotic arms placed at the front can be oriented, the crane at the rear allows the unloading of the small robot supplied and the alien to be built offers something to endanger the pilot of this machine which also benefits from a system of "suspensions" simply based on independent axles fixed on a movable axis but sufficient to produce the desired effect.

For those who would ask the question, the smoked glass used on the white panel which forms the side door of the Rover is also present in two copies on the locomotive of the set 10277 Crocodile Locomotive marketed since June 1st.

If the main model of the set is rather convincing, the two other proposed constructions seem to be the result of a bet between designers won by the most inexperienced of the band who will not have even made the effort to try to reuse a large part of the inventory. This is often the case in these boxes sold as 3-in-1 products which disappoint a little beyond the basic model.

The proposed space station had all of a good idea but the execution is rather disappointing. It's clutter and too compact even though there are a few identifiable spaces inside with the greenhouses, the office or the analysis room that allows you to peek at the green creature. Rather than doing like many "reviews" which largely ignore the secondary models while that is the purpose of this 3-in-1 range, I have put a photo of the two secondary models for each of the two secondary models. result accompanied by the volume of unused parts. It is immediately more visually speaking.

Regarding the space station, there are still four of the six wheels of the main rover and there was undoubtedly enough to enlarge the station a little and possibly assemble a small vehicle, even ultra-basic in addition to the module.

The third model is an interestingly constructed ship with SNOT wings (for Stud Not On Top) positioned at a particular angle that will bring back memories to regulars flickr galleries of enthusiasts who regularly create vessels with a similar design. Here, too, the designer has only used a small portion of the available inventory and the 3-in-1 spirit of the range really takes a hit.

Un Space Port even minimalist or a few maintenance props for the ship could have been offered to stay in the mood of the set and reinforce the feeling of having alternative builds maximizing inventory usage.

I specify that the instructions for the three models are well provided in the box, they follow one another over the pages of the included booklet.

The big star of the box, it is obviously the only minifig supplied with its pretty chest featuring a variant of the much appreciated logo Space Classic on top-of-the-line pad printing. Too bad the character's legs are desperately neutral, but the minifigure remains in my opinion very successful even if it will probably not be enough to calm the fans who continue to pray for a return of the range Space Classic one day on the shelves.

The character's head is not however exclusive, it is the one already seen in a good half-dozen boxes in the Creator, Speed ​​Champions or CITY ranges since 2018. The legs in Silver (Silver) are also those of several characters from the Minecraft range, Cyborg (DC Comics) or Reinhardt (Overwatch).

LEGO could have made the effort to provide us with two characters with why not an astronaut (or space explorer not to offend anyone) with feminine features. As it stands, the endowment is a little sketchy and limits the possibilities of having fun as a duo, except to draw lots who will play the wicked alien.

In short, the set is interesting for the universe which explores with three more or less successful thematic models and a pretty minifigure but it makes far too limited use of its inventory as soon as we are really interested in the two alternative constructions. It's a little too shy for my taste to justify the big 3-in-1 pictogram displayed on the box with a promise that is not kept until the end.

The Rover can justify the purchase of this box on its own, but not at 55 €. Fortunately the set is already sold widely below 40 € at Amazon and it becomes all the more attractive.

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at August 8, 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.

We continue to tour the expansions planned in the LEGO Super Mario range to accompany the starter pack 71360 Adventures with Mario with the set 71377 King Boo and the Haunted Yard Expansion Set (431 pieces - 49.99 €).

As with each of the announced expansions, this one immerses the player in one of the many worlds of the Super Mario Bros. saga. with its theme and its creatures to beat to progress through the level. It will also be necessary to provide space to install your starter set and any extensions that you have chosen to acquire from the launch of the concept on August 1st. It will also be useful to install the entire game board in a place where you can leave it between two parts, the different modules being difficult to move without disassembling them first.

This extension adds a rather original thematic atmosphere to the game board but it is a little fishy with the playful possibilities offered and LEGO sums up the potential of this € 50 box: "... To reach the hidden Super Star, players must jump on Goombas and a spider web, flip a tree, then jump on the Swoopers who are spinning to topple King Boo ...A whole program on paper, a few seconds during which you just have to type everywhere with the interactive Mario figure in reality.

The construction of the level offers a slightly higher challenge than other boxes in the range with the integration of the mechanism of the King Boo hut which allows the figure in question to be raised via an endless screw to free access to the Super star hidden behind the ghost.

To activate the mechanism, you will have to tap like a deaf person with Mario on the Swoopers and turn the lateral axes. The rest of the game board is no big surprise with a simple spider web to turn over to reveal a barcode to scan and get some coins. Here too, you have to type. This is the concept of the product: we type with Mario, we scan, we get parts, we retype, etc ...

MOCeurs who love to get into Halloween-themed dioramas may find a few pieces in interesting tones reusable here within their designs, but nothing in my opinion justifies spending $ 50 in this box. We will therefore wisely wait for this set to end up in destocking somewhere, I have the feeling that it will end up happening one day.

As for the characters to be recovered to feed a collection, King Boo will have to be tinkered with a little to allow him to stand up as desired by removing the rod that circulates on the worm of the hut or by adding a part behind it as on the photo above.

The four bats provided must be removed from the two pins Technic which connect them to the lateral axes of the mechanism and even if the wings of these Swoopers are not completely faithful to those of the animals seen on the screen, they are small characters that can easily be staged in the middle of the other collectible figurines . You also get two Goombas which will also be easily integrated into a collection. The more we advance in the discovery of the different sets, the more we see that it is the main character who is missed and who will have trouble finding his place in the midst of relatively successful figurines.

As usual in this range, everything is pad printed, there is no sticker on the horizon.

It is neither the most expensive nor, in my opinion, the least interesting of the various extensions that will be marketed around the starter pack. The atmosphere here is much more immersive than in other clubs, even if the fun possibilities are still minimal.

Note that the essential application to be installed on a smartphone or tablet to be able to "play" with these products is now available on the App Store (iOS), on Google Play (Android) and on the Amazon App Store (FireOS), so you can already download it to get a feel for what it actually does. Do not get too carried away by the promises made in the description of the application, especially regarding the "weekly challenges" that will be offered and which in theory should extend the life of the product, we all know here that monitoring the Long-term application will strongly depend on the commercial success of the range.

I remind for all intents and purposes that the interactive Mario figure is not supplied in the box presented here, it is only an extension of the game board which does not contain the starting sticker to be scanned to launch a game. game nor the finish allowing to validate the progress within the time limit.

If you want to read or re-read my test of the concept itself published last June:

I tested for you: LEGO Super Mario

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at August 2, 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.

Without transition, we jump back into the LEGO Super Mario universe with a quick glance at the set 71369 Bowser's Castle Boss Battle Expansion Set (1010 pieces - 99.99 €), the largest box in the range which in principle allows you to complete the adventure and face the ultimate boss of the game: Bowser.

As for all the sets in the range, the assembly of the main module of the castle and the platforms which flesh out the staging a little is done via the instructions in digital format accessible only via the dedicated application to download and install on a smartphone or tablet.

Each step of the assembly is punctuated by a short video that allows you to better understand the features of the set. Do not expect to find here something to learn new techniques, we are more in the spirit of sets stamped 4+ with large meta-pieces and some slightly more creative sequences such as the base of the main structure based on beams Technic or the mechanism that allows the castle's drawbridge to be tilted. The finished product is ultimately only a castle because the main module is visually surrounded by a few platforms with walls or turrets.

If you plan to exhibit the model in order to stage your collection of characters, you can structure it in such a way that it offers a satisfactory rendering without occupying too much area: All the small modules with the walls or towers can be more or less close to the main structure with the statue and the walkway on which Bowser stands.

Once again, the lack of real rules of the game makes the experience disappointing and it is in fact not possible to lose the game except by going over the allotted time. The confrontation with Bowser comes down to milling like a deaf man to slide (very) slowly the big figure on the ramp until it tips over. You will first have to have tapped very (very) hard on the two side platforms to collect the two bonuses present and in the process raise the arms of the statue which will have the effect of tilting slightly forward the platform on which is standing Bowser. All that for this.

None of the expansion packs really overcome the limitations of the concept, regardless of the price or the number of pieces in the box. Here, we are always so bored after a few tries, except that we will have spent a hundred euros to obtain this "castle" with the correct aesthetics but not really faithful to the version seen in the different video games. from which the range is inspired.

In view of the operations to be carried out on this level, to type very hard and to reel without stopping, one is entitled to wonder when the interactive figurine of Mario will give up the ghost. Be careful to hit flat on the various obstacles and bonuses so that the costume's feet take the blow. If you tap on the edge of a part, you risk damaging the sensor placed between the two feet and it is not known at this stage what the reaction of the after-sales service will be on this precise point.

If you only buy this expansion to extract the different characters it contains, you will get here a big Bowser figurine, a Skelerex and a Boo, all three available only in this box and a Lava Bubble which is also present in the sets 71364 Whomp's Lava Trouble et 71376 Thwomp Drop.

Bowser, Skelerex and Boo are quite successful and will easily integrate a small collection of characters. All the patterned pieces are pad printed and it will suffice to replace those affublished with bar codes by neutral elements to obtain figurines with an irreproachable finish. I wish I could have gotten a club for Bowser and a clear mount to "levitate" the Boo, but the designers didn't see fit to force the props.

This extension, however more consistent than the others, does not make me change my mind about the relevance of the concept. We have five minutes of fun and get bored very quickly when we understand that despite all the efforts made by LEGO to offer an immersive experience in the universe of Mario are in vain. We even wonder who these products based on a 30-year-old video game with multiple reissues that appealed to the dexterity and perseverance of the players are aimed at, two qualities that are not really in question here. .

Do not be influenced by the overplayed enthusiasm of certain "reviews" which explain to you that all this is VERY fun, when the products are offered and that as in some cases the publications are sponsored and therefore paid, it is always easier to oversell a concept on behalf of a brand. Do not give too much credit either to those who tell you about their "experience" with children who "had fun" with these products, I had my own panel and I can confirm that the kids in question are. very quickly moved on and a good collective battle of Nerf guns easily replaces a laborious part of LEGO Super Mario.

Optionally buy the starter pack 71360 Adventures with Mario at 60 € and make up your own mind before investing in extensions that do not add much more and do not really extend the life of the product. Keep the box in a corner, having spent a lot of time on the subject, I promise you that you will not be long in trying to resell it all on Le Bon Coin.

I might be speaking a bad tongue, but I'm starting to understand why LEGO has chosen to launch the entire range in one fell swoop instead of spreading out the availability of the different expansions in multiple waves: Customers in the most rush will be tempted to immediately buy several boxes before having had time to really realize the emptiness of the thing.

If you want to read or re-read my test of the concept itself published last June:

I tested for you: LEGO Super Mario

I remind for all intents and purposes that the interactive Mario figurine is not provided in this box, it is only an extension of the game board that does not contain the starting sticker to be scanned to start a game nor that of arrival allowing to validate the progression within the time limit.

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at July 30, 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 are quickly interested in the LEGO set 70436 Phantom Fire Truck 3000 (760 pieces - 69.99 €), a box that allows us to obtain a nice partially transformable fire truck and some characters from the Hidden Side universe.

As for the set 70434 Supernatural Race Car, it is especially the vehicle that interests me here and the possibility in this specific case of transforming part of it into a robot is a significant bonus. As is often the case in the LEGO Hidden Side range, each set is a more or less subtle mix of diverse and varied influences and this one is no exception. The result is generally rather original even if the identity of the range sometimes loses a little legibility in passing. Here we can't help but think of the universe Transformers even if we quickly understand that the mech resulting from the transformation of the truck does not make use of the entire vehicle.

We first assemble the part of the truck that will not be used by the robot with the driving position, a space at the back of the cabin with some screens and a keyboard, the multicolored wheel to scan to take advantage of the contents of the set in the game in augmented reality and the back of the chassis on which we will insert the robot.

The interior spaces are easily accessible by removing the roof of the truck and the machine can eventually be stripped of its attributes specific to the Hidden Side universe to make a more classic version. The upper part of the robot can in turn be removed and replaced with a large ladder or a fire hose, it's up to you to see what you want to do with this truck.

An interesting detail: the designer of the set, Niek van Slagmaat who is also the designer of the LEGO Ideas set 21311 Voltron Defender of the Universe, has uploaded some preliminary sketches of the truck and its different conversion possibilities. These are only working drafts, but we discover the different avenues envisaged to integrate this truck into the somewhat crazy universe of the Hidden Side range (see below).

This same designer did not hesitate to stuff the set with more or less obvious references to other LEGO universes or ranges: LEGO Racers, Bionicle with Tahu's mask or even a reference to the Res- theme. Q of the LEGO CITY range (1998/99) on the stickers and even a more or less obvious connection with the world of the Japanese film Promise released in 2019. This animated film for a rather confidential audience stages the adventures of firefighters at the controls of mechs including a MATOI-TECH to which the text of the sticker placed at the front of the cabin refers directly (M4T01). We also find the number 3 on the legs of the robot delivered in this set, as on the red baggy pants of Galo Thymos, the hero of the animated film.

As I said above, the accumulation of references and nods to different licenses or universes is not a bad thing, but sometimes we have the impression that the Hidden Side range draws a lot elsewhere and forces a little too much on fan-service, losing a little of its own identity in the long run.

The mech that can be deployed from the rear of the vehicle is rather well integrated if we admit that the LEGO Hidden Side range offers vehicles with original capacities that go far beyond what one would find in more classic universes. The truck body unfolds to form the legs and feet of the robot, and the large cannon then becomes the cockpit.

The mech is not foolproof stability, it will be necessary to find its point of balance so that it stands up, especially when minifigs are installed at the controls. The big advantage of the relatively simplistic modular system used here: the robot can be deployed in seconds and reintegrated into the body of the truck just as quickly. This is a real plus for the playability of the product, we avoid tedious handling and we play without losing patience.

The mech also allows and above all to stage a balanced confrontation with the villain of the set, Nehmaar Reem (the Harbinger), who needs an opponent at his height, even if there is no coin thrower. in this box and that it is therefore impossible to knock out this villain with some ammunition launched for example from the arms of the robot. I have the impression that the designers have deliberately ignored this functionality to favor virtual action in the associated video game rather than making this set a playable product without having to use the parents' smartphone. It is kind of a shame.

The truck is covered with stickers which really help give the vehicle its final appearance. If you intend to make it a "classic" one day, some of these stickers will be more or less superfluous.

As for the characters delivered in this box, the Jack Davids minifigure is identical to the one seen in the set 70430 Newbury Subway, that of Parker L. Jackson is a combination of elements seen in many boxes of the range and that of JB is also in the set 70432 Haunted Fairground.

JB is here accompanied by her assistant TeeVee, a little robot about which we don't know much except that it looks strangely like the robot delivered in 2011 in the 6775 Alpha Team Bomb Squad set. His presence in this new box seems above all to be yet another fan-service operation wanted by a designer anxious to integrate his favorite character in at least one of the boxes in the range. The little robot will doubtless remain exclusive to this box and it comes with two interchangeable screens depending on the mood you want it to display.

The ax is used to sets from the LEGO CITY range which feature fire soldiers and we get here three different smartphones that will expand your collection or feed your SFR store MOC. In the LEGO Hidden Side range, we hunt the ghost with our smartphone and LEGO insistently reminds us once again.

The torso, head and legs of the unique Shadowwalker delivered in this box are also included in the sets 70434 Supernatural Race Car et 70437 Mystery Castle. The minifigure is generic enough to be used again in a diorama of your own.

Nehmaar Reem (the Harbinger) is delivered here in a different version from that of the set 70437 Mystery Castle, he displays an allure that will eventually refer to Jack Skellington or the Slenderman with a very slender body and menacing upper limbs that are connected to the torso via Ball Seals. As usual, you will understand that everything that is not on the sticker sheet, of which I give you a scan at each of my reviews, is therefore pad printed.

In short, I think this set deserves your attention. It offers a nice vehicle with a transforming ability that may seem anecdotal to some of you but that will appeal to anyone who played with Optimus Prime or other Transformers in their youth. The assortment in minifigs is not very original especially for those who already have Jack, Parker and JB in multiple copies but we already find this box less than 60 € elsewhere than at LEGO and it will undoubtedly one day be destocked around 50.

Knowing that the death knell has sounded for the LEGO Hidden Side range and that we will therefore not see any new sets coming to expand the twenty boxes already on the market, I think it is time to add to our collections the few sets from the range that offer interesting models. As far as I'm concerned, this box is one of them.

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at July 28, 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 make a quick detour to the Dursley family with the LEGO Harry Potter set 75968 4 Privet Drive, a box of 797 pieces sold 74.99 € which offers a new interpretation of the suburban pavilion already seen in 2002 at LEGO in the set 4728 Escape from Privet Drive.

For those wondering what it's all about here, the 4 Private Drive is the address of the Dursley family pavilion where Harry Potter spent his childhood, confined in a cupboard under the stairs before his uncle moved him upstairs in his cousin Dudley's second bedroom. Please note, this is a reproduction of the "false house" installed in the Leavesden studios and not of the one that actually exists in the town of Bracknell. The LEGO version is therefore entitled to a large fireplace and two windows above the porch.

The house comes together as a Structure of the best vintage with an entertaining alternation between walls and furniture. Those who love to assemble micro-beds and mini-sofas will be in heaven, the set offers some very successful pieces of furniture which, even if they fill the different rooms as often, leaving no room to turn around, are little nearly consistent with the furniture seen on the screen.

Too bad the staircase leading to the first floor and which is not in the right direction on the LEGO version is not covered with Tiles pad printed (or stickers) with the slightly kitsch motif of the place. As it is, it's a bit rough and flashy and a more pastel blue would have been perfect for the carpet in the entrance hall and for the stairs.

The front door and the interior of the pavilion are dressed in different stickers but there are also some pad printed pieces in this set: Three envelopes already seen in 2018 in a Disney set, in 2019 in several sets of the Friends range and available this year in several sets of the Harry Potter range and a copy of the Daily Prophet available since 2018 with the title "The Boy who LIVED!"on the front page.

The big feature of the set is the possibility of passing the three envelopes from the outside wall of the pavilion to the fireplace in the Dursleys living room by turning the black knob visible to the right of the sofa. You won't flood the room with the three included Hogwarts Admission Letters, but the nod is interesting.

Under the stairs, there is a broom cupboard to kidnap Harry and easily accessible by deploying a section of the exterior wall of the house. There is also a small door that is difficult to access inside under the stairs, the best solution to open it is to push it from inside.

The exterior appearance of the house is rather convincing and the texture obtained on the roof by the offsets of the different Slopes 1x3 black offers a really satisfying rendering. The result is not exactly faithful to the roof of the building in the film, but the solution used by the designers really has style. The insertion of bricks in the walls and the presence of gutters provide a nice finish to this suburban pavilion in front of which we also find the large hydrangea.

We may also regret the absence of wire mesh on the windows, even if it means providing us with stickers, LEGO could have taken the trouble to add a few stickers on a transparent background which allow this detail to be taken up and to hide the transparency of this half. construction.

Even if we can regret the absence of the adjoining garage, the few aesthetic approximations or the "movie set" aspect of the construction, I think the designers are doing pretty well on this issue.

As in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, it is planned here to help Harry escape from his room with the help of Ron, Fred and George all installed in the flying Ford Anglia. Almost everything has been designed to have fun reproducing the scene, with one exception: Fred and George are absent subscribers in this box.

LEGO still provides a chain installed in the trunk of the car, it will be enough to connect it to the bars of the window of the room and to pull to eject the latter. We will have as much fun as we can by then passing Uncle Vernon through the window.

The Ford Anglia delivered in this box is not the one seen in the set 75953 Hogwarts Whomping Willow marketed in 2018. The designers kept most of the good ideas of the previous model but the characteristic shape of the rear windows is now defined by two stickers. Ron and Harry can be seated in the vehicle, but they will have to stay upright because of their short legs and the white stripe on the doors is a bit too dull to really mesh with the rest. Was it absolutely necessary to provide this vehicle here rather than the Dursleys station wagon? While this is arguably better for the playability of the product, I'm not sure.

As for the minifigs, the continuity between the different sets which reproduce the chronology of the action of the different films is respected: The torsos of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley are those already seen in the set 75953 Hogwarts Whomping Willow.

Dobby's minifig is a variation of the one seen in one of the bags from the first series of collectible characters (LEGO ref. 71022), the head is made of soft plastic, the legs are injected in two colors and the pad printing is flawless . The character has at his disposal the cake that ends up on Mrs. Mason's head in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the construction is also placed on a transparent support to give an effect of levitation.

Pétunia, Vernon and Dudley Dursley complete the inventory here. The patchwork of outfits between the different family members is a bit confusing: Dudley is in the outfit he wears on his birthday in Harry potter and the sorcerer's stone, I'm still looking for Vernon's sweater in my memory but I don't seem to have seen it in this outfit and Petunia is wearing the floral shirt seen in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban when Vernon's sister swells like a balloon. The three minifigs are however very convincing and we will have to do with it for a few years at least.

The owl is the one delivered by LEGO since 2010 and the Hedwig owl with its wings outstretched has also become common in the various sets of the range released in 2020.

In summary, this set deserves your full attention if you are a fan of the Harry Potter saga, the house of the Dursleys is sufficiently iconic to deserve its LEGO version and it will easily find its place in a diorama. The interior of the pavilion would have deserved a little more finishing but the pretty furniture largely compensates for the aesthetic shortcuts taken by the designers.

I often say that this type of licensed set only wreaks havoc on the fan service, but this one does it pretty well with some interesting construction techniques, a nice build that remains very accomplished even if it does. is only half a house and a nice assortment of minifigs. I regret the absence of Fred and George a bit, especially for 74.99 €, but there is no room to install them in the Ford Anglia anyway.

As usual, we will wait for a significant drop in the price of the product before cracking, this box being already sold for just over 50 € at Amazon Germany, which immediately makes it more attractive.

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at July 25, 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.