We continue today with a quick overview of the content of the LEGO Icons set 10305 Lion Knights'Castle, a large box of 4514 pieces including 22 minifigs which will allow from next August 3 and in exchange for 399.99 € to assemble a strong tribute to one of the emblematic universes of the brand.

As with the other set celebrating the brand's 90th anniversary this year, the reference 10497 Galaxy Explorer (99.99 €), it is obviously not an identical reissue of the set 6080 King's Castle which could be considered as the reference product and which was much less ambitious and above all less expensive.

The public price of 399.99 € leaves no room for doubt, LEGO goes there frankly by offering a huge playset which will undoubtedly end up as a simple exhibition product for the majority of nostalgic fans who will acquire it. The product is designed to provide playful possibilities when fully or partially open and to occupy a smaller space when closed in on itself, so LEGO does not sacrifice either theoretical playability or the obvious display potential of this castle. .

The homage to the product and to the reference universe is less obvious here than with the content of the set 10497 Galaxy Explorer : A castle can be assembled well, but it does not look like the somewhat crude constructions experienced by those who played with these products in the 80s. The references are elsewhere, on the walls and on the torso of the minifigs and LEGO finally pays homage to all of his work rather than to a specific reference. Fans wanted a castle, they got one and in my opinion it more than lives up to what you'd expect from a premium toymaker in 2022.

I won't give you the verse on the different stages of assembly and on the techniques used, keep the pleasure of discovery for the moment when you open the big box and you will begin to understand that you do not have to regret have spent 400 €. Just know that LEGO misses no detail, including accessibility to the different spaces of this castle.

There is always a staircase or a ladder in the corner to move around inside the premises and this detail reinforces the impression that the manufacturer has taken care to think out his product down to the smallest detail. No stickers, everything is stamped and there is only plastic except for the two banners that float on top of the walls and the queen's cape. These three pieces of fabric are unfortunately only printed on one side.

Some features are there and we are not content to "open a door" or "tilt" a piece of wall. The drawbridge is functional as is the portcullis placed just behind. The two mechanisms that put these elements in motion are very well integrated into the construction, I leave you the pleasure of discovering the tricks that will allow you to afford a few minutes of nostalgic pleasure.

The water wheel is also mobile and it even sets in motion the millstone placed on the other side of the wall. The functionality may seem trivial and it will probably never be used again after a few minutes, but it embodies our playful "activities" as children, such as when we spent time filling up our little Majorette cars with a dummy gas pump. .

The manufacturer allows this product to be assembled with four hands with two separate instruction booklets to build the two modules which will then have to be joined together via a few clips to obtain the complete enclosure. The assembly phase is rather entertaining, even if we could expect the worst when discovering the imposing gray walls made up of stacked bricks.

However, like a Structure, we alternate here regularly between simplistic stacks and the construction of furniture or more detailed accessories and we do not regret the long hours devoted to this big whiff of nostalgia. The layout of the different rooms is sufficiently substantial to identify their function even if, to my taste, it lacks a bit of smooth tiling or carpet in places, the visible studs really contrasting with the smooth walls.

As I said above, the complete model is both a luxury playset more than 70 cm long when deployed and a high-end exhibition product with a footprint of 45 x 33 cm and very accomplished finish on all sides when the castle is closed. The usual principle "We don't see it anymore but we know it's there"characteristic of Modulars will therefore apply here too even if it will be enough to open the castle to take advantage of the various rooms and other integrated hiding places that I leave it to you to discover without spoiler.

The hinges are rather discreet, the closing adjustments on each of the two modules and on the junction between the two are very correct and the possibility of opening the playset will not immediately jump out at those who discover the object in its configuration. of exposure.

A medieval castle without knights and other villagers is of little interest and LEGO also goes all out here with 22 minifigures. The pad prints are generally very successful and there is enough to fill the different levels of the castle as well as the surroundings of the rocky peak on which it is installed. Direct references to the different factions imagined by LEGO in the 80s are there with a slew of coats of arms all very well executed. Everyone will find their favorite faction there and the tribute seems rather exhaustive to me.

The nine Lion Knights are all equipped with the same torso and the same pair of legs, it is the accessories and the faces that will make the difference and only the queen benefits from two personalized elements. Same recipe for the three members of the Black Falcons with identical outfits and the three Forest Guardians who use the torso already seen in the promotional set 40567 Forest Hideout.

Those who grumble about the subtle tweaks to some of the various emblems will have short memories, LEGO has never been shy about tweaking and altering these illustrations over the years and sets in the range. Perhaps a few additional animals are missing to flesh out the bestiary a little, a real vegetable garden at the foot of the walls and enough to cover the blue surface with a few Tiles transparent.

Some of the minifigs recycle elements already seen elsewhere and others are a bit less detailed than the rest of the cast. We can see a "vintage" guarantee of the product with a tribute to the simplicity of figurines dating from the 80s and this is the case of the magician Majisto who looks like the minifig of "Merlin" that many fans have known, pad printing less torso. In my opinion, it was not really necessary to make tons of it anyway, I think that the simple fact of finally seeing your silhouette in a set will be enough to produce a great breath of nostalgia.

We could spend hours trying to find flaws or bad positioning in this big set, but that would be giving it a role it doesn't have. It's not a reissue of a specific product, it's not an educational product, it's just a high-end tribute for adults nostalgic for a universe that fascinated them during their childhood, which benefits of the essential modernization of techniques and takes advantage of the inventory of parts available since the 80s. Those who despaired of one day seeing their favorite medieval factions return to the LEGO catalog have finally been heard, that is the essential .

This debauchery of parts and figurines, however, places this product in a price range that will not put it within the reach of all budgets and that is a bit of a shame. Was it absolutely necessary to produce a castle of more than 4000 rooms to celebrate an anniversary to which the fans of the first hour who do not necessarily have 400 € to spend would have liked to be invited? there was probably a way to offer a more modest castle without sacrificing all the details and fittings, just to make it accessible to more people.

We also note that the two parts of the castle can be self-sufficient, proof that it was undoubtedly possible to offer something acceptable with an inventory reduced by half. Otherwise, it remains the Creator set 31120 Medieval Castle, less ambitious but closer to the products of the 80s in terms of finish and which is sold for 99.99 €.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at July 24, 2022 next at 23:59 p.m. Just post a comment under the article to participate.

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

Today we take a quick tour of one of the two sets that will celebrate the 1th anniversary of the LEGO brand from August 90st by revisiting great classics: the reference 10497 Galaxy Explorer with its 1254 pieces, its four astronauts and its retail price set at €99.99.

You probably already know that the content of this box is an interpretation freely inspired by what the set offered in 1979 928/497 Galaxy Explorer. Those who had the emblematic grey, blue and yellow spaceship in their hands in the 80s will necessarily be receptive to this new product, the others will probably only see it as a spaceship that is a little too vintage and much too flat. to encourage them to checkout.

It is obviously not a school reissue of the original product: the ship here is more detailed, larger and above all it benefits from the inventory of parts produced by LEGO since the 80s to allow itself some aesthetic fantasies. Those who played with the original ship will probably remember that it was then accompanied by a base plate with its craters and a lunar module. These elements go by the wayside here, only the little rover remains.

This product therefore appeals to the nostalgia of children who have become adults, everything has been thought out to bring them back a few decades without offering them an experience that is too "vintage" which could prove disappointing compared to other products that is currently putting LEGO on the shelves. One could even consider that this new version embodies the somewhat idealized version that the children of the time could have kept in their memories. The level of detail of the 1979 product was very satisfactory for the time, that of 2022 complies with current standards.

Predictably, the ship's internal structure involves a large handful of beams and pine Technic which allow the fuselage to be spread out 52 cm long by 32 cm wide without the risk of breaking everything at the slightest manipulation. We can imagine that those who will pay for this product will want to at least play with it a little before putting it on a shelf, so the whole thing had to be strong and rigid enough to allow these essential few minutes of nostalgia.

The central part of the cabin makes use of some interesting techniques, you won't get bored even if the final result, which is relatively banal, may suggest the opposite. The designer has done his homework: the ship's innards are colored but this product only uses tints that were available in 1979, with the exception of the Medium Stone Gray. The leading edge of the wings is nicely executed, it brings an excellent level of finish to the whole and somewhat compensates for the relative visual simplicity of the central part of the ship. This ship also has three retractable landing gears, a nice improvement that corrects the "flaw" of the reference model.

There are also two examples of the new yellow canopy and the designer has added an airlock with a movable door to the rear of the cockpit. The little rover is stored in the hold, it descends by sliding on a black plate which is usually used as a support for the presentation stickers of the "collectors" products.

No stickers in this box and it was the least of things for a product to the glory of the manufacturer and one of its historical ranges. Everything is stamped with a large handful of very vintage elements that will undoubtedly bring back memories to some.

In the radius of the slightly annoying details: the two canopies are not protected and they therefore do not escape a few scratches while walking in the bags in the middle of other rooms. It's a shame, LEGO could have made the effort for this occasion to wrap them in the plastic seen on the windshield of the DeLorean of the set 10300 Back to the Future Time Machine and canopy from the LEGO Star Wars Ultimate Collector Series set 75341 Luke Skywalker's Landspeeder.

LEGO also promises to be able to assemble two other smaller vessels freely inspired by those of the sets 924 Space Transporter et 918 Space Transport using the inventory provided. However, it will be necessary to wait for the availability of the corresponding instruction booklets in digital format to possibly engage in the exercise. The most nostalgic will perhaps make the effort to invest in three boxes to bring together the fleet of ships of their childhood instead of dismantling one to assemble the other, which no one will do. LEGO never misses an opportunity to push the expense but does not deign to provide pad-printed bricks matching the two other models, with the mentions LL 924 and LL 918.

One could also consider that the subject is treated here almost too seriously. We remember the more crazy interpretation of the ships of the Classic Space range in the set The LEGO Movie 70816 Benny's Spaceship, Spaceship, SPACESHIP!, the tribute was there but with a big dose of fantasy that had aroused the interest of fans. Here, it's more serious, you have to seduce those who have had the original products in their hands right down to the design of the packaging, which frankly draws on all the visual codes of the time.

As for the minifigs delivered in this box, LEGO is content to re-invite the original cast with four astronauts, two red and two white, with torsos flanked by the Classic Space logo. Those who collect these astronauts in every colorway out there and never invested in a widely available red version in the 80s or the Toys R Us exclusive pack offered in 2012 will therefore have two copies on hand. The white version was easily accessible in 2019 via the small set The LEGO Movie 2 70841 Benny's Space Squad (9.99 €). LEGO misses here the opportunity to provide us with some alternative colors but it was probably necessary to stick to the reference product without going too far. We still get a air tank black stowed in one of the ship's side containers. Should we see a sign there? Nothing is less sure.

If you intend to buy this box as soon as it goes on sale on August 1st, don't spoil yourself too much about the different assembly phases. Keep the pleasure of discovering the product and its refinements, after all you will spend a hundred euros to have the right to savor this throwback imbued with a bit of modernity.

This set is the cheaper of the two planned for this summer, the other being the reference 10305 Lion Knight's Castle which will be sold at the public price of 399.99 € and which we will talk about later. Everyone is therefore not invited to the anniversary of the LEGO group, the budget necessary to participate in the party is frankly substantial. This box being the less expensive of the two, it's up to you to see if the universe it explores and to which it pays homage brings you back to your youth. If so, you're in luck, you'll get away with it for a lot less than those who played with knights and Foresters. Me, it was the cavalry and the Indians, but with Fort Randall Playmobil.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at July 23, 2022 next at 23:59 p.m. Just post a comment under the article to participate.

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

LEGO today unveils the set 10304 Chevy Camaro Z28, a box of 1456 pieces which will be available from August 1, 2022 on the official online store and in LEGO Stores at the retail price of €169.99.

This will involve assembling a reproduction of the 28 Chevrolet Camaro Z1969, a vehicle 36 cm long by 14 cm wide and 10 cm high to be personalized thanks to the three different sets of bands and the possibility of removing the roof to turn it into a convertible version. The steering of this Camaro is functional from the steering wheel, the engine is accessible by opening the hood and the trunk can be opened as are the two doors.

We will soon talk about this vehicle in more detail on the occasion of a "Review ".

10304 CHEVROLET CAMARO Z28 ON THE LEGO SHOP >>

(The link to the shop redirects to the version of the official shop for your country of connection)

It's time to take advantage of other people's holidays to try to win stuff: there will be competitions as usual during the summer and we start today with the giveaway of a copy of the LEGO set 10302 Optimus Prime worth 169.99 €.

To validate your participation and try to add this very successful model to your collection at a lower cost, simply identify yourself via the interface below and follow the instructions provided. As usual, it is a question of finding information on the official online store and then answering the question correctly. At the end of the participation phase, the winner will be chosen by lot from the correct answers.

Your contact details (name / nickname, email address, IP) are only used within the framework of this competition and will not be kept beyond the drawing of lots which will designate the winner. As usual, this no-obligation competition is open to all residents of mainland France, DOM & TOM, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland.

The set is as usual provided by LEGO, it will be sent to the winner by me as soon as his contact details are confirmed by return email.

As always, I reserve the right to disqualify any participant who has attempted to defraud or hijack the entry system in order to increase their chances of winning. Hateful and bad losers to abstain, the others will have more chances to win.

Good luck to everyone !

No participation via comments, I leave the form open as long as the contestants who cannot read are not yet there. Then we close.

For information: the name / nickname of the winner is displayed in the participation interface once the draw has been made. I also notify the winners by email, but remember to check anyway.

You have had plenty of time to think about the file since the announcement of the product and the many reviews published everywhere including here, now is the time to decide: the big set 10303 Loop Coaster with its inventory of 3756 pieces, its 11 minifigs and its retail price set at €399.99 is now available as a VIP preview on the official online store.

Don't forget that the motorization of the carousel is possible but that it is optional: you have to acquire two elements of the ecosystem separately Powered Up, a motor 88013 Technic Motor L (34.99 €) and a battery box 88015 Battery Box (34.99 €). If you don't already have these two in your parts stash, then you'll have to spend an extra €70 to be able to really enjoy this high-end toy or run it on its own on display.

The party is over, no more doubled VIP points or free product for a minimum purchase amount at the beginning of July. It is therefore up to you to see if it is appropriate to wait a little before cracking.

LEGO 10303 LOOP COASTER ON THE LEGO SHOP >>

(The link to the shop redirects to the version of the official shop for your country of connection)

Alternatively, for much less, you can treat yourself to a copy of the LEGO Disney set 43205 Ultimate Adventure Castle (99.99 €) which is also a novelty for the month of July. It's the ultimate Disney princess combo with a castle featuring the bedrooms of Ariel, Moana, Rapunzel, Snow White and Tiana.

Finally, for even less, you have the choice between two small boxes from the Creator range which were to allow you to assemble "postcards" of New York and Beijing in the form of mini-dioramas grouping together some emblematic monuments of these two cities: