TeriXeri

Looks lovely and clean with this different style of building , contrast of color use very well done as well.

Just finished building the Money Tree set, it's quite nice, and in person, the top slopes don't look as bad imo. Also easily converted to something like a normal minifig tree or apple tree. Bonsai Tree is also still available so probably more desirable as display model.

Happened to a lot of the 2 packs over the years in the SC theme where dollar price is much better compared to like Euro, ever since the theme started back in 2015. 2023 single cars are $25/€25 2022 : 76909: Mercedes-AMG F1 W12 E Performance & Mercedes-AMG Project One : $35/€45 2022 single cars are $20/€25 (started at €20 at release, but a lot of sets got price adjustments) 2021: 76904: Mopar Dodge//SRT Top Fuel Dragster and 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A : $50/€60 2020 76898: Formula E Panasonic Jaguar Racing GEN2 Car & Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY : $30/€40 76899: Lamborghini Urus ST-X & Huracán Super Trofeo EVO : $50/€60 2019 (6 wide) 75893: 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon and 1970 Dodge Charger R/T : $30/€40 2018: 75888: Porsche 911 RSR and 911 Turbo 3.0 : $30/€40 Even going back down 2015-2017 there are some sets with $30/€35

As long as LEGO doesn't go crazy and turn it into a giant Tiamat with a tiny castle set (meaning where dragon is like 70-80% of the focus), but I'm fairly optimistic.

Pulsar Charger, Beacon Tracer, Vector Detector, Particle Ionizer, and Mega Core Magnetizer really have a Star Trek ring to it, not to surprising as 1990 was right in the middle of Star Trek : The Next Generation era (1987-1994)

Speaking of Minecraft , and Basic Bricks, it would be awesome to see a 11030: Lots of Bricks set with minecraft-y color scheme. I know Minecraft had multiple free-build boxes before, but the Classic theme shows it can do basic brick boxes again , now I hope LEGO continues that with more colors, and a minecraft-ish color scheme would go well for generic builds as well (meaning like standard green, dark green, standard blue, 2 grey tones, tan, brown etc that's not in 11030.) I don't have any minecraft sets, but this 11030 Castle example from this new Classic set reminded me a bit of 21161: The Crafting Box 3.0 or 21127: The Fortress. This is mainly a "what if" , and of course normal minecraft sets still exist, I just think it could be a nice addition, not just to minecraft but other builds as well to have some more basic brick packs in certain color pallettes under the Classic theme.

Very good choice, set isn't just D&D but also appealing to Castle/Dragon fans a whole imo.

Dreams as scenarios is actually very clever, not as bound by historic time periods compared to time travel, and yet can still visit said historic scenarios as well, but also go other directions like older LEGO themes (or inspired on such), or just really weird stuff like the LEGO Movie aliens and duplo monsters.

Speaking of which, I wonder if the Beach Van set was made with the new VW ID. Buzz launch in mind, I know the 3-in-1 set isn't modeled after either variant directly (mainly the T1, but the light position and grille holes has a bit of Buzz in it), but the launch of the new Buzz variant does put the vehicle into new attention, and VW is also celebrating 75 years of it's Van/Bus. (and LEGO has a history of creator expert/icons adult T1 and T2 vans as well) T1: ID. Buzz:

Oh I agree it doesn't make sense to see the shuttles again and again, I was just commenting how the 2023 set is a direct improvement over the 2019 version of similar scale. Shuttle in real life retired 12 years ago in 2011. Of course something like the 31111: Cyber Drone (sci-fi spaceship with minifig) would be prefered x1000 , even while that set is actually still being sold 2 full years after it's introduction in january 2021. The 2021 3-in-1 shuttle officially just retired, but then Friends just introduced yet another minifig scale shuttle in 2022 and then we get this 2023 microscale shuttle, and the big Discovery is still sold as well. I don't have many older shuttle sets myself, so I still like how the 2021 3-in-1 Shuttle unofficially combines with the 2022 Artemis rocket (if you remove the white top section). I don't think LEGO should keep making shuttles for much longer(or maybe just 18+ AFOL models like Discovery). Soon there will be a generation of kids who would never have seen a Space Shuttle launch at all, and it's already 12 years ago. City is focusing on nasa concepts/missions for Mars and Moon which is ok since it's still sort of relevant with the Artemis program and launch, but I think 3-in-1 should focus more on the science fiction side of things.

Yeah of course it can be a seperate building as well, makes sense in bigger countries/cities to have localized emergency vehicles parked near main roads etc. As a product it's not bad either, gives kids and starters all-in-1 type of set to have medic, police and fire services in 1 place. City had those starter sets in the past, 2013 and 2015 come to mind with all 3 services, but this 2023 is new because it has the building and also a scene to go capture the criminal/put out fire/help the injured.

So while City does have a 2022 Police HQ, 2023 Academy with expanded office, I think 2024 should add something like an expanded Prison area. Would include Cell block Yard (maybe a small basketball court, at least 1 hoop) Interrogation room (with maybe trans-black window with a tile on 1 side to mimic the "1 sided" glass Work/Food room with some table/seat Visitors window The last time there was focus on a larger prison was 2016 Prison Island. Dog training did get some attention in 2022 and got actually expanded upon in the 2023 set, so a prison expansion isn't strange.

Look, LEGO suggests a truly Classic Castle here (with some modern colors but still) : Classic theme 11030: Lots of Bricks I quite like how it mimics the 3-in-1 Creator Castle silhouette, even a water wheel. Of course this is a bit of a non-serious post, but I still like this "Castle" (and the 2d yellow castle on the left page)

Academy is by far my fav set this wave, I would use it to expand the 2022 police HQ (my only police building), but I can see it doesn't really fit with the styling of older police buildings. The emergency HQ I do like the ambulance but the rest is something that I could already make from a combo of existing police/fire/hospitals, so I prefer the Fire Boat and even the 4+ Vet first. The €10 and €20 sets are very nice this wave, and I've always been more of a fan of smaller Town/City sets over just big packs that have 50% building 50% vehicles, Academy is an exception as it only has a small quad, and the rest of it is focused on the building. Sure, the horse jump area could've been a standalone set outside of the focus of Police, but I'm not complaining it's part of the academy here, still prefer it over another police vehicle ,which are already quite readily available via 2022/2023 sets for example : 60312: Police Car 60315: Police Mobile Command Truck 60369: Mobile Police Dog Training And then there are a few police helicopters, SUV, armored truck, car via other 2022 sets still.

7110: Landspeeder , 1999, almost a quarter-century ago, my only Star Wars set.

Beach Camper certainly looks like an improved 2018 camper van, but I think another color might have made it more like a standalone set instead of having a bit of a repeat feel (if you own the original 2018 set that is). But the alternate builds look great as well, love the ice cream shop and even the beach house is a good start point if you add more depth and detail to the walls. I have a lot of the Creator 3-in-1 beach sets since 2015 so certainly interested, but lower prio compared to others as I own the 2018 Van. Love the smaller sets this year as well, even the 2023 Space Shuttle, while not minifig scale, it's impressive it has the opening doors and sat delivery arm, the 2019 31091: Shuttle Transporter was a bit similar scale but due to the truck it was a €25 set, instead of this one is just €10.

Sets are up on LEGO.com if you type set numbers. Parts look divided equally across 10 colors , so 100 bricks per color. 16x 1x1 20x 1x2 20x 2x2 8x 1x4 32x 2x4 4x 2x6 I think it's great to have the basic bricks box back, and I hope it continues in other colors as well. Something with the light/dark variants of Grey, Green, Brown, Blue, and Tan for Castle/Terrain/Minecraft-y builds. would make it 10 colors. Or maybe some other themed pack focused on large amount of slopes, corner slopes and inverted slopes only.

Now just needs a Technic Jeremy Clarkson fig that barely fits, as he's known for his dark blue ford GT , and then someday have a Lambo Tractor set

With the first few images from the catalog page , got first look at 11027 Creative Pastel Fun , and 11028 Creative Neon Fun (333 pieces each €19.99) Looks like LEGO possibly responded to some feedback about Classic sets having too many colours in the same box, and now made some color-focused sets with just 6 colors Also a larger set 11030 Lots of Bricks, looks like it has 10 colors, divided equally, about many actuallly basic sized Bricks, and just that, bricks Overall, to me, those sets come much closer to the old bulk bricks of the past, this one even has the exact number of 1000 pieces like some old tubs had , 1000 pieces €59.99 Really similar concept to this old one, 25 years ago ! , which had 1000 pieces of various basic brick sizes, almost equally divided, but 5 colors instead of 10. There's also 11029 Creative Party Fun which looks mainy focused on non standard pieces, mainly small , rounded/curved or clip/bar sized, 900 pieces €49.99 Images , and final prices will follow later when available (march release), for now , catalog link : https://catalogs.lego.com/BrandCatalog/au-nz/?icmp=LP-SHSB-Standard-BC_Sidekick_Standard_Brand_Catalogue-TH-NO-W33790OUQW&page=74

It's quite weird, I know licensed themes, used to favor US $ over Euro on many of those smaller $20ish sets would be €30-40 here around 2018, had some Harry Potter $15/20 sets sold for €20/30 (and the outlier Star Wars Hoth chamber $30 for €50). Some differences between Euro countries existed as well, until recently at least, Netherlands and Germany prices are more equal now, compared to before sometimes differing €5-10 on smaller sets and €10-20 on bigger, and that was adjusted before the big 2022 adjustments. Now things have shifted the other direction, and City / Monkie Kid / Chinese New year differences are more extreme, and aren't licensed movie themes. I mean, 2023 it continues, where the Monkie Kid Hideout is $140 vs €100 , or the Lunar Parade is $130 vs €100 (and those are in-house themes that aren't priced for big wide retailer discounts) In the case of City, it's very much the medium sets being hit so hard. And that's even with Dollar/Euro being nearly equal a few months ago, and US gets taxed on top of the price as well. But I'm not an economist or Chief Financial Officer of LEGO , so all I can do is this : , even some of those Euro Stuntz prices still completely feel:

Yeah that's absolutely ridiculous pricing , I can't find the price on 60359 as it's not on the US site, but if it's still $35 in 2023, that's silly.

Just found that you can click a little triangle play button picture in the catalog on Cosy House, and a 3d spin video came up, and it's indeed Hinged, that instantly gives it a lot of bonus appeal. Interior is cute too, 3 existing printed 2x2 tiles as paintings on the wall, Bridge, Sailboat at night and the Elephants sunset tiles. That likely means the brown roof house variant is a big triangle building when closed, and the 3rd build is just tall instead of hinged.

Cozy House looks quite different from the usual but I do like it, interesting variations of the alternate builds due to the 3 different colors of plates being water or wood, or green roof. A lot of parts count did go into 1x1 tiles for detail on roof tiles and ground path but I still like it, and it has a lot of more basic parts to build with, white bricks, 1x4 masonry bricks, larger plates, and those small ladder/fences. Can't see if the main build and the brown house are hinged, but it's possible that it's split in the middle. Vintage motorbike wheels are interesting, and the main model looks very good for a €15 set. Parrot looks very good as well, with some cool alternate builds. Unicorn and Microscale spaceshuttle are cheap €10 sets , but I like the variants that a Space Shuttle turns into an Astronaut or Vic Viper type build Dogs set has some interesting choices of parts but looks like a fun set as well , especially the hollow studs to make poodle fur look curly.

It showed Jan 10 for me as well, but after midnight Jan 1st, it was available for ordering. However, now it's back at Jan 10th again.

I think the most interesting take is how City and Friends "subthemes" launching at the same time, formerly it used to be about 1 year apart, City has rumored Ski and Underwater sets as well. While not entirely new (City 2022 Space and Friends 2022 Space Shuttle/astronauts), it brings the themes closer together.