The new LEGO River Steamboat is a stunning set that not only looks fantastic once completed but also offers a highly engaging build experience. The quality of a LEGO set is often judged by both the building process and the final result, and the River Steamboat is a prime example of excellence in both areas. The construction of this set is seamless, with each step logically and organically leading to the next. The ship's layered design, where each floor can be easily removed, allows for a full appreciation of its intricate inner details. LEGO has long catered to its adult fans through its modular building line, and the River Steamboat continues this tradition with its modular design, showcasing meticulous attention to detail that results in a cohesive and impressive whole.
LEGO Ideas River Steamboat
Priced at $329.99 at the LEGO Store, the River Steamboat is part of the LEGO Ideas line, where fans can submit and vote on original ideas to become official sets. The creator of the winning design earns a share of the profits. Notable past successes from LEGO Ideas include sets like The Nightmare Before Christmas, Jaws, and Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon's Tale.
We Build LEGO Ideas River Steamboat
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The LEGO River Steamboat draws inspiration from the grand paddle boats that once navigated the Mississippi River during the 1800s. Initially used for industrial transport, these steamboats evolved into pleasure vessels offering amenities and gambling once outmoded by steam engine trains and screw propeller boats. Today, they continue to provide leisurely cruises, much like the one my wife and I enjoyed during our honeymoon in New Orleans, complete with dining, dancing, and live jazz.
This set is a true delight for LEGO enthusiasts. The LEGO River Steamboat features a jazz lounge and a dining room, but it also includes practical areas such as a boiler engine room connected to the paddle wheel. Push the boat, and the wheel rotates. The pilothouse has a functional steering wheel that, when turned, moves the rudder at the bottom of the boat. Additionally, there's a kitchen area, sleeping quarters for the crew, and an anchor on a chain that rolls up on a spool. Another spool manages the boarding stages on the ship's bow.
The build, comprising 4,090 pieces, is thoughtfully divided into 32 separate bags. Construction begins with the ship's base, which houses the boiler room and a miniature nautical museum featuring a piston engine, an aeolipile (steam turbine), and a Watt steam engine. Adjacent to the engine room, a small kitchen comes complete with a refrigerator, stove, and basin sink. The designers' ingenuity in repurposing pieces, such as using a hot dog bun from a Fairgrounds set as an engine reinforcement, highlights the minimalism and creativity of LEGO design.
The main deck, one level up, includes the dining room and jazz lounge. The lounge, situated above the stern, comes equipped with tiny LEGO accessories for drums, saxophone, microphone, and an upright bass. The dining room boasts elegant tablecloth elements and stylish chairs, with light fixtures spanning both inside and outside the compartment. Wall posters advertise the onboard entertainment, one of which depicts the A-Frame Cabin from another LEGO Ideas set (available at Amazon).
The dining room is built separately and can be 'dropped' into the main build, creating additional deck space where minifigures can lean on the railing and enjoy the view. Interestingly, the set does not come with minifigures, which might have added more life and playfulness. Perhaps LEGO intended this set to be more of a display piece rather than a play set.
Above the main deck is the crew deck, which includes sleeping quarters and a bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower stall. At the top, the pilothouse features a steering wheel that, through a threaded rod running through all four levels of the steamboat, turns the rudder at the other end of the ship. This impressive feat of engineering showcases the meticulous planning and effort that went into creating this small but impactful mechanical feature.
I appreciate many subtle details in this set, such as the white billowy flags repurposed from croissant accessories, the clean white rows of railings along the decks, and the patterned tiles in the lounge areas resembling rugs. Despite its large size, the set feels more like 3,500 pieces than 4,000, but after exploring its detailed rooms and features, you'll understand where those extra pieces went.
William Strunk, in his book The Elements of Style, emphasizes a principle of writing that resonates with the design of the River Steamboat: "Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts." The River Steamboat embodies this principle in LEGO form; every brick has a purpose and function, every decorative element is pleasing and not superfluous, and each room contributes to the overall beauty of the set. This is a must-see LEGO build for enthusiasts.
The LEGO River Steamboat, Set #21356, retails for $329.99 and comprises 4,090 pieces. It is available exclusively at the LEGO Store.
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