REVIEW: 21123 The Iron Golem

[WhiteFang]

Hello everyone,

It is my great pleasure to be able to work on a new LEGO Minecraft set again. Earlier, I did the 21120: The Snow Hideout last year and now I find it is a pleasure to review this theme once more. Special thanks to Eurobricks and The LEGO Group (TLG) for providing this set to me to seize this opportunity to look at this new set in up close and personal. Minecraft is a game which is popular among construction gamers which is about breaking and placing textured blocks. People also built structures to protect against nocturnal monsters and harvest minerals and materials to forge new stuff. Since 2014, TLG have done three full waves of LEGO Minecraft Theme. To add, I am not a professional expert on the World of Minecraft and I may quote or interpret things wrongly. I sincerely seek your understanding and I will do my best to make sure it will still be an interesting and relevant review.

Name: 21123 The Iron Golem

Theme: LEGO System / Minecraft

Year: 2016

Pieces: 208

Minifigs: 2 minifigures equivalent, an Iron Golem and a Pig

Price: USD $19.99, GBP 19.99, EURO 19.99, SGD $39.90

Resources: Brickset, BrickLink

Smelt iron ingots in the furnace, craft iron blocks on the crafting table, then create an iron golem and spring a surprise on the roaming zombie. Enjoy hands-on Minecraft adventures, featuring your favorite characters and objects with this LEGO Minecraft set designed for young fans of the highly successful sandbox video game. Includes 2 minifigures: Alex and a zombie, plus an iron golem and a baby pig.

• Launch a surprise attack on the zombie with the secret iron golem pop-up function!

• Mine iron ore with your diamond pickaxe, smelt it in the furnace and use the crafting table to create iron blocks.

• Accessory elements include a buildable torch and pumpkin.Tool elements includes Alex's pickaxe.

• Set your imagination free rebuild the set for more LEGO Minecraft creations! Includes more than 200 LEGO bricks.

• Measures over 3 (8cm) high, 7 (19cm) wide and 5 (15cm) deep.

An original box image of the 21123 The Iron Golem

Back view of the original box image of the 21123 The Iron Golem

The basic greenery landscaping in World of Minecraft

This is not exactly a typical scenario but I would assume that it is reference to a generic landscape environment. In this case, this biome is made up of foliage and grass in a vibrant light green, except swamps and roofed forests, which have a dark green grass. The objective of this building set is really to construct an Iron Golem in such a block environment. The game concept remain fundamental which is part of the overall gameplay which the main player would need to build a sustainable hideout or structure to survive through the night by gathering resources.

The content of the sealed box

The sealed box comes with three mint packs, three 12x6 light green plate and an instruction manual. The instruction manual also promote building your own creations and this is how it will eventually looks like at the end of the steps. It is like an inspiration to create an alternate built and you can re-design the landscape whichever you like it to be.

After pouring all of the parts out and I start building the set, these are the remaining spare parts. I also managed to find a good assortment of interesting special LEGO Minecraft elements and useful bricks. I like how LEGO Minecraft sets come in many basic LEGO brick elements like 2x4, 2x2, jumper tiles, etc. All of these LEGO elements are very useful for future MOCs project. Furthermore, those printed tiles are quite unique to form the Iron Golem, Crafting Table and ores. I am particularly fond of the new diamond pickaxe which is represented in light blue. I am sure LEGO Minecraft fans will appreciate such fine details in their LEGO built.

The full characters in this Minecraft set

In this smallest set, we have a total of two minifigures equivalent which is Alex and Zombie. While, the other two highlight is the Iron Golem and the Pig or simply can be regarded as Piglet due to its small built.

Firstly, we get Alex and is also known as the 'Player'. The Player is the character that users control in Minecraft and is also part of the two default skins typically known as Steve and Alex. Based on the LEGO character design, Alex has long bright orange hair hanging to the left side, pale white skin, and dark green eyes, with a light-green shirt and a pair of brown pants. You can see back view of the blockish looking of Alex headpiece and back printing. Alex is not a common character unlike Steve. Alex has appeared in three LEGO sets so far, including this set.

Secondly, we get the Zombie. They are considered the least dangerous mob in the game because they are slow and can only use close range melee attacks. However, they have the skill to team up and attack as a team, making them harder. Zombies can spawn in two slightly different forms. The most common form is mostly resembles like the player (Steve) and the other is the zombie villager form but only 5% of zombies spawned are this form. You can see the the Creeper and Zombie together which will be a menace to the players. So far, the Zombie can be found in four sets including this.

Thirdly, we get the main attraction and exclusive Iron Golem. Iron Golem is a tough utility mob built with four Blocks of Iron and one Pumpkin or Jack o' Lantern that are immune to drowning and fall damage. Iron Golem will naturally spawn in Villages. Iron Golem are better known for being created by players, and can be created by building a structure of 4 Iron Blocks, and then placing a Pumpkin on top which is pretty much an accurate depict of this official LEGO set. You can take a closer look at how these printed tiles integrate from the side view and back view.

Lastly, we get the Pig or Piglet. Pigs are passive animal mobs that spawn in grassy areas. I find it very lovely even though it is not quite an actual representation with the actual pig though. You can take a closer look at its small built from the side view. So far, the pig only appeared in this set and the earlier 21115: The First Night. I do think that the pig in 21115 set is actually an adult pig, while this is just a piglet. I don't have that actual built to confirm it though.

We enlist the aid of Iron Golem

The completed built of the Iron Golem landscape

It took me less than 20 minutes to finish the entire built and the overall built is all about landscaping through basic LEGO brick elements. It is able to construct a decent landscape which took the opportunity to highlight a crafting table at the corner. It also create some fun of discovering ores by taking the basic blocks out of the pile. From the aerial view of the landscape, you push to the totem downwards and it will reveal the finished built of the Iron Golem being raised from the ground to protect the village. It is wonderful to see a static Iron Golem in position after you are done with a simple revealing mechanism.

The Iron Golem protecting the villagers

The zombie can't proceed anymore

The Snow Hideout and The Iron Golem set together

Putting the rest of mine characters into this play scene

Enjoy your experience in a typical Minecraft Day

To conclude, this is quite a decent nice built with the key characters and elements being put together in such a small set. I find this is quite a good introductry set for fans who are not too familiar with Minecraft. This set give a decent sampling to let you decide whether you like this set or not. Even if you do not like it, you can always part it out for parts. The main reason for me to review this set is the strong liking of the Iron Golem and the Pig. It allow me to put a small green scene together to show how some Minecraft actions can be put altogether. Well, this design may not stand out greatly among other Minecraft sets and it probably take a true LEGO and Minecraft fan to appreciate this set fully.

Please note that all opinions and content shown in this Eurobricks pictorial review is from 'WhiteFang' and is not meant to represent LEGO official views. It is purely stated to share as a vantage point of a reviewer.

Summary review

Playability: 5/10 (Average playing with the activation and transformation of Iron Golem built.)

Design: 5/10 (Basic block looking landscape design but stay faithful to the Minecraft envirnoment.)

Price: 5/10 (Price is on the high side especially after considering parts per price ratio.)

Overall: 5/10 (Get this set if you are a huge fan of LEGO Minecraft or if you just want to get an Iron Golem in your collection.)

I gave it a "3" based on my Review Score Card. What about you?

I hope every one of you enjoyed reading this simple review of mine. Comments and Criticisms are welcomed.

Pictures can be found in My Flickr.

[WhiteFang]

Dear Eurobricks Community,

I would like to share with all of you on my latest new review on the Minecraft Theme. Feel free to leave your thought and I hope you will enjoy reading it. Thanks.

WhiteFang

[hadidi1999]

It looks great, it i just that the Iron Golem looks to big and stout, I really loved Jangbricks improved Iron Golem:

The video can be found at:

I know LEGO has to live up to its standards, Which means sometimes sacrificing aesthetics for a stronger build.

Edited March 3, 2016 by hadidi1999

[bricklover]

A cool set, but I am not a fan of minecraft LEGO because they are too blocky.

[WhiteFang]

Thank you for your thoughtful comments. I think most of us are just viewing this set as more of a parts set. It's quite unfortunate as I really felt there are good details in this set especially the transformation of the Iron Golem like how it is being done in the actual game. Minecraft is all about blocks environment and LEGO is one of the best way to represent this concept.

[hadidi1999]

OOOHHH, now I see how the Iron golem transforms, I didn't get it the first time, but now I see, Wow that is so clever. You are right.

[princeofgonville]

Minecraft is an interesting theme. To many LEGO fans, I guess this set looks like an expensive box of parts. To Minecraft fans, especially the hardcore gamers, I see this as something to put on the shelf above the monitor, next to the Star Wars sets. To younger kids however, especially boys, I see this set as a very good fit for LEGO's strategy. It is totally in-keeping with the approach of other sets for the same age range. 10-year-old boys want to have characters that fight each other. Minecraft, Star Wars, Bionicle, Knights etc. are the starting point, and they will live out that fantasy world in real life, bashing the zombie with the iron golem, slashing away at Darth Vader with Luke's lightsabre, and doing whatever bionicles do to each other in their spare time. Paying tribute to the golem's transformation is essential to maintain the fantasy illusion and helping the target audience to live in the world of Minecraft.

To any parents considering buying Minecraft Lego for a minecraft-addicted child, this might help them to interact in real life with real friends away from the computer. Fantasy is an essential part of childrens' development, and I am starting to realise that LEGO totally understand this concept. Does the adult Lego Minecraft community take part in fantasy at the same level? Are there groups that meet to immerse themselves in Minecraft like a board game? I would be fascinated to find out.

[hadidi1999]

Minecraft is an interesting theme. To many LEGO fans, I guess this set looks like an expensive box of parts. To Minecraft fans, especially the hardcore gamers, I see this as something to put on the shelf above the monitor, next to the Star Wars sets. To younger kids however, especially boys, I see this set as a very good fit for LEGO's strategy. It is totally in-keeping with the approach of other sets for the same age range. 10-year-old boys want to have characters that fight each other. Minecraft, Star Wars, Bionicle, Knights etc. are the starting point, and they will live out that fantasy world in real life, bashing the zombie with the iron golem, slashing away at Darth Vader with Luke's lightsabre, and doing whatever bionicles do to each other in their spare time. Paying tribute to the golem's transformation is essential to maintain the fantasy illusion and helping the target audience to live in the world of Minecraft.

To any parents considering buying Minecraft Lego for a minecraft-addicted child, this might help them to interact in real life with real friends away from the computer. Fantasy is an essential part of childrens' development, and I am starting to realise that LEGO totally understand this concept. Does the adult Lego Minecraft community take part in fantasy at the same level? Are there groups that meet to immerse themselves in Minecraft like a board game? I would be fascinated to find out.

But I think if this is the case then why not keep the boardgame series going, I loved it. And to me now it seems with Dimensions, and Nexo Knights, it is more digital than it needs to be, as if LEGO by itself isn't that fun in the real world.

[WhiteFang]

Minecraft is an interesting theme. To many LEGO fans, I guess this set looks like an expensive box of parts. To Minecraft fans, especially the hardcore gamers, I see this as something to put on the shelf above the monitor, next to the Star Wars sets. To younger kids however, especially boys, I see this set as a very good fit for LEGO's strategy. It is totally in-keeping with the approach of other sets for the same age range. 10-year-old boys want to have characters that fight each other. Minecraft, Star Wars, Bionicle, Knights etc. are the starting point, and they will live out that fantasy world in real life, bashing the zombie with the iron golem, slashing away at Darth Vader with Luke's lightsabre, and doing whatever bionicles do to each other in their spare time.

You have an interesting take and I am inclined to agree with you as well. This is an interesting observation.

Paying tribute to the golem's transformation is essential to maintain the fantasy illusion and helping the target audience to live in the world of Minecraft.

Yes, I agreed with you fully.

[princeofgonville]

You have an interesting take and I am inclined to agree with you as well. This is an interesting observation.

Thanks WhiteFang. I have just purchased my first Minecraft set (mainly because I wanted the "Steve" and "Alex" characters). I'm happy to do a review of it - is there some advice on EB somewhere on doing set reviews?

Edited March 9, 2016 by princeofgonville

[WhiteFang]

Thanks WhiteFang. I have just purchased my first Minecraft set (mainly because I wanted the "Steve" and "Alex" characters). I'm happy to do a review of it - is there some advice on EB somewhere on doing set reviews?

Thanks princeofgonville. If you are interested in reviewing, you can sign up your interest to Reviewers Academy. By signing up the Reviewers Academy doesn't mean that you are tied down to the teaching methodology, you may choose to do your own review and use the Reviewers Academy teaching materials for guidance. Hope it will be of some use to you and I look forward to see you working on your Minecraft set review.