27 replies to this topic

[WhiteFang]

Hello all Eurobricks members and City Lovers

Today, I went down immediately to my local stores upon hearing that the advent calenders are readily available in the shops. I had to rush down, just to buy one set from each theme.  

Name: LEGO CITY Advent Calender 2008
Theme: LEGO / Holiday / Christmas / Advent Calender
Year: 2008
Pieces: 196
Minifigs: 10
Price: USD$29.99, GBP 14.99, SGD$36.90
Resources: Brickset, Peeron

An image of a 7724 City Advent Calender 2008



Rear box's image



24 Gifts with different surprise



Overview of City Advent Calender 2008


The year of opening advent calenders has finally arrived. With 10 distinct minifigs across different industries/jobs in their unique attire, they look so incredbie and lovely. Come to think of it, this is my first time opening up an Advent Calender from a MISB set. Because Advent Calenders is not offically available in Singapore and you will have to buy it via other channels. Nevertheless, I am very excited and happy that this set has finally make their way safely into my residence.

The review will be structured in 9 areas of interest. I have never done in this kind of presentation before. Please feel free and comment on its layout as well. Without further ado, I will be taking you through the magical feeling of the Advent Mystery.  


Area 1: Fireman's Rescue


The first area we are bringing you, is the Fireman's Rescue. This set featured a simple tree, included with 3 foilages. a ladder, a lovely kitty, walkie talkie and a brave fireman. I am fond of this set, mainly of the useful parts offered and another kitty added into my animal collections.


Area 2: Loading it up for Mr.Bottle


The second area we are bringing you, is Mr Bottle's working area. This set featured a cargo/pallet carrier loaded with 9 transparent bottles. It's quite a nice set to have. The only thing I don't like about this set is the lack of wheels, even though the design looks not bad.


Area 3: An Explorer in Winterblue


The third area we bringing you, is the brave explorer which resembles "Ras74". Now, I am able to construct his sigfig too.   I love this set very much. The simple ski design is just so lovely, accompanied with red and white color scheme. Mountain gears and white bag are really some nice accessories to match for your minifig.


Area 4: Coast Guard Diver in full gear


The fourth area we are bringing you, is the Coast Guard diving underwater. This set featured a nice diver without its oxygen chamber. Using its life vest, I am sure the diver is very crazy to do that. I don't like the propeller due to its flimsy technic parts by the sides.


Area 5: Care to join in for a BBQ?


The fifth area we are bringing you, is the typical family man setting up the BBQ pit for its family over the weekend. Drumstick, red cup and pot are useful accessories which can be placed in any LEGO residence. The BBQ pit is simple yet it functions pretty well.


Area 6: Are you going to tell the truth


The sixth area we are bringing you, is the Police Department's interrogation room. Includes a spotlight, handcuffs and camera. It comes with a policeman interrogating the prisoner in cuffs. It is certainly not going to be an easy time for our special guest.


Area 7: Delicious aroma great tasty food


The seventh area we are bringing you, is "Ivan" or "Erdbeereis1" in his young days whipping up Italian food. Comes with a hot red oven with 2 side dishes which resembles like a pizza and a mini-table top. A nice set to use, for setting up a road side cafe.

Area 8: Come get your ice cream


The eighth area we are bringing you, is the portable ice cream trolley. A sweet lady selling ice cream at the beach or parks. Storing the ice cream in its cool white container, and placing it on the trolley to travel from one place to another.


Area 9: Mr.Snowman & Ms.Alice


The last area we are bringing you, is the outdoor area during the winter season where snow is abundant. The little girl known as "Alice" building a white snowman. Seemed lots of fun while building this snowman, especially by adding the black hat and the black broom.

Leftovers



What is the Baritones doing in this set?


On the first look, it reminds me of the recent fun game which is hosted by Hinckley. Do check out the Baritones. Opps, I had side track.   Back to the review, I must admit that this is a nice set with lots of useful accessories. For every advent calender collector out there, this is a set not to miss. My favourite area is actually the explorer, snowman and the ice cream girl. I do hope each of you had enjoyed reading this review of mine. Feel free to give me any comments and critics on the set and review itself.  

Summary review
Playability: 7/10 (Depends on how you integrate this mini sets into your town area.)
Design: 8/10 (Some design such as the snowman and stove is nicely done.)
Price: 9/10 (A nice town builder pack which offer 10 minifigs at a go.)
Overall: 8/10 (Minifigs, City and Advent collectors must grab this set.)

I gave it a "4" based on my Review Score Card. What about yours?

Pictures can be found in My Brickshelf (When moderated)

[metalandi]

Oh damn, i wanted to make a review of that, but i still haven't got that baby. cry_happy:   :

Great review anyway, looking forward to receive it this week if amazon speeds a bit up.

[WhiteFang]

 metalandi, on Sep 25 2008, 12:08 AM, said:

Oh damn, i wanted to make a review of that, but i still haven't got that baby. cry_happy:   :

Great review anyway, looking forward to receive it this week if amazon speeds a bit up.

Opps, I was a little too fast. It took me a few hours to get this done, once I bought it immediately back home. Can't wait to build it and do up this review, since no one has done it yet.

You are welcome to do the second review!   I hope you will receive your Advent set soon. City lovers like you, sure enjoyed building this Advent Calender.  

[metalandi]

Well, i just saw that the castle calendar doesn't come out before the 4th of october here, so that means i also won't have the city one before that since i ordered both at once. I'll gho to check out my local stores tomorrow, cause i can't wait any longer, maybe i'll sell one later on when i have them twice in the end.

[Erdbeereis]

I spy a nice new chef torso to give my sig-fig a nice little makeover!

That white backpack is lovely. And so is the ice cream cart lady's head.

Thanks for this great review WhiteFang!

I am going to wait for the first of December to open mine like a good boy.

[Darth_Legois]

Nice review

I think the only way to get this set for Aussies is Shop @ Home

I realy like this set

Oh and if its not to much to ask could you take a pic of the ice cream container on the cart please?

[VBBN]

Thanks for the review! I'm loving the cook and Trans cones...

[NewRight]

Thanks for the review, although this is pretty similar to any of the the CITY Advent Calenders. Nice work all the same.

[Jones]

For years my town folks had nowhere to eat, now this set has BBQ, pizza, and ice cream!  What a great addition!

Thanks so much for the review

[WhiteFang]

Thanks for all of your kind words. I am happy to know that you have enjoyed reading this review.  

 Erdbeereis1, on Sep 25 2008, 04:41 AM, said:

I spy a nice new chef torso to give my sig-fig a nice little makeover!

That white backpack is lovely. And so is the ice cream cart lady's head.

Thanks for this great review WhiteFang!

I am going to wait for the first of December to open mine like a good boy.

Tsk tsk, if you are going to be a good boy. You ought not to view my review until Dec 25th.  

I never knew the Chef's torso is different. All this while, I thought both chefs from past and present are wearing the same outfit all this while. Thanks for pointing it out.

 Darth_Legois, on Sep 25 2008, 09:47 AM, said:

Oh and if its not to much to ask could you take a pic of the ice cream container on the cart please? [/color]

No problem. Actually, I took that picture but I can't seem to find it in my camera earlier. Never mind, I will re-take it later, if possible.  

 Jones, on Sep 25 2008, 11:14 AM, said:

For years my town folks had nowhere to eat, now this set has BBQ, pizza, and ice cream!  What a great addition!

This is my sentiments as well. These food items will allow our Town Folks to have a food galore in national parks.  

[Darth_Legois]

 WhiteFang, on Sep 25 2008, 05:49 PM, said:

No problem. Actually, I took that picture but I can't seem to find it in my camera earlier. Never mind, I will re-take it later, if possible.

Thanks

[metalandi]

I seems it will still take a while till i am able to get one, i checked out several stores here in my town today, and noone had it. I then saw the late 2008 catalogue and recognized these calendars all come out only in october here. So i'll have to wait on amazon anyway. i'll still be doing the second review, though

[WhiteFang]

 Darth_Legois, on Sep 25 2008, 09:47 AM, said:

Oh and if its not to much to ask could you take a pic of the ice cream container on the cart please? [/color]

Darth Legois, here you go.. A special picture request.. Pardon for the poor lightning.. I did not have time to do a proper set up. Hope you like it.  

 metalandi, on Sep 25 2008, 10:56 PM, said:

I seems it will still take a while till i am able to get one, i checked out several stores here in my town today, and noone had it. I then saw the late 2008 catalogue and recognized these calendars all come out only in october here. So i'll have to wait on amazon anyway. i'll still be doing the second review, though

Metalandi, ever thought of joining the Reviewers Academy? You do good reviews too. Why don't you join up and learn something new? Hope you will get hold of the Advent sets soon.. It's very nice indeed, compared with past advent calenders.  

[Joebot]

 NewRight, on Sep 24 2008, 09:35 PM, said:

Thanks for the review, although this is pretty similar to any of the the CITY Advent Calenders. Nice work all the same.

That's kinda my reaction too. It's a nice set, but the City Advent calendars are starting to feel repetitive.

Whats with the pizzas in this set? Why not use the pizza printed 2x2 round tile? The brick-built pizza looks weird.

Thanks again for the review! I'm still on the fence about buying this one for my kids this year. They've enjoyed the calendars the past few years, but this one just feels like more of the same.

[Pencoin]

 Joebot, on Sep 25 2008, 04:49 PM, said:

Whats with the pizzas in this set? Why not use the pizza printed 2x2 round tile? The brick-built pizza looks weird.

Thay are cakes thats why .

I like the sled the best.

Edited by Pencoin, 25 September 2008 - 04:03 PM.

[metalandi]

 WhiteFang, on Sep 25 2008, 04:31 PM, said:

Metalandi, ever thought of joining the Reviewers Academy? You do good reviews too. Why don't you join up and learn something new? Hope you will get hold of the Advent sets soon.. It's very nice indeed, compared with past advent calenders.  

yes, i thought of it a few weeks ago when it was announced, but i kinda forgot it. I'll for sure give it a look!

[WhiteFang]

 Joebot, on Sep 25 2008, 11:49 PM, said:

Whats with the pizzas in this set? Why not use the pizza printed 2x2 round tile? The brick-built pizza looks weird.

I think that is not supposed to be a pizza. I remembered one member mentioned it before somewhere in the Advent Calender thread, saying it was some kind if Italian dish. I will try and find the correct term.

 metalandi, on Sep 26 2008, 12:18 AM, said:

yes, i thought of it a few weeks ago when it was announced, but i kinda forgot it. I'll for sure give it a look!

Please do take alook. Do hope to see you on the other side.  

[wulf]

Great job on the review it makes me want to buy it! I especially love the camera design. (If you will excuse me im going to see if I have the right pieces to make the camera. )

[WhiteFang]

 wulf, on Sep 26 2008, 12:40 AM, said:

(If you will excuse me im going to see if I have the right pieces to make the camera. )

Wulf, the black camera is a part of its own. You can't build the exact replica. It was matched up with a black goblet, to represent the lens upon zooming.

[JopieK]

Very nice set Whitefang, too bad I got a parking ticket today otherwise I could buy some of those sets next week  

[Gouns]

Bought saturday on S@H receipt today with premium edition of the collector book . Serial number : 0972 of 3333 .  

A nice calendar    Starting fisrt day of december  

Edited by Gouns, 25 September 2008 - 07:03 PM.

[LuxorV]

Great photography and very nice description of the pics

Thanks again for this review, WhiteFang   I was in doubt about this set, but now I'm going to buy it all the way!


LuxorV

[WhiteFang]

Thanks guys for your great words!  

 JopieK, on Sep 26 2008, 01:24 AM, said:

Very nice set Whitefang, too bad I got a parking ticket today otherwise I could buy some of those sets next week  

Aww, it's most unfortunate to know that you gotten a parking ticket. I hope you did not get one, when you are shopping for LEGO. Hope to see you get some of it as well. I had managed to bought 2 so far.  

 LuxorV, on Sep 26 2008, 05:28 PM, said:

Great photography and very nice description of the pics

Thanks again for this review, WhiteFang   I was in doubt about this set, but now I'm going to buy it all the way!

LuxorV, thanks! I am so happy to know that you enjoyed reading the descriptions. It's my first time to experiement this review and presented it in a different approach. This review has done its job, and I am glad it cleared your doubts about this set and presented it in a clearer perspective.  

[The Cobra]

 WhiteFang, on Sep 25 2008, 05:24 PM, said:

I think that is not supposed to be a pizza. I remembered one member mentioned it before somewhere in the Advent Calender thread, saying it was some kind if Italian dish. I will try and find the correct term.

 The Cobra, on Aug 26 2008, 02:05 PM, said:

That's not a pizza. It's a "focaccia al pomodoro" (tomato flatcake)

.

Trust an Italian  

Still, I'd had loved if the used the pizza tiles (which I never owned! Damn dark years!)
And, great review.
As for the set, I'm getting the Castle Advent calendar for sure, and wait for this one to be on sale (or at least a few bucks cheaper).

[Manta]

This set comes with a nice amount of extras, and rare and useful peices. It also comes with some neat looking figs. I don't understand why they have a coast guard diver on a frozen lake.