There is a new line of LEGO accessory packs called LEGO-xtra, which currently include three playmats, and several small parts-packs. I thought to discuss these in more detail, as they are going to be very useful in building up a good selection of parts. So, let’s take a look. 🙂
The #853840 LEGO-xtra Road Playmat, the #853841 LEGO-xtra Sea Playmat, and the #853842 LEGO-xtra Park Playmat feature two 10 inch (25cm) square laminated, double-sides playmats with printed graphics, buildable connectors and some starter elements. I have reviewed an earlier version of these playmats here: New LEGO City & LEGO Friends Playmats.
To summarize from the previous review linked above, the playmats are made of very sturdy laminated cardboard that almost make them feel like plastic. They are the same size as a standard 32 x 32 stud baseplate, although they are somewhat thicker, and they have graphics on both sides. Each playmat piece has holes at the corners, just big enough to fit a 2×2 brick. The holes are used to connect the playmats using standard LEGO bricks and plates. This new playmat system is excellent to build up roads and landscapes, and blends together nicely with regular LEGO elements.
The #853840 LEGO-xtra Road Playmat includes two playmat pieces, one featuring a curved road section on both sides with different landscapes, and the other a features a curved road section on both sides with different landscapes. By mixing and matching the playmat pieces, you can create four different settings. The #853841 LEGO-xtra Sea Playmat also includes two playmat pieces, but this time with watery settings featuring a beach or a pier. Again, you can mix and match the playmats to create four different settings. The #853842 LEGO-xtra Park Playmat features a park setting with dirt roads, grass, a small pond, and patches of dirt. As with the previous playmats, you can flip around the pieces and connect them in different combinations.
Just like with the previously released LEGO City and LEGO Friends playmats, you also get some standard LEGO elements to connect the playmats via the holes in the corners, and to build a bit of landscaping with trees, flowers, benches, etc. These playmats are an excellent (and cheaper) alternative to traditional baseplates. The playmat packs are $7.99 each, and are available at the LEGO-xtra section of the Online LEGO Shop.
The LEGO-xtra line also includes small packs of accessories that could be used as additional pieces for the playmats, or just to build up your parts-inventory. The #40309 LEGO-xtra Food Accessories pack features 30 food accessory elements, including a crate, a full turkey (rare piece!), fish, ice cream, pizza pies (LEGO calls them grapefruit slices), bananas, croissants, carrots, money pieces, cookies, chocolate bars, apples (LEGO calls them broccoli for some reason), and two red cups. The #40310 LEGO-xtra Botanical Accessories pack features 24 botanical-themed accessory items, including trees, plants and bushes, fencing rails, leaves, buildable flowers, and a couple of yellow frogs. The #40311 LEGO-xtra Traffic Lights pack features a wheelbarrow, broom, trashcan with lid, plant leaves, a bottle, a banana, a couple of bones, and 4 buildable traffic lights. The #40312 LEGO-xtra Streetlamps accessory pack features two tall streetlamps, two shorter lamps, a lantern (a new piece this for year!), a newspaper-stand with paper, a camera, a phone, and a bench. The #40313 LEGO-xtra Bicycles accessory pack features two bicycles with front lights, two bike helmets, two bike racks, a skateboard, a piece of mail, a pizza box, an umbrella, a ball cap, a basket, and a backpack. The accessory packs are $3.99 each, and are available at the LEGO-xtra section of the Online LEGO Shop.
It’s great to see LEGO releasing accessory packs like these, and hopefully, they will continue with more packs in the future. The LEGO Classic line is excellent for getting basic LEGO elements, but accessories like plant pieces, food items, small minifig tools, etc. are usually only available in larger sets. Looks like the LEGO-xtra collection is going to be a good way to build up a bulk of these special pieces.
What do you think? How do you like the LEGO-xtra playmats and accessory packs? Do you have any of them already? Or, are you planning to get them? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below! 😉
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10″ x 10″ baseplates are also $7.99. I suppose these Xtra playmats come with a handful of actual LEGO pieces, but I don’t know that I would consider them a “cheaper” alternative. I, for one, would never prefer laminated cardboard over actual baseplates, even if they were 1/10th the price.
For kids, they are great. We have the city one, and our boys love to use them to build ramps, bridges, racetracks, etc. They are more sturdy than baseplates, so I don’t have to worry about them breaking the plates even if they put their full weight on. And the graphics encourage creative play. They are not for adults. They are for kids.
Forgot to say, you get two playmat plates in the newer packs. So the price is half compared to baseplates. And they are two-sided and include extra pieces. I can see how they don’t appeal to adults, but for kids, they are better than baseplates in our experience.
We have both the Friends one and the city one, thanks to the previous review here. Our kids love them and use them for their other toys too. They are very sturdy.
Wait, what?! Lego calls the apples broccoli? And the pizza grapefruit? Is that a new use for the pieces? I can see the pizza used as sliced up grapefruit, but broccoli? Maybe there are some extra pieces not on the picture?
Maybe the carrot tops are supposed to be broccoli? I dunno. I hope these packs will be available at retailers like Walmart and Target.
Not to my knowledge. All the pieces are included on the picture, and yes the apples supposed to be broccoli, while the pizza are grapefruit slices. 🙄
Cool, but why are all the bicycles red? They should have added more variety. I like the pack with the plants the most, then the foods (I already have some, including the turkey), then the bicycles. But they should make one of the bikes another color.
Yeah, the red bicycle is way the most common, another color and the pack would have been an instant buy for me (even a color in current regular production).
Yeah, I think many of us are thinking the same. I want a purple bike, please! 😀
That’s a good point about the bikes. LEGO really likes their red bikes and coffee mugs! 😀
I did get the food and trees accessory packs because , it’s funny how Lego makes a pizza truck or a restaurant and they give you just barely enough food accessorys to make the sets work. I do like the play mats there great if you want a divider for your city. Example, you know where street starts and finish. So, let’s say you can then maybe have a park and / or a Beach starting point and an ending point. The base plates are sometimes to blocky and you would have to add sand or bushes and the Greenery for the park . The base mats already have it printed .
Great thought!
They were in and OUT of my store in a flash. I keep hoping for a re-order but, so far, no go.
Lego should make printed baseplates again. That would give ups the best of both worlds.
What do you mean, it seems that regular road plates are still in production?…
Perhaps that’s comparing broccoli and grape fruits, though…
Ha-ha! 😀
I meant the ones with landscape designs. Even the roadplates used to have two colors like gray for the road and green for grass. And there were also some with lakes, sand, grass, etc. And this also reminds me of those wonderful raised baseplates!
It might be comparing broccoli and grape fruits, though…
Posted the same joke twice, I got confused after the first post was caught in the filter…
(Apparently the word “broccoli” could trigger it… ???)
The truth is out! TBB doesn’t like to eat its veggies! 😀
On a more serious note, I have no idea what could have triggered moderation. I’m usually around though, and can un-moderate comments stuck in the moderation queue pretty fast. 🙂
So these would be more widely distributed, now? I was in the Copenhagen shop recently, but I couldn’t find them at a quick glance.
Perhaps I’ll get by the Stockholm shop in September for another look…
The two-packs are a very recent release. They are not even out yet in some countries. It would probably take a few months until LEGO stores and retailers catch up with demand.
I could use the traffic light set right now! 😀 I could also see using the street lamps and bicycle sets in the future, maybe convert my one unused modular Pet Shop into a bike and skate board shop.
Nice idea with modifying the Pet Shop! 😀
I had a little fun last night and this morning with parts I do have and… “The Bike and Board Shop”. I was partially inspired by a local Target that just had a remodel and the front has a simple white bull’s eye and no ‘Target’ name on the front. Minimalist, yet gets the job done.
https://www.deviantart.com/robbhunter/art/Bike-and-Skate-Board-shop-front-761951968
Oh, that’s great! Love the design, especially with the helmets! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Thanks for your input! I’m happy to share. 😉