LEGO MINECRAFT: The First Night 21115 REVIEW

LEGO MINECRAFT: The First Night 21115 REVIEW
Set number 21115, $59 from Target at roughly $0.14 cents a brick

Item Included:
408 pieces
3 mini figures
1 instruction booklet
3 numbered bags

Like always, let’s begin this review by mentioning all the above information. Not everyone cares, but for those that do, it can make a very big difference. Click on each image to get a better look in greater detail, and stick around for a question at the bottom.

Steve, Creeper and Pig

Mini Figures
LEGO has decided to provide us with three mini figures. Steve looks just as awesome in LEGO form as he does in Minecraft. Sporting basic purple pants and blue shirt, none of which have printing on either the back of front save for the tiny bit at the neck line. Replacing the usual rounded LEGO head piece, is a square head with a flat top cancelling any chance of adding anything on top. Steve comes with two accessories to use. An axe and sword, best part is that each weapon is moulded in the pixel shape design from the game. Right down to the blocky look, the weapons are obviously wooden based from the brown colour. You’ll find a pickaxe in the main build, but it hangs on a wall. Feel free to swap it out if you want, but with an axe and sword, Steve is ready for any attack, especially one from a Creeper.

Speaking of Creeper, the next mini figure seems lifted right from the game. I kid you not, the Creeper as the familiar green look with the blocky body and legs. The head is easily the best piece because it is so creepy. Not much to talk about, about from the legs which have an unmovable design. It stands and locks into brick pieces, so there is no fear of it falling over. Last but not least is the Pig. He is pink, and kind of plan to be brutally honest. I can pass up the Pig mini figure, although I guess at the end of the day, it fleshes out the build and I can’t complain with that. I appreciate LEGO going to the effort to base the design of the mini figs after the Minecraft game and not reusing previous moulds.

Steve and Creeper mini figure are easily worth it, the Pig not so much. As I said, it doesn’t hurt to have the Pig in the build, but I would’ve loved another animal to go along with the Pig.

The First Night in all its beauty

Main Build
I’m announcing right now, that Minecraft is close to consuming my life. Before November 2014, I would have laughed at the thought of buying LEGO Minecraft sets, however after purchasing the game over and over and over again, I have seen the light. Minecraft is creeping into every part of my life…little by little.

Now onto the main build. The title of this set, The First Night, is not true. I don’t believe that for a moment. No way in the world can someone manage to find all those resources in their first night of Minecraft. I’m lucky if I manage to build a sturdy shelter before Zombies come smashing at my door. But for the sake of a LEGO build, lets say this really is The First Night. Well Done.

Right off the bat, you just know that LEGO really understands what makes building fun. Both in Minecraft and here in the set, you are given options and so many pieces go really bring to life this structure. Being a structure (house), you are given plenty of larger flat plate pieces to provide the base of the set. All lock into place with 2×2 block pieces underneath and this also raises it ever so slightly off the table.

I highly recommend building this set on a flat surface like a table. I use my bed, and that isn’t a smart choice.

Structure open and detailed interior on show

The first bag begins by covering one side of the structure. Using lots of 1×2 block pieces, you build up the walls with standard grey blocks. Lego has smartly included the brick design pieces too. And that’s good because I usually use stone bricks for my structure walls in Minecraft. Each wall houses plenty of pieces and you’ll find yourself needing to really be careful in these early stages though, as the walls tend to break apart unintentionally. Don’t worry though, by bag 2, the boarder around the roof goes on snapping it all firmly in place.

Interior of the structure is where it really shines. So much love and attention has been given by LEGO here. The crafting table is here and as is the stove out of stone. Proud to say that these unique pieces are not stickers, but actual bricks with patterns on them. Thank you LEGO. Not only do you get those essential tools, a bed and table are included. Love the bed, and Steve can snap on it too.

Many clear blocks are included providing windows to the outside world, and a fully function wooden door too. Sadly, no light bricks are included which I feel would’ve been a brilliant addition to the set. I mean surviving the night is all about light, and LEGO has include torches, but no light. I will have to mod this set at some point later on to actually include a light brick.

WATCH OUT!!!!

You also get a pickake to hang on the wall and can easily be swapped with Steve’s axe or sword. A chest is here with a bread piece inside. Very smart.

Outside of the structure we get a small area that is gated off to hold the Pig mini figure. At first I didn’t really care for the included Pig, but as I sit and stare at the build, it grows on me. Behind the gate, which opens, it just adds so much detail to the set. Best of all, the gated off garden area locks into the main build, but since this is Minecraft, LEGO gives you the option to relocate its placement or even break it down and rebuild it as something else. Smart choice.

Another thing you may notice is the build on the box art is different to the build in the instructions. Not sure why this is, and I don’t really care. The roof of the structure is designed to sit on the boarders of the roof itself. Nothing locks it but merely sits there. You can lift off the gardens and place them somewhere else if you wish to ‘open’ the build even more. The tree itself is so much better in person that it appears on the box. It has clear green pieces to add detail and looks really chunky much like it’s game counterpart. I love it.

It hasn’t been mentioned yet, but the entire structure can split open to reveal the interior in all its glory. One of the smartest choices made here. All works on two hinge joints, that unfortunately can feel a little flimsy. I’m curious why LEGO doesn’t have clip pieces parallel to the hinges like they do on some many other sets of this type.

View from above with the garden roof removed

Final Thoughts
I’m in love with LEGO as you already know. And I’m in love with Minecraft. It took me many years to finally figure that out, but recently I’ve been on a Minecraft craze. And truth be told, I don’t mind that one bit. The freedom and designs you can come up with is limited only by your imagination. And when it comes to LEGO, it’s the same thing.

Here we have the first, and not last, entry into the LEGO Minecraft builds. The mini figures are of the highest build quality and the structure itself goes above and beyond making fans of the game smile as you notice all the detail put in.

Easily a must buy for any fan of LEGO and Minecraft.

Those Zombies don’t stand a chance

Question: When did you first get into Minecraft and why?