LEGO announced the 10,001-piece 10307 UCS Christmas Tree, and BrickNerd was lucky enough to be sent an early copy ahead of the holidays. What follows is an epic stream-of-consciousness build journal of the set while lighting and decorating it for Christmas.
Read MoreCome for a ride as we spin through the orbits and gearing systems of the LEGO Technic Planet Earth and Moon in Orbit set, checking how close it comes to being accurate.
Read MoreCan you build a LEGO set just from the parts without ever seeing what the official set should be? Join us as we attempt an “all pieces, no pictures” experiment with the wild and whimsical DreamZzz sets.
Read MoreBrickNerd explores how building LEGO light fixtures can create practical lighting effects to deliver the light where it is needed most... by spotlighting the new Tudor Corner modular set from LEGO.
Read MoreGuest contributor Chrissy Vaughn shares why soccer and the new LEGO Icons of Play set help girls gain the confidence to play ball—and play with LEGO—because representation matters.
Read MoreTo celebrate the boundless creativity of the LEGO Dreamzzz sets, BrickNerd shipped them to various talented AFOLs to play with and dream about. What happened as a result? Dream on!
Read MoreWarning: LEGO’s latest tribute to video games, Pac-Man, will make your fingers numb. We took the set to Paul Hetherington and the public to compare MOCs and take a first-hand look at the power of nostalgia.
Read MoreLEGO’s massive 10316 Rivendell set is a love letter to The Lord of the Rings fans and a stunning model showcasing the splendor of the elves of Middle Earth, but can we make it a mashup with LEGO’s other colorful elves? Join us as we celebrate the legacy of the LEGO Elves theme through a bit of creative modding.
Read MoreThe LEGO Ideas BTS Dynamite set lit up the internet when it was revealed last week, but many AFOLs wondered, “Who is BTS!?” Today we introduce you to the popular boyband, evaluate why the partnership is a perfect fit, and take a hands-on look at the model from the perspective of a fan of both BTS and LEGO.
Read MoreJoin us as we celebrate the Spring Festival with LEGO’s most recent Lunar New Year sets! We explore the cultures and traditions of the Chinese diaspora from the perspectives of LEGO fans in Asian communities across the globe.
Read MoreIt was the first ship ever seen in the Star Wars universe, it carried the droids to Tattooine, the ship that Princess Leia was captured on. It’s the Tantive IV, AKA the Rebel Blockade Runner, and it’s the newest large LEGO Star Wars ship. LEGO was kind enough to send one our way and here’s our review of one of the most iconic science fiction ships to ever burst onto the silver screen.
Read MoreLEGO recently launched the XTRA line, set of polybags catered more to places and accessories than specific themes. It’s a great way to add life and detail to a larger MOC or just stock up on otherwise harder to find parts. There’s sets with plants, traffic lights, bikes and more. LEGO was kind enough to send us the Sea Accessories set to share with you so let’s dig in shall we?
Read MoreThis week I had the distinct pleasure of building the most awesome LEGO set of all time with the most awesome group of people of all time, Tested.com. We spent two days building, shooting, sharing stories and having a load of fun geeking out on this spectacular set.
We also had the classic UCS Falcon on hand for a direct comparison during the build. We were continually surprised and delighted at not only the upgrades from the original, but how vastly different they were. Besides being the same size and of the same ship, they're two very different builds.
We worked out a great system of teams of sorters, knollers, feeders and builders. While it did necessitate the dismantling of the instructions, it made the build quite a bit quicker, resulting in a build time somewhere around 12 hours. And that includes time that the team needed to break away and do their normal Tested.com content, like podcasts.
Tested.com is one of my favorite websites and YouTube channels, and of course Adam is the protonerd, so just spending time with the team was an absolute pleasure. Combine that with pretty much the greatest LEGO set of all time, and it was a memorable two days I will never forget. Check out the video on YouTube and for the extended editions consider becoming a Tested.com premium member (I am). I'd like to thank Adam, Norm, Sean and the rest of the Tested crew for welcoming me into their domain. And of course a huge thank you to LEGO for providing this review copy of what is sure to be a legendary set.
The fine folks at Brick Warriors were kind enough to send over one of their latest releases, the German Flametrooper. While I'm not a military builder, we have had military scenes in a couple animations done here over the last few years, so we do keep an assortment of military accessories on hand. And now we have a particularly badass set.
Read MoreClicTime, the official timepiece licensee for LEGO, makes the coolest timepieces. They recently hooked me up with a Batman alarm clock and watch to share with you. Check out the video then enter to win your own Batman watch below.
We've all seen it, The LEGO Batman Movie, but how much do you know about how it was made? Well luckily those fine folks at DK have published a book that goes pretty deep into the process, and gives a behind the scenes peek into the massive undertaking it was. From the script to the screen, and everywhere in between, you'll get to see the inner workings and many, many steps it takes to go from concept to the theater.So grab some lobster thermidor, put on your best smoking jacket and settle in for a good read.
Read MoreFollowing up on our last review, now we're looking at the battle pack for our rebels, a 2017 release! Another 120 pieces is included in this $15.00 set, and I feel it's definitely worth the new price. Let's dive in!
Read MoreOur second review for March, we're looking at one of the two winter battle packs. If you like stormtroopers, this is the pack for you! Even better, it features the new Imperial Death Troopers. Retailing for $15.00 in the US, this set packs a punch with its 4 figures and 112 pieces! I believe a closer look is in order. . .
Read MoreIt's been a while since we've reviewed a set here on BrickNerd. . . Let's change that!
Today we're looking at a 2017 Star Wars release, the second version of the Phantom seen on Star Wars Rebels. This set features 3 minifigures (or 2 plus a droid character), 269 pieces, and is priced for $30.00 in the US. Let's take a closer look!
Read MoreGeek culture is a little hard to define. Does that mean Star Wars and Doctor Who fans? Magic the Gathering players? Cosplayers and prop builders? It's sort of all those things, and a million more. It falls under my mantra of "fearless passion", or celebrating and sharing love for something without caring what others think. Sometimes it takes us a while to embrace our own geekdom, but when you really decide you're a nerd, and seek out other like-minded nerds, you'll be so much happier. So what does this have to do with this book?
Read MoreWhat happens when a lifelong Trekkie, AFOL and professional toy designer finally gets an official LEGO Star Trek playset? Samuel Hatmaker explores the new Enterprise bridge and shows why playing Star Trek matters as much as displaying it.
We spoke with several Autistic AFOLs who shared their experiences with LEGO regarding coping, community, collecting and catharsis. And we found that Autism can be both a challenge and a superpower when it comes to LEGO.
What do you do when a LEGO Pokémon set doesn’t quite hit the mark? Take it apart and create an alternate build using only the pieces from the original set! But how do you level up a character as recognizable as Pikachu?
What happens when a LEGO builder who knows almost nothing about Pokémon takes on the entire Smart Play wave? We explore the colorful and curvy sets and then remix them into crazy creations far beyond the Pokédex.
Who was Susan Williams and why was her impact on people’s perception of LEGO so significant? Join BrickNerd as we piece together the illustrious career of this mysterious LEGO employee.
Have you ever wondered what the LEGO community was like in the 2000s? Today's guest writer and veteran builder, Nannan Zhang, shares his thoughts on building and sharing MOCs online for the past 20 years.
The blue Classic Space astronaut has come a long way from the 1980s. Richard Dryden explores LEGO’s new upscaled version and reflects on the Classic Space sets and memories that started his LEGO journey.
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