The Battle of Endor now in Hi-Res

I know I'm a little late to this news, but he late is better than not showing up in my opinion.
Anyone flickr member Chewk brings us the hi-res photo of the new StarWars Endor Battle Set.


~Zack

Pictures of new Summer '09 Lego sets

Kanal-K1 of Brickshelf has recently posted pictures of many of the Summer set releases coming up this year, and has even built the sets himself. Though his list is mainly Lego City sets, that in itself has got me excited for the summer: he has a set I have not seen before...

A wind turbine repair truck and car! Exciting, in a sort-of environmentally friendly way.

Kanal-K1's gallery can be found here .

~John

Lego to make Disney playsets, 2010

Just a few days ago it was announced that Lego had made a franchise with Disney, meaning that in 2010 they will be releasing Lego sets based on the movies 'Cars', 'Toy Story 1 + 2', and the upcoming 'Toy Story 3'. Now I immediately think this is a bad idea, and I'm probably gonna run off and complain to JVK like I always do, but here's the proper article:

Children's imaginations will go "To infinity and beyond" when, beginning in 2010, they will be able to re-create the adventures of Buzz Lightyear and Woody with LEGO toys inspired by theToy Story franchise. Toy Story-themed construction sets will be available on both LEGO DUPLO and LEGO System platforms, building the adventure and fun for children ages 2-12. LEGO System products based on Toy Storyand Toy Story 2 will launch in January 2010, to be followed in May by construction sets based on the new animated feature, Toy Story 3, scheduled to hit theaters in Disney Digital 3D June 2010. Toy Story-themed LEGO DUPLO products launch in June 2010.

"We are thrilled to team up with Disney, another of the world's premium brands for families with children," said Jorgen Vig Knudstorp, CEO LEGO Group. "When two brands who share similar values bring their franchises together -- in this case a timeless play pattern with some of the industry's most beloved stories and characters -- and combine their access to families, retail strength and marketing power, amazing things can happen. We can't wait to launch the first three lines and look forward to exploring all of the ways in which we bring the wonderful world of Disney to life in LEGO form."

"Joining forces with LEGO Group speaks to the commitment and vision both companies share for quality product and innovative creativity that invigorates kids play," said Vince Klaseus, senior vice president, global toys, Disney Consumer Products. "Our collaboration will continue to extend the vitality of our roster of franchises by bringing our characters and their worlds to life in a fresh and exciting way. Through these new LEGO product lines, Disney will continue to build presence in the construction toys category and grow market share in the boys demographic."

More about the franchise here .

New 2009 Sets!

Other than StarWars and Bionicle. Featuring the best from the new line LEGO released at Toy Fair 2009. The set release for most sets is August 2009. All photos from Flickr user no_onions.

First off on the list in the Power Miners line is the 8964 Titanium Command Rig with 706 pieces and running a price tag of $99.99 USD/$129.99 CAD. In this new set we find some nice large wheels, a similar drill that has been seen before in the Power Miners line, and...

A new addition to the Rock Monster family! Trekking back to old Rock Raid line this large pre-fab beast features moving arms, but it appears to have legs melted together. Almost to similar to the previous Rock Raider beast.

Next in the line of Power Miners we see the 8963 Rock Wrecker coming with it is 225 pieces and running a price tag of $34.99 USD/$44.99 CAD. Featuring some great new elements this set includes large saws, another large rock monster in transparent yellow-green, and a new cockpit element. Although a little pricey to the part ratio, this set still features some fantastic elements.

And last on our list for Power Miners is the 8962 Crystal King where builders can find a large brick built rock monster for only $19.99 USD/$24.99 CAD and containing 168 pieces. We also find that the Power Miners have hair under there large blue helmets!

New in the Ferrari line is 8185 Ferrari F1 Cargo. This set contains 534 pieces and is priced at $79.99 USD/$99.99 CAD. In this set we find the 2008 wheel elements released again and a large truck with its racer.

From the Creator line we have that incredibly priced 6754 Family Home that contains 976 pieces and only costs $59.99 USD/$79.99 CAD. Tons of basic elements and perfect how building materials. Very reminiscent of the previous Creator homes.

First on the long list of Space Police sets is 5973 Hyperspeed Pursuit with 456 pieces and a cost of $49.99 USD/$64.99 CAD. In this set we find a nice sleek black car and the police racer with its nice blue cockpit.

5974 Galactic Enforcer is next on the list with 825 pieces and a price of $99.99 USD/$129.99 CAD. In it we get fantastic escape pods and plenty of white wedge plates and other white plates.

With 5972 Container Heist we get 282 pieces for $29.99 USD/$39.99 CAD. Within its large container is an Ion cannon ready to take out the space police. Like in all the Space Police sets we find an interesting alien head different from most of the other sets.

Our final stop with Space Police is 5970 Freeze Ray Frenzy. This set contains 80 pieces and has the small price tag of $9.99 USD/$12.99 CAD. For such a small set we get a nifty new alien head.

Now to put Castle on your mind we have the large new castle 7097 Troll's Dark Fortress. 844 pieces for $99.99 USD/$129.99 CAD. With the set we find new trolls in sand green and dark tan that have helmets and interesting designs on their armor. Also seen is less of the prefab rock we are used to and more brick built designs we love.

The skellies are back in 7079 Drawbridge Defense. A set priced for $39.99 USD/$49.99 CAD and containing 335 pieces. We also have a great minifigure selection with a new queen and for anyone who missed out on the Advent Calender jester there is another chance.

From the City line we have 7686 Helicopter Transport were we find the LEGO company using similar techniques to ones used by most builders. A great achievement and plenty of orange for anyone in need. This set has 377 pieces and costs $39.99 USD/$49.99 CAD.

Also in the City line is 7642 Garage with plenty of trucks. Similar to the Custom Cars Garage on this year we are receiving trucks. With 953 pieces this set is much large and expensive than its car counterpart. Price is set at $99.99 USD/$129.99 CAD.

Last in the City line is 7639 Camper ready for any group of hippies. With 165 pieces The LEGO Company gives us the fair price of $16.99 USD/$19.99 CAD. For anyone who missed out on a surfboard during there release they are in luck with the yellow board released in this set.

7195 Ambush in Cairo from Indiana Jones is one of the best deals The LEGO Company provides for us. $10.99 USD/$12.99 CAD for 79 pieces, but with those pieces is 4 new minifigures including Indy himself.

7196 Chauchilla Cemetery Battle from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull features and new motorcycle design and a personal favorite, the Conquistador helmet. 187 pieces - $19.99 USD/$24.99 CAD

7197 Venice Canal Chase contains 420 pieces and is available for the fair price of $39.99 USD/$49.99 CAD. Not pictures is another boat with a break away back for movie accuracy.

Finishing big for Indiana Jones and our Toy Fair coverage is 7199 The Temple of Doom. The $89.99 USD/$119.99 CAD with 652 pieces. Although quite pricey this set features the perfect rendition of Mola Ram and tons of 6 wide train track.

Although Agents was not covered in this review of the August 2009 set films of these sets by Flickr user countblockula. Agents Films-Toy Fair 2009 Films

~Zack

New 2009 Star Wars sets!

Flickr user 'Dano brings us some great sneak peaks of this year's upcoming sets via New Set blog customminifig.co.uk !

First up: a new Star Wars: the Clone Wars set for the summer. Dubbed a 'Limited Edition' set (like the Spider Walker), this Solar Sailor includes Count Dooku (Clone Wars version), two Magnaguards and a small white robot thing, can't quite make it out. It looks really awful, and doesn't even include those great sails in the movie. Not a good start.

 Next up: a new Corporate Alliance Droid, looking smaller and very much 'cuter'. Two clones, one Battle Droid, a strange sort of jetpack thing and some precarious looking treads.

I think the only way to describe this is, as a Flickr user put so well, an obese Y-Wing. Though it's also called a Y-Wing, it's a lot yellower and has Clone Wars minifigs.

 Lego returns  to Hoth with hopefully a less expensive set than the last two/three/four times! Sporting the comeback of the old Classioc LSW logo (top right), this set includes some snowtroopers, some rebel snowy people, Han Solo in a blue eskimo suit and the first ever Lego Tauntaun! Yipee!

Now next up is Nute Gunray's Nemoidian Shuttle. The Flickr guys estimate it to be about $30-$40, and it will include two droids, a clone, a Greedo-type chap and Nute Gunray (not the one you see in the picture - that's a prototype). So far, it's looking good. The actual design of the set lets it down for me, tough: it looks really basic and simple. Good landing gear, though: can't wait for that.

I can't believe that after so many MOCs of that stupid Endor bunker, Lego bring it out in a set. Well maybe that'll stop the MOCs. The minifigs in this set (just like in all the others) look really great, though: the camouflage Rebel helmets, a gray/brown Ewok, Han Solo, R2, Luke, some more Rebel guys and a Scout Trooper. I'll start saving up now, please.

Another silly Clone Wars set methinks. Lego have gone overtime on the minifigs this year: a Palpatine minifig, two BLUE (yes, BLUE) Clones (senate guards apparently) and two other random Clones, one apparently is Commander Gree. Bit of a flat-nosed shape, though, don't you think?

Well, stay tuned for the next set of Fall 2009 Lego sets. Before I go, I'll give you a sneak peak of the next 'Lego board games', with this cool promotional poster. The German title means 'The world will be jealous', but if any of you can read/understand the smaller text, please say!

~John

Back to the Future: Rock Raiders

Hello and welcome to Back to the Future, where we look back at old sets and Lego series that are making a comeback in the near future. literally, looking back to the future!

Lime green Bricks.
Weird rock monsters.
Orange danger lines all over the boxes.
Glowing bricks.
And more of those two-part hollow rock bricks than you can ever hope to count.
Ever.

What's this? No, it's not some sort of weird green rocky glowy branded Jack-Stone type Lego series. It's Power Miners, the upcoming 2009 Lego series. And it's actually cool. The design of the sets has gone a long way since the Power Miners idea originally started ten years ago, in a successful series called 'Rock Raiders'. Maybe you remember...

The Underground Digger?

The distinctive Chrome Buster?

All these sets set out a distinctive crossing into the new millennium for Lego. With their shiny pieces and unique frame-cockpits (something reflected in the movie The Core, made only a few years later), and those light-up bricks.

The light-up bricks have sparked numerous duplicates in both the official Lego sets and the online Lego Community. MOCers used the Rock Raiders light-up bricks for years, until Exo-Force and Bionicle introduced smaller, more compact versions in 2006. That left the MOCers to drool over those for many, many succeeding years.

Rock Raiders is also one of the most successful of all the Lego series, with the possible exception of Lego Indiana Jones (I swear, if I see another Lego Indy Brickfilm on YouTube, I'll kill somebody). Rock Raiders: the game was released soon after the series was first opened. I've played the game myself, it's really great. For something 1999 it's really amazing, the way you can upgrade your stations and add new people, very Age of Empires. Just the thought of mining through a few more sections of stone: would could I find? What gold will I discover? Will there be another rock monster? Really, I strongly suggest you buy the game if you find it in a garage sale or, as I once saw, in one of the Lego stores.

So what makes Rock Raiders so successful? And why is it being revamped? What was going through Jørgen Vig Knudstorp's mind when he signed the twelve Lego designers off for this job?

It's a hard one. The Rock Raiders certainly brought lots of new technology to Lego: it showed Sci-Fi technology in the drills and real technology in the articulated Rock Monsters and the light-up bricks. Also, here's a picture of a set I particularly like from the 1999 range:

Let's look a bit closer at it. At first, it seems a bit dull, the brown and bley colour scheme not particularly pleasing (however, take a look at the new series' colours! Phwoar!), but it succeeds in its purpose. It would look cool to the kids of 1999. The chrome-plated drill is one of the only chrome-plated bricks that I have not seen or heard of the chrome layer peeling off: a great change from the flaking shiny lightsaber hilts. Then look closer. The walking mechanism is a clear precursor of all the future AT-STs, and the whole design looks very AT-ST. Star Wars was much cooler then, in the 90's, than it is now. Damn youn, Clone Wars! Let's add in some 'striped + battered' stickers, some drills, that cool headpiece, the frame-built cockpit, and some subtle hints of lime green. To the 1999 kid, this would be the ultimate sci-fi toy experience, and you can build up your collection with lots of new people and machines.

Machines.

This is the 1999 version of a mecha.

Maybe this is the start of Japanese Manga and Sci-Fi becoming popular.

So why now? Why has the great Jørgen signed up Power Miners?

Well, let's think.

Ok, don't think. It's too dangerous nowadays.

I'll think for you. See? It's much easier now.

Manga is certainly popular nowadays, the success of Exo-Force amongst the large Japanese Lego fan-base and large TV-watching, slob Lego fan-base. Manga affects everyone, so this mecha/japanese sci-fi look to the Power Miners is certainly an upside. Then we have the bright colours and attractive box designs. If you pass these sets in Hamleys or Walmart then you should really get your eyes tested. I don't know yet, but I bet you they glow in the dark!

So, looks like Jørgen's got the winning formula yet again. Look out for those luminous sets in 2009.

Next time... Pirates 2009!

New Indiana Jones sets

^Fight on the flying wing^

 ^Shanghai chase^

These two new sets, Fight on the flying wing (Top) and Shanghai chase (Bottom) will be released sometime in 2009. My favourite is Fight in the flying wing, the plane looks really cool. I will keep you posted if any more information becomes availabe.

-Luke, editor

Lego 1x1 Salt 'n' Pepper Shakers

Lego have just emailed me their Christmas Lego Shop Newsletter, and right in the corner of it, at the bottom, I found these! They are 1x1 Lego salt 'n' pepper shakers, to add a bit of lego into your food. With these, you can make broccoli brickoli! Ha ha ha!

New Pirates Sets (2009)

Yet another old Lego series is coming back to haunt us next year. As well as the rebranded Rock Raiders theme (now called 'Power Miners'), the Pirates theme will also be returning, with new pirates, Lego fish, Lego telescopes, new British officers, and, of course, a giant galleon with a monkey in it! My only problem with this series, apart from the fact that I hated the last pirate series, is its inability to be carried on in 2010. There just aren't enough different ideas for sets to create a second series of them, which is a shame. I just hope the Power Miners series is as successful at carrying on as Mars Mission is.

Oh, and some extra news about the 2009 Bionicles. Though I can't find a decent picture of them, I can give you some info. They're called the Glatorians, and the goodies and baddies fight in a big arena like, well, gladiators. There are new Toa and baddies with various names, but I can't tell which are which, and a big set called Fero. According to a reliable YouTube user, it'll all take place on Bara Magna. Tell you what, just watch this YouTube video, it'll all make sense.