Review: Brickcraft 72696BFS Succulents Cactus Garden

Brickcraft has expanded their Botanical line to include succulents, like some of the other companies.  These are their first two offerings, new for 2026.

Box.  MSRP is $5.99, for a $0.08 Price per Piece.

I paid $4.99 at Walmart, for a $0.07 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts 1.  Plates w/Cutout, Plates, 2x2x2 Round Brick, Bricks w/Studs

on Side, Bricks w/Stud on Side, Inverted Corner Slopes, Round Plates,

Printed Round Bricks w/Pinholes, Corner Studless Slopes, Double

Studless Slopes, Rounded Plates, Round Plates w/Flower Edge, Apollo

Studs, Flowers w/Bar, Plant Stems, Bar, Macaroni Tubes, Gears,

Minifig Pumpkin, Axle/Pins, Half Pins, Plug Pins, and Printed Dome.

Build.  IO "Flowerpot" Frigate (2Ras {torpedo

launcher} 1B {armor panels}[Systems are

Brown.]), and 2 Hit piece of RA Cover.  

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (+5)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: +20 (A+).  Not bad, I like the Sand Green bits and the Plug Pins but, there's not a lot here for mech building.

Review: Brix 64171-03 Blue Transforming Robot

This is a new for 2026 set.  I came across them a few weeks ago in Five Below.  It looks like it may be a decent starting point for MFZ: Rapid Attack.

Box.  MSRP is $4.00, for a $0.03 Price per Piece.

Instructions & Stickers.

Parts 1.  Open Wedge w/Cutout, Technic Plates, Plates, Inverted Studless

Slopes, Round Plates, Bar Plate (open ends), Mudguard Plate, Corner

Plates, Bar Plate (closed ends), Ball Joint Plates, Axle Plates, Inverted

Rounded Tile, Wedge Studless Slope, Hinge Plates, Translucent Triple

Slope, Tooth Tiles, Brackets, Travis Bricks, Studless Slope, Slopes

w/Cutout, Tooth/Rock Plate, Pinhole Claws, Clip Wings, Minifig

Megaphones, Large Flame Pieces, Rims, and Minifig Steering Wheel Base.

Parts 2.  Round Tile w/Pinhole, Clip Plates, Tooth Plates, Ingots, Rounded Plates,

Stadium Studless Slopes, Grille Tiles, Brackets, Padlocks, Jumpers, Cheese

Slopes, Quarter Circle Tiles, Plates, Round Plates, Wedge Studless Slope, Clip

Tiles, Pyramid Tiles, Round Ball Joint Plates, Translucent Tile, Translucent Round

Tiles, Translucent Stadium Tiles, Bar Studs, Flexible Spike, Bar Clips, Clip Bar

Holders, Barbs, Bar, Minifig Katanas, Bar Connector, and Minifig Steering Wheel.

Parts 3.  Tires.

Build.  Two Frames (2Rh+d8),

 and a Station.

  

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (+5)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: +20 (A+).  Blue is my favorite color and more Round Ball Joint Plates just makes me happier.

Review: Brix 64171-02 Green Transforming Robot

This is a new for 2026 set.  I came across them a few weeks ago in Five Below.  It looks like it may be a decent starting point for MFZ: Rapid Attack.

Box.  MSRP is $4.00, for a $0.03 Price per Piece.

Instructions & Stickers.

Parts 1.  Rims, Plates, Double Jumpers, Bar Plates, Clip Plate, Ball Joint Plates,

Wedge Plate, Brackets, Round Tile w/Pinhole, Wedge Studless Slope, Cheese

Graters, Large Cheese Slope, Bricks w/Stud on Side, Travis Bricks, Studless

Slopes w/Cutout, Triple Slope, Flexible Spikes, Minifig Megaphones, Angled

Axle Connectors w/Pinhole, Clip Wings, Minifig Shield, Plus Plate, Feathered

Minifig Wings, Minifig Handlebar, Inverted Rounded Tile, and Minifig Hand Armor.

Parts 2.  Tooth Plates, Stadium Studless Slopes, Translucent Tooth

Plates, Padlocks, Clip Plates, Rounded Plate, Translucent Stadium

Studless Slope, Wedge Studless Slope, Grille Tiles, Ball Joint Plates,

Axle/Ball Joints, Bar Connectors, Bar, Clip Bars, Clip Bar Holders,

Translucent Pyramid Tiles, Pyramid Tiles, Inkwells, Clip Tiles, Round

Plates w/Flower Edge, Cheese Slopes, Plates, Pins, Barbs, Brackets,

Wedge Plate, Taps, Minifig Serrated Blades w/Bar, and Flame Pieces.

Parts 3.  Tires.

Build.  Frame (2Rh+d8 [blade tonfas]), Station,

and Frame (2Rd+d8 [hand blasters]).

  

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (+5)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: +20 (A+).  More third party Round Plate Ball Joints make this a winner for me.

Review: Brix 64171-01 Red Transforming Robot

This is a new for 2026 set.  I came across them a few weeks ago in Five Below.  It looks like it may be a decent starting point for MFZ: Rapid Attack.

Box.  MSRP is $4.00, for a $0.03 Price per Piece.

Instructions & Stickers.

Parts 1.  Rims, Textured Cone, Helicopter Blades, Bionicle Wings, Plates,

Round Plates, Jumper, Ball Joint Plates, Clip Plate, Bar Plate, Studless

Slopes w/Cutout, Slopes w/Cutout, Tooth Tiles, Bionicle Teeth, Angled

Axle Connectors w/Pinhole, Macaroni Tiles, Vertical Clip Plates, Padlocks,

Inverted Studless Slopes, Wedge Studless Slope, Brackets, Plus

Plate, Minifig Handlebar, Exo-Force Arms, and Minifig Hand Armor.

Parts 2.  Large Cheese Slope, Tooth Plate, Wedge Studless Slope, Stadium Studless Slope, Rounded Plate, Round Plates, Clip Plates, Clip Tiles, Bar Studs, Cheese Slopes, Padlocks, Plate, Inkwells, Translucent Pyramid Tiles, Translucent Round Tiles, Clip Bar Holders, Bar Clips, Half Pin, Axle Ball Joints, Barbs, Half Bushings, Pins, Bar, Translucent Flame

Pieces, Pneuma-Ts, Brackets, Round Plates w/3 Leaves, Minifig Sais, and Claws.

Parts 3.  Tires.

Build.  Frame (2Rd+d8 [water 

cannons]), Station, and Frame.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (+5)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: +20 (A+).  Tons of useful parts -- how often do we see clone Pneuma-Ts? -- but I feel like it needs a few standard Bricks and Plates to help fill out the build.

Terrain Workshop: Drooping Tree

This build starts with a new-ish piece I came across while sorting some sets recently.  The Curved Bar w/1L Axle & 1x1 Round Plate End was first made in 2023 in Translucent Clear and then other colors followed.

This starts at the bottom with a 3L Axle Connector and the Curved Bar w/1L Axle

& 1x1 Round Plate End plugs into that.  Two 1x2 Rounded Plates w/Rounded Leaf attach to the Round Plate section of the Bar.  On the end of the bar is

another 1x2 Rounded Plate w/Rounded Leaf and a 1x1 Cone.  This totals to

six pieces which is 1 Hit.  They are 23 feet tall and 17.5 feet across in 6P scale.

The 1x2 Rounded Plate w/Rounded Leaf comes in twenty-one colors, the

Curved Bar w/1L Axle & 1x1 Round Plate End comes in six, the 3L Axle

Connector is available in twelve, and the 1x1 Cone can be matched to the

color of the Curved Bar so you can make this build in a number of different

combinations.  I used Sand Green for the main body because that's the only

color I have the Curved Bars in at the moment.  I went with Satin Trans-Dark

Pink for the Leaves because they have a nice sci-fi vibe.  I'm not sure where

I'm going to use these pieces.  I only have two built right now.  Maybe some

sort of Jungle terrain.  I hope this gives people ideas or techniques to use in their terrain builds. Flickr page.

Terrain Workshop: Trees 36

I actually stole this idea from a Lego Friends set.  After seeing it on the shelf I stood there and started running ideas through my head.  This is what I came up with.

The first version starts at the bottom with two 2L Smooth Axle Connectors linked by a Notched Axle.  On top of that is an

Axle Connector Hub w/2 Perpendicular Bar Holders and a

1x1 Cone.  These are attached with a 3L Axle.  Plugged into

the ends of the Bar Holders are two Bar Studs with two

1x2 Round Plates w/Layered Leaves on each.  This is twelve pieces

which is 2 Hits.  This is 16 feet tall and 25 feet across in 6P scale.

The second version is basically the same.  We're

just going to swap out the Cone and 3L Axle fo

 a 1L Liftarm and a 3L Axle w/Stop. This version

is also twelve pieces which is 2 Hits.  This

is 15 feet tall and 25 feet across in 6P scale.

The third version swaps out the 1L Liftarm for another Axle Connector Hub

w/2 Perpendicular Bar Holders, along with two Bar Studs with two 1x2

Round Plates w/Layered Leaves on each.  This version is also eighteen

pieces which is 3 Hits.  This is 15 feet tall and 25 feet across in 6P scale.

Size Comparison 3.

Size Comparison 1.

Size Comparison 2.

It's been a year and two thirds since I've worked with that Layered Leaf piece.  I will say the texturing adds a lot of character to builds that use it.  I will also say, I like the second and third versions of this build better.  The blunt top gives them a little bit of style and using the Axle w/Stop keeps the trunk all Reddish Brown.  I hope this gives people ideas or techniques to use in their terrain builds. Flickr page.

Terrain Workshop: Balloon Tree

I know I have a terrain feature in my Alien Planet table-setting with the same name.  This one is made of different pieces and is a lot smaller.  Also, I realize this build is somewhat silly but sometimes you have to throw things against the wall to see what sticks.

This one starts at the top with a 3x3x1.3 Dome on top of an inverted 3x3x3 Cone.

They are connected with a Friction Pin.  The Cone is slotted onto a 6L Bar w/Stop Ring.

That is plugged into two 1x1 Round Plates w/Open Stud.  This is a total of six

pieces which is 1 Hit.  They are 27 feet tall and 7.5 feet across in 6P scale.

Right now I only have the two main pieces in Yellowish Green.

I happen to like that color but, there are only two other colors

that these pieces share -- Black and Orange.  So there isn't a

heck of a lot of variety to be found in this build at the moment.

Yellowish Green is nicely weird though and should fit into a

science fiction themed battlefield pretty well.  I hope this

gives people ideas or techniques to use in their terrain builds.

Flickr page.