26/10/2020 - 00:29 Lego hidden side Lego news Shopping

On the LEGO Shop: the LEGO Hidden Side 30464 El Fuego's Stunt Cannon polybag is free from 35 € purchase

As expected, the LEGO Hidden Side polybag 30464 El Fuego's Stunt Cannon is offered this week on the official online store and in the LEGO Stores from 35 € / 40 CHF of purchase. Not enough to get up at night with the contents of this polybag of 46 pieces, as I told you a few days ago.

Fortunately, the pouch is free even if you purchase anything other than products from the LEGO Hidden Side range. Not sure that this justifies paying a high price for certain boxes.

The offer is valid until November 1st.

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22/10/2020 - 13:30 Lego hidden side Lego news Shopping

30464 El Fuego's Stunt Cannon

This will be one of the next promotional offers on the official online store: the LEGO Hidden Side polybag 30464 El Fuego's Stunt Cannon will be offered from October 26th from 30 or 35 € of purchase. Offer will be valid until November 1, 2020 or while supplies last.

This bag of 46 pieces is neither new nor unpublished, it has been circulating for a long time at various retailers and one can also wonder why LEGO chooses to insist on this range that the latest rumors to date announce as end of life. The product is valued by LEGO at € 3.99 on the official store but it is available in volume for less than € 3 on the secondary market.

30464 El Fuego's Stunt Cannon

As for the inventory, there is nothing in this bag that is really interesting: the pad-printed helmet of the skeleton is also delivered in the sets 70421 El Fuego's Stunt Truck (2019) 70429 El Fuego's Stunt Plane (2020) et 70435 Newbury Abandoned Jail (2020). The accessory was also present on El Fuego's head in the small bag that accompanied the 3rd issue of the magazine dedicated to the LEGO Hidden Side range.

Note that this type of promotional product does not take advantage of all the possibilities offered by the Hidden Side range: the polybags and other small sets offered are not integrated into the augmented reality application which allows to add a little playability to this universe.

I'm not pitching the product to you, the photos speak for themselves.

30464 El Fuego's Stunt Cannon

70436 Phantom Fire Truck 3000

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).

70436 Phantom Fire Truck 3000

70436 lego hidden side phantom fire truck 3000 preliminary sketches

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.

70436 Phantom Fire Truck 3000

70436 Phantom Fire Truck 3000

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.

70436 Phantom Fire Truck 3000

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.

Julien - Comment posted the 22/07/2020 at 01:56

70434 Supernatural Race Car

Today we quickly tour the LEGO Hidden Side set 70434 Supernatural Race Car (244 pieces - 29.99 €), an almost affordable box whose content caught my eye when it was announced.

The Hidden Side universe is a mixture inspired more or less frankly by everything that from near or far can affect the ghost hunt at LEGO or elsewhere: Scooby-Doo, Monster Fighters, Ghostbusters, Stranger Things, etc ... and it sometimes seems difficult to me to find an overall coherence to this concept which adds as a bonus an overlay of augmented reality play to construction toys. Despite everything, the range does manage to surprise me from time to time.

If I often remain insensitive to the various and varied constructions offered by LEGO in this range (school, prison, castle, cemetery, etc ...), I am however sometimes attracted by the few vehicles available in some of these boxes. The big 4x4 of the set 70421 El Fuego's Strunt Truck (2019), the school bus of the set 70423 Paranormal Intercept Bus 3000 (2019), the fire truck from the set 70436 Phantom Fire Truck 3000 (2020) and the "supernatural" car to build in this box are in my opinion very successful models.

70434 Supernatural Race Car

And it's good because one can wonder what this car comes to do in the range that the vehicle attracted me. The craft could be piloted by Baron Von Barron, take part in stock car races or roam the streets of a Steampunk town, its versatility makes it a product that I think should appeal to a much larger audience than that. from the tote universe of teenage ghost hunters.

Since this is a "supernatural" hot rod, it was necessary to add a functionality to it to match the title. No steering or suspensions, but the car can "fly" having previously positioned its wheels horizontally like Doc Brown's Delorean or more recently Lola, Phil Coulson's convertible. No complex mechanism here, a few parts are enough to produce the desired effect.

We can regret that the LEGO version is not completely faithful to the vehicle seen in the animated series derived from this range: By comparing the model of the set with the hot rod seen on the screen, we quickly realize that the designer is 'is content to "reinterpret" the vehicle by narrowing the machine to go from two places to one. Pity.

Note that this vehicle does not have "transformation" capabilities as is the case in other boxes in the range. The hot rod is already part of the parallel universe of the game, so it is not intended to convert into a "ghost" machine.

LEGO Hidden Side Supernatural Race Car

The essential and inevitable colored wheel that allows the LEGO Hidden Side game to recognize the content of sets and offer some video game sequences is rather well integrated into the vehicle. Placed at the back, it does not disfigure the machine and vaguely takes the form of the reactor seen in the animated series. The two two-tone blocks based on new 1x2 half-cylinders placed on the sides of the body can be turned so that only the black part is visible, the aesthetics of the car thus maintaining a certain sobriety. The blue piece will be used in the video game.

The cockpit is easily accessible via the vehicle's movable roof and allows the driver to be installed without realizing that our fingers are too big for this child's toy. Once is not customary, the car will gladly do without thematic stickers to stick on the body, it's up to you depending on what you do with the model.

It will also be noted that this is the first appearance of the skull installed at the front in Pearl Dark Gray, the part was until now only available in white in a few boxes of the Ninjago (70593), Nexo Knights (70326), Legends of Chima (70147), The LEGO Batman Movie (70907) or even The Lone Ranger ( 79110).

70434 Supernatural Race Car

70434 Supernatural Race Car

This small box also allows you to get four characters including three minifigs: Jack Davids the young ghost hunter, Vaughn Geist, a Shadowwalker and the (dead) dog Spencer.

Jack's minifig is an assembly of elements already seen in numbers in the sets of the LEGO Hidden Side range, the head and the cute cap with integrated hair since the beginning of the year, the rest since 2019. The character is here delivered with a new 2020 variant of its smartphone present in three other boxes of the 2020 wave.

Vaughn Geist's minifig, the serving Dum Dum Dugan, is also featured in the sets 70433 JB's Submarine et 70437 Mystery Castle. The figurine is in my opinion visually very successful with an impeccable pad printing, especially on the torso which combines three layers of clothing and a few accessories.

70434 Supernatural Race Car

The Shadowwalker with his false airs of a Game of Thrones creature in negative is for his part delivered almost identically in the sets 70436 Phantom Fire Truck et 70437 Mystery Castle but the transparent blue wings are only in this set. The part was already supplied in Neon Green in sets 70421 El Fuego's Strunt Truck et 70425 Newbury Haunted High School marketed in 2019.

The character's helmet is far from unheard of, it is an item in the LEGO catalog since 2004 that the youngest will eventually have discovered with the Nexo Knights range. Purists will undoubtedly find what to do with the character's head, especially in the Marvel universe, the rest is too generic for me even if the pad printing of the torso and legs seems to me overall very successful.

The little dead dog returned to ghost status is the one you already have in several copies if you are a fan of the range. In short, the assortment of minifigs offered in this box is nothing new or exceptional and the purists of the Marvel universe who just want Vaughn for his outfit and his hat in Medium Dark Flesh to convert into Dum Dum Dugan will be able to get it for 10 € less in the set 70433 JB's Submarine.

70434 Supernatural Race Car

In the end, I am pleasantly surprised by this little box, and it is not because it is a product that fits perfectly into the world of the LEGO Hidden Side range, on the contrary. The hot rod is original enough to motivate the purchase of the set and it will easily find its place in many themed dioramas. In the end, it's almost a good thing that this range is just a melting pot of various influences, it's up to everyone to find what they like and put it to their taste.

I have not given you the promotion of the augmented reality video game associated with these boxes here, I think that those who wanted to try it have already bored of it and that the others can save their download time. The ghost hunt on offer isn't much fun beyond a few minutes, and adding new scannable sets to the app is nothing new.

Note: I remind the angry service that this site is not the LEGO Wikipedia and that I am only giving my opinion on different products. If you have a different opinion from mine, it is possible and quite normal.

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at July 9, 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.

Fred45 - Comment posted the 30/06/2020 at 21:01
26/04/2020 - 21:59 Lego hidden side Lego news

LEGO Hidden Side news for the second half of 2020

We continue the tour of the novelties of the second semester thanks to the short 360 ° presentation sequences of the different sets put online by the brand Rakuten and here is an overview of the content of the next boxes planned in the LEGO Hidden Side range:

  • 70433 JB´s Submarine (224 pieces - 19.99 €)
  • 70434 Supernatural Race Car (244 pieces - 29.99 €)
  • 70435 Abandoned Prison of Newbury (400 pieces - 39.99 €)
  • 70436 Ghost Firetruck 3000 (760 pieces - 79.99 €)
  • 70437 Mystery Castle (1035 pieces - 99.99 €)

I will let you make up your own mind about these different boxes which will leave some of you indifferent but which will certainly be appreciated by fans of the universe developed in this range. For my part, I admit that the pretty vehicle of the set 70434 Supernatural Race Car will probably push me to make a foray into this range which so far has not really interested me.

(Visuals of the boxes via skvis.no)

70433 JB´s Submarine

70434 Supernatural Race Car

 

70435 Abandoned Prison of Newbury

70436 Ghost Firetruck 3000

70437 Mystery Castle

70437 Mystery Castle