Affiliate disclosure: I sometimes use vendor & product links that can pay me a small monetary commission if you click them and/or make a purchase. Learn more about this. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Thursday, July 31, 2014

LEGO Ninja Turtles 79117 Turtle Lair Invasion set Review!


I can't say I, personally, am a fan of what Michael Bay & co. have done to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for the new film, but this set from LEGO is pretty proper.  To me this is the true definition of a playset.

LEGO Hero Factory Bulk Drill Machine 44025 build & review videos!


Another Summer 2014 Hero Factory set for ya here, with still a few more to go.

Videos:


Mega Bloks Halo 97516 Containment Armory set Review!


One more 2014 Halo zombie set down, at least still one more to go. This is the wee one of the pack :)

LEGO Hero Factory Crystal Beast vs Bulk set 44026 build & review videos!


That's a lot of trans light blue!  I like!

Videos:


Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Mega Bloks 97515 Containment Outpost Patrol set review!


My apologies to the viewers who don't like Mega Bloks sets, but I went through the massive LEGO new release review season and now we're in Mega Bloks new release season.  It also doesn't hurt that Mega Bloks has stepped up their product features and quality significantly this season, and they're doing a lot of sets that I personally very much enjoy :)  This one here is supposedly a Target stores exclusive in the US, and it's the first one I've gotten my hands on with glow-in-the-dark "zombie" figures with the new articulation system & removable armor.  The set also has one very, very nice & valuable surprise.

Mega Bloks 97430 Flood Invasion set review!


This new set and features not one, but two of the all-new Flood Tank Form figures, in addition to a bunch of other floody goodness!

LEGO Technic 42005 Monster Truck 2-in-1 review!


This medium-small Technic set is from last year, but is still currently sold in stores.  I have another large batch of new brick-based sets coming in to review, but I snuck this slightly older one in regardless!  One video covers both main official builds.

Mega Bloks Halo CE PAX Exclusive Warthog set 99660 review!


With supposedly a limited run of 5000 units, these 2011 PAX Halo Fest 10-year Halo launch anniversary sets will only be come more & more rare over time.  I finally found myself a factory sealed example for a (relatively) reasonable price to add to my permanent collection.

LEGO Classic System 6669 Diesel Daredevil from 1991!


And now for something... a little different.  How about a four stud wide racing semi truck?!  I dig it!

LEGO classic 6831 Space Police Patrol / Message Decoder


Here's another little classic LEGO Space to keep the vintage love going.  This small surface vehicle is from Space Police 1.

Mega Bloks Halo 97027 UNSC Desert Combat Unit review!


Here's another troop builder/armory set that I needed to improve my collection.  I already had one loose EVA, so I got two of these to complete the CQB & Scout Spartans simultaneously.

Mega Bloks Halo 97028 Covenant Crimson Combat Unit review!


An old one, a small one, but a good one.  The inclusion of the beautifully ornate Honor Guard made this a must-have for serious collectors.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Hero Factory Surge & Rocka Combat Machine build & review!


Here's another LEGO Hero Factory Invasion From Below Wave 2 set!  I've now covered the two big ones and will work on the smaller ones as soon as I can.

Videos:

Mega Bloks Call of Duty 06866 Motorbike Breakout review!


Ooh, nice new (old) bike build and a named figure!



Mega Bloks Call of Duty 06867 SAM Turret set review!


I love how simple and wholesome this set is.  The turret is built of common Mega Bloks parts, nothing new, with straightforward techniques, and it came out looking... just right.



Mega Bloks Call of Duty 06865 Rappel Fighter set review!


This set has a build & parts balance that's very different from most sets that preceded it.  You get just one, relatively normal mini-figure, but a decent-sized (though simple) structure to pose it with.  Fortunately I think the structure comes with some extremely useful pieces, so it ends up being a good deal for some of us.



Mega Bloks Call of Duty 06851 Juggernaut review!


Do you know who I am?  I'm the Juggernaut! Mixed geek references notwithstanding, this is a CoD mini-figure a lot of folks have looked forward to.



Friday, July 25, 2014

Mega Bloks Halo 97519 Anniversary Collection Battleground review!

This here is a so-called Fall 2014 Toys R Us exclusive Mega Bloks Halo set featuring Tartarus from Halo 2!

I must warn you, though.  If you're one of those folks who only likes "reviews" that say 100% positive things about products & recommend that you buy absolutely everything because everything is amazing & flawless, you will not like this video :)

Hero Factory Queen Beast vs. Furno, Evo & Stormer! 44029 build & review


It's Hero Factory: Invasion From Below Wave 2 season!  I chose to start from the top of the food chain with the Queen Beast combo set.

Videos:

Thursday, July 24, 2014

LEGO Star Wars 75058 MTT 2014 edition review!


It just doesn't stop!  Awesome!  We're out of the main Summer release season, but new stuff keeps hitting the market regardless.  This is the third minifig-compatible Trade Federation MTT set from LEGO, so how do you think it compares to its predecessors?

LEGO Classic Space 6972 Polaris I Space Lab from 1987!


More LEGO Classic Space!  This one represents the very end of the original Space line, as it actually shared shelf space (and package design elements!) with the Futuron & Blacktron successor series!  After this 1987 swan song, the solid-color space minifig style wouldn't be seen in another normal set until 2014!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

LEGO Space Police motherships compared! 1989 v. 1992 v. 2009!


Since I've picked up the big ships from LEGO's Space Police series 1, 2, and 3, I figured it'd be a bit of a crime to not put all three in the studio for a little comparison!  It's sets 6986, 6984, and 5974 -- FIGHT!

LEGO Friends 41059 Jungle Tree Sanctuary review!


Finally the Summer 2014 Friends sets are showing up in the US, so here's my first review of one!

LEGO Classic Space Police 6986 Galactic Enforcer / Mission Commander from 1989!


Whoa!  What a long name!  This Space Police 1 set was the big mamma of its theme, and was named differently in different regional markets.  Now that I've done all three generations of Space Police motherships, expect to see a little comparison video in a bit :)

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

A warning about ToyWiz.com preorders!


Hey all, a few words of caution.  If you pre-order multiple items at ToyWiz.com and set your order to "hold" status, to ship everything once everything is in stock, it is possible that you will never get some of your items, even if they come in stock.  Of course you won't be charged for things you never receive, but read on.

The actual process behind the scenes is that they'll hold your order until everything in your order in stock at some point.  They then ship whatever they have in stock at that moment.  Thus, if you order two items, one comes in stock this week & sells out immediately, then the other comes in stock next week, they will ship just the second item.  If the first item never comes back in stock with them, you are out of luck.  It's not in their pre-order policy page as of this moment. I just got off the phone with a CS agent who insisted that it was, until they actually read through every word on the phone with me and realized the glaring omission.  Oops.

If you want to ensure that you actually get everything you ordered, you have to go with the "ship everytime you get anything in stock" method, wherein you get (understandably) charged for shipping with each package. I know a lot of folks use other vendors, and that's great, but this is just a warning for folks who ever use ToyWiz.  Note that I'm definitely not suggesting that ToyWiz is a bad place at all or that you should not buy from them (I think they're awesome), it's just a frustrating quirk with one particular type of order.

LEGO Creator 10242 Mini Cooper in-hand Review!


Well, then!  This "Expert" stamped LEGO Creator set is quite rather amazing!  This is LEGO saying, "See, we can do really advanced builds, too, quietly showing up many a MOC maker with a display of exemplary skill.  It's not just the look & quality of this Mini that gets me.  It's how easy it is to build via the instructions. A large portion of the best-received community custom builds require three hands and a rare planetary alignment to assemble, and sneezing in the same room can necessitate a one-hour parts readjustment process.  Though marked "16+ yrs," this LEGO model could surely be put together by a patient child, and it's sturdy enough to be properly played with.  I could argue that this is the single best LEGO set of the past year, all factors considered.

LEGO Creator Mini Cooper polybag set review! 40109


This is a nice little July/August promotional item from the LEGO Store.  It makes for a nice "mini-me" version of the big Creator Mini ;)

Mega Bloks Halo UNSC Wombat Recon Drone review! 97451


I was previously not a big fan of the ODST figures from Mega Bloks.  That changed only very slowly over time, but the new version included in this set finally flips my feelings to the positive side.

Mega Bloks Halo UNSC Fireteam Crimson Battle Pack review! 97349


Like the Venom pack, this Summer/Fall 2014 set is a quick way to get a nice lot of the new articulated Spartan figures all in coordinated colors.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

EPIC Mega Bloks Halo haul! Huge set & figures collection! Jul. 18, 2014


I needed some parts for a work-in-progress, roughly 5'x9' Mega Bloks Halo display.  So, I got some :)  My wife has been disassembling this stuff for two evenings and I just got through sorting out the new (to me) minifigures & expanding my display stands to hold them and upcoming new figs. Today I also finished sorting all of the (8,000+) Mammoth parts, but there's still a ton of work to be done.  This could take all week just to finish sorting!

Friday, July 18, 2014

LEGO Ideas 21110 Research Institute Review!


Formerly known as "The Female Minifig Project" and having failed to make it to production in the LEGO Cuusoo days, this one returned under mysterious & controversial circumstances to become an Ideas-branded set.  Drama notwithstanding, it's a very nice set, and I'm happy to share this look at it:

LEGO City 4439 Heavy-Duty Helicopter review!


This one's a viewer request special!  Released in 2012 and titled "Heavy Lift Helicopter" in some regions, this Forrest Police-themed set isn't new, but it's still on shelves at local stores in my area.  You asked for it, you got it!

Hero Factory IFB & Mini Cooper on the horizon

The new LEGO Creator mega-sized Mini Cooper is hitting the market early, so I should be able to bring out a review for that next week.  More exciting for many viewers, the second wave of Hero Factory: Invasion from Below sets are hitting stores overseas, so hopefully soon I'll be able to pick up the whole series to finally bring you all full reviews of those as well!  I'm expecting it'll be another 1 1/2 to 2 weeks for the new HF stuff.

LEGO MOC progress: Planetary Defense Force Shuttle Jul. 17, 2014


Just a very quick update on what's coming next on this multi-part MOC project.  Thanks for following along!

Mega Bloks Call of Duty Mob of the Dead review! Alcatraz zombies!


Here's something a wee bit different!  No cute little yellow smiley faces or colorful augmented future soldiers here!  This set sends you back in time to scrap with undead prison patrons!

Thursday, July 17, 2014

LEGO 6455 Space Simulation Station set from 1999!


This set was from the "Space Port" sub-theme of what was then still officially called LEGO System.  As you probably know, I'm quite a fan of LEGO space stuff, but this set here didn't really live up to expectations.

LEGO Classic Town 6680 Ambulance from 1981!


Spoiler alert:  In this video you'll hear me call this set some form of perfect.  I really feel it's deserving of such praise, as simple as it is.  To me it's the pinnacle of what LEGO vehicles were all about after minifigures were introduced.

Mega Bloks Call of Duty 06854 Sniper Unit review!


New troop-building battle pack here with good figure component variations, a good terrain assembly and an assortment of useful accessories.

Mega Bloks Halo 97359 Covenant Weapons Pack II review!


This is a little different.  The figure is new for 2014, a Brute Minor, and he comes with nice accessories including two different nicely-painted versions of existing weapons.

Mega Bloks Halo 97360 Forerunner Weapons Pack II review!


Sniper crawler!  'Nuff typed -- see the video!

Mega Bloks Halo 97207 UNSC Weapons Pack II REDUX review!


I could have sworn I reviewed this set in April.  In fact, I'm certain of it!  Yet, this here is a truly new release!  Confused yet?  The video will clarify things nicely :)

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

LEGO System 6483 Coastal Patrol police boat set review


Here's a semi-vintage LEGO set from an era when boats didn't float!  Some of the later 1990s stuff I didn't always like, but this set here still has the classic LEGO charm to me, and integrates lights & sounds in a good way with reusable components.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Mega Bloks Halo UNSC Broadsword Midnight Strike review! 97380


Many (most, even?) of the Mega Bloks Halo set series in the past have mixed timeframes & sources together, so it's nice to get something that's all from one game, and the most recent at that.  I like the Broadsword in-game as a weapon, though I'm actually not much of a fan of its appearance.  This set, though?  Oh, this set...

Mega Bloks Halo UNSC Flame Warthog review! 97449


Completing this Flamehog set gave me such a serious case of Halo Wars nostalgia that I purchased & queued the download of the game while I filmed this review.  Back when Halo 4 came out, I traded in all of my older Halo games towards it, figuring I'd never go back to them.  Oh, how wrong I was.  Flame on!

Mega Bloks Halo Police Air Support Hornet review! 97429


Any Halo: ODST fans miss the New Mombasa Police Department?  This new Mega Bloks set should help out with that :)

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Mega Bloks HALO MOC: Forerunner Epoch Guard


It has been a long time since I last built a Mega Bloks MOC; too long, in fact.  Finally I've broken the dry spell with a new non-canon custom creation that intends to be the very ancient inspiration for the Covenant Locust.  This 4-legged walker is a powerful sentry intended to last for countless millennia, and most will never even be activated.

Friday, July 11, 2014

LEGO City 2012 Fire Plane set review


I picked up this 2012 City set from the local Toys R Us just last night while looking for new releases.  It's been on the shelves there for a long time, trying to get me to pick it up, and I finally relented.  My wife built it quickly, so here's the review!

LEGO Dino 5885 Triceratops Trapper review


Here's another of the 2012 LEGO Dino sets I picked up on clearance from the local TRU a couple months back.  I like this one a good bit better than the last.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Mega Bloks Halo ALPHA series figures in-hand Review! Full set of 8


I bought a full set of 8 pre-sorted Mega Bloks Alpha minifigures (mystery packs minus the mystery) as quickly as I could to bring viewers this review.  I show each figure independently and also demonstrate the enhanced articulation of the ones that have new joints, in addition to the removable armor system.  Which is your favorite?

Included figures are:
  1. Blue Enforcer Spartan (common)
  2. Yellow Mk. VI Spartan (common)
  3. Green Scout Spartan (common)
  4. Storm Grunt (common)
  5. UNSC Marine with helmet (common)
  6. Brute Captain (rare)
  7. White / Arctic Gungnir Spartan (rare)
  8. Partial Active Camo Brute Stalker (ultra rare)

LEGO Classic Town 6624 Delivery Van from 1983!


Another wee classic!  This LEGOLAND set features a very plain, but happy dude, and a very small, but useful truck.  Just add cargo!

Mega Bloks Halo NMPD Police Cruiser Standoff review! 97452


This mid-year 2014 Mega Bloks Halo set is nothing if not different from the norm.  Breaking from the military-based theme, this one brings us a civilian unit in the form of a New Mombasa Police Department officer and his car, foolishly trying to hold off an extraordinarily mean-looking, exclusive Brute Chieftain.