[RSS]: LEGO® DOTS Parts review + MOC: 41945 Neon Tiger Bracelet & Bag Tag

[TheNewElementary 21]

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

The LEGO® DOTS bag tag range was launched in 2021 and returned in January 2022 with two sets combining a bag tag with a bracelet. I've taken a closer look at the parts of one of these, 41945 Neon Tiger Bracelet & Bag Tag (AU$22.99/ CA$16.99/ DE€14.99/ FI€16.95/ £12.99/ US$14.99). The set also features some pieces in the new Neon Yellow colour introduced this year. At the end of this article I'll also share a new MOC of mine inspired by these parts.

The pieces of 41945 Neon Tiger Bracelet & Bag Tag

The weird parts

• 1x Bracelet, Dots 2 Studs Wide in Dark Purple (6376684 | 66821) - unique to this set
• 1x Bag Tag Cube in Dark Turquoise (6326662 | 69182) - introduced in 41928 Bag Tag Narwhal
• 1x Bag Tag Ring in Black (6375231 | 73767) - also appears in 76399 Hogwarts Magical Trunk
• 1x Tile Remover Key with Diamond and Screwdriver Ends in Medium Azure (6342513 | 78169) - in 10 other sets

For in-depth analysis on the bracelet piece checkout Elspeth's article from 2020.



The angular key piece was introduced in 2021 and Medium Azure is by far the most common colour for it. The connecting ring can't actually be locked so the main function of the key is to help remove the tiles from the cube. It's not too hard to do so without it though, as the studs don't have great friction - more on that later. The key's shaft is a 3.18 mm bar, and the teeth fit an axle hole.There are no other obvious connections but the piece is interestingly shaped and can be used for detailing.

The connector ring was introduced in 2021 but debuts here in Black. The ring is slightly thinner than a 3.18 mm bar, meaning that a clip connection might stay attached if no one nearby breathes. The lock mechanism is easy to open and close; probably too easy, as I can easily imagine it opening on its own while hanging from a bag, risking losing the charm. Fortunately, the hole on the lock fits a bar and seals the lock when closed. I would recommend fastening it with Bar 1L with Tow Ball (22484) and Plate, Round 1 x 1 with Open Stud (85861) if used in motion. This bar connection also makes it possible to use the ring in MOCs.



The cube piece was introduced in the first wave of bag charms in 2021. The piece reminds me of the die  (64776) used in the board games range from 2010. The dimensions are similar and there's a slight offset between the sides which can be more easily viewed as a gap between attached inverted slopes. For example, when inverted slopes are connected on a Travis brick (4733) the sloped surfaces touch each other. The offset is smaller than half of a plate, which means it's irritatingly out of System.



As on the die, the studded part is made of hard ABS whereas the frame is made of a more flexible material. It is notably less rubbery than the die frame (which means it's also less likely to attract dust, which is hard to remove - even with moderate violence). The connecting handle is another obvious difference.

Two holes on one side of the hard part stare from the abyss inside.



Six 4 x 4 dishes on the sides make a pretty nice sphere; the same trick works with the old dice piece and 3 x 3 dishes.

The Printed & Effect Parts

N.B. The quantities of the parts noted in this section and the next include extra pieces, as almost all parts have an extra and the set's concept about free design means there is no real difference between normal parts and extra parts. The official inventories will have different quantities, though. All printed pieces are unique to this set.

• 5x Tile 1 x 1 with Groove with Pineapple Pattern in Dark Purple (6371589 | 82873)
• 3x Tile, Round 1x1 with Tiger Eye Pattern in White (6371585 | 82855)
• 2x Tile, Round 1 x 1 Half Circle Extended with Tiger Mouth Pattern in White (6371586 | 82858)
• 5x Tile, Round 1 x 1 Quarter with Leaves and Berries Pattern in Black (6371594 | 82889)

Those extra parts mean that a mutant bag charm with two noses, two mouths and three eyes can be built. I'm not a big fan of this style of cartoon animals, but the mouth pieces could be used for interesting patterns. The pineapple prints on the other hand are fun and the leaf-printed quarter tiles are pretty.

• 7x Tile 1 x 1 with Groove with Colourful Stripes Pattern in Coral (6371588 | 82872)
• 7x Tile 1 x 1 with Groove with Colourful Stripes Pattern in Neon Yellow (6371587 | 82868)
• 11x Tile, Round 1 x 1 in Glitter Trans-Clear (6313555 | 35380) - in 5 other sets

The vibrant tiger-printed 1 x 1 tiles are the coolest print in this set though. They scream of the 1980s and my first association is slalom centre, while others might think of Tiger King. Seven pieces of both colours are enough for a pattern in a small MOC. The glittered 1 x 1 round tiles are not exactly printed, but have an aura of exclusivity. I think they would make cool rhinestones on a dress.

The other parts

As with all Dots sets, 41945 has a selection of many, many small parts.

33x 1 x 1 tile with groove (3070b), none of which are especially rare:

• 4x in Dark Purple
• 4x in Dark Turquoise
• 5x in Bright Light Orange
• 5x in Bright Green
• 5x in Medium Lavender
• 5x in Coral
• 5x in Dark Azure

There are also 120x Tile, Round 1 x 1 Quarter (25269). Of these, the new Neon Yellow one is rare, so far only also appearing in 41943 Gamer Bracelet with Charms and 41950 Lots of DOTS - Lettering. The rest are common. Numerically they make up the bulk of this set. It is nice, because they are always useful in large quantities.

• 13x in Black
• 15x in Dark Turquoise
• 11x in Bright Green
• 11x in Dark Azure
• 11x in Bright Light Orange
• 11x in Medium Lavender
• 11x in Dark Purple
• 11x in Coral
• 13x in Neon Yellow
• 13x in White

And a handful of miscellaneous common parts:

• 4x Slope, Curved 1 x 1 x 2/3 Double in White (6258135 | 49307)
• 3x Slope 30 1 x 1 x 2/3 in Black (4504382 | 54200)
• 1x Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with 1 Stud with Groove and Bottom Stud Holder (Jumper) in Black (6092585 | 15573)
• 9x Tile, Round 1 x 1 Half Circle Extended in Black (6256435 | 35399)

In the photo above, the colours from left to right are Bright Light Orange, Yellow, Bright Light Yellow, Neon Yellow and Lime. Out of these, the Neon Yellow quarter round tiles are the most interesting. They look like Trans-Neon Green turned opaque and the hue seems to be the sister colour of Coral (which is reflected in the official TLG names of these colours, Vibrant Yellow and Vibrant Coral). There is a slight green tint to it, similar to its transparent equivalent. The colour stands out and seems ideal for sports equipment on characters.

Eero Okkonen's bag tag cube MOC - Moon Fog Oracle

The seed part of this MOC is obviously the one with the most connections - the bag tag cube (6326662 | 69182) - which represents an obi sash, used in traditional Japanese clothing. It is angled at 45 degrees so that the edge makes a nice central axis with the 2 x 4 double curved slopes under it. 

As in the set, I decorated the bag tag with the 1x1 quarter tiles, throwing in a couple of star pieces for astronomical effect. The handle is in the back, flanked by the bow made of two Dark Turquoise tipper end pieces (30022).

However, using this piece proved painful. The friction of the studs just isn't very strong and I think that might be for a reason: removing the 1x1 tiles is not easy. Different parts have different amounts of friction overall - for example the antistud of a 1 x 1 plate has better grip than a 1 x 2 tile. Unfortunately, this makes the bag tag cube a rather bad centrepiece for a build. Both the upper and lower torsos are connected to the cube with four studs, but this didn't stop them from falling off from time to time. A pin or an axle hole going through the piece would have solved this, but it probably would have made the geometry of the part more complex, raising the price.

The collar is built with the fancy tiger-printed Neon Yellow tiles (6371587 | 82868); the front of the upper torso is again angled 45 degrees for the effect. I quite like the effect of these pieces. If this set had included 12 more I would have continued this trimming onto the lower torso, but I had to do with 7. I did not use the other prints as I wanted to keep the colour scheme simple - and retain Dark Purple for the hair.

After some pondering, the bracelet ended up becoming hair. Hair in general is a good testing ground for exciting new pieces - and even though the bracelets are not new any more, I had never used one before in a finished MOC. The piece has some hair-like qualities - it's long and thin and flexible - but the studs posed some problems. Hair is rarely studded. My solution was to give it patterns with Dark Purple tiles and add some hair ornament. It's not perfect, but I reached my goal. I dig the bow though, calling back to the tipper end bow of the obi.

Conclusion

With a price of AU$22.99/ CA$16.99/ DE€14.99/ FI€16.95/ £12.99/ US$14.99 and 188 pieces (plus extras) 41945 Neon Tiger Bracelet & Bag Tag has a pretty good value. The pieces are strongly divided into small, cheap ones and bigger, weirder key parts. While I don't really like the cartoon animal designs in the bag tag range, the exclusive prints have good MOC potential. And naturally, one who wants a bag tag can tile the cube with whatever Classic Space tiles one pleases; I just recommend building a safe lock system on the connector ring.

The bag tag cube's lack of friction made it harder than expected to use in a MOC. I don't expect it to become a bread-and-butter SNOT part, but weird part fans will surely find an obscure use or two for it. Other than that, the strap is cool, the key and ring parts are interesting and the 1 x 1 and quarter-circle tiles are always useful en masse. However, these are available with better value in 41935 Lots of DOTS and 41950 Lots of DOTS - Lettering. The latter one also has plenty of Neon Yellow parts, though naturally not the cool prints available only in this set.

Editor: Chris Baginski

READ MORE: Áron Gerencsér examines the history and uses of LEGO® cloth pieces

Help New Elementary keep publishing articles like this. Become a Patron!

Massive thanks go to our 'Vibrant Coral' patrons: Chuck Hagenbuch, Joe Fontana, Elspeth De Montes, Megan Lum, Markus Rollbühler, Mevits Bricks, Baixo LMmodels, Andy Price, Anthony Wright, London AFOLs, Gerald Lasser, Big B Bricks, Dave Schefcik, David and Breda Fennell, Huw Millington, Antonio Serra, Beyond the Brick, Sue Ann Barber & Trevor Clark, and Kevin Gascoigne. Vale Iain Adams, a great supporter of New Elementary.

LEGO® Shop at Home
USA: Save up to 30%. See what's on sale!
UK: Free delivery when you spend £50 or more at LEGO!
Australia: Discover the latest promotions and offers on LEGO.com

All text and images are © New Elementary unless otherwise attributed.

View the full article