Brickset news archive: March 2012
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The Winchester pub from Shaun of the Dead achieves 10000 votes at Cuusoo!
Posted by Huw, 31 Mar 2012 12:15. Filed under Miscellaneous.
I'm away from home at the moment so I don't know the full story but I believe a TV appearance or mention has helped the model reach the required number of votes for a LEGO review. It's great news, but I wonder what LEGO's response will be given the subject matter? Check out the model at http://lego.cuusoo.com/ideas/view/7451.
I'm back home tomorrow...
50 comments, latest one posted 13 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1300 views
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BOGO 1/2 Off Sale at Zellers Canada on Selected Themes
Posted by fuelbreak, 30 Mar 2012 16:23. Filed under Shopping (Canada).
The sale is applicable for Star Wars, Hero and Alien themes and runs from March 30th through April 5th. This sale may or may not be applicable in the stores that are entering their clearance phase to becoming Target amongst other things.
4 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1000 views
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Additional LEGO S@H clearance discounts
Posted by rocao, 30 Mar 2012 05:11. Filed under shop.LEGO.com (US/Canada).
LEGO Shop @ Home (shop.LEGO.com) has further reduced some clearance merchandise to 50%-75% discount levels.
Most notable is 2520 Ninja Battle Arena for $12.48.Please note that the final price is reflected when added to your cart. Most of the remaining clearance sets that had not previously dropped to 50% are now at that level.Please consider following the links in this article or the LEGO shop link on the top right of this page if you're going to make a purchase.
Thanks to Brickset member airgap25 for the heads up!
Update: 2520 Ninja Battle Arena is now out of stock. New items have been added to the clearance.
22 comments, latest one posted 13 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)4595 views
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toysrus.fr
Posted by Littlebricks, 30 Mar 2012 02:54. Filed under News (France).
salut
Toysrus offrent sans frais de port sur toutes les commandes de plus de 55 euros jusqu'au 1er Avril.Hi,
Toysrus are offering free postage on all orders over 55 euro until the 1st of April.
2 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)753 views
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Hi-Res Lord of the Rings set images
Posted by bluemoose, 29 Mar 2012 16:48. Filed under New sets.
The ever resourceful grogall has found hi-res images of most of this summer's Lord of the Rings sets, and he's posted them over on Eurobricks; check them out at the link here.
They look great to me, and these are the best images to date of these sets, which are going to be hugely popular.
20 comments, latest one posted 13 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1206 views
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UK Shopping Summary
Posted by Matthew, 29 Mar 2012 15:31. Filed under Shopping (UK).
There are several UK Shopping stories currently, so I've summed them up into one for ease of viewing.
Toys R Us
There are currently 3 offers:
- Free LEGO Box 4625 or 4626 worth £12.99 with any LEGO purchase over £50.
- £10 gift card with spend over £40 on purchases from 28th March - 9th April. Gift card must be spent between 16th April and 7th May.
- £5 voucher off your next purchase when you use click and collect (minimum £20 - expires 1st April). Voucher valid from 1st -30th April.
Argos
- 3 for 2 on Star Wars LEGO.
- Get a £5 voucher if you spend over £50, or a £10 voucher if you spend over £100.
Amazon
The Marvel Super Heoes sets are still on pre-order to be released this Sunday.
WH Smith/Tesco/John Lewis
Series 7 seems to have made it, but in small quantities. Hopefully these shops will be getting more stock soon. There's also a couple of coupons for W H Smith in the forum.
If you have any breaking news, please be sure to let us know. You can contact Huw using the link above or contact any other news editor through their profile.
5 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1245 views
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HeatherLEGOgirl is missing
Posted by Matthew, 28 Mar 2012 18:54. Filed under Miscellaneous.
Established member of the worldwide LEGO fan community Heather Braaten (HeatherLEGOgirl) is missing. From flickr: 
Hi, sorry to bring such startling news but our close friend and staple of the LEGO community is missing. Her name is Heather Braaten and went by HeatherLEGOgirl here online. A couple of months ago she removed her flickr, facebook, and MOCPages profiles but now her mother has called a fellow LEGO fan this morning stating that she was missing and has been since last Tuesday. Police are on the search but her family would like to know her whereabouts any way possible. Here is a photo of her.
If anyone knows her whereabouts or knows when you contacted her last, please chime in here. And if Heather you are out there, please let us know. You have a lot of people worried about you, honey.
Any knowledge of her well being would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Lino, Dave, Stacy, and the rest of the AFOL Community.
P.S. You can contact us here via comments or Flickr mail. [This refers to flickr comments - LCG]
Our thoughts are with her family at this time, and we all hope she is found safe and well.
42 comments, latest one posted 10 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1681 views
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Marvel Super Heroes sets on preorder at Amazon...
Posted by Matthew, 28 Mar 2012 15:02. Filed under Shopping (UK).
The Marvel Super Heroes sets have now made it to preorder on Amazon. As they're all at RRP, it's a great opportunity to pick them up with free shipping, and normally Amazon ships them before the official release date.
Thanks Doomtrool for the tip on the US thread!
18 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1243 views
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Marvel Super Heroes sets at WalMart.com
Posted by Matthew, 28 Mar 2012 13:11. Filed under Shopping (USA).
Well you USA folks didn't have to wait too long after all! The Marvel Super Heroes sets are now listed at Walmart.com with free shipping to store or 97 cents otherwise. Get your orders placed you may have had to wait a couple of days but Americans get better pricing (and shipping).
Thanks for the tip ecmo47!
Update: ...And the 'Brickset Effect' strikes again! Sold out online now, let us know if you have any luck in store.
25 comments, latest one posted 10 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1449 views
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Marvel Super Heroes sets spotted at John Lewis
Posted by Matthew, 26 Mar 2012 17:37. Filed under Shopping (UK).
Forum member LostInTranslation has spotted the new Marvel Super Heroes sets at John Lewis, Oxford Street (UK). She's snapped some cell phone photos for us, which I've uploaded below, as proof they are now on sale :-) Keep an eye out for these sets at other John Lewis stores, and let us know if you find them. If you have no luck, it's not too long until the official launch on Sunday...
Thanks Lucy!
- Image #1 (Avengers' Quinjet)
- Image #2 (Avengers' Quinjet)
- Image #3 (Wolverine Helicopter)
- Image #4 (Hulk's Helicarrier Breakout)
EDIT - there seems to be an issue with embedding images from that hosting site, so switched to links (bluemoose)
22 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1185 views
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Series 7 hitting the UK...
Posted by Matthew, 25 Mar 2012 16:39. Filed under Shopping (UK).
We've now had a couple of reported sightings of Series 7 minifigures in John Lewis stores across the UK. So far they've been spotted in Southsea and Glasgow. Does your store have them? Let us know in the comments below. Let's hope they hit the rest of the world soon!
Thanks to Thego and S_Hollins in the forum.
Update: We've now heard that most John Lewis stores nationwide have stock of these, but each store has only one or two boxes, so they're being bought up quickly by resellers. I've also heard back from several W H Smith stores, and they have all said that they expect stock this Thursday. Thanks for all the tips
53 comments, latest one posted 13 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1406 views
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70% de réduction immédiate dans les Carrefours
Posted by Littlebricks, 25 Mar 2012 02:59. Filed under News (France).
Attention les amis,
70% de réduction immédiate dans les Carrefours sur les LEGO !
KINGDOMS / HARRY POTTER / ATLANTIS / TECHNIC / BIONICLEIl ya aussi un TIE Fighter gratuitement lorsque vous achetez 55 euros ou plus de starwars lego.
There is a -70% reduction at Carrefours supermarkets in France.
Lego France is offering a free tie fighter when you buy 55 Euros or more of star wars lego
9 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)722 views
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U.S. Sales Roundup 3/25 thru 3/31
Posted by yellowcastle, 24 Mar 2012 23:37. Filed under Shopping (USA).
Valid Sunday 3/25 through Saturday 3/31, Toys R Us is running yet another Buy One, Get One 50% Off promotion. Friends, Star Wars and Super Heroes sets are unfortunately excluded. That being said, there are currently a number of nice sets in stock including but not limited to the Pet Shop (10218), Grand Emporium (10211) and Maersk Train (10219).
As always, try to pair sets at similar price points and with the least TRU markup in order to maximize your savings.
Not to be outdone, Target will have the following sets on sale:
- Ambulance (4431) 25% Off MSRP
- Ninjago Starter Set (9579) 25% Off MSRP
- Stephanie's Cool Convertible (3183) 13% Off MSRP
- Propeller Adventures (7292) 10% Off MSRP
- Duplo Creative Sorter (6784) 10% Off MSRP
- Other LEGO City, Ninjago and Creator sets also on Sale
Lastly, Five Below is now selling Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Clone Wars Nintendo DS Armor Case Kits. These kits come with neat mosaic tiles much like the previous Star Wars and Indiana Jones cases but you also receive a couple of stackable Brick Game Cases as well as a minifigure, be it Harry potter, Jack Sparrow or Obi Wan Kenobi. This is a pretty good deal at $5 a kit, even if you don't own a Nintendo DS.
As always, keep an eye on Amazon as they are likely to price match any/all discounted sets.
Update 1: Removed (Update from Forum turned out to be erroneous)
Update 2: This weeks TRU promotion is live as is last week's promotion. Thus, this is a great opportunity to stack your savings. For example, pairing the Forest Police Station with the Police Helicopter nets nearly 31% Off MSRP. Additionally, Wolverine's Chopper Showdown is registering both discounts for pre-orders.
16 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1010 views
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Series seven reviewed in detail
Posted by Huw, 24 Mar 2012 09:32. Filed under New sets.
Eurobricks member whitefang has posted an excellent pictorial review of the forthcoming series 7 minifigs.
Head on over to EB to view every detail, then decide for yourself whether this is the best series yet!
The contents of a full box of 60 is said to be as follows. I'm glad to see there are three full sets in a box.
3 Swimming Champions
3 Aztec Warriors
3 Bunny Suit Guys
3 Brides
3 Ocean Kings
3 Rocker Girls
3 Grandma Visitors4 Bagpipers
4 Daredevils
4 Tennis Aces
4 Hippies
4 Computer Programmers
4 Valkyries5 Evil Knights
5 Jungle Boys
5 Galaxy Patrols
33 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1257 views
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Announcing the southernmost LEGO event ever!
Posted by Huw, 23 Mar 2012 16:36. Filed under Miscellaneous.
Christoph Bartneck, author of the Unofficial LEGO Minifigure Catalog, is organising a LEGO show in Christchurch, New Zealand: The LEGO Annual Brick Show (LABS2012): REBUILD
The LEGO Annual Brick Show (LABS2012) will take place on July 14-15 in Christchurch. The event is sponsored by the University of Canterbury and it will take place at the Jack Mann Auditorium at 53 Solway Ave, Christchurch.
The show will exhibit amazing LEGO models for all age groups. Enthusiasts and collectors will show their designs, collections and contraptions. The theme for this year is: REBUILD. The exhibitors will include their visions of the future for Christchurch. Children will also have the opportunity to go hands on with dedicated LEGO activities. Extensive parking places are available right in front of the buliding and the show is easily accessible from there.Find out more, and apply to exhibit, at the LUG4x2 website.
14 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1125 views
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Free Lex Luthor minifig with LEGO Batman 2 preorders
Posted by Huw, 23 Mar 2012 16:20. Filed under Miscellaneous.
I'ma bit late with this news, but it's still worth mentioning: Preorder LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes - to receive an EXCLUSIVE Bonus Lex Luthor LEGO pack. The offer is only good in Australia at the moment but can't imagine it'll be confined to there, so keep an eye out at your EB Games local site.
This Lex Luthor certainly looks a bit meaner than the one in 6862, Superman Vs Power Armor Lex!
While we are on the subject of super heroes, the Marvel Super Heroes microsite is now live at LEGO.com. It's a bit light on content at the moment but I'm sure will be forthcoming when the sets are released... which if you're in Europe is in about a week's time! You can pre-order them here.
(Thanks to everyone that emailed...)
23 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2595 views
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Official : Top 10 Best Selling Sets of 2011
Posted by DrDaveWatford, 22 Mar 2012 16:45. Filed under Miscellaneous.
One of the perks of being a LEGO Ambassador is that you get sent copies of the LEGO in- house magazine “LEGO Life” which gives some interesting insights into the company and contains nice little snippets of information.One of the things that caught my eye in the current edition (March 2012) is a listing of the Top 10 best selling LEGO sets of 2011, and I thought Bricksetters might be interested.
Top spot goes to City Set 7498 Police Station; while AFOLs might grumble about a new Police Station appearing every couple of years, LEGO’s younger core demographic clearly doesn’t share the same reservations….
Second place goes to Star Wars Set 7965 Millennium Falcon. For the Falcon to reach second place is itself an impressive achievement given that it wasn’t even available until the Summer of 2011…. It’s one of four Star Wars sets in the top 10, reinforcing the popularity of this enduring theme. It’s also interesting to see a couple of Ninjago sets in the list, which reflects the runaway success of this new theme. You can see the full list below.
1. 7498 Police Station
2. 7965 Millennium Falcon
3. 7913 Clone Trooper Battle Pack
4. 7929 The Battle of Naboo
5. 8547 Mindstorms NXT 2.0
6. 7914 Mandalorian Battle Pack
7. 2507 Fire Temple
8. 2260 Ice Dragon Attack
9. 7288 Mobile Police Station
10. 4842 Hogwarts CastleNote that the Top 10 listing is compiled on the basis of revenue rather than units sold, and hence the number of larger sets in the list.
(Reproduced with permission from LEGO Life editors)
44 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)6995 views
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Press release: LEGO Show announces world record attempt
Posted by Huw, 21 Mar 2012 13:19. Filed under Events (UK).
The LEGO® Show will be attempting to break the world record for the largest ever built LEGO mosaic when it comes to Manchester in May, and will be enlisting the aid of visitors to the show to help build it.The LEGO® Show, the largest in the UK, is aiming to make a 143m2 image containing approximately 550,000 LEGO® bricks when it comes to EventCity, Manchester on 5th to 7th May 2012. To complete the mosaic, the show organisers will need at least 2,000 members of the public to help by building a mosaic square, giving visitors the unique chance to be part of an official world record.
The record, officially entitled ‘the largest image built with interlocking plastic bricks’, currently stands at 112m2, and was made by DK Publishing House (UK) in London, UK in 2010.
Warren Elsmore, show director, said: “We are really excited about this world record attempt, and it will be fantastic to get the general public involved. We’ve only got three days to complete a mosaic of over half a million bricks, so we really need the help!”
In keeping with the sporting fever that is gripping the UK during 2012, the mosaic’s image will showcase sports related LEGO® minifigures from some of LEGO®’s series of collectable minifigures.
Warren added: “It’s a big year for sport, so it seemed fitting to incorporate it into the mosaic.”
The LEGO® Show, Manchester, is the only show in the country to feature LEGO® designers direct from Denmark and Bright Bricks, the UK’s first and only LEGO® certified professionals.
Already confirmed for this year’s show are a special display from the Discovery Centre, specialist building workshops, LEGO® Brand store, LEGO® brick marketplace, a special 2012 celebratory build, LEGO® cinema, play areas and of course a spectacular fan display.
The LEGO® Show 2012 takes place at EventCity from 5 – 7 May. Tickets are now on sale and a family can save £10 by buying their ticket in advance.
Find LEGO Show on Facebook or follow @LEGOShow on Twitter to keep up to date with the latest show news.
Further information and advance tickets are available from http://www.thelegoshow.com.
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I'm guessing that the mosiac will be the picture above, which was included with the press release. It certainly fits the description. Brickset's very own Martin creates the instructions for these massive mosaics so no doubt he will be able to confirm!
14 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)872 views
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ReBrick: From LEGO Fan To LEGO Fan
Posted by Huw, 21 Mar 2012 13:05. Filed under Miscellaneous.
ReBrick is a social media platform, hosted by LEGO where adult users can share and discuss user-
created LEGO content online. We've mentioned it before, when it was launched before Christmas, but because it deals primarily with an aspect of the hobby that we don't cover here (MOC-ing) we haven't said much about it since. Today LEGO has released a video in which Peter Espersen, the online community lead and the man in charge of ReBrick, explains the platform and what it sets out to achieve, that I think you'll find interesting, particularly if you've never visited the site before:
Although the site's focus is very much MOCs, there's no reason why content from Brickset can't be submitted there, and I encourage you to do so. In fact there are several entries there already.
I think it's great that LEGO is providing the service, providing a 'hub' to link fan sites and expose their content to a wider audience. As Peter says in the video, there are not many companies that do this.
Have you visited the site? Do you think it provides a valuable service? Or, do you prefer to visit a site that editorially controls the MOCs that are featured, like Brothers-Brick, so as to ensure only the best are shown?
7 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1325 views
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New airline-special set for 2012
Posted by Huw, 19 Mar 2012 15:41. Filed under New sets.
We first caught a glimpse of this at LEGO World in Copenhagen in this picture and there was speculation that it was this year's airline promotional set.Now, holodoc has found evidence to confirm this: it's listed on the German TUIfly.com shopping page, priced €16. However it doesn't seem to be possible to actually buy it yet.
There's no set number shown, and I can't see it listed at BrickLink yet, so I'll have to wait until we know what it is before I can add it to the database.
Update: we've heard that it'll be available from 1st April from various airlines.
45 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1922 views
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Free Shadow ARF Trooper with $99 purchase
Posted by Huw, 18 Mar 2012 14:36. Filed under Shopping (USA).
It seems the folks in the US distribution center have unearthed some more ARF troopers at the back of the warehouse. Murphquake reports in the forum that he received an email yesterday stating:
Free Shadow ARF Trooper with $99 purchase: Limit 1 free LEGO Star Wars™ Shadow ARF Trooper™ minifigure per order. Offer is valid with promotional code only from March 15 – March 31, 2012 or while supplies last only. Qualifying purchases must be at least $99 in LEGO® Star Wars™ merchandise only; taxes, shipping charges or gift card purchases do not apply to total. Excludes backorder items. Cannot be applied to previous purchases or combined with any other discount, offer or free gift. Minifigure available exclusively through this offer. Approx. values: Minifigure: $3.99. Offer on shop.LEGO.com only. Not valid in LEGO Stores, through the LEGO Catalog and in LEGOLAND® Parks or Discovery Centers. The LEGO Group reserves the right to cancel or modify this promotion without advance notice.
Apparently a promotional code is needed at the checkout, which is FRA1 in the USA and FRA2 in Canada.
If you don't already have one, click on the yellow LEGO banner in the sidebar and get your order in today!
26 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1122 views
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R2-D2 announcement
Posted by Huw, 16 Mar 2012 11:01. Filed under New sets.
The YouTube blunder has prompted an official announcement, although there's not as much in it as usual:
The Ultimate Collector Series R2-D2 – the best-loved droid in the Star Wars galaxy!
10225 R2-D2™ Ages 16+. 2,127 pieces , US $179.99, CA $229.99, UK£ 149.99, DE€ 179.99, DK 1499 DKK
Presenting the iconic R2-D2 as you’ve never seen him before. Everyone’s favourite droid from the Star Wars galaxy is now part of the Ultimate Collector Series. The model features fantastic detailing, such as retractable leg, front panels that open to reveal a universal computer interface arm, a circular saw, rotating head and two fold-out front spacecraft linkage control arms. With the included fact plaque and R2-D2 minifigure, this diminutive model is the perfect addition to your LEGO® Star Wars™ collection.
Update: I've been sent alternative images of the set which you can now see on the set details page.
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At least we know the prices now, and I'm told it's scheduled for a ’beginning of May release’: May the fourth, probably!
The video is now on a different platform rather than YouTube; I'm guessing we might have seen the last of LEGO's use of that for product release videos :-)
46 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1633 views
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Cuusoo Western Town gets congratulations from LEGO
Posted by Huw, 15 Mar 2012 16:01. Filed under Miscellaneous.
Many thanks to everyone who has voted for this model at Cuusoo!When Eurobricks, Brickset, Toys N Bricks and other sites started promoting this model at the start of February it had just 1500 votes. Now it has over 5000 and today LEGO has posted a congratulatory message:
"Congratulations on passing this milestone of 5,000 supporters on LEGO CUUSOO for the Modular Western Town. You're halfway there!
"Over the coming weeks, veteran designer Steen Sig Andersen, the same designer who built the final Shinkai 6500 and LEGO Minecraft Micro World models, will investigate your Modular Western Town model and build our own concept. We will post the results here with our comments once that is complete.
"Best wishes as you continue on your journey to achieving 10,000 supporters on LEGO CUUSOO."
This is absolutely fantastic news, and takes it one step closer to becoming a Cuusoo model! But, it still needs about 4500 votes and that's where YOU come in. If you haven't already supported it, go and do so now! Remember, anyone 13 and over can vote. Help make it a reality!
44 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1699 views
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Blizzard's Peak 1/2 price at Toys R Us Canada
Posted by fuelbreak, 15 Mar 2012 13:26. Filed under Shopping (Canada).
Blizzard's Peak and Fire Lord will be on 1/2 price starting tomorrow (March 16-22) at Toys R Us Canada.
I would advise calling before hand to see about stock levels.
5 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)829 views
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UCS R2-D2 revealed on YouTube
Posted by Huw, 13 Mar 2012 12:01. Filed under New sets.
Somewhat earlier than anticipated, given its May release date, the designer video for 10225 R2-D2 has been published by LEGO on YouTube.
Update: The video was uploaded too early: the 'Brickset effect' has occured and it's been marked as private. Thankfully someone has re-uploaded a low-res version of it. The cat's out the bag now and the internet makes it impossible to put it back in...
The accompanying text reads:
Come with us as we take an exclusive look at the never before seen 10225 R2-D2™, the latest exclusive LEGO® Star Wars™ set! We'll talk with Mike and Kurt, the talented LEGO® designers who brought this awesome model to life in LEGO® bricks. The R2-D2 set will be available directly through LEGO® beginning in May 2012 via shop.LEGO.com and at LEGO® Stores. Visit shop.LEGO.com for more details on this amazing model!
Presenting the Ultimate Collector Series R2-D2™ -- the best-loved droid in the Star Wars galaxy!
Presenting the iconic R2-D2 as you've never seen him before! Everyone's favorite droid from the Star Wars galaxy is now part of the Ultimate Collector Series and features fantastic detailing, such as retractable third leg, front panels that open to reveal a universal computer interface arm and a circular saw, rotating head and 2 fold-out front spacecraft linkage control arms. With the included fact plaque and R2-D2 minifigure, this diminutive model is the perfect addition to your LEGO® Star Wars™ collection!
- Ultimate Collector Series R2-D2™!
- Features retractable third leg!
- Front panels open to reveal a universal computer interface arm and circular saw!
- Features realistic rotating head!
- R2-D2 features 2 fold-out front spacecraft linkage control arms!
- Includes fact plaque and R2-D2 minifigure!
- Measures over 12" (31 cm) high and 7" (18 cm) wide!
(thanks to my homies in the forum for the news)
53 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1802 views
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New polybags in Walmart
Posted by Huw, 13 Mar 2012 07:55. Filed under Shopping (USA).
Missingno has found four new polybags in his local Walmart: 30017, Police Boat; 30018, Police Microlight; 30085, Jumping Snakes; 30087, Cole's Mini-Car.
A couple of these have been available elsewhere in the world but this is their first appearance in the USA. See them all in this YouTube video.
21 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1252 views
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LEGOLAND Windsor hotel photos
Posted by Huw, 12 Mar 2012 16:06. Filed under Miscellaneous.
I've posted some pictures of the hotel's reception and bar/restaurant areas on flickr to give you an idea of what it's like. Check out Dr. Sinister's photos as well, as he photographed some things that I didn't.I won't say much about it here other than that it looked absolutely fantastic, just as good as the hotel in Billund and I'm certain that staying there with youngsters would be great fun and they'd thoroughly enjoy it.
Unfortunately my girls are 17 and 19 now so I don't think they'd be interested, but I'm sure I'll find some excuse to take the Mrs. there one day...
Make sure you check out the photos of the framed collectable minifigs. What a great idea! I might have a go at that myself.
8 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1131 views
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The latest from the AFOLCON organisers' office
Posted by Huw, 12 Mar 2012 14:59. Filed under Brickset.
The team at AFOLCON have just announced the full line-up for this year's convention. Well, almost the full line-up - they still have one or two surprises left to come....
The full list of all the speakers and sessions is now available on our Agenda page, as is the full agenda for the weekend. We have two days packed full of LEGO fun, followed by a fantastic weekend too.
Here are some of the highlights:
- Adam Vaughan, Alex Bidolak, Bjarke Schonwandt, Duncan Titmash, Ed Diment and Mark Stafford will be presenting sessions, and there's a keynote speaker and a special guest yet to be announced!
- All AFOLCON attendees are invited to join us as we take a special tour of the LEGOLand Discovery Centre, out of hours.
- For AFOLs coming to The LEGO Show as an exhibitor or just a fan, we'll be hosting two special AFOLCON sessions on Saturday and Sunday nights - free to everyone to join in.
- The AFOLCON auction will be held on Sunday night - your chance to get some great bargains with some VERY special lots.
We're also announcing a couple of deadlines. The show is filling up, so if you would like to exhibit your MOCs at The LEGO Show - you must register with us by the 1st April. If you don't want to display, the deadline to register for AFOLCON is slightly later - the 16th April. So make sure you're not late!
Finally, did you notice a change at www.thelegoshow.com? Take a quick peek in the top right. We're pretty proud of that icon!
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If you haven't already done so, go and grab a ticket today. I believe the BRICKSET20 20% discount code is still good, but it probably won't be for much longer. Unlike last year, this year I *will* be there, and will be staying at the Copthorne. Maybe I'll see a few of you in the bar?
5 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1121 views
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Me and my homies...
Posted by Huw, 12 Mar 2012 12:52. Filed under Brickset.
I was asked to fill some spaces on Saturday at short notice so I invited the Brickset posse. There's nothing newsworthy in this article but I thought I'd post this photo of us outside the LEGOLAND Hotel on the home page just to wind them up :-)
L to R: atkinsar, flump6523, princedraven, LostInTranslation, Huw, bluemoose, Collect-That!, DrDaveWatford.
(Photo by Robert Clarkson)
28 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1070 views
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Videos of the Star Wars miniland display
Posted by Huw, 12 Mar 2012 12:42. Filed under Miscellaneous.
One of my guests on Saturday, flump6523, videoed the displays and has now posted them on YouTube. Here's the first:
There are 8 more in the playlist. They should give you a good idea of how dark, how noisy and also, how cool it is!
An article has now appeared at Pocket-Lint.com and Stuart, the author and photographer, managed to get some great pictures by the looks of things, and didn't moan about the darkness, although he does note that it is dark.
2 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)978 views
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Marvel Super Heroes pre-order at shop.LEGO.com
Posted by Huw, 12 Mar 2012 12:30. Filed under shop.LEGO.com (UK).
In Europe, the Marvel Super Heroes sets have been listed at shop.LEGO.com today for shipping on 1st April.No sign of them on the US site yet but I'm sure it's imminent.
If you're in the UK, pre-order them here, and you'll qualify for free shipping even though they ship after the offer has ended.
20 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1445 views
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Star Wars miniland report
Posted by Huw, 11 Mar 2012 05:58. Filed under Miscellaneous.
Yesterday afternoon, the competition winners and Brickset staff and friends met up at the new hotel at LEGOLAND Windsor for a preview of the new Star Wars Miniland expreience at LEGOLAND Windsor. There was around 50 people in total in the party, including people from the Brickish Association, FBTB, Jedi News and Pocket-Lint.com.The hotel warrants a news article to itself but for now I'll concentrate on the Star Wars display, which is in what used to be the Creation Centre/Racers ride building at the top of the hill, behind the Big Shop and cafe. We had a long walk from the very bottom of the park, where the hotel is, to the top of the hill but thankfully it was a warm spring afternoon so it was very pleasant and a good opportunity to talk shop with the members of the other online communities.
Unlike similar SW displays at the other LL parks, this one is totally indoors which has its advantages but also disadvantages: more on which later.
It's divided into seven 'clusters' each in a separate room which are organised almost cronologically:
- Clone Wars (out of sequence): Christophsis battle scene
- Episode 1: Naboo, City of Theed/Hangar Duel and Battle of Naboo
- Episode 2: Battle of Geonosis and the Arena
- Episode 3: Kashyyyk & Mustafar
- Episode 4: Tatooine, Mos Espa
- Episode 5: Batle of Hoth
- Episode 6: Endor
And, finally, let's not forget, the gift shop at the exit which is stocked exclusively with Star Wars merchandise.
Loitering around the displays were various troopers, assorted Jedi, and none other than Darth Vader himself!
The models are built at miniland scale, so are of course much bigger than regular minifig-scale sets. They are full of large impressive models as well as many small details to add interest, and are instantly recognisable as scenes from the movies. There are many interactive features, activated by buttons in front the displays that, when pressed, change the lighting or start something in motion like, for example, the Milennium Falcon rising out of docking bay 94.
I said earlier the display is indoors which has allowed for the use of creative lighting that, in some areas, is constantly changing. While this no doubt adds to the atmosphere it was a nuisance from a photography point of view and that brings me to my main criticism of it: it's just too dark! There are so many cool little details but half the time they are impossible to see and appreciate because of the low lighting levels. The Clone Wars one was particularly disappointing in that respect. I don't remember any of the movies being particularly dark or set at night so it's a mystery why it is so. Hoth is the only exception and even that was plunged into darkness every so often.
Photography is virtually impossible: on-camera flash just results in reflections on the shiny LEGO surfaces and ugly shadows, the ceilings are matt black, so bouncing a flash gun from them isn't possible, so I had to resort to using f1.8 at ISO3200 and still had shutter speeds of more than 1/30 sec. most of the time. A tripod no doubt would have helped but there wasn't really time to muck about with one.
However, despite that, it is very impressive and it is definitely worth a visit for anyone even remotely interested in Star Wars.
Rather than post all of the hundreds of blurry photos I took, I've chosen just a couple from each cluster that were the best I could manage under the circumstances. I think they'll be sufficient to give you a feel for what it's like and provide encouragement for you to go and see it for yourself!
Finally, I'd like to thank Justin and Zoe for organising the trip and making us all feel very welcome.
21 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1532 views
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Autumn Dorling Kindersley LEGO book line-up
Posted by Huw, 09 Mar 2012 10:30. Filed under Brickset.
Sabreman64 pointed me at a PDF version of a Dorling Kindersley catalogue that has revealed several LEGO book releases I was not aware of (plus a few that I was):
- Ninjago Character Encylopedia
- Batman Ultimate Sticker Collection
- Batman: the Visual Dictionary
- The LEGO book (revised version of the 2009 edition)
- Friends Brickmaster
- Ninjago Fight the Power of the Snakes Brickmaster
- Ninjago Ultimate Sticker Collection
- Minifigures Series 1-7 Ultimate Sticker Collection
Plus of course Harry Potter: Characters of the Magical World, which features several hundred of my photos and which I believe will be one of the first to be published (June according to Amazon). You can pre order it here: Amazon.co.uk
| Amazon.com.
Here are details of some of the more interesting titles:
Not only is 2012 shaping up to be an expensive year for actual LEGO sets, it looks as if we'll need to fork out a fair amount for these high-quality books as well!
20 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1354 views
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Another vendor joins the growing ranks and provides more set information
Posted by Huw, 09 Mar 2012 10:09. Filed under Brickset.
Chowren Toys, who bill themselves as the 'World's second biggest LEGO shop', has joined the growing number of vendors whose items are displayed on the set details pages. If you're in the USA you'll see their 1500+ products shown under the relevant 'For Sale' tabs.What's more, they have provided us with some very useful information on product sizes, weights, LEGO item numbers and UPC barcodes for nearly every retail set available since 2007. You'll find this info shown on the set details pages (see this one for an example). Over time, the database admins will back fill this information for older sets, and at some point in the future I hope to be able to get everyone involved in entering data such as this into the database.
So welcome aboard guys, and thanks for the info!
16 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1133 views
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Hi-res pictures of Marvel sets now on LEGO.com
Posted by Huw, 09 Mar 2012 08:16. Filed under Brickset.
LEGO has placed hi-res photos of the Marvel Super Heroes sets onto their server, in preparation for their immiment sale, hopefully!
I've grabbed them all and added them to the database.
(thanks Clone-gunner-comanda-jedi for the news)
11 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1249 views
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eBay feeds are down
Posted by Huw, 08 Mar 2012 17:47. Filed under Brickset.
There's currently a problem with the eBay data feeds that have been causing Brickset to run extremely slowly while it waited for them to respond.
I have therefore disabled their retrieval until it's been resolved which means the eBay tab on the set details pages will be blank. If you wish to search eBay for specific sets, please use the links in the search results.
eBay are aware of the issue and we can but hope that it's fixed soon. I apologise for the inconvenience.
Update: they took their time, but finally they are working again...
8 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1054 views
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Instructions for the Logger alternative model now available at LEGO.com
Posted by Huw, 06 Mar 2012 11:25. Filed under LEGO.com.
If you're a fan of large Technic models you'll be pleased to hear that LEGO has published instructions for the 'B' model for 9397 Logging Truck, a dump truck with plough.You can download them as two PDFs from technic.LEGO.com.
Although I count myself as a fan of large Technic models I can't bring myself to build the B models: the A models take so long to build and an equally long time to dismantle that I never take them apart. I guess I'll just have to buy two...
(Thanks to Dave Luders for the news)
5 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1268 views
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Maersk container ship back at shop.LEGO.com
Posted by Huw, 06 Mar 2012 11:12. Filed under shop.LEGO.com (UK).
One of the best sets ever made, 10155 Maersk container ship, is available once more from shop.LEGO.com in Europe. Its price has been reduced, too, from £102 to £82 in the UK and from €109 to €87 in Germany.
This set, and the one it replaced (10152, different stickers), have been available on and off since 2004 which is pretty remarkable because I'm sure at the time in 2004 LEGO said that it would be a short run and the last set to use Maersk blue because they had no more granulate in that colour...
So, If you don't already have one, I highly recommend you buy it now before it really is too late. As I say, it is one of the finest models ever released.
(Thanks bezetkace who emailed and roxio in the forum for the news)
27 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1547 views
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Another vendor teams up with Brickset
Posted by Huw, 06 Mar 2012 10:55. Filed under Brickset.
Please welcome The Daily Brick to the growing list of vendors advertising on Brickset.The Daily Brick is based in the UK but ships worldwide. You will see their sets listed on the For Sale tab on the set details pages.
You may also have noticed an ad for BrickBuildersPro.com in the side bar. Brick Builders Pro provide custom kits and instructions for a superb selection of modular buildings and much more besides.
Thank you to everyone who has responded to my previous article on the listing your sets here. I'll be getting round to integrating you all with the site in due course!
While I was making changes today I tweaked the home and browse pages a bit: the 'New in the database' list is now on the Browse page, and the list of online users, that really only served to bloat the size of the page markup, has been removed.
15 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1195 views
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Pick of the week: Oil Rig Escape
Posted by Huw, 04 Mar 2012 15:09. Filed under Pick of the week.
I should probably rename this article 'pick of the year' since this is the first PotW I've found the time to write this year. I'll try not to be so tardy in future :-)
Anyway, this Cars 2 set, Oil Rig Escape, was briefly available at 30% discount at Amazon.co.uk earlier in the week so I took the opportunity to snap it up, and I've just finished building it.
When I first saw the Cars 2 sets last year I vowed not to buy them but it wasn't long before I succumbed to the charms of the cars themselves and now I just about have all of the 2011 sets. Although I loved the cars and vehicles I wasn't too impressed with the rest of the sets. Some were downright awful (Big Bentley Bust-out) and others were pretty much superfluous (Tokyo Pit Stop) and did nothing except add to the cost.
I was slightly surprised when I heard that there would be a second batch of Cars sets this year particularly given that there isn't a movie or anything else for them to tie in with. I guess sales must have been strong enough last year to warrant it. In many ways, this second batch is better than the first: the cars are more varied and colourful and the supporting structures have either been removed or are much better.
9486 Oil Rig Escape falls into the latter category in that the oil rig itself is actually a pretty good model in its own right. The oil rig platform consists of two of the new 8x16 plates to make a total area of 16x16, so it's a bit on the small side, particularly when compared to that in the movie. It's designed so that you can rearrange the subassemblies on it, the tower, control room, container, helipad and so on to make it how you want it. There's a lot of playability in it, what with the platform's flexibility and a winch, crane and several bits and pieces to lift on and off the platform.
It comes with five characters, three of which are cars: Finn McMissile in submarine configuration, Professor Z, who's much the same as last year's, but with a new 'angry' face, and Grem who this year is orange instead of red which is what he should be. He certainly looks better in orange and adds a lot of colour to the set. The other two characters are 'The crane' and Leland Turbo, who has been crushed into a cube (2x2 brick with 2x2 tile on top!).
One thing I don't like was that there area lot of stickers in the set. The faces are printed but everything else is a sticker. Thankfully they are the transparent film type rather than printed on white so they shouldn't peel over time like the white-backed ones are prone to do. Other than that (and the set's full price!) there's nothing not to like about it. In fact I think I'd go as far as to say it's my favourite Cars set so for that reason it's my pick of the week.
Here are some pictures of the cars:
It's currently discounted by 15% at Amazon.co.uk; hopefully it'll drop again soon. In the USA it's still priced at RRP, $49.99, but that's equivalent to a 30% discount in the UK anyway!
12 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)788 views
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List your LEGO products at Brickset
Posted by Huw, 04 Mar 2012 08:23. Filed under Brickset.
The more astute amongst you may have noticed that the 'Buy' tab on the set detail pages was renamed "For sale" last week, and also now provides an indication of the number of vendors that have a particular set for sale.As well as shop.LEGO.com, Amazon and Argos (in the UK) that have been there for some time, you will now see sets listed that The Plastic Brick has for sale.
The Plastic Brick is an unofficial LEGO dealer based in the USA who stocks a wide range of LEGO sets. Currently they only ship to the USA so you'll only see their sets listed if you're browsing from that part of the world.
I'm hoping that The Plastic Brick will be the first of many online shops that will make use of this feature, so if you run your own online store and would like to see your products listed here, please get in touch. With our global audience of over 300,000 LEGO fans, doing so can only raise the profile of your shop and increase your sales.
13 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1152 views
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Pirates of the Caribbean Sets $15 dollars Each at Walmart
Posted by fuelbreak, 04 Mar 2012 00:23. Filed under Shopping (Canada).
I Just noticed that Walmart has the most fantastic sale on two Pirates of the Caribbean sets.
Both "The Mill" and "Cannibal Escape" are now 15 dollars each here in Canada. Brickset user Multani from the UK noted that he bought them as well for $16 each. Cannibal Escape sells regularly at lego.ca for 39.99. The Mill sells regularly at lego.ca for 49.99; this being the better offer by piece count. Let's hope to see more prices like these.
19 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1300 views
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Super Store Canada
Posted by fuelbreak, 03 Mar 2012 12:20. Filed under Shopping (Canada).
It appears that Super Store is in its last round of clearance LEGO. Most prices have gone down substantially and for that reason have been picked over pretty well.
Sales have been anywhere from 50-75% off certain sets. This has been a gradual trend since January.
Some less desirable sets are still available and a great way to grab spare parts for a good price.
5 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1095 views
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Freeing Dobby for a good price at Walmart
Posted by fuelbreak, 03 Mar 2012 12:16. Filed under Shopping (Canada).
I was in my Walmart a few days ago and found Freeing Dobby (4736) for $7.00 CAN.
Stock levels will vary from store to store.
The price is worth it for Dobby alone.
7 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)869 views
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Second Cuusoo model launched today
Posted by Huw, 02 Mar 2012 11:35. Filed under New sets.
The spacecraft has been officially launched (pun intended) today. Here's the press release:
BILLUND, Denmark – The Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa, the second LEGO® CUUSOO release, has gone on sale in Japan, while a limited number of Hayabusa sets will also be available exclusively online via shop.LEGO.com later in the year. No release date has been set yet.
The original Hayabusa model on LEGO CUUSOO was built by Daisuke Okubo and achieved 1,000 supporters on the Japanese-only version of LEGO CUUSOO in the spring of 2011. LEGO model designer Melody Louise Caddick designed the final model, refining earlier concept models based on Daisuke’s original project.
The model is priced at ? 4,118 in Japan, USD49, EUR49
LEGO CUUSOO is a website where LEGO fans can submit their ideas for new LEGO products and collect votes to make their ideas become a reality. They can also vote for other users’ ideas. It can be found at http://lego.cuusoo.com
LEGO CUUSOO began in 2008 with a Japanese site that attracted hundreds of ideas and saw thousands of votes cast by a 35,000-strong community. It was launched globally in October.
The first Japanese product, the Shinkai 6500 submersible, went on sale in Japan in February 2011. A project backed by Minecraft developer Mojang became the first user-sponsored project to be approved on the global version of LEGO CUUSOO.
Ideas supported by 10,000 votes are examined by a LEGO jury to check the models meet LEGO standards of safety and playability and support the LEGO brand. Consumers who have their ideas chosen for production will earn 1% of the total net sales of the product.’
Hayabusa (“falcon” in English) is an unmanned spacecraft built by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), designed to travel to a small near-Earth asteroid named Itokawa and return sample material to Earth. Hayabusa’s mission began in 2003 and ended successfully in 2010.
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I've highlighted the interesting points: It looks as if there'll be no need to try and import one from Japan, and nice one Mel!
18 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1279 views
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Easter promotions at shop.LEGO.com
Posted by Huw, 01 Mar 2012 05:24. Filed under shop.LEGO.com (General).
LEGO has started its Easter promotions today, and the Town Hall can now be ordered, which is perfect timing given the offer includes free shipping and double VIP points.
There has also been a lot of 'gear' added to the store, although it seems most is only available in Canada at the moment. There are new Star Wars magnet sets, Ninjago accessories and a very cool storage box. See it all in the 2012 Gear listing.
In the UK:
- Free Delivery on orders of £50 or more. Valid March 1 - 31st
- Free Mini TIE Fighter set with purchases of £50 or more. Valid March 1 - 31st
- Double VIP points on all purchases. Valid March 1 – 15th.
In the USA and Canada, it kicks off a bit later in the month:
- Double VIP points on all purchases. Valid March 1 – 15th.
- Free Shipping on orders of $75 or more. Valid March 12 - 31st
- Free LEGO Master Builder Academy Poster with any LEGO Master Builder Academy Purchase. Valid March 12th – April 5th of While Supplies Last
Click on the big yellow 'Shop Today' image in the menu to take advantage of these offers.
33 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1171 views
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New instructions at LEGO.com
Posted by Huw, 01 Mar 2012 03:20. Filed under New sets.
It's the 1st of the month, which is when LEGO tends to publish new instructions on its customer services page. There was only a handful added today (view the list here) but they include the Cuusoo Hayabusa space probe and also this previously unknown birthday cake, which will presumably pop up in brand stores in a polybag any time now.
10 comments, latest one posted 14 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1282 views
