The Cobra Posted July 6, 2010 This is not a sport you pay - To stand in line to see - It's a way of life on the streets - Made by you and me (Code 13 - Mondo aggro) Set data: 5015: Skater Year: 2003 Theme: Sports Subtheme: Gravity games Pieces: 17 + 1 extra Price: N/A. Free promo set. Building time: less than 5 minutes MISB on review: Yes More info: Brickset - Peeron - Bricklink Notes: Skateboarder with ramp. One of twelve sets given away free in C1000 supermarkets in Holland. Also available with Walkers Crisps, UK, September 2003. (Brickset) Polybag front: No set name, not a surprise. Bag was made of a lighter / cheaper plastic compared to the ones we've been used to over the last year, and it tore itself open before I could take a shot. I scanned it to make it look decent. Polybag rear: Showing antenna use and featuring sportcasters. Bag content: All of them pieces. Funny how head is already placed on the torso and you'll have to remove it! Instructions: One and a half page sized; half a page highlights various Lego sports. Skater and board: Those are surely impressive sideburns for a young teener! The ramp: Simply but well designed, with two rotation points and great choice of posability. Hanging in the balance: It's easy to have the skateboard balanced on the rail with front wheels on one side and rear wheels on the other one. Hanging in the balance: It's not so easy to have the skateboard balanced on the rail with left wheels on one side and right wheels on the other one. But I made it. Conflict of generations? Standing on his pedestal, Zac Efron watches the now old skater guy from another decade. Review: Before Clone O'Patra told me about the rarity of the torso, I was quite unhappy with it. I remember carefully looking at it trying to understand wether it was a case of decoration fading due to the years. Hard to believe. It turns out there was no fading and the torso has only been available in this set, its twin set (minus ramp) 3389 and a Star wars set I ignored (I'm not a SW fan at all). As of June 10th, 2010, on Bricklink you can find a MISB 5015 for as low as 4,44 Euros and one of those torso alone for as high as 5,45 Euros! Plain grey legs, fine but not fascinating. While, matching helmet and skateboard are a perfect choice. Skateboard is the rarer two clip version (four clip version is more popular). The head piece was used in 2002 and 2003 in Sport sets (skating, basketball and go-kart racing). Teeth remind me of Tachibana twins. The ramp: grass green plates, wood brown slopes, black metal bar. I assume the tan tile is supposed to be a wooden board. Three parts, two rotation points. That should give players some fun. So, is this the usual polybag set with minifig, accessory and scenario? Maybe not. Let's talk about the use of bracket and antenna. Both as a kid and as an AFOL, I've been moving figs holding their head, torso, arms or legs. I never needed anything else (except for my pioneer Lego-Subbuteo goal keepers). Why did Lego decide to add this variation? Because it would have been easier and more practical to help our hero performing his tricks. Sometimes Lego added such a feature in bigger / regular Gravity games sets (example 1, example 2), most of the times they didn't. Is this a good feature? Yes. Is it essential? No. Do you have to use it? No, if you don't want to. Just don't put the bracket on the fig. Coming to an end, I like this set. In a town full of adults, before kids with minilegs arrived, teens were a great addition. Something that is out of the rescue/transportation/construction subthemes is a bit of a plus to me. Rating: Color scheme: 4/5. Nice and effective Minifigs and accessories: 4/5 A rare torso, a set-making utensil. Pieces: 3/5. It's hard to buy such a small set for the pieces it's made of. Playability: 4,5/5. I'm still not sure about how much I need/like that moving stick. Design: 4/5. Good for such a small set. Overall rating: 3,5/5. A tiny semi rarity with some interesting features. The final words: Smaller than some of today's promos, but no worse. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lightningtiger Posted July 6, 2010 Great little review of great little set - thanks for it 'The Cobra' ! Be nice to MOC up a few for a skate park ! I'm a conformist! ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dunjohn Posted July 6, 2010 (edited) Hmm, I just now noticed that the Collectible skater doesn't have a helmet. Companies are usually at pains to show skater kids wearing helmets (I remember in the first episode of Jacky Chan Adventures, Jade was trying to escape from someone and she found an old skateboard in a pile of trash - conveniently alongside some knee pads and a helmet, which she somehow had time to put on). Lego being un-PC?? It's so bizarre that my brain didn't even register it! The wooden plank is probably only included because the two studs make it hard to grind on the bar. Edited July 6, 2010 by Dunjohn Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wout Posted July 6, 2010 Thank you fot the nice review. It is now common that heads are not placed on torso's, but before 2005 it was as usual already placed on the torso. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Posted July 6, 2010 I once made a scan of a non-torn polybag, in case anyone is interested. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Klaus-Dieter Posted July 8, 2010 Thank you very much for this great review, The Cobra! I voted for average Pro: -great little skateboarding set -well designed ramp -green helmet Con: -much too old face (for a set which mainly shall address TFOLs) -not fitting torso Like I already mentioned in the Ideas for new City sets topic, I would welcome it if TLG released some new skate park sets - or at least one big - since for us AFOLs it would be a great civilian addition to our cities and for all the TFOLs and JFOLs it would be a great playset representing their own hobby. Klaus-Dieter Klaus-Dieter Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
