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Everything you need to know about LEGO VIDIYO

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LEGO VIDIYO is a new theme from the LEGO Group and Universal Music Group that allows users to create their own music videos with special minifigures and hit songs.

Here’s a round-up of what we know so far…

When will LEGO VIDIYO be released?

The theme is launching in most territories around the world on March 1.

What is LEGO VIDIYO?

It’s a new LEGO theme that combines physical products and a new app. The sets contain unique, new minifigures and 2×2 tiles known as BeatBits. Users can scan the products with the app and create inventive, original music videos using music from Universal Music Group’s extensive catalogue.

What music will be available in LEGO VIDIYO?

  • Happier – Marshmello
  • Believer – Imagine Dragons
  • Sucker – Jonas Brothers
  • Don’t Call Me Up – Mabel
  • Youngblood – 5 Seconds of Summer
  • Piece of Your Heart – Meduza

The music in LEGO VIDIYO will be from Universal Music Group’s library, but only these few tracks have been announced so far.

To get Blocks every month – at a discount and earlier than the shops – order a 12-month or 24-month subscription. Direct debit payment options are available too; to find out more get in touch via subs@silverbackpublishing.rocks.

What is a LEGO BeatBit?

A BeatBit is a 2×2 tile, rather than a new LEGO element. What’s special is that in the VIDIYO theme, the 2×2 tiles will be printed with unique decorations – scanning these into the app will allow for special audio and visual effects within the music video.

How many LEGO VIDIYO sets are there?

We don’t know how many LEGO VIDIYO sets there will be, that hasn’t been announced.

Who is LEGO VIDIYO for?

LEGO VIDIYO is aimed at children aged 7 to 10 years old, but knowing adult LEGO fans, they will find something about the new theme to love.

How can people and minifigures appear together in LEGO VIDIYO?

Using AR technology, children can appear alongside giant minifigures within the LEGO VIDIYO app. Any environment can be scanned as a location for a music video and once a minifigure is scanned in, the character can appear within the video.

When can we read about LEGO VIDIYO in Blocks magazine?

Blocks magazine will be getting to grips with the new sets in Issue 77, to coincide with when they arrive on shelves. You’ll be able to find out what we think about the new products to help you decide if they are worth your time.

Remember to check out Blocks subscription deals for the best way to get your monthly LEGO magazine!

Introducing LEGO VIDIYO – a collaboration between LEGO and Universal Music Group

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The LEGO Group has teamed up with Universal Music Group for a new theme that combines digital and physical experiences – LEGO VIDIYO.

LEGO fans can now find out more about LEGO VIDIYO, the new product line that the company is launching in March. Blocks magazine will be going in-depth on the new theme with set reviews in Issue 77, but in the meantime, we have some new info to share on what this digital infused product range is going to offer.

The whole concept of LEGO VIDIYO is based around letting children create and share their own music videos – with themselves, or a host of minifigure characters, as the stars. Thanks to the involvement of Universal Music Group, children will be able to take chart-topping music as the basis for their original videos. Within the app, they’ll also be able to design album covers and name their band.

What’s more, children will be able to share their music videos on the VIDIYO app, which will have parental control and external moderation along with anonymity to give families confidence in using it.

Here’s how LEGO VIDIYO works:

  • You choose one of the songs in the VIDIYO app, which contemporary hits and familiar classics
  • Build a band of physical minifigures from the new selection specially created for the theme, then scan them in and change their scale using AR (augmented reality) technology
  • Grab some of the 2×2 tiles specially designed for the theme – known as BeatBits – and scan them into the app. They unlock special digital effects that will enhance your music videos with effects, backdrops, character moves, audio and more.
  • The stage can be wherever you are or even be a LEGO model – just scan it into the app.
  • VIDIYO clips are 60 seconds and can be trimmed down ready for sharing.
  • Completed music videos can be saved in-app or shared publicly, with protection in place to keep children safe.

To get Blocks every month – at a discount and earlier than the shops – order a 12-month or 24-month subscription. Direct debit payment options are available too; to find out more get in touch via subs@silverbackpublishing.rocks.

Like LEGO DOTS, the theme offers a new entry point to the LEGO system – while still focused on creativity, it seems that building aspect is a smaller part of it, suggesting that it is seeking to appeal to children who are not yet immersed in the brick.

As ever, the new theme has been painstakingly researched and tested by the LEGO Group. It is aimed at children aged 7 to 10 years old, with surveys showing that 74% of children aged 5 – 12 years old saying music helps them connect with friends and over half of children aged 6 – 10 confirming they listen to music every day.

“We want to feed the imagination of the next generation of creatives, providing a new canvas for kids to creatively express themselves,” says Julia Goldin, LEGO Chief Marketing Officer. “Research shows over three quarters of parents globally wish their children had more creative confidence, so we’re launching LEGO VIDYO to help make that happen. We know children are always chasing new ways to experiment creatively, and LEGO VIDIYO is here to help all kids with a passion for music unleash their creativity through LEGO building and music video production. We can’t wait to see what they come up with!”

“Through this innovative global partnership – with the power of music and play harnessed to support early development of creativity – children around the globe will be able to express themselves as they stage, direct, perform, and share their music videos,” says Olivier Robert-Murphy, Executive Vice President, Universal Music Group and Brands. “LEGO VIDIYO is a great way for millions of kids to discover new music and get closer to their favourite artists while learning and connecting through play.”

At first glance, adults might not see a great deal within LEGO VIDIYO of interest to them – but with appealing new minifigures and new printed tiles, there will be at least something within these theme worth looking at.  

Remember to check out Blocks subscription deals for the best way to get your monthly LEGO magazine!

How to keep track of your Blocks collection

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We know exactly what it’s like – you have dozens, or hundreds, of LEGO sets to keep track of, then also a library of LEGO magazines. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to track your Blocks magazine collection.

LEGO fans love to collect. For some it’s bricks, for some it’s sets, for some it’s polybags. We know that a lot of people consider their Blocks magazines part of their collection – and the best website for keeping track of your collection also allows you to keep track of your LEGO magazines.

Brickset is a LEGO database website, with all modern LEGO sets included in an expansive collection tracking system. All you have to do is set up an account and start ticking off the sets you own. It’s really handy and saves you ever accidentally buying a set you already own again!

Last year, the Brickset crew added a new function – you can now track your Blocks magazine collection. That means you can see the issues you own and the issues you don’t. It’s handy if you have gaps in your collection to fill.

At the moment, selected back issues are available to buy from our online shop. We’re expanding that selection and soon you’ll be able to buy almost any past issue of the magazine as a special one-off print edition.

To get Blocks every month – at a discount and earlier than the shops – order a 12-month or 24-month subscription. Direct debit payment options are available too; to find out more get in touch via subs@silverbackpublishing.rocks.

Five free LEGO sets available online

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The LEGO online shop is giving away a whole bunch of free sets right now – Harry Potter 30628 Monster Book of Monsters, Winter Village 40416 Ice Skating Rink, City 30566 Fire Helicopter, City 30567 Police Jetski and Colosseum 6346109 Roman Chariot.

It’s the right time to place an order at LEGO.com as they are free LEGO sets galore in the US – Harry Potter 30628 Monster Book of Monsters, Winter Village 40416 Ice Skating Rink, City 30566 Fire Helicopter, City 30567 Police Jetski and Colosseum 6346109 Roman Chariot are all available right now with qualifying purchases. Unfortunately, only one of these deals is running in the UK.

If you spend $40 or more, you can choose to get either City 30566 Fire Helicopter or City 30567 Police Jetski for free.

Then, if you spend $75 or more on Harry Potter sets, you can get Harry Potter 30628 Monster Book of Monsters for free.

If you go further and spend $150 or more, you can get Winter Village 40416 Ice Skating Rink for free.

Finally, if you buy 10276 Colosseum and are signed up as a VIP, you can get 6346109 Roman Chariot for free.

Keep track of all of the new sets that have been releases so far with the handy 2021 checklist.

To get Blocks every month – at a discount and earlier than the shops – order a 12-month or 24-month subscription. Direct debit payment options are available too; to find out more get in touch via subs@silverbackpublishing.rocks.

Five must-read LEGO features in Blocks Issue 75

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What’s in Blocks magazine Issue 75? 116 pages of awesome LEGO content! More specifically, here are five that you won’t want to miss…

This month’s issue of Blocks leads with an epic exclusive celebrating a decade of LEGO NINJAGO, with the team who developed and nurtured the story driven theme revealing how they combined compelling LEGO sets with a dramatic animated series to make a modern success story.

That’s not all though! Within the 116 pages, you’ll find many more LEGO features that you can’t get anywhere else. Here are five that you’ll want to check out…

LEGO Braille Bricks

You might have heard about LEGO Braille Bricks. The LEGO Foundation has introduced them to several countries around the world to help children with vision impairment learn this unique way of reading. In this exclusive feature, Blocks speaks to the LEGO Foundation and their partners at the Royal National Institute of Blind People to find out how this amazing initiative came to be. We even hear from children who have used the special elements to get their reaction.

LEGO Castle Crusaders

It’s time for a new faction to invade LEGO Castle, equipped with swords, shields and… ghosts. Find out how things were refreshed in 1990 with a look back at some classic sets, before following our exclusive instructions to build a modern version of the beloved 6042 Dungeon Hunters set.

Brick City

As the travelling Brick City exhibit leaves its time on display in Leicester, we get the inside scoop from Warren Elsmore on how this amazing collection of models came together and what goes into organising these incredible displays. If you have seen Brick City in the past or are hoping to visit the show in the future, you’ll find out something new in this fascinating interview.   

Building bins

Dumpsters, refuse bins, trash cans – your minifigures will have no excuse for not cleaning up thanks to this month’s Technique guide. There are tips and tricks for building authentic looking dumpsters that can be used in your LEGO town layouts or with your modular buildings.

Photographing ECTO-1

The awesome new LEGO Ghostbusters ECTO-1 set takes pride of place on this month’s cover and our talented toy photographer reveals how he came up with the striking cover shot. We also review the set, to find out whether you’re gonna call the LEGO Store.

To get Blocks every month – at a discount and earlier than the shops – order a 12-month or 24-month subscription. Direct debit payment options are available too; to find out more get in touch via subs@silverbackpublishing.rocks.

Classic Castle vibes in LEGO Ideas 21325 Medieval Blacksmith

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The next LEGO Ideas set to be released, 21325 Medieval Blacksmith, has been revealed – and it’s channelling Classic Castle.

 Clemens Fiedler saw his Medieval Blacksmith achieve 10,000 votes on LEGO Ideas and then get selected by the review panel. He’s now getting every fan’s dream come true, with his project having been interpreted by a Model Designer and getting launched as 21325 Medieval Blacksmith on February 1.

Rather than focus ion kings and queens or epic battles, the set focuses in on the life of a blacksmith. The house features timber framed walls to the gothic lattice windows to keep it authentic. What will really please Castle fans though is the appearance of two Black Falcon knight minifigures.

21325 Medieval Blacksmith

UK Price: £134.99
USA Price: $149.99
Piece count: 2,164
Release date: February 1

“I love building classical house designs and honouring all the great attention to detail you can recreate with LEGO elements – especially medieval architecture styles, colours and design,” said Clemens Fiedler. “I hope fellow LEGO fans will enjoy traveling back in time; sense the heat, sounds and smells from the forge and anvil and soak up the atmosphere of this classical creative craft as they build the set.”

“Designing the LEGO Ideas Medieval Blacksmith set has been an exciting journey, taking us back hundreds of years to celebrate one of the true heroes of the Middle Ages,” added LEGO Ideas Design Manager Samuel Thomas Liltorp Johnson. “Telling the story of the blacksmith caught our imagination, and the rest was history.

“We loved the idea of creating a small blacksmith’s house on the outskirts of the medieval world, where every knight goes for a set of shining armour. Without doubt, fans will be fascinated by the workings of the forge, the architectural details and the characters they find there when they build this set.”

See the full 2021 LEGO range on this one handy checklist.

To get Blocks every month – at a discount and earlier than the shops – order a 12-month or 24-month subscription. Direct debit payment options are available too; to find out more get in touch via subs@silverbackpublishing.rocks.

Bricks At Home is back and looking for LEGO builds

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You and your LEGO MOC can be part of the Bricks at Home 2021 virtual event, as applications are open now.

Bricks at Home is the virtual LEGO event that launched last year as physical events were cancelled. The 2021 event will be livestreamed on February 27 and 28, arranged by Brick Alley and London AFOLs, hosted by Blocks Editor Graham Hancock (wait a minute, that’s me!?).

To really inspire everyone attending, Bricks at Home is looking for LEGO builders to show off their latest projects. Whatever your topic, your build will be considered for inclusion in the event – but the themes likely to be covered are Classic Space, vintage LEGO, City, trains, Technic and custom models inspired by licensed themes.

Each builder who is selected will be interviewed about their project live, allowing them to show off what they have been working on and share a bit about what went into putting it together. Here’s a taste of last year’s event:

All applications must be in by midnight (UK time) on Friday, January 29, 2021.

Tickets to watch the livestream event will be available for free from February 21.

To get Blocks every month – at a discount and earlier than the shops – order a 12-month or 24-month subscription. Direct debit payment options are available too; to find out more get in touch via subs@silverbackpublishing.rocks.

A classic LEGO theme is coming back

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From the LEGO back catalogue, one classic theme is being resurrected – for one set only.

The 90 year anniversary of LEGO will take place next year, and to celebrate the company is bringing back one classic theme, for one special adult targeted set. Fans can head over to LEGO Ideas right now and vote for their favourite from a list of 30 beloved LEGO themes. Don’t be surprised to see Blocks magazine’s Graham and Daniel already wearing their pirate hats.

When voting closes on January 25, the list will be whittled down to the three most popular options. Then, from February 3, everyone will be able to vote again for their favourite from the three. Whichever theme wins will get a special, one-off LEGO set next year.

The winner will not be announced until 2022, closer to when the set is released – so there’ll be plenty of time to anticipate the final result.

To vote for the classic LEGO theme that you would like to see return for a special one-off product, visit the LEGO Ideas blog here.

To get Blocks every month – at a discount and earlier than the shops – order a 12-month or 24-month subscription. Direct debit payment options are available too; to find out more get in touch via subs@silverbackpublishing.rocks.

LEGO NINJAGO fan-made documentary on the way

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Four LEGO NINJAGO fans have come together to make a documentary to celebrate a decade of the action-adventure theme.

The LEGO NINJAGO 10 year anniversary celebrations are set to continue through the year, as NINJAGO Ten Years of Spinjitzu: A Documentary is set to be released online by four passionate fans on April 19. A trailer for the documentary has been shared, providing a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes interviews it will include:

Brayden, Lachlan, Hayley and Joshua are the ninja crew behind the project, sharing their love for LEGO NINJAGO with other fans around the world through this special documentary.

Blocks magazine Issue 75 has an in-depth look at how the action-adventure range began, how it has become a LEGO evergreen and how it is now celebrating its legacy – with exclusive interviews and never-before-seen images, it’s a must-read for NINJAGO fans.

To get Blocks every month – at a discount and earlier than the shops – order a 12-month or 24-month subscription. Direct debit payment options are available too; to find out more get in touch via subs@silverbackpublishing.rocks.

See how LEGO NINJAGO sets are designed

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A rare look at LEGO Model Designers’ sketch models and protypes provides a glimpse into how NINJAGO sets are designed.

When LEGO designers are working on a product, they have different ways of designing; some might sketch something by hand first, some might work digitally with special software, but many just sit down with some bricks and start iterating. There are usually many different versions of a model before anything close to the final set is realised, but the finished ‘sketch model’ is very important; this is the model that gives a good idea of what the final set will be, but isn’t yet up to LEGO set standards.

Sometimes the same designer works on a product all the way though, sometimes one designer comes up with the sketch model and then another designer comes up with the finished model. The process though requires the sketch model to be turned into a visually appealing, playable, stable LEGO set.

These images show early versions of LEGO NINJAGO sets, alongside the finished version that was released.

9444 Cole’s Thread Assault

  • 9444 Cole’s Thread Assault development models
  • 9444 Cole’s Thread Assault final model

9445 Fangpyre Truck Ambush

  • 9445 Fangpyre Truck Ambush development models
  • 9445 Fangpyre Truck Ambush final model

9450 Epic Dragon Battle

  • 9450 Epic Dragon Battle development models
  • 9450 Epic Dragon Battle final model

70727 X-1 Ninja Charger

  • 70727 X-1 Ninja Charger development models
  • 70727 X-1 Ninja Charger final model

70747 Boulder Blaster

  • 70747 Boulder Blaster development models
  • 70747 Boulder Blaster final model

71738 Zane’s Titan Mech

  • 71738 Zane’s Titan Mech development model
  • 71738 Zane’s Titan Mech final model

For even more examples of how LEGO NINJAGO designs evolved – including the classic 70627 Dragon’s Forge, 70592 Salvage M.E.C. and the packaging for the spinners – order a copy of Blocks magazine Issue 75, which includes an exclusive feature looking at how LEGO NINJAGO was created, developed and embraced by fans around the world. It’s all part of the big celebration of the LEGO NINJAGO 10 year anniversary, which has kicked into high gear today.

To get Blocks every month – at a discount and earlier than the shops – order a 12-month or 24-month subscription. Direct debit payment options are available too; to find out more get in touch via subs@silverbackpublishing.rocks.