UCS Super Star Destroyer 10221 Review

[Lobot]

Great review dcflake, thanks! Some great photos, especially the engines!

I’m going to order this at the end of the month; I’ve made a deal with myself that if I don’t buy any more Lego until then I can have one! The new Lego Autumn catalogue arrived today and they are offering free shipping until the 30th September, and extra VIP points on orders over £50, which is a bit of an incentive. I completely accept the (obvious) limitations of the set, and the cost is towards the top end of what I’m happy to pay, but it still looks very impressive.

[cavegod]

5000 bricks in 3.5 hours (210 mins) equals 23.8 bricks used per min, or 1 every 3 seconds. Think we're daft?

Please remember some of the users of this site meet the 18 and above rule!

This set will take anywhere between 6-12 hours, so much the better

you can sit and watch me build it if you don't believe me.

[StoutFiles]

you can sit and watch me build it if you don't believe me.

That would be pretty fast. Are you including piece sort time before you clock yourself? That build time is possible with a good sorting beforehand, unless you're a master at quickly finding parts in a large pile.

[Lobot]

you can sit and watch me build it if you don't believe me.

3.5 hours, now that's impressive!! Even if the bricks are well sorted that's incredibly fast; I've built mine twice and I guess I clocked over 20 hours each time!

I wonder if there is an unofficial record for this? I saw a clip on youtube a while ago of a speed build, but this was by a team of about 10 people!

Anyway, back on topic, I'm expecting a 10-12 hour build for this (and I'm not going to use the bag numbering!!)

[Nightshroud99]

I still like this set, if I can suck up enough to pay $400 I'll get it

I also think it looks mightily impressive when displayed.

[Fallenangel]

what other set has the level of details that this has on the top?

There are literally hundreds of tint pieces in a very concentrated area and i havent seen that done before.

Or if you want to bring MOCs into the equation...

And as Anio said, as much concentrated greebling as there is on this set, it's largely repetitive and overall not very interesting (not unlike the detail on 10143). A quick glance at the source material shows that the detailing is dense and wildy varied, something that MOCers such as Lasse make an effort to convey in their renditions of the Executor. There is a difference between arranging detail in a way that is tasteful and attractive and drably lining up a bunch of the same pieces and expecting it to look good on its own (like this set did). All that dark bley doesn't help much either.

Edited September 1, 2011 by fallenangel309

[dcflake]

And as Anio said, as much concentrated greebling as there is on this set, it's largely repetitive and overall not very interesting (not unlike the detail on 10143). A quick glance at the source material shows that the detailing is dense and wildy varied, something that MOCers such as Lasse make an effort to convey in their renditions of the Executor. There is a difference between arranging detail in a way that is tasteful and attractive and drably lining up a bunch of the same pieces and expecting it to look good on its own (like this set did). All that dark bley doesn't help much either.

So did you not like my review? lol Lego seems to have a habit of having you make a small piece then just put x12 next to it. This set lacks variety. Also, I do think the other Star Destroyer looks better I addressed that in my review.

The 'small city' they said was an ambitious project which they pulled off and looks good. That MOC looks way better but isn't that always the case with mass produced sets? Lego could have varied the detailing up and then failed to get the balance on the top right (some areas looking higher than they should etc.) Basically people will complain about everything so you have to comprimise.

[Big Cam]

What a fantastic review! This is just out of my price range right now and it's not my favorite shop, so I'll pass on buying it but thank you so much for the in depth review that makes me feel like I built it too.

You really did us all a favor by giving us in build shots. It is most appreciated.

[saibot]

thanks for the review, nice set (even though it has a hefty pricetag). Pity lego wouldn't include free shipping with it. Wonder how soon it will take for some of those minifigs to appear on bricklink.

[ISDAvenger]

thanks for the review, nice set (even though it has a hefty pricetag). Pity lego wouldn't include free shipping with it. Wonder how soon it will take for some of those minifigs to appear on bricklink.

In the US, Lego is offering free shipping and 50 VIP points on purchases over $75.00. Not sure if that applies to overseas however.

Edited September 2, 2011 by ISDIronClaw

[NYR]

In your review you have a picture of the back and ask what is this blue thing? But if you havent already done it you missed a step, Page 218 step 84, you have a 6 part build that plugs onto that technic piece

[dcflake]

My video review is up now. Click Here or go to the the front page.

In your review you have a picture of the back and ask what is this blue thing? But if you havent already done it you missed a step, Page 218 step 84, you have a 6 part build that plugs onto that technic piece

Yes I missed that bit out during the photographing but I did include it. Very clever that something that small can connect all the pannels together.

Edited September 2, 2011 by dcflake

[Hollander]

Thanks for the review dcflake.

However, I don't like this set. I don't like it at all. It's just too pricy for a bunch of gray plates and bricks. Neither I like the use of both bley and dark bley as greebles, and the bottom is a total shame. Sorry TLG, you might have a awesome customer service and all, and thanks for the missing part I received today, but you guys just failed this time. No problem; I think most of the SW UCS sets are great, and I'm convinced we'll see alot of great sets in the future.

[joopsta]

Just received mine today.

The box is huge and heavy!

My 5 year old son called me at work.

"Dad, the big box has arrived!"

So that's a lot of work for the two of us this week.

[TheBrickHitHouse]

Just built it.

Wow. Impossibly huge - flat underside, who cares! It's amazing to behold

One point to the reviewer - virtually no 'extra' bricks with this set (far less than usual). With all those pieces left behind in your picture you have missed numerous stages, round 1x1 bricks are all I have left and believe me I checked every stage!!

[Willdog]

Hey all. Just wondering if someone (original reviewer or anyone else who has the set) can take a picture of the completed model without the two stands. Can't find any pictures of it online since the stands are put on in the middle of the instructions. Reason being, i'm brick-linking the parts I need to complete the model and i'm thinking of maybe saving some money by not buying all those smooth black pieces needed for the stands. Much appreciated.

[kamigawa]

Just a simple question: what do you mean without the stands? You can't place this set on a table, because the bottom is indeed flat, but the engines are not on its same level (they are a bit lower, ~1 cm).

[dcflake]

Just built it.

Wow. Impossibly huge - flat underside, who cares! It's amazing to behold

One point to the reviewer - virtually no 'extra' bricks with this set (far less than usual). With all those pieces left behind in your picture you have missed numerous stages, round 1x1 bricks are all I have left and believe me I checked every stage!!

I did miss a couple of details before I took the photo like one engine was missing(those big triangle bits make me wonder what I missed) but there still are a lot of small bits left over from mine.

I was actually down a couple of pieces, a flat bit as mentioned in the review, and a couple of grey flat 4x1 bits. I had to mix some of my own spared in to complete it. Maybe some of the parts were from my spares so when I came to open new bags I still had the bits. It was a huge build so I had difficultly keeping track on when I had built and when I had photographed.

[Erik Leppen]

but there still are a lot of small bits left over from mine.

You're sure you didn't miss the miniature ISD that comes with the build? Your review doesn't mention it and some of the spare parts look like they go into that.

[cavegod]

You're sure you didn't miss the miniature ISD that comes with the build? Your review doesn't mention it and some of the spare parts look like they go into that.

he didn't miss it since it's in the pictures..

[TheGreenMachine]

Finished my #1021 this morning. I started Saturday evening and took me about 8 hours to complete it. It was actually quite a lot of fun, despite the large masses of grey parts. It was far more fun and less frustrating than the #10212 Imperial Shuttle, especially with only few Lego Technic parts. The ship really looks impressive, despite the mentioned flaws. Yes, the bottom is rather flat. Yes, the bridge section is senseless. Yes, the details are somewhat in a repeating pattern. But I don't care much, it just looks right to my eyes and looks incredible huge beside all the other SW Lego sets.

I may add some parts and re-do some areas, but in my eyes, 10221 is worth the money. I'm absolutely not into MOCs, I just build and display the items. It's just a huge and it's my most favorite spaceship of any SW episode and that what counts to me. The figures are a nice addition, although they should have added 4LOM and Zuckuss.

Of course, a well-made MOC will always be better than any commercially produced Lego model, being a Ultimate Collector model or not. For a commercial product, #10221 is well-made and I guess in about 5 years will be in the same price area as UCS ISD or UCS Falcon.

[Ritz Brick]

I'm still deciding on this or spending about $300 more for 10030

10030 is so much more iconic in my opinion. Does anyone here own both and be able to give some kind of comparison?

[cavegod]

I'm still deciding on this or spending about $300 more for 10030

10030 is so much more iconic in my opinion. Does anyone here own both and be able to give some kind of comparison?

yeah i owned both but sold 10030 as didn't like it. falcon every time!

[Therion]

I thought about buying this set, but ultimately decided not to do it. I do want to build it at least once, so I just ordered the pieces I didn't have and save me some $$

I ordered about 1150 pieces, and that cost me about 140 euro (4 orders including shipping). And that's without the minifigs and the mini-ISD, and some different colors on the inside.

[joopsta]

Just finished mine. It's great! Only thing that bothers me is the instruction booklet. Some papers are already loose from the ring. The book is way too big and heavy for such thin pages. I think they would have done better to make 4 'normal' booklets.