New year, new parts
Posted by Huw,
LEGO has published inventories for 118 sets today and among them are 944 new parts. Many of them are minifig and minidoll elements but there are also a lot of more interesting and versatile parts among them too. I've added pictures of a few that have caught my eye after the break.
Additionally, instructions for today's set releases have been made available as well. Among them is the hitherto unknown 40584 Birthday Diorama. It's not listed at LEGO.com so doesn't appear to be available just yet.
77844: CORNER PLATE 1X3X3
1846: MUDGUARD 3X4X1 2/3
2391: BEAM 7 MODULE, W/ 4.85 HOLE, NO. 1
2393: BEAM 3 MODULE, W/ 4.85 BUSH, NO. 1
3170: PLATE 1X2, W/ 5.9 BALL, DOUBLE
3263: PLATE 3X4X2/3, CIRCLE, CUT OUT
You view elements with new designIDs that appear in 2023 sets in this list, then clicking on 'Design' in the view list.
Let us know if anything catches your eye in the comments.
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29 comments on this article
I'm so torn on how I feel about new parts. On one hand, I love them, and daydream about all the cool possibilities they offer for builds. On the other, I'm nostalgic for the days of limited, simple builds that were admittedly blocky but had this sweet charm to them.
Glad I live in a world where I can have both
New corner plate is interesting. It reminds me of when the 1x5 plate was made. Is there really a need for it? But it will probably have lots of uses and wonder why it took so long to get it.
The double ball joint in black. Good it is not grey
@merman said:
"The double ball joint in black. Good it is not grey"
I'm concerned that it will be low friction as it's not grey.
The 3x3 corner plate should make for substantially stronger corners e.g. in buildings.
I also like those new Technic parts, 2393 especially as it solve a particular design issue I've been wrestling with.
@Sandinista said:
"I'm so torn on how I feel about new parts. On one hand, I love them, and daydream about all the cool possibilities they offer for builds. On the other, I'm nostalgic for the days of limited, simple builds that were admittedly blocky but had this sweet charm to them.
Glad I live in a world where I can have both"
The only parts are don’t like are those huge 4+ ones and ones that could be build with existing ones. Like the 1x5 brick
@Bhahouighf said: "It's the hip joint for all the new Marvel mechs, and you know how serious LEGO is about mech joint friction."
...
oh GOD.
I and my sister often talk about new LEGO parts and wonder why all the cool new pieces are coming out now and not the last ten years instead of in the late two thousand’s.
Despite the criticism, I've had quite a few occasions in my mocs where the 1x5 plate was very useful. So new pieces like 1x3x3 corner might seem weird at first glance, but I'm certain there'll be tons of uses. I can already picture corners where stability is an issue, and this beauty will hold things together much better than its smaller brother.
There are some great and mega usefull PRINTED pieces!
Bubblegum pack, Battery, A phone with credit card on it,
As others have mentioned, that 3x3 corner could prove prove useful in making corners more stable. The rest, eh, I'm sure they have uses too....
I haven’t poked around the leaks sites but I’m hoping that birthday scene is evidence of a return to seasonal minifig vignettes this year
The most amazing new part is 1x1 snot brick ROUNDED. That means simple freedom from 90 angles for snot builds in the smallest possible scale. That's a game changer. New Elementary mentions it already.
The new Technic parts seem cool. Pretty sure we've had a few like 2391 in the past with alternating pin holes, but it's cool nonetheless.
That new ball joint piece is cool. Would work great for hip joints on mechs!
@thor96 said:
"The most amazing new part is 1x1 snot brick ROUNDED. That means simple freedom from 90 angles for snot builds in the smallest possible scale. That's a game changer. New Elementary mentions it already."
Not in sets until March though...
So far the parts that stood out the most to me are a new style of climbing rope, 4x4 tile, and clear versions of 1x1 plate w/ horizontal clip and the double-jumper. Oh, and that bright-green 4x4 plate has an old-style image that looks hand-drawn instead of CGI.
Design number 3170 would have been great for mixels...
Will definetly use that part when I make more custom ones!
I was eagerly awaiting the updates on the 'Browsing Parts' of Brickset. It has become one of my favourite feature of the site. While Lego has increased exponentially the number of sets it produces any given year, they(Lego) does not produce really in the themes I like (they do, but not enough). So I build more and more MOCs (mine and rebrickable). New parts and recolours are always very welcome.
@thor96 I have not yet seen the part you mention - seems very interesting/promising. I certainly hope they will bring back 3614 (plate round with towball) which also allow for rotation and connect to the towball connectors. Basically the same idea as 26047 but with a ball connector instead of bar connector. They(Lego) used extensively that part (26047) in the Eiffel tower for the angled beams. Imagine the flexibility of bringing back that part (3614). Fingers double-crossed.
@dawid @Sandinista
I definitely understand what you are saying but there are situations (they might not come as often, but they exist) where you kind of need a 1x5 plate (i had one recently and this year they made the part in the colour I need. Sometimes, a 1x4 and 1x1 or a 1x2 and a 1x3 just does not do it because what is underneath is not solid enough on its own and the whole construction holds on just one stud - a 1x5 then hold everything together a little bit more solidly.
Totally with you for the 4+ parts. We had none of those when we were 4 and managed just fine - in fact, maybe this helped us develop observation and patience skills (in short supply nowadays).
First Lego joke of the year:
Guess what? You will need not one but two instructions booklets to build the highly complicated set 42147.
By that logic, I expect that when the Liebherr 13000 come about, you will also receive an encyclopedia in 14 volumes to put the thing together.
The CORNER PLATE 1X3X3 gives us another pentomino-shaped plate, I wonder if Lego will ever make all combinations of five studs as single elements?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentomino
Technic 3-hole connector part 2393 will be an overdue improvement over 15461 which designers have frequently resorted to subbing in as a sideways reinforcement beam. The new part should have friction pins instead of loose pins.
Aside, so many times I've been building a recent set that uses technic 1/2 pins to attach tiles to the sides of technic beams and wondered why LEGO didn't come out with friction 1/2 pins years ago. Those loose-fitting 1/2 pins are not apt for the job.
@HOBBES:
I don't know what to tell you, but we've been cracking jokes about VSotW since two hours after New Year's, UK time.
@bassplate:
Well, looks like you got four, so now you just need the eight hard ones.
@Nytmare:
Was there a friction half-pin on this list? Those have been out for a while, first in red, then in dark-bley.
Kids these days are so spoiled.
@HOBBES said:
"While Lego has increased exponentially the number of sets it produces any given year,
@thor96 I have not yet seen the part you mention -
."
Amount of sets produced stays around the same since quite some time, it hovers around 700 each year.
Here's the new part in detail: https://www.newelementary.com/2022/12/lego-speed-champions-interview.html
New 944 parts, but no goat! Thanks Lego.
Patiently waiting for Triangular Tile 2x2 in regular Blue (part 35787) to show up. It will be glorious. Thanks in advance, LEGO Designers!
I'm still trying to wrap my head around the 1x5 plate. Plates come in 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. Everyone knows this. 5 is right out!
Loving 40584 Birthday Diorama; less for the subject matter and more for the similarity to the previous seasonal vignettes. Fun!