Review: LotR 9469 Gandalf Arrives

[K-Nut]

Great review! I picked up this set today, and must say it's pretty good. Especially Gandalf.

[Palathadric]

Great review! I picked up this set today, and must say it's pretty good. Especially Gandalf.

For some reason I was a bit disappointed in the Gandalf figure...I don't know why.

Well, actually, I just saw the update to the review and I do like Gandalf a lot. Perhaps it's just his beard I don't really like. Then again, this is Gandalf the Grey, not the White.

Edited May 17, 2012 by palathadric

[Faefrost]

For some reason I was a bit disappointed in the Gandalf figure...I don't know why.

Well, actually, I just saw the update to the review and I do like Gandalf a lot. Perhaps it's just his beard I don't really like. Then again, this is Gandalf the Grey, not the White.

I kind of agree with you. The Frodo minifig just seems to perfectly capture the character and the actor. The Gandalf one while technically correct just feels a little bland. More like a generic Kingdoms Wizard than Gandalf. I'm hoping in later sets they improve and spice him up a bit. A little more torso detail and some printing on his hat would go a long way to help. And a better staff.

[HawkLord]

I kind of agree with you. The Frodo minifig just seems to perfectly capture the character and the actor. The Gandalf one while technically correct just feels a little bland. More like a generic Kingdoms Wizard than Gandalf. I'm hoping in later sets they improve and spice him up a bit. A little more torso detail and some printing on his hat would go a long way to help. And a better staff.

I think you're right about Gandalf looking alittle off. The character always had a larger nose (pointy in some drawings) and big, bushy eyebrows. Here since so much of the face is covered by the beard and the flat nature of Lego faces, it seems some of the character gets lost. I also agree that Gandalf is such a big name character in fiction, that he warrants his own special staff. I wonder if Lego might be holding out a better staff for a Balrog Confrontation set.

[Duke of wellington]

Great review, will be a while until it comes out in Australia.

[Im a brickmaster.]

Good job with the review! I'll probably get this set just for Gandelf.

[Lynx]

I'll just add my rating after picking the set up yesterday (out of 5)

Build - really interesting cart design. Very creative use of limited brick count (83 pieces)

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Movie accuracy - fireworks, envelope, staff and a great looking cart. Frodo can even stand next to Gandalf on the seat. Nothing to improve.

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Minifigures - Gandalf's beard is a big disappointment to me as the back of his head looks naked. His staff could have been a new mold.

:thumbup:

Play features - with just this set, you can push a card and act some role-play with two friendly characters. Not that much, but it's 83 pieces, after all

:thumbup: :thumbup:

OVERALL

:thumbup: :thumbup:

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Wow!!! I want this set ...I love the new horse!

[SheepEater]

Great review!

His staff could have been a new mold.

I respectfully disagree, I like the staff that comes with the set, the reason being this book cover that has been ingrained in my mind since the mid 90s:

Here's a MOC made with only bricks from the cart, Frodo's wooden car!

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=70330

Edited June 3, 2012 by SheepEater

[Multiverse]

Thanks for the review! =)

I think I can safely say that I'll be getting this. Frodo, Gandalf and a new horse are too good stuff to miss out on. =)

[Ferrik]

This looks like an interesting set. Nice review!

[Tria]

Thanks for the review! I agree with your rating... a mediocre set in overall

[SheepEater]

Found this MOC while digging up some brickshelf folders

[Canada_7]

I'm considering buying this set only because of Gandalf. It's a relatively cheap set to get at least 2 of the main characters. It's priced at $16 in Canada and for some stupid reason I feel Like I'm willing to pay that price.

[Deathleech]

I pretty much agree with your review, it's spot on BeerBeard! A decent set overall, but nothing great. Definitely the weakest in the LotR line thus far.

Movie accuracy - fireworks, envelope, staff and a great looking cart. Frodo can even stand next to Gandalf on the seat. Nothing to improve.

Wait, what? How did you get both Gandalf and Frodo in the wagon without some modding? The cart seat is only 3 pegs wide but 2 minifigs take up a minimum 5 pegs side by side. The only way they both fit at the same time is if you have them looking sideways out of the cart instead of forward, or throw Frodo in the back of the cart.

This is actually one thing that really bugs me. Not only do Frodo and Gandalf not fit side by side in the wagon seat, the seat is only 1 peg so Gandalf sits off the the side in it. What's the point if Frodo doesn't fit? I mean sure you can easily replace the 1 peg brick with a 2 pegger, but it just seems weird to me that they didn't do this themselves. In general I am not really a fan of the wagon because of this, and also because the back doesn't open without taking apart the sides. They are little things that bug me.

I respectfully disagree, I like the staff that comes with the set, the reason being this book cover that has been ingrained in my mind since the mid 90s:

Since these sets are based off the movies, I gotta agree Faefrost and Hawkman. Here is how the staff appears in the movie:

All they really have to do is add a brick like so, and it looks significantly better and less plain:

Or two prices for a little more detail:

All in all the only REAL reason to buy this set is for the minifigures imo. Gandalf looks good and Frodo looks great! In fact he is one of my top 5 LotR minifigs. The accessories also aren't bad, but everything else about this set is mediocre. The set has the highest price per piece of all the LotR sets released so far at 0.16 cents. I know it's a smaller set so it's gonna have a higher price, especially with 2 minifigs and a horse, but I still feel like it would of been a much better value at $9.99-11.99. I also feel like the wagon could of been done a little better like I expressed above. There were a lot of odd design decisions made. I realize this is a small set so it's going to be limited, but the Shelob Attacks set is only 7 bucks more and INFINITELY better. It hangs right up there with the 80 and 130 dollar sets imo and it's only 20 bucks!

[Captain BeerBeard]

I pretty much agree with your review, it's spot on BeerBeard! A decent set overall, but nothing great. Definitely the weakest in the LotR line thus far.

Wait, what? How did you get both Gandalf and Frodo in the wagon without some modding? The cart seat is only 3 pegs wide but 2 minifigs take up a minimum 5 pegs side by side. The only way they both fit at the same time is if you have them looking sideways out of the cart instead of forward, or throw Frodo in the back of the cart.

This is actually one thing that really bugs me. Not only do Frodo and Gandalf not fit side by side in the wagon seat, the seat is only 1 peg so Gandalf sits off the the side in it. What's the point if Frodo doesn't fit? I mean sure you can easily replace the 1 peg brick with a 2 pegger, but it just seems weird to me that they didn't do this themselves. In general I am not really a fan of the wagon because of this, and also because the back doesn't open without taking apart the sides. They are little things that bug me.

Since these sets are based off the movies, I gotta agree Faefrost and Hawkman. Here is how the staff appears in the movie:

All they really have to do is add a brick like so, and it looks significantly better and less plain:

Or two prices for a little more detail:

All in all the only REAL reason to buy this set is for the minifigures imo. Gandalf looks good and Frodo looks great! In fact he is one of my top 5 LotR minifigs. The accessories also aren't bad, but everything else about this set is mediocre. The set has the highest price per piece of all the LotR sets released so far at 0.16 cents. I know it's a smaller set so it's gonna have a higher price, especially with 2 minifigs and a horse, but I still feel like it would of been a much better value at $9.99-11.99. I also feel like the wagon could of been done a little better like I expressed above. There were a lot of odd design decisions made. I realize this is a small set so it's going to be limited, but the Shelob Attacks set is only 7 bucks more and INFINITELY better. It hangs right up there with the 80 and 130 dollar sets imo and it's only 20 bucks!

All the sets suck. They're only good for the fig's and part's they contain. This is the only one I won't take apart beside Sheolob. I did buy quite a few of this set because the fig's have great torso's for custom figs in castle mocs.

[Legonardo]

All the sets suck. They're only good for the fig's and part's they contain.

I have to agree with you there, maybe not so much as they suck but they aren't the best. I am buying them only for parts and figs and there is a possibility I won't even build the models!

[Huntleyfx]

The review is great, first of all. I think a lot of the mixed reaction to the set is that it is something new to the Licensing. At this price point before, we were looking at the Battle Packs of the Star Wars theme. In that case, we had 4 figures, and a small model. Now, we only have 2, and a horse. The actual army builder is at a higher price point. I think this switch is what is causing a lot of the negative reaction. I know for myself that this is the set to pick up from the Lord of The Rings series.

[Captain BeerBeard]

The review is great, first of all. I think a lot of the mixed reaction to the set is that it is something new to the Licensing. At this price point before, we were looking at the Battle Packs of the Star Wars theme. In that case, we had 4 figures, and a small model. Now, we only have 2, and a horse. The actual army builder is at a higher price point. I think this switch is what is causing a lot of the negative reaction. I know for myself that this is the set to pick up from the Lord of The Rings series.

You make some really good point's. I agree with you 100%.

Edited June 28, 2012 by Captain BeerBeard

[Combee]

All they really have to do is add a brick like so, and it looks significantly better and less plain:

*snip*

Or two prices for a little more detail:

*snip*

Good solutions! I was disappointed when I saw that they didn't mold a new staff piece for Gandalf and just gave him a stick but I think I'll use your solution till we (hopefully) get a new mold.

Also, (this may have been posted in the main LOTR thread) I hope they change the images on the box to reflect the change in beard since the one that comes in the set is slightly different from the one on the box. I personally like the one on the box more but I'm assuming (hoping?) they changed it to fit in a hair mold that they'll release in a future set.

Edited June 28, 2012 by Combee

[Deathleech]

All the sets suck. They're only good for the fig's and part's they contain. This is the only one I won't take apart beside Sheolob. I did buy quite a few of this set because the fig's have great torso's for custom figs in castle mocs.

I dunno if I would say they all suck. I do think Gandalf Arrives, followed closely by Attack on Weathertop, are the two weakest in the line. I really enjoyed Helm's Deep and Mines of Moria though, and Shelb's Attack delightfully surprised me. I thought the Uruk-Hai Army set and the Orc Forge set were also pretty good.

I will say, I hope in future waves we get more standard battle packs at the $12.99-14.99 price range that include 4 minifigs and a small structure. The Uruk-Hai Army set was kind of cool and unique, but I don't want to have to spend 30 bucks every wave to increase my army size.

[Captain Settle]

This set remind's me of classic castle. No raging battles, just two people in the countryside, with a horse and cart.

[Falconer]

Is Gandalf’s hat still the same mold as the original wizard’s hat (Majisto, etc.)? I’m thinking of buying a blue one for him, to match what it’s supposed to be per books and per movies:

[Combee]

Is Gandalf’s hat still the same mold as the original wizard’s hat (Majisto, etc.)? I’m thinking of buying a blue one for him, to match what it’s supposed to be per books and per movies:

Yea, it's the same hat. I think there might be a version of that hat in sand blue: Bricklink

[Falconer]

Hmm. Hard to substantiate. Anyway, I will be fine with the regular blue.