Sign in to follow this  
The Penguin

7956 Review: Ewok Attack

  

19 members have voted

  1. 1. How would you rate this set?

    • Outstanding!
    • Above average.
    • Average
    • Below average.
    • Poor!
      0


Recommended Posts

gallery_101_23_281.gif

*Incoming transmission to Imperial Bunker on Endor*

- XPT-534 Scout reporting. Everything’s clear.

- Good, this planet is supposed to have no civilized life forms.

- What is that? Wait a second….. Oh, sith!

- What’s wrong?!

- They are everywhere!!!! Light, light! Rainbow! Argh…..

*End transmission*

page_1.jpg

(The pic is an official one.)

Set Number: 7956

Name: Ewok Attack

Theme: Star Wars, ep. VI

Year of Release: 2011

Pieces: 166

Minifigs: 3

Price: $25 USD

Brickset, Bricklink, Peeron parts inventory

All images can be found in my brickshelf folder.

What happened to the scout? Well, read ahead and you’ll find out! But be careful! These forests are dangerous!

It’s rather unusual for me to be reviewing a SW set, since I don’t usually hang around SW forum much. From time to time I share my MOCs and figs with SW community but I’m far from being a professional like some members around. So I apologize in advance should I not know some details about the characters or the plot. But the set is simply too appealing for me not to review it.

The Box

page_2.jpg

The box is a typical square one: such a box can be found in every theme for a middle-sized set. Like The Penguin’s Submarine one, or the Separatist Tank Droid one. Somewhere here I shared my opinion that this shape is the perfect shape for me, since it’s quite comfortable to carry those from the shop (and I usually get multiples of the sets I like), easy to storage, send, etc.

The current year of SW sets has a nice blue-black colour scheme, which I find to be pretty nice and appealing. Almost CIS colours! Too bad that the Jedi scum Republic vehicles also come under those noble colours. Oh well!

What I generally don’t like about the box is a huge clone bust at the top right corner. If he were a LEGO fig, or at least a character that has something to do with OT that would’ve been fine, but why a clone? Not to mention that that’s one odd pose to have: as if he’s trying to look at his back in that highly uncomfortable armor. My friend who I bought this set with said that he looked almost “coquettishly”. Hm….. I should look carefully at this friend….. :hmpf_bad:

And another thing that puzzles me is the projectiles flying at the scout trooper. I mean, look at that! How can the catapult fire them so rapidly?! Three in a row! Oh, wait, noone is actually firing it! I guess, Ewoks have a much more advanced technology that it may seem…..

page_3.jpg

The top of the box shows the Ewok minifig at its full imposing scale. Why would LEGO give such scale-meter anyway? For those new to LEGO to see the size? I guess giving a scout minifig would make more sense this way. No idea…..

page_4.jpg

The back of the box shows us the play features of the set as well as another angle of the set itself. I guess the old times of alternative builds at the back of the boxes are gone forever.

What really impressed me in this set is that it has a relatively large number of play features for such a size. And, wait, they are actually close to being real play features! And no flick-fire missiles! Oh, no here’s one…. Oh, and another catapult! DAMN! :sing: At least it somewhat follows the film here….

Instructions booklet

page_5.jpg

The instructions booklet shows the same box art as the box front. Nothing special here, really. The booklet comes a bit battered. Is it me or practically all of them in every theme come that way? Or is it just my flippers that make them that way? :laugh:

page_6.jpg

Here’s a random page of the booklet. The built is rather interesting and apart from the hover bike, I felt almost as if I were building a Castle set. Forestmen, come back! :cry_sad:

The Minifigs

The set has three minifigures. Two of them are exclusive to the set as far as I get and can be a great addition to Battle of Endor set. The scout trooper is really nothing new, but since those guys are pretty rare, it’s great to get one in such a relatively cheap set.

page_7.jpg

Well, I guess you’ll forgive me for doing that but I decided to look at both ewoks at the same time, since I don’t really see much difference between them. *BOO! Racist!* No, I’m not! Russia has 128 nationalities, how can I be one?!

I’m pretty sure that those characters have an epical role in SW Universe, have an entire comic series dedicated to them in Expanded Universe, but since I’m not that much of a specialist, for me they’re just two ewok warriors, included in the set. One comes under the name Logray, the second is Tokkat.

What’s up with those names, anyway? Is it Lo-Gray? No, he’s tan, not gray! Is it Log-Ray, perhaps? Oh, my god! Ray! Beam! We’re one step closer to the solution of the mystery of what happened to the scout!

Tokkat has and odd brown line coming down on his hood. No doubt, it’s a stream dried blood! Oh, the horror! And Logray is definitely the leader here with that exotic headwear. Perhaps even some kind of a shaman, since he has a scull on his head. No doubt it was the scull of the previous shaman of the tribe. *fixing my monocle* Savages!

And if you’re still not convinced that they’re evil, look at those creepy reddish-brown eyes! Those bulking dots, filled with rage and hunger! Believe me, I know how a hungry bear looks like, comrades! :laugh:

page_8.jpg

Now our knight in a shiny plastic white armor! The guardian of civilization, the lone warrior in the wild hostile forest! The defender of peace in the galaxy!

The scout troopers are highly valued among fans, as far as I know, since they’re quite rare, and to my taste, look very sleek and neat. I always liked those guys in the film, even though all they did there was just hitting trees! I never really got that, why couldn’t they transmit the alert signal? I mean why drive to the bunker? I guess the bikes simply had no such device. Cheap Imperial Budget Committee, look what’s happened because of you!

The fig itself is rather standard black-n-white imperial soldier one, and as far as I remember my old scout troopers figs, they haven’t changed much through the ages.

The Scout’s Bike

page_9.jpg

I can’t really say much about this one, since it looks rather standard in the line of CW and OT bikes in LEGO now. Yes, I’m aware that they keep changing them a bit, but the change is really not that significant, really.

As my friend said: “It’s nice, it’s sleek, it’s long, it’s fast”…. GET OUT OF HERE! :angry:

page_10.jpg

The thing that amuses me greatly about those bikes is that their “base” is an old LEGO City police tri-bike! Why don’t they use those anymore? I really loved those bikes back then! Yes, they are slow, but still such fun chasing….. well, who could you chase with that thing? Grannies who exceed speed limit on one lane roads?

Ewok’s Tree Citadel

page_11.jpg

Sounds imposing, doesn’t it? Well, it looks rather imposing to me. The trees that ewoks live on are huge and extremely tall as far as I remember, or was it in LotR? Still by the size of those trees this one is merely a bush of some sort. But it has been heavily fortified to repel any assault. What assault? Well, no idea, actually. Since the Imperials were a complete surprise for them. I guess that there are endless civil wars in the forests between honey-loving and flesh-eating ewoks.

page_12.jpg

The treehouse of horror has a nice colour scheme: dark brown mixed with brown, dark green mixed with bright green. Some may think that it looks a bit messy, but I guess it’s fine. Gives an impression of a thick (tropical-like) wilderness. I’m not entirely sure about using the “rock piece” in brown for a tree, but I guess it gives the ewoks a nice shelter. It also seems that LEGO is quite willing to add those lime green studs to forests nowadays, which are supposed to represent some plants, I guess. Though that colour is highly untypical for such forests as far as I know. Well, I guess in the galaxy that is far-far away things grow differently in the wild.

Complete set

page_13.jpg

The complete set pic shows pros and cons of it in a great way: the set is beautiful, but somewhat small. The set has some nice minifigs, but adding at least one would’ve made it better. I guess a stormtrooper would have been nice. Overall it’s a nice set, but I can’t really imagine who would like to get multiples of it.

Play features

The set offers several possible playing scenarios. Let's have a look at them while my tea is being prepared.....

page_17.jpg

The first obvious scenario is to start rolling logs at the scout trooper. Wait a sec. Why at him? Aren't the ewoks who barbarically killed so many fine soldiers? Aren't the ewoks who made drums out of their skulls?! FEEL MY WRATH, GUMMY BEARS!

Even if you want the ewoks to roll logs at the scout, why on Endor would anyone like to do that?! I mean it’s a hover bike, is it not? It can just fly over the rolling logs and kick some furry a…..! :devil:

page_18.jpg

If you want to get things going in this set you need your finger to do it: roll the logs, release the catapult, fire a missile! Those puny minifigs will get used to my divine finger and get spoiled! :hmpf_bad:

They already started to rebel against me! Every time I push the catapult it hurls left and the missile hits me in the eye! It's goot that I have a monocle in this one.....

page_19.jpg

I hate flick-fire missiles. I really do. They tend to put it in each and every set. And when I thought it was over, I got another one in this set! Why on earth will eworks be shooting something from a tree? Is it a secret technology? Is it magic like in Ewoks Movie? *shudders* Is it a warped, tortured Ent that shoots things by himself?! No explanation. And why would they shoot it? It won't explode, it won't even pierse the scout's body!

Oh, it gives me a headacke. I'll go, get my tea. Be back soon.

page_20.jpg

Has he left? Oh, good! Hey, guys! I'm Dmitri, The Penguin's friend. We got this set together. He hesitated actually, but I persuaded him: the set is just fabulous, isn't it? I mean, look ath that lovely tree! It even has a a space inside for those fluffy-muffy bearies. No bigger than a closet. And hey, if you close it and shoot the missile there appears a great hole in the tree, through which the ewok can communicate with the big world! Yay! Time to get out of it, fluffy!

page_21.jpg

O-o-oh! And look here! It has some nice piece of wood that can be moved forward. I've seen that kind of wood before. Isn't it jus.....

GET THE HECK AWAY FROM MY COMPUTER! :angry:

So where was I? Hm, I thought.... Oh well, yes, that piece of wood is definitely a pirate plank! So ewoks can throw the scout into an anthill, or something.....

page_15.jpg

The next playing scenario is to make an ambush for the scout trooper. What’s that with villains sitting in the forests nowadays in LEGO?! Come one, one year and we have three storylines with bad guys waiting for good guys in the woods.

However I feel that our noble scout trooper will simply woooooosh past the tree and the ewoks won’t even be fast enough to react. I wonder if Voldemort is able to stop him?

Ratings

Design: 4/5 I gave a 4 because the treehouse looks a bit messy and has has in some places an odd choice of colours. The bike is more or less like the previous versions of it, so nothing good or bad about that.

Build: 5/5 The build is rather simple and interesting. It’s great to see that you can get a tree out of a bunch of bricks. And the tree will look more or less “alive”.

Minifigs: 4/5 As I have said before an additional minifig would’ve been nice. But those present are rather good. Ewoks can even be used for Fantasy Castle.

Playability: 5/5 – Despite certain standard play features like a missile or a catapult it’s a fun set to play with.

Parts: 4/5 – The set has a nice collection of parts, mostly of all shades of brown, which can be used for practically every other LEGO theme.

Price:4/5 – It’s hard commenting on the price since SW sets are unique in that matter. Yes, it’s overpriced, but worth getting anyway.

Overall: 4/5 – It’s a decent set, one of the best in the current line I guess. Do get it if you have money or the slightest interest in SW or Castle.

So what happened to the scout? Elder members will get the joke. )

page_16.jpg

Good day, ladies and gentlemen! ) :classic:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I must thank you for this humorous yet thorough review of 7956, The Penguin! You've done a good job of highlighting the various odds and ends of this set with laughs along the way. Bloodthirsty Ewoks...

The LEGO Group Pays Homage to Samuel Beckett:

page_15.jpg

Given the existence as uttered forth in the public works of Puncher and Wattmann of a personal God quaquaquaqua with white beard quaquaquaqua outside time without extension who from the heights of divine apathia divine athambia divine aphasia loves us dearly with some exceptions for reasons unknown but time will tell and suffers like the divine Miranda with those who for reasons unknown but time will tell are plunged in torment plunged in fire whose fire flames if that continues and who can doubt it will fire the firmament that is to say blast hell to heaven so blue still and calm so calm with a calm which even though intermittent is better than nothing but not so fast and considering what is more that as a result of the labors left unfinished crowned by the Acacacacademy of Anthropopopometry of Essy-in-Possy of Testew and Cunard it is established beyond all doubt all other doubt than that which clings to the labors of men that as a result of the labors unfinished of Testew and Cunnard it is established as hereinafter but not so fast for reasons unknown that as a result of the public works of Puncher and Wattmann it is established beyond all doubt that in view of the labors of Fartov and Belcher left unfinished for reasons unknown of Testew and Cunard left unfinished it is established what many deny that man in Possy of Testew and Cunard that man in Essy that man in short that man in brief in spite of the strides of alimentation and defecation wastes and pines wastes and pines and concurrently simultaneously what is more for reasons unknown in spite of the strides of physical culture the practice of sports such as tennis football running cycling swimming flying floating riding gliding conating camogie skating tennis of all kinds dying flying sports of all sorts autumn summer winter winter tennis of all kinds hockey of all sorts penicillin and succedanea in a word I resume flying gliding golf over nine and eighteen holes tennis of all sorts in a word for reasons unknown in Feckham Peckham Fulham Clapham namely concurrently simultaneously what is more for reasons unknown but time will tell fades away I resume Fulham Clapham in a word the dead loss per head since the death of Bishop Berkeley being to the tune of one inch four ounce per head approximately by and large more or less to the nearest decimal good measure round figures stark naked in the stockinged feet in Connemara in a word for reasons unknown no matter what matter the facts are there and considering what is more much more grave that in the light of the labors lost of Steinweg and Peterman it appears what is more much more grave that in the light the light the light of the labors lost of Steinweg and Peterman that in the plains in the mountains by the seas by the rivers running water running fire the air is the same and then the earth namely the air and then the earth in the great cold the great dark the air and the earth abode of stones in the great cold alas alas in the year of their Lord six hundred and something the air the earth the sea the earth abode of stones in the great deeps the great cold on sea on land and in the air I resume for reasons unknown in spite of the tennis the facts are there but time will tell I resume alas alas on on in short in fine on on abode of stones who can doubt it I resume but not so fast I resume the skull fading fading fading and concurrently simultaneously what is more for reasons unknown in spite of the tennis on on the beard the flames the tears the stones so blue so calm alas alas on on the skull the skull the skull the skull in Connemara in spite of the tennis the labors abandoned left unfinished graver still abode of stones in a word I resume alas alas abandoned unfinished the skull the skull in Connemara in spite of the tennis the skull alas the stones Cunard . . . tennis . . . the stones . . . so calm . . . Cunard . . . unfinished . . .

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Excellent review The Penguin, very funny and informative. The last pic with the different tree sets is great.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I was wondering if this set was going to be reviewed! You've done a fine job as always with the review. :thumbup: It was pretty funny too! :laugh:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Really nice review of the new ewok set, The Penguin; it's almost as good as the one I did back in the end of May :wink:

The extra pics are pretty funny too so good job done. Those ewoks are great.

Edited by DarkFader

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for the very entertaining review, The Penguin! :laugh:

This set is a bit overpriced for what you get (166 pieces for 34.99 Canadian MSRP :hmpf_bad: ), and I don't like the tree very much.

On the other hand, it goes great with 8038 Battle of Endor and the upcoming Endor battlepack. I will definitely pick this up on sale!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Great review. Both informative, and fun to read! You certainly have a knack for incorporating humor in your reviews!

One thing I feel obliged to point out, though, is the irony of you mentioning how you haven't seen the City trike used in City sets in a while. In fact, it was used just this year... and as soon as pics emerged of the set that contains it, people began complaining about the return of the "Town Jr." trike in the same way you complained about the flick-fire missile and catapult in this set. Clearly, people can be nostalgic about very different things... :laugh:

(I for one love the trike; it was a key feature of the Extreme Team theme which I enjoyed a great deal. I especially love its brilliant reuse in recent speeder bikes. But some people feel very differently.)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for this delightful review, The Penguin! I especially like the last two images. :rofl: And yes, obviously you have to use your fingers to play with a play feature. They haven't made voice command activated play features yet. :laugh:

gallery_5203_163_10909.png

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.