Well, at least you are able to sort all your pieces! I'm still in the 'sort by color' phase. :(

And that would be why I sort by color alone. Very insightful review here, I need to get my hands on more of them. Here's to 2011!

I have never seen that weird L shaped piece you posted at the end....and I agree, too many pieces = sorting nightmare for me!!

I love the new slopes, they make almost every creation so much better. Really good review.

That brick with 1 stud on side is sooooo much better than a 1x1 technic brick with a pin inside! And I don't like the new door because of the new hinge :( I can't use all of my old hinges anymore!

Nice review. I'm with you on a lot of those. Can't wait for the rooster... for obvious play on words jokes of course... Happy new year! ~ Chris.

Nice review. I also like that piece with stud on the side.

I like the review and agree with most of the stuff you said, but I disagree what you said about the 2nd (2x2 jumper piece?(not best with piece names)) "bad" misc piece, because although it may not be used to often, it is decent, and in some (rare) situations will save you some trouble. Otherwise, you seem quite wise with this review xD

Nice review, and i have to agree with you on that modified headlight brick; where have you been all my life? Having to use 1x1 technic bricks with have pins was really getting annoying. Good day

Nice overview. I just got the 8078 Portal of Atlantis and was pleasantly surprised by the amount of new pieces (and colours) in there.

Just a note by me, to be honest I really despise a majority of the new sets, lego's designers just arent putting in the effort they used to, for example, the new star wars at-at walker, yeh its motorised or whatever but the overall design on the outside is just the earlier model with some pieces REMOVED, its just scrappy. And the new pieces are just getting more and more ridiculous, lego is about dealing with problems with the pieces you have, not just making new ones to skip around the problem.

I'd kind of question this. We seem to have tons of themes lately: Space Police, Power Miners, World Racers, Castle, Pirates, Pharaohs Quest, Nijago, Alien Conquest, Board Games, Lego Universe... There is just as many as always, probably more. In the golden age (mid-late 80s) there were only 4 themes: Pirates, Castle, Town & Space. In 2011, Lego will be supporting 3 space based themes (star wars, nasa, & alien conquest). Basically, same formula as always before, but now with more external licenses. I think thats a healthy thing not a dark age.

I saw this renaissance as more of a dark age. Sure, lots of new peices, but at the same time the amount of LEGO's invented themes has dropped sharply, and they've dropped the ball with the Space theme. Most importantly, we have the multiple incidents with the Collectible Minifigs. I see the company as going down the toilet rather than flourishing.

I always like recaps like this. I agree with most of "the bad" parts, a few modifications were made to pieces that weren't needed, such as this http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=2339 and how the underside edges were made thinner (making it impossible to stick studs/other tiles onto the underside. As for the 2x2 1/3 piece with the single stud, I just added it in with my other beige tiles. Happy New Year!

Pics: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5042/5293972089_64809ae2d8_o.jpg - check the mill village raid set.

Soon to have goats and roosters? Where did you hear that? The only thing I don't like about the new colors is that through my colorblind eyes, they look pretty similar. It's quite annoying... Otherwise I would agree with all of your statements.

I had a lot of those 2x1x2 bricks from my old harry potter castle, I prefer two 2x1x1 bricks as well, more possibilities

You're right. TLC modified this for the second series of fantasy era (troll fortress) to include an inside stud holder. The reason I include this is because now it is becoming a staple of all castle builds and it is taking away from ability to amass useful parts. most sets are becoming "empty" with a few nice pieces to try to make up for it. With these types of bricks you can't make many alternative sets as you used to. http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=3245c

Some great observations, especially regarding the ultra-useless 2X1X2.

2x1x2s have been around for years now, last I checked. That, or I was getting parts from the future half a decade ago.

I'm sure it has its uses, particularly in microscale. I guess I'm just old fashioned and don't like seeing lego add so many new pieces. Its like wow, that new set is awesome - how'd they do it! .... oh, they just made new pieces up.

Yes, that helmet is spectacular! My son Lennaert got it with the advent calendar and I was instantly jealous! And let's not forget the huge number of minifig accesories with the collectibles series, making the ski stick my favourit! (PS the Mexican macara's make good apples for your trees!)

I also got the 1x1 brick with the stud on the side from my brickmaster star wars book and several other sets. But I agree. They make it so much easier.

I too like some of the new parts, especially the 1x1 with side stud. Tyco had a 1x1 brick with the side stud back in the 80's. I too like the new colors. I was happy to see the Prince Of Persia sets at the local LEGO store all for half price. I bought a bunch for more of those camels and the medium flesh. Yummm, flesh! I don't have any problem with the 1x2x5 brick and like to use them myself. Some day you might find a use for some of those odd bits and be glad you kept them. I like the new cows and pigs but then I like the Duplo animals a lot. I do want some of the Brickforge Centaurs though, they are kind of cool. Hope fully next year will have some more good stuff. see ya. garth

Yes, I have found a BEAUTIFUL use for the 1x3x1/3, it OWNS for making motorcycles, in particullar my first generation.

I too loath the 2 x 1 x 2 brick!!! But, the other odd and funky pieces seem to be finding creative uses with castle builders - you just never know.

You are so wrong about the 2x2 jumper tile... I kissed it the first time I saw it, then choked, coughed and kissed it again! Cheers

If you happen to clean out your LEGO junk drawer, send them to me! XD

btw, I totally aggree about the castle panels, the art of castle building lies in actually "building" them, brick by brick, not some pre-made walls puzzled together

Very interesting, I was very glad with the double cheese slope actually, it allowed me to realize my 5-wide mustang car design, it's an essential part and cannot be replaced by two singe cheese slopes