Happy 30th Anniversary PIRATES!

[TrikBrix]

Ahoy, mateys! Longtime reader, first time poster here, so hopefully I’m doing everything right. I just wanted to share my own little celebration of the Pirates 30th Anniversary, a complete retrospective review series on YouTube of every set in the original 1989 wave, beginning with one of the greatest Lego sets of all time. I felt like the BSB was long overdue for a high quality, in-depth analysis. Hope you scurvy dogs enjoy it!

 

Check out the playlist on Trixbrix's YouTube Channel for all 11 retrospectives.

 

11 hours ago, kelceycoe said:

Did you know that, although the LEGOLAND Pirates System, as it was originally called, officially debuted for everyone September 1, 1989... BUT, as listed in the 1990 Shop at Home Service Catalog, "preferred customers," (what is now known as VIP) were able to purchase four smaller, "impulse buy" sets starting August 1, 1989?

 

[Robin_IV]

Hey. Welcome to Eurobricks!

This is a really nice video. Honestly didn't expect that. I am looking forward for new Episodes. I like this pleasant quiet style of video without all this fuzz and annoying music.

I also really hope TLG will release this Summer 2019 Pirates sets which they tried to do their best and not only copies of 2015. Then I would buy all sets of one theme ever for first time. They have to celebrate this Anniversary.

 

So let's hope.

[TrikBrix]

1 hour ago, Robin_IV said:

Hey. Welcome to Eurobricks!

This is a really nice video. Honestly didn't expect that. I am looking forward for new Episodes. I like this pleasant quiet style of video without all this fuzz and annoying music.

I also really hope TLG will release this Summer 2019 Pirates sets which they tried to do their best and not only copies of 2015. Then I would buy all sets of one theme ever for first time. They have to celebrate this Anniversary.

 

So let's hope.

Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it!

And I REALLY hope Lego does something for the anniversary - ANYthing - but we’ll see. It’s not a licensed theme, so I don’t think it’s too high on their list of priorities.

[CedBricks]

Reminds me of the good old days  Thanks, nice video

[TrikBrix]

3 hours ago, CedBricks said:

Reminds me of the good old days  Thanks, nice video

Thanks! I’m glad you liked it! They definitely were the good old days! 

[Darnok]

A good review of an amazing set, thank you!

 

I have fond memories of the Black Seas Barracuda, since it was my first big Lego set ever, and definitely one of my favourites to this day.

[TrikBrix]

40 minutes ago, Drunknok said:

A good review of an amazing set, thank you!

 

I have fond memories of the Black Seas Barracuda, since it was my first big Lego set ever, and definitely one of my favourites to this day.

Thank YOU for watching! Glad you liked it!

 

I remember spending hours as a kid gazing wistfully at the BSB... it took me about 25 years to finally get my hands on one, lol. But it became an instant favorite of mine, as well. Definitely top 3 all-time. 

[Robin_IV]

I had no chance to get one of the very old sets and the 2009-2015 wave was perfectly placed in my dark age. -.-

I really hope to get hands on new pirate sets if they are coming. maybe one day they will become a legend too :P

[Roebuck]

Nice review I do not have it, way to ecspencive when I was a kid, but had a few of the smaller sets and they where great. For some reason I prefer the soldiers over the priates so last year I bought 6276: Eldorado Fortress (and 6274: Caribbean Clipper) from the 1989 wave. A set that I always have wanted since I was a kid, so looking forward to your review of that set

I really hope we get a wave or maybe even a D2C modern Eldorado Fortress this year

[TrikBrix]

6 hours ago, Robin_IV said:

I had no chance to get one of the very old sets and the 2009-2015 wave was perfectly placed in my dark age. -.-

I really hope to get hands on new pirate sets if they are coming. maybe one day they will become a legend too :P

Same for me — I was only 4 when the first wave hit shelves, and I was also in the midst of a long dark age when Pirates 2 & 3 were available. 

And if Lego decides to revisit the theme, they can definitely count on me to do my part. :D

Just now, Roebuck said:

Nice review I do not have it, way to ecspencive when I was a kid, but had a few of the smaller sets and they where great. For some reason I prefer the soldiers over the priates so last year I bought 6276: Eldorado Fortress (and 6274: Caribbean Clipper) from the 1989 wave. A set that I always have wanted since I was a kid, so looking forward to your review of that set

I really hope we get a wave or maybe even a D2C modern Eldorado Fortress this year

I actually just purchased the Caribbean Clipper on eBay, and I’m eagerly awaiting its arrival. It was the last 1989 set I needed, so I can’t wait to review it.

A D2C Eldorado Fortress would be AMAZING. Or even an updated Barracuda with the Imperial Flagship treatment - big and beautiful.

[TrikBrix]

Thanks for all the kind words, folks. Here’s episode 2. It’s not quite as spectacular as the BSB, but it was released in ‘89, so it belongs in the 30th Anniversary Retrospective Series. Plus, it’s a pretty cool little set. Enjoy!

30th Anniversary Pirates Retrospective Ep. 2 - Shipwreck Island!

[Roebuck]

It is a great "army" builder set, with palm tree, cannon, parrot and monkey in such a small set

[Robin_IV]

2 hours ago, Roebuck said:

It is a great "army" builder set, with palm tree, cannon, parrot and monkey in such a small set

Yes. I wish lego would bring more of such small 10-20€ sets which are useful.

[TrikBrix]

6 hours ago, Roebuck said:

It is a great "army" builder set, with palm tree, cannon, parrot and monkey in such a small set

Totally, and it was a nice way to augment Forbidden Island. 

[TeriXeri]

On 1/6/2019 at 12:21 PM, Robin_IV said:

Yes. I wish lego would bring more of such small 10-20€ sets which are useful.

Early pirates line had quite a few small sets, while low piece count, were still pretty generous on 1-3 figures and either a combination of shark/monkey/parrot/cannon beside the build.

LEGO still makes small boxed sets, but many are polybags nowadays which are much harder to get then regular retail sets imo. (not everyone is in USA with walmarts/targets etc).

 

2018 City had a small boxed set with 2 minifig/motorcycle for €6 retail.

But 2019 so far most of the smaller sets are €10 with 1 figure, Benny Space Squad being an exception, and hope they'll do the same with a future Pirates theme too. (3-4 minifigs, some small builds, for €10)

Edited January 7, 2019 by TeriXeri

[Robin_IV]

20 minutes ago, TeriXeri said:

But 2019 so far most of the smaller sets are €10 with 1 figure, Benny Space Squad being an exception, and hope they'll do the same with a future Pirates theme too. (3-4 minifigs, some small builds, for €10)

Yes. 
BTW I have an unofficial LEGO Cataogue at home of all Sets from the Beginning in 1949 until 2011 (was printed in 2011). When I first saw all Sets in this "glory years" from 1985-1998 I was really surprised to be honest that there were so much small Sets. They only had a few sets above 500 pcs. It was really surprising because up to this point I said. "Stop this glut of small useless sets." But I had to be disabused and I recognised that I came to a decision too fast. I thought only big sets are good sets because you have something in your hands. But to look from now into the past (I would of course buy the taller sets) but also the small ones do appeal to me more and more. And they are a great opportunity to just get minifigs and to make a little child happy. And I think this is more important because most of the time the kids are not able to receive a taller lego set as a gift.

[TeriXeri]

2 hours ago, Robin_IV said:

And they are a great opportunity to just get minifigs and to make a little child happy. And I think this is more important because most of the time the kids are not able to receive a taller lego set as a gift.

Off-topic from Pirates but :

I had a lot of those tiny smallest box sets with maybe 1 minifig from many themes during the 90s, especially since supermarkets/gas stations had promotions where you could get them.

I was a kid then, and in The Netherlands there's a tradition where kids can get gifts/candy in their shoe the next mornings in the few weeks before St. Nicholas Day (which replaces Christmas gifts) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas_Day

 

I remember watching more recent set reviews from Jangbricks and he calls those smallest (around $7/€6) boxed sets (like Off-Road-Chase-60170) "impulse buys", which makes sense small affordable gifts for kids, basicly in-between a Polybag and a regular €10 set.

 

Edited January 7, 2019 by TeriXeri

[Aanchir]

On 1/7/2019 at 8:54 AM, TeriXeri said:

Early pirates line had quite a few small sets, while low piece count, were still pretty generous on 1-3 figures and either a combination of shark/monkey/parrot/cannon beside the build.

LEGO still makes small boxed sets, but many are polybags nowadays which are much harder to get then regular retail sets imo. (not everyone is in USA with walmarts/targets etc).

2018 City had a small boxed set with 2 minifig/motorcycle for €6 retail.

But 2019 so far most of the smaller sets are €10 with 1 figure, Benny Space Squad being an exception, and hope they'll do the same with a future Pirates theme too. (3-4 minifigs, some small builds, for €10)

Right now the City and Spider-Man themes have three $10/€10 4+ sets with two figures each (60206, 60212, and 76133) the Ninjago theme has one at the same price with two figures, a suit of samurai armor, and a minifig-sized training dummy (70680), and The LEGO Movie 2 also has one with three brick-built characters (70822).

Overall, though, when comparing to the number of smaller sets back in the days of classic Pirates, you have to keep in mind that nowadays LEGO puts a considerably bigger emphasis on building than they did back then. Even most polybags these days have 30 or more pieces, aside from Duplo or single figure packs.

I also feel as though even those $10/€10 sets you mention with only one figure are still a pretty decent value in their own right. As a Ninjago fan I'm especially impressed with the new Spinjitzu sets, which at $10 for a single pack have 105 pieces on average, including maybe one of the most versatile spinner designs yet plus a brand-new minifigure and loads of useful building elements and accessories.

I can see why sets like those might be disappointing to army/navy builders, but I've never really been able to find much fun in army building. The idea that identical characters like the classic spacemen in Benny's Space Squad are an open book that can be anybody you want them to be seems fine in principle, but if you're buying up numerous copies of those same characters how are you even supposed to keep track of which identity you've assigned to them? It feels like at that point, you're basically relegated to thinking of them not as people with individual identities, but as interchangeable units who only have their shared objectives to motivate them and guide their interactions.

Maybe army building is just more of a boy thing, like staging medieval battles in front of sparsely-furnished castles instead of focusing on the lives people live inside of them. IDK.

But whatever the faults of the latest Pirates line, I don't think offering substantial numbers of characters and animals at low price points was one of them. 70409 had a pirate, a soldier, and a fish for $12.99. 70410 had two soldiers, a pirate, a crab, a fish, and an octopus for $20. 70411 had two pirates, a soldier, a crocodile, and a parrot for $20. Oh, and all three sets had full-size firing cannons, not to mention the larger two adding a catapult and a mortar, respectively. Not to mention, you could get every set except the chess set and not wind up with any duplicate figures!

Overall, I think their value compares very favorably with classic Pirates sets. I think the bigger weaknesses of that wave were the small overall number of sets and the lack of any medium-sized playsets to occupy a price point somewhere between the Soldier's Fort and Brick Bounty. But if a future Pirates wave can fix those issues, then I think it would have no trouble measuring up to the classics.

[TeriXeri]

41 minutes ago, Aanchir said:

But whatever the faults of the latest Pirates line, I don't think offering substantial numbers of characters and animals at low price points was one of them. 70409 had a pirate, a soldier, and a fish for $12.99. 70410 had two soldiers, a pirate, a crab, a fish, and an octopus for $20. 70411 had two pirates, a soldier, a crocodile, and a parrot for $20. Oh, and all three sets had full-size firing cannons, not to mention the larger two adding a catapult and a mortar, respectively. Not to mention, you could get every set except the chess set and not wind up with any duplicate figures!

Overall, I think their value compares very favorably with classic Pirates sets. I think the bigger weaknesses of that wave were the small overall number of sets and the lack of any medium-sized playsets to occupy a price point somewhere between the Soldier's Fort and Brick Bounty. But if a future Pirates wave can fix those issues, then I think it would have no trouble measuring up to the classics.

 I actually like the 2009 and 2015 pirate sets very much.

I just was in a dark age at the time, and for 2016/2017/1st-half-2018 my main focus was Nexo Knights.

I tend to move forward however, and not buy sets that are officially retired.

For 2nd half 2018, I do have the Creator Pirate Rollercoaster and the 3-in-1 treehouse.

Edited January 17, 2019 by TeriXeri

[TrikBrix]

Here’s episode three and four, mateys! Hope you guys are enjoying them as much as I am!

 

Ep.3 - Castaway’s Raft

Ep.4 - Forbidden Island

[Bregir]

I have really enjoyed these reviews. As someone else said above, it is nice with a channel with a quiet and sensible voice talking about these sets we all love. Too many youtube channels are explosions, loud music, shouts and rants, etc.

Well done, sir, you've got yourself a subscriber (watched all your reviews...)

Now, GIEF ME MORE! *cracks whip* ;)

[TrikBrix]

On 2/1/2019 at 6:46 AM, Bregir said:

I have really enjoyed these reviews. As someone else said above, it is nice with a channel with a quiet and sensible voice talking about these sets we all love. Too many youtube channels are explosions, loud music, shouts and rants, etc.

Well done, sir, you've got yourself a subscriber (watched all your reviews...)

Now, GIEF ME MORE! *cracks whip* ;)

Wow, thank you for the kind words! I’m so glad you’re enjoying it. And I’ll get right to work on more episodes! :D

[TrikBrix]

Just wrapped up Episode 5! Only three sets to go in the ‘89 wave!

Episode 5 - Tiny Treasures

[TrikBrix]

I spent some quality time with this little gem... hope you guys enjoy it!

Ep. 6 - Caribbean Clipper

 

[TrikBrix]

Finally wrapped up the fantastic 1989 wave! Enjoy!

Episode 7 - Sabre Island

 

Episode 8 - Eldorado Fortress