Reviews Archives - whataslacker about bricks

LEGO Vidiyo Theme Review

Forgive this review I am trying to recreate it as I had an issue with posting it originally a month ago and am trying to remember all the finer points I made in it back then as the draft did not save. Basically, it boils done to the fact that the sets are way over priced for the amount of pieces you get in them.

You get only 70-80 some pieces in a $20 dollar set. The sets are comprised of a bunch a specialized parts that are reminiscent of the early 2000s when LEGO was getting crazy with all those special parts for Jack Stone and other themes. Most of these new parts won’t be usable in MOCs and are pretty much just huge Pods (also a points part in the LEGO system).

When I first saw this piece I really could not see anyone ever using it for anything other than these DJ houses. Surprisingly some AFOLs have been using them as spaceship cockpits.

Other ideas I came up with were microscale bio-domes or green houses. What ideas can you come up with for the clear plastic covers from the Vidiyo sets?

The handle. This one I was sure no one could find another use for as there are NO in system connections (LEGO missed an opportunity to add studs on these like the did with the Dots bracelets.) I have recently seen a MOC or two that has indeed used these to my surprise.

A little more System connections found. It will hold 16 of the beat bits tiles and a minifigure. But that is pointless because the figure requires its stand (see the bottom images) to play with it in the app. So I guess you could house a bunch of loose tiles in there instead.

This piece could have been brick built. Why make a new piece when you already have the parts to make this?

Mario brought us a lot of rounded corners. Just some more. This is probably the most useful part in the lot.

The larger domes are cool and snap right onto the white clips. But what else are we going to use those clips for?

The minifigures are fun as minifigures should be. Their cost is $5 which is what we pay for the CMF figures. They are now in a box so it makes it way to hard to find the ones you want. If I get one more stupid Ice cream dude I am going to scream. Yes, I know these are trading toys, but seriously do you know anyone that actually trades them? I don’t. If you know where I can trade them let me know.

The only way to get some of these figures and their fun accessories is to buy the overpriced big sets and that sucks.

I bought a few and at this point I am just going to wait until they hit clearance for any more.

Green Army Guys

I got a set of the classic green army men from Brick Mini during Bricks LA and have to say they are pretty darn cool.

They work on a LEGO stud or minifig hand so your sigfig can sit around and play with them.

You get eight standing (all in different poses) and three tank parts (the dude coming up out of the tank and two tank hatches, one opened and one closed).

LEGO VIDIYO Review

I wasn’t going to buy into these, but I kind of liked the figures to some degree. But the sets so far are way overpriced for what you get.

Right now there are four sets and 12 blind box figures. The sets all average around 70 pieces and retail for $20. At close to $.30 a piece that is (as I have said) a bit overpriced.

I guess we are paying for all those unnecessary new part molds. It feels like we have stepped back in time to when LEGO was making specialized parts left and right. The problem with these are they don’t really fit into the system in any way other than as the boxes they are.

Too many specialized parts like these will become a pile of unused parts in my LEGO room.

Seriously though why give us something like this when they could have designed this around the Dots bands?

Less specialized parts have promise but not much. At least they work better inside the system.

As I said, I also picked up some of the figures. They at least come with a few parts plus the tiles for the app.

I only picked up four and got one duplicate. With not being able to feel these I think they may be the downfall of this theme. I don’t want more than one of each figure. I don’t need all the tiles as I have already tired of the app.

Not a fan of the music on the app. Plus you have to have your figs with you to play with it (bad idea if you’re outside as you may wind up losing them). And who wants to have these AR videos of the inside of their house out there for the world to see? Not me.

You can’t share the videos outside the app not even with a screen capture app. Which is great for kid’s safety but takes some of the fun out of it for AFOLs.

Guess I will wait for these to hit clearance before I buy any more. Or buy them on BrickLink.

Chess Anyone?

I had seen the Brick Mini chess sets around Instagram and Facebook, but had only thought of getting them in passing.

Then at Bricks LA’s virtual con I got to see a presentation of their products and decided to bite the bullet and place my order (the attendee’s discount didn’t hurt either). I got a chess set (seen in this review), a set of the nano soldiers, and a couple meeples (I will discuss the others in another post).

For the chess pieces you can take your pick from a number of LEGO color matched options. I went with the classic black and white.

You buy each side separately. So a full set will cost $18, but doing so allows you more creative options with the color schemes. Each side is comprised of two sets of four pawns, a rook, a knight, a queen, and a king. You wind up with an extra king and queen for each side.

You have to build your own board or buy a starter board from them (the parts will be official LEGO pieces).

You will need 64 1×1 plates in two colors. 32 of each color and an 8×8 plate.

The pieces are all designed so that a minifigure can hold each one.

These are really kind of fun. Whether you want a little something for your own desk or want to add a touch of Queen’s Gambit to your city’s park, I think you’ll like these.

Available at BrickMini.com.

Dots Series 3

I have been underwhelmed by the Dots lines, but especially in the bands (aka bracelets).

First off, I know many have already states this, but we need more basic colors. Seriously, boys like to wear these too. Besides that, not all girls feel the need to have everything in pinks and pastels.

In series three we see these same issues once again. The only reason I even picked up a pack and set of the new bands were for the special pieces. But I think LEGO knows that’s what is selling these.

The double molded stars and diamonds are pretty neat. And the transparent piece goes all the way through so they could potentially be back lit.

I just wish they had done these in reverse. Pink and purple round diamonds and opal and dark blue square stars. I would find night time stars so much more valuable than these dark pink ones.

I also bought a pack with the new bands. This round they are a single line of studs and you get two of two different colors in the packs.

Comparison of Old LEGO Ghost with New

Comparing the ghost of old with the new ones. Not a fan of the new ghosts in the Haunted House set.

The old ones are just more ghost-like than the new ones. Plus GLOW-IN-THE-DARK. Hello?!

Hope this was just something they were trying out and will go back to the good ghosts or maybe a new sculpt for the sheet over a fig style.

Review of LEGO Set 43173 Aurora’s Roya Carriage

For those unfamiliar with her name, this is Sleeping Beauty. I don’t remember the story well enough to even know if she has a carriage in the movie. Guess that is what Disney+ is for.

Not being a fan of the “girls” line because LEGO has always been a gender neutral toy and those minidolls are hideous, sometimes I find myself picking up a Friends or Disney set despite that hatred because I find the parts interesting.

The gold parts, flowers, and the owl got me to pick up this $10 set. (Because I couldn’t get the owl on Brick and Pieces and did not want to py shipping for just the owl from a Bricklink seller. )

While most of my minidolls are languishing bald in a box somewhere, Aurora may stay intact. That is unless I find a use for her hair elsewhere.

I only wish the parts of the minidolls were more in system like a standard minifig. Her dress could be used for something else but the top connection doesn’t work with anything other than a minidoll torso.

So what is the reasoning LEGO has a small table, tea cup, and cake with a carriage set? I don’t know! Perhaps the owl is hungry?

Overall not a bad little set even with my personal objections to it.

I had to take the carriage out for a spin. Why not it is a magical, horseless carriage after all.

LEGO Polybag Train Set #30575

I have been enjoying some of the recent LEGO polybags.

I picked up this little train awhile ago, but saw that it is currently in Target stores again at checkout.

Lots of dark blue parts for your consideration.

It is of course a quick little build, but a great looking little engine.

Hot Wheels Ride-ons #notlego

Cool new twist in the Hotwheels line. The ride-ons give your minifigs a chance to zip through your city on a speedy orange track.

Ride-on are designed to attach figures from leading brand blocks companies. As you can see from my photos they can clip on different areas via their hands and even sit in some of the rides.

LEGO Ideas Studio: Space

This is a book I picked up at a discount store called Ollie’s (good stuff cheap). Not something I would have normally purchased (especially at full price).

Honestly, even at only $10 I had to give it some thought before buying it. But the book inside is what finally got me to purchase it.

The book has about 80 pages worth of awesome space ideas you can build with your own LEGO bricks. The remaining pages in the book are blank, lined, and graph paper so you can put down your own ideas with the enclosed pen and pencil set.

No ‘real’ LEGO elements are included with this one (hence my hesitation to buy it). You get LEGO branded gel pen, pencil, sharpener, a pen/pencil topper, and an eraser.

When the eraser is gone you get a 2×2 round brick for your troubles. It is glued in place but I found the eraser peels away easily and without leaving anything behind. So yay one brick! I like that the eraser looks like a UFO. You could use it in your MOC too, if you wanted too.

I don’t think I knew that the game figs came in classic space. This is a fun idea to make them space ships!