Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 24

Advent Madness Day Twenty Four

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Jester

Here we are - the grand finale of the Castle Advent Calendar. The final door hides a new mini-figure - an awesome addition to any Castle Collection - The Jester.

I can't claim to be surprised to get this guy - he's figured prominently on the front of the Castle Advent box after all.

When news of this set was first leaked back in January it was a tossup which figure would generate more excitement - the Wench or the Jester. (No one really noticed the new Witch over in the corner - mostly due to the leaked image being too low-res to make out any details.)

Later in 2008 we would see the Jester hat turn up as part of the Batman line - recolored to Black and Red for Harley Quinn. But the blue-and-red version would remain a Castle Advent exclusive - along with an all new "Big Grin" face that wasn't shown on the box front!

Since today completes the Castle Advent, I wanted to close with a few observations about the calendar as a whole. While I regularly whine about the repetition of the CITY calendar, I'm sure I'd be equally grumpy if I were to see a Castle-only offering year after year. There's only so much you can do with one theme in the scope of an Advent run - you might get away with two years, but after that you're going to be sucking fumes, and the calendar will suffer for it.

But, fresh out of the gate, this calendar had just about everything you could want. New figures with unique and hard to find parts. A few interesting Mini-Models. Solid sub-themes. Sure, it had a few days where you couldn't help but feel cheated - but those days just helped the truly awesome kits stand out that much more.

From the news that's already leaked for the 2009 Advent Season it doesn't look like we'll have to worry about what a second year of Castle would look like. From what we've seen it isn't being developed.

But...there is word of an alternate to the ever-present CITY option. Just a rumor at this stage...but still....

Advent Pirates.

See you next year, Matey!

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 23

Advent Madness Day Twenty Three

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Treasure Chest with Gems and Spider

We're down to the wire. Those of you who looked at the front of the box for the Castle Advent know there's one awesome mini-figure to go...and he didn't show up on the 23rd. So today's set is just a final place holder - and a finish to the Troll Sub-Theme.

As far as "finishes" go, it's not too bad. The treasure chest and loot fit the theme, as does the spider. On the downside there's no actual building to be done with today's items. These are just bits of set dressing and accessories to make the rest of the theme a bit more extravagant.

Heh. I suppose if I were to receive a chest of Gems for Christmas I'd be pretty happy about it. So let's call it a base hit and turn our eyes back to the Advent Calendar...to await tomorrow's big surprise.

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 22

Advent Madness Day Twenty Two

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Holiday Catapult

Who says that Trolls can't have holiday spirit? Just take a look at today's festive sub-model! Sure, you'd expect a Troll mini-figure to come with some sort of weapon of war - but note how it's been decorated in festive Holiday Red and Green! Why, it even comes with what I take to be a representation of a fragile glass Christmas Tree ornament as ordnance.

I didn't think there'd be much room for Holiday Themes in a Castle Advent - but LEGO has surprised me yet again. :)

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 21

Advent Madness Day Twenty one

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Grumpy the Troll

So, new theme. That's cool. We're back to the forces of evil with a Troll figure.

You know, why are tolls always evil? Maybe they're just misguided. Or, you know, culturally different.

What? Yes, I suppose their wanting to split open our skulls and feast on the delicious innards may have something to do with the "Evil" label.

And, yeah, that whole "rape and pillage" thing. Yes. he comes with a giant copper sword, all knicked and notched from heavy use chopping up babies.

Just trying to give these guys a break. You know, it being Christmas time and all.

No?

Oh well.

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 20

Advent Madness Day Twenty

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Table, Stool, turkey dinner and glasses. And some wood.

Continuing the Maid/Serving Wench theme we get a much more satisfying mini-model than yesterday's vegetable crisper.

Today we have a fairly elaborate mini-table, a stool, golden plate and goblet (with spare goblet for a friend) and a couple of extra pieces. You know, in case a table leg breaks or something.

Is this a possible cross-time/space link with the CITY advent? Perhaps the Man-Eating-Turkey from Day 1 over there just left the Castle environment....nah. That'd never work. The turkey leg is still here. Maybe he came by and dropped it off, as it got cold and stale?

Maybe so.




...Maybe so.

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 19

Advent Madness Day Nineteen

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Basket, Apple, Carrot and extra stalk

Considering the generally high-quality of the Mini-models in the Castle Advent so far, today's swag is a bit of a letdown. It must have been a very rough year for produce - the only items in the bushel are a solitary apple, a carrot, and an extra bit of greens. Hardly a feast by any standards.

I like the LEGO carrots, but they were designed for the Belville theme. As such, they're woefully out of scale for the standard mini-figure. I mean, scaling up to human size these carrots would be nearly 3' long...not counting the stems. While carrots do get that big, it's hardly the common version. Recently LEGO has cast the base of the Carrot in brown and used it as a torch in the Indiana Jones sets. It's a much better use, in my opinion.

Eh. It could always be worse.

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 18

Advent Madness Day Eighteen

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Maid and Rat

You know, when the first images of the Castle Advent Calendar leaked to the net back in January, this was the figure that I couldn't wait to get my hands on. An update to the long-neglected Pirate Corset torso - a new printed dress leg block - a rare face and a swanky long-hair headpiece. So many good things, all in one Mini-figure.

And now she's mine. ALL MINE. Well, she belongs to me and everyone else who managed to score a Castle Advent, I suppose...

I'm curious to see where LEGO heads off with our Maid as the head of a new sub-theme. Will we have three (or four?) days of scrubbing and cleaning? Is the rat some sort of strange clue?

Tune in tomorrow, I guess...

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 17

Advent Madness Day Seventeen

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Crystal Ball with extra Gem

Today's mini-set adds yet another decorative element to the Witch's Workshop sub-theme that we've been exploring for the past few days.

The design of this model is very standard - it's nearly identical to the 2008 Wizard Impulse set (sadly, not a US release either.) except that the yellow 1x1 cone used to give the crystal some color was replaced with a yellow gem. The result isn't nearly as nice, but I think the gems have a bit more play value, so I'll call it a slight improvement.

This four day theme had me wondering, though - why can't LEGO produce an Advent set that lets all the days work together to create one big scene? Playmobil has been doing that for years with great success - and LEGO does show some unity on the box art for their Advent Calendars already.

Maybe this theme will continue into an unheard of fifth day. I doubt it, but stranger things have happened so far this year.

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 16

Advent Madness Day Sixteen

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Shelving with potions, bat, and extra stuff.

Day sixteen of the Castle Advent, day three of the Witch sub-theme. Yesterday's cauldron fit in well with the theme - today's set is a little more iffy. When it comes to bookcases, it looks like this one was purchased at a discount store- it doesn't fit together very well. Oh, it looks okay from a distance...but get closer and you see that it's not very functional.

On the other hand, the parts that comprise the set are pretty useful in the post-Advent building world, so I'll forgive the shoddy construction for now.

In addition to the shelving LEGO gives us a bunch of transparent bricks to make up bottles and potions and whatnot. I'm a big fan of transparent bricks in general, so no complains there.

The final item in today's mini-set is a bat - and it's the bat that really helps this door have any link to the Witch sub-theme. Combine today's loot with yesterday's set and you have the start of a nice little workshop for our Evil Heroine. I say "start" because I'm not sure if we're done with this theme yet. The Dwarf got four days - perhaps our Witch will, too.

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 15

Advent Madness Day Fifteen

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Witch's Cauldron, fire, snake, and extra dots

Well, back from the edge of the unique and rare to the commonplace. Still -as far as accessory sub-sets go, giving our witch a bubbling cauldron makes good sense, so I can't complain too loudly.

The design on the fire beneath the cauldron isn't too bad - it's a trifle fragile which is odd for a LEGO-designed creation. But it does look nice without relying on the standard "flame" piece.

The snake is nothing special, but does tie in well with the theme.

So now it's back to waiting - we're sure to get another Witch-themed item tomorrow. Will it be worthy of the mini-figure? Will it be so bad that the average for this theme will crash and burn like the Hindenburg?

I guess we'll know soon enough...

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 14

Advent Madness Day Fourteen

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

The Most Glorious Mini-Figure Ever

Oh, Castle Advent, how you play with my heart. Yesterday you gave me a box and a frog and called it "good". Today, you give me an exclusive figure that is all the shades of awesome mixed together.

One of the few joys that I've found in the CITY advent over the years has been the release of rare or newly-recolored parts. The mini-figures have always been "stock" though - sure, the parts might have been combined in a new way, but there was never a new paint job, never anything truly original in the mix.

Today - Day Fourteen of the Castle Advent - we get something new. This witch figure may share a face with another late-2008 release (Claw-Dette from the retailer-exclusive Volcano Base Agents set.) She may have a common black witch's hat. And maybe her accessory of force-lightning showed up earlier this year. But her outfit is all new - and made of pure win.

Female LEGO mini-figures are few and far between - and all too often they're cast in the role of "hapless victim" or "princess." Not so our fiesty Witch. She's clearly the adversarial type - and although her dress may have a poorly-sewn patch on it, you know that's because she's too busy kicking some heroic BUTT to get to the tailor.

Heck, I'm even looking forward to seeing what sort of support-sets she gets in the next couple of days.

Oh, LEGO, why didn't you make this the mass-release Calendar this year? You would have sold SOOOOO many of them...

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 13

Advent Madness Day Thirteen

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

The Most Glorious Mini-Figure Ever

Well, as nice as the Dwarf theme was, it was time for it to come to an end. Sure, the mini-mountain was nice, and the cart was both fun and functional, but it's time to move on to a new theme - a theme that promises excitement and love, as the Castle Advent Calendar has been known to do.

So let's take a close look at today's mini-figure....and....

...

Oh no.

WHAT THE?

A box, shovel, spear, and FROG?

That's a bit of a shocker.



...I guess I'll write about this stuff then.

Um.

It's a box. And a shovel that you can put in the box. Along with a spear you can also put in the box.

And a frog to watch over the box.

The End.

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 12

Advent Madness Day Twelve

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Mine Cart with extra wheel and jumper brick

Day Twelve brings us Day Three of the Dwaven Miner Sub-Theme - a rolling mining cart.

A ten part set (twelve with the extras), this mini-model is another small victory for the Castle Advent. The construction is fairly simple, yet teaches young builders the essentials of using a jumper brick to create an easy-to-separate surface. (The box of the cart separates from the wheeled base.) The CITY advent tried to show a similar construction trick, but inexplicably broke the model up over two days.

This should conclude the Dwarf-run - let's hope LEGO keeps the momentum going with a strong set tomorrow!

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 11

Advent Madness Day Eleven

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Rock formation with torch and gold crystal. With bonus extra flame.

I think it's safe to call this a "Dwarven Sub-Theme" now - today's mini-set fits too well with the ideas of mining and rock-work for anything else.

For a six (seven with the bonus repeat flame) piece set this isn't too bad. The two angular bricks aren't very common, and are both pretty useful in post-Advent constructions. The flame and torch base, while common, are still nice parts with plenty of re-use in them. And you just have to love the gold-toned crystal.

We should see more Dwarven goodness tomorrow - unless we get something completely expected. So far with the CASTLE advent I'm not sure which is more probable...

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 10

Advent Madness Day Ten

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Dwarf with Pickaxe

Day ten turns out to be the dawn of a new theme - or at the very least an excuse for a new Mini-figure to join the Castle Advent ranks. Say "Howdy" to Mr. Dwarf.

The dwarves entered the Castle universe last year as a retailer exclusive - and in 2008 they earned a few mainstream sets of their own. They feature all new beard pieces, swanky new helmets, and sadly non-articulated legs.

Removing the beard and helm from today's figure shows that underneath the swarthy exterior beats the heart of a short, yet otherwise standard, Knight of the Realm. From a parts standpoint, while the head and torso are quite common, the short brown legs have been in demand for a long time now - mostly due to their use in Yoda and Ewok minis.

Now we know from their debut that LEGO has some nice Dwarf-themed creations that could show up as mini-sets. We'll probably be seeing at least two of them in the days to come. But I think hoping for the full Seven Dwarves would be too much even for this fairy tale.

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 9

Advent Madness Day Nine

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Crossbow on Wheels

So...is this part of a theme or not? Yesterday's archery set is carried forward somewhat in the projectile-nature of today's set, and it does seem like something the Knight from Day 7 could use. But I'm not sure I could put a good name to this sub-theme. Pointy things?

If you look at yesterday's set as target practice, then today's set is an answer for those mini-figures who just need a bigger gun to waste the target. Well, sort of. If you look, you'll notice the actual "weapon" part of today's set is the same crossbow that the Black Skeleton came with. (Just in cast in sliver, not brown.)

As far as mini-sets go, I'm pretty happy with this one. While the part count is still pretty low (seven pieces in total) the parts themselves are pretty nifty.

And considering how weapons-heavy the Castle Advent has been so far, it's probably a good idea they gave us a cart to move all that armament around...

The question now is what will lurk behind tomorrow's door. Will this be a return to the 3-day-themes with a new mini-figure...or will we get another Knightly sub-model?

Gosh - it almost feels like a countdown or something...

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 8

Advent Madness Day Eight

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Archery Set

Another figure-ehancing set today - we now have the option of changing our second Knight into an Archer. Behind Door Eight was a snappy little target, a quiver of arrows, and a bow.

The target is a simple, yet effective design. It almost makes up for the seriously low part count behind today's door - a whopping six pieces - and that's counting the base and top of the hinge as distinct elements.

Eh, it's still more fun that most of the CITY doors have been so far.

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 7

Advent Madness Day Seven

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Knight with two Swords

Another mini-figure! LEGO certainly has weighted the play-value towards the front of their Castle Advent Calendar - making a 4/7 ratio of figures to doors. Amazing.

Of course, there is some balance to this. I'm sure we'll be returning to "two days of stuff following a fig" with today's Knight-2 sub-theme. But still - a Skeleton Theme with two monsters? Unexpected!

Okay. Back to today's swag.

Our second knight comes with possibly the coolest single-piece helmet in the castle line. He's got a cheeky Han Solo grin on his face, standard Knight torso and legs, and two swords. Of coruse, the box only shows him with one...the second is surely just an extra part from LEGO. But what kid is going to leave it behind when you could just as easily create the Sexy Sentry shown here?

I'm sure he'd stay and chat, but our first knight is being double teamed by Skeletons and could use a bit of backup. Ta-ta!

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 6

Advent Madness Day Six

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Black Skeleton Warrior with Crossbow and Extra Arm

What th'?? The Castle Advent takes an unexpected turn today with a second mini-figure in the three-day Skeleton Theme. This time it's a black version of the warrior - a Yang to Wednesday's Ying, if you will.

Once again LEGO has provided an extra arm for the fellow - it's a bit strange, but those arms make great decorative parts on their own so I'm not complaining. The crossbow is "standard issue" brown - I would have preferred a dark-grey or silver to better match this fellow's coloration, but eh, it's a minor quibble.

The real question now is: Is this really Day Three of the Skeleton sub-theme....or is it Day One of a new Black Skeleton Sub-Theme?

I guess we'll find out tomorrow. In the meantime, it's a good thing that our Knight figure is fully armored - he's about to get double teamed!

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 5

Advent Madness Day Five

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Weapons Rack with Blade, Shield and Pole Arm

Another day, another image lifted from Bricklink due to my misplacing my set. Whoops.

Day Five of Castle continues the outfitting of the Skeleton Warrior from Day 4. There's a shield for added armor and two nasty weapon alternates for him (her?) to enjoy.

There's no getting around the slow start that Advent Calendars suffer from - if you're starting from scratch each year it'll take a while before you have enough parts to really enjoy yourself. The Castle Advent, however, is doing a pretty good job of keeping me interested and keeping the mini-figures busy with things to do to each other. Even if "things" means massive amounts of violence.

I guess if we wanted "happy playtime" we should have petitioned for another Belville calendar....

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 4

Advent Madness Day Four

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

White Skeleton with Mace and Extra Arm

After three days of Knightly Goodness the Castle Advent gives it's followers something special - an evil monster to fight! Sure, it's not very "Christmas-sy", but it sure is CASTLE-y!

Admittedly, there's nothing overly special about the figure - it's been a staple of the new Castle line since it's inception in 2007. But I still love those crazy red eyes and upgraded joints. (It's a big improvement from the "Floppy Bones" of the classic Skeleton design.)

If the pattern holds, there'll be two more days of Skeleton themed accessories. I'm looking forward to seeing if by the 6th we have a fully upgraded warrior to do battle with the armored knight.

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 3

Advent Madness Day Three

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Armor Strand with helm, armor and sword

The Mini-Figure is the sales draw for any set. You know it, I know it, LEGO knows it. 

Take a look at some of the more expensive sets that sell themselves based on their "Exclusive Minifigure Content" like the Death Star Playset if you doubt me. 

That's why today's Castle Advent Door makes me smile. It takes the mini-figure from Day 1 and makes it...extra special.  It changes a simple knight into an armored battle waggon. The only real complaint I have it that they didn't include a plume for the helmet. 

But you can't have everything...at least not this early in the month.

Advent Madness: CASTLE Day 2

Advent Madness Day Two

CASTLE
(Open the Doors Here)

Arch with Shield and Flag

First off, I lifted today's image from Bricklink. Sorry about that - I thought I brought the arch with me to DC to photograph, but it somehow escaped my part bin. 

Secondly, I'm kind of glad I didn't have to bother photographing this set. It's way boring.

Sure, the gold flag is nice. And the shield is useful for yesterday's mini-figure. But as a mini-set....eh. Not a lot of play value.  Unless you're into really minimalist castles. Then you might be happy.