LEGO Ideas first 2021 review - many castle Ideas

[Bruce N H]

Hey all,

The first 2021 review period for LEGO Ideas is massive, with 57 proposals reaching the coveted 10,000 vote mark. Of those, 13 are in our castle wheelhouse, with another couple that are "castle adjacent". Check out the [url=https://ideas.lego.com/blogs/a4ae09b6-0d4c-4 ... 061e849d62]LEGO Ideas blog post[/url] for all 57, but here are the ones most relevant to us.

Five of them qualify as full-on castles:

IMO the cream of the crop here is [url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/f588abaa-4da ... e38d018711]Castle of Lord AFOL and the Black Knights[/url] by SleeplessNight. This is a great construction and beautifully presented (see, for instance, all of the renders and variations in his [url=https://flickr.com/photos/marcindski/]Flickr stream[/url]). This would be a really big (i.e. expensive) set, but IMO would be worth it. It's essentially a greatly updated version of old classic sets at a larger size and more complex (i.e. AFOL) construction.
[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/f588abaa-4da ... e38d018711][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51173570 ... 4f2561.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/f7743e0f-cfb ... 72680f7a02]Fantasy Castle[/url] by LEGO Monkey is also really nice, and due to it's size, would be at a much friendlier price point. I might actually prefer this as an official set as more people would buy it for price reasons alone. Some nice build details in this one.
[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/f7743e0f-cfb ... 72680f7a02][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51172465 ... c8b8f8.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/a2bb5e22-b2b ... 8c9a6b89dd]Castle of Brickwood Forest[/url] by poVoq. This one is super impressive and large, but I don't know that it would look as nice as the Castle of Lord AFOL above. At least that one above better fits my own LEGO aesthetic. One thing I greatly appreciate on this one is the great accessibility for interior play. I also love the series of figs he's designed for this.
[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/a2bb5e22-b2b ... 8c9a6b89dd][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51173262 ... c4eb0d.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/2b61f410-119 ... a34941385b]The King's Castle[/url] by BrickHammer. I have to say this is my least favorite. Yes, it is big, and there are good build details, and I would cheer if it became a set, but this is probably my least favorite of the big castle proposals.
[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/2b61f410-119 ... a34941385b][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51171798 ... 7beb7a.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/9f8eacd8-664 ... f62174c789]Hyrule Castle[/url] by Artem Biziaev. This is a nice MOC with lots of fun play features, but I've said it before: Several Zelda-themed Ideas proposals have made it to this stage, and they've all been turned down. I don't know if LEGO can't work out the IP deal (which seems odd because they've got the big Mario deal with Nintendo), or because they don't think Zelda will sell (which seems odd because Zelda proposals keep getting 10000 votes), or because they have a long term plan to do their own Zelda theme (fingers crossed, as this seems the most likely option to get us some official Castle themed stuff unless they go back to Tolkien with the upcoming show), but they're just not going to do a Zelda set through Ideas. Stop trying to make "Fetch" happen, LEGO Ideas, it's not going to happen.
[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/9f8eacd8-664 ... f62174c789][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51173262 ... bc4ff3.jpg[/img][/url]

Next there are four other Castle-y buildings.

[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/71efca0f-11a ... 25c891770b]Medieval Marketplace[/url] by DominikQN. This is a really well-made MOC with tons of great details. I don't know if it quite hits the balance between size and cost to be a good set idea. But who knows? I was convinced that a previous [url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/c4d1bdfc-390 ... 2f96b44a66]Medieval Marketplace[/url] proposal was an obvious shoo-in to be approved as a set and it wasn't.
[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/71efca0f-11a ... 25c891770b][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51173262 ... 2a8ae0.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/89319de2-8ad ... 6418942759]Baba Yaga[/url] and her chicken-leg house, also by Artem Biziaev (has anyone else made it to 10000 twice within the same review period? Impressive!) Very cool idea and it's great to draw from folklore some people might not know. I wonder how sturdy this is on its chicken-legs?
[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/89319de2-8ad ... 6418942759][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51173262 ... 10873f.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/1f708a5b-4f0 ... 1a66e9c4c8]The Shire, The Hobbithole of Frodo and Bilbo Baggins[/url] by TB Brickcreator. It just bugs me he didn't call this "Bag End". This is nice, but won't become an Ideas set. There is a [url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/0cb1ea6d-d72 ... a8b5961138]much better Bag End[/url] still in review from the previous cycle, and of course they've already had an official set of Bag End. Also, I really think the main visual interest in this one comes from the huge number of stem and leaf pieces rather than the actual construction.
[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/1f708a5b-4f0 ... 1a66e9c4c8][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51172465 ... 3a9638.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/8b0da5a4-0c6 ... 1f56527aa5]Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs[/url] by Hanwasyellowfirst. I really think this is a nice design. LEGO of course has a long-running relationship with Disney, and this would be a great follow-up to the recent Winnie the Pooh Ideas set. I don't know if they'd actually include all 9 figs (Snow, all 7 dwarfs, and the evil queen), but if they did I would hope we'd get some new beard molds and maybe another variant on the hat.
[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/8b0da5a4-0c6 ... 1f56527aa5][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51172465 ... b06977.jpg[/img][/url]

Then there are a few random sets:

[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/2f44c371-d67 ... da968dfb93]Viking Longship[/url] by JonasKramm. This is a great little MOC and would make a nice set at a reasonable price point. If they do end up making the [url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/9de1198b-666 ... f3e230c05c]Roman Warship[/url], still in review from the previous cycle, this would be a great follow-up. Again, I would be concerned that they wouldn't include this many figs, especially in a set this small.
[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/2f44c371-d67 ... da968dfb93][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51171798 ... 2a6625.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/62ee4c26-e1e ... c4465859da]Asterix and Obelix[/url] by Zentovince GP. I just don't know on this one. It is an amazing model, but it's so out of the box of the normal sets they make (though I guess they do have more and more sculpture type models). Also, my understanding is that these guys are really popular in parts of Europe, but they have very little recognition here in the US, so it's a question of how big the market would be for these. They're super fun, though.
[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/62ee4c26-e1e ... c4465859da][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51172706 ... 87f811.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/269d96b9-069 ... a70a306635]The Princess Bride[/url] by FSLeinad. I love the movie, but I have to say I feel pretty meh on the construction of this one. He did really nail the figs, though, especially Inigo Montoya. Also, awesome idea to use the longer "Woody" legs for Fezzik.
[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/269d96b9-069 ... a70a306635][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51173262 ... 774d9a.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/e7429dc6-4b9 ... eb3bda8927]Map of Middle-Earth[/url] by Artem Biziaev (Wow! This is his third set in this review cycle. This guy has somehow really found the sweet spot of making great MOCs and raising support online.) I have to say I love this. The relief map is great. Several of the microscale locations are great (especially Orthanc). I love the microfigs that you can move around the map. I love the labels. I also really love that he included a fig not of one of the characters, but of Tollers himself, along with a bookshelf of his most-known books (though would it have killed him to include the Silmarillion? It's not like I was expecting History of Middle Earth volume 9 or whatever.). I would love this to be a set. I also don't think it's going to happen, but, as I said above, what do I know?
[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/e7429dc6-4b9 ... eb3bda8927][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51171798 ... ba8aa9.jpg[/img][/url]

Finally, a couple of Ideas proposals that are not Castle, but are Castle-adjacent:

[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/fad015d0-688 ... 23ed7b90c3]Ancient Greek Temple[/url] by HP Brixxter. This is a really well-made set. I love the temple itself, the landscaping, and the curving stairs. LEGO really needs to do some ancient stuff aside from just the very occasional CMF fig (and the Colosseum, though that was a modern-day ruin).
[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/fad015d0-688 ... 23ed7b90c3][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51172706 ... 824beb.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/9e48fe7a-1ea ... dc26b1aad3]Nightmare Before Christmas[/url] by TVrulesmylife. This is an ever-popular IP and might become a good set. Castlers would appreciate some of the construction in this.
[url=https://ideas.lego.com/projects/9e48fe7a-1ea ... dc26b1aad3][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51173262 ... 2c8fd8.jpg[/img][/url]

Anyway, that's what I see in this set. IMO the most likely of these to become a set is the Snow White one, but if they want to do a big-ticket castle the Lord AFOL one. If they wanted to make smaller sets the Viking ship and the Asterix and Obelix sets (if that last is a viable IP across enough of the international marketplace). What do you think? Or are there any other of the 57! Ideas proposals you want to become an actual set? There are some great non-castley things to check out, including a number of great vehicles (be sure to check out the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), real space sets, Totorro, a beautiful violin sculpture, two different bookends sets, a garden sculpture, and a jazz quartet just to pick some of my favorites.

Bruce

[minoboys]

The first one would be absolutely epic if it became a set!

[Formendacil]

Bravo, Bruce, on providing that rundown--I read the original "these have been reviewed" post and got tired just scrolling through that, so though I noted the abundance of Castle-y content, I was far too daunted to give a proper post here. You've done that and more!

Given the similarity of some of these projects to each other, I wonder if LEGO will reject them all rather than pick one. I do think they're mostly too large for Ideas sweet spot, especially coming on the heels of the Blacksmith shop. Still, given the sheer volume of Castle and Castle-adjacent ideas, I do have hope that something will come of it. Even if it's not one of these sets, perhaps there's enough vote-power here to nudge LEGO in the direction of something along these lines: i.e. a proper adult castle with nostalgic "old LEGO Castle" overtones.

I think the one with the best bet to be made overall is the Snow White hut, given the Disney tie-in, though my personal preference would be for something to nudge the Lord of the Rings line back to life (not unlike Harry Potter's recent, and apparently successful, resurrection).

[jtooker]

Thank you for sorting and listing (with pictures) all those wonderful castle submissions! Here's hoping one of them gets through.

[JBM]

I cant wait!!!

[INTENSS]

Well, this was a particularly brutal Ideas Review period. One set, just the Lighthouse, made it as an official set. Multiple Castles, a Roman Warship, LoTR, and a fantastic Viking Village - nada. I really thought Viking Village would go through and Vikings would get the Pirates/Castle treatment with the Ideas set and then a Creator set later on. I guess not. A Lighthouse.

57 Ideas in the next round. Expectations are incredibly low. Lego will instead turn their attention to making an expert level Xerox machine, sandal, or lamp.

[jtooker]

I agree, it was disappointing, but went better than it could have. I think the lighthouse will be a good ideas set - but I certainly would have liked more than one to get through and obviously one of the medieval ones you mentioned would have been better. I'm hoping (and setting myself up for disappointment) that they'll accept at least two sets from the next round and that is why they only picked one this time (they now have 7 ideas sets in the pipeline). There are many medieval sets in those 57 entries.