Siegfried Posted July 12, 2008 (edited) I recently bought this set for my daughters birthday. It's the first BELVILLE set that I've bought for her so it's a bit of an experiment. The house is 5 rooms and it's made up of mostly large pieces. There still is a decent amount of normal LEGO in it though. The doorways in the house align when it is opened out. Starting with the bathroom, included is a shower, toilet, sink with vanity and a baby potty. The mirror sticker is one of the few that I put on. The open plan lounge/kitchen/dining room is well appointed as well and it has a nice glass table and coffee machine. The kitchen chairs are Fabuland parts... and don't work really well. It seems they are having jellyfish for dinner! The clock is the only printed part in the set. Upstairs is a baby room and the master bedroom. The radio and the TV (not shown) were stickers to my disappointment. Up top is an extra room suitable for reading. (Those antenna things were made from spare parts by my daughter. I have no idea what they are supposed to be... ) There are some stickers that go on the back, but I didn't put them on. As it is the set looks OK this way, but since it is a dolls house it doesn't really matter. I do think though that the fireplace should have been given a back. The BBQ is made from normal parts and is quite effective. I think it uses the same light brick that's in the 4998 Stegosaurus set. My kids were using it as a torch before my grumbling ruined their fun... Like all BELVILLE sets, the highlight is arguably the accessories. I'll be borrowing a few of these from time to time... Here is the controversial baby catapult. As you can see, it works OK, but LEGO probably should have tried a bit harder. We also bought for her 7583 Playful Puppy. It also comes with some nice accessories, but not enough to justify buying unless you want the rest of the parts. Poor puppy; where does he sleep? Here is my daughter assembling it. She made me make the house though as she wanted to play a game we bought her. (Note the LEGO drink bottles! ) I didn't take any photos of the figures as they don't seem to be anything new, but I can if people want me to. At the time I was in bit of a hurry as I took these before bed so I wouldn't be stressed if the kids broke it the next day. Overall, these sets seem overpriced to me, and hard to justify unless you actually want a buildable doll's house. (Which we did.) It's still too early to tell if my daughter likes it or not... but at this stage it seems she lost interest in a few days. She does tend to go back to toys though. Edited May 23, 2009 by WhiteFang Indexed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adik_sa_lego Posted July 12, 2008 mommy and daddy are naughty! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Svelte Posted July 12, 2008 Yay! It's good to see your kids get to build some stuff too, Sinner . All through the review I was thinking 'This was a present - but who actually put it together?' so I'm glad the last pic cleared things up As for the set - it looks much bigger than I expected - I think it does make a good sized dollhouse. There are a stack of nice pieces in there - cupboards, oven, trans-blue 2x5 bricks, all the accessories, plants, flowers, food, the light-up brick, the pink roof slopes - but not enough to justify the $AUD129 retail price. Maybe on sale I'd pick it up and resell the Belville figs but David Jones hasn't even had a regular 20% off Lego sale for the whole of this year that I've seen. I think the Playful Puppy set is a horrendous ripoff for $AUD20 though. I agree with the baby catapult - the range is terrible. Lego just isn't trying any more, is it? At least they've moved on from throwing cats off three storey buildings. 2 questions though. 1) Was it a fun build? 2) Are those large figs anatomically correct under their frou-frou finery? If not, what the hell are they doing in the second pic whilst baby Sylvia explores the oven? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hinckley Posted July 12, 2008 Excellent review! It's nice to see how... it's nice to see how ... ... it's nice ... Okay, I can't get over the sex in the bedroom and the unattended baby crawling into the oven. I didn't read anything else except, where does the puppy sleep and my daughter made me build this. You are sick and twisted and that's why I love you! It seems you are coining the Belville edge. Now will you please stop sitting around eating clams and get that baby out of the oven or make the fun in the bedroom a three-way? Please! Thank you PS. OK, I read it. I want the baby toilet and I think the jellyfish is supposed to be a jello-mold. I bet you knew that. The fireplace lattice look like the Harry Potter one and not the Fabuland one. Boo!! Wienies. When your daughter outgrows it, will you turn it into a Belleville Star Wars MOC please? Thank you in advance Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mrs Pegleg Blockbeard Posted July 12, 2008 (edited) Baby catapult you say? Puts a basenet to shame! Top review by the way, lego drink bottles for the win! Edited July 12, 2008 by Mrs Pegleg Blockbeard Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Admiral Blockbeard Posted July 12, 2008 Great review, and i note something like a bucket in the dog set... shame its not blue... As for the fire place piece i love it and i want one, ever since finding it on MLcad!!! I love the BBQ, it looks so good!, you know i might even buy this, it it was not so pink! Now as for the kiddies, in ovens, make sure they are not over cooked they can be stringy :skull: , and as for the couple up stairs, now we at least know what you do with your mini figs when no one is looking/ lego sets in public places , just following your name sake i guess And i must say Lego, shame, shame, that catapult needs reviwing, hardly even make a dent in a castle wall! Regards Cpt. PB Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shadows Posted July 12, 2008 I was sort of hoping for a flick-fire baby. Still, this looks decent, for what it is, I guess. Obviously, it really is all about the accessories, and it's got 'em, but not enough to make me spend that kind of cash, and I don't even mind having a pile of pink parts around. If you throw in a complete turkey or some birthday cakes, it's a slam dunk, but as it is... eh. Thanks for the review, though, it's very nicely presented and leaves no doubt in my mind as to just how easy this set would be to misuse for other purposes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
I Scream Clone Posted July 12, 2008 Nice review, good to see your almost letting your kids play with your lego I like the functionality of the baby catapult, its good that they include some working features in a build this big! Are you not showing the figures because its really Hugh Hefners Playboy/Belville Mansion? I dont see the grotto though, must be an add on set like the poor puppy! Its just so darn PINK Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimBee Posted July 12, 2008 The LEGO lives on!! But you are one evil parent, getting your kids addicted to Belville like that! But uh... whats that doll doing on the bed? Whats underneath it...? And look what you found... a bucket! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shoc Posted July 12, 2008 Great review Sinner, I haven't seen a Bellville set review before! I just realised what you meant by 'fore' in the topic subtitle, too. Obviously, it really is all about the accessories, and it's got 'em, but not enough to make me spend that kind of cash, and I don't even mind having a pile of pink parts around. I agree, a lot of the pieces are good but I don't think I would get it. However, I do think I will get the set with the dogs, so my minifigs can have giant mutant hounds! And look what you found... a bucket! A bucket, in disguise as a watering can... :skull: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wout Posted July 12, 2008 A nice review with a nice touch of Sinner which made me laugh. The playfull puppy set has saussages I think I would buy a playfull puppy, It has nice pieces and the puppy can also be used for minifigs as a big dog. Why haven't they not made a saussagesseller for City. Maybe in the future. There are already more chickenlegs in minifigs sets. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JimBee Posted July 13, 2008 A bucket, in disguise as a watering can... :skull: Bucket, pale... same thing. Its can be called a watering pale... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hinckley Posted July 13, 2008 Bucket, pale... same thing. Its can be called a watering pale... This reminds me of that popular TV game show in the States: Identify the Bucket vs. the Watering Pale. No one's won the million yet... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shadows Posted July 13, 2008 This reminds me of that popular TV game show in the States: Identify the Bucket vs. the Watering Pale.No one's won the million yet... I was on that, came close to winning too, but the one I picked was too well tanned. Wah-wah-waaaaaah. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WhiteFang Posted July 13, 2008 Sinner!!! You know, I had never seen a BELVILLE set in any review with such great pictures before! I just can't take my eyes off, in the Master Bedroom. The scene is quite, a little hot. Enough of me, peeping up there. Let's take a look at the interior. I am very surprised by its construction of the house. It's quite big and is nice of you to buy a great sweet gift for your daughter. I am very sure, she will enjoyed playing with it. Somehow, it reminded me of Barbie Doll products. Maybe, its too pinkish for me. The accessories is the "plus factor" in any BELVILLE sets. It offered quite a handful of great accessories to add into any types of MOCs construction to add in the plus factor in it. Sinner, you are a very nice Dad! I like how parents, buy educational toys for their children to expand their imaginations instead of sitting in a couch playing video games and etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VBBN Posted July 15, 2008 Aw, Sinners' playing with toys again! Great review! The set is good for parts it appears. And that bedroom scene is...interesting. :skull: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ElisHelrot Posted July 15, 2008 Thanks for your report and the pics, my sister wants this set, but she's already got the last house And she doesn't play very often with it, but the new one looks very good, too Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Siegfried Posted July 26, 2008 2 questions though.1) Was it a fun build? 2) Are those large figs anatomically correct under their frou-frou finery? If not, what the hell are they doing in the second pic whilst baby Sylvia explores the oven? It was sort of fun, but it really is just a lot of big pieces. The kitchen stove is smart though. As for the figs, yes I forgot to add pictures of the happy couple! Here they are. When your daughter outgrows it, will you turn it into a Belleville Star Wars MOC please? Thank you in advance It could be a while; ask me again in three years. Why haven't they not made a saussagesseller for City. Maybe in the future. There are already more chickenlegs in minifigs sets. I agree. There's a good chance of me borrowing certain parts in the future. Sinner, you are a very nice Dad! I like how parents, buy educational toys for their children to expand their imaginations instead of sitting in a couch playing video games and etc. Thanks, but I must confess she does play with our PS3 too... Aw, Sinners' playing with toys again! When did I stop? Thanks for your report and the pics, my sister wants this set, but she's already got the last house And she doesn't play very often with it, but the new one looks very good, too I'm still undecided on if it was a smart buy. She played with it a lot this week, but last week she ignored it... and I had to fix it twice! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Svelte Posted July 26, 2008 I'm confused... the finale of Big Brother Australia was last week. So why only now are we seeing pictures of housemates Brigette and Ben performing a striptease? And where is Rory in his signature g-string? Very odd. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joebot Posted July 29, 2008 I'm still undecided on if it was a smart buy. She played with it a lot this week, but last week she ignored it... and I had to fix it twice! My daughter is 12, and she still plays with all her Belville stuff (mostly the fairy princess castle sets). If your daughter is anything like mine, you will definitely get your money's worth out of it. However ... as soon as my daughter says she's done with it, I plan on raiding the sets for all those great food and accessory bits. Patience .... Great review, by the way. The Belville sets are indeed overpriced, but they're probably Lego's best attempt at wooing the girl audience (I still hate the fact that TLC thinks they need separate "boy" themes and "girl" themes, but whatever). They're a very nice alternative to Barbie -- you get posable figures with realistic body proportions, plus some creativity and building aspects thrown in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Svelte Posted May 23, 2009 I bought this today, mainly because it was 25% off, but I'd been eyeing it for a long time. The accessories truly are brilliant! There's so much here to be pillaged for other uses, as people have said. I picked up heaps of new parts I've never had, or rare ones in even rarer colours. To be honest, I was surprised and impressed by the range and versatility of the regular bricks as well. When you look at the box art, what jumps out at you are the giant pink walls and curved pieces, but there's a nice amount of white arches and lime green bricks, not to mention all the windows and the trans blue 1x2x5 bricks. And plants! It's a good thing the target audience likes stickers though, there's more here than I've seen on any set except the 7709 Sentai Fortress! I think they were aiming for one sticker per page of instructions I hope Belville returns in 2010 Thanks for the review, Sieggy! Did your daughter ever go back to it? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Siegfried Posted May 23, 2009 Did your daughter ever go back to it? On and off. She's been building (very odd) spaceships with the big pink pieces. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Svelte Posted May 23, 2009 On and off. She's been building (very odd) spaceships with the big pink pieces. It will go nicely with your alien dump truck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
paanjang16 Posted June 17, 2009 I recognize the clock! It came with my old airport set 6392 back in 85! In fact according to Peeron it mostly came out in train stations Link Belville looks horrible to me Too barbie-ish and does not look Lego at all. Would prefer they went with Paradisa instead. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Siegfried Posted June 17, 2009 Belville looks horrible to me Too barbie-ish and does not look Lego at all. I think that is the idea! So that means you wouldn't think much of Scala then? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
