Review: 71486 Castle Nocturnia from LEGO® DREAMZzz™

Ever since I came into contact with his work when I was a teenager, I’ve been intrigued by the work of Dutch artist M.C. Escher. The way he incorporates math and warped perspective into his art strikes a chord with me. With LEGO® DREAMZzz™ set 71486 Castle Nocturnia, do we finally get a LEGO version of his work?

Products in this article were gifted by The LEGO Group; the author's opinions are their own.
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71486 Castle Nocturnia

• Price: US$199.99/ £169.99/ 199.99€/ AU$299.99
• Pieces: 1742
• Release date: August 1 2024

LEGO DreamZzz 71486 Castle Nocturnia on LEGO.com

One of the first MOCs I tried to create after coming out of my Dark Ages was a LEGO version of one of Escher's most famous works, Relativity, which shows staircases going in impossible directions with people walking up and down, sometimes on the same flight of stairs in the same direction. 

Ultimately, the MOC went nowhere, as I lacked the knowledge of ‘modern’ bricks, building techniques and LEGO Digital Designer to pull it off at the time. The desire for a representation of Escher’s work in brick form has always stayed with me. I've been hoping for an announcement from the LEGO Art team, but maybe the LEGO DreamZzz theme got the drop on them. 

Set 71486 Castle Nocturnia features a castle which, like Relativity, has no clear top side but can be flipped around depending on what section you’re playing with – including a staircase! I’m eager to start building and find out if this set can scratch that itch I can’t reach myself.

New Molds

Before we start building, we will first take a look at all the interesting elements found in the box, starting with new molds.

Hourglass holder (LEGO part 5330)

The first new mold is an interesting one, as it gives us a T-shaped bar with additional studs as a bonus. We get both color versions in this set, used for building weapons for Izzie and Mateo.

• Hourglass Holder with Opal Trans-Light Blue Hourglass in Pearl Gold (6501459 | 5330)
• Hourglass Holder with Trans-Bright Green Hourglass in Pearl Gold (6501460 | 5330)

I’ve already given a full rundown of the mold in the review for 71484 Cooper's C-Rex Robot Dinosaur, so I’ll keep the description short here. 

The studs sit 2 modules (5 plates) apart. The colored glass of the hourglass is 3.18mm bar-sized, and lines up with the studs at either end, allowing for any clip attached to the bar (shown in blue above) to line up in the LEGO System grid as well. 

With the use of a SNOT brick (shown in azure) and a jumper plate (magenta), we can also connect a clip to the perpendicular bar projecting from the curved section. 

I just love it when an element designer goes out of their way to make as many LEGO System connections within a seemingly small and random accessory part.

Neck brackets (5275 and 5332)

The August 2024 wave of LEGO DreamZzz sets introduce a new Neckwear Bodywarmer, found in this set in Dark Bluish Gray (6491525 | 5275). The New Elementary team had a long conversation about what this is called around the world – puffer vest, gilet, parka, boiler insulation, or a "dork's wearing a life preserver!"

We also get another new neckwear mold: Shoulder Piece with Crystals in Trans-Dark Pink with Black (6508633 | 5332).

Animal, Panda (106597)

Whether this truly is a new August mold or not depends on your location. Animal, Red Panda in Reddish Orange (6486043 | 106597) also appeared in LEGO® City set 60424 Jungle Explorer ATV, which was released in some areas back in June. Still, it’s so cute I couldn’t leave it out here.

The Stealing Raven (5272)

The new baddie, The Never Witch has a pet raven. 

This bird is found in all 8 sets from this wave in Trans-Dark Pink with a Black marbled pattern (6466858 | 5272). It’s a beautiful creature with colors befitting the Dream World, and I hope we’ll see more natural colors for this mold in the future across other themes.

Dome with crystallized top (5334)

The raven steals memories from Dreamers, which are carried around in this new dome piece in Trans-Clear (6466880 | 5334, seen above left). Like the raven, the element is found in all sets, and we get one here. 

The dome is 2 bricks high, which is 1 plate higher than its sibling Brick Round 2 x 2 x 1 2/3 Dome Top (30151, above right). I suspect this extra height is in order to fit the memories, which are printed on 1x2 tiles. We get 5 of these domes in this set.

Recolors and decorations

For a set of this size, the quantity of recolored elements feels a bit low, but they are welcome nonetheless.

• Brick Round 2 x 2 D. Tube with 45° Elbow and Axle Holes (Crossholes) at Each End [LONG] in Bright Yellow/ Yellow (6510156 | 5489). The older version 65473 has already been seen in Yellow.
• Dish 6 x 6 Inverted (Radar) with Solid Studs in Opal Trans-Yellow (6500284 | 44375). This is only the second mold that comes in this color, after a plain and printed version of 3062 Brick Round 1 x 1.
• Brick Arch 1 x 3 x 2 Curved Top in Bright Bluish Green/ Dark Turquoise (6502437 | 6005, 92903)
• Weapon Sword Crystalized in Transparent Blue with Opalescence/ Satin Trans-Light Blue (6489687 | 79985)

• Slope 75° 2 x 2 x 3 Double Convex in Flame Yellowish Orange/ Bright Light Orange (6502442 | 3685)
• Slope 45° 2 x 2 Double Concave in Flame Yellowish Orange/ Bright Light Orange (6502441 | 3046)

Discounting the minifigure parts, we get 6 new printed parts, all small. The tiles are all memories that grow on the tree in the castle:

• Tile 1 x 2 with Cabin, Tree on Floating Rock print in Transparent Green/ Trans-Green (6487074 | 3069)
• Tile 1 x 2 with Mill, Large Skull, Waterfall on Floating Rock print in Transparent Light Blue/ Trans-Light Blue (6487100 | 3069)
• Tile 1 x 2 with Cake, Sweets print in Transparent Yellow/ Trans-Yellow (6523613 | 3069)
• Tile 1 x 2 with Game Console, Controller print in Transparent Bright Bluish Violet/ Trans-Purple (6487034 | 3069)
• Tile 1 x 2 with Dark Turquoise Dragon on Temple print in Transparent Bright Green/ Trans-Bright Green (6487036 | 3069)
• Slope 30° 1 x 1 x 2/3 with Gold/Metal Orange Eye, Black Pupil, Outline print in Flame Yellowish Orange/ Bright Light Orange (6488250 | 54200)

All other decorations are handled by two sticker sheets:

Minifigures

We are treated to 6 minifigures and 5 Dreamlings.

On the good side we find Mateo, Mrs. Castillo and Izzy.

Our heroes come packed with new elements. 

• Izzie comes with a new cape (6499166), head (6487066), torso (6501161) and legs (6487068).
• Mateo’s hair got a new print (6487055), as did his head (6487046), torso (6493455) and legs (6526487).
• Mrs. Castillo comes with a new printed head (6487072) and torso (6487064).

The Never Witch uses the memories of Izzie and Mateo to create Dark Doppelgangers Dizzy and Madteo.

• Dizzy wears a recolored hairpiece in Trans-Pink (6503633 | 1987), as well as a newly molded Minifig Neckwear Armour, Crystalized with Trans-Dark Pink pattern in Black (6511018 | 5332) and a new Hipwear Skirt, Jagged in Bright Reddish Violet/ Magenta (6499165 | 109516). Her head (6487069), torso (6501089) and legs (6487071) have a new print.
• Like Mateo, Madteo’s hair got a new print and a recolor in Black (6487056), and his head (6487049), torso (6493621) and legs (6526493) show a new print as well.
• The Never Witch is mostly a repeat from earlier sets, but she’s standing on a recoloured Lower Body, Ghost with Black Pattern in Transparent Medium Reddish Violet/ Trans-Dark Pink (6502433 | 65227).

And caught in the middle are my favorite characters of the theme; the Dreamlings. The big-headed guy on the left comes with a recolored dreamling body in Medium Nougat (6501165 | 1993) and a newly printed BigFig head, which is also new in Medium Nougat (6487079 | 79435). The Light Aqua Dreamlings don’t bring any new elements, but the knight and the bather are a new assembly. Sneak on the right has appeared in 2 sets prior, and is seen three times in this wave.

This brings the total number of characters in the LEGO DreamZzz theme using the Dreamling body (part 1993) to 20, excluding Sneak, who I included in the photo above anyway. 

Outside the theme, there are 2 other figures to be found using the Dreamling body which are not in this group photo; the alien in 60439 Space Science Lab and the Myconids in 21348 Dungeons & Dragons.

Rare elements

The final group of elements to take a look at are not new, but worth mentioning:

Spotted in only a single set prior to the release of 71486:

• Brick Round 2 x 2 D. Tube with Rotation Joint Ball Half in Black (6432442 | 1994)
• Brick Arch 1 x 5 x 4 Inverted in Bright Bluish Green/ Dark Turquoise (6306743 | 30099), seen once in 2020.
• Plant, Leaves 4 x 3 in Cool Yellow/ Bright Light Yellow (6438496 | 2423)

And appearing in 2 sets prior:

• Plant, Leaves 6 x 5 in Bright Blue/ Blue (6443504 | 2417)
• Wedge Sloped 45° 6 x 8 with Pointed Cutout in Warm Gold/ Pearl Gold (6202741 | 22390)
• Animal Body Part / Plant, Tail / Neck / Branch / Trunk, Middle Section with Pin Holes in Flame Yellowish Orange/ Bright Light Orange (6485967 | 5717) was introduced in June 2024, so it’s on the border of being a recolor.

Building the model

The base

Before we build the castle, another character is introduced who is fully brick-built. Filippo Achaemenid Darius Cambyses looks amazing with a detailed head and opalescent wings. The body and legs are pretty minimalist though.

As is usual with LEGO DreamZzz sets, the main build starts off with the construction of the ‘base’ model. In this case, this is a castle divided into 3 sections; a white tower, a fortification and a forest. Depending on orientation, each section can function as the top side.

In the center of the castle we find a waterfall that continues underground. The buildings are very open, leaving little space for a stable construction. Stability is provided by placing a stack of tiles and plates over brackets, functioning as support beams in all directions.

The tower section features two different types of thrones, and a bookcase that can be opened to reveal an artifact.

I love the flow of the forest, where hinge bricks are used to provide studs for the figures to stand on along the curved slope. Underneath the surface we find a dungeon.

The fortress feels a bit unfinished at this point, but there is a defense provided in the form of a large crossbow. Underneath the fortress, Escher’s staircase leads to the forest, where SNOT bricks provide an anchor for the figures.

Model A – The standard setting

From what I can gather from the instructions, the first model depicts Castle Nocturnia in its normal, peaceful setting. 

The white-and-yellow tower is extended, with a large hourglass sitting within its lantern. The hourglass can be turned over, but the tiles representing the sand are of course too big to fit through the domes’ studs. 

The fortification is finished off with battlements and a red roof. 

The forest section grows a nice blue tree which bears fruits in the form of the new dome pieces filled with printed tiles. In the show, these tiles are memories, but I suspect in this set they represent dreams?

Model B – under siege

The second model sees the castle under siege, and our heroes need to defend themselves.

To do so, the tree moves around to strangle any attackers, as shown in the instructions; see picture below.

The hourglass in the tower is deconstructed and rebuilt as a golden cannon on top of the fortification. 

To make place for the cannon, some parts are removed from the red fortification and in turn reused as a shelter for the dreamlings.

©2024 The LEGO Group

Closing thoughts

Castle Nocturnia is a beautiful structure, with the white and gold tower jumping out. I really love the concept of infusing enough "Escher DNA" to create a maze of pathways for the figures to walk along. 

To test the model, I handed it over to my 8 year-old, and she had a blast flipping the castle around, discovering all the details hidden inside. Despite her rough play, the model only sustained minor damage with the tree leaves being the only section that had parts falling off. The technique of stacked plates across the model have proven to give the castle the necessary strength, raising the playability factor of the set.    

The only weak point for me is the alternate model. I’m not sure why, but it feels like it's lacking something. The hourglass turning into a cannon is spot on, but the other changes don’t feel big enough. Maybe if more was done with the other sections in the castle, other than just the tops, to incorporate the three orientations more? 

In the end, I’m not disappointed with what the set offers, it just feels like it has the potential to go from a 10 out of 10 to a 10.5. Of course, the provided alternate builds can be seen as suggestions, and it’s up to the builder to dream up their own take.

The box does not contain many unique new elements, but the ones we do get are welcome and a second element in opal trans-yellow is exciting to see. I’m especially happy with the bright light orange slope bricks, as they look great topping a castle.

Does the set scratch my Escher itch? Well, I would still welcome a more truthful recreation of his work, similar to what we’ve seen with 21333 Starry Night and 31213 Mona Lisa. But this set takes the spirit of Escher’s work and has great fun with it, resulting in a unique play set.

LEGO DreamZzz 71486 Castle Nocturnia on LEGO.com
US$199.99/ £169.99/ 199.99€/ AU$299.99

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