Hidden Side

[Matt Redfield]

Has anyone gotten these sets? Is the gimmick worthwhile in any way? Seems like it’s just a mini video game app that interacts with what you built…? I can see that as a cool play feature, but as far as MOCing, is there value?

Haven’t bought any yet, but have been tempted. What I’ve noticed is a lot of weird/cool parts and colors, but not necessarily in quantities that’d be useful without buying a ton of copies / finding Bricklink stores who parted them out.

And now there’s dark red and pearl dark gray roller coaster track in this set, which would be baller if you could get enough pieces and if it spanned the full range of coaster track parts (is red still the only steep hill color? seems so…)

Just curious if anyone has thoughts about this line, ways it could be fun and useful for MOCs and displays…

[Jim Rolfe]

I loved the idea. The game is ok. My son grew tired of it.

We have bought the entire first wave and none of the second. I do want the light house though as it looks good and can be re-MOC’d. I think that is the advantage to me. Like the graveyard set. It was good and a good addition to build up the Harry Potter graveyard battle or to add to a church scene if you take out the “hidden side” parts. My son and I added the shrimp boat and shack to the Old Fishing Store and made a nice start at a marina/shrimp-in-the-rough spot.

I just saw the new castle and am looking forward to that as I missed the Monsters one and have always wanted it. I think it will be a good addition to a Halloween display.

Just my 2 cents.

[Jim Rolfe]

Also, if you want to use the game you have to have the sets. I tried scanning some in the Lego store and the game looks to actually have the set sitting there to interact with. You can’t just scan it and move on; at least in my experience.

[Matt Redfield]

Jim Rolfe wrote:

I do want the light house though as it looks good and can be re-MOC’d. I think that is the advantage to me.

That’s quite fair. The light house does look like a good set – the various lighthouses over the years probably all fit that category of “easy to mod/MOC.”

I’m a sucker for bright light orange (the bus, in particular, as well as the stunt plane and the minifigs in the shrimp boat set, have that) and dark-pretty-much-anything, so that’s a nice thing about several of these sets…

[Zack M]

I have (from 1st wave):

Shrimp Boat
Shrimp Shack
Newbury juice stand
Bus
Graveyard

Thoughts on the app:
Meh. Maybe ok for kids who just got a smartphone or similar device. I don’t see an angle where there would be long-lasting appeal.

Design:
Cool colors and stories are present in the builds! The ghosty aspects are fun. I had several Hidden Side sets on display at a Halloween party last year. They were very much admired!

MOC-ability:
I’m probably too much of a noob to comment on this, BUT
I suspect that your initial thought about harvesting parts from these sets is accurate (i.e. it would be an expensive route)

[Neil Tannyan]

I bought the Newbury high school and turned it into a modular one… looks pretty good with the design and dark red bricks… I “un-monstered it”… also picked up the shrimp boat. Tried the app with my girls when we built the school before I modified it, they weren’t really that into it.

[Benjamin C Good]

I thought the game was boring and generic, and I had trouble believing kids would be into it when there’s so many better options easily available these days, although having said that, it occurs to me that my nephews have also been known to have terrible taste in video games (as I also sometimes did when I was younger), so who knows. Since, as mentioned, you have to have the sets to play, I thought it was mostly a gimmick to get people to buy the entire series, since each set has its own unique ghosts, and so you’d need them all to finish the game.

The sets are okay. I got a couple as promotional items and one as a Christmas present.

[Will McDine]

I debated on jumping into the line. The School, Bus, and Train all look pretty cool and appear to come with some good parts. I decided against it though. I figured when it financially makes sense I will go on LEGO Bricks and Pieces and buy the desired and cool parts from there.

On the Other hand, I will most definitely be picking up that Hidden Side Fire Truck!

[glambert171]

I agree. The VR doesn’t really add anything to the fun. Cool parts, and at least for me a nice introduction to some more “modern” building techniques. Plus I love the ghost alligator!

[Author]

Posts