The April Drop Is Here
April 1 brings eleven new LEGO sets across five themes. Star Wars leads with six sets (five Mandalorian movie tie-ins plus a BrickHeadz pack), Ideas delivers the long-awaited Tintin Moon Rocket, Super Mario goes display-scale with a Mario Kart build, BrickHeadz adds a TMNT pack, Icons contributes the Douglas DC-3, and a new Germany postcard rounds things out.
Eleven sets. Combined retail value north of $900 if you bought everything. Nobody should buy everything.
This guide is the filter. We've reviewed every set in this wave, and for each one we're giving you a straight verdict: buy it, skip it, or wait for a sale. Then we'll lay out budget-specific shopping lists so you can make the most of whatever you're willing to spend.
We already published the complete April release guide and the full ranking by score. This post is different. This one tells you what to do with your wallet.
The Verdicts
BUY: Tintin Moon Rocket (21367) - $159.99
Score: 8.36. Verdict: Buy at launch.
This is the standout of the April wave and it's not particularly close. The Tintin Moon Rocket is a fan-designed Ideas set that brings one of the most recognizable rocket designs in comics history to LEGO form. The red and white checkered pattern is immediately identifiable even to people who've never read a Tintin book. At nearly 20 inches tall on its display stand, the presence is commanding.
The minifigure selection is excellent: Tintin, Captain Haddock, Professor Calculus, Thomson and Thompson, and Snowy the dog. That's five characters from a single franchise that LEGO has never touched before. For European comics fans, this set has been decades in the making.
Ideas sets with strong cultural followings have a solid appreciation track record after retirement. The Tintin IP has generational loyalty across Europe, South America, and parts of Asia. We expect this one to hold value well.
BUY: Douglas DC-3 Pan Am (11378) - $149.99
Score: 9.24. Verdict: Buy. Highest-scored set in the wave.
The Douglas DC-3 is the kind of set that makes you wonder why LEGO didn't build it sooner. A legendary aircraft in Pan Am livery, rendered at display scale with 1,903 pieces. The silver fuselage, twin radial engines, and period-accurate details create a display piece that appeals to aviation enthusiasts, history buffs, and adult LEGO collectors simultaneously.
At $149.99 for nearly 1,900 pieces, the price-per-piece ratio is competitive. The build experience is satisfying -- the curved fuselage construction uses techniques that feel different from anything else in the current catalog. Aviation sets have historically been underrepresented in LEGO's lineup, which gives this one a scarcity advantage in terms of theme uniqueness.
This scored highest in our reviews of the entire April wave. It earned that score.
BUY (if you're a Mandalorian fan): Razor Crest (75447) - $149.99
Score: 8.22. Verdict: Buy if Mandalorian is your thing.
The Razor Crest is the flagship of the Mandalorian movie wave, and it's a solid redesign of Din Djarin's ship. At 930 pieces and 13 inches long, the display proportions are good and the structural engineering is noticeably improved over earlier Razor Crest versions. Interior detail includes the carbonite chamber, sleeping quarters, and cockpit.
The caveat: at $149.99 for 930 pieces, you're paying a premium for the Star Wars license. The Tintin Moon Rocket offers 1,283 pieces for the same price. If you're not a Mandalorian fan, the value equation doesn't favor this set over other options in the wave.
For Mandalorian collectors, though, this is the definitive version of the ship. Buy it.
BUY (if you're a Nintendo fan): Mario Kart Luigi and Mach 8 (72050) - $179.99
Score: 8.12. Verdict: Buy if you collect Nintendo LEGO.
The first 18+ Mario Kart set is ambitious. Over 2,200 pieces produce a large-scale brick-built Luigi alongside the Mach 8 kart on a display stand. The character sculpting captures Luigi's personality through clever angle work and color blocking.
This is a niche set. If you're building a Nintendo display shelf, it's essential. If you're not, it's a hard sell at $179.99. The display appeal is strong but narrow -- this reads as "Nintendo" from across a room, which is either exactly what you want or completely irrelevant to your collection.
WAIT: Grogu - Mandalorian Apprentice (75446) - $129.99
Score: 8.26. Verdict: Wait for a VIP points event or 20% off sale.
Grogu is a well-built display sculpture. The 1,200-piece build captures the character's proportions and the posable head and hands add personality. Our score reflects genuine quality.
But $129.99 for a character sculpture feels steep when the Razor Crest -- a full starship with interior detail -- costs only $20 more. This set will be available for at least a year. LEGO VIP double points events happen quarterly. A 20% off retailer sale will bring this into a much more comfortable price range. There's no urgency to buy at launch.
WAIT: Anzellan Starship (75445) - $74.99
Score: 7.80. Verdict: Wait for a sale.
A decent mid-range Star Wars ship, but nothing about it demands full price. The build is competent, the display proportions are fine, and the minifigure selection is adequate. It just doesn't generate the excitement that justifies paying retail on day one.
This will go on sale. Mid-range Star Wars sets almost always see 20-30% off at major retailers within six months of release. Save your money for the sets above it on this list.
SKIP (unless collecting): Mandalorian BrickHeadz (40856) - $39.99
Score: 7.46. Verdict: Skip unless you collect BrickHeadz.
Five BrickHeadz characters in one box is reasonable value for BrickHeadz collectors. For everyone else, this is a pass. BrickHeadz have limited display appeal outside their own display context, and the Mandalorian characters are better represented by the larger sets in this wave.
SKIP (unless collecting): TMNT BrickHeadz (40878) - $39.99
Score: 7.58. Verdict: Skip unless you're a Turtles completionist.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles return to LEGO after a twelve-year absence, but they return as BrickHeadz rather than full sets. The execution is fine -- the four turtles are recognizable and the bandana colors are correct. But this feels like a placeholder rather than a proper TMNT relaunch. If full-scale TMNT sets are coming, these will feel redundant quickly.
SKIP: New Republic X-Wing (75460) - $69.99
Score: 8.10. Verdict: Skip unless you collect every X-Wing variant.
A good set that has a specific problem: X-Wing fatigue. LEGO has released more versions of the X-Wing than any other Star Wars ship. If you already own one, this New Republic variant doesn't offer enough differentiation to justify another $70. The white and orange color scheme is the main distinction.
If you don't own any X-Wing, this is a fine version to start with. But for most collectors, this is a repetitive purchase.
SKIP: AT-RT Attack (75444) - $44.99
Score: 7.30. Verdict: Skip for adult collectors.
This is a kids' playset. The minifigure selection (Din Djarin, Grogu, Imperial Remnant) is the only adult appeal here. If you need specific minifigs, this is the cheapest way to get movie-era Din and Grogu. Otherwise, the build itself is not display-worthy for adult collectors.
NICHE: Germany Postcard (40818) - $14.99
Score: varies. Verdict: Gift or impulse only.
Postcards are $15 impulse buys. They exist for souvenirs and stocking stuffers. If you collect the postcard series, add it to the shelf. Otherwise, this doesn't factor into any serious buying decision.
Budget Shopping Lists
Here's what to buy based on what you're willing to spend this month:
$50 Budget
Save it. Nothing in this wave is worth stretching a tight budget for. If you must spend, the Germany Postcard ($14.99) is harmless and the remaining $35 is better saved for May's F1 helmet releases.
$150 Budget
Pick one:
- Tintin Moon Rocket ($159.99) if you value unique IP, display height, and aftermarket potential
- Douglas DC-3 ($149.99) if you value build quality, piece count, and our highest score in the wave
- Razor Crest ($149.99) if Mandalorian is your franchise
All three are strong choices. You can't go wrong. If you have zero franchise loyalty, the DC-3 is the best pure LEGO experience of the three.
$300 Budget
Tintin Moon Rocket ($159.99) + Douglas DC-3 ($149.99). Two completely different builds, two different display profiles (vertical rocket vs horizontal aircraft), and the two highest-value sets in the wave. Total: $309.98.
$500 Budget
Tintin + DC-3 + Razor Crest + Grogu. That's $589.96 at retail. Wait for a VIP event to buy the Grogu and Razor Crest together -- the double points effectively give you 10% back. Or watch for a retailer bundle deal in the first month of release.
Unlimited Budget
Buy everything except the AT-RT Attack and the Germany Postcard. Use the savings to grab a set from our retiring sets tracker before it's too late -- the Ferrari Daytona SP3 or the Jaws set, both retiring in July, are better investments than any playset in this wave.
What's Coming Next
May 1 brings the LEGO Editions F1 helmets -- Lewis Hamilton (43022) and Charles Leclerc (43014). Both are 884+ pieces, both are pre-order now, and both target the adult display collector. We wrote the full guide: F1 Helmet Collection Guide.
If you're on a budget, it might be worth choosing between April and May rather than trying to cover both. The helmets are a new product line with unknown aftermarket trajectory -- which makes them interesting but risky. The April sets are more predictable.
For the full April breakdown with scores and individual reviews, see:
Track prices and deals on any set at GameSetBrick.
The Bigger Picture: How April Fits Into 2026
April is a transitional month in the LEGO release calendar. The January wave has settled. The summer blockbuster sets are still months away. What drops in April tends to be franchise tie-ins (Mandalorian movie), seasonal refreshes, and the occasional surprise (Tintin).
For collectors building a long-term strategy, the April wave matters less as individual purchases and more as signals. The Mandalorian movie wave tells us that LEGO is betting heavily on Star Wars theatrical content again -- expect a summer wave tied to the same film. The Tintin release confirms that LEGO Ideas continues to take creative risks with non-mainstream IP. The DC-3 suggests that LEGO's Icons team is looking beyond architecture and modulars toward transportation history.
The sets retiring in July 2026 represent a more urgent spending priority than anything releasing in April. If you have $150 to spend and you're choosing between the Tintin Moon Rocket and the Jaws set (21350, retiring July), the Jaws set is the time-sensitive purchase. The Tintin rocket will be on shelves for at least a year. The Jaws set will not.
This is the discipline that separates collectors who build value over time from collectors who chase every new release. Not every drop demands your attention. Not every set needs to come home on day one. The smart money buys retiring sets at retail and waits for new releases to go on sale.
That said, if the Tintin Moon Rocket or the DC-3 speaks to you on a level beyond financial calculation -- if seeing it on your shelf would genuinely make you happy -- buy it. Life is short and LEGO is meant to be enjoyed, not just optimized.