MEGATech Showcase: LEGO Playsets For the Whole Family Beth Snyder August 12, 2014 Features There aren’t very many things guaranteed to be consistent in this world, but one of them is that LEGO will continue to come out with playsets that will make pretty much anyone happy. There is almost an endless variety of them available and they’re adding more all the time, so even if you’re not a Master Builder, you can always follow the directions and end up with something awesome. (See what I did there?) First up in today’s showcase is Emmet’s Construct-o-Mech Building Set from The LEGO Movie. In addition to all the bricks and parts needed to re-create Emmet’s contraption from the movie, it comes with three minifigs (Emmet, and two Skeletrons) and an Angry Unikitty figure. Because if you remember, Kitty was unable to remain sweet and light after Cloud Cuckoo Land was attacked, and she kicked some serious butt when she got angry. The completed figure measures about 14? (36cm) high, 6? (16cm) long and 13? (34cm) wide, contains 708 pieces, and costs about $55.00 US. Source: 7 Gadgets Spaceship! I love Benny, I truly do. He’s so darn earnest and excited and willing to help! Now you can help him build his spaceship with this 940-piece playset. This one has four minifigs: Benny, Robo Emmet, Space Wyldstyle and Robo Pilot, and also Astro Kitty (is it just me, or does Unikitty get the best costume changes of the whole film?). The spaceship measures 4″ high, 20″ long and 16″ wide, the detachable wing fighters measure 1″ high, 3″ long and 3″ wide, and the Robo Police Interceptor measures 1″ high, 4″ long and 4″ wide. All this goodness can be yours for around $100.00 US. Source: 7 Gadgets The good news is this exists. The bad news is it was a limited edition specially made for San Diego Comic Con 2014, so if you didn’t get one there you’re going to have to pay an astronomical amount of money to get one… if it’s even possible to do so. Containing just 145 pieces, this LEGO version of Rocket Raccoons Warbird (complete with Rocket Raccoon minifig) was $39.99 US at SDCC 2014, but as of a couple of weeks ago, it was already pushing $200.00 US on eBay. But it’s really cool. Source: Nerd Approved Here’s another one that was an SDCC 2014 exclusive: Batman Classic TV Series Batmobile. It has 152 pieces that make the original Batmobile, along with Batman and Robin minifigs. Cost at SDCC 2014 was $39.99 US, but as with the one above I’m sure the price has shot through the roof on sites like eBay. But if you’re a fan, this is a must-have for your collection. Source: Technabob What good is Batman without a villain? This 486-piece playset gives you five minifigs (Batman, Batgirl, Robin, The Joker and a Joker goon), the Joker’s Steamroller, and the Batwing as well as a bunch of weapons. The Batwing measures 3? high, 11? long and 7? wide, and the Steamroller measures 5? high, 7? long and 6? wide. This is actually available for a reasonable price of $42.50 US. Source: 7 Gadgets Now this is cool! When you first see the $199.99 US price tag, you’re going to think they’re crazy. But upon further examination, you see that this incredible playset has 1,869 pieces, and assembles into a 5 (15cm) high, 15 (40cm) long and 9 (24cm) wide LEGO replica of the Tumbler. It even comes with Batman and Joker limited edition minifigs! It’s not available yet, but come September 1st, all the cool kids will be ordering theirs. Source: Oh Gizmo Once again, I never think to look up this Legends of Chima thing until I’m in the middle of a LEGO showcase. Which means I’m still ignorant as to its coolness factor, but I assume since they keep coming out with more of them, some of you will want it. This one is the Scorpion Stinger, and it’s 434 pieces include Scorm and Laval and Cragger minifigs with weapons as well as the 5″ (15cm) high, 12″ (32cm) long and 11″ (30cm) wide vehicle. This one runs about $33.00 US. Source: 7 Gadgets Getting back to things I’m pretty sure I need, how about a LEGO Bluesmobile? From the original, good movie, of course, not that abominable remake. Elwood: It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark… and we’re wearing sunglasses. Jake: Hit it. No mission from God can possibly be accomplished, no matter if you have both kinds of music or not, without a car in which to get there. This set has 272 pieces and costs $39.99 US. Source: Nerd Approved Granted, this doesn’t actually have anything to do with the Blues Brothers, but if you’re gonna have a Bluesmobile you’re pretty much required to have some kind of police vehicle to chase it. This is from the LEGO City collection, and contains 375 pieces including the 5″ (16cm) high, 11″ (30cm) long and 2″ (7cm) wide Mobile Police Unit, two cops and a crook. Add one to your collection for about $34.00 US. Source: 7 Gadgets Getting back to superheroes, here’s the Milano Spaceship Rescue playset from Guardians of the Galaxy. Containing 665 pieces, this one gives you the pieces to build a 3″ high, 9″ long and 15″ wide Spaceship, a 1″ high, 5″ long and 3″ wide Necrocraft, and Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Ronan, and the Sakaaran. The Gamora, Drax, and Ronan minifigs are exclusive to this set. This one runs about $70.00 US. Source: 7 Gadgets So you want a Mini Cooper, but you can’t afford one? Maybe living vicariously through this new LEGO set will help. It comes with 1,0777 pieces (including a picnic), and its doors, hood, and trunk all open and close. And since it’s made of LEGO, you can even turn it into a convertible! It’s pretty spendy for a LEGO set, but still considerably cheaper than the actual car, at $100.00 US. Source: Geekologie As immediately recognizable iconic buildings go, the Sydney Opera House is right up there. This 2,989-piece set gives you everything you need to build an 11″ (28cm) high, 25″ (63cm) wide and 15″ (38cm) deep replica of the famous structure right in your own living room. It’s got a bunch of hard-to-find bricks and pieces, and comes with a blue 48×48 baseplate to mimic the water of the harbor. Once completed, the structure is sturdy and able to be moved. It’s not cheap, of course… if you’d like one, you’ll have to shell out about $320.00 US. Source: 7 Gadgets Summertime is fairground time, and now you can build one in your house instead of having to deal with driving, parking, dust, and crowds. This LEGO Creator set has 1,746 pieces, including rides, trucks, games, carnies, and a bunch of minifigs. I think my favourite is the juggler on stilts, but all of them are pretty darn neat. It’s even really not that unreasonably priced at $149.99 US, considering all you get. Source: Technabob Who wouldn’t want to build the Trevi Fountain out of LEGO? The finished product measures 5″ (14cm) tall, 7″ (20cm) wide and 5″ (14cm) deep and is constructed out of 731 pieces, including special translucent blue bricks for the water. It comes with a booklet detailing the design, architecture, and history of the fountain so you can learn as you build. It’s even pretty cheap! This kit costs just $49.99 US. Source: 7 Gadgets New minifigs! LEGO is set to release their Series 12 minifigs this October, and there are some good ones in there! Included in this new set is: Gamer, Miner, Rock Star, Swashbuckler, Jester, Princess and Frog Prince, Japanese Horror-Movie Ghost, Pizza Delivery Guy, Barbarian, Genie, Lifeguard, Wizard, Hunter, Space Dude, Athena, and Pig Suit Guy. Each one will cost $3.99 US when they come out, and you’ll probably want most of them. Source: Nerd Approved You know what’s really cool? Science. You know what’s even cooler? Girls doing science. You know what’s the coolest? LEGO’s new Research Institute set, which has female scientist minifigs! It’s got a chemist, a paleontologist, and an astronomer, and each of them comes with the gadgets and pieces of laboratory equipment she needs to perform her function. Pick one up for the little (or big) girl in your life to show her it’s not just boys who belong in a lab. The set contains 165 pieces, and sells for just $19.99 US. Source: The Gadgeteer I never got into Minecraft, but I have a nephew who works on a build team (and has his own YouTube channel, even), so I end up knowing a lot more about it than I ever needed to. But I’ve always thought Minecraft and LEGO were a match made in heaven based purely on the whole brick-like structural base. This is The End, a 3″ (10cm) high, 3″ (10cm) wide and 3″ (10cm) deep LEGO biome that can be split into four sections for additional play. Its 440 pieces include the Ender Dragon and 4 Enderman Micro mob, and you can add it to your collection for about $35.00 US. Source: 7 Gadgets I saved what I think is the coolest one for last. This Exo Suit successfully navigated the LEGO Ideas process to become reality, and now you can have one of your very own. You’ll only have to pay $34.99 US to get it. It’s got 321 pieces, and while there isn’t a whole lot of information available on it yet (it’s due to be released any day now), they did put up a video on YouTube so you can see it in action. I think it’s neat. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbMOf9Zwnpk] Source: Technabob Share This With The World!
