Our friends at LEGO have all those nifty LOTR brick sets you can construct and video games are in our future but now word comes of a Hobbit game you play on your tabletop. Below is the information direct from LEGO and a way to play along on Facebook. Look for the game at retail outlets starting today.

“From the LEGO Games collection that can be built, played, and changed to create a unique gaming experience every time comes The Hobbit Game from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey move hitting theaters Dec. 14th. Bilbo Baggins lives in the quaint village of Hobbiton, but today his comfort has been shattered by the arrival of 13 Dwarves. They have convinced Bilbo to embark on a most unexpected journey. But first Gandalf, along with the Dwarves Dwalin, Kili and Fili, must find the other ten Dwarves who are lost in the Hobbit holes of Hobbiton. Features buildable dice, microfigure characters: Gandald, Dwalin, Kili or Fili, and LEGO building instructions. Continue reading “LEGO desktop game adds to new Hobbit items”

At the end of the second week in September a cart came in through Bywater from the direction of Brandywine Bridge in broad daylight.  An old man was driving it all alone.  He wore a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, and a silver scarf. He had a long white beard and bushy eyebrows that stuck out beyond the brim of his hat. Small hobbit-children ran after the cart all through Hobbiton and right up the hill.  It had a cargo of fireworks, as they rightly guessed. — From A Long-Expected Party, The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

 

In Peter Jackson’s LOTR film, the first moment of Gandalf arriving in Hobbiton and finding Frodo waiting on the trail were critical because it established two essential characters and the setting of Hobbiton. It also introduced audiences to the scale of Hobbits with human-sized characters including forced perspective of Frodo riding in Gandalf’s cart.

The meeting serves as the entry point for Lord of the Rings LEGO as well with set 9469 introducing important characters in an easy-to-build kit that is also easy to afford at $12.99 retail in the U.S. It will likely find itself as birthday present to and from friends many times over. Because it is recommended for ages eight to 14, I enlisted Logan (8) and Dresden (10), to assist with the build of the kit. Continue reading “Product review: LOTR LEGO ‘Gandalf Arrives’ set”

As we reported earlier, today is The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit day at Comic-Con 2012 (aka #HobbitCon) and LEGO® was kind enough to send us this exclusive image of a brand new ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey‘ Playset! The set is called ‘An Unexpected Gathering’ and features Bag End with six mini-figures. As you can see in the image above, we have Bofur holding an axe, Bombur with a sausage and knife, Dwalin wielding a really large weapon and knife, Balin with chalice, Gandalf the Grey with walking staff, and Bilbo Baggins. As you can see the set is highly detailed with greenery, vegetables and much more. From the looks of the image we’ll have a nice inside component to play with as well. Stay tuned as we report more from Comic-Con 2012! [Live Coverage]

There is just one week until Comic Con 2012 starts with Preview Night on Wednesday, July 11. But aside from the TORn panel and WB’s panel for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, you may be wondering what else there is for a Hobbit fan to do. The Official SDCC website has put up schedules for panels, autograph sessions, films and portfolio reviews (aspiring artists, please take note). So here is your handy, dandy TORn guide to all things Hobbit and Lord of the Rings related at comic con this year (after the break)

Continue reading “SDCC is coming, what’s a Hobbit to do at comic con 2012?”

Lego has quickly followed up its first animated short with a new one, this time following the Fellowship through the mines of Moria.

It’s very enjoyable silliness — go watch it!

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Ringer fan Elf Overlord sends us news that Lego has uploaded the first part of an animated series promoting their Lego Lord of the Rings product line.

It’s an amusing and entertaining, but not very accurate, (editorial warning for understatement!) video retelling of the beginning of the Fellowship of the Rings.

Anyone hoping for Tom Bombadil and Goldberry is, as usual, doomed to disappointment.

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