Whether you’re actually a kid or just a kid at heart, there’s never been a better time to love amazing toys like the ones we cover at The Verge. Big toymakers are capitalizing on adults’ disposable income and a recent wave of nostalgia for the ‘80s — the heyday of toys — like never before. Meanwhile, crowdfunding and 3D printers are letting tiny startups get in on the action as well.
It’s filled with detail — and comes with Alfred, Catwoman, Penguin, and Max Shreck mini-figs.
Lego Dreamzzz is one of the most imaginative series of sets the company’s come up with in a while. (I’m also partial to the school-bus-turned-spaceship and nightmare shark pirate ship.) They’re all tie-ins for a new Lego show coming May 15th to Netflix, Amazon, and streaming to YouTube for free. The sets won’t arrive till August.
375 designs — and Lego will turn five of them maximum into limited-edition sets. Vote by 12PM PT on March 31st.
Personally, I’m pulling for:
The Sub Sandwich Shop, this tricky Japanese castle, an incredibly detailed Victorian home, a working mini golf course, this Space Museum (for Lego Space), a badass Boogie Boombox, a simple Snack Shack that reminds me of Hawaii, and this decadent Parisian Street.
[www.bricklink.com]
Somehow, these ones made it to stores before they were even announced — and @echoalive122_ has already built ‘em for us. More at their Instagram.
I’m pumped for Jack Black Bowser — almost as much as the man himself. My wife knows I’m excited for The Super Mario Bros. Movie (releasing April 5th!) and surprised me with this fire-breathing (water-vaporizing) Bowser figure. It joins other movie merchandise, like the Plumber Van.
Bowser’s seven-inches tall, has 14 points of articulation, and comes with a small bottle dropper to add water to the back of his head. Three AAA batteries not included.
The Dart Zone Pro MK-3 is $60 at Amazon, an all-time low — it originally retailed for $130. It’s one of the few non-boutique blasters you can buy that’s designed for sporting grade Nerf right out of the box, even if many community-designed blasters can easily outclass it.
Note: we might get a commission if you buy through that link.
I told you about the Bricklink Designer Program in January, but this weekend is your last. February 28th is the deadline to submit your design to be judged by peers and by Lego. You can make tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars if your design is one of the five winners.
This is, to me, a perfect Lego video — just a person putting bricks together to make a fun and clever idea, then showing it in action.
PS: if anyone wants to take this concept and slow it down to make a clock, that would be extremely cool.
Okay, this Fortnite Heavy SR replica isn’t all cardboard: you’ll see springs, dowels, rubber bands, and a pair of motorized flywheels that fling its foam (not particularly far).
But it’s still incredible to watch DanCreator’s cardboard crafting at work. And while we’re talking about YouTube crafts... can I assume you’re familiar with the guy who carves supercars out of wood for his children? Good stuff.
In 2021, I profiled Out of Darts, calling them “the foam-slinging equivalent of James Bond’s gadget armorer Q.” Their latest gadget is the Herja, a fully-automatic flywheeler you can bolt onto another blaster so you’re never cornered without ammo.
It’s $90 for a DIY kit or $190 for a fully-assembled blaster. That’s definitely going on my birthday wishlist.
621 sets vied for your vote, and a winner has now been chosen: Lego will be producing a version of BoltBuild’s Dragon’s Keep: Journey’s End as its first Dungeons & Dragons set. Lego designers will take it from here, so the final result might not look exactly like the pics — but it’s confirmation that the Lego Castle renaissance will continue.
With permission, of course! It’s for a custom action figure that should arrive 45 days after the show — and if you want to see what it’s like, perhaps even try or buy one yourself, I’ve got the Verge hands-on story for you:
My favorites are The Travel Suitcase and the Japanese Castle, though I’d be happy with many of them! Here’s the full list.
Don’t get your hopes up for a Zelda castle or the house from Up, as Lego has repeatedly rejected designs like those before. And since Lego’s new Jazz Club already has a pizza parlor, I’m afraid the amazing Modular Arcade might not make the cut.
Neither snow, nor rain, nor the freezing temperatures that have disrupted Christmas travel around the country will stop Santa Claus from delivering gifts this Christmas. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which runs the acclaimed NORAD Santa Tracker each December, has assured anxious families that “Santa will be right at home with the Arctic weather”.
We’re assuming the big guy is fairly on top of things, but just in case he’s running behind: it’s also a good idea to charge gadgets and download any relevant software updates before December 25th. Console updates can take hours, and no kid wants to wait for that nonsense on Christmas day.
Remember when this man brought Lego’s classic computer bricks to life by putting a working computer and OLED inside? I have bittersweet news. Though I did connect him with someone at Lego, it doesn’t look like that’s moving forward, he’s no plans to produce more than a few, and at this point it sounds like he’s nearing the end of the project.
Consolation prize: here’s a rough idea how to make one yourself! Also, they play Doom.
Check out Polygon’s list of the ones that really stood out this year, which covers the gamut from easy party games, to Magic: The Gathering sets, and hardcore strategy.
It could also be useful if you’re still doing holiday shopping — board games are a great gift for those of us who struggle to find gaming partners, because at least one person will be obligated to play it with you.
I know what I’m making for stocking stuffers this year! Here’s the new X-Wing, last year’s Tie Fighter is especially stunning in ice blue, and you can find lots of other easily 3D printable “kit cards” at your STL repository of choice.
I just printed two of these reindeer for my kids. Here’s a picture of them pulling a tiny sleigh!
The pop-up “sights” are the best part.
It’s called the Lame Boy, it’s by BoBoInnovation, and you can 3D print your own! It’s $20 for the files, though you’ll also need a bunch of different filament colors, plus a fistful of springs and M3 hardware, superglue, and a bit of red fiber optic for the LED. Build guide here.
Disney is hyping the excellent new Willow TV show with a bunch of merchandise based on the original film, including this currently on-backorder “vintage style” Willow action figure that comes with a tiny dessert-shaped ugly baby.
Lego recruited its own fans to design an official D&D set, and you can now vote on the five finalists by signing up for a free account. Winners don’t just get bragging rights, but also 1 percent of the proceeds!
I’m a little annoyed that awesome Ultra Mimic got snubbed, but I might add an awesome dice tower to my collection.
Dungeons & Dragons is getting an official Lego set based on designs from fans — and those fans are telling Lego loud and clear that the Mimic deserves consideration. Over two dozen different Mimic designs have been submitted (out of 621 total entries), but I can’t get over how beautifully / terrifyingly Varghoss’s Ultra Mimic here comes to life.
