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Brick Breakdown: LEGO Winter Toy Shop

by Thita (admin) on September 30, 2015

(Written by William)

In this Brick Breakdown series I review official LEGO sets, from the perspective of looking at interesting building techniques we can all learn from. Today we will be looking at the #10249 LEGO Winter Toy Shop. You can also check out the previously discussed LEGO techniques found in official LEGO sets at the end of this article. 🙂

Before we get started, it might be good to get one question out of the way. Why was this set reissued? It’s a question Jamie Berard (the lead designer for LEGO Creator) gets asked a lot these days. I have a friend who recently took a trip to Denmark, and had a chance to ask Jamie this very question in person. The long and short of his response was rather surprising. The reissue had nothing to do with a lack of new design ideas. In fact, according to Jamie, they had a new model ready to go. However management was not ready to put resources into it just yet. So Jamie talked with the people in charge and it all boiled down to this; there would either be no new LEGO Winter Village set this year, or they could rerelease one of the previous sets. The end result is a revised version of the #10199 LEGO Winter Toy Shop from 2009. The next logical question is; what changes are there in the revised version?

#10249 LEGO Winter Village Toy Shop vs. #10199 LEGO Winter Village Toy Shop

➡ LEGO WINTER TOY SHOP – WHAT’S NEW?

Parts wise, there are noticeable changes between the original set and the rerelease, while keeping all the charm of the original. The most noticeable structural change involves the Christmas tree and the roof of the shop, but we will skip over those for now and talk about them later when we discuss the techniques used. Other really neat changes are the little toys.

First up is the new rocket ship. It’s a simple design that can be put together quite easily, but it has an instantly recognizable shape. Next is the delivery truck that uses the new black roller-skate pieces as wheels – very clever and looks good. More sophisticated designs are the biplane and the helicopter. Both take advantage of brand new pieces that were not available in 2009, and some very clever building-techniques. Other changes for the toys include the new teddy bear, instead of the small brick-built bear in the original set. Also, a crate has been added to store the light-strands and/or gifts. And the previously brick-built wreaths have been replaced with the new green life-preservers.

#10249 LEGO Winter Village Toy Shop Details

As far as the minifigures, there is an additional minifig added to the previous line-up, and some of the designs have been changed. The most significant being new printed faces and bodies for the carolers. Also, the lady caroler who used to have two capes to give the illusion of a red interior lining, now only has one cape that is red on one side and black on the other.

#10249 LEGO Winter Village Toy Shop Minifigures

You might think, that while these changes are nice, they still don’t add up to a $20 mark up in price. The original set from 2009 had 815 pieces, while the new set has 898 pieces. So there are a few more areas that got new parts that may explain the increase. For instance, there is a whole new strand of lights added. Also the tree, while looks quite similar, is designed differently using more pieces. Other examples of increased number of pieces include the ladder which originally features a 2×2 modified brick with two finger connections. This time the same shape was rebuilt with plates using four pieces instead of one. Some of the floor tiles have been swapped out as well, from 1×6 to a couple of 1×3 tiles. Oh, and before I forget, the bench has studs now so minifigures will not slip off. 😀

As for changes in colors, there are several small variations. For example the red lights on the tree were replaced with pink. The fixtures for those lights, as well as the door-knob and frog above the clock, are now all gold. The wheels on the toy train have become silver. The Jack-In-The-Box went from blue and red to blue and orange. The gray LEGO Technic pieces on the roof are now dark-green and the plates under the windows that were dark-red are now reddish-brown. And we already talked about the changes for the minifigures.

➡ LEGO WINTER TOY SHOP – TURNING PLATES

Besides changes in elements, colors, and details there are also differences in building techniques. The original set came out before I started writing this Brick Breakdown series, so I never had a chance to talk about some extremely rare techniques, like turning plates. This technique is used in both versions of the set near the top of the Christmas tree, where a 2×4 plate is slightly turned. To understand what is happening here, take two 2×4 plates and two 1×1 round plates to conduct a small experiment.

#10249 LEGO Winter Toy Shop Christmas Tree

Place a 2×4 plate horizontal so you have two rows of four studs. Now place the two round plates in the upper left corner and the lower right corner of the horizontal plate. Now take the second 2×4 plate (also horizontal) and then slightly rotate it so that the lower left stud attaches to the round plate in the upper left corner and the upper right corner attaches to the lower right stud. If you do it right, it should look like the top plate is turned about 45 degrees.

The new LEGO Winter Toy Shop also connects the lower branches using this technique. This gives each successive layer a much more natural shape while continuing to provide solid stability. In addition, these plates are built around a trunk that is made of 2×2 round bricks. The result is a realistic tree-trunk and convincing limbs when you look at the tree from the side. All in all, it is a much more complex, yet subtle design, and it provides you with many more examples of plate turning when compared to the original set.

➡ LEGO WINTER TOY SHOP – SIGHTED VS. BLIND BUILDING

Probably the biggest change to the new version of the LEGO Winter Toy Shop is how the roof comes together. It is also what I feel is the worst change to the model. Ultimately, you do get a roof that looks almost the same, and maybe even a bit more seamless. The trade-off is that it is a lot more fragile than the original. In order to explain this difference you need to understand differing building approaches.

And this is where sighted and blind comes into play. These terms refer to how much you are able to see the connections when you are putting something together. In a blind approach you rely on your sense of touch. This means you are free to build things a bit more on the sturdy side since you don’t need to see what you are covering up. On the other side of the coin is the sighted approach. This method may require using fewer elements or thinner pieces so that you can better have line of sight when you connect things together. Generally, it has the benefit of looking a bit better since you don’t have to cover up any bulky elements.

#10249 LEGO Winter Village Toy Shop Inside

Neither method is superior. Both have their major strength and potential weakness. A great builder will learn to use both styles and use each at the most appropriate times. The roof on the newest version of the LEGO Winter Toy Shop is completely a sighted approach. It has a much simpler connection system and looks great. I personally found the instability a point against the technique since I feel floors, walls, and roofs should be the most resilient and durable parts of a building. However, that’s just my personal preference.

➡ LEGO WINTER TOY SHOP FINAL COMPARISON

Normally, I talk about how to apply the techniques you learn at this point, but I feel this Brick Breakdown has more to do with how the new set compares to the original. In short, this version does feel like a small but noticeable upgrade. For those who never got the original, this is an easy set to say yes to when it comes to adding it to your collection because it looks really sweet. If you have the original set already you might still consider picking it up for the upgrades it provides, but truthfully, most of what you get in the new set is minor differences. If you do end up having both sets, you might combine them to make the best version. For example, taking the old roof and putting it on the new set with the updated green LEGO Technic pieces. Other hobbies call this “kit bashing”. LEGO fans just call it building what we want. 🙄

In the end, this set is great, no matter which version you get. I will admit that the new version feels a bit better overall, if you only want one. The minor issue I have with the roof is merely nitpicking an excellent design. However, for those who have the willpower to skip this set because you have the original, you aren’t missing out on too much. My final opinion is that this was a very good set to have a re-issue for this year.

So what do you think? How do you like the #10249 LEGO Winter Toy Shop? Do you have the original set already? Are you planning to get the new version? And did you learn from the interesting building techniques used in the sets? Feel free to share your own experiences and tips, or ask questions in the comment section below! 😉

And you might also like to check out the other reviews in this series:

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LEGO Star Wars new heroes & villains

by Thita (admin) on September 29, 2015

in LEGO Star Wars

In the September-October issue of the LEGO Club Magazine there is a 10-page insert focusing on the new LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens sets and characters. We have already discussed the new LEGO Star Wars sets (see: LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens Reviews), but since the film won’t be released until December, we don’t fully know how the sets and characters fit into the plot. However the LEGO Club Magazine gives us some clues, especially about the new heroes and villains. So let’s take a look. 🙂

LEGO Star Wars The Force Awakens - LEGO Club Magazine

The LEGO Club Magazine insert starts out with summarizing the saga so far: “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… for thousands of years, the peaceful Galactic Republic governed the galaxy. Made up of countless worlds and star systems, it was protected by the Jedi Knights, an order of guardians and warriors who wielded the mystical power of the Force. But the Jedi were betrayed and the Republic fell. In its place rose a cruel Galactic Empire, ruled by a mighty Sith Lord, who had mastered the dark side of the Force – and his apprentice, the dreaded Darth Vader. An alliance of brave rebel heroes gathered to oppose the Empire’s tyranny. In a series of daring battles, they defeated the Emperor’s evil plans and ended the threat of the dark side forever. This December a new adventure will begin. Once, the Republic struggled against the Separatists. Then the Rebel Alliance fought the Empire. Now the galaxy has erupted in a new conflict, as the Resistance faces the furious onslaught of the First Order!”

Then, right in the middle of the insert, there is a two-page spread with all the LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens characters. Each of them have a little bio so you can see what roles they play in this epic saga. Some of them are old friends, others are brand new characters:

LEGO Star Wars The Force Awakens - LEGO Club Magazine Characters

REY – A resilient survivor and scavenger who has been toughened by a life on the harsh desert world of Jakku. Available in #75099 LEGO Star Wars Rey’s Speeder.
CHEWBACCA -This fearless Wookiee co-pilot has fiercely stood by his captain’s side through countless adventures. Available in #75105 LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon.
HAN SOLO – The adventures of Han Solo are legendary – he’s been a smuggler captain of the Millennium Falcon, and a hero of the Rebel Alliance. Available in #75105 LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon.
TASU LEECH – Leader of the notorious Kanjiklub gang, an intergalactic criminal organization. Available in #75105 LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon.
KANJIKLUB GANG MEMBER – A grizzled one-eyed gangster who works for Tasu Leech. Available in #75105 LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon.
FINN – A trained fighter who wants to escape his past, he is plunged into adventure along a heroic but dangerous path. Available in #75105 LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon.
FIRST ORDER OFFICER – High-ranking officers and commanders in the vast military of the First Order. Available in #75101 First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter.
JAKKU THUG – A strong-armed bully who works for junk dealer Unkar Plutt to help keep his scavenging business running. Available in #75099 LEGO Star Wars Rey’s Speeder.
FIRST ORDER TIE FIGHER PILOT – Skilled First Order pilots who hunt down enemy vessels and protect installations and warships. Available in #75101 First Order Special Forces TIE Fighter.

LEGO Star Wars The Force Awakens - LEGO Club Magazine Minifigs

RESISTANCE X-WING PILOT – A skilled pilot who files the latest generation of X-wing combat starfighters. Available in #75102 LEGO Star Wars Poe’s X-wing Fighter.
POE DAMERON – An ace X-wing fighter pilot and a leader in the Resistance’s fight against the evil First Order. Available in #75102 LEGO Star Wars Poe’s X-wing Fighter.
BB-8 – Resistance pilot Poe Dameron’s loyal spherical astromech droid. Available in: #75102 LEGO Star Wars Poe’s X-wing Fighter and #75105 LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon.
RESISTANCE GROUND CREW – Part of the tireless technical crew that provides mechanical support to the Resistance’s fleet of starfighters. Available in #75102 LEGO Star Wars Poe’s X-wing Fighter.
FIRST ORDER SNOWTROOPER – Cold weather assault troopers who wear advanced insulated armor and helmets. Available in #75100 LEGO Star Wars First Order Snow Speeder.
FIRST ORDER SNOWTROOPER OFFICER – A higher-ranked First Order Snowtrooper who leads squads of cold-weather troops into battle. Available in #75100 LEGO Star Wars First Order Snow Speeder.

LEGo Star Wars The Force Awakens - LEGO Club Magazine Minifigures

RESISTANCE TROOPER – Soldiers who rely on hit-and-run tactics to fight the overwhelming might of the First Order. Available in #75103 LEGO Star Wars First Order Transporter.
GENERAL HUX – A ruthless young officer in the First Order with total confidence in his troops and training methods. #75104 LEGO Star Wars Kylo Ren’s Command Shuttle.
CAPTAIN PHASMA – Commander of the First Order’s legions of troopers, clad in a cape and distinctive metallic armor. Available in #75103 LEGO Star First Order Transporter.
KYLO REN – A dark warrior who commands First Order missions with a temper as fiery as his unusual lightsaber. Available in #75104 LEGO Star Wars Kylo Ren’s Command Shuttle.
FIRST ORDER STORMTROOPER OFFICER – An armored trooper whose shoulder pauldron identifies him as a commanding officer. Available in #75104 LEGO Star Wars Kylo Ren’s Command Shuttle.
FIRST ORDER STORMTROOPER – Equipped with sleek armor and powerful weapons, Stormtroopers enforce the will of the First Order. Available in #75103 LEGO Star Wars First Order Transporter.
FIRST ORDER FLAMETROOPER – Specialized Strormtroopers of the First Order who carry flame-blasting incendiary weapons. Available in #75103 LEGO Star Wars First Order Transporter.
FIRST ORDER CREW – These helmeted crew members perform many vital functions aboard First Order starships and bases. Available in #75104 LEGO Star Wars Kylo Ren’s Command Shuttle.

So now that you know the main characters of the upcoming film, what do you think? Are you looking forward to it? Do you have any of the new LEGO Star Wars sets already? Which one is your favorite? Feel free to share your own thoughts and reviews on the sets and characters in the comment section below! And if you don’t have the sets already, you can find them under the LEGO Star Wars section of the Online LEGO Shop.

And you might also like to check out the LEGO Star Wars section for more news, reviews and discussions, or select from the following recent posts:

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Brick Breakdown: LEGO Winter Toy Shop

LEGO Star Wars new heroes & villains

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