Without transition, today we take a quick look at one of the five new boxes in the Ninjago range that will be available from March 1: the reference 71748 Sea Battle Catamaran (780 - € 74.99).

The last trailer dated the special episode "The unknown island" had allowed us to see the contents of this box in action and there is something here to have fun with two floating craft accompanied by six characters. You already know that the LEGO Ninjago range is not one of the ones I particularly like or collect, but LEGO kindly offered me to take a tour of the novelties of March 2021 and so it was the opportunity for me to return to a world that my children put aside for a few years after having accumulated many boxes in their toy boxes.

The set offers plenty of fun without having to go back to the cash register and that's already great news. The contents of the box invite to embark on a nautical pursuit between nice ninjas and colorful villains under the orders of Chief Mammatus. The two catamarans are quickly assembled but they seem to me sufficiently detailed to mark on the one hand the techno-futuristic aspect of the machines usually piloted by the young ninjas and on the other the tribal / artisanal side of the boat of the villains of the season to come.

The functions integrated into the two machines are limited: that of Kai can vaguely deploy to go into attack mode while that of the "Guardians" has two detachable side modules to vary the situations and a retractable jaw which allows to ram the enemy machine.

The two boats are also equipped with coin-throwing devices: two Stud Shooters on one of the floats and two Spring-shooters on the central structure for the Chief Mammatus catamaran and two Spring-Shooters for that of Kai. The wicked catamaran also has a cell to lock up a young ninja by folding the bones onto the figurine. Nothing crazy, but that's always taken for those who want to have a little fun.

Each of the two boats is equipped with a fabric sail which in my opinion will have a little trouble withstanding the onslaught of the younger ones. the accessory creases, tears and gets dirty easily and I would have preferred a washable and stronger flexible plastic sail. The impressions on these two sails are very successful, and their presence really gives volume and presence to the two boats.

There are a few stickers to stick on to dress the two machines and the youngest will probably have to get help to put those which decorate the curved nose of the Guardians catamaran. The other stickers are easier to stick and the two boats also benefit from these nice graphic details.

The assortment in minifigs is very balanced here and the tribe of the "Guardians" is really very successful with high-level pad printing and accessories with exemplary finish. The level of detail on the torso, legs, mask and shield is impressive and flawless.

Le Thunder keeper and Rumble keeper use identical torsos and legs, but the heads are unique. We find all the members of the colorful tribe in other sets of the range, they are not exclusive to this box which is however the only one to bring together the three figurines.

As for the young ninjas, the three characters delivered in this box, Jay, Kai and Zane are in an "Island" version and LEGO does not skimp on the pad printing. They set off in search of Misako, Wu and Clutch Powers, all three missing on the Unknown Island, and their outfits are logically embellished with tactical equipment.

In short, the LEGO Ninjago range rarely rests on its laurels and designers generally know how to maintain the interest of long-time fans by offering ever more original products. This box offers a rather successful content which should appeal to both those who are new to this universe and those who are faithful to this range since 2011. It's original, it's playable and the minifigs are really successful. What more could you ask for apart from perhaps a more contained price?

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at 1er March 2021 next at 23pm. "The" I try, I participate "are automatically deleted, make an effort.

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 quickly tour the LEGO Star Wars set 75302 Imperial Shuttle, a box of 660 pieces which will be on sale at the public price of 84.99 € from March 1st and which will finally take over from the previous version of the shuttle marketed in 2015 in the set 75094 Imperial Shuttle Tydirium (937 - € 99.99).

Even if the comparison with the previous interpretation is inevitable for many collectors, it is advisable to put this new set in the current context of the LEGO Star Wars range: LEGO has been offering since January simplified and a priori more accessible versions of the great classics of the Star Wars universe: sets 75301 Luke Skywalker X-wing Fighter (474 - 49.99 €) and 75300 Imperial Tie Fighter (432 - 39.99 €) marketed since the beginning of the year are perfect examples of this simplification with their reduced number of pieces and a low retail price which makes them more affordable for many young fans keen to build up a collection. The manufacturer's bias appears a little less obvious with this new box of 660 pieces which will be offered at the public price of 84.99 €, barely 15 euros less than the previous version.

The first visuals that had leaked on social networks suggested a rather successful version of the shuttle. We then discovered the packaging of the product with its photos with carefully designed angles to hide any weaknesses of the model. Putting the set online at the beginning of February on the official online store then allowed us to better observe the construction as a whole and to give us a clearer opinion. The assembly of the product confirms the few aesthetic compromises which will undoubtedly disappoint those who waited for a shuttle with an irreproachable finish.

With only 650 pieces, there are bound to be shortcuts and even if this LEGO version of the shuttle looks like the benchmark ship overall, it also accumulates approximations. The lower part of the cockpit, for example, lacks finishing and the black protuberance here is totally irrelevant. It reinforces the impression of having only a half-cockpit with its plunging nose which only deludes when looking at the shuttle from above.

Both wings would also have deserved a little more attention with even partial coverage in Tiles to double their thickness and match them to the center fin and the body of the ship totally smooth except for the few studs visible in the cockpit. Another revealing detail of this passage to the wringer: the landing gears are summarized here in their simplest form just like the interior of the cockpit. No stickers in this box, the only piece with a pattern is pad printed. Perhaps a grid effect is missing on the nose of the ship, it was enough to take the pattern of the part placed under the central fin. For those wondering, there is no deployable access ramp under the shuttle.

This product is mainly a toy for children and so it was necessary to think of those who will have fun with this shuttle. The upper cockpit hull tilts forward and the interior of the vessel is accessed by lifting the center fin which is held by a relatively inconspicuous latch. It's simple, it does not penalize the general aesthetics and these two features offer a certain playability to the product. Even if the cockpit can only accommodate one minifigure, the three characters provided can therefore take place in the shuttle, Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader having "seats" in the back.

LEGO has nothing planned for those who would like to exhibit the shuttle with the wings spread, it will be necessary to DIY a support. I simply stacked a few bricks for the photos and by finding the point of balance it is possible to place the ship on a simple rod. Too bad that LEGO does not offer an integrated solution in the set. Even if it is a simple toy, it would be interesting to have a base to allow it to be stored on a shelf in its most interesting configuration and about fifteen pieces are enough here to achieve the desired effect.

On the side of the three minifigs provided, we find a mixture of parts present for many years in the LEGO Star Wars range and more recent elements: The torso and the head of Luke Skywalker are parts already seen for the first in 2015 in the and 75093 Death Star Final Duel then delivered in several boxes. The torso of the imperial pilot is a new reference to the minimalist pad printing on legs present in the Star Wars range since 2014. The character's head also dates from 2014 and the cap made its first appearance in 2016.

Darth Vader's minifigure uses elements already seen in the sets 75291 Death Star Final Duel et 75294 Bespin Duel but without the arms with the pad-printed shoulders. Note that the legs used here are also those of the festive version seen in the LEGO Star Wars 2020 Advent calendar.

To put it simply, LEGO continues to decline the iconic ships of the Star Wars range in frankly simplified versions which should in principle be more affordable. Unfortunately, this is not really the case here with a public price that seems too high for a slightly minimalist product that ignores several aesthetic details and the few finishing touches that would have made it possible to make a model. more faithful to the reference vessel. So we end up with a simple children's toy that is a little too expensive for what it has to offer.

Sooner or later this box will necessarily end up on sale somewhere, so you have to be patient to pay for it at the right price. Those looking for a slightly more accomplished version of this Imperial Shuttle can always turn to the aftermarket where the set 75094 Imperial Shuttle Tydirium from 2015 is trading new at around € 140.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at 28th February 2021 next at 23pm. "The" I try, I participate "are automatically deleted, make an effort.

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 10295 Porsche 911, a box of 1458 pieces sold for € 139.99 that LEGO unveiled to us a few days ago by presenting it as a product resulting from a close collaboration with the German car manufacturer. This set allows you to assemble two versions of the Porsche 911, the Turbo version or the Targa convertible. It is indeed the possibility of choosing between the two models, the contents of this box not allowing to assemble the two vehicles at the same time.

Taking a step back on the various vehicles offered by LEGO in the defunct Creator Expert range in recent years, it should be admitted that some of them were more successful than others. If the Mustang of the set 10265 Ford Mustang marketed since 2019 is generally considered successful, it is much less obvious for the Aston Martin of the set 10262 James Bond Aston Martin DB5 (2018) which had a little trouble with the curves of the reference vehicle or for the Fiat 500 from the set 10271 Fiat 500 (2020) which struggles to reproduce the iconic vehicle of the Italian firm.

There is no suspense here, although not everything is perfect, this 911cm long and 35.5cm wide Porsche 16 does a lot better than the Aston Martin and the Fiat 500 aesthetically. Purists will inevitably have comments on certain details or proportions and we could for example discuss the windshield a little too flat, the front cover not sufficiently domed, the rear window of the Targa made up of several elements that produce a rough effect, Headlights as big as the rims, axles of different colors for the wheels or somewhat coarse widenings of the rear fenders of the 911 Turbo.

However, many will be satisfied with what LEGO offers and I think some will even invest in two copies of the set to be able to align the two versions on their shelves. It is up to each to see at what level he sets the bar of his demands, his indulgence and his tolerance.

The assembly of the product is divided into two parts: the assembly of the "common trunk" which will serve as a basis for the two models followed by the addition of the mechanical and aesthetic elements which make it possible to differentiate the two vehicles. Good news, this Porsche 911 is equipped with functional steering.

However, we should not have to be overly pleased with the presence of this type of functionality which seems to fall under the union minimum on a high-end construction toy, but when we note that even recent models from the Technic range do not benefit no such function, we can be happy to have it here.

No one will play with this Porsche 911, but the assembly of this feature is a very entertaining addition to the sidelines of the stacking of white bricks and the presence of a steering will allow the wheels to steer at the ideal angle when driving. exposure of the model.

Do not rely too much on the instruction booklet to teach you more about the Porsche 911, just a few introductory pages to the glory of the model and designer Mike Psiaki and a few rare facts without interest over the pages. There was undoubtedly material to document this exhibition model a little better to please purists of the brand and automobile enthusiasts, especially on the occasion of a set which is clearly intended for an adult audience.

There are no stickers in this box, all the elements of the dashboard, the various license plates as well as the markings used to identify the two vehicles are pad printed. As often, there are some variations in color between the different parts that make up the body of the Porsche 911 and if we add the shadow on the edges of each part which reinforces the "brick wall" effect, we say that LEGO Perhaps this 911 should have chosen another color. Two of the side windows are also pad printed with a curved pattern and the white used does not really match that of the body.

Some useful explanations on the possibility of building a Porsche 911 Turbo or a Targa version: As indicated above, the inventory of this box divided into 10 bags only allows you to assemble one of the two models and you will have to make your choice before reaching the 8th bag, which is common to both models, but which uses the parts it contains differently. The bags 9 and 10 are in turn used for one or the other of the models.

The two versions use rear axles of different lengths, and the designer has provided a clip on the common trunk on which the axle corresponding to the chosen model is inserted. It will also be necessary to change the rims and add or remove some parts of the engine depending on the version.

During a first assembly, everything rolls. The floor based on Technic elements, the very successful upholstery with front seats that tilt to allow access to the rear bench, the interior trim Dark orange et nougat with its somewhat minimalist dashboard, the massive but well-designed doors, the mechanical elements and part of the bodywork are assembled and then all you have to do is decide on the Turbo or Targa version and follow the instructions given in the booklet. 'instructions.

Switching from one model to the other after the fact is more complicated. I did it for this test and I had to disassemble from memory some elements of the Targa version to return to the common core assembled with the first seven bags of the product, collect the obtained parts and start assembling the attributes distinctive features of the Turbo version.

Converting one way or the other isn't documented, so it's a bit laborious and I bet a lot of buyers will be a little overwhelmed by the process and will just show off their top pick. So we can't really talk about a 2-in-1 product, it is rather a set that leaves you more simply the choice of the model and the possibility of converting it perhaps one day in the other. proposed version.

Aside from the usual flaws that you would almost get used to, such as color variations or striped transparent parts, there is a slightly more annoying problem here: on the 911 Turbo version, the rear of the white roof rests on a series of black studs and these are visible by transparency. The effect is not too disturbing in the photo above but it is more or less present depending on the angle and the lighting.

While it is possible to contact customer service for replacement clear parts, this is much less obvious for parts with thinner areas that let in light. I will not be led to believe that this detail has not been noticed by at least one person in charge of the validation of the product at LEGO and I deduce that this defect was not considered sufficiently important to justify a modification of the product. support placed under the rear of the roof.

In my opinion, the world's leading manufacturer of toys must absolutely concentrate on all these little details which spoil the fun a little instead of being scattered in various and varied experiments which only aim to flirt with adult customers. Packaging and marketing aren't everything when it comes to building customer loyalty. If the product itself does not live up to the promises made, the customer disappointed with those disappointing finishing details may not come back.

In short, I still conclude that LEGO offers us here a "collectible Porsche 911 model"acceptable which offers an entertaining assembly experience and which can be enthroned alongside the Ford Mustang without having to blush.

As usual, many LEGO fans will forgive the aesthetic approximations and the inevitable compromises associated with the limitations of the concept, they have already done so without balking for products much less successful than this one. The biggest defect of the product remains in my opinion the windshield much too flat to convince and this detail spoils all the efforts made to try to restore the curves of the vehicle.

The set will go on sale on the official online store at the public price of € 139.99 from next February 16 for a VIP preview that will allow those in a hurry to be offered a ticket for a thematic goodies pack.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at 28th February 2021 next at 23pm. "The" I try, I participate "are automatically deleted, make an effort.

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 Disney set 43186 Bruni The Salamander Buildable Character, a small box of 96 pieces sold at the public price of 12.99 € which features a character from the film Frozen II (Frozen 2).

Bruni the Salamander is one of the many characters created especially to fill the shelves of toy stores, like the Ewoks or the Porgs. It's often small, it's sometimes cute, it's always funny and it easily turns into a plush or figurine. But Frozen is not Star Wars and LEGO was content with a modest reproduction of the salamander rather than offering a more imposing minifigure of several hundred pieces in the style of a Porg or a Grogu.

From the publication of the first visuals of the set, I was one of those who found this little figurine rather successful. Looking at it more closely and from other angles than those offered by LEGO on the packaging or on the product sheet, it is a little less obvious.

Comparing with the creature from the animated film, it's confirmed: the LEGO version is only a very rough adaptation of the creature. She loses in the process what makes all her charm on the screen: the cute and mischievous side of the character. But it is LEGO under the Disney license and we can therefore count on the indulgence of fans who will be content with this reproduction with the tail a little too straight and the head a little too flat.

There is no miracle, with an inventory of 96 pieces of which a large handful is used to build the campfire and the marshmallows, the little salamander therefore remains a little rough. There are, however, some good ideas such as the car hood that dresses the head or the shell that forms the lower part of the jaw and everything is nicely pad printed.
To quibble, I think that LEGO could have considered lengthening the tongue to make it protrude and pad a flake on it. The large snowflake provided is indeed not to scale, but at least it has the merit of being there.

Let's see the bright side of things, this small set sold for 12.99 € remains affordable and it will please Frozen fans who already have all the other boxes based on the franchise and who accumulate mini-dolls.

I still believe that LEGO could have been a more ambitious in this file by offering a larger and more detailed creature. The public price would have inflated as well, but we all know that is only a side issue when it comes to successful franchises around which derivatives sell like hot cakes.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at 18th February 2021 next at 23pm. "The" I try, I participate "are automatically deleted, make an effort.

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.

According to LEGO, the LEGO set 40417 Year of the Ox will be offered from February 1 to 14, 2021 from 85 € of purchase on the official online store and in the LEGO Stores and today we take a quick look at this promotional product that celebrates the year of the Metal Ox.

The animal to be built is here as usual "cartoonized" in LEGO style. Some will appreciate this slightly wacky interpretation, others will undoubtedly remain insensitive to this figurine with a slightly strange look and very rough finish. It is in the spirit of the sets on the same theme already offered by the manufacturer with the sheep in 2015 (40148), the monkey in 2016 (40207), the rooster in 2017 (40234), the dog in 2018 (40235) , the pig in 2019 (40186) and the rat in 2020 (40355), we cannot blame a lack of visual consistency in this range.

Everything is assembled in a few minutes and results in an exhibition animal with very limited mobility placed on a base similar to those already imagined for the other animals in this "collection". The head turns on itself, the front legs are adjustable and the back legs can be loosely spread until they come to rest against the body of the animal.

As with all small sets featuring the featured animal in the coming year, LEGO provides a "red envelope" in the box which is actually yellow on the outside and red on the inside. Tradition has it that in Asia we offer money to our loved ones at this time of the year and you can also comply with this custom thanks to the envelope provided. If you give the set to someone, you will need to open the box first, put the money in the envelope and reseal the packaging properly.

Those who will want to invest in the LEGO Ideas set 21325 Medieval Blacksmith (2164 pieces - 159.99 €) from its launch on February 1, will therefore be able to be offered this set free from € 85 of purchase. The secondary market should as usual be inundated with copies of this 167-piece box in the days and weeks following its availability, and if you wait a bit, it will be possible to get this little box for a few euros without have to pay a few sets at full price on the official LEGO store.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at 9th February 2021 next at 23pm. "The" I try, I participate "are automatically deleted, make an effort.

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.