Latest news with #BrickShop
Man of Many
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Man of Many
Man of Many's Staff Favourites—19 July, 2025
By Dean Blake - News Published: 19 Jul 2025 |Last Updated: 17 Jul 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 5 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. The week is over, July is halfway done, and wouldn't you know it—it's time for another round of our Staff Favourites! Each week, we try to show off some things that have brought us some joy in the hopes it'll help you find your own, and this week we're showcasing some delicious Tasmanian whiskey, a pint-sized collectable car, an ape wearing a tie, and some custom Adidas. Hot Wheels 1990 Acura NSX Brick Set | Image: Mattel Hot Wheels 1990 Acura NSX Brick Set John Guanzon – Head of Creative & Production When we posted about the news of Mattel dropping collector-focused brick sets on Man of Many's Instagram, the response was huge, so I took it as my sign to grab a set for myself. I told myself it was for the kids over the school holidays, but let's be real: I'll be the one building it while they watch (and honestly, I'm not mad about it). The build quality is surprisingly impressive. This one features 876 pieces and pays tribute to the iconic '90s ride with incredible attention to detail, from its scissor doors to the classic wedge profile. It's part of Mattel's new Brick Shop range, which also includes the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and 1963 Corvette Grand Sport. All three are loaded with authentic touches and feel way more premium than you'd expect from a brick set. It's definitely got that collector energy, and now I'm tempted to grab the others and complete the set (or quietly drop hints between now and Father's Day wink). Favourite Article this Week: Our First Look at Link and Zelda in 2027's 'Legend of Zelda' Movie Donkey Kong Bonanza | Image: Nintendo Donkey Kong Goes Bananza Dean Blake – Entertainment & Tech Writer Donkey Kong has finally been let out of his cage, and he's literally tearing the scenery apart. In DK's big return to a starring role, he's diving deep into the bowels of the planet in Bananza, the first major single-player system-seller for Nintendo's new Switch 2 console. I got a chance to play a few hours of the game recently, and it was fantastic. DK feels great in the hands (which is no surprise if you've played this studio's prior game, Super Mario Odyssey), and has a number of new abilities in store: he can break the world apart around him, for one, but also climb most surfaces and, when the mood strikes just right, turn into an ostrich. No, I'm not kidding. He can also turn into a zebra and an even bigger ape with bananas in his hair, which is strange but you know, who cares? Doing so gives the big man access to some new abilities, like gliding, sprinting, and bashing things even harder. Oh, and he does it all with a human child on his shoulder. Confused yet? Well, that's just the beginning of where things get whacky with this one, but I don't think I want to spoil much else. Really, if you've already picked up a Switch 2 for Mario Kart you'd be doing yourself a disservice not to check out Bananza—and if you've been on the fence, this is a pretty damn good reason to make the jump to Nintendo's new system. Favourite Article this Week: Does the Nothing Phone (3) Justify its AUD$1,509 Price? Image: Scott Purcell / Man of Many Kicking It with the Three Stripes: Our Night with the adidas Superstar Scott Purcell – Co-Founder This week, Harry and I had the opportunity to head out to the adidas flagship store on Pitt St in Sydney to celebrate the return of a true icon: the adidas Superstar. The new 'Superstar: The Original' campaign is bringing back the legendary sneaker in two classic colourways, alongside the equally iconic Firebird Tracksuit. The global campaign features a star-studded cast including the likes of Missy Elliott, Jennie from BLACKPINK, and is narrated by the one and only Samuel L. Jackson. The event was a super fun getting to customise our own sneakers, and they even offered to embroider the back of our new jackets ahead of the night. In a moment of questionable genius, I opted for 'Man of Many' on mine, which made for some interesting conversations. Others were more clever, with one person getting 'It wasn't me' stitched on the back. While I'm not sure my attempt with a metallic scourer was a complete success as you can see in the photo, I can confirm these shoes are ridiculously comfortable. I've been wearing them all week since and this was my first proper foray into the world of adidas Superstars footwear. I think it's safe to say I'm a convert. Favourite Video this Week: DITL with the Dyson OnTrac Rosevears Tasmanian Three Grain Whiskey | Image: Rosevears Rosevears Tasmanian Three Grain Whiskey Alex Martinez – Media Sales & Brand Partnerships Tasmania's first crack at a bourbon-style whiskey is an ambitious and largely successful effort. Rosevears Batch 1 delivers a bold, grain-forward profile that proudly wears its local ingredients on its sleeve. The nose is rich with sweet corn and toasted cereal, backed by a punch of rye spice and oak. On the palate, it leans into classic bourbon notes – vanilla, caramel, and a touch of char. While it doesn't quite rival the depth of some seasoned Kentucky counterparts, Rosevears impresses with its authenticity and craftsmanship. As a debut, it sets a promising foundation for what's to come from this Tasmanian distillery. One for the curious bourbon enthusiast looking to explore Australian innovation – and why wouldn't you be? Favourite Article this Week: Ninja SLUSHi: The Uber-Cool Drink Maker You Need Right Now
Motor Trend
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
Mattel's Brick Shop Is Trying to Get You to Leggo Your Lego Cars
If you haven't built anything out of Lego bricks since you were a kid, you might be surprised to learn how popular Lego is among adults today—and that Lego sets are an appreciating asset. That Lego Land Rover Defender we built (and crashed) a few years ago? It's gone up 12 percent. Our Volkswagen campervan is up 27 percent. Some sets are worth thousands of dollars, and Lego theft is feeding a thriving black market. So can you blame Mattel, the toy company that owns Hot Wheels, for wanting to get in on the action? Ladies and gentlemen, meet Mattel's Brick Shop. The Mattel Brick Shop will focus on cars, at least for starters. Each kit is accompanied by a matching 1:64-scale Hot Wheels vehicle and contains extra parts such as a second set of wheels to allow for a 'custom' version to be built. Brick Shop will offer kits in three levels of complexity. The Hot Wheels Speed Series, similar in scope to Lego's Speed Champions, will be the simplest, with 250 to 300 pieces in each 1:32-scale set. Initial offerings will include a Cadillac GTP racing car, Maserati MC20, and a hot-rodded '68 Chevy Camaro. The Elite Series of 1:16-scale cars contain 850 to 925 pieces and will start with a Corvette Grand Sport, a 1990 Acura NSX (at top), and a custom 1962 Chevrolet pickup. Top of the line is the Premium Series, which will offer a single 1,600-piece kit of a 1:12-scale Mercedes 300 SL with opening gullwing doors. Technically, Mattel is already a Lego competitor; they sell a Lego-compatible building toy called Mega Bloks, and they've even offered a Mega Blok car with a Hot Wheels tie-in. So what separates their new Brick Shop car models from other Mega Blok kits—or from a certain well-known Danish brand? Mattel tells us the new Brick Shop kits will have better brick fit than the current Mega Blok kits, which are designed to be easy for young kids to pull apart, similar to Lego's Duplo line. The new sets will have improved assembly instructions and will include metal parts, which also differentiates them from Lego sets. A look at the Brick Shop models shows a lot more custom shapes than you'll find in the Lego universe, which we think would affect the mixing-and-matching that gives Lego sets their unique look. It's hard to imagine how the Brick Shop pieces that recreate unique hood-to-fender crease of a 1962 Chevrolet pickup would be much use in building the vault at Gringott's. Now, if you or your kids are into Lego sets, you know how pricey they can be. A simple 250-piece Lego F1 racing car retails for $27, the 950-piece Ford Bronco lists for $65, and the 1,400-brick Technic Nissan Skyline GT-R goes for $140. Mattel's sets will be priced slightly lower, with Speed Series kits retailing for $19.99, Elite Series at $49.99, and the Premium Series priced at $119.99. (At least, that's the suggested retail price; is offering early access to the Speed Series Cadillac GTP racer at $21.59 and the Elite Series Corvette at $53.99.) Of course, Lego cars can go for a lot more. The 2,900-piece Lego Mercedes G500, with an articulating suspension, working gearbox and lockable differentials, and animated engine, sells for $250, while the top-of-the-line 3,800-piece Ferrari Daytona SP3 and 3,900-piece McLaren F1 list for $450. Mattel doesn't have anything that complicated in their lineup, but if the Brick Shop is successful, who knows? Maybe there's a 4,000-piece Ford Lightning pickup with working electric motors in Brick Shop's future. For now, though, Mattel expects the first Brick Shop kits to arrive in retail stores this summer.
