LEGO 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure review

Coming in as the second such giant-sized build of the year so far, does 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure offer even more large-scale satisfaction?

Back in 2021, the LEGO Group released 76393 Harry Potter & Hermione Granger, a pair of oversized and poseable minifigure characters based on their smaller plastic cousins. They had the same amount of movement and functionality as regular minifigures and even included appropriately-scaled cloth and brick-built accessories.

The LEGO Harry Potter set was then followed earlier this year by 40504 A Minifigure Tribute, a LEGO House exclusive based on the classic Captain Redbeard character. The model comes with its own elaborate display stand with two printed tiles and a stickered treasure map, but limited availability meant only a small percentage of fans and collectors will have been able to pick up the celebratory build.

Now the LEGO Group is at it again with 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure, a more basic 10+ version of the company’s iconic minifigure design – one that features an almost identical interior to the previous two sets, but does offer a secret surprise hidden within…

— LEGO 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure set details —

Theme: LEGO Exclusives Set name: 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure Release: June 1, 2023

Price: £44.99 / $49.99 / €49.99 Pieces: 654 Minifigures: 1

LEGO: Available June 1, 2023

— Where to buy LEGO 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure —

LEGO 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure will be released on June 1, 2023 for £44.99 / $49.99 / €49.99 and will be available to purchase exclusively from LEGO.com and LEGO Stores.

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— LEGO 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure build —

It will probably come as no surprise to learn that 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure is constructed in virtually the same manner as 76393 Harry Potter & Hermione Granger and 40504 A Minifigure Tribute. Work commences on the character’s torso section first, with a variety of LEGO elements combined to create a correctly-angled frame and internal mechanisms for attaching the arms later on.

It’s therefore a bit of let-down when all of the intricate details and apparent functionality inside 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure is then covered up with the torso’s large red exterior pieces. There’s no access hatch of flap to open to expose the inner workings of the minifigure’s chest, which feels like a real lack of reward for all the hard work you’ll have put into building the character’s interior.

With the main body of 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure completed, it’s time to move on to the hip assembly. Again, as with 76393 Harry Potter & Hermione Granger and 40504 A Minifigure Tribute, the character’s blue hips are built upside down before being attached to the torso. This section of the model incorporates some Technic ball joints for connecting the legs at the next stage, and providing just the right amount of friction for placing the minifigure in a walking position.

40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure’s two blue legs are easy enough to put together and don’t really offer much of a challenge, but they do slide satisfyingly into place once constructed. You’ll spend a short while building up various identical pieces to form the mostly blocky shape of each leg, before covering up any unsightly studs with smooth tiled elements. 

The two red arms are the smallest and fastest parts of the build to assemble. A white hinged piece forms the bent elbow of each appendage, although there’s no movement at the joint. Each of 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure’s red arms ends in an iconic yellow claw-shaped hand, which does the job adequately, although you’ll need to squint to convince yourself that they match those of a regular-sized minifigure’s mitts.

With both arms attached, a simple cube shape with external studs for connecting a series of yellow pieces forms the head of 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure. Four large yellow curved slope elements slot around the cube to complete the minifigure’s head, one of which includes a printed smiley face (no stickers in this set, folks). Once finished, the head can then be placed on top of the torso and connected to a round 4×4 brick and turntable, allowing for a full 360-degree rotation.

The final part of 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure to be built is probably the most fun, but also the most frustrating. Construction of the flat brim of the character’s cap takes way too long and the shape of the finished section doesn’t mirror the look of the small-scale minifigure’s cap. Likewise, there’s an unnecessarily flat part at the back of the cap that sticks out too far (almost like a rear brim) and feels out of place for the build. There also isn’t the option to remove the cap entirely and construct the missing top portion of the minifigure’s head, although enterprising builders with the right pieces will no doubt find a way.

However, 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure manages to save the best for last by offering a small buildable control section within the hat for the accompanying minifigure to sit in and pilot. There are two levers to pull back and forth, with moveable cog mechanisms at the rear and printed sloped display pieces suggesting a high-tech nerve centre within the brain of a robotic behemoth.

It gives the giant-sized minifigure the feeling of being a massive clockwork automaton, with a tiny version of its maker controlling the mechanical man from inside. Snapping on a blue half-dome element completes the model, allowing for the character’s hat to be displayed open or closed, delighting those who are unaware of what’s lurking beneath.

— LEGO 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure characters —

40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure comes with one standard-sized minifigure character that’s identical in appearance to its larger-scale big brother. The basic minifigure is decked out with a red torso and arms, blue hips, legs and cap, plus a smiling yellow face and matching yellow hands. There’s no printing on the included minifigure at all, but that does mirror the same style as the up-scaled build.

— LEGO 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure price —

Priced at £44.99 / $49.99 / €49.99, 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure offers a few hours of building, the results of which are a larger than initially expected display piece. The inclusion of an identical minifigure and a secret control area hidden inside the character’s cap are the icing on the brick-built cake, and make this an easy pick-up at full price. (Good thing, too, because its exclusivity means you probably won’t find it discounted.)

— LEGO 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure pictures —

— LEGO 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure pros and cons —

The completed 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure makes for a great primary-coloured display piece that just happens to look like the one found in front of the LEGO Campus in Billund. The poseable model includes a secret control centre lurking beneath its hat, which definitely makes for a fun surprise.

Grumbles arise around the inability to view the interior workings of 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure, the character’s clawed hands could do with some refining and the large blue hat looks nothing like the accompanying smaller version, but overall there’s little to complain about here.

Now that the LEGO Group has created a basic version of a large-scale minifigure, we’re hoping to see more ‘mega-fig’ style sets in the future. A massive Darth Vader or Giant-Man would be welcome additions to any fan’s collection, with the price and piece count of the set offering a very satisfying building experience indeed.

40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure pros	40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure cons
Suitably solid display piece	No access to the minifigure’s interior mechanisms
Ability to place the model in various minifigure poses	Cap design doesn’t match the look of the smaller minifigure’s
Secret control area hidden beneath the model’s cap	No character-specific accessories or brick-built display stand

This set was provided by the LEGO Group.

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— Alternatives to LEGO 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure —

When it comes to similar sets, the only real options at this stage would be 76393 Harry Potter & Hermione Granger and 40504 A Minifigure Tribute. However, the former model is now retired and the latter can only be obtained via a visit to the LEGO House, although both can be picked up for a much higher price on the secondary market.

— LEGO 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure FAQs —

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