We briefly talk about the contents of the LEGO set 40596 Magic Maze, a box of 332 pieces which will soon be offered subject to purchase on the official online store and in the LEGO Stores.

I'm not making a drawing for you, it's about putting together a little game of skill which involves moving a ball around a circuit to take it to the exit point of the maze. There is no tilting mechanism for the game board and you will therefore have to grasp the construction by the two side handles which reuse the headlights of the vehicle from the LEGO Technic set 42154 Ford GT 2022, minus the pad printing.

The labyrinth is assembled very quickly, it is made up of a few mini biomes with their obstacles that are more or less easy to cross, including a blind section and it will really take a lot of skill and patience to overcome this challenge. For my part, I quickly gave up, the test quickly becoming more annoying than fun, especially in the section based on red crates. A second ball is provided, it is held in the rubber supports attached to the edge of the board.

Bravo to LEGO for the effort to offer a product that is intended to be fun, colorful and accessible to all, but the level of difficulty of the product will force those who do not have the required dexterity to quickly give up and put the construction away. a drawer. Whatever the minimum amount required to spend on products sold at their public price to obtain this little box, it will in any case be too expensive even if the object seems attractive at first glance.

There will remain those who will benefit from the varied and colorful inventory provided with the bonus of two bees and two ladybugs, both pad printed, or who will try to modify the circuit to make it easier to navigate, they will perhaps find what they are looking for because the starting idea with the board reinforced by a few Technic beams is there and you just have to change the arrangements to vary the pleasure and the level of difficulty.

We don't yet know how much you will have to spend from October 1st to get this little box, probably €150 judging by the relatively substantial contents of the product. It's you who will see when you go to checkout whether the effort required is justified or not, I won't get up at night for this toy which is certainly creative and colorful but not really playable.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at 7th October, 2023 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.

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

Today we take a quick tour of the content of the LEGO Star Wars set 75364 New Republic E-wing vs. Shin Hati's Starfighter, a box of 1056 pieces which has been available since September 1 at the public price of €104.99.

This product inspired by the series Star Wars: Ahsoka currently being broadcast on the Disney + platform allows you to obtain two ships and a small handful of characters from the cast of the series. At the end of assembly, I had the impression that this box in fact brings together two products initially thought to be sold separately: the two ships offered are in fact not really on the scale of one of the The other one and the one piloted by Shin Hati is too big compared to the E-Wing piloted by Captain Porter.

The fact remains that these two constructions seem successful to me, they benefit from the overall reduction in scale initiated by LEGO over the past two years and they benefit from a very appreciable level of detail for a simple toy intended for of the youngest.

The E-Wing, which will bring back memories to anyone who has ever held a copy of the LEGO Star Wars set in their hands 75018 JEK-14's Stealth Starfighter, even has the luxury of having retractable landing gear in addition to being entitled to a nicely pad-printed canopy.

There are a few stickers to stick on the cabin and some of them are often printed on a background that is too white for the rooms on which they are placed but the number of stickers used to add a little finish to the together remains relatively reasonable.

The assembly of the E-Wing also reserves some interesting techniques, particularly at the nose of the aircraft with convincing angle management for a product which is not a pure exhibition model.

As usual, both Stud Shooters imposed to bring playability to the product can be easily removed if you find them superfluous. The astromech droid that accompanies Porter is, as is often the case, on LEGO ships of this scale placed in the wrong direction, we will make do with it.

On the side of the ship piloted by Shin Hati, we change the scale but we also benefit from some appreciable refinements with a pretty pad-printed glass roof, two Stud Shooters easily removable and two easily accessible spaces to store the various accessories provided. The ship is rather faithful to the version seen on the screen and the few stickers to stick on the cabin reinforce the "used" side of the craft.

The two pilots are in a lying position in their respective cockpits to make the most of the space available under the canopies, nothing serious even if there was undoubtedly a way to allow them to be installed in a slightly more credible manner.

This box therefore allows you to obtain two ships seen on the screen in different scenes, it's always a good idea to combine them with other ships available elsewhere to reproduce some action scenes from the series, for example Ahsoka's ship from the set 75362 Ahsoka Tano's T-6 Jedi Shuttle.

The set's supply of minifigs is rather convincing with three major characters from the series: Baylan Skoll, Shin Hati and Morgan Elsbeth.

These three figurines have their faults but you will have to put up with them: Morgan Elsbeth has to make do with a black skirt without any pattern and it is a little disappointing with a "half-finished" rendering while the rest of the elements are very about. The hairstyle is perfect, the facial expressions are successful and the torso is beautifully executed.

For his part, Baylan Skoll could have benefited from a cape and pad-printed arms to really pay homage to the character's outfit on screen, as it stands it's a little too sober for my taste knowing that the hairstyle of the character in LEGO version is already very approximate. Shin Hati fares a little better but also suffers from the absence of patterns on the arms. I'm not a fan of the braid that ends up on the character's right shoulder, it's not really in the visual continuity of the chosen hair.

For the rest, we obtain here a pilot who logically reuses the outfit with a slightly too light blue and white areas on the not really white legs of Lieutenant Beyta seen in the set 75357 Ghost & Phantom II, and which benefits from both a pretty helmet with unique pad printing and additional hair which allows you to enjoy the two faces printed on the character's head. The astromech droid that accompanies Captain Porter is a new example of the problems encountered by LEGO in terms of pad printing, the blue printed on the dome of the robot does not match at all with the rest contrary to what the official visuals of the product promised .

However, we are not going to be too choosy, this box brings a little freshness to a range that often goes in circles and we will welcome the arrival of two new ships and completely new characters in our collections. There is no point in spending more than €100 on this derivative product, it has already been seen elsewhere than at LEGO for less and it will quickly be available again at a more attractive price than its usual public price. It's new, it's well executed, we feel the desire to offer constructions that make the most of the imposed scale and the set allows you to obtain a large part of the cast of the series in one go, I say yes .

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at 4th October, 2023 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.

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

Today we very quickly go around the content of the LEGO DREAMZzz set 71454 Mateo and Z-Blob the Robot, a box of 237 pieces available since August 1 at the public price of €20.99. This set is not the worst of what LEGO has done in the DREAMZzz range, here we assemble an interpretation of the robotic version of Z-Blob, the companion of young Mateo. For the occasion, it is a question of going to rescue Jayden who is kidnapped from his bed by a creature in the service of the King of Nightmares.

The robot, about fifteen centimeters high, pays homage rather well to the version seen on the screen even if it is metallic gray during its first appearance in the second episode of the animated series during which it faces the Grimkeeper delivered in another box in the range, the set 71455 Grimkeeper the Cage Monster (€37.99). A pack bringing together the two products would have been welcome, just to allow you to replay the scene in question straight out of the box.

The construction delivered here remains relatively flexible despite the use of curved cylinders which inevitably deprive the robot of elbows and knees and it is possible to make it take some interesting dynamic poses. Too bad for the black joints which struggle a little to blend into the white and green context of the armor but we will have to make do.

As usual in this range, the assembly process is divided into two sections in the last pages of the instruction booklet to obtain two variations of the proposed construction. Here, the robot can choose to remain a mech in which Z-Blob is installed with a missile launcher on the shoulder and an imposing handgun or become a "real" robot equipped with a jetpack and two missile launchers on the back of the left hand, This second version is successful, the accessory which hides Z-Blob helping to reinforce the robotic aspect of the toy.

Both versions make good use of the set's inventory, with only a few unused pieces remaining each time. We stick a small handful of stickers which help to make the robot less neutral, it's aesthetically very correct. Two figurines are provided, Mateo with his magic pencil and Jayden asleep in his pajamas, so this box is an opportunity to get them at a lower cost.

This little box which will eventually allow a hesitant child to discover the LEGO DREAMZzz range before investing in more expensive products is an honest appeal product which makes the effort to present something to have a little fun without return to checkout immediately. The robot is available in two acceptable variants from the front and back for a product in this price range, it is stable on its feet and it can take some interesting poses. That's already a bargain for €21.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at September 28, 2023 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.

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

Today we are very quickly interested in the content of the LEGO Marvel set 76263 Iron Man Hulkbuster vs. Thanos, a small box of 66 pieces stamped 4+ which is available at the public price of €26.99 since August 1, 2023. You read correctly, you have to pay €26.99 to afford this set whose inventory is assembled in less than 2 minutes and which only contains two minifigs.

As this is a product intended for the youngest LEGO fans, the construction effort here also boils down to assembling a few elements including a handful of meta-parts which form what is presented to us as a Hulkbuster of a side and Thanos' "plane" on the other. Everything is aimed at children aged 4 and over who are Marvel fans, a whole program.

Taking into account the inventory provided, the Hulkbuster with the red hands of the Hulk does not stand out or very little: it is the right color, it has several points of articulation even if it remains rigid at the knees and legs. elbows and it benefits from two nicely pad-printed pieces, this type of set targeting young audiences being delivered without stickers.

The two padprints are new and for the moment exclusive to this box. The thing that serves as Thanos' vessel and is of no aesthetic interest, it is only there to have a little fun by destroying the Hulkbuster using the two flick fire missiles and disc shooter integrated into the construction.

I don't know if children will really have fun with this product, but I know that adults will find what they're looking for with a completely new minifig and for the moment exclusive to this box, that of Iron Man. Difficult to know which version of the armor this figurine is inspired by, it seems to me that it is very close to one of those in version Classic marketed by the manufacturer Hot Toys under the label The Origins Collection. The pad printing is very clean and the use of the one-piece helmet without a movable visor contributes to the vintage look of the armor even if the part was undoubtedly chosen because of the very young target audience for this product.

The Thanos figurine with the slightly sad legs is not new, however, the torso is also delivered in the set 76242 Thanos Mech Armor (€14.99) since the start of the year.

In short, this box is neither a good deal nor a product that offers a memorable construction experience but it has less merit in being able to enjoy it with the family: while the youngest has fun with his red robot with slightly articulated joints. stiff, you discreetly steal the new Iron Man minifigure and replace it with a more common version. Everyone benefits, no one is harmed. It's actually not worth paying €27 for this little box, it is already available cheaper elsewhere, for example at Amazon:

Discount -28%

LEGO 76263 Marvel Iron Man's Hulkbuster Against Thanos, Toy for Children Ages 4 and Up, Superhero Action Based on Avengers: Infinity War, with

26.99 € 19.49 €

BUY

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at September 27, 2023 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.

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

Today we take a very quick look at the contents of the LEGO Star Wars Ultimate Collector Series set. 75367 Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser, a large box of 5374 pieces which will be available on the official online store and in the LEGO Stores as an Insiders preview from October 1, 2023 at the public price of €649.99.

I'm not making a drawing for you, this is a stamped product Ultimate Collector Series and this novelty therefore takes up all the usual attributes of the label in question: a high price, a pretty box, a substantial inventory, a rather long assembly process with here around ten hours on the clock, a result with measurements which will require making space on your shelves and obvious exhibition potential. We all already know the exterior appearance of the ship offered here via the official visuals available since the product was put online on the Shop, so we still have to discover what lies beneath the gray and red surface of this Venator.

Unsurprisingly, the designer uses the usual recipe which consists of creating a solid internal structure based on Technic beams and various pines (there are nearly 400 pins in this box) and we can wonder at certain stages of the assembly if LEGO doesn't overdo it with a structure of almost surprising density. We will see later that the whole thing is extremely rigid and that the solution used was perfectly justified.

As is often the case, the internal structure is colored, failing to offer some more accomplished arrangements than the inevitable tangles of beams. It is practical to have some visual cues during assembly and these shimmering colors will fortunately no longer be visible when the vessel is fully assembled.

As you can see in the photos, the set also uses around sixty orange-colored pines. Those who hoped that LEGO would include at least one internal space, even symbolic, will be disappointed because this is not the case. The manufacturer also did not deem it useful to offer us a mechanism for opening the long central red strip to access an internal hangar, as on the ship seen on the screen.

The Venator rests on two relatively simple feet which allow them to be discreet when the model is on display. Difficult to do more sober than these two black constructions which are installed at the end of the assembly of the internal structure to then be able to work comfortably on the rest of the construction, possibly moving it in complete safety between two sessions. On arrival, the Venator is perfectly stable on its supports, there is no risk of it tipping over, and no time is wasted trying to figure out how to attach it to its support after handling it. If you ever want to remove the two legs of the model to, for example, stage it in a space diorama, all you need to do is remove the four upper panels to access the pins that hold them.

The construction process includes some slightly repetitive phases and it is the subject matter that requires that. I still note an effort on certain sequences whose result will be identical or at least mirrored but whose progression is slightly different so as not to create too much weariness.

For the rest, those who are used to assembling ships bearing the label Ultimate Collector Series will be on familiar ground with large panels made up of two layers of plates which clip onto the construction frame. The adjustments are, as is often the case, a little rough in places but we will observe this Venator from a certain distance and the whole thing still looks great.

We will also salute LEGO's effort concerning the finishing of the lower surface of the ship, the manufacturer does not hesitate to highlight this detail on the official visuals as if to show that it has taken into account past criticism, although this Venator deserves better than the third top shelf in your display space. The satisfaction of knowing that this area has not been neglected will be enough to keep most fans happy and that is already very appreciable.

We could also debate the presence of numerous studs visible on the exterior surface of the ship: some will consider that it is a LEGO product and that the studs are the signature of the brand while others will regret that the surfaces are not more smooth. This debate is endless, I am one of those who prefer fewer tenons for a model appearance but tastes and colors are not up for debate.

The weak point of the product is in my opinion on the side of the Venator reactors. The latter use rims and giant wheels which are usually the delight of ranges like Legends of Chima, Ninjago or Monkie Kid connected together by a few pins and the whole thing lacks a little rigidity. Nothing serious for a pure exhibition product, but some of these reactors seem to bend under their own weight and you will have to ensure that you have secured the elements that compose them as best as possible to limit the effect. We will salute the nice contrast between the engines in Pearl Dark Gray and the cabin is always better than tone on tone or shades that are too close. No noticeable difference in color on the different parts in Dark Red, that's always what it takes.

The set does not escape a few stickers and it is frankly disappointing. They are imposing, their background color does not perfectly match that of the pieces on which they are placed and I still cannot understand how in 2023 we can offer this type of aesthetic shortcut on a high-end product at €650.

This model deserved the effort of at least pad printing the two symbols of the fleet Open Circle Present on the sides of the ship at the front, these two stickers are directly exposed to light and dust and their lifespan will be affected.

LEGO had in 2020 in the set 75275 A-Wing Starfighter tried to provide two sheets of stickers for those of these stickers which require a certain dexterity during installation, thus offering the right to make a mistake, for lack of anything better, it would be time to think about also offering the right to extend the lifespan of a product aesthetically.

The support which allows you to display the two figurines provided, the usual plate decorated with a few facts and the pad-printed brick which pays homage to 20 years of the animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars is not attached to the feet of the model and it is without frills: we make do with two plates black ones on which we install all this. We have seen LEGO more inspired on this point.

The pad printing of the plate which presents some information about the vessel is well done but as usual it reveals the large injection point placed right in the middle of the element concerned. It will be difficult for LEGO to find a solution to this technical detail, the injection of this type of large part must allow uniform distribution of the material in the mold and the positioning of the injection point is strategic. The solution proposed here is nevertheless still more interesting than the large sticker that is difficult to position correctly and which has been supplied until now and which ages very poorly under the effect of light and heat.

The two new figurines, and undoubtedly exclusive to this box, are well executed, with Captain Rex on one side and Admiral Wullf Yularen in his younger years on the other. The pad prints are correctly applied, I do not note any major technical faults on these figurines. At the risk of getting booed, I would have preferred LEGO to develop a plastic shoulder pad for Rex rather than the usual piece of dust-collecting cloth. The manufacturer knew how to do this for the Batman and Doctor Strange capes, there must be a way to create an element adapted to these Clones.

This is obviously not a matter of trying to convince you or dissuade you from investing €650 in this plastic vessel weighing around ten kilos, this type of high-end product cannot be described as "good deal” or “must-have product”. It is aimed at a clientele of fans who can afford this category of sets and in my opinion they will get their money's worth if the subject fascinates them.

This Venator is indeed a pretty model with an accomplished aesthetic, and with a little patience it will be possible to find it for much less expensive than at LEGO as is the case every year for references of the same type. Think about it, check whether you really need a 109 cm long Venator in your home and take your time.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at September 25, 2023 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.

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