LEGO's 2025 Lunar New Year (Year of the Snake) Collection: A Detailed Look at the Trotting Lantern
LEGO continues its Lunar New Year tradition with a trio of 2025 (Year of the Snake) sets. This review focuses on the most elaborate offering: a meticulously crafted replica of a traditional trotting lantern. While other sets include a Lucky Cat and a display featuring Chinese iconography (decorative fan, calligraphy set, and gold ingots), the lantern stands out for its intricate detail and hidden surprises.
The lantern's exterior is a feast for the eyes. Exquisite detailing adorns every surface – from the hanging red lanterns to the gold accents and the beautifully rendered sky and cloud scenes on the lantern's walls.
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Construction is a layered process, adding detail upon detail, creating a sense of anticipation and rewarding the builder with a stunning final product. This layered approach evokes the joy experienced while building the now-retired LEGO Carousel.
Inspired by Han Dynasty lanterns, the LEGO model incorporates a rotating light-up mechanism. A rod activates a light brick, illuminating a clear piece with a black-lined image, projecting it onto the lantern's side. Rotating the rod animates the projection. However, the advertised projection onto a wall is blurry and underwhelming.
The lantern's upper section opens to reveal three charming miniature scenes: a dumpling stall, a decorative goods stall, and a shadow puppet theater. This cleverly concealed element adds a delightful surprise to the build. The set includes five minifigures, one dressed as a snake, along with accessories like dumplings, a red envelope, a shadow puppet, and chopsticks.
The set's value proposition hinges on the buyer's priorities. While the light-up mechanism might not justify the price alone, the aesthetic appeal and the intricately detailed, hidden dioramas make it a captivating Lunar New Year celebration. Despite its 9+ age rating, the complexity suggests an 18+ building experience.
The LEGO Trotting Lantern (#80116) retails for $129.99 and consists of 1295 pieces. It is currently available at Amazon and the LEGO Store.
