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2016 LEGO Juniors summer sets review

by Thita (admin) on June 22, 2016

We have reviewed most of the summer set releases already (see links at the end of this post), but there are a few more that we haven’t discussed yet. Today we will focus on the new LEGO Juniors sets that just became available at the beginning of the month. While the LEGO Juniors theme is specifically aimed at younger kids who are transitioning from DUPLO to regular LEGO, it is also of interest of older builders because of the nice minifigures and unique printed elements. 🙂

LEGO Juniors have some of their own unique sets, and they also pull inspiration from other themes like LEGO Super Heroes, LEGO Ninjago, and LEGO Disney Princess. This allows younger kids to experience some of the most popular themes in easy-to-assemble sets. One of the sets released this summer is from the Super Heroes line, and the other three are from LEGO Friends. This is the first time we get LEGO Friends related sets for younger children. So let’s take a look!

➡ #10724 LEGO JUNIORS BATMAN & SUPERMAN VS. LEX LUTHOR: This is a fantastic little set with lot of interesting printed elements (look at all those bat logos!), a nice looking mech, a great little batmobile, a small Batcave section, fun play-features, and three excellent minifigs. A winning set all around for a very reasonable price. Here is the official description, and I also included a video-review by JANGBRiCKS, so you can see the details: Suit up alongside Batman and Superman and prepare to take on Lex Luthor! Get the Batmobile ready and arm the Batcave’s bat-disk shooter. Help Superman take to the skies with his launcher before Lex arrives in his robotic vehicle with grabbing claw and kryptonite-powered laser gun. Save the day with your favorite super heroes! Includes 3 minifigures: Batman, Superman and Lex Luthor. 164 pieces. Price: $19.99 – BUY HERE

➡ #10726 LEGO JUNIORS STEPHANIE’S HORSE CARRIAGE: This is a small set, but it gives you all the essentials for a small horse-carriage, a sweet LEGO Friends style horse, and one mini-doll. Here is the official description: Plan a day of riding with friends! Join Stephanie from LEGO Friends and her horse Mocca for some fun journeys! Help Stephanie hitch her favorite horse to the carriage and then head to the orchard to fill the basket with fresh apples. Feed and groom Mocca in the stable once you’re back and don’t forget to brush her down well, put a bow in her mane and rake the hay. Then put the saddle on her back and set out on a relaxing ride around Heartlake City with friends! Includes Stephanie mini-doll figure plus Mocca the horse. 58 pieces. Price: $12.99 – BUY HERE

➡ #10727 LEGO JUNIORS EMMA’S ICE CREAM TRUCK: This set is so sweet, I don’t even know where to start! Even though the ice-cream truck is built on the standard, large, one-piece LEGO Juniors chassis, the rest of the details added make the vehicle quite unique. Also note all the nice printed tiles; two panels for the sides of the ice-cream truck, and a sign. And you get plenty of ice-cream pieces, popsicles, and other nice accessories. This set just makes me hungry for ice-cream! Here is the official description: Grab a cold and tasty treat with your friends! Head to Emma’s ice cream truck with Andrea to get some delicious ice cream in the sun. Grab a seat at the table and have a fun chat before heading back to the beach. Help Emma clean up and get ready for the next customers. Summer is a great time to hang out with friends! Includes Andrea and Emma mini-doll figures, plus a puppy. 136 pieces. Price: $19.99 – BUY HERE

➡ #10728 LEGO JUNIORS MIA’S VET CLINIC: While LEGO Friends had a number of similar vet related sets, the decorations in those sets are almost always stickers. The unique feature of this LEGO Juniors set is that all the beautiful decorated pieces you see are printed. So even if you have the standard LEGO Friends sets, it would be worth getting this one for the printed elements. You also get a number of very nice accessories, and four cute animals. Here is the official description: Save the animals and save the world! Join Olivia and Mia as they work to help injured and sick animals get better in the LEGO Juniors Vet Clinic! Open the clinic with Mia and get ready for the day’s patients. Tell Olivia about an animal that needs to be picked up in the ambulance and then meet her when she arrives. Bring the animal into the clinic so Mia can begin treating it. Help make the animals comfortable until they’re all better! Includes Mia and Olivia mini-doll figures, plus a rabbit, baby rabbit, cat, turtle and a hedgehog. 173 pieces. Price: $29.99 – BUY HERE

As you can see, LEGO Juniors is continuing strong with some very nice sets. While the sets are aimed at younger kids, it is definitely worth following this theme because of the nice designs and unique pieces. You can find all the currently available sets under the LEGO Juniors section of the Online LEGO Shop.

So what do you think? How do you like the new LEGO Juniors sets? Are you planning to get any of them? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below! 😉

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In memory of LEGO designer Daniel Krentz

by Thita (admin) on June 21, 2016

in Community News

LEGO designer Mark Stafford shared some very sad news on his flickr page a few days ago. Daniel August Krentz, designer of the famed #375 LEGO Classic Yellow Castle and many other iconic LEGO sets recently passed away. Daniel was the first LEGO designer recruited from the LEGO fan community, and the first LEGO designer from outside of Denmark. Our heart goes out to his family, friends, and colleagues at the LEGO Group. Below is the original announcement from Mark (slightly edited for clarity).

Daniel Krentz, retired LEGO designer passed away. Daniel was born in the USA in 1937, and lived in Colorado and Chicago. He discovered LEGO bricks while in college in the 1960s. He bought as many brick-packs as he could afford on his salary. Soon his creations came to the attention of LEGO’s US distributor at the time (Samsonite), and they began using his work as display-models to increase sales. Shortly after they showed off his creations to visiting representatives of the LEGO Group, and Daniel was recruited to be a LEGO designer in Billund, Denmark. He was both the first AFOL (Adult-Fan-of-LEGO) and the first non-Dane hired to be a designer by the company. He started working as a designer in the mid 1970s, and continued until his retirement in the year 2000. While in Denmark he fell in love and got married. His wife passed away in the 1990s. He attended church every Sunday, and lived a quiet and peaceful life in Billund. He continued building with LEGO bricks for the rest of his life. His funeral is today, on the 21st of June, 2016. Daniel was the designer of dozens of LEGO sets during his time at the company. Here are some of the most iconic ones:

#375 LEGO Classic Yellow Castle (and all the additional LEGO Castle sets that launched with it)
#6067 LEGO Castle Guarded Inn
#6073 LEGO Castle Knight’s Castle
#6074 LEGO Castle Black Falcon’s Fortress
#6078 LEGO Castle Royal Drawbridge
#6081 LEGO Castle King’s Mountain Fortress
#6267 LEGO Pirates Lagoon Lock-Up
#6276 LEGO Pirates Eldorado Fortress

Even after retiring Daniel continued to be active in the LEGO fan community. Some of his most recent models were featured in the first and second volumes of The LEGO Adventure Book series. If Daniel’s work and life had a positive impact on you, Mark will make sure his family gets any messages you would like to leave. You can share your thoughts at Mark’s flickr page, or in the comment section below.

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2016 LEGO Juniors summer sets review

In memory of LEGO designer Daniel Krentz

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