LEGO who sent a copy of the LEGO set 40416 Ice Skating Rink to all the bloggers on the planet including yours truly, I suggest you quickly take a tour of this small box of 304 pieces currently offered and as long as there is still more from 150 € of purchase on the official online store.

More than a simple static ice rink to be exhibited in a festive Winter Village, it is above all a real toy with a function that will please all those who expect from LEGO something other than too mini-dioramas. static. No complicated mechanism under the ice rink, these are three notched wheels that will put the two children in motion. The principle used here is similar to that seen in the LEGO Harry Potter set 75948 Hogwarts Clocktower with the ballroom and its dancers.

Ice is embodied by a layer of tiles transparent to the bluish tint installed on a white background. The effect is convincing, but the apparent pile of pieces used to portray the two skaters on the ice is a little less convincing. The extra thickness breaks the sliding effect on the ice and it is still very rough, even if we are not going to complain about being able to play with this little merry-go-round on ice.

To make the two young skaters turn, just push the toothed wheel that protrudes from the base. The most motivated may possibly consider motorizing the thing, even if I'm not sure that the game is worth the candle, except perhaps for a Winter village which will serve as a nursery for the end of year celebrations.

The two minifigs provided are dressed in new festive sweaters. Both elements are content with a few simple winter designs and the minifigs come with neutral legs. A hat and a scarf to complete the paraphernalia of young skaters, it is in the theme.

Do you absolutely have to spend 150 € on the official online store to get this little box? If you collect the limited edition party sets that LEGO offers each year, you can get started. Otherwise, you still have to be honest, this little set is cute but it does not justify spending 150 € and paying a high price for the products in order to get it.

If this box seems essential to you but you have other things to worry about financially at the end of the year, wait a few weeks, the sellers of the secondary market will quickly fight to offer it to you for a few tens of euros. Remember that many of the official store customers rely on the resale of these offered products to reduce the amount of their spending. There is something for everyone on arrival.

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at December 15, 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 some novelties of the LEGO Harry Potter range planned for January 1, 2021 and I preferred to group the four "books" which are announced in the mini-collection entitled "Hogwarts Moments". These four sets will be one for many fans who will not ask themselves many questions when choosing which reference to buy and they will without hesitation spend a second the 119.96 € requested by LEGO to afford the integral part of this series of playsets, so it seemed logical to tell you about this whole mini-range.

As you already know from the announcement of these four products, they are in fact classrooms installed in a container that closes to look like a book. These are not pop-up books, the contents of these four books do not unfold by themselves when opened and you will have to manually rearrange the various pieces of furniture to obtain a play space that looks like something.

Each of these playsets is built on the same principle as the other three and the variations are found in the furniture and its arrangement to allow the book to be closed and constitute a more or less homogeneous section. Only the front side of the cover is pad printed, the back cover remains empty. Those who had imagined that the back would also be pad-printed will be at their expense, we must be content with a somewhat coarse thematic sticker whose background color does not even match the color of the piece on which it takes square. No even discreet mention on the back of the membership of these different works in the Harry Potter universe, it's a shame.

Inside, it's a bit of a sticker fair with very large stickers to put in place in the various locations provided. These stickers greatly contribute to the atmosphere of each classroom and it will be difficult to do without them, the open book serving as a backdrop. In defense for LEGO, these stickers are really well done, and we salute the work of the graphic designer responsible for the file.

The interior layout of each of these works is more or less inventive and some classrooms seem to me to be significantly more successful than others on a technical level. This difference in quality in the design inevitably affects the good behavior of the book once closed. Some examples (76382 and 76385 to a lesser extent) are really very fragile and difficult to move without having to tighten the cover tightly to prevent something from falling off. Others are stronger and benefit from a better thought-out "storage" solution.

We will remember the presentation video offered by the manufacturer during the announcement of this mini-collection which invited us to buy them all in order to have a 360 ° competition playset. Missed, the playset shown in the video only brings together three of the four books and the assembly of the four products between them does not leave much room to play.

Unconditional fans of the Harry Potter universe, like those of the Star Wars or Marvel and DC Comics universes, are demanding on the details and they are quite right. They will be served with the content of these four playsets which do not really innovate in terms of gameplay but which are full of more or less supported winks to the lessons given by the four teachers provided.

No one will have much fun replaying a Transfiguration or Potions-making class, but the little scenes on offer should appeal to those who never tire of accumulating everything that LEGO can market around the Harry Potter universe. Collecting is a disease that cannot be cured.

Others will only see the inside of these books when they are assembled and will then be content to display them aligned on a shelf after having extracted the various minifigs that this collection allows to obtain. A classic presentation will not visually add much to a shelf and it will probably be necessary to find a solution to highlight the different covers.

Speaking of minifigs, the assortment here is rather honest with a teacher and two students per classroom, a lot of new elements and the possibility for the buyers of these boxes to expand their collections all at once with new ones. variations of their favorite characters.

In the set 76382 Hogwarts Moment: Transfiguration Class, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley with a new torso also delivered in two other of these boxes and a minifigure of the headmistress of Hogwarts Minerva McGonagall completely new. Special mention for the hat with integrated hair, it was about time and it was successful.

In the set 76383 Hogwarts Moment: Potions Class, Draco Malfoy and Seamus Finnigan also equipped with new torsos available for the moment only in this mini-collection, and the director of Slytherin Severus Snape who would undoubtedly have benefited from having pad-printed legs.

In the set 76384 Hogwarts Moment: Herbology Class, Cedric Diggory featuring Han Solo's face, Neville Longbottom and Hufflepuff Headmistress Pomona Sprout who reuses Paleontologist's legs from the LEGO Ideas set 21320 Dinosaur Fossils (2019) and the character minifig hat from the series 2 collectible characters. The torsos of the two students are identical.

In the set 76385 Hogwarts Moment: Charms Class, Filius Flitwick (without hat), Harry Potter and Cho Chang all benefit from new torsos, the director of Ravenclaw is equipped with the beard of Dwalin here declined in white and his face, just like that of Cho Hang is unpublished.

Finally, I must admit that I was very impressed by the official visuals of these products when they were put online on the official store but that I am a little less after having had them in hand, even if I continue to think the original idea is excellent. LEGO knows how to make us salivate with pretty packaging and clever staging, then it's up to everyone to decide if the promise is really kept.

The four playsets are really very compact and these books a dozen centimeters high lack a bit of cachet to really convince me with their apparent gray clips. The often annoying fragility of some of them does not help matters but the clips provided on the back of each of the books, designed to connect the different playsets to each other, make it possible to join the four volumes to facilitate movement and alignment. .

At 120 € all together, it becomes difficult to be choosy especially for a fan of the LEGO Star Wars universe like me who rarely sees such creative products in his favorite range. The idea is excellent, its execution is uneven depending on the reference but remains very correct, the assortment of minifigs is plentiful and the different environments are very supplied with decorations and other accessories. This collection of books / playsets could have been more ambitious on the size and finish of the books but the retail price would have been that much higher. So it is very good like that.

Note: The set of sets presented here, supplied by LEGO, are as usual in play. Deadline fixed at December 15, 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 Star Wars set 75299 Trouble on Tatooine, a small box of 276 pieces based on the first episode of the second season of the series The Mandalorian currently broadcast on the Disney + platform.

The set which will be sold at the public price of € 29.99 from January 1, 2021 picks up from the entire episode in question but LEGO ultimately only covers the subject by simply focusing on different elements and leaving at least one character. important aside. The content of the set is a patchwork of these different elements and it really lacks anything to justify the presence of the ballista.

So we end up with a speeder, a hut and a ballista, all accompanied by two minifigs and the inevitable Baby Yoda micro-figurine. The hut is dispensable and I think many of us would have gladly traded it for Cobb Vanth's speeder. It's loosely modular to provide access to the interior area, and it folds in on itself to look a bit more like the Tusken Raiders tents seen in a scene in the episode.

The Mandalorian's speeder is also relatively faithful to the version seen on the screen even though it is oversized. The minifig does not reach the footrests and must remain tilted backwards to be able to grab the handlebars of the machine but the whole offers a nice dynamic that should please those who dream of exposing the character on this speeder.

Baby Yoda takes place in the baby carrier already seen in 2020 in two boxes of the CITY range, it works. The level of detail of the machine is quite impressive and almost justifies its variation on a scale that is no longer really consistent with that of the minifigs.

The ballista is also quite successful and the designer does quite well if we compare the LEGO version with the weapon seen in the series. No frills for the integration of Spring shooter but the machine brings a certain playability to the set. There is, however, no creature to shoot with this ballista ...

The set therefore does not sparkle in terms of its content, it offers just the essentials to still be able to enjoy the name construction toy. Should the contents of the box be expanded a bit to better match the different scenes from which it is inspired? I think so, the first episode of the second season deserved better than this little product that misses some important elements. However, I know that many fans will not be choosy because they will be able to afford inexpensively a highly anticipated new minifigure: The Mandalorian with his outfit covered with pieces of armor in Beskar, but without his jetpack.

The character's helmet changes color for a lighter color than that of the item available so far in the sets 75254 AT-ST Raider et 75292 The Mandalorian Bounty Hunter Transport and the pad printing offered in this new box is top-notch. Under the helmet, we will be content with a neutral head but that's not so serious: the heads that could suit Pedro Pascal are not lacking in the LEGO catalog.

The unique Tusken Raider delivered here is identical to those delivered in 2020 in sets 75270 Obi-Wan's Hut et 75265 T-16 Skyhopper vs. Bantha Microfighters. Two copies would have been welcome, just to be able to flesh out the scene during which the Tusken Raiders discuss with the hero of the series around the fire.

The included Baby Yoda micro-action figure has not changed since the sets 75292 The Mandalorian Bounty Hunter Transport et 75318 The Child : The soft plastic character's head is still not the same color as the hands molded with the rest of the figure.

In short, many fans will be content to agree to pay around thirty euros for the new minifig of the Mandalorian with his speeder and Baby Yoda in his baby carrier, which seems almost reasonable if we take into account the public price of the other sets. allowing to obtain the micro-figurine. The rest of the content looks a bit like filler although the Tusken Raider and the other two builds provide a bit of context. Only regret: LEGO missed the possibility of offering us Cobb Vanth and his speeder. We will do without.

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at December 10, 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 can quickly move on with the second reference in the LEGO ART range which will be marketed from January 1: the set 31202 Disney's Mickey Mouse.

With 2658 pieces, the inventory of this second box is less extensive than that of the set 31201 Harry Potter Hogwarts Crests (4249 pieces) but the retail price of the product remains the same: 119.99 €. Here it is a question of assembling Mickey or Minnie as you wish and possibly of collecting two copies of the set to obtain a rectangular mosaic bringing together the two characters. The overall model is content to combine the two existing creations, LEGO does not offer an "alternative" construction.

The cartoon side of the pattern is reinforced by the use of tiles 1 x 1 rounds which in my opinion are more suited to this type of mosaic than the stud pieces used on other products in the range. The overall finish is better and easier to maintain. These tiles are on the other hand a little more difficult to remove from the modules and the supplied super brick separator is not of much help. Its use in this specific case just guarantees you to expel pieces to the four corners of the living room and the golden crowbar provided is a better ally during the operation.

As usual, this is not about having fun by discovering more or less original editing techniques, everything is scripted and the user is guided by a very well designed instruction booklet. The pieces are delivered already sorted by color in individual bags and you just need to associate the right shade with the right number to get started. It seems to be relaxing.

The usual mechanics of the LEGO ART range do not change, we align parts on the nine 16x16 modules which are then connected to each other via a few pine Technic. The Disney logo pad printed on a 2x4 piece will give a little cachet to the whole but you can also not install it on the model, the pieces which will be used to fill the hole are provided. The complexity of these models being quite relative, two and a half hours were enough for me to assemble Minnie, having previously stored the batches of parts in small plastic cups.

Here also, I regret a little that LEGO does not provide two different plates to be used according to the model chosen with the mentions "Mickey Mouse"on one side and"Minnie Mouse"on the other. However, in my opinion, the combined mosaic would have benefited from the presence of two separate plates.

For those who are wondering, each mosaic is foolproof once assembled, the pine Technic provide a first level of connection to the nine modules, the whole is reinforced by the presence of the gray parts placed on the back of the model and the whole is completely secured by the installation of the frame of the table with tiles that overlap the uprights. As with the other mosaics in the range, LEGO provides two wall brackets but you can easily just use one by placing it in the center of the frame.

I'm not an unconditional fan of Mickey and Minnie, but it must be recognized that visually it works quite well in this specific case with the two silhouettes presented on a white background in the shape of ears itself surrounded by a very vintage blue halo. As with the other mosaics in the range, the rendering is convincing as long as you stay at a certain distance, so you will have to study the exhibition location by choosing a wall with a little distance to really enjoy it without having the nose into the details.

As usual, we are promised a thematic podcast planned to accompany the assembly from the launch of the product. This audio track will only be available in English and is not yet downloadable at the time of this writing.

120 € for Mickey or Minnie alternately or 240 € for Mickey and Minnie at the same time, it's up to you. At the risk of repeating myself, I really have trouble with the public price of these products despite their beautiful packaging and the stated desire to target an adult audience who in principle has the means to have fun. The sale of packs bringing together the number of sets needed to assemble global or alternative mosaics, offered at a preferential rate, seemed to me to be a logical step and I am surprised that LEGO is not making this effort.

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

Today we are quickly interested in the LEGO ART set 31201 Harry Potter Hogwarts Crests, a box of 4249 pieces which will allow, from January 1, 2021, to reproduce the emblems of the four houses of Hogwarts (Hogwarts): the lion for Gryffindor, the badger for Hufflepuff, the eagle for Ravenclaw and the snake for Slytherin.

As you will have understood, the possibility of assembling four different mosaics with various dominant colors implies that the inventory is substantial and we therefore end up with more than 4200 pieces sorted by color in individual bags. However, the public price of the product does not change depending on the number of pieces, it is still 119.99 €.

To be honest, I was not thrilled by the individual interpretation of the different emblems. Fortunately the combination of four copies of the set saves the furniture with the possibility of assembling a very successful coat of arms. The other side of the coin: you will have to spend € 480 to proudly display this coat of arms in your living room.

Those who follow already know that this is not a puzzle but a simple 40 x 40 cm (48 x 48 studs) mosaic whose assembly is scripted using the instruction booklet provided. The parts are already sorted and the mechanics are the same as for the previous sets marketed in this range: nine plates on which we align parts, we collect these plates via a few Technic pins and we frame the whole.

The pleasant surprise comes from the nine plates delivered in this box: LEGO has solved the problem that created a very unpleasant ripple effect in the center of the element. The ones I received with my test copy of the set 31199 Marvel Studios Iron Man had a defect that I reported to the manufacturer. I had to return all of these modules to get a replacement, but the new copies received were not perfectly flat either.

Here, the hollow effect in the center of the module disappears permanently and that's a good thing, especially when crossing the mosaic in profile. In turn, the problem encountered prevented me from correctly clipping the white pieces on the back of each of the plates. For the new sets that will be marketed in January 2021, LEGO has chosen here to no longer use the central volume of each of the nine modules and to add parts at the junction of these different elements.

For the rest, those who have already invested in other products in the LEGO ART range will be on familiar ground with the added bonus of large areas of the same color which will reinforce the impression of working in the assembly line. For others, expect to be a bit bored lining up pieces and following the instructions to the letter. This range will not revolutionize the LEGO universe in terms of the evolution of assembly techniques and the 4 in 1 concept of this reference will, as usual, involve disassembly in order before moving on to the next model. The case is heard in less than three hours, unless you decide to align the LEGO mention on each of the parts very precisely.

The dismantling is here in principle facilitated by the super brick separator supplied which allows to extract the bricks four by four, but then you have to unhook them from the utensil itself. It is laborious and those who can afford four copies of this box would be well inspired to go directly to the assembly of the coat of arms. I remind for all intents and purposes that the instructions necessary for assembling the combined mosaic are not provided. You will need to download them in PDF format from the manufacturer's website and view them on a PC or tablet.

As with the rest of the range, LEGO provides a small 2x4 pad printed plate to be inserted into the lower corner of the mosaic. The manufacturer could have taken the opportunity to provide us with four different plates with the names of the different schools represented, but unfortunately we have to be satisfied with the generic mention "Harry Potter". Never mind.

Two hooks for fixing the construction to the wall are provided, but the frame easily fits on one of these fasteners. LEGO still does not provide an easel to present the construction on a piece of furniture without having to rest it on something and that's a shame.

I am not giving you a verse on the thematic audio podcast promised on the box and which is part of the overall "experience", it is not available at the time of this writing. We already know that it will only be available in English.

Unlike other mosaics in the LEGO ART range which are visually self-sufficient when taken individually, I'm not really convinced by the graphic bias used for the four individual emblems offered here and There is only the coat of arms which includes four copies of the set which seems to me really very successful. Every fan of the Harry Potter universe is used to finding affinities with one or the other of the Hogwarts schools, offering a single copy of the set, however, makes sense and should be enough to please.

The public price of these mosaics has something to put off some fans who will prefer to spend € 120 on other more interesting products to assemble. In any case, it will be necessary to know how to show a little patience to find this box at around 90 €, the 2020 references are already regularly offered at very attractive prices. on Amazon Germany.

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