Review: 40107 Ice Skating
Posted by Huw,The second of this year's free winter-themed sets, 40107 Ice Skating, will be given away over the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend with purchases over a certain threshold from shop.LEGO.com and in brand stores.
We've been sent some of this set to prepare for a competition that we'll be launching this Friday in which you'll have a chance to win some great prizes. Before that kicks off I'll do a quick review.
When pictures first emerged, the resultant comments were not all positive so I was keen to build it for myself and make up my own mind.
The 127-piece set constructs a L-shaped piece of ice on which there's a slide and an ice hockey 'pitch' and goal. Two minifigs grace the set: a short-legged girl and a long-legged boy. The boy's green jacket torso is one that crops up in just about every winter set. The girl's hoodie torso first appeared in 2010 City sets and has cropped up in quite a few winter sets since. They are unremarkable then, but suit the set well.
Parts-wise, there's an abundance of 1x2 transparent tiles: 24 trans-light-blue and 8 trans-clear. Although not uncommon, they are not normally seen in such numbers other than in Architecture sets.
The set also resurrects a part that hasn't been seen since the re-release of the original Maersk container ship (10155) in 2010: the Technic ball joint in white, two of which are used here very effectively as snowballs: they are so much more convincing than 1x1 round plates that are usually used.
One valid criticism levelled at the set is why crude brick-built hockey sticks have been used when there was a perfectly good one made for collectable minifigures series 8 ice hockey player. I can only guess that it was for some logistical reason: mould not available/factory that makes them at full capacity, or whatever. I don't suppose we will ever find out.
The two minifigures can just about fit on the hockey pitch together, but it's a bit tight. Medium azur(e) plates are used underneath the trans-light-blue tiles to give the pitch an even bluer appearance.
Overall, I like it. It's a nice little scene that won't look out of place in your winter village display. It's also a pretty good parts pack which is just as well, as you'll find out on Friday :)
Perhaps the best part is the price: it's free, so no complaints about that for a change!
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29 comments on this article
Thanks for the review Huw, the snowballs were one of the thing I liked about the set so nice to hear where we have last seen them last and that they are rare. I would have liked to see some picture of it part built maybe showing things like the "Medium Azur(e) plates are used underneath the trans-light-blue tiles" as I am not great with Lego colors and the pictures of it built although really well done don't add much to what we have already seen. Also its not really free is it, you have to spend £50 on Lego most likely at RRP, not that I mind that and I will be picking one up but it will mean I pick up a few sets that I might not have done otherwise. Thanks again for the review, I think the competition might be make something just using the parts in this set. Only problem for me is I am getting this as a present for my wife, it might now be a used set that I give her :).
I did not hear yet whether the set will be available in German Shop as well. Can you confirm anything?
According the hockey sticks: Maybe TLG thinks brick-built sticks fit the theme and set design better than special parts.
^ Yes it will be.
^^ Fair point although given it was so small I didn't think it worthwhile showing step-by-step photos. The medium azure can be seen on the left hand end in the bottom photo.
I agree with PsyKater. The brick-built hockey stick is endearing to the theme and shows the creativity of LEGO building and imagination. It fits with the other special accessories that are brick-built in the theme: the presents, the banjo, the saxophone, the toys.
I would have been disappointed to see the CMF hockey stick. These highly polished specialized pieces are great in the CMF theme, but in the Winter Village there is something charming and nostalgic about the brick-built accessories much like the holiday the theme is based around.
I'm looking forward to this set for it's simple, blocky, imaginative charm. Everything a LEGO set should be.
They only mfr the collectible minifigs in China right? So the molds are at that 1 location, and these would seem to use the normal mfr scheme which is multiple mfr locations. I wouldn't spin up a batch of new molds in this instance were it me.
Still wondering at the blue protrusion through the snow pile.
I forgot to add that I'm not a fan of these snowballs. It reminds me of the song "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts": Some as big as your head! Now, I do suspend proportion when playing with LEGO bricks, but those are some large snowballs!
@Huw - you tease, giving us little hints of a contest!
I'm not madly taken by this set, but I love the Winter Village theme so I think I'll probably end up buying something to get it, just be a case of deciding what is going to be most worthwhile when the sale prices are revealed.
If I do end up with one I will enjoy the pieces :)
I do like this set. It's nice to get little scenes like this that work well in the 'layout' as a whole. The first set only really works if you have Santa's Workshop too.
those "Hockey sticks" are going away quickly, and being replaced by Brooms :) I'm sure there are a handful out there that know which sport I'm talking about!
People that prefer 1x1 round plates or studs for snowballs cool but they are not hard to come by so I am glad we got big balls.
Huw, I did think that was the reason there is not too much you can do with a set this size.
I have a lot of 1x2 trans-light-blue tiles from the free pick a brick box we got last year (it was the only good thing MK had on the wall) and I was hopping to make a big ice scene at some point so I might have to look out for some Medium Azur(e) plates if the effect does look good.
There are many times I applaud TLG for their creativity in making sets work with their detail. This is not one of those times. It doesn't look like a well though out design at all. If I get this set it will be because TLG has a good deal on a set during black Friday that I must have.
I saved half of my Christmas shopping for this free set (the other half for the other free set). I do like this, although I don't know if I needed to save half. I probably could have bought more of the other set since I could re-use those pieces more easily. But I do like this little scene. I try to collect all of the "freebies" every year. Although I don't open them..they don't really go with my winter layout then, huh?
I do like the parts pack here. That alone would make it worthwhile.
While I agree it is neat to brick build things, I will most likely switch out the sticks with the official version..if I can find any at a reasonable price. We have a molded sax.
Nice assessment, and photos!
Hockey Player is Series 4, not 8, by the way.
I love those "snowballs", and I agree with most above--the makeshift hockey sticks are appropriate for a set like this.
"...the white Technic ball joint in white,"
So it's white then? :D
^ Yes, bright white :)
Where are theirs hats? Why they don't have hats? It's cold winter, everything is frozen and they are without hats? It's very bad, Santa is watching. And they will be ill at Christmas.
ARH! Why does it have to be just those four days. My current plans mean I will have a chance to visit a LEGO store on the Thursday prior to that weekend. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to have a really really good browse around the store, and then put an online order in at midnight. Call me old fashioned, but I just prefer physically picking things up in a store.
Hope the Minecraft sets last online long enough to be my purchase for this set. Fingers crossed!
^ I don't understand the point behind Lego minecraft. Isn't all Lego already minecraft?
Does the offer still work if you're spending £50, but some of the items you might be purchasing are currently stated as "out of stock, expected ship date ..."?
Huw
I think maybe TLG didn't use the CM hockey because it may have been too big for these shorter figures as the CM hockey player had standard minifigure legs.
Sorry if this comes through twice, but hockey is not played on a "pitch"; it's played on a rink.
I think the set is a really nice addition to the winter village.
Maybe it is not as charming as the elves workshop or the Christmastree-and-Santa livingroom from a couple of years ago, but I am not complaining. It is free and looks great!
I thought they didn't use the CMF hockey stick because Creator sets tend to use brick-built accessories whenever possible? I dunno. Love the snowballs, although lots of Mixels use those with printing and you non-purists could just Brasso off the eye print. (It's a super common part now anyway!)
What is that thing on the left with the sled? Is that supposed to be a little part of a sledding hill?
I like the idea of this set, but I wish it was just a bit bigger. I have been waiting to buy Santa's Workshop until Thanksgiving weekend so I can get the freebie. I got the last freebie with a purchase of bricks to build a Chapel for my Winter Village.
I love the idea of swapping out the hockey sticks for brooms. And with the snowballs, I am now going to have to build a little snowfort/snowball fight! :)
Spaceship, Spaceship! SPACESHIP!! = Ice Skating, Ice Skating! ICE SKATING! Glad I waited for just such an occasion.
To @Huw's point, there are some great parts in this set. I'm really glad this set includes the 1x2 clear flat plats. A definite purchase (well, at least add-on for a purchase)...
1x2 trans blue plates have been appearing in PaB walls periodically as well. I just cannot get over the missing hockey sticks.
The thing that strikes me most though is that this is holiday set2, but for the first time, does not go with the holiday set1.