jp-30

Warehouse Red Alert LEGO sale today. Lots of Ninjago, plus 1 Scooby Do set, and Pirates, plus Bionicle and a couple of technics. http://www.thewarehouse.co.nz/red/redalert/tile-201115-toys

Just figured some of you would like to know that a Legoland theme park is opening in Melbourne next year. Just a 3 hour flight away. ;) http://www.kidspot.com.au/lego-theme-park-is-coming-to-australia

I'm sort of keeping up with the organised rewatch of X-Files (netflix / DVD / whatever) leading up to the new 6-part season in January (s01e12 Beyond the Sea up next for me). Anyway, have been inspired to make some LEGO X-Files related vignettes and scenes (Mulder's office is the first big one planned). Haven't started on the builds yet. But I got a few parts in the mail today from Bricklink, so have a few trial minifigs whipped up - Mulder, Scully, Deep Throat (though he may end up becoming the basis for Cigarette Smoking Man), and Cecil the pyro dude from "Fire" (s01e11). All purist so far, but may get custom handguns and flashlights... and crazyarms to enhance the figs.

Here's a quick grab of the various non Capaldi doctors.

10123 could be considered UCS.

The technic R2-D2 8009. What were they thinking?

A UCS set needs a wow factor - and it should be instantly recognisable. Almost any non Star Wars fan will see a OT UCS set and know that it's from Star Wars (even if they don't know the name of the ship). You'd be hard pressed finding a PT ship that would be instantly recognisable to non-SW fans. Maybe Anakin's podracer. The only one really suitable is the Naboo Fighter, and no surprises... that is the one they've done.

Here is a link to my entry - Jawa Ambush Battle Pack

JAWA AMBUSH BATTLE PACK One minifig I always wished was available outside of expensive Sandcrawler sets are Jawas. Please find my SWBP entry images below - a Droid being ambushed in a Jawa Battle Pack playset. Features 3 Jawas (all slightly different in colour, cape style, hood) and an Astromech droid to be 'salvaged'. The cliff-face is hinged and can swing around. The desert incline can be moved to suit your display setup. The cliff face can swing 180 degrees to make a deeper cave to hide in if you are a Jawa... Or the droid can hide in the cave to try and avoid the gaze of those glowing yellow eyes. Where did R2-R7 go? "Utinni!" - a gentle push of the droid with your finger down the desert incline ends with the droid being shot with an ion-pulse and falling front-first onto the track (the lugs on the track enhance this play-feature), ready for the Jawas to take back to their Sandcrawler.

I was inspired by the new collectible Sci-Fi Emperor to make a selection of minifigs based on the old, cheesy Flash Gordon movie from the early 80s. Still some tweaking to do as more pieces come to hand, but a decent start. Might look to make a few vehicles to go with them as inspiration strikes. First up probably Flash's JetSki style flying contraption.

I've got a few more Simpsons Minifigs now that I was after, plus a few more doubles. I'm still looking to trade for Itchy, Grandpa Simpson, Nelson and Milhaus. Can offer; Bart (+ base, skateboard) Krusty (+ base, pie) Flanders (+ base, coffee cup & tool chest) Marge (+ base, cloth skirt, handbag, Donut Fancy tile) Maggie (+ base, Bobo Teddy Bear) Itchy (+ base, club)

The flute was wedged into the bottom of the baseplate on my Snake Charmer.

The snake is quite soft and rubbery, so you may have missed it if you were expecting a hard plastic one.

Toyworld Henderson doesn't have any collectible minifigs as of this morning. They (and Westgate) tend to put a few boxes out "pre-felt" with the figure number written in vivid on the top of the bag - very handy! I've bought 20+ over the years, and they've never mis-guessed one. They tend to put out a bunch of unmarked ones too (good if all the pre-marked ones you want are gone).

Just picked up 4 Series 13 figs from Warehouse Lincoln Road, Auckland. They're hanging up in the regular LEGO aisle. Got 3 great figs and one so-so. Ming style Sci-Fi emperor (just awesome) Snake Charmer (I wanted the snake and turban for some Indiana Jones MOCs, so very happy Unicorn mascot girl (nice) She-Cyclops (meh) There were also some of the new City sets there too, but they're not on my radar.

I'll check that out with the kids next I'm in Christchurch, thanks bartneck! Will you also be selling LEGO? Seeing this is a topic in the Sell/Trades forum, am I allowed to try and sort out Simpsons minifig swaps in this thread? Looking at the rules, I think this is OK... apologies if I've misread them. Does anybody in New Zealand want to swap collectible minifigs? For starters I have 4x Simpsons doubles I'd like to swap for other Simpsons series figs. All these are opened, assembled, but not played with. Smokefree house, etc. Bart (+ base, skateboard) Krusty (+ base, pie) Flanders (+ base, coffee cup & tool chest) Marge (+ base, cloth skirt - NO handbag, NO Donut Fancy tile) No bags or instruction sheets included. Will swap for 4 other Simpsons minifigs (not including Homer, Maggie, Apu, Burns, Itchy, Scratchy). Happy to just swap 2 or 3 of my 4 if necessary, but would prefer to swap all 4 at once if there are any takers. Will also look to swap doubles of other non-Simpsons collectible minifigs, if there is any interest in doing this...

I see the new Dino range on the LEGO website, and apparently they're out on shelves in the USA (Toys R Us). Anyone seen any here yet?

Yeah, bought 2 Series 5 yesterday. Got the Godzilla suit, which is great, and the axeman. Love the axe and the new cap mold.

Hey all. I assume the exchange rate hasn't made NZ S@H's prices any better? I saw an ad for this company; http://www.buyusa.co.nz that could be useful for purchasing via the US S@H. Anyone used it (or anything similar)?

Anyone still seeing Home One and/or Endor Bunker sets on the shelves (especially in Auckand)? I still want them, but have been short of money for such big sets.

Toyworld Westgate (Auckland) have a new 3-in-1; Luke's Landspeeder with the 2 Hoth Battle Packs (yeah, I know, wt*?) for $70. Farmers has dropped the Wampa set to $75 to compete with the Hoth 3-in-1 I guess. A few new system sets hitting the shelves for Christmas in the various usual locations. That winter Shop with the Christmas tree is in Farmers and Toyworld, and the Warehouse has a good range of Star Wars sets.

Commander Fox, I think I know what a Wampa looks like. You've linked to a different 3-in-1 Hoth box. This is the one at Farmers;

Bummed to have missed the Pirate Ship, I had been eyeing it uo to make a ship from the Monkey Island games. Have bought a few of the small-mid PoP sets for Indy Jones customs in the last week. Saw a new 3-in-1 Hoth pack at Farmers (Henderson) yesterday - Wampa set, Tauntaun set & Rebel Minifig pack in a large box for $130. It was 20% off yesterday too, but no budget to buy it unfortunately. Maybe next sale.

Yeah, I've been quiet for a while as no budget for LEGO, so avoiding the websites so I don't get tempted. 4 collectible minfigs is all I've bought in the last 8 months or so (and 2 of them were ******* weightlifters). Also, heads up everyone... sign up at Toyworld (or update your details if you're already a member) to get a 20% off voucher + go in the draw for $100 gift card. http://www.toyworld.co.nz/twclub.html

Anyone seen any Prince of Persia sets on clearance anywhere? I'm looking to buy them as parts-packs for Indiana Jones MOCs, and I'm sure they'll drop in price soon as the movie pretty much bombed.