Earlier this year, we discussed the new LEGO-xtra sets (see: LEGO-xtra Playmats & Accessory Packs). As the name implies, these are small packs and accessories to boost your current collection. They mostly complement the LEGO City theme, although they also go well with LEGO Creator, LEGO Classic, and other LEGO themes. 🙂
You can read a full review of the sets at the above-mentioned link, but in summary, the collection includes three double-sided playmats (the #853840 LEGO-xtra Road Playmat, the #853841 LEGO-xtra Sea Playmat, and the #853842 LEGO-xtra Park Playmat), and five small polybags (the #40309 LEGO-xtra Food Accessories, the #40310 LEGO-xtra Botanical Accessories, the #40311 LEGO-xtra Traffic Lights pack, and the #40312 LEGO-xtra Streetlamps pack). The playmats come with two double-sided panels and some standard LEGO pieces for $7.99, and the polybags come with 25-50 pieces for $3.99. You can find them all at the LEGO-xtra section of the Online LEGO Shop.
It looks like LEGO is planning to continue the LEGO-xtra line next year with more sets. They already added one new polybag to the LEGO-xtra section of the Online LEGO Shop, which will be available on January 1st. LEGO sent us a sample of this new bag, so I can show it to our readers. The #40341 LEGO-xtra Sea Accessories pack comes with 24 pieces, including ¬a shark, a parrot (new style with blended colors), a light-blue fish, a seashell, two harpoons (each made of three pieces), a printed map, a lime-green surf board, a single peddle (I assume for peddle boarding?), a couple of stars (for starfish?), binoculars, a treasure chest with three gems, a dark-brown barrel, and an orange buoy.
While some of the pieces like the lime-green flippers and surf board may not be so useful in large quantities, there are some great pieces here as well. I’m, particularly happy about the dark-brown short bars and dark-brown lightsaber hilts (used for the harpoons). I believe this is the first time we get dark-brown lightsaber hilts. The dark-brown barrel, reddish-brown chest, the printed map, the gems, the seashell, and the stars are also useful items. Sharks are always great to have, so are parrots and fish. So, all in all this is a nice little accessory pack and a great addition to the previous ones. If you are looking for small accessories for cheap prices, or large quantities of particular accessories, the LEGO-xtra packs are definitely worth checking out. So far, my favorites are the #40309 LEGO-xtra Food Accessories and the #40310 LEGO-xtra Botanical Accessories, but the other ones are great as well. It just depends on what pieces you need. You can find them all at the LEGO-xtra section of the Online LEGO Shop.
When LEGO was still running a mail-order business pre-Internet era, they used to offer a large selection of service-packs, so LEGO fans could get the extra pieces they needed for their projects. Service-packs have been replaced by the Pick-A-Brick wall at official LEGO stores and the Pick-A-Brick and Bricks-And-Pieces online shops where LEGO fans can buy pieces in bulk, but it is still nice to get small packs with useful accessories for reasonable prices. So, next time you stop by at a LEGO store, or shop online, take a look at the LEGO-xtra selection. You may find a pack that you like.
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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