Holy Bricks, Batman! IGN's LEGO Knight's Castle Build is a Block-tastic Blast from the Past
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
IGN South Africa reviewed the LEGO Medieval Horse Knight Castle, finding it a nostalgic and engaging build with a surprising amount of detail and playability. It's a great set for those who want a classic castle experience without the hefty price tag of licensed properties.
Right, so IGN South Africa got their hands on the new LEGO Medieval Horse Knight Castle (#31168, if you're keeping score) and built the bejeezus out of it. And I gotta say, seeing the pics, it's giving me some serious nostalgia pangs. Remember those days when you'd just chuck a load of LEGO bricks together and *bam*, instant castle? This feels like that, but with instructions and, y'know, actual design.
The original builder admits they didn't have the structured LEGO experience as a kid, more of a 'dump a load of blocks and let your imagination run riot' situation. Sounds familiar, eh? But that's what makes this build so appealing. It's taking that chaotic creativity and channeling it into something genuinely impressive. They reckon it took the best part of a day to assemble the 1,371 pieces, but never got boring, which, let's be honest, is a win in itself. We've all wrestled with instruction manuals from hell before.
Apparently, this isn't the first iteration of the 3-in-1 castle set. The OG Medieval Castle had more pieces and a DRAGON! This newer version swaps the dragon for horses, tones down the colors for a more classic vibe, and adds a couple more mini-figs. Honestly, swapping the dragon for horses? A bit of a controversial move, if you ask me. A dragon breathes fire, eats knights, and looks cool. Horses… well, they just neigh and poop. But hey, at least you get five minifigs instead of three, so you can have a slightly bigger battle.
The build is helpfully split into 11 bags, each representing a significant chunk of the castle. Being a 3-in-1 set, you've got two other builds you can tinker with, but the main castle is the way to go first as it uses the most amount of bricks. Start with a tower, then the moat and drawbridge (which apparently has a functional raising/lowering mechanism – fancy!), before building additional fortifications for the kingdom.
The article highlights the attention to detail – little stones in the moat, a working drawbridge with chains, and even a lever to hold it in place! And speaking of details, the horses are fully articulated, meaning you can pose them in all sorts of dramatic ways. Plus, there are little horns you can stick on them to turn them into unicorns. Unicorn knights! Bloody brilliant.
Once the foundation is built, you move onto the living spaces – a throne room (complete with feast!), a blacksmith's workshop (with horse poo, naturally), and eventually, a king's bedroom. There’s even a little writing desk in the main tower for penning dramatic declarations or romantic sonnets. The author does mention getting a bit instruction-fatigued towards the end, which, fair dinkum, is understandable. Six hours of brick-laying is a proper shift.
Ultimately, IGN reckon the set is worth the $130 price tag, especially considering some of the more expensive licensed LEGO castles out there (looking at you, Beauty and the Beast Castle). You're paying for the bricks, not the brand, which is always a bonus. It's not exactly a set for adults, but it could be a great co-op project with a younger gamer who is able to focus, or just a bit older than the 9+ rating suggests.
Now, here's the kicker: being a 3-in-1 set, you *could* tear down your magnificent castle and build a windmill scene or a jousting tournament. But the author wisely decided that the castle was too glorious to dismantle. And honestly, who could blame them? Now I feel the urge to go and raid the toy shop!
Tags: LEGO, Medieval, Castle, Building, Toys
Original article: IGN South Africa