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Review: LEGO 10305 Lion Knights’ Castle

July 13, 2022 By Jay Ong 62 Comments

Announced with tremendous fanfare at LEGO Con, 10305 Lion Knights’ Castle is a massive LEGO Castle that weaves in every great thing about LEGO Castle/Kingdoms and pays homage to all the great Castles before it, in a supremely impressive and modern package.

I had the honour of reviewing this set early, and as a fan of Vintage LEGO, and Classic Castle, this set was everything I dreamed of, and more, and just might be one of my favourite LEGO sets of all time.

Celebrating LEGO’s 90th anniversary, a fan vote saw resounding demand for all things Castle, and LEGO well and truly delivered one of the best castles of all time.

Read on for my full review!

See below for regional pricing and links:

  • 10305 Lion Knight’s Castle [US] – US$399.99
  • 10305 Lion Knight’s Castle [AUS]  – AU$599.99
  • 10305 Lion Knight’s Castle [UK] – £349.99
  • 10305 Lion Knight’s Castle [EU] – €399.99
  • 10305 Lion Knight’s Castle [CA] – CAD$499.99

Special thanks to the LEGO Group for providing this set for review

10305 Lion Knights’ Castle – Set Details

Name: Lion Knights’ Castle
Set Number: 10305
Pieces: 4,514
Price: AU$599.99 | US$399.99 | £349.99 – Buy from LEGO.com [AUS] [USA] [UK]
Exclusive to: LEGO.com / LEGO Stores initially
Theme: LEGO Icons
LEGO Designer: Mike Psiaki, Milan Madge, Ashwin Visser
Release Date: 3 August 2022 (VIPs), 8 August 2022 (general release)

At 4,514 pieces, this is well and truly in biggest LEGO sets ever created territory, and a rarity for a non-Star Wars set, so you know LEGO means business.

Here’s a look at the instruction manual, and you will be delighted to know that there are no stickers included in the set. Hallelujah.

You’re treated to a walk down memory lane. If you’re a fan of Classic Castle, these sets that they’ve curated, detailing the evolution of LEGO Castles, from the original Yellow Castle, to Nexo Knights to the current 10305 Lion Knights’ Castle is a wonderful read.

Here’s a look at the design team – Mike Psiaki, Milan Madge and Ashwin Visser, as well as some trivia on how they’ve modernised the Lion Knights sigil.

And here’s a look at the back of the manual which features the rich sunset hues that will evoke some nostalgia for old LEGO Instruction manuals.

The set is absolutely bursting with minifigures, with 22 in total. LEGO have not held back in this department, and it just feels right to have not only a large number of Lion Knights, but also peasants, some Forestmen, and a small contingent of Black Falcon Knights as well.

Classic Castle staples like the skeleton and even a surprise appearance of Magisto round out the minifigure lineup.

First up, here’s a look at the Lion Knights, who make a triumphant return and feature all-new highly detailed torsos and printed legs. The red, blue and yellow are just glorious to behold, especially when they make up almost half of all the minifigures in the set – it’s superb that you’re almost getting a small army of Lion Knights ready for conquest.

My favourite minifigure in the set has to be Queen Lionne, the warrior-queen of the Lion Knights. Unlike other monarchs, she isn’t content with reigning from the throne, she’s clad in armour, wields a sword and is the first to charge into battle.

I am also delighted to see the return of horse barding, and I believe this horse is also a new colour – appearing in dark orange for the first time.

Update: I was wrong about the horse, it was first made available in 60327 Horse Transporter. Thanks to Hyperion for the heads up!

I absolutely love the idea of Queen Lionne – not only does this set send a really progressive message, but we’ve never had a warrior queen character in LEGO Castle, and she is so incredibly bad-ass, and is one of the best designed medieval minifigures with her golden visor and cape.

Reflecting her royal bloodline, she has an exclusive and unique torso and printed legs, which you can see beneath her armour. She also comes with a hairpiece and crown, to swap out her helmet.

If that weren’t cool enough, she also has a paper cape, with the Lion Knights’ sigil printed onto it, which just elevates her to a whole new level of awesome.

Here she is on her mighty steed.

LEGO have come a long way with Queens, and I must say, this Warrior Queen Lionne will go down in history as one of the most-loved Castle characters.

Here’s a look at her Lion Knights. If you notice, you’ll see that many key knights and soldiers are female.

The female soldiers are really cool too, and match Queen Lionne’s warrior queen status, and again, sends a great message to boys and girls. I love the idea of an all-female Queensguard, and here you can see some of their faces.

Here’s the back printing on the Lion Knights.

Old meets new! Here’s a comparison between the old Lion Knights from 6080 Lion King’s Castle, just to demonstrate how far printing standards have come.

Up next, we have a small contingent of Black Falcon Knights. Black Falcons were re-introduced last year in the Medieval Blacksmith, and then with their own 31120 Medieval Castle, so it’s great to see them make an appearance here.

There is a Black Falcons Knight, who has his own horse with Black Falcons Barding, a herald, and a squire who has to lug around all their stuff.

One interesting thing about these Black Falcons is that they all have black helmets – the previous Black Falcons all had silver helmets, so I’m not sure if this is a splinter faction, or if LEGO have decided that black is a much better choice. Personally, black makes a lot better sense, and looks so much better and fits thematically too.

Here’s a look at their faces, and back printing.

With his oversized load to carry, the Black Falcons squire sure seems like it’s inspired by Patsy from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

This set was already great for re-introducing horse barding, and I would’ve been very happy with just Queen Lionne’s, but LEGO have also decided to give us a Black Falcons barding as well, which looks immaculate as you can see.

Very, very, very happy with the Black Falcons barding.

Up next we have a small selection of peasants, that roam around the keep. I really like that they brought back the headscarf for the lady in green, and this is a fine way to bump up the minifigure count, while still remaining relevant.

It does seem that the Lion Knights rule over a peaceful time, so these peasants are mostly going about their day tending to livestock, making food, or operating stalls within the castle.

For animals, we get the new Medium Nougat Cow (first seen in 60346 Barn & Farm Animals), a lamb, as well as a white dove on the cart that’s being pulled by the cow.

It’s a decent number of animals, but I would’ve really liked to have one or more chickens, some rats, and a goat. This would’ve really been the perfect set to reintroduce the goat but I guess they didn’t want to overshadow just how awesome of a set this is.

The Wizard Magisto also makes a return, albeit in very unassuming robes. There is no printing at all, and he sports a bushy new beard, but blue wizards like Magisto have been a staple in the more mystical LEGO Castle sets, so it seems right for him to be here.

Here’s a look at his face – which is pretty much just Santa Claus’ face.

Curiously… in the manual, in one of the little factoids which contain trivia in the set… it suggests that Magisto has come back in a body, after doing without for 28 years.

Did he die? Is he reincarnated? Did he possess some old peasant? Very disturbing the more you think about this sentence.

And here’s a comparison with the original Magisto, which you may remember from sets like 6020 Magic Shop. I do wish he had some printing on him, especially a pouch which has been a staple with Magistos throughout the ages.

And last but certainly not least, everyone’s favourite Castle faction – the Forestmen! After making a triumphant return in 40567 Forest Hideout, it’s great to see 3 Forestmen included in the set – we get a male, female and a young girl all garbed in Forestmen green.

Here’s a look at the back printing. I wonder what they’re doing here…

Build Experience

The build of 10305 Lion Knights’ Castle was nothing short of breathtaking. This is a LEGO castle true and true, but upsized and benefiting from the plethora of new parts, and techniques that you’d expect in a 4000+ piece set in 2022.

There’s a lot of classic LEGO building here, by which you stack bricks on bricks, with little to no Technic save for a few gears here and there.. it’s just old school LEGO bricks with some absolutely genius techniques.

I was particularly impressed with the techniques employed to get all these cunning angles done, and the entire building experience felt like a whole new level of LEGO model building had been achieved.

There is clever technique after clever technique, and so many cool things done for the sake of aesthetics that will blow your mind away.

My advice is to take your time with it. I built this set over the course of 3 days (rushing through it, while sick) but you could easily get a week’s or more worth out of it if you take your time.

Here’s a look at the completed Book 1, which assembles the keep and left-hand section of the build.

And here’s book 2’s build, which forms the main castle, and entrance.

Because the build is split into two books, you can build this together with someone else, with each person focusing on one build. Once both halves are complete, you bring them and snap them together to create the Lion Knights’ Castle.

Here’s a look at the back and front and this is so satisfyingly massive. The build is jam-packed with details, and while it looks incredible from the outside, with cunning angles throughout, the interiors are also filled with stuff, giving this set a very dense vibe.

There’s just so much going on, and as you build the set, you’ll encounter all sorts of great little details hidden in every nook and cranny – like this gorgeous fountain and harpischord.

It almost feels like a treasure hunt, where after building, you’re encouraged to come back and savour all the little details.

Before we get to the inside, let’s check out the exterior, which has high walls, and these brilliant slit windows that make it look like a proper reinforced castle that’s almost unassailable.

There’s some lovely foliage around, which include raised sections (likely to mimic raised baseplates) as well as these new dark green trees introduced. The foliage really ties the entire model and structure together, giving it a wonderful organic and whimsical feel.

There’s a massive Forestmen tree on the side, you know it’s a Forestmen tree because of its black trunk and bark.

Out the front is this insanely beautiful arched window, as well as the Lion Knights shields on the wall.

And on the towers, fly flags bearing the Lion Knights sigil. So glad to see these make a return too.

Here’s the walkway in, which has a raised profile to deter attackers and make it easier for castle defenders.

If unwelcome guests show up, the drawbridge can be raised, and you can also drop the portcullis which work beautifully and satisfyingly.

The back of the Lion Knights’ Castle opens up like a dollhouse, featuring plenty of rooms and chambers that you’d expect from a castle. It’s a really neat play feature and I love all the details packed into it, and there isn’t a room that feels wasted or pointless – they all serve a purpose.

On the top level in the open area, there is a small armour where the Lion Knights can pick their preferred weapons and spar against one another. I really like the open space here, which is a really believable touch.

Fittingly for a medieval castle, there is also a privy! Love that there’s even a roll of toilet paper, suggesting that they aren’t really that barbaric.

There’s a stable for Queen Lionne’s horse.

Right at the bottom is the Lion Knights’ treasure horde.

Of course, there’s a dungeon where Mr Bones lives.

There’s a kitchen, complete with an oven and a long table set with all sorts of food.

There’s more armour and storage inside.

There’s Queen Lionne’s bedroom which has a rug, comfy bed, and even a writing desk.

Beneath her bedroom is a banquet hall, with a large dining, and most importantly, printed shields on display. If these sigils and logos look familiar, you might recognise them from 375 Castle, which is a lovely nod to the heritage of LEGO Castle.

There’s also another nod to 375 Castle – the child’s room has a small brick-built micro version of the castle, AND a working door which I found to be really smart.

Oh and that water wheel? It’s connected to a mill to process grain!

And yes, it works as well!

Over on the outside, in the outer castle walls is an open-air section with some stalls.

I love how well this arch and ivy is done. It’s the little details like this that catch my eye every time.

In more homages to classic Castle, we have this great Tudor-inspired building, with one of the best thatched roofs I’ve ever seen. Simply inspired building techniques on show.

Oh and last but not least, remember that Forestmen tree? The cunning Forestpeople are always hiding in the shadows… and there’s a bit of a secret here.

Tada, sneaky Forestmen hideout carved into the Castle walls!

Oh and we’re not done yet, there’s also a little mini-game that the designers have left where you’re meant to find all these different coloured frogs scattered throughout the castle! It’s a really fun and playful feature and I love everything about this.

What I liked:

  • This is the Castle set of your dreams
  • Absolutely top-notch building techniques
  • Plenty of minifigures
  • Queen Lionne and the Lion Knights are great
  • Play features work incredibly well
  • An epic display piece

What I didn’t like: 

  • Magisto doesn’t have printing
  • Is quite expensive and might be out of reach for some people

Final Thoughts:

10305 Lion Knights’ Castle has instantly become one of my favourite LEGO sets of all time. I’m a big fan of Vintage LEGO (I get so much more satisfaction from my vintage collection than my modern collection), and a big Castle fan, so this in essence is my dream set.

The designers Mike Psiaki, Milan Madge and Ashwin Visser have done an incredible job here, taking a LEGO Castle into 2022, and infusing it with insane amounts of new techniques that will impress even the most seasoned builders.

The build was exquisite, and did remind me of old school LEGO, because you’re mostly stacking bricks on bricks, and the end result is jaw-droppingly cool.

This set is a perfect homage to the LEGO Castle theme, and Castles from the 70s, 80s and 90s so if you’re an old soul, you’ll enjoy all the little throwbacks, Easter Eggs and references. Just the thought of one set having Lion Knights, Magisto, Black Falcons AND Forestmen is just unheard of.

The minifigures are superb as well, and I’m pleased to see LEGO not holding back here. The idea to have a Warrior Queen as the leader of the Lion Knights is inspired, and adds so much lore-wise to this set an to the overall LEGO Castle mythos.

If you enjoy Castles, you probably don’t need me to convince you that 10305 Lion Knights’ Castle is a truly special set that celebrates everything great about LEGO Castle, augmented by modern building techniques and elements.

Even if you don’t have an affinity with Castles, this is a really fun fantasy set, and if you didn’t grow up in the Castle Era, or like me, could not afford large LEGO castles when you were a kid, you’ll want to start saving and making space for this, because this is everything you could ever wish for in a LEGO Castle set.

While the set’s high pricetag might be a barrier to some, this is a 4000+ piece set, and there aren’t teeny tiny elements here, you’re getting a LOT of LEGO and a lot of useful grey elements to boot, as well as 22 minifigures, so I think, all things considered, this is really good value. Expensive, but does not feel like a rip-off.

I have to give this set a perfect 5 out of 5 score. This is everything my 8-year old self would’ve dreamed about having, and so much more.

A wonderful, ambitious and genre-defining LEGO Castle that’s a fitting way to celebrate LEGO’s 90th Anniversary.

Rating and score: 5/5 ★★★★★

Build [5] – So many cool techniques, and you’re constantly building different things, keeping it fresh
Real Value [4] – While expensive, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck, from minifigures, bricks to barding
Innovation [5] – Absolutely unreal techniques employed in this set
Coolness [5] – This is the ultimate LEGO Castle that has no comparison
Keepability [5] – A fantastic celebration of all things castle that’s one for the ages.


Thanks for reading my review of 10305 Lion Knights’ Castle and I hope you enjoyed it!

10305 Lion Knights’ Castle will go on sale on 3 August 2022 for LEGO VIPs, and 8 August for everyone else, and will be available exclusively from LEGO.com or your local LEGO store.

What do you think of the Lion Knights’ Castle? Let me know if you’re picking one up in the comments!

To get the latest LEGO news and LEGO Reviews straight in your inbox, subscribe via email, or you can also follow on Google News, or socials on Facebook, Instagram (@jayong28), Twitter or subscribe to the Jay’s Brick Blog Youtube channel.

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Special thanks to the LEGO Group for providing this set for review

Filed Under: Creator Expert, LEGO Reviews Tagged With: 10305, 2022, 5/5, ashwin vasser, black falcons, castle, creator expert, exclusive, forestmen, lego castle, lego icons, lego review, lion knights, lion knights castle, medieval, mike psiaki, milan madge, queen lionne, review

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Comments

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  1. turtle says

    January 31, 2023 at 8:06 AM

    Sir Jangbrick,

    You write: “10305 Lion Knights’ Castle has instantly become one of my favourite LEGO sets of all time.” I have to say: Lion Knights’ Castle is my favourite LEGO sets of all time.

    For example, these two sets are amazing.

    10497: Galaxy Explorer
    76832: XL-15 Spaceship

    BUT this Castle-theme made me buy:

    21325: Medieval Blacksmith
    31120: Medieval Castle
    40567: Forest Hideout

    Those all three sets are great, good parts and so on. BUT that castle. Lion Knight’s. It is so good that I try to make a MOC from that and now I also collect money for second one. I even bought three mini figures for the castle:

    71032-3: Troubadour
    71034-11: Knight of the Yellow Castle
    71037-5: Falconer

    From now on I try to also find animals which fit in that set. Castle is so full of small details. Everytime I watch it I found something new.

    Reply
    • Jay says

      February 3, 2023 at 10:39 AM

      Thos

      Reply
    • Jay says

      February 3, 2023 at 10:39 AM

      That’s an incredible list of sets and they all go so well together.

      Reply
  2. Björn says

    October 2, 2022 at 10:15 AM

    Magisto needs a workshop! The rather emty space down in the corner with the treasure chest really calls out for a nice.

    Reply
    • turtle says

      February 4, 2023 at 6:25 AM

      I am planning to make whole tower for Magisto.

      Reply
  3. Kevin says

    August 5, 2022 at 7:16 AM

    Hi Jay,

    As other visitors mentioned, your review convinced me to use my “vip” status and order the castle today. Also the fact that the forest hideout has been given a second round as free gift made me cross the line because these two sets are just fantastic together. I think these two sets will increase in value at an insane level the coming years. I sure hope this will be the start of more “castle system” sets. Thanks for making such a great review. I prefer a blog much more then all those instagram and youtube accounts about lego. With a blog you can just read and look in silence and at your own pace. Keep up the good work!

    Reply
    • Dan says

      August 6, 2022 at 5:16 AM

      Kevin, were you able to get the forest hideout as a GWP through Lego’s US store? It doesn’t show up for me.

      Reply
  4. Ed J says

    August 4, 2022 at 1:51 PM

    Just wanted to say your review is what encouraged me to buy the castle. Thanks again Jay. Also I’m still laughing at people who don’t want to buy it because there’s a warrior queen. Their loss!! This is such an awesome set to build so far.

    Reply
  5. David says

    August 3, 2022 at 4:17 AM

    I just need to find room for it. At this point, we are considering an addition to the house.

    Reply
    • Jay says

      August 4, 2022 at 1:13 PM

      Or a new house!

      Reply
  6. Robin Barker says

    August 1, 2022 at 7:32 PM

    Jay…
    Thank you for a perfect review of castle.
    To be honest I wasn’t going to buy it.
    But after reading this ..I might buy if now.
    Thsnk you .x

    Reply
    • Jay says

      August 4, 2022 at 1:03 PM

      Thanks so much for your kind words, Robin!

      If you do buy it, I hope you enjoy every moment of the build!

      Reply
  7. Stephan says

    July 25, 2022 at 4:18 PM

    Very cool review, I am very tempted to pick this set up.

    Btw, you wrote ‘true and true’ where you meant ‘through and through’. Just a typo, I guess.

    Reply
  8. vrchill says

    July 18, 2022 at 9:33 PM

    Any chance you can share the brick built weight of the set?

    Reply
  9. Norman says

    July 15, 2022 at 5:53 PM

    Man, what a set! I love everything about it, the figures are great, the techniques are just amazing. What tickles me the most is just the sheer endless possibilities to expand on it. More animals, more minifigs (a lot of CMFs would work here, toss a coin to your witcher, anyone?), minifigs from older castle sets, the Blacksmith and the 3in1 castle set, the forestman GWP, horses, goats, chickens… heck, even one of the old green dragons or the glow in the dark ghost! 😀

    I would use the old Majisto’s torso on the new figure, though, that missing print is a bit of a shame. And the glow in the dark wand could be hidden somewhere. 😉

    Really beautiful set, there is just no inner courtyard to this in order to recreate all the scenes, but I guess that works if you open it up.

    Last but not least: very nice review Jay, thank you!

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 3:52 PM

      Oooh, dragons would be great, but the old dragons will look so dwarfed by the sheer size of this castle!

      For Magisto options, there’s this “new” blue wizard in the recent Build a Minifigure wave which is pretty good https://jaysbrickblog.com/reviews/review-lego-build-a-minifigure-bam-exclusives-q2-2022/

      Thanks, I’m so glad you enjoyed the review – it was super fun to write!

      Reply
  10. Joe B. says

    July 15, 2022 at 3:21 AM

    Curse you Jay! I really liked the idea of this set, but was going to pass so I’d have money for other sets (especially since I bought the Starry Night, partly encouraged by your review). But this review is making that more difficult. The set looks great and thanks for your review!

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 3:45 PM

      Haha you’re welcome? I hope you enjoyed Starry Night at the very least!

      I’m a big fan of Castles and the Classics… so this set was just precision-engineered for my interests.

      Reply
  11. Kevin says

    July 14, 2022 at 10:42 PM

    Awesome review. I have a very large train city layout and all the Harry Potter. I had no real interest in starting a new theme, until now. Here we go again. Thanks Jay! Just kidding, you do a remarkable job.

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 3:25 PM

      Haha, thank you, I appreciate it!

      Reply
  12. Reader says

    July 14, 2022 at 9:13 PM

    Hope you’ve recovered from your illness.

    Of the 4500 pieces, about 3000 or so are the grey bricks, right? 🙂
    Jokes aside, the details in the set look amazing. Lego have added a touch to everything (except the wizard). But I also can’t shake the feeling that from the outside, there’s a lot of grey and green and not much to look at. All of the goodies are hidden on the inside. It’s similar to the Modular Buildings series in that regard, but it doesn’t have the same architectural aesthetic that makes the exterior look good too.

    I expect once it gets to Amazon, it’ll probably sell for $150 cheaper. Unless there’s a GWP needing a purchase worth $500, I don’t think I’ll be buying a set this expensive. This is definitely a set targeted at older fans wanting the nostalgia value, but perhaps Lego should consider a smaller, cheaper set too.

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 3:25 PM

      Thanks – I’m nearly there! Floored me for about a week, which hasn’t been fun.

      Yes, plenty of grey bricks, which should please all the Castle Builders!

      On discount, this set is brilliant, so yeah, if you’re not in a hurry, it’s always worth waiting.

      I wouldn’t mind smaller and cheaper Castle sets. Maybe some Black Falcons siege weaponry!

      Reply
  13. Frisk says

    July 14, 2022 at 5:08 PM

    Awesome you got to play with the set nice and early!
    Thanks for the great look over it all.

    I have to say I’m torn with the minifigs.
    Printing aside – there’s something still great in the old style minis. The updates are feeling too detailed – but limited at the same time. I think it’s the leg printing of the armour – feels a bit silly as it’s just on the front. a lot of meaningless lines. Plus – you can’t mix and match anymore. Those legs belong to that torso.

    That aside – one thing I was surprised at was the lack of colour use in the brickwork of the castle walls. The recent 3 in 1 castle had great brick and colour use in making it feel like it was built on old rock foundations with moss slowly creeping up the walls. Same with the Ideas blacksmith which I recently finished. It really made them feel lived in and wowed me with how clever and real it was.

    Anyway – it’s a fun looking set I’m keen for, just some thoughts.

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 3:23 PM

      Hey Frisk, thanks for sharing your thoughts – that definitely seems emblematic of modern minifigure design, where legs are almost always locked to torsos. Side leg printing is a puzzling one – LEGO definitely can, but they never seem to do it for newer sets/minifigures UNLESS they’re collectible minifigures.

      The brick-work observation makes sense – in my head, it seems like they wanted to give off the vibe of tall, unscalable walls for the design. Maybe smooth walls are better protection against sieges?

      Reply
  14. RC says

    July 14, 2022 at 2:18 PM

    Hi,

    thanks for the review. I’m trying to build the castle following the official photos and videos only, your pics give me some additional (and much needed as well as appreciated) insight. The buidling technics have me sweating all the time. At least I managed to (almost) finish the main gatehouse and its back, although in a black/ the Upside Down/ conquered by the mean dragon queen sister version (due to a lack of grey pieces for the whole construction).

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 3:19 PM

      You’re most welcome! There are some really intricate and interesting building techniques, but if you just want to get the aesthetics, it shouldn’t be too hard to do.

      Reply
      • RC says

        July 21, 2022 at 12:07 AM

        Yeah, sadly in my innocent arrogance I wasn´t going so much for the aesthetics as the building techniques. At least after seeing the pics from the different reviews I can say I wasn´t that much of in most cases (although way less elegant) and the second half is progressing way faster now and I might finih it beofre the instructions are published…although I might run out of pieces before finishing the last mill/ queen living quarters part (or I´ll finish it “rainbow style”). Either way, great job on the review!

        Reply
  15. Agent 86 says

    July 14, 2022 at 1:08 PM

    This is breathtakingly beautiful, but way outside my budget.

    It makes me wish Lego would announce all their sets at the start of the year so I could budget accordingly and save up for such extravagant sets as this.

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 3:18 PM

      Yeah, I understand, but like really big flagship sets (UCS MF, AT-AT, Titanic etc), these are massive statement sets.

      Hopefully this one sticks around for awhile to enable people to save up for it. I waited 3 years to pounce on the UCS MF because I was saving up!

      Reply
  16. TeufelHund says

    July 14, 2022 at 10:39 AM

    Reading your comments about how progressive this set is and what a great message it sends to children, I would point out this is an 18+ and very expensive set that is clearly not targeted at kids. Also the fact that they deliberately chose not to include a king indicates that sending an inclusive message to kids was not their primary consideration, as any young child lucky enough to play with this set who wants to see their castle ruled by a king is out of luck.

    Saying that, it is a very impressive set and I’ll be picking it up. I’d just prefer they kept the identity politics out as I prefer not to be preached to when I hand over 100s of bucks.

    Reply
    • Nick Gee says

      July 14, 2022 at 5:49 PM

      Being governed by a queen… wow what a revolutionary idea. Lizzy’s only been sitting there for the last 70 years lol

      Reply
    • Agent 86 says

      July 15, 2022 at 7:39 AM

      Could they just not stick a “boy” head on the royal body?

      With the helmet on, I care anything about the Lionne minifigure which indicates gender. Even the hair and crown piece isn’t overly feminine given some of the ornate hairstyles and crowns worn by kings.

      Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 3:17 PM

      I’m not sure I agree – I’d wager that quite a number of people picking these up will be parents like myself who have kids. Ever since I set it up, my daughter has been playing with the set nearly every day, so it’s important in that regard.

      Maybe we’ll get a Black Falcons King – that would be quite cool to see!

      Reply
  17. James says

    July 14, 2022 at 9:02 AM

    Awesome review. I can’t wait for this. I still remember as a kid getting the yellow castle for Christmas and playing with it for years. Along with the classic spaceship this year is a great year for reliving childhood memories.

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 3:13 PM

      Oh wow, that’s a very special memory and I hope this demonstrates just how far LEGO has come!

      Reply
  18. Dita says

    July 14, 2022 at 7:46 AM

    Great review as always, Jay, and this should be a day one for me – but there is just something kind of boring about the intense bleyness of it all. Strip out the figs and flags and any splash of colour and its just a solid, unexciting looking block of light grey ABS. Simultaneously too large and too small at the same time (it’s very front loaded and the appeal of the Classic Castles was that they had lots of internal courtyard space for play). Even the Tudor building colour scheme is washed out in white and nougat. Compare with 10223 Kingdoms Joust for example, it pops a lot more visually with a lot less. Last year’s Creator Castle produced the warm and fuzzies, but this not so much (despite me desperately wanting to love it!).

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 3:09 PM

      Thanks Dita. I can see the intense bleyness, and for a Castle, it’s kinda what you expect from it, with high, unscalable walls. Maybe adding some banners would make it pop further?

      Joust was an excellent set, and had a very festive feel to it so it definitely feels more vibrant. Hope you get to see it in the flesh and see if your opinion changes, but I totally get where you’re coming from.

      Reply
  19. Panda says

    July 14, 2022 at 7:37 AM

    Just wow, great review and set

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 3:07 PM

      Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  20. Ian says

    July 14, 2022 at 6:43 AM

    Hi, Jay! Great review, and you’ve allayed any concerns I had with this monumental set. So looking forward to its release. I’ll find out for myself in time, but what colour is the queen’s visor? Lego did a chrome gold back in Fantasy Era, but is this one more of a pearl gold? It’s great to see the visor making a comeback this year between this set and the upcoming pink crown knight in the next CMF series.

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 3:05 PM

      Thanks Ian, glad you enjoyed it! It’s pearl gold – not chromed unfortunately.

      Reply
  21. Wim Goris says

    July 14, 2022 at 4:58 AM

    I agree with your review Jay !… I already added this to the top of my list, to go nicely with the free Forest men Hideout set, and the Medieval Blacksmith set. Like you, when Castle was a thing I was too young to have any money, and money was scarce in the household of my parents as well.
    So I will make up for lost time as well with this set, and it will be a nice reward towards myself of sticking to Lego as an adult…
    Might not be a day 1 buy for me, but it will be the first week for sure; I don’t think it will sell out fast because of it’s high price tag. Thank myself for having a “Lego savings account” that I now will be emptying a lot… 🙂

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 2:59 PM

      It’s a superb set, and absolutely dwarfs any other Castle that LEGO have ever done.

      It really feels like LEGO Castle has taken a quantum leap with this set, and this one will be hard to top!

      I have a LEGO savings account too! I saved $50 a month for a year and a half to be able to grab a UCS MF!

      Reply
      • Wim Goris says

        August 6, 2022 at 4:22 AM

        Just got the castle yesterday, with another Forestmen Hideout as a GWP set. Cam e back here Jay to look at all your pictures and read the review again. I have a big urge to start building and my “little boy smile” is back on my face while I read your review and type this response…
        I also have decided to take my sweet time building this, savor every moment of the build, look at details while I built and just enjoy the purchase in stead of rushing through it.
        It did take an astounding $430 (after taxes are added in) of my Lego savings, but I’m thoroughly convinced that this set is not a purchase, but an investment instead; it will always be worth at least the purchase price…

        Thank you again for providing us with another beautiful review, keep it up ! I always love seeing your emails in my inbox, and can’t wait to read what you’re doing next !…

        🙂

        Reply
  22. Aldrich Bautista says

    July 14, 2022 at 3:28 AM

    Awesome set.

    Very tempting to get a second one to MOC a bigger castle. Keep the 1st set as is and expand the castle to have a tall tower (similar to the earlier Black Falcon castle), mage room, guard quarters, sperate queen and kids room, etc.

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 2:57 PM

      Even as a parts pack, you’ll get so many usable parts to mod for sure and expand it further – maybe make a barracks? Plus, extra army minifigures!

      Reply
  23. Demarcation Media says

    July 14, 2022 at 2:28 AM

    Dang, if I can round up the money for this, I’m 100% buying it

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 2:56 PM

      If there’s one big set to save for this year – this is it. It’s absolutely phenomenal in every sense, and worth every cent. I’ll be buying another.

      Reply
  24. Nancy says

    July 14, 2022 at 2:21 AM

    Don’t tempt me further! I dare not take it. Not even to keep it safe. Understand, I would buy this set as a gift for my future grandchild. But through me, it would wield a power too great and terrible to imagine.

    (As opposed to all the OTHER sets I have)

    Reply
    • Nancy says

      July 14, 2022 at 2:24 AM

      (Insert comment that was deleted due to formatting!) turns out one cannot use the ‘pointy parens’ here!
      (Set whispers of all the fun I would have with my as yet non-existent grandchildren)

      Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 2:53 PM

      It is a strange fate we should suffer so much fear and doubt over so small a thing

      Reply
  25. Tyler Williams says

    July 14, 2022 at 2:21 AM

    The castle is awesome but won’t buy this set due to being woke on having women being on the battlefield.

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 2:50 PM

      Imagine being so insecure and threatened by a bunch of female minifigures, lol.

      Reply
  26. shaagnik says

    July 14, 2022 at 1:10 AM

    was that toilet paper? or a bunch of leaves attached to a stick?

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 2:50 PM

      Both? Haha. Different strokes for different folks. Or maybe the stuff at the top are to freshen the air?

      Reply
  27. Hyperion says

    July 14, 2022 at 12:49 AM

    Awesome review ! Can’t wait to get it !
    It’s pricey, so it is sad that it won’t be easily available for a lot of lego fans but it doesn’t feel like it’s over the top either (a lot of new mould and prints).
    As for the horse, it’s not new, it was already available in set 60327.

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 2:42 PM

      Thank you! I think for a set like this, it’s the one you want to save for. Ah, good pickup with the horse, thanks for that, I’ve edited the section to correct that.

      Reply
  28. James B says

    July 14, 2022 at 12:42 AM

    Great review! Really excited about this set. Staying up to midnight to order on day of release as feel this may go out of stock quick despite the price!

    Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 2:41 PM

      Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Reading other LEGO fan emdia reviews, it seems to be universally acclaimed, and yes, despite the high price tag, if there’s one set on 2022 you want to splash out on, this is it.

      Reply
  29. Phil says

    July 13, 2022 at 11:52 PM

    Have you discovered what the designers were doing from 14:40 on there video? The castle can split into two but they never showed how this was done, or what was going on after? – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onr3JQICOi4

    Reply
    • Michael says

      July 15, 2022 at 1:06 PM

      There is a secret room at the bottom…. look at the “end of book 1” picture

      Reply
    • Jay says

      July 17, 2022 at 2:40 PM

      Yes, they can be separated into two halves that clip into one another. Each half has their own instruction manual.

      Reply

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Here's your chance to win a @lego 10316 Rivendell Here's your chance to win a @lego 10316 Rivendell set!

All you need to do is build your very own LEGO Fellowship, and give them a story, quest and their very own identities!

You could win some awesome prizes courtesy of LEGO, celebrating one of the greatest LEGO sets ever!

Hit the link in bio to learn more about how to enter, and to read the terms and conditions!

Entries close at 5pm AEDT, on 28 March 2023!

#lego #LEGOminifigures #minifigures #minifigs #legogiveaway #legolordoftherings #lordoftherings #legonews #legos #afol #rlfm
Did you know that Fiona, the @lego Friends florist Did you know that Fiona, the @lego Friends florist is one of the first minidolls depicted with Down Syndrome?

Fiona works at the flower stall on Unity Street from 41732 Friends Downtown Flower and Design Stores 

She is described as being 'good at crafts and decorating, and knows all the flower species by name.' 

It's World Down Syndrome Day today and I think it's remarkable and very important for LEGO to enhance the perspectives of children on neurodiversity, physical disabilities, ethnicity and mental health, as they've done with the LEGO Friends reboot. 

#lego #legofriends #worlddownsyndromeday #representation #dei #minidolls
🎈 Here's a closer look at the minifigures inclu 🎈 Here's a closer look at the minifigures included in the Up House - we have Russell, Carl Fredricksen and an awesome new mould for Dug!

(I think Dug is the best!)

Shame Kevin was left out, though! 

Hit the link in bio to read my full review!

#lego #disney100 #legodisney #up #pixar #legophotography #legoleaks #legoleaks2023 #legos #afol #rlfm #43217 #disney #legoreview #reviews #minifigures #LEGOminifigures
Here's my review of one of the most anticipate @LE Here's my review of one of the most anticipate @LEGO Disney sets - 43217 'Up' House ahead of its release on 1 April 2023!

This set is a dream come true for many Pixar fans, and we finally get a cute, compact and great looking Up House. 

It has plenty of references to the movie, and Carl's everlasting love of Ellie, his late-wife which will absolutely delight fans. 

Despite a strong lineup of minifigures (including an awesome Dug mould), the set's incredibly expensive pricetag (US$59.99/AU$89.99) doesn't feel like good value, especially with Kevin nowhere to be found. 

Hit the link in bio to read my full review!

Let me know what you think of this set, and if you're still planning to get it! 

#lego #disney100 #legodisney #up #pixar #legophotography #legoleaks #legoleaks2023 #legos #afol #rlfm #43217 #disney #legoreview #reviews
🐍 Snakes... Why did it have to be snakes? Her 🐍 Snakes... Why did it have to be snakes? 

Here are some shots of 77013 Escape from the Lost Tomb, which let's you recreate scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark!

Indy, Sallah, and Marion break into the Well of Souls to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant in LEGO form, and this playset is packed with dynamic play features!

Priced at only US$39.99, this set is incredible value and a great way to get started with LEGO Indiana Jones! 

Hit the link in bio to read my full review!

Thanks to @lego for sending this set for review!

#lego #lego2023 #indianajones #legoindianajones #legoreview #rlfm #77013 #afol #legophotography #legos #legoleaks #legoleaks2023 #legonews
Having a great time building the new @lego Indiana Having a great time building the new @lego Indiana Jones and #Disney100 sets!

Look out for reviews and more content in the coming days!

Special thanks to LEGO for sending these review sets!

#lego #afol #rlfm #reviews #77013 #77015 #77012 #43217 #43212 #legodisney #indianajones #legoindianajones #Disney
Behold, the @lego 10317 Land Rover Classic Defende Behold, the @lego 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90!

This beautiful, boxy British icon will launch on 1 April and features the iconic @landrover Classic Defender in sand green!

Hit the link in bio to see more!

10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90
🧩 2,336 pieces
💵 US$239.99 / AU$369.99 / £209.99
🗓 1 April 2023
🎨 Kurt Kristiansen

#lego #legoicons #landrover #landroverdefender #legonews #legoleaks #legoleaks2023 #lego2023 #rlfm #reveal #10317 #afol #legophotography
With the demise of 77014 Temple of Doom, it joins With the demise of 77014 Temple of Doom, it joins a very illustrious list of sets that have been cancelled by @lego.

Here's a list of some of the most famous cancelled LEGO sets in recent years!

⚠️Correction: 40489 Mr and Mrs Claus Living Room should be 2021, not 2012

Do you have any of these in your collection? 

Hit the link in bio to read the full feature!

#lego #legoindianajones #indianajones #afol #legonews #legoleaks #legoleaks2023
Very happy that Din Djarin finally gets a proper @ Very happy that Din Djarin finally gets a proper @lego Darksaber!

Fresh from Chapter 18: The Mines of Mandalore, LEGO has just announced 75361 Spider Tank featuring the menacing spider robot, Bo-Katan, Grogu and The Mandalorian!

Also dig Bo-Katan's snazzy arm printing! 

It will retail for US$49.99 and will arrive on 1 August 2023.

Hit the link in bio to see more!

#lego #LEGOstarwars #themandalorian #legoleaks #lego2023 #legoleaks2023 #starwars #minifigures #rlfm #reveal #75361
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Jay's Brick Blog

22 hours ago

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Here's my editorial on LEGO 2K Drive, and why you should be extremely wary of 2K's well-documented and aggressive microtransaction game design philosophy. Wanted to wait a few days to properly digest this as modern video games aren't my forte, but here's a cautionary article. Surprised that not many other LEGO media commented or did any research into 2K's reputation, or the potential impact that microtransactions and season passes could have on what looks like a really fun game. ... See MoreSee Less

LEGO 2K Drive looks slick but sets a dangerous and predatory course towards microtransaction hell - Jay's Brick Blog

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Earlier this week, LEGO and 2K announced LEGO 2K Drive, an “ultimate AAA open world driving adventure game” that’s coming to all major consoles on 19 May 2023. Developed by Visual Concepts, LEGO...
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2 days ago

Jay's Brick Blog
Continuing on with our coverage of 2023 LEGO Speed Champions sets, Vaderfan has taken a detailed look at 76914 Ferrari 812 Competizione, one of his favourite cars from the 2023 wave!What a masterclass of LEGO Speed Champions and Ferrari design! ... See MoreSee Less

Review: LEGO 76914 Ferrari 812 Competizione - Jay's Brick Blog

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A detailed review of the LEGO 76914 Ferrari 812 Competizione, one of the best cars the March 2023 LEGO Speed Champions wave
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2 days ago

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For those that missed out on the Hulkbuster deal, AG LEGO Certified Stores also has the Hulkbuster marked down 50%!lego.bricksmegastore.com/products/lego-marvel-hulkbuster ... See MoreSee Less

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  • LEGO 2K Drive looks slick but sets a dangerous and predatory course towards microtransaction hell
  • Review: LEGO 76914 Ferrari 812 Competizione
  • Win a LEGO Rivendell set by building a LEGO Fellowship!
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