It’s been a long time since I’ve built a LEGO® Minecraft set, so long, in fact, I’ve surprised the theme is still seeing new releases. But just like the Minecraft game, the LEGO theme based on it has evolved over the years to feature many of the new elements introduced in the game. LEGO and Minecraft is the perfect match, so much so that many years ago the LEGO Group and Mojang discussed blending the brands into a videogame. This will be discussed in the weekly new LEGO Games podcast, Bricks n Bits. But back to the physical realm and earlier this month, a trio of new Minecraft sets have been released. One of which is The Bee Farm. In Minecraft, bees can be a source of honey, they can also pollinate flowers and attack is provoked. All things which have been included in the new LEGO Minecraft Bee Farm set. So here’s a look at the new set.
Product Description
The LEGO® Minecraft™ The Bee Farm (21165) playset is buzzing with role-play possibilities. Minecraft players and non-players alike can enjoy endless, hands-on, imaginative play with fun characters and creatures from the online game.
Open-ended play inspired by Minecraft
Kids can join the friendly bees as they help the flowers and crops to grow and make honey in the beehive. But they must also fend off a swarm of angry bees, which fly together through the air, whizz round in circles and fly free to attack the sheep and the frightened villager. Exciting, engaging and educational, this versatile set includes innovative, hands-on features, a winged beekeeper, villager and 8 busy bees – so the fun can start right away.
- Set Name: The Bee Farm
- Set Number: 21165
- Pieces: 238
- RRP: £17.99/$19.99/€19.99
- Measurements: measures over 7” (19cm) high, 6” (16cm) wide and 5” (13cm) deep.
- Minifigures: The Beekeeper & Villager
- Availability: LEGO.com & LEGO Stores
The Build
Just like the game, the LEGO world of Minecraft is built in a rather modular style. Even after all these years, the style of sets remains the same, which means they can be nicely integrated with other Minecraft sets. It also means they can be configurated in different ways. The Bee Farm is a collection of a couple of platforms, with a small stream, some plants and trees. But one of the best elements of the set is the bees. They are dotted around the set, including on a turning mechanism, which sends a group of bees flying around in a swarm.
The bees also live inside the tree, via a hidden compartment and in a little hive, which is built into the tree. You’ll notice there are two styles of bees. Both of these are built in the same way but feature different printed 1×1 titles for their faces. Bees aren’t the only creatures featured in the set, you’ll also find a sheep. This also uses a special element, unique to the Minecraft sets. Other unique pieces found in the set include a printed 2×2 tile and a Minifigure accessory.
The Minifigures
The set includes two Minifigures and as with all of the Minecraft sets, they are rather unique as they use special elements. The Beekeeper is a new character and although the body is the same as a standard Minifigure, it uses a square piece for the head. New elements are also used for the wings, which are connected by a neck brace element. A Villager joins the Beekeeper, this is one of the more unique characters in the Minecraft sets, as it uses a special body element along with a square head. These are then matched to a set of short legs.
Overall
I only picked up this set so I could use a VIP code, but it’s actually a fun little set. I like the modular-like build of the set, which will help to combine it with other Minecraft sets. LEGO bricks lend themselves nicely to the world of Minecraft, but I like the various unique elements created to truly make them feel like the game in a physical form. But my favourite things about the set are the printed pieces and the little critters. The bees are a fun little collection of parts and the sheep is great. The one downside of the set is it’s very similar to other Minecraft sets, but I guess this is to be expected due to the nature of the source material.
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