It might seem a bit early, but we'd like to wish all you toy people a Happy New Year! May the Year of the Snake in 2025 bring you good fortune and may all your wishes come true! Today, we're diving into two Eastern New Year-themed sets scheduled for release on January 1, 2025: "80116 Trotting Lantern" and "80117 Good Fortune". Both sets feature outstanding designs that make them perfect centerpiece displays, while also offering distinct play features. Let's jump right in and start building!
▼ First up is set number 80116, "Trotting Lantern." The front of the box showcases the new 2025 Spring Festival design, with a large "春" (Spring) character logo in the top-right corner and an icon in the bottom-right indicating the included light brick.
▼ Turning it over, the back reveals the structural design of the Trotting Lantern, its interior layout, and play details.
▼ The top and sides feature images of the minifigures included in this set. And here's the special Year of the Snake minifigure! So cute!
PAY ATTENTION! The 80116 set I received features the new packaging. The parts bags are no longer single-use plastic but are the result of The LEGO Group's commitment to sustainability and environmental protection: new paper-based bags! This got me incredibly excited; the texture and design feel fantastic!
▼ The Trotting Lantern contains a total of 1295 pieces, divided into 9 numbered bags. It's particularly noteworthy that The LEGO Group tested over 180 different materials before settling on these paper bags for packaging the bricks. They had to ensure the bags were thick enough to prevent parts from tearing them during shipping, and because paper is more sensitive to humidity than plastic, they needed to find a material that could withstand various factory and environmental conditions. As for the result, I am personally very satisfied. The tactile feedback when tearing them open and the element of surprise—not knowing which parts are inside before opening—are both wonderful.
▼ There are two instruction booklets, also packaged in a paper bag.
▼ There are 6 stickers to apply. The one depicting Chang'e flying to the moon is just too cute.
▼ Alright, let's start building! When it comes to building LEGO at the Toy People editorial office, it's the Year of the Snake, so who else but me? (What a forced pun).
Finished! Let's take a look from all angles—though it looks quite similar from every direction. While building this Trotting Lantern, I had this feeling: "Even though I was assembling familiar LEGO bricks, upon completion, the lantern transformed into a gorgeous decoration you'd find at a Lunar New Year market. At first glance, you wouldn't even think it's LEGO." The visual presentation and completeness of the design are simply fantastic.
▼ The strong atmosphere the Trotting Lantern exudes is largely thanks to these beautifully decorated window elements.
▼ The construction of the lantern's feet is reminiscent of the furniture found on altars or in temples.
▼ The design on this 2×2 round tile is printed! Paired with the two halves on either side, the finished look is full of character.
▼ Here's where the upper section opens; you can see two parts that look like door handles.
▼ The interior revealed upon opening is dazzlingly intricate.
▼ The build pattern for the top cover is absolutely beautiful.
▼ Once opened, the upper level is divided into three sections: the "Dumpling Stall" on the far left, the "Shadow Puppet Theater" in the center, and the "Decorations Stall" on the right. Due to the compact scale, LEGO uses micro-scale models to represent the main features of each space, adding to the scene's atmosphere.
▼ The tiny dumpling stall is adorned with two stickers.
▼ LEGO dumplings!!
▼ Since the center is obstructed by a pillar, taking the small shadow puppet stage out is probably the best way to enjoy it. The shadow puppet show of Chang'e flying to the moon features her hand-in-hand with an astronaut! This East-meets-West fusion works.
▼ Next up is a major highlight of this set: the light brick and the printed silhouette window panes. You can not only activate the light brick by pressing it but also rotate the mechanism, allowing each window to display a charming illuminated effect.
▼ There are two types of silhouette window panes to choose from.
▼ This design is definitely impressive. The color scheme follows LEGO's classic red, yellow, and teal, with the addition of dark blue accents on the base this time.
▼ Here's a look at the five minifigures included with the Trotting Lantern!
Next is set number 80117, Good Fortune. This already striking LEGO model is paired with the Spring Festival box design, making it not only beautiful but also joyfully festive. The left side also has an icon indicating that this set can be built by 1-3 people.
▼ The back of the box shows the two build options for the fan model (the two modes cannot coexist) and the fan's dimensions: 28 cm long.
▼ There are 1021 pieces in total, including 8 numbered bags and one black baseplate.
▼ There are also two instruction booklets, allowing two people to build simultaneously.
▼ Let's get building!
All done! Composed of a fan, a gold ingot, a persimmon, a vase with kumquats, a scroll, and a calligraphy brush, the Good Fortune set is a type of model I rarely encounter. Despite having multiple items displayed together, it doesn't feel cluttered. A great deal of effort must have gone into the overall visual presentation and color scheme.
▼ Let's first look at some of the charming moments during the build! First is the textured construction of the base. Besides its function of securing the models above, the use of gold parts is superb.
▼ The building process for the persimmon is very fun and utilizes a brand-new part.
▼ The construction method for the vase is also really fun!
▼ Of course, we can't forget the choice of parts used to shape the curve of the scroll. I absolutely love this kind of perfect fit.
▼ The character "春" (Spring) is rendered in a cute font within a narrow, elongated area.
▼ The tiles hanging on the kumquat branches, with "春暖花開" (Spring blossoms) and "喜上枝頭" (Joy on the branches), are sincerely crafted printed pieces.
▼ There are two styles to choose from for the fan. For the one I built, the magpie on a blossoming branch, you use the elements from bag 7. For the other style, you would use the bricks from bag 8.
▼ It's worth noting that the "magpie on a branch" design can be completely detached, allowing you to easily build the other style.
LEGO "80116 Trotting Lantern" & "80117 Good Fortune" Review Summary:
Both of these new Spring Festival LEGO models are quite impressive in their visual presentation. Whether it's the excellent design, symmetry, and decorations of the Trotting Lantern, or the realistic shapes of the various items in the Good Fortune set, they both showcase the possibilities of LEGO bricks and the skill of the designers. In terms of playability, the two sets offer different experiences. The Trotting Lantern features an opening mechanism, a rotating light effect, and comes with Year of the Snake minifigures. The Good Fortune set focuses on the rebuildable fan and the ability to play with the persimmon, brush, and ingot. Both are very appealing.
LEGO 80116 Trotting Lantern
Suggested Retail Price: NT$3,549, Piece Count: 1295, Expected Release Date: January 2, 2025
LEGO 80117 Good Fortune
Suggested Retail Price: NT$2,799, Piece Count: 1021, Expected Release Date: January 2, 2025
