Retro Brick Reviews

Since everyone else is doing it, I'll throw my 2025 character predictions into the ring. I think there's almost no chance we don't get Big - he's the only main Sonic character from LEGO Dimensions that still doesn't have a physical version, he's fairly prominent in the series again, and in general probably the most well-known character that isn't already represented in the theme. I think the best way to accurately represent his proportions would be a small brickbuilt figure (similar to LEGO Donkey Kong) with a molded head, but something similar to LEGO Eggman's minifigure could also work. Aside from that, I'll predict out other characters will be Cream, Blaze, and Silver, plus a buildable Omega in one of the sets. That would pretty much round out all of the main series protagonists, leaving the door open for future years to focus more on characters from specific aspects of the series like Riders or the IDW comics, like how Mario has had subthemes for Luigi's Mansion, Donkey Kong, and Mario Kart. I'd love if the sets next year could move away from Green Hill and focus more on the Adventure-era levels. I'd love if the set Big came in was themed around Emerald Coast, for example.

Agreed on both builds. The Scout Speeder is drop-dead gorgeous, but the Dropship looks so bad it's honestly making me reconsider a set that I'd planned on buying day one. Even outside of my general issue of this (like the 2019 version) failing to really capture the original set or what certain parts of it represented (I HATE the dark blue, the only reason the OG used blue was because that color was used on TIE Fighters at the time), the shape is so funky, the overwhelming amount of brown makes it look rusty, and it's funny how every version of this craft removes another seat from the troop transport. It's odd that they introduce a new medium nougat female Rebel head when they could've just reused the nougat female Rebel head from Yavin. Not complaining, but I feel as though if they were going to make one new Rebel head print they should've made it more distinct. I don't mind the reuse of Captain Antilles' head, but I do mind the lack of back printing on QT-KT - way to make the last anniversary figure feel special. Honestly, I wish this set was just the Rebel Scout Speeder with 4 Rebel Fleet Troopers and QT-KT at the standard $25 price. Have one of the Fleet Troopers be the long-desired Rebel Friend, and I'd probably pay $25. As-is, I might end up skipping this one, which is disappointing.

Since the $35 set has a similar piece count to the Sonic Speed Sphere set (as well as the same price obvs), I could see it being a Knuckles Speed Sphere set with a build of the Master Emerald shrine with a ramp on each side so Sonic (from wave one) and Knuckles can battle over it, a la the Chima Eagle's Castle set. Curious what the $20 set will be. For that price I highly doubt there'll be any new characters, but getting an existing character with a new face print would be nice. Surprising this is it, I was fully expecting a 4+ set or two. I still predict what I've predicted since we saw the first wave: Knuckles will come in January, and Shadow (plus Super Sonic and probably a couple other characters) will come in 2HY.

I see it as a "quality over quantity" thing. Sure, there aren't a ton of minifgs, but each new character requires at least one new mold (Tails needed two) as well as double-molded legs with printing. Considering that most licensed themes are full of characters with reused faces and unprinted legs, I'd much rather wait to slowly get great Sonic minifigs rather than getting everyone quickly but with the lower minifig quality of Harry Potter or Marvel. Also, we just got official pics of the 76993 Sonic vs. Dr. Eggman's Death Egg Robot set. It seems like there's a feature where launching Sonic into the mech's stomach will cause the jetpack to pop off the back, revealing two more animal buddies inside: Pocky the bunny (also in the $50 and $100 sets) and Tocky the turtle (exclusive).

Also Coruscant, which is worthy of at least one MBS set if not multiple.

Promobricks just posted a picture of 76993. It looks like the official name is "Sonic vs. Dr. Eggman's Death Egg Robot". The builds include the Death Egg Robot (obviously), another Speed Sphere launcher, a strip of spikes, and a small Eggman base. Figures are Sonic (same from 76990), Dr. Eggman, a blue Flicky, and a brickbuilt Cubot.

Just looked at the higher clarity pics of Yavin and C-3PO has arm printing. That's a great reprint to get, hopefully this also has the back-printed R2 (and for consistency back printing on R2-BHD, though that might be too much to hope for).

The Express features new head pieces for young Harry and Hermione.

I stopped documenting it a couple years ago, but there are SO MANY other leg inconsistencies than just those, and just as many (if not more) inconsistencies with wand color, the latter of which we still see very regularly. In fairness, I highly doubt Rowling would've approved of a trans version :P

The Patronus looks crappy (trans blue should be all or nothing and having it just sprinkled around looks really bad imo), the HE is a great example of a set that's both fantastic and wholly uninteresting but I do like it (hopefully it stays on shelves until the franchise crashes and burns with the reboot, lol), and the trunk is fine and I'll probably pick it up on clearance if it has good minifig parts.

Honestly you don't even have to go that far for astoundingly bad decisions. The Battle of Hogwarts gave Voldy a new face that looks almost identical to his 2019 version and a new face to Neville even though his older face was already specifically based on expressions from DHII, and it looks like his torso is also slightly different for no discernible reason? (The details are in all grey instead of being more colorful last year.) Bella is disappointing, but at least she has double-molded arms which are a nice touch. Imo they should've just not included Molly, her torso and dress are nice but the head and hair are such a consistent eyesore I just see her as a wasted spot that would've been better filled by McGonagall. Definitely a set I'll skip, which is really disappointing because of how long we've all been waiting for this one.

One of my favorite details and one of the most obvious missing features missing from the DA version. Also, is that a new Umbridge head print? That was my biggest problem with not just WWW but all the DA buildings, with the only exceptions of Ollivander's and the ice cream parlor all of the interiors were really uninteresting. I'll probably get this set because the interior makes this much closer to the WWW I'd always wanted back in 2010 (and also this one isn't awkwardly cut off on one side lmao)

You are aware that Gringotts stands on it's own at the end of the street and isn't connected to any of the shops on the sides of the alley, right? Regardless of whether it's on a baseplate or regular plates it wouldn't make any sense to connect it that way

Don't say that, they'll actually do it Agreed. I'm basically done with LEGO Harry Potter (I've gone from buying every set to picking up 1 or 2 a year), but I'm definitely getting this just for how absolutely SURREAL it is that UCS Dobby's Sock actually exists.

UCS DOBBY'S SOCK SWEEP!!!!! In all seriousness, this set is basically what I'd hoped for. Dobby is small (i.e. not some huge display model) and very ugly-cute. My only issue is the price, $40 seems like a lot for something so little especially when it looks like over 1/4 of the piece count goes into the pudding.