Review: 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure
Posted by Huw,
40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure is the fourth figure of its type to be made, following 76393 Harry Potter & Hermione Granger released in 2021, and 40504 A Minifigure Tribute which is exclusively available in the LEGO House in Billund.
This generic classic smiley figure is likely to have wider appeal than the Hogwarts students, and is more readily available than the pirate, so I think it will be popular.
Furthermore, there's a surprise inside its cap...
Summary
40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure, 654 pieces.
£44.99 / $49.99 / €49.99 | 6.9p/7.6c/7.6c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
A delightful and fun model that looks great on display
- Cool surprise inside the cap
- Shares design DNA with the other 6-scale figures
- Cap shape not very accurate
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Unusually, the set is packaged in a very nice flip-top box, which I think is likely to encourage people keep it.
The figure stands about 28cm tall and many of its design characteristics are shared with those of its predecessors. It has the same DNA.
The hat is the weakest part of the design due to the fact that its shape is not much like that of the minifig-scale one, but it does have a nice surprise inside which makes that excusable.
Lifting the hinged lid reveals the minifig the model is based upon surrounded by control panels, levers and machines. Clearly he's in control of his giant animatronic counterpart!
It's a neat feature that makes good use of the space under the dome.
Internally, it looks to be largely the same as the previous ones -- why re-invent the wheel, after all -- and construction-wise it's the simplest of the four on account of not having elaborate hair or brick-built details on its torso.
The individual parts of the figure can be separated in the same way that actual minifig pieces can, making it easy to customise it to your heart's content, and mix and match with components from the other figures.
Here he is with pirate's bicorne and the boy wizard's legs.
Like the pirate, It's an excellent model that looks great on display, even more so when you put them side-by-side. I think the price of £44.99 / $49.99 / €49.99 is pretty good, too.
I hope that the series continues and that we see many more classic and licensed figures produced in the future.
170 likes
61 comments on this article
I’m going to have to get this, I see. If only I could get the pirate as well.
Classic Space next (with printed CS emblem for the torso), please, TLG!
Caved and ordered a few 40504 from Denmark to stand next to this figure! Excited to collect them all!
Holding onto hope for a classic space dude or a Majisto down the line. Hopefully this sells well enough to justify a line expansion.
this is a cool idea. Hopefully lego applies this to more licensed characters. A giant batman would be sick !
Love it. Going to buy in store tomorrow.
Can we have Boba Fett and Darth Vader next?
Cool set. Especially love the detail under the cap!
Also nice that it is kind of a modular system. One thing I'd love to see (but is very unlikely to happen) is separate smaller sets for the different body parts, so you could create your own (somewhat) unique big minifig. Add in some scaled-up accessoires and it would be even better!
I didn't even realize the fact you could swap the parts around. I thought I could live without the pirate but now I definitely need to get one alongside this one, and hoping there will be more in this line (benny or a classic spaceman please! You could have this hold a regular minifig holding the spacebaby!)
I like the idea, and the fact it’s so basic and classic looking. But I also find it somewhat boring. I will probably buy this regardless. Hoping like many others there will be multiple variants of this one
OOh,... I want. Wondering how he'll sit next to my wooden one :) This is definitely on the shopping list.
I feel like this is what Lego have been trying to achieve since they released 853967 - a customisable big mini-figure. I was sceptical when I saw Harry and Hermione, and not that interested when I saw pictures of the pirate captain and this figure. I thought the similarities between all four of these were signs of lazy design. But to be honest, seeing the mix-and match at the end of this review, it's like the penny has finally dropped - this is a very clever, versatile system and will allow an insane amount of customisations. You've won me over. I need to go shopping...
Very nice! I might have to buy this after all. The only thing I think would make it better is anti-studs built into the back of the legs.
@Blondie_Wan said:
"I’m going to have to get this, I see. If only I could get the pirate as well.
Classic Space next (with printed CS emblem for the torso), please, TLG!"
I second!
Can't wait to get him so I can recreate King Kong with it
One stop closer to Galactus
I might get it, don't like the cap though. Wondering how difficult would it be to modify the figure so that it has the classic head with no hair.
LEGO doesn't have DNA.
@NathanR2015 said:
"I feel like this is what Lego have been trying to achieve since they released 853967 - a customisable big mini-figure. I was sceptical when I saw Harry and Hermione, and not that interested when I saw pictures of the pirate captain and this figure. I thought the similarities between all four of these were signs of lazy design. But to be honest, seeing the mix-and match at the end of this review, it's like the penny has finally dropped - this is a very clever, versatile system and will allow an insane amount of customisations."
I should mention that customisation can only go so far -- Harry and Herm's hair for example is part of their heads so can't be removed and used on another figure without major rebuilding.
@crazylegoman said:
"LEGO doesn't have DNA."
it has ABS.
Pretty cool idea, concept and execution. Now wake me up when they release an Ant-Man/ Giant-Man and the Wasp version of this.
@Alrighty said:
"Caved and ordered a few 40504 from Denmark to stand next to this figure! Excited to collect them all! "
How were you able to order?
Ordered yesterday, along with the parts I needed to make a Stormtrooper MOC from Rebrickable.
@jpmeier said:
" @Alrighty said:
"Caved and ordered a few 40504 from Denmark to stand next to this figure! Excited to collect them all! "
How were you able to order?"
Bricklink! As Huw mentioned in his 40504 review, "Enterprising Danish locals are already selling it on secondary marketplaces". I decided double the RRP was worth it for this type of product, and it's cheaper than a flight to Billand!
Thankfully I had already picked up 76393 for around half off.
LEGOLACTUS HUNGERS.
It seems like this tall boy is big enough to step on Lego-bricks. Would that hurt, or would he just seamlessly absorb the bricks into his mass?
I'll be happy to add this dude to my collection, he's a joy to behold.
Still frustrating that the most interesting one so far is the exclusive one. Harry and Hermione were cool, but too many black pieces (and sometimes very, very dark grey)
I'm still so mad the pirate isn't widely available.
I just need to remove the ballcap and add a stud up there and it becomes Bob from Lego Universe!
LONG LIVE LU!
It is very neat. I would consider getting it, but I may have to wait and hope they do a classic figure I'd rather have. I understand plain could appeal to more people, so I get it. But I'll have to wait and see.
I have the HP set only because it was on a 50% sale at one point. Otherwise I could have lived without that set.
I was building my own mega figures based off of the 2000 set, but I may have to see if I can modify the pieces to be at this scale since the movement and shaping is much better than the old way.
But you can get a real Minifigure cheaper. Oops... wrong thread!
This is great. Destined for the shelves of every Lego room. Bit of a shame that the wooden one wasn't the same size, but scale never has been a big thing for Lego!
Must say that Captain Redbeard uses his namesake splendidly to mask his turkey neck unlike his mate.
@Murdoch17 said:
"I just need to remove the ballcap and add a stud up there and it becomes Bob from Lego Universe!
LONG LIVE LU!"
I really wish I could hit the Like button on your post a few hundred more times!
Attack of the 50ft Minifigure.
@BillingsBrix said:
" @Blondie_Wan said:
"I’m going to have to get this, I see. If only I could get the pirate as well.
Classic Space next (with printed CS emblem for the torso), please, TLG!"
I second!"
I third
Really want to add this to my lego city and make a cheesy disaster movie
This is definitely a must have. I like the guy inside his head too. I feel like I have one inside my head at times, in control of my LEGO purchasing, overriding my logical "do I really need it?" question.
I'm glad I don't want the pirate, he's neat but not my style. I bought multiples of the HP set, to make other students. The generic smiley face is so classic, looking forward to creating custom minifigs.
Aww I cant wait to get him :D
As I said when 76393 Harry and Hermione debuted, please make Batman!
@crazylegoman said:
"LEGO doesn't have DNA."
It's a term designers use. My Inside Tour trophy was for "best use of Lego DNA."
Now if they did the Antman like this and the wasp a minifig, I would buy it.
or even a Stormtrooper would be cool
The shape of the cap is actually pretty accurate when compared to the classic baseball cap which was phased out a few years ago, I feel maybe that was intentionally what they were trying to achieve here, but clearly that mould has been retired and they were stuck using one of the more complex modern cap designs for the minifig which just doesn't match at all.
LEGO, you know what we want.
Giant Classic Space Minifig.
I’ll buy four.
At least.
@slvrlksrfr said:
"Must say that Captain Redbeard uses his namesake splendidly to mask his turkey neck unlike his mate."
I would not have considered this a real army-builder set, but on the other hand, he surely will intimidate the crap out of enemy minifig-armies (before giving them a massive target to fire on).
Cap shape doesn't bother me, I hardly see it as a negative. There are limits to what shapes you can make when you're on a budget for pieces.
@Tynansd said:
"Love it. Going to buy in store tomorrow.
Can we have Boba Fett and Darth Vader next? "
Oh, so the non-canonical Darth Vader and Boba Fett mechs aren't good enough for ya?! You'll get what TLG gives you and you'll like it.
@LegoBoi69 said:
"Ive ordered 5 for some reason. ;)"
Battlepack? :p
@Alrighty said:
"Caved and ordered a few 40504 from Denmark to stand next to this figure! Excited to collect them all! "
Wait, we can just *order* him? How much to get it to the US (purchase and shipping combined)??
Edit: just saw the subsequent comments. I guess I need to hit eBay or Bricklink or whatever…
@Murdoch17 said:
"I just need to remove the ballcap and add a stud up there and it becomes Bob from Lego Universe!
LONG LIVE LU!"
LEGO Universe was really pretty amazing. I wish it had done better, or failing that, that id at least gotten to play it more myself during its active window.
@Blondie_Wan said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
"I just need to remove the ballcap and add a stud up there and it becomes Bob from Lego Universe!
LONG LIVE LU!"
LEGO Universe was really pretty amazing. I wish it had done better, or failing that, that id at least gotten to play it more myself during its active window."
It is actually playable again. Some people recreated the server. I would send you a link, but i can't recall what it's called.
Having recently finished building Harry and Hermione (after having a headless Harry on the side for a few months) I don't feel the need to do a similar build again but (like lots of posters) I would be all over a classic spaceman (assuming they got the helmet right unlike the hat here).
Head surprise is neat! Wish it also came with extra bricks to build the head, without the cap, for the traditional Minifigure look.
@FuddRuckus said:
"As I said when 76393 Harry and Hermione debuted, please make Batman!
@crazylegoman said:
"LEGO doesn't have DNA."
It's a term designers use. My Inside Tour trophy was for "best use of Lego DNA.""
Wait, what - trophy? They award a trophy for “best use of LEGO DNA”? Was this some sort of building competition?
@Murdoch17 said:
" @Blondie_Wan said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
"I just need to remove the ballcap and add a stud up there and it becomes Bob from Lego Universe!
LONG LIVE LU!"
LEGO Universe was really pretty amazing. I wish it had done better, or failing that, that id at least gotten to play it more myself during its active window."
It is actually playable again. Some people recreated the server. I would send you a link, but i can't recall what it's called."
Whoa. Well, this comment thread is just *full* of enticing new info for me…
Oh, and after Classic Spacefolk in all the colors (ow, my wallet is already withering away just at the thought, but who cares), I’d love to get Johnny Thunder and Indiana Jones in this format, hanging out together. Artoo and Threepio would make a great two-pack, too. And don’t forget Classic Castle!
@peterlmorris: Completely, 100%, correct...but I'd say "not in a pre-existing color"...no, if TLG were smart, they'd put up a 'vote' for color choice...I'd hope/vote for either Earth Blue or Bright Red-Violet...air bottles/tanks would something at that scale...
@Murdoch17 said:
" @Blondie_Wan said:
" @Murdoch17 said:
"I just need to remove the ballcap and add a stud up there and it becomes Bob from Lego Universe!
LONG LIVE LU!"
LEGO Universe was really pretty amazing. I wish it had done better, or failing that, that id at least gotten to play it more myself during its active window."
It is actually playable again. Some people recreated the server. I would send you a link, but i can't recall what it's called."
Darkflame Universe!
@lost_scotsman said:
" @BillingsBrix said:
" @Blondie_Wan said:
"I’m going to have to get this, I see. If only I could get the pirate as well.
Classic Space next (with printed CS emblem for the torso), please, TLG!"
I second!"
I third"
FIFTH! ... (ahem, fourth, my lord).
Sam Wilson: We need a diversion, something big.
Scott Lang: I got something kind of big, but I can't hold it very long. On my signal, run like hell. And if I tear myself in half . . . don't come back for me.
Bucky Barnes: He's gonna tear himself in half?
Steve Rogers: You're sure about this, Scott?
Scott Lang: I do it all the time. I mean once . . . in a lab. Then I passed out. I'm the boss. I'm the boss. I'm the boss. I'm the boss. I'm the BOSS! [He leaps from mobile stairs and lands on War Machine's back as he flies past. He operates his suit's wrist, shuts his eyes and activates a remote. Scott grows into a towering Behemoth and grabs War Machine's leg.]
James Rhodes: Okay, tiny dude is big now. He's big now.
Steve Rogers: I guess that's the signal.
@StyleCounselor said:
" @lost_scotsman said:
" @BillingsBrix said:
" @Blondie_Wan said:
"I’m going to have to get this, I see. If only I could get the pirate as well.
Classic Space next (with printed CS emblem for the torso), please, TLG!"
I second!"
I third"
FIFTH! ... (ahem, fourth, my lord)."
I fifth!
@Ridgeheart:
Probably just start walking like Marylin Monroe. I read somewhere that she’d cut 1/4” off _one_ of each pair of high heels. It’s supposedly not enough that you’d noticed she was lopsided, but it throws your gait off just enough that your hips sway without you having to consciously think about it.
@Pollywanna:
None of the baseball cap elements has a brim that extends around the back like this one. The bill should also have a more pronounced curve. I don’t know if the back-brim is something that can easily be fixed, but it seems like there should be some larger half-arches that would allow the bill to be modified.
Great!! Now we need a head without cap with hollow (or solid) stud on top... Come on MODers!!!
This is the giant mini figure from outside the Lego campus in Billund. Probably why he was picked?
Ordered with a few other bits.
Got Pirate Ship Playground 40589 plus
Summer Fun VIP Add-On Pack 40607 which has just started as a GWP.
@peterlmorris said:
"LEGO, you know what we want.
Giant Classic Space Minifig.
I’ll buy four.
At least. "
Build one yourself!
If you made the bill of the cap a little longer, it'd look like the old ball cap element which isn't still in production, at least I don't think it is. The inaccuracy to either ball cap piece won't keep me from getting this set. I'll probably do it when the Christmas GWPs become available