Classic

Bricks Bricks Plates

A big honest tub of bricks with four baseplates and zero instructions to obey.

Brick Rated Score

3.7/5

Set 11717 · 2020

Pieces1,504

Minifigsn/a

Year2020

Set number11717

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The verdict

This is the Classic box I keep recommending when someone tells me they want to build without a step sheet bossing them around.

You get 1,504 pieces in a proper rainbow of colors, four 16x16 baseplates, and just enough wheels, windows, doors and those googly eyes to give a pile of bricks some character. It won me over slowly, because at first glance it looks plain, and then you realize how much freedom sits in that box. The catch is there are no minifigs and the printing on the box oversells the baseplate size, so go in knowing exactly what you're getting.

Best for: Free-builders who want a colorful parts pile with baseplates, not a step-by-step model

The full review

What it is

Some LEGO® sets tell you exactly what to build, and this one just hands you the bricks and gets out of your way. Bricks Bricks Plates is one of the bigger Classic boxes, 1,504 pieces of pure creative fuel, and the thing that makes it worth talking about is the color spread. This isn't a sad box of grey and red. You get proper blues, greens, yellows, oranges, purples, the works, plus little personality parts like wheels, windows, doors, and those printed eyes that turn any random lump into a creature with an attitude. Four 16x16 baseplates come in the box too, in different colors, which matters because baseplates are the one thing people always forget to buy and then wonder why their builds keep sliding around.

The catch

Here's where I keep it real with you. The set launched at 69.99 dollars, and for a bulk brick box with no minifigures, that always sat at the pricey end for me. It retired back in January 2022, so now you're looking at aftermarket prices that have crept up to somewhere between 75 and 100 dollars depending on where you shop, which stings for what is basically a tub of parts. The other honest gripe, and builders raised this one plenty, is that it skimps on the tiny plates. There's a shortage of 1x1 and 1x2 plates, and those are exactly the pieces you burn through fastest when you're detailing a build. You'll have plenty of bricks and a decent stash of plates, but you may find yourself rationing the small stuff.

Who it's for

One more thing to set expectations, because it trips people up. The box art makes those baseplates look enormous, and they're 16 studs square, roughly five inches, not sixteen inches. If you go in picturing giant boards you'll be let down, and a fair number of newcomers were. So who's this really for? If you love free-building, if the idea of a step-by-step instruction booklet makes you a little tired, this is a lovely no-rules sandbox with a great color range and baseplates baked in. If you want a finished display model or you're hunting specific rare parts, this isn't your set. For open-ended play and a colorful foundation to build a collection on, though, it earns its place. I like it, caveats and all.

The parts story

What the build is actually like, and the pieces worth knowing about.

There is no build here in the traditional sense, and that's the whole point. Open the box and you're greeted by a wash of color rather than numbered bags marching you toward a single model. If you want a warm-up, the included guides walk you through a frog, a pirate ship, an elephant, and a little castle, all simple enough that a four year old can follow along and quick enough that an adult can knock one out in a few minutes. After that you're on your own, which is either the best part or the intimidating part depending on your mood. The four baseplates give you a stable place to anchor things, and I love that they grip bricks at any angle, even upside down, then let go without a fight when you want to start over.

On the pieces themselves, this is a parts pack first and foremost, so value is the story. At 1,504 pieces you're paying well under a nickel per part at retail, which is solid for LEGO, and the mix leans toward standard bricks and plates in a broad palette that's genuinely useful for MOC builders topping up their color drawers. The little character parts are the charm here: wheels for quick vehicles, window and door frames, and printed eye tiles that instantly give builds a face. Don't come looking for new molds or rare recolors, because there aren't any, and the thin supply of 1x1 and 1x2 plates is the one gap that'll frustrate detail-focused builders. As a bulk foundation with baseplates thrown in, though, the part-count math holds up nicely.

Fun facts

01The set retired in January 2022 after roughly a 31 month run, and sealed boxes have since climbed above the original 69.99 dollar price on the aftermarket.
02The four baseplates are 16 studs square, about five inches, which regularly surprises buyers who read the box as 16 inches.
03Despite being one of the larger Classic bulk boxes at 1,504 pieces, it includes zero minifigures, keeping the focus entirely on free-building.
04The built-in idea guides start you with a frog, a pirate ship, an elephant, and a castle before cutting you loose to design your own models.