Today, LEGO has taken the wraps off the January wave of sets for its augmented reality theme introduced earlier this year, Hidden Side. Each brick-built set pairs with the Hidden Side app to create a game about finding and catching ghosts to save the fictional town of Newbury. The new wave of six sets features more locations around the town such as a fairground, portal, and even a subway station, each with a spooky twist. There’s even an ominously named “Lighthouse of Darkness.” The new sets will be available immediately after Christmas, beginning Dec. 27. Part counts and US prices are yet to be revealed, but you can check out the rest of the set information below, along with the official press release outlining a study on the effects of physical versus digital play in children. 70427 Portal | €19.99 | Available Dec. 27, 2019 The LEGO® minifigures Jack, Axel Chops,...

When it comes to LEGO, Beryll Roehl is both a collector and artist. LEGO test bricks are the focal point of her collection, and she takes this hobby to the next level by beautifully photographing pieces alongside objects with similar colors. LEGO’s test bricks were produced in a multitude of materials and colors for the purpose of research and development, and they have an exciting history. To learn more about these unique relics of LEGO’s past, be sure to read our informative interview with Beryll. Since then, Beryll has photographed even more bricks like these black BASF bricks with a little bumblebee. How cute! If you love unusual transparent colored elements, then this Bayer K-brick may be right up your alley. One of the things that makes test bricks so desirable is how some were molded in colors that never went into production. The pink flower in the photo looks excellent...

The Land Rover Defender has been newly revitalized for 2020 with a complete overhaul of its aesthetics from the ancient-looking offroading beast that it’s been for decades, and LEGO commemorated the launch of the new generation with the Technic set 42110 Land Rover Defender. Early reports show it’s got promising off-road chops (as any Land Rover should), but it remains to be seen what the durability of the new model is. However, it’s obvious what Peter Carmichael thinks given this diorama of the classic model rescuing the newer one. Peter says he  began his concepting for the classic Land Rover design with an existing LEGO design, but ended up changing nearly every part of it in pursuit of greater accuracy. The result is fantastic, with the Defender’s iconic lines showing through from every angle. The sand blue for the new 110 model is a bold choice, given the paucity of elements...

There’s a lot of beauty under the sea. There’s also a lot of creepy looking fish. jarekwally brings us a bit of both in this underwater vignette. Created around two tricycle frames, a bone-white fish swims among a colorful coral reef. I’m not sure you’d want to come face-to-face with whatever breed of fish that is, but the rest of the scene is certainly somewhere I’d like to visit. This whole build abounds with creative part usage. The fish continues it’s unusual construction with minifigure wings, Mixel eyes, and cattle horns. Each plant in the reef has it’s own clever combination of elements, too. There are multi-colored flower-edged round plates, 2×2 round petal bases, and even purple 2×2 gears. The post There’s something fishy going on here. appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Chris Doyle

I love Christmas as much as anyone. In fact, I would wager that I love it more than most people. But I have to admit that my jaw clenches, a tic twinges in my cheek, and my guts churn when I start seeing Christmas merchandise and commercials before Thanksgiving. I once worked at a store where the Holiday displays came out at the beginning of October, and I had to see them almost every day for three months. It was torture. And the Christmas songs played on a loop piped into the stores – don’t even get me started on how much I despise all 3,000,000,000 versions of “Jingle Bell Rock”. That being said, I do appreciate a good LEGO build when I see one, even if it is Santa Claus at the start of November. Kale Frost had the opportunity to build a huge Christmas display for a mall out...