There are a few interesting items that showed up at the Online LEGO Shop that I thought to let you know about. These were not part of the January 1st release, but sort of sneaked in mid-month without much introduction or fanfare. So let’s take a look. 🙂
➡ LEGO ICONIC BRICK CALENDAR: The #40172 LEGO Iconic Brick Calendar is basically a manual calendar to set the date, with four cubes build of plates and the new 1×1 bricks with studs on adjacent sides. The plates are lime-green, green, red, and orange, and the numbers are made of white tiles. A white stand is also included to hold the cubes, and a minifig wearing a sand-blue jacket, dark red tie, and dark-red pants. With calendars on practically all of our electronic devices, this calendar is not particularly useful, however it does look good on a desk as a colorful novelty item, and could make a great gift. It is also a good source of 6×6 plates and the new modified bricks that LEGO fans have been requesting for many years. (there are four in each cube). Here is the official description: Never lose track of the date with this cool LEGO calendar, perfect for any office, kitchen, bedroom or hallway. Build the chunky number cubes and display them on the special stand with minifigure, turning them every day to show the correct date. Includes 4 buildable number blocks, display stand and a minifigure. Turn the blocks around each day to show the correct date. Calendar displayed on stand measures over 3” (8cm) high, 11” (29cm) wide and 2” (7cm) deep. 278 pieces. Price: $19.99 – BUY HERE
➡ LEGO ICONIC CHESS SET: The #40174 LEGO Iconic Chess set is another new item that recently appeared at the Online LEGO Shop. While LEGO has released a number of chess sets in the past, they normally include minifigures as the playing pieces. Having the entire set made of standard LEGO elements is a bold move, as it means that only those who are serious about the game would buy the set. It does have a good number of basic LEGO elements in gray, white and black, so the set could be considered a parts-pack as well. Some notable pieces are the 8 dark-bluish gray 16×16 plates that make up the top and bottom of the four compartments of the chess board. Below I have included a speed-build video-review of the set, so you see how it looks like in more detail. Here is the official description: Use classic LEGO bricks to build your own chess board and then build all the playing pieces too. This set is ideal to take and play wherever you like, as the pieces store conveniently inside the board. Includes a buildable chessboard and buildable playing pieces. Board opens to store all the playing pieces inside. Can also be used to play checkers. Board measures over 10” (26cm) square. 1450 pieces: Price: $54.99 – BUY HERE
➡ LEGO FRIENDS BUILDABLE HEDGEHOG STORAGE: The little hedgehog is one of the most popular animals in the LEGO Friends line. It comes in a reddish-brown and a dark brown version, and so far appeared in less than 10 sets. The #40171 LEGO Friends Buildable Hedgehog Storage depicts the reddish brown variation, using lots of 2×2 round dome pieces. Adding the bow is optional, just like for the small hedgehog. Unfortunately the eyes are stickered pieces. Here is the official description: Build a big version of the cute hedgehog animal figures you can find in LEGO Friends sets. Add a big blue and pink bow to accessorize, or build it without. Then lift off the top of the hedgehog to find a handy storage compartment inside. Measures over 2” (7cm) high, 4” (11cm) wide and 3” (9cm) deep. 249 pieces. Price: $12.99 – BUY HERE
➡ LEGO NOTEBOOK WITH STUDS: The #853569 LEGO Notebook with Studs is the latest to the LEGO notebook collection with an embedded baseplate at the front, and some 1×1 tiles to spell out your name, or whatever else you like. I very much like these notebooks and have two earlier versions that I use as journals. While the description doesn’t state specifically, I assume this notebook also comes with lined pages either on both sides, or blank page on one side, and lined on the other – as was the case with previous notebooks. One thing that would have been great is if this notebook also included printed letter tiles, like in the #850686 LEGO Notebook with Studs. However it seems like with each of these notebooks, LEGO adds a bit of variation, which I can certainly appreciate. And of course you can always add your own unique decorations using your other LEGO pieces. Here is the official description: Write, draw and build with this sturdy notebook, featuring a hardback cover with a 5×24-stud baseplate and 60 1×1 flat tiles in various colors. Customize your notebook with mosaics, letters or numbers and use the supplied page marker ribbon to mark your favorite pages. Makes a great gift for fans of LEGO building sets. Measures 11” (28cm) long and 5” (15cm) wide. 60 pieces. Price: $12.99 – BUY HERE
I would say that all four items are worthy of consideration either for yourself, or as a gift for a LEGO fan. The calendar would be great for an office, the chess set is large enough to comfortably play either chess or checkers, or use the parts for other LEGO creations, the hedgehog is… well… cute and can store stuff, and the notebook is useful for journaling, or keeping track of your LEGO collection and building ideas. You can find them all, along with other novelty items, at the Online LEGO Shop.
Also, one thing I noticed is that both the calendar and the chess set has “iconic” in their official names. This seems to indicate that LEGO may be starting a new line of brick-built novelty items. I don’t know for sure… it’s just a thought. What do you think? And how do you like these unique LEGO items? Are you planning to get any of them? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below! 😉
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I like the Lego pirate chess set, way more detail and fun. plus you have the bonus of minifigures , this set true has more pieces, however, with the pirate set I have, and extra Lego pieces to spare I can build the same chess pieces without the extra expense. plus the pirate chess set is still way cheaper. And add to you’re mini figure collection. Like the old Lego calendars better than the new one. the hedgehog does look cute. The book YAWN. But hey that is my 2 cents
Laurie, thanks for sharing. Good points. I’m curious how well this chess set will do, as in my experience LEGO fans prefer minifig chess sets. They are good for playing chess, plus they double as an army-builder. So we shall see… LEGO regularly adds odd items like this – some are hits, some are misses. If they are hits, that’s awesome for us, and if they are misses, they will go on sale, so it’s still awesome for us. 😉
No Nexo Knights chess set, yet, which would be more expected…
Maybe it’ll arrive later…
I actually have some doubt about Nexo Knights having a chess set. Nexo targets younger kids, maybe not as young as Chima, but still young. Castle and Pirates are long-time evergreen themes, popular with both kids and adults. A Nexo Knights chess set won’t interest Classic Castle fans, and younger kids are usually not that much into chess (unless they are super brainy chess wizards). On the other hand, Nexo is currently the closest to Classic Castle, which means we may get a chess set. As you can see, I’m just speculating. 🙄
Yeah, could be… Nexo Knights seems to have been a hit with my 6 year old nephew, so it obviously strikes a chord with the target group…
I’m not sure how he would stand on chess, though. He can have some introvert traits…
When I was around your nephew’s age, my dad tried to teach me how to play chess. I did learn the basic rules, but I found the game so boring! I guess it takes a special kind of mindset. I just didn’t have the patience. Plus my dad always won, so it wasn’t so much fun. 🙄
Yeah, I specifically bought the Pirate chess set for the figures. I know how to play chess but I’m not very good
They really missed the opportunity to use those new curved tiled for the numbers on the calendar. I guess they were not available yet for designers?
I’m also not sure about that chess set. I appreciate that they wanted to make a more traditional set instead of using minifigs, but then they should have made the set more beautiful, or include more interesting parts.
Also, I think the storage and stacking feature could have been done more elegantly. I don’t like that you have to add those green studs. The design itself should acocmodate all features, rather than having to add (and keep track of) four small random parts.
Curved tiles for the numbers would have definitely made sense, but it is most likely they were not available to LEGO designers at the time the Calendar was designed. They are very new pieces, available in limited colors. I’m sure we will see more of them though in the future. I’m really curious to see how well this chess set will do, as I agree it could have been better if they were shooting for a more traditional chess set. We shall see… 🙄
I like the Chess set, partly because I like strategy games, but mostly for the parts. There are so many of those 1X1 bricks with adjacent studs, far more than the Calendar has. Sadly, it is unlikely I will get it, as my budget is currently tied up. For the storage and stacking issue, the only other method I can see would be for the bottom to be open, and the two halves just fold shut with pieces inside, but that may cause instability. My brother’s chess set folds that way, but it’s also magnetic and not LEGO…. 😕
I do have to agree with Brickmaster that the calendar could definitely have used the new curved tiles. It is possible they weren’t available, but 10255 used them and it was finished before this calendar was, so I doubt it. Maybe the designer wanted a “blocky” look to it. It doesn’t bother me as much as the 0 and 6/9 being taller than the rest of the numbers does.
I hadn’t thought of the “Iconic” as an indication of a new line, but you could be right. Perhaps LEGO is following on the success of the Ideas Maze set, although I have no idea what they could make next. 😕
Yeah, I’m sure what that “Iconic” designation means, but I thought it was a bit odd. We will see if it means anything on the long term. True about the chess set having plenty of those modified bricks. Especially if the set goes on sale, it can be a very good resource of that part.
As a chess & Lego fan, I would really enjoy playing a Lego chess game. Are there any other Lego chess sets as well?
Andrej, there are a handful of official LEGO chess sets, all of them minifig based, up to the last chess set that we featured here. You can see them all here: https://brickset.com/sets?query=chess. People usually just build their own chess sets, as it is very easy to do, and you can build them any way/size that you like. 🙂