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Found 801 results

  1. Masked Builder

    Review: 75060 Slave I

    Thank you to Eurobricks for allowing me to review this set, sorry about taking forever. When I first saw this set, I though it looked pretty decent, but didn't plan on getting it. I was curious to see if it would be strong enough to swoosh around. ZCeberus has written a wonderful comparison review here. Set Information: Name: Slave I Set Number: 75060 Pieces: 1996 Price: $199 Ages: 14+ Minifigures: 4 Theme: Star Wars Year of Release: 2015 Bricklink Brickset S@H My Flickr Set of the photos from this review. Box: Overall the box is very clean looking, the gold outlines fit very well. The background shows Bespin, which is the main setting for this set, as well as a flying shot. The back shows a landing shot as well as some nice shots of the functions. As the box is so large, there's a 1:1 image of all of the minifigures in the set. Continuing from the image of the minifigures is this shot of the set in a blueprint from; it shows the length, height, and width. This was on the side of the box, I love what LEGO did with this. It fades out from the set image to an almost schematic picture. Contents: I thought these two parts were interesting, they're new to me and I can see quite a few uses for them. There is a myriad of extra parts in this set. I was rather surprised to see so many, but with a set that has close to 20 different bags in it, it shouldn't be too surprising. There are 23 stickers in this set, but I think LEGO did a pretty good job of deciding what needed stickers. Manual: The front of the manual is virtually the same as the box, but it has some information about the manual languages on it. As this is a large UCS set, LEGO has done some research on the model used in the movie and spends several pages talking about the design and other things at the beginning of the manual. Seeing the animators from Ep. V, is pretty cool. I suspect this shot is some concept art from the designing of the ship. There are two pages that show what bags build what. The art and colors inside the manual are set out nicely, it's easy to see what parts go where, and I found no color issues. A whole page at the end of the manual is on a nice shot of the UCS Sandcrawler. Minifigures: While anyone buying this set is most likely not interested in the minifigures as much but I think LEGO did a great job providing a good selection of figures that fit well with the set. The Stormy and Han are the only ones not new in this set. This Boba is just such an upgrade from the 2012 one, with his arm printing. The Bespin Guard, while simple, is definitely one of the better figures in the set. LEGO did a great job keeping him simple while still capturing his look perfectly. I must say that I much prefer the print on the back of the Bespin Guard more than anyone else's. You can just see Han's alternate print sticking out from under his hair. Only Han has an alternate head print. Boba looks fairly close to the trooper. LEGO has once again brought back arm printing for Boba. I must say that it adds another high level of detail to him. Not much on his back, just a printing of a metal plate and a belt. There is SO much detail on his helmet, the paint is chipped in several places, and he's got some markings on his helmet. I know this piece has been out for several years now, but it's my first one. I must say that LEGO did a really good job translating it to a usable LEGO piece. And finally a quick comparison of the Boba from this set with the only other Boba Fett I have; White Boba. I must say that this helmet is much nicer than the old way. The Build: The first bag starts the construction of the main base of the ship. Bag two starts adding some shape. By the end of bag three, you've finished one sub-assembly. Bag four builds the front section of the Slave I. At the end of bag five, the base of the ship is completed. Bag six starts building up. Bag seven adds the side wings. At the end of bag eight, you've started on the cockpit. Bag nine adds one small sub-assembly. Nearly done! Finished! Finished Model: As usual with a UCS set, there's a 8-by-16 tile with some rather interesting facts on the Slave I. Two stickers in the cockpit, and there are spots in the cockpit for both of Boba's guns. Boba fits into the cockpit with his jet-pack on, I think they did a great job with the control area. This is the only sticker on the green curved slope, oddly enough. But I do think this area looks very much like the real ship. There are six stickers on this end, only two of them are rather small. But I do like what they add to the look of the set. The end is rather open, just a result of the angles. It's a bit bothersome, but you don't usually see this area. It has a great stand presence. It's most of the height of my Orthanc tower. (Makes Orthanc look kinda small too) Boba looks great in the cockpit, this is as far back as the chair rotates in the cockpit. Functions: The hatch on the left side. Opens to show some laser guns. However this side should be another missile launcher as opposed to guns. Then over on the right side. To show a missile launcher. Which is in the right spot. The main entrance to the ship opens. It can be a little hard to get your hand in there to open it. To reveal Carbonite Han. Finally the guns are adjustable, LEGO has it set on another gear so that it doesn't move unless you want it to. Conclusion: So I really do think this set is great; even with its few inaccuracies. LEGO did a great job capturing the overall shape of the ship, just a few of the functions don't agree with the actual ship. Oddly enough the ship is easily swooshed, but it can be rather interesting to get it on the stand; there's not really a good spot to hold it from. The minifigures are fantastic; Boba can't get any better. One thing I would have liked to have seen was the mines from Attack of the Clones; though I know they weren't in Ep. V. Ratings: Playability: 6/10 There aren't a whole lot of play features, but I don't really expect them for this set. Design: 10/10 LEGO has nailed the likeness of the ship at this scale. Price: 8/10 $200 is a fair price, and it has great shelf presence. Minifigures: 9/10 Boba is the best minifigure in this set. The Bespin guard is a bit plain for me. Parts: 10/10 I absolutely love all the selection of parts in dark red and dark green. Total: 43/50 Don't forget ZCeberus' comparison review here. Like this review? Want to learn how to make good reviews? Then join the Reviewers Academy!
  2. "Why So Serious? This Baby Works Just Fine!” "Let's put a smile on that face!" - The Joker by Adeel Zubair, on Flickr First Impression 2014 was a very impressive year for LEGO fans; a huge number superb sets that were released including this impressive and outstanding recreation of the Tumbler from The Dark Knight Trilogy. It was first mentioned by Jason from The Brick Show on Youtube that we have a UCS Tumbler on the way. Since then many have speculated the set would be released because last year was the 75th anniversary of the Caped Crusader and we would see a Batman vehicle based off the classic Batman comics or movies such as Jerry Robinson’s, Batman 66’s, Batman Animated Series or even a redesign of the Batman & Robin Batmobile. In fact I would love for LEGO to release those but the popularity of The Dark Knight movie made this model happen. After many fans have trying to replicate this iconic vehicle and many LEGO Ideas submissions we have finally got a UCS Batman Tumbler from LEGO themselves! I was super pumped for this set: one hand it's a large scale car model (which I enjoy) and it's based on a very much loved film franchise and character that I and others enjoy; the price just put me off until now! Was it worth it though? Unique Parts Besides the obvious exclusive minifigure parts there are two exclusive pieces those being the Tyre Wide Ø81,6X44 (front wheels) and the Pearl Gold Wheel Bearing Back. Surprisingly the Batman head is exclusive. Minifigures This set includes Batman and the Joker minifigures, I guess they are only included to boost sales for rather large set; even though they are not in scale with the model as the box states. Those minifigures will drive collectors and people to purchase the set who are not even interested in the model (who wouldn't be?) which is pretty sad if you ask me. I got it purely for the model; the minifigures and stand are bonuses! They both can be displayed on a sleek and simple display stand with the information plaque in the centre which has many different stats and information about the vehicle. I like that The Dark Knight logo isn't placed at the top of the plaque, were it could have been cheesy. The plaque is instead titled 'Wayne Industries - Applied Science Division' which makes more sense as the Tumbler was known for all its cool facts and makes the model feel authentic. This is my first set with a display stand and plaque so I can say it took about 15-20 minutes to get the sticker right but it did catch some dust after multiple times so I have very few bumps on the stand but it's very minor. I like that it's not that sticky as other stickers which made it much easier to apply. The Christian Bale Batman is based on the Batman Begins suit since we have already got The Dark Knight Rises one in 2013. I'm really digging the level of details on the front and back of the torso; it's very movie accurate and doesn't look cartoony which 2013 one did. The most disappointing part about this minifigure is the lack of leg and arm printing, if this was based off a comic version of Batman it wouldn't be a problem but the fact it's not as detailed as the Marvel movie variants it's really disappointing for such a large set. Batman comes with a Batarang but it's the one that we have always had, I would have liked an exclusive Dark Knight Batarang instead. The main highlight for this set is the first ever Heath Ledger Joker who has been a fan requested minifigure for a very long time. He is pretty much perfect unlike Batman; he has a detailed torso and legs. I really like that just front of the head has white faded printing to give it the face paint effect, whereas normally he has a white head instead. His smirk is so sinister. I'm not sure if the Earth Blue hands are accurate. Like the Batman minifigure he also doesn't come with an exclusive accessory but at least Batman came with one but the Joker doesn't have anything; maybe an exclusive knife or Joker card would have been cool. I have put the pair of very precious minifigures free from dust so they are not on the display stand but it still does look good without them. Playability Besides rolling it backwards and forwards, several adjustable flaps, some movable interior details and the two sections of the removable roof it doesn't have anything else. It's hasn't got is primary features from the movie; those being an ejectable Bat-Pod, opening doors and steering. I understand and can see that the main goal was to get all those angles and shapes that we see on the actual Tumbler which the designer at LEGO has achieved. It's such a shame as it would have completed the model but I guess LEGO have given the fans an opportunity to modify the model and do it ourselves. I must say that getting its wheels to turn and motorize it must be really difficult. Not to mention ejecting a Bat-Pot from the model. Maybe there is a person out there who could figure it all out and make it work successfully and keep all the great angles and shapes Adam has put into the model. I had problems with adding the sub-assemblies during the end since they can be fragile which means it's not recommend for play. Build Experience This set contains 18 numbered bags (1-11.) This set contains five instruction booklets and two sticker sheets which come in a cardboard sleeve to keep them straight. To note, I got an extra sheet of the smaller stickers for some odd reason? Really, for a set this size they could have made it into a thick square bound book like they have done with a few sets already and included some facts about the movie vehicle and the LEGO design process. Boy was very challenging, I really enjoyed the build, it took me around 8 hours to build which was very surprising since most people took about 4-5 hours; it's very different to the models I normally build which are rather simple like the Modular Buildings. It takes a while to build the main frame of the model but after that it quickly comes together with many sub-assemblies. I understand that most of the time man made things are symmetrical so this had a mirrored build and it does get slightly repetitive but at least I didn't see more than 'x2' in the instructions. I had a hard time attaching the front wheel assembly that attaches to the Technic panel; it took some time to actually make it stay on since it's held on with many studs. I also found out that the design could have easily made that area stronger with a few of Connector Peg W. Knob; we get loads of extras of those so it's not really a problem. I also thought a few more of Slide Shoe Round 2X2 could have been used to make some of the assemblies much stronger like the chairs. The stickers where the only down side to the build which slightly stressed me out but I found out that sticking a corner of the sticker on the back of the actual sticker sheet makes it much easier and fingerprint proof. The main frame is very study when complete but like I said the sub-assemblies are the weak areas in terms of stability but I don't know how else it would have been possible. -What makes this model different from many other LEGO models is that you cannot easily tell how it's built; due to all the non-linear shapes and angles achieved throughout the model. I can say we do have two elements in the front wheels which are visible, that’s not intentionally part of the design but that fact that only the black is visible throughout the whole with a few hints of grey and gold details; normally we would have exposed blue or red LEGO Technic pins which normally takes away from most LEGO models but in this case it's only very minor which is great for a model at this scale. Value for Money This retails for £159.99 in the UK and contains 1869 pieces. The price shocked me; then I saw the designer video and was impressed with the size; now that I own it I can say it’s damn huge. It's beauty is the size and details; just speechless. The Dark Knight and Batman fans will really appreciate this model, it delivers a different and educational build experience, compared to your average set as it’s aimed towards adults and collectors. The other day I checked the price for the Tyre Wide Ø81,6X44 and I discovered that they are on the LEGO Bricks and Pieces feature and they go for about £8 each! Now I can understand why the set costs so much, the large tires must be very hard to make and manufacture so therefore the price reflects that. I added all the tires and rims and it came out close to £40. What this means is it would have cost £120 without the tires and rims. You have to understand that's the main reason why the set costs so much. Just like real cars. I plan to buy two more for a Bat-Pod MOC in scale with this Tumbler. Theme Popularity LEGO Batman sets always to well and this will make a great collector’s item. Exclusivity This set is available at LEGO Stores and Shop.LEGO.com and other selected retailers. Surprisingly it’s still listed 1 per customer online which means resellers will be upset and tells us that there is limited availability. Packaging I like the fact they changed the colour of the banner for this set and made is a mix of grey and black. The way they presented the model is just like it's jumped off the screen. On the back of the box we see a main image of the model in the basement, and just below it we have several technical views of the Tumbler. The back also gives us a good look at the interior which is pretty much impossible to see once built. Growth Potential This will do very well as an investment just because LEGO Batman has always done well in the secondary market plus the popularity of The Dark Knight will make it stand out. I can see its price tripled when it's discontinued since LEGO has limited one per customer on Shop.LEGO.com. Display Attributes Yes, this is a great collector’s item and display piece with minor flaws like: It's hasn't got is primary features from the movie; those being an ejectable Bat-Pod, opening doors and steering. I understand and can see that the main goal was to get all those angles and shapes that we see on the actual Tumbler which the designer at LEGO has achieved. The model looks how you would expect it to look, it’s definitely looks like a Tumbler and is instantly recognisable; it's not a very pretty model as it's a military tank therefore it's won't be target to some individuals who like models from LEGO Creator Expert but it's a great and cool vehicle and a great addition to any LEGO Batman collection. It would be a nightmare dusting this model as it has many different angles whilst using elements with visible studs. Whist having all those studs showing takes away from the Tumbler look and looks like random selections of elements put together; one way they should have avoid this if they tiled the entire model, but it would have greatly affected the RRP making it harder for us and costs to make new molds and colours would have been as issue for LEGO. So in a nutshell it had to be done like this. The back view is its most comfortable and standout area in the entire model. The tires are another standout in the set they are so sleek; I wouldn't want those catching any dust! I can see people modifying this in ‘5 - Brick Yellow’ and ‘138 - Sand Yellow’ for the Tumblers used in The Dark Knight Rises, it would take quite a bit of planning to accomplish. Final Analysis/ Conclusion Overall this set it is a must have set for every Batman or The Dark Knight fan. If you’re a LEGO collector of cars this will also be a unique model and it will stand out from other LEGO cars since it's probably one of the biggest car or vehicle of this scale. This set has two unique and exclusive minifigures so if you’re a Batman fan it’s defiantly worth. It also leaves you hanging to try and modify it because it wasn't realistic enough for the designers to get all its primary features into a model of this size but purely as a display pieces it defiantly triumphs as a model and stands out to the other exclusives that are currently available. This set is a best seller so get your hands on it while you can! Hopefully with the success of this set we get a UCS Batmobile from Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice next year! Adeel
  3. Robin Creations

    [REVIEW]: 70205 CHI Razar

    Set name: CHI Razar Set number: 70205 Pieces: 68 Price: $14.99 Release date: 2013 Packaging and Instructions Bag Front On the front of the bag, we see that Razar now uses his Chi to fight forest fires… Bag Back And on the back, Razar is staring of into the sunset as Gorzan sneaks up behind him. We also see a size comparison of his head, the combo model of Razar+Gorzan, and a comic of Razar using Chi to power up. Instructions Nothing special here. As usual, the same picture as on the front of the bag. Random Page No transparent Eris heads this time, just the standard light blue background. Advertisements Ooh, an ad for all the 2013 Chima ultrabuilds. After that, a display of some of the normal Chima sets. Then there’s an ad for Hero Factory sets. Parts Dumped Out The big parts in the big bag, small parts in the small bag, head in it’s own bag. I wonder why they leave the torso skeleton out of the bag. Interesting Parts First off, the black clawed foot, which I suppose isn’t that interesting, considering that it’s in 17 other sets. The new head mold, of course. A lovely “CHIed” up chest piece, which is printed. I would consider the 5M shell in silver fairly rare, appearing in 6 sets. The lovely 3M shell in a nice purple (medium lilac, according to Brickset), that only appears in this and the Constraction Joker set. That odd weapon piece is only in red in this set, and is in the CHI Eris set as well. And finally, the wing pieces from some of the Mixel and Chima sets, in both black and purple. Head The head is pretty cool, but I really think it would have looked better if there was dark red around the eyes. It has some rivets and cracks in it, which looks good. Building Action Frame Besides the wings, it’s pretty standard. They plug this piece into the back of the skeleton to attach the wings. Finished Build Front The black and purple color scheme here does look good. What would really make it look good would be if there were some dark red pieces in there. I actually like those spike pieces on Razar, they give him a nice look. They kind of remind me of talons. Profile I like how the head is slightly hunched over, contributing to his sly, sinister look. His wings don’t stick too far back. Back Wouldn’t it have been nice if they had included an extra shell back here? It looks sort of bare, but the wings do a decent job of bulking up the shoulders. Posing Like most CCBS sets, it has quite a few points of articulation. As one would expect, the wings can move around pretty well, just like extra limbs. Weapons I’m not really sure about those red pieces. On the Lego Shop description it says that they are supposed to be scythes. And those blue pins look pretty bad up close. I think it would look better if these were dark red though. Overall Razar looks pretty neat; He’s rocking a nice color scheme, and if they wanted him to look sinister, they succeeded. But reviewing him made me appreciate Bionicle 2015 so much more. This set is lacking the complexity and uniqueness of Bionicle, as well as the battle in a box idea (the Skull Spiders). Overall, it’s definitely not the best set Lego has ever made, but it is pretty good. I would suggest picking it up if you can.
  4. Hey all, this is a review of the upcoming LEGO Elves Azari's Magic Fire Polybag. This is a promotional polybag given to anyone to purchase the LEGO Elves set in March 2015 on Shop@ Home. I was able to find it in Toys R Us Canada oddly enough (not on shelves but the cashier had a cart with a bunch of them). It only has 27 pieces and the minifigure is slimmer than the regular minifigures but lacks mobility in the legs. Full Review: http://brickpreviews.com/lego-elves-30259-azaris-magic-fire-polybag-review/ Here are some pictures If you like the Elves theme you are in luck as I will be posting review of a bunch of the sets in the next few days!
  5. Name: Infearno Interception Theme: LEGO Ultra Agents Year: 2014 Pieces: 313 Pieces Minifigs: 2 minifigures Price: USD $29.99 This set is nearing the end of its run on shelves as the new wave comes in, but still awaits a review. Personally its my first Ultra Agents set, I went for it because of the Blade Runner similarity. First, of course the box. The back, showing off all the action features and app tie in. The build is divided into two stages in numbered bags. The instructions has a very simple pale green background with grid pattern. Some parts that were interesting to me, I believe only the flame helmet piece is new. Nice to have the space armor in red. I don't buy Star Wars or much action themes so this is my first set with spring loaded missiles. This is the completed first stage of the build. Here you can see the ejection seat mechanism The figures, Agent Soloman Blaze and Infearno. The mech leg is a nice touch but while Soloman is a decent looking figure, Infearno is the clear standout. He really reminds me of a Mega Man villain. His armor, flame throwers and flame board are simple builds but come together very well. The printing on Infearno is very cool, its a shame the armor covers it up actually. But its great to have the printing available. The final build, look familiar? Getting even more Blade Runner-ish in this mode. All features open, the spring fire missiles work reasonably well and its nice they can be hidden. I feel like this should've been reverse printed or else the instructions should show it going on the inside. Lastly, here are the extras. Thanks for reading. Playability: 8/10 Nice articulation, typical flick fire missiles, ejection seat. Great swooshability for a small vehicle. Design: 9/10 The car design comes together very well. Unusual but functional front wheels. Doesn't feel fragile despite nice detailing. Price: 7/10 Average price per piece, I think this would be better at $25 despite quite a few trans pieces. Now is the time to get it on clearance. Minifigures: 8/10 Soloman is classy but not too exciting, Infearno is excellent. Parts: 7/10 Good amount of trans bricks, there are 1x2 trans light blue used that could have been simply dark bley. Total: 39/50 Solid build, good design, I'm tempted to pick up more Ultra Agents sets.
  6. Hey all, here is my review of the second tribe of the Series 4 Mixeles, the Infernites. While the colors on this look pretty cool and great for display, I still like the glowkies best as they seem to have more moving parts and the glow in the dark feature is awesome. Here is the review: http://brickpreviews...ernites-review/ Some pics
  7. brickpreviews

    Review Speed Champions McLaren P1

    As requested by one of the mods here, here is my review of the McLaren P1 newly released on March 1 The Basics Release Date: March 1, 2015 Theme: Speed Champions Age: 7-14 Pieces: 168 MRSP: $14.99 USD, $19.99 CAD Box Dimensions: The Car McLaren P1 is a hybrid supercar designed by the British automaker McLaren Automotive. It is a limited edition car with only 375 units being produced for the price of 1.35 million USD per vehicle to start. It is capable of 217 MPH (350 KM/H) for max speed and can reach 0-60 MPH in 2.7 seconds. Here are some pictures of the real car from the McLaren website. The Box LEGO McLaren P1 comes in a small sized box with 4 unnumbered bags, 2 instruction manuals and a sticker page. I never understood why some speed champion sets have 2 instruction manuals while other sets have them merged into one. Minifigure This set comes with a standard driver minifigure with a silver helmet and painted jacket with McLaren logo in the front and back. Accessory Build The accessory build here is simply 3 traffic cones and a race curb. The traffic cones will definitely come in hand for any other LEGO City sets. McLaren P1 The average build time will be around 15-20 minutes. The instruction manual is pretty detailed so it is hard to make mistakes. There are lots of stickers to apply though and that can take some time to get them just right. We will start with the body using the typical black vehicle base common to many small vehicle builds. Next up is the hood/front bumper. Note the usage of yellow wheel covers (6103455) which are new parts. After the wheel covers we will build the rear bumper. The rear bumper utilize a black plate modified with racer car grille. Some stickers will be applied here to represent the rear lights. The doors here also utilize some stickers to convey the curved edges. The McLaren P1 features a rear spoiler, which uses a new part (6105957). The windshield is a painted piece that is also a completely new part (6107333) The wheels for the McLaren P1 are black (6104403) but it utilize the same tires as all the other speed champion cars. Two sets of interchangeable wheel trims are provided. Here is the final build. Final Thoughts Out of the 3 hybrid supercars I have reviewed so far (LaFerrari, Porsche 918, and McLaren P1), the McLaren P1 model is probably my favourite. The yellow/black theme is really nice to look at and the black wheels are pretty sexy. At around 9 cents per piece this set isn’t that expensive either. While the model is not comparable to the real car, I think it represented the overall shape fairly well. Here are some comparison images with the other Speed Champion cars I have reviewed. Alternative link for those prefer small images: http://brickpreviews...aren-p1-review/
  8. Name: City 30313 Garbage Truck Theme: LEGO System / City Year: 2015 Pieces: 48 Minifigs: 1 minifigure Price: USD $3.49 I picked up this new polybag in the Easter section at Target. The parts. Front end could use a bit more detail, but a nice little utility vehicle vehicle. The extras, not much but the black arm is a nice piece. Playability: 7/10 For a $3.49 set its not bad with the trash and shovel and cans to put them in. Design: 8/10 Its a polybag, but the little mechanism for the cans is nice. Could use some sort of front fairing. In general this stood out to me more than some of the recent City polybags. Reminds me of a John Deere Gator type vehicle. Price: 7/10 Average price per piece, nice printing on minifig but nothing new. Minifigure: 6/10 Pretty typical blue collar worker type figure. Seems like a lot of these guys have facial hair in the LEGO world. Parts: 7/10 The trash cans are moderately valuable, the arms with hooks are always useful, and the oldschool car base is not found in too many sets these days. Total: 35/50 A pretty average set but would make a nice addition to a park scene. Will be watching to get a couple more cheap if they make it to 50% off the day after Easter.
  9. brickpreviews

    Mixels Series 4 Orbitons Review

    Here is my review of the last tribe of the Mixels Series 4, the green/white space themed Orbitons tribe. http://brickpreviews.com/lego-mixels-series-4-orbitons-review/ Here are some images I took as well
  10. Hey all, here is my review of the first box set of the Elves theme. This is a cheap set priced at $14.99 USD. It has only 1 minifigure (minidoll) and comes with a squirrel animal. There is a little catapult you can use to shoot acorns and a panel with a key you can pull out but otherwise doesn't have much playability. It does have a bunch of new parts and some bright colored pieces that were fairly rare before. Anyways here is the full review: http://brickpreviews.com/lego-elves-41076-farran-and-the-crystal-hollow-review/ Some pics
  11. brickpreviews

    75083 AT-DP Review

    Hey everyone, here is my review of the 75083 AT-DP. I like this walker for display as it is fairly tall and looks great, However has some issues such as being really flimsy and the spring loaded missile are horribly placed and misfire all the time. The new AT-DP minifigures are awesome though and the helmets goes for alot on bricklinks. http://brickpreviews...5083-dp-review/
  12. Hello everyone, The earlier return of the successful original design of the LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 12 is totally out of this world. With just two to three months after the launch of Series 12, The LEGO Group (TLG) has once again taken the world by storm with this brand new equally impressive line-up of 71008: LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13 which is very highly elusive. Before I begin this detailed pictorial review, I will like to give my very most sincere thank you and appreciation to TLG which consist of LEGO CEE and LEGO Collectable Minifigures Design Team for continuing to facilitate and providing me this very exclusive precious rare opportunity to gain access to this LEGO 2015 product which allow me to preview a 'very early' insight before many others could, in order for me to have adequate spare time to work, evaluate and review this absolute amazing newly minted LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13. As a Reviewer, this opportunity is a great honour and I am exceptionally thankful for everything that you guys have done. I cannot believe I have actually completed 15 exhaustive LEGO Pictorial reviews including this current review, solely for the coverage of the LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series / LEGO Minifigures Theme throughout the past four years plus. I will like to thank to Eurobricks Staff/LEGO Ambassador, CopMike and my entire fellow Eurobricks Staffers for being so helpful to this 'WhiteFang' traditional LEGO Collectable Minifigures (CMFs) reviewing endeavour. I am very glad that this ongoing reviewing project is still being continued after all these years. I must also thank my beloved wife, Kim/Belun for being there and supportive throughout this gruesome reviewing period! Seriously without the spouse support to give the blessings of doing a hobby like this that take away many weekends and sleepless nights, one must really thank and reward the wife for being so understanding and supportive. Otherwise, this review will never be make as a reality. It is important to have family and your loved ones to support the stuff that you have enjoyed doing and it also means include doing up LEGO pictorial reviews which is no easy feat. I am truly very pleased that I am able to able to continue to share this very special reviewing achievement with all of you. I hope I have not disappointed anyone in this review, if so, I will like to offer my humble apologies and I really hope I can continue to meet your expectations for this exclusive reviewing coverage. As the Eurobricks tradition depicts, let's do a formal re-cap for all of the past Eurobricks Collectable Minifigures polls once more. It started with a humble beginning of Series 1 followed by Series 2 in the year 2010 and it continue to spread like wildfire with another three strong waves of minifigures craze in the year 2011, putting Series 3, Series 4 and Series 5 in an excellent harvesting year. In the year 2012, we celebrated with Series 6, Series 7 and recent Series 8. With the beginning of the year 2013, we have the recent Series 9, Series 10 and Series 11. In 2014, we have seen the LEGO Movie Series, LEGO Minifigures – The LEGO Simpsons Series and Series 12. Now just before ushering in the year of 2015, I will like to invite the Eurobricks Community to cast their votes into this complete brand new LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13 poll statistics as well. Name: 71008 LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13 Theme: LEGO System / Collectable Minifigures / Series 13 Year: 2015 Minifigs: 16 unique minifigures Price for 1 box: USD N.A, GBP N.A, EURO N.A, SGD N.A Price for 1 packet: USD N.A, GBP N.A, EURO N.A, SGD N.A Resources: Brickset, BrickLink An image of an 71008 LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13 The LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13 main colour schema return in a close resemblance lime green colour or equivalent for this entire release. It is pretty similar and resemble to the third 8803 LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 3 colour schema and a quite close relative of this colour group, which is the 71002 LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 11. Please excuse me for the disappointment, that I will not be showing all of the previously released boxes of the LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series for comparison, similar to this image due to inaccessible reach of these boxes at this current moment. [Reference 1] [Reference 2] [Reference 3] [Reference 4] What could possibly contain within these mysterious sealed packets? The next highly anticipated of the incredible new LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13 The LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13 is slated for worldwide release on the 1st January 2015 or 1st February 2015. I do not have the official launch date with me, but I believed this is more or less to be considered an accurate range for this launch. This new Series 13 will just be an outstanding piece of decorated achievement for this very special LEGO Minifigures Theme. No doubt that it has now successfully clocked a total release of three series in the year of 2014 and this new Series 13 will be kicking off to a great start of year 2015 with an impressive line-up of originally designed minifigures which can be used together to integrate with the rest of your existing collection. Kudos to the LEGO CMFs Design Team for outdo themselves by amazed us with these 16 more new unique minifigures' designs. It is awesome to see such a traditional series and it is very encouraging to see it continued beyond Series 12. I am not very sure what holds in the future for this LEGO Minifigures Theme. One thing for sure, the LEGO CMFs Design Team will certainly continue to surprise us with great anticipation on our end. Please do note that the naming that I have use for this review are official TLG minifigures naming for the LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13. So, there is absolute no doubt or misinterpretation on the naming used. Front view comparison with Series 13 and together with all available LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 1 to 12, LEGO Movie and Simpsons packets By placing all of these 15 different minifigures packets altogether excluding the LEGO Team GB packet. I did not include the LEGO Team GB packet as it is not considered as part of the mainstream and I am aware that they are others who hold a different opinion. For the purpose of this review, I have decided to opt out of it. From the above image, you will see an impressive transformation from LEGO CMFs Series 1 to the new LEGO Simpsons Series, and now to the current Series 13. Isn't it wonderful to be able to view them from a helicopter view. I will certainly think that this LEGO Minifigures Theme contain a very strong product range just by seeing all of the releases since 2010. Take a closer look at these following images. This is the front view of the LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13 packet, while this shows the back view of it. This is an image that shows the back view comparison for all of these packets. To the regular readers of my traditional LEGO CMFs review, you will probably notice that this paragraph is something which I have highlight again and again, because I personally felt that it is the most effective method to acquire the highly sought minifigures without taking any drastic measures. Therefore, I am going to highlight this 'same' golden rule, which has been mentioned in my previous reviews. If you are intending to narrow the precious and hard-to-find minifigures that you are bending to collect, please continue to hone the touch and feel method. It is a useful skill set to acquire and locate the minifigures that you want without wasting additional money to randomly acquire them especially when you are intending to buy large quantities. Your sole mission is to memorise and remember the minifigures assortments for each of the specialised designs. Isolate and identify the most unique accessory or accessories that appeared for the particular minifigure. From there, eliminate the torso, head and legs away and feel for other parts. The only disadvantage of this method is much idle time will be most likely wasted if the minifigures that you are seeking for does not exist in the box or ending up having sore numb thumbs after feeling. I personally felt that this approach is the most practical that works the best for me than any other uncommon approaches. Front view comparison between Series 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 packets The LEGO CMFs Series is labelled and back to the traditional numbering. Do note that the numbered 13, is now placed at the bottom left corner of the packet, instead of the usual top right hand corner or the recent placement of Series 12 at bottom right corner. At the same time, you may also notice the removal of the '16 to collect' description from the packaging. I wondered what could that means. In time to come, we will soon see how this numbering will evolve as the years goes by. Meanwhile, here is the back view comparison of all the packets. I have also purposely distinguish the The LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 3, 11 and 13 packets and put them together since these are in a pretty similar colour grouping. Placing Series 3 and Series 13 packets side by side This is the similar observation which I have noticed based on Series 1 and Series 10 packaging. There is a slight difference of the green colour shade. I just find it rather interesting to see how the past released colours grouping is now being re-hashed in recent series. It also make me wondered how does the colours of the packaging are being determined as well. Time will tell, and we will see what the future colours for the subsequent series are. Front view of the LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13 promotional poster Back view of the LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13 promotional poster As you flipped to the back of the LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13 promotional poster, you are able to view a string of random code printed at the back. This random code may require your LEGO ID account at the LEGO official website for login before you can input the random code in the LEGO.com/minifigures. As of now, this URL is invalid. I am sure the full promotional detail and the usage of this random code will be clearly explained. If you notice carefully at the top right hand corner of the promotional poster, you will be able to notice a number 16 which I strongly believed meant that the random code that I have received is catered for the new Series 13: Galaxy Trooper minifigure. Although the Galaxy Trooper numbered 16 has appeared in other packaging, the random code given is totally unique. Thus, I have a strong gut feeling that we are somehow require to collect all 16 different minifigures with their unique code being input into this site to unlock and complete for this promotion. For certain, this marketing promotion is definitely linked to this Collect and Win participation. I am sure we can win some decent and interesting prizes by TLG by collecting these codes and input into the website to attempt to redeem something. All the more reasons, to open up your mint packaging to reveal the promotion code since there is a chance to try your luck to win something greater. This is definitely the first of its kind TLG marketing promotion which is being introduced and for all you knows. It may even appear in some places before the celebration of Christmas. 1) The valorous Classic King The introduction of the very first Series 13 minifigure is none other than the valorous Classic King. No empire or state can survive long without a King leading and protecting the safety of his citizens. The line of kingship comes a very long way in the course of time. By doing a simple search, you will find a comprehensive listing of LEGO Kings minifigures in not so recent times. Please note that the listing which I provide is incomplete and I am very sure that there are other older generation of Kings that were not indicated there. All of these Kings have one thing in common. It is the usage of this chrome gold crown which can be easily identified of his kingship. I personally felt that this Classic King is a class of its own and unparalleled against those mainstream Kings which have been discussed above. This Classic King has an unique royal aura of his own that dignify his nobility through his attire. The overall colour schema of utilising red, blue and white represent and symbolises royalty. Furthermore, this design is very much suitable in the medieval age where you can easily use it to showcase him as an actual king in your playing scenario display. This is a close up view of the Classic King. Parts assortment The parts assortment for the Classic King is excellent. It comes with a good variety of accessories, which include the newly crafted design of this two tier cloth to form the royal cape of the Classic King through the combination of white and red. The white cloth also contains white printed spots which provide plentiful of nice detail from the back view and side view. It also comes with a new golden colour for the broadsword which will make a fine piece of medieval weapon. You can view the Classic King's true appearance without the beard on and a clearer look at his royal outfit. Next, you add the brown beard for the King to give a much stronger detail on his facial appearance, even though there are printed beard on his face. The best accessory in this minifigure design is the total revamp and complete new design of this new gold matt looking crown to represent the Classic King's kingship. You can see the obvious difference between the traditional gold crown and the new design. Personally, I felt it is about time that we have a new crown design instead of the usual run-of-the-mill design. It looks more real and nicer looking, that kind of stay true to those television dramas or movies. I really wonder if we will see this crown again in the future Kings of the LEGO Castle Theme. The Kings of the Medieval Age Introducing the new castle characters We are allies that would depend on one another You are not my match 2) The impartial Sheriff The impartial Sheriff has a reputation of not liked to be messed around with, especially to his Sheriff's badge which is a sign of disrespect. He is a dedicated law enforcer in the old Wild West Western Town to keep the outlaws at bay. He will stop at nothing to maintain law and order in the town and to protect the safety of others. As far as I can recall, I have only seen this classic LEGO Sheriff minifigure from 1996 to 2002. It is nice to finally see a brand new redesigned of the Sheriff. Of course, please do not forget the robotic Sheriff in the LEGO Movie 2014. This newly assigned Sheriff is an excellent integrative addition to the ongoing LEGO CMFs Wild West population. Parts assortment The parts assortment for the Sheriff is surprisingly good. It comes with some good accessories, which include the first of its kind of the minifigure brown colour in this re-hashed moustache that can be attached from the neck up and it can also be used for other minifigures as well. Do note that the brown moustache element can be a little loose and it can easily swing away from the face to the side of it. You are able to view more of the minifigure's details through the back view and side view which revealed a brilliant printed holster at the leg. The new 2x2 printed 'WANTED' tile is a nice touch and the person in the poster kind of reminds me of someone who you will see him soon. You can also view the Sheriff's young appearance without the moustache on and a closer look at his sheriff dark brown khaki outfit which is a great improvement from yesteryears. New LEGO Wild Wild West Series Anyone have seen this criminal? Both of us can assist you, Sheriff I am going to put you in the jail Robots versus Sheriff 3) The adorable Unicorn Girl When my wife and I first saw this Unicorn Girl minifigure design, we knew this is going to be a crazy hit for many AFOLs and children alike. Generally, the unicorn is a mythical fantasy creature which is incredibly hard to find in deep magical enchanted forests. In this setting, this lovely girl decided to don herself with the Unicorn Character costume and became a mascot with it. Seriously, this is just like a child's dream to be able to have a chance to grasp this adorable Unicorn Girl, that is somehow can be forcefully associated with My Little Pony on a limited comparing capacity. I got a very strong feeling that this design is going to be extremely popular, similar to the Series 12 Piggy Guy, which is very very challenging to find in local shops. I also can't help but to think that this Unicorn Girl is somehow closely related to the influence of the UniKitty since Matthew Ashton, Vice President of Design (TLG) is the key person behind the original creation of the UniKitty. I do know that he has some influence over the direction of the LEGO CMFs designs. In this case, I felt it could be a case that the Unicorn Girl might just be related to UniKitty, one way or another. This is my mere conjecture though. Parts assortment The parts assortment for the Unicorn Girl is pretty good. Even though there is no accessory for her to hold, the key focus is the outstanding design and starry bright colour detail at the front view. You are also able to view the adorable horse headpiece which does allow us to detach the horn away and transform it into her horse, even though there is a small visible hole. From her back view and side view, you can marvel at the fine purple tail and hair through this angle pose as well. The usage of the purple tail is commendable and I am glad to see this new component being used out of the LEGO Simpson which is by far seen with Scratchy. Common Colours Mascot Character Costumes Fairytale Characters 4) The mysterious Snake Charmer Who will ever expect to see an actual LEGO Snake Charmer minifigure? I am surprised and pleased with this design. Snake charming is an art of hypnotise a snake by playing an instrument called a pungi and has lasted for many centuries since the days of ancient Egypt. I will like to take this unique minifigure to be used in my LEGO collection by placing it in my Adventurers and Prince of Persia to let him carry out his snake charming trade in the bustling market street. Take another look in this close up view of the Snake Charmer. Parts assortment The parts assortment is good, and the main attraction of this minifigure is ought to be the new green cobra snake. This is an excellent opportunity to introduce the new snake element which is in the form of a cobra. It has nice prints which can be seen from the back view and side view which revealed the fine details of this snake. This new green cobra snake is a worthy addition as part of the ongoing nice LEGO CMFs animals. The remaining pieces are not too interesting, including the normal looking brown stick that meant to represent a flute or pungi. Well, at least I find the white turban is nice to have which show the wrapping lines from the back view. We will like a change of our pet snake Stay clear from us We are your Master 5) The nasty Goblin The nasty Goblin is one of the most exciting minifigures for castle fans like me, who has been yearning to see an original Goblin Soldier design. In this case, this is just a perfect outcome for a Goblin minifigure ransacking and looting from others. The only recent times that we had actual Goblin Soldiers, was from the Hobbits in 2012. There were other kinds of Goblins that were produced before, but none of which are made suitable for castle setting. However, we do get his other kind of counterparts such as the orcs and trolls. Either way, this Goblin is a perfect addition to the existing warring rivalry in the LEGO Castle Theme and this design is a great choice of a foot soldier. Perhaps, one day we may just see more of his kind in the future. Parts assortment The parts assortment is pretty good, especially of the inclusion of a typical scimitar design even though I did hope that they can include a new weapon design for the goblin other than recycling this design. The loot bag is the same design as previous bags, as seen in Series 8 - Santa, but coated with a darker brown colour. The Goblin has a nice new designed headpiece with pointed ears that is meant for Goblin. It is not the same as the Series 11 - Holiday Elf, for example. You can see the new headpiece design from the back view and side view, including skirt printing at the side. Castle Fantasy Characters Stop that Goblin from coming near to that cart New baddies in this realm Goblins and Orcs partnership 6) The meticulous Paleontolgist This is a surprising minifigure design and a very meaningful design to me as well. I am very glad to see this meticulous Paleontolgist being created in the form of minifigure. I would prefer it to have it as a male counterpart but I will definitely not mind having a female one instead. It is my childhood dream of wanting to be a Paleontolgist, but it is just not a viable profession in Singapore and it is not a job that is in demand in this part of the world. Well, Paleontology is a scientific study of life including the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments. Take a nice look in this close up view of the Paleontolgist in her working attire. For sure, I will tend to think this minifigure is much suitable for the very hard-to-find 21110 Research Institute set. Parts assortment The parts assortment for the Paleontolgist is not bad. She received a new safari hat design which can be seen clearly from her back view and side view. I am much fond of the fossil that she is holding onto. It appears to be some form of shell-liked creatures, while the other hand is just a simple white bone which may just perhaps belong to some prehistoric animals or dinosaurs. I did tell you that I am no expert in this, but thanks to our MCW Moderator, LuxorV who happened to know the origin of this fossil and it appears to be an ammonoidea. It is something which is very hard to comprehend unless you are studying or researching in this area. So, kudos to the designers for including something that is very realistic in nature instead of just doing a fictitious fossil. Adventurous Explorers Dangerous Recovery Expedition Ahhhh! This is not your fossil! Pleased to meet you, Jungle Boy 7) The fearless Alien Trooper Space fans that enjoy the Space Police 3 theme will look forward to get their hands on this fearless Alien Trooper. This Alien Trooper appears to resemble like an organic squid looking creature but in a striking lime green tone and creepy blue eyes. This seemed to be a new faction of Alien species which is classified under trooper or soldier equivalent. Not sure of his real affiliation though, but I tend to put this Alien Trooper under the evil side, battling against the Series 7 - Galaxy Patrol. This minifigure would either make or break. It means if there is a strong urge to army build this minifigure, it will also means this person is amassing a big fleet of Alien Troopers to rally, but past historical data has proven that similar alien related space minifigures can still easily be found in the wild. Parts assortment The parts assortment is quite alright and the main focus for this design is the newly crafted alien head where you see the outline clearly from the side view. There is also back printing as well. The remaining accessories are rather common and they did their best effort to recycle the Dino gun to represent a space blaster instead. Are you going to end up the same fate as I do? Evil Space Villains Non-Lethal Space Engagement 8) The loyal Egyptian Warrior Am I the only person who is excited? I bet I am not the only person to be screaming for this minifigure! The loyal Egyptian Warrior is one of the highly anticipated designs ever, especially with the earlier releases of the Series 2 - Pharaoh and the Series 5 - Pharaoh Queen. With this released of this minifigure, the LEGO universe can finally amass a full pledged living Ancient Egypt Empire. It will excite many of us out there, including historical fans and army builders. You can take a close up view of the Egyptian Warrior. Parts assortment The parts assortment for the Egyptian Warrior is impressive. The inclusion of the pearl gold khopesh weapon and the newly inverted triangle shield design, which portray the sun and the pyramid in nice pearl gold coating. It is also very rare to see shields being held in an inverted manner. You can take a moment to view the accessories in here and also upon holding the inverted shield. The full warrior attire is just plain amazing. You can see the back printing and marvel at the newly designed headpiece from the side view. Seeing this minifigure coming to reality is truly a dream come true for many. Ancient Egypt One of the greatest ancient empire ever My duty is to protect your tomb Rid of those foul evils The mightiest brave historical soldiers 9) The hardworking Carpenter City fans are in for a treat as this is the very first appearance of a hardworking Carpenter who is responsible for the wood works in LEGO Town. I am pretty pleased to see a new specialised occupation in the town where he is suitable to deploy in various parts of the town to carry out his forte. Armed with his bunch of tools at his waist, you can take a closer look of how ready our Carpenter is. Parts assortment The parts assortment for the Carpenter is above average. Note the fine details on his working attire and I am fond of the printed detail such as the chest hair near the shirt's collar. You can also notice his hard hat with hair fringes from the back view and the sleeve printing from his side view. The most impressive thing about the Carpenter is the given accessories. The saw is a complete new tool which contains two distinct colours to differentiate the handle and the saw blade. The new 1x4 printed wooden pattern tile is brilliant. It is a useful printed tile which can be used to crave and add detail at the house exterior. I am always fond of printed wooden tiles and this new piece will fit in nicely with the existing collection of printed wooden tiles. I have delivered your wood Time for a good drink after work We will like you to help with carpentry work 10) The treacherous Evil Wizard This is a very nice addition to LEGO Castle fans. Finally, we are going to get a brand new design of the treacherous Evil Wizard. Although there are many good and bad Wizards throughout LEGO minifigures universe, but there are not many evil Wizards around to terrorise the good guys. In this case, the Evil Wizard will be a fitting arch-enemy for the Series 12 - Wizard. Judging from the Evil Wizard's scorching red appearance, he seem to be a master of dark arts and fire magic, with perhaps specialisation in necromancy. Parts assortment The parts assortment is pretty good. The most amazing thing about this minifigure is the complete new design of the Evil Wizard's fiery black and red cape. It is made up of two piece of fabric to form the base of the upper cap collar. The construction of the weapon is rather common and nothing too fanciful, but lots of attention was focused onto the overall appeal of his evil wizardry attire, especially to the design of his cape. I am particularly fond of his evil red eyes and the choice of black beard which was also used in the Ninjago - Evil Wu minifigure. Good versus Evil Evil Wizards and Sorcerers We will abide your orders 11) The quick Fencer LEGO City has a new sports category in town and the citizens are talking about the art of fencing. So, people are wondering what is fencing all about. In a nutshell, as provided by the quick Fencer, it is a sport of fighting with swords, especially foils, épées, or sabres, according to a set of rules, in order to score points against an opponent. Well, that is what fencing is all about. This is also an Olympic Sports and has been there since the inaugural games in 1896. I got to admit that with the fencer donning on his protective white outfit, he is definitely ready to strike and score against his opponent. Parts assortment The parts assortment is not too bad. I will have to complement that the fencer's attire is very nicely done. I am particularly like the mask and the logo of the rapiers. Do note that the mask is not the same design like the kendo's helmet. The design also took fine consideration of covering the master hand with white glove. You can view the whole attire from his back view and side view. The rapier weapon was recycled from previous LEGO CMFs Series. Choose your favourite sports character Professional Fencers Make it count 12) The steadfast Samurai Although traditionally in feudal Japan, it is highly uncommon to see woman being a samurai warrior, but to protect the honour of the samurai family, they choose to bear arms and fight to protect the family's honour. Seeing this minifigure coming to reality deserved another celebration, for Ninja lovers and army builders. I did not expect to see a female Samurai in the LEGO CMFs, since the last recent one that we have saw, was Nya in her "Samurai X" outfit. It is a pleasant news to me, especially after the first appearance of the Series 3 - Samurai, we have not seen much of such relevant designs. I have always been an avid fan of LEGO Ninja theme and I have personally amassing my collection of Ninja and Samurai. Seeing this new released female Samurai, it is a great opportunity not to be missed. I am highly excited about this dual wielding Samurai and definitely be facing stiff competition from the public. Do take a closer look at the Samurai in action. Parts assortment The parts assortment is slightly above average. I am much interested to see what is beneath her samurai armour and thankfully, it is a printed torso with oriental flavour on it. It is much better than having a plain red torso which impedes the usage of interchangeability. So, I took the Series 3 - Samurai and refresh what is beneath his armour and showing a simple comparison between both. True enough, my hands went itchy and went around swapping the parts between both Samurai, which give a pretty positive results. I like the remaining accessories including the newly printed samurai armour, dual katanas and hairdo. With her full gear on, you can view the nice details from the back view and side view. We have another new Samurai The Feudal Japan Don't let them steal the chest away Samurai Masters 13) The energetic Disco Diva It is back to the retro and the energetic Disco Diva is in the house. Wow, her overall attire is just strikingly purple with the very nice done-up hairdo. She moves around in her white roller skates and sings her melody through the microphone. This is going to be a fun night with her crashing into the party. It is unexpected to see such a design and I will have to said that the printed details are just plain amazing. With her bling bling shade and shiny attire, you can just take a closer look at her smile and let her dance your night away with her singing. Parts assortment The parts assortment is quite average with the inclusion of a new printed microphone and white roller skates. However, the main highlight is definitely her retro purple attire. There are just so much detailed printing of bubbles or circles representation as can be seen from her back view and side view including her sleeves. Her overall design is pretty amazing indeed. Disco Fever and Dance your Night away These hairdos are awesome Retro Performance Roller Skate Girls 'LIVE' musical concert in City Square Central 14) The delicious Hot Dog Man Who is feeling hungry? Well, I can't help it but to feel my stomach growling after seeing this delicious Hot Dog, donned by this gentleman. This Hot Dog Man is certainly there to place as part of the marketing mix to promote the sales of hot dog. His suit is made up of a big sliced bun with a steamed hot dog and mustard applied onto it. This is just so amazing, and he is definitely smiling happily in his suit. I will think this is another popular minifigure among adults and children alike that could just entice many others to search for this unique and special design. I just can't believe that the designer actually thought of doing this at all. Glad to see this becoming a reality. Parts assortment The parts assortment is average as there are zero accessories given for the Hot Dog Man. However, the main design focus is to ensure the singular piece of hot dog suit is done accurately with just one click. The man can just take off the hot dog suit as one piece and the suit still remain like an edible looking hot dog. You can't stop to marvel the fine detail from the back view and side view. Hot Dog Man, we are hungry... Hot Dog and Ice Cream Cart Vibrant City Scene 15) The fierce Lady Cyclops This is also an unexpected female counterpart minifigure which is designed to pair up with the Series 9 - Cyclops. I just didn't expect to see this coming and the exact shaping is similar to the male design as well. At least now we know that female Cyclops come in different colour skin tone. Although she might be a female, but I do believe she can be rather fierce and temperamental. With her eyes wide awake, I wonder what she will do with her club? Parts assortment The parts assortment for the Lady Cyclops is average, including the common club. She comes with nice detailed back printing and the shape of the Cyclops body can be examined closer from the side view. The minifigure head comes in two different emotions, namely the half awake and the full awake. Do check out the difference of both Cyclops in their snooze mode and fully awake mode. Can the heroic Spartan hold them off? Let's run and get out of here!!! 16) The elite Galaxy Trooper This is the last minifigure highlight in Series 13, and it is none other than the elite Galaxy Trooper. I am very pleased to see a new variant of the Galaxy Trooper which is tougher, monotone, highly armoured than the Series 7 - Galaxy Patrol. Suggested by the name 'trooper', I believe this Galaxy Trooper is the foot solider for the Space Defenders I am surprised that the symbol on the armour suit is not belonging to Classic Space logo. Instead, you might notice that his symbol represent his affiliation which is geared towards the recent LEGO Galaxy Squad. This is a very pleasant surprise indeed. In this case, this Galaxy Trooper is featured in his battle mode which is super battled ready and he can switch back to the non-combat mode. I will think this is another popular space army building minifigure among the collectors, including myself which also inspired me to expand my troopers as well, along with the existing ranks of Galaxy Patrols and to add it to my existing Galaxy Squad collection. Parts assortment The parts assortment is great, especially with the newly impressive space armour that can hold the dual space blasters securely at the back of it. You can see how the dual blasters are placed by seeing the back view. If you have observed carefully, you may also notice the same logo at the front also appearing at the back of it. The side view also reveal the fine detail of the entire minifigure. I really felt that the newly designed space armour revolutionise on how the space blasters can be stored for safe transportation, which will be shown in my simple MOC creation: Skylet Spacecraft. Space Troopers Specialised Space Combat Armours Classic Space Defenders Galaxy Trooper reporting for Skylet Skylet Commanding Pilot New space armour enable weapons to store nicely General Statistics for 71008 LEGO Minifigures - The LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13 Below is the combination which I have received from my box, 4 Classic Kings 4 Sheriffs 3 Unicorn Girls 4 Snake Charmers 5 Goblins 3 Paleontologists 4 Alien Troopers 4 Egyptian Warriors 5 Carpenters 4 Evil Wizards 3 Fencers 3 Samurai 3 Disco Divas 3 Hot Dog Men 3 Lady Cyclops 5 Galaxy Troopers Based on the above distribution, I have managed to achieve only three full complete sets of 16 one-of-a kind minifigures each. It means I will have 12 remaining random spares left. Read down to find out what are the remaining spares I have. My remaining spares 1 Classic Kings 1 Sheriffs 0 Unicorn Girls 1 Snake Charmers 2 Goblins 0 Paleontologists 1 Alien Troopers 1 Egyptian Warriors 2 Carpenters 1 Evil Wizards 0 Fencers 0 Samurai 0 Disco Divas 0 Hot Dog Men 0 Lady Cyclops 2 Galaxy Troopers Data Analysis Given the complete new data which I have compiled and received, I have indicated my comprehensive analysis based on my individual viewpoint. By buying one full complete MISB box, it will allow you to achieve three maximum complete unique sets. Ever since the significant shift of the distribution ratio in LEGO Minifigures - The Simpsons, TLG have miraculously return to the LEGO consumers with the traditional three complete sets. The ongoing LEGO CMFs Series 13 has also continued the best ideal arrangement of having three full sets in a sealed box of 60. I am extremely pleased with this outcome which will definitely be much eventful. I felt the appeals of these minifigures are taken into a brand new level despite giving due considerations, restrictions and limitations which the LEGO CMFs Design Team has to work with. The LEGO CMFs Design Team will have to base on their best judgement through the support of market research data and probably parts per piece count manufacturing process in order to determine the distribution ratio. As you have noticed through the given distribution ratio, the less appealing minifigures such as the Palaeontologist, Disco Diva, Fencer and Lady Cyclops do not need to have a larger number of identical minifigures in a box and is suitable for the distribution ratio of three. However, it will be even better if the Samurai can be given a distribution ratio of four or five since it is considered to be a potential army building minifigure which would be highly sought for. While, City or Town related minifigures such as the Unicorn Girl and Hot Dog Man, it will be better if it can be given a distribution ratio of four due to the high possibility of them being popular minifigures similar to the past LEGO CMFs mascot character costumes. I am extremely pleased to see the Classic King, Evil Wizard, Egyptian Warrior, Goblin and Galaxy Troopers to be given with this current ratio since these could be highly probability of being the popular ones which are most likely to be taken out of the box first. Ultimately, I am satisfied with this distribution arrangement and I will think that they have done their best to ascertain the popularity level of these minifigures to their best knowledge and ability. Well, I can certainly see that many popular minifigures in this series would just be the case of potential army building. What do you think? All in all, I think the LEGO CMFs Design Team did an excellent job in this distribution allocation. What do you guys think about this round of distribution? Do you share the same sentiments as I do? To conclude and summaries, based on the probability demonstrated by this review, as an example, here are the results, High probability 1) Goblins 2) Carpenters 3) Galaxy Troopers Total range: 25% Each: 8.33% Medium probability 1) Classic Kings 2) Sheriffs 3) Snake Charmers 4) Alien Troopers 5) Egyptian Warriors 6) Evil Wizards Total range: 40% Each: 6.67% Low probability 1) Unicorn Girls 2) Palaeontologists 3) Fencers 4) Samurai 5) Disco Divas 6) Hot Dog Men 7) Lady Cyclops Total range: 35% Each 5% The LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13 will be launching on the 1st January 2015 or 1st February 2015 (worldwide) To conclude, the LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13, without any doubt, has put together an terrific and remarkable effort to introduce even more new highly desired and relevant minifigures designs into this ongoing LEGO Minifigures Series. It is no easy challenge to be able to create, design and introduce many new creative and original designs to attract to the masses. In fact, I noticed the recent Series 12 release has even attracted more fans into collecting this theme than the LEGO Movie and the LEGO Simpsons, who are not even LEGO fans. By that point, I can really see the increasing popularity of this theme and hopefully it can even retain these casual buyers and convert them into full-pledged LEGO fans. The LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series or known as LEGO Minifigures Theme is an unique commanding class of their own, which distinguish themselves from regular LEGO Theme or special releases. Instead, everything that you have seen in a single released series is all based on the 16 minifigures to reach out to fans, children, adults and collectors of LEGO. It has been a very long tradition and yet they are able to retain the charm and excitement, until today. I will like to point out something and bring to your attention, like what I have done in my Series 12 review. I noticed the removal of the marked indent at the armpit of the minifigures which we will normally associate the production to somewhere in Mainland China, is consistent from Series 12 to Series 13. As indicated at the back of the packaging, the LEGO components in the Series 13 are 100% produced in China. I can also highlight and infer that it is no longer the same production process. I have observed that in our very own Eurobricks discussion that the quality of some Series 12 minifigures parts including the connection process of the head to the hairpiece and the torso to the legs are rather loose than normal for some minifigures. However, the overall quality for the Series 12 is still made up of high quality ABS plastic. I suspect that TLG may have changed the production process or technology for producing these minifigures. At least from what I have obtained for this review, the minifigures in Series 13 do not suffer the very obvious loose parts symptoms. The quality is better than before but until now, nothing is for certain why the removal of the marked indent and the rational of it. Nothing can be certain and based on this paragraph that I have indicated, is merely my own wild conjecture. Now with a total of 240 minifigures released for the entire Series 1 to 12, the recent LEGO Movie Series, LEGO Simpsons Series and the current LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13, not including Mr. Gold which unfortunately I do not have the blessings or lucky stars to own it till this date, and the special exclusive Toy Soldier minifigure that can only be obtained through The Minifigures Character Encylopedia. At this rate that it has been releasing, I believe most of the display collectors for this LEGO Minifigures Series, will need to source and upgrade their display capabilities by creating future provision for upcoming new releases in the near future. With this LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13 in the releasing schedule for the start of year 2015, what more exciting new series will TLG have for us. Only time will tell and let's be patient about it. I am confident that it is worth the wait. Please note that the The LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 13 do not contain the placement of LEGO spare parts/accessories. This was practiced since the start of LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series 3. Summary review Playability: 8/10 (Plentiful new minifigure designs that can be integrated across many new and existing themes/settings.) Design: 8.5/10 (Excellent detailed printing with good new accessories especially the new design of the capes.) Price: 7.5/10 (I believe pricing may remain the same for Singapore, but prices have gone up for other regions and if it remains, this will go down by one notch.) Overall: 8/10 (Prepare yourself for this upcoming new Series 13 and hope you can get the ones that you want the most! There are at least one minifigure that will bound to attract you.) I gave it a "5" based on my Review Score Card. What about yours? I hope every one of you enjoyed reading this simple review of mine. Comments and Criticisms are strongly welcomed. Pictures can be found in My Flickr. If you are interested to read the past LEGO Collectable Minifigures Series reviews, you may find the following links below! 8683: Collectable Minifigures Series 1 8684: Collectable Minifigures Series 2 8803: Collectable Minifigures Series 3 8804: Collectable Minifigures Series 4 8805: Collectable Minifigures Series 5 8827: Collectable Minifigures Series 6 8831: Collectable Minifigures Series 7 8833: Collectable Minifigures Series 8 71000: Collectable Minifigures Series 9 71001: Collectable Minifigures Series 10 71002: Collectable Minifigures Series 11 71004: Collectable Minifigures The LEGO Movie Series 71005: Collectable Minifigures The LEGO Simpsons Series 71007: Collectable Minifigures Series 12
  13. Hi everyone! While being on a trip in Denmark, I've been able to get my hands on the Stormtrooper Sergeant Polybag. It's seems that this one is pretty rare, considering there is none on Bricklink (yet), and only one available on Ebay. How so? This one is, so far, only available in the BR shops...and supposedly "only gave away when you come by dressed as a Stormtrooper". As it is not indicated, you will also have to ask (nicely) to the BR shops staff :) Here are some pictures. Sorry for the quality but I didn't have any proper white background. Nothing interesting on the back of the package, except maybe the reference 5002938 - Item : 6105721 which I forgot to shoot. What do you get? 5 parts + a tissus epaulet (similar to other lego cloaks). Good thing is, the blaster is a classic style one...Less playability, but doesn't look like a pickle pot launcher. Now, let's compare with some other Troopers. Below, you can see the one from the Troop Transport battlepack (blue marks on the helmet), and the one from the Ewoks Village : And here is the one from the polybag : So basically, you get almost the same trooper as in the battlepack, with a classic blaster and an epaulet...But if you look in details, the lines below the eyes are black (instead of grey for the battlepack troopers). Maybe this little detail will get you excited and send you to a new "Find this polybag" quest? If not, then what we complain about? This polybag is available for free, no minimum buy or so :) The only thing that bother me - just a little bit - is that you can't rise the right arm with the blaster in it, thank you epaulet! Maybe that's why troopers can't shoot properly... Anyway, hope you like this left handed little guy! Could be a nice adition to the current Battlepack :)
  14. ... There stood a tower of marvelous shape. It was fashioned by the builders of old, who smoothed the Ring of Isengard, and yet it seemed a thing not made by the craft of Men, but riven from the bones of the earth in the ancient torment of the hills. A peak and isle of rock it was, black and gleaming hard: four mighty piers of many-sided stone were welded into one, but near the summit they opened into gaping horns, their pinnacles sharp as the points of spears, keen-edged as knives. Between them was a narrow space, and there upon a floor of polished stone, written with strange signs, a man might stand five hundred feet above the plain. - JRR Tolkien, The Two Towers Orthanc is the tower home of traitor wizard Saruman. It sits in the centre of Isengard, a once-lush valley at the southern end of the Misty Mountains, the range which runs like a spine down the centre of Middle-Earth. It is one of the eponymous Two Towers of the middle episode of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, together with Barad-Dûr (in the movies) or Minas Morgul (in the novels). This set represents the flagship of the LEGO Lord of the Rings range. It was first spotted in the background of a photograph of The LEGO Group's design workshop some time ago, but finally revealed in an official press release in April of this year. Although it is not scheduled for release until July, I was lucky to snag an early copy from the shop at LEGOLAND Deutschland during the Eurobricks Event. The sheer scale of the towers of the Lord of the Rings saga - Barad-Dûr, Minas Tirith, Minas Morgul, and Orthanc - makes them difficult to render in LEGO bricks at an affordable price, which I suspect is why TLG have shied away from producing sets of these behemoths ... until now. Of the four, Orthanc is probably the most achievable; let's see how the result shapes up. Review: 10237 The Tower of Orthanc Set Information Name: The Tower of Orthanc Number: 10237 Theme: Lord of the Rings (Shop@Home Exclusive) Release: July 2013 Parts: 2359 Figures: 5 minifigures, Eagle, and Ent Price: GB £169.99 | US $199.99 | EUR 199.99 | AU $279.99 | CA $249.99 | DKK 1699.00 Links ... Shop@Home ... Brickset ... Bricklink ... Peeron The Box Click for a larger full-frontal image This is a big box. It has the same frontal dimensions as last year's UCS-scale 10227 B-Wing Starfighter - a similarly priced set, though with fewer pieces - but it isn't as deep. Orthanc is shown amidst the Ent-derived desolation of the valley of Isengard; an unnamed Ent shakes an Uruk while another Orc attempts to bring him down with a grappling hook; Gandalf simultaneously escapes on an eagle in a strange time-warp of the storyline. A darkening sky sets the mood of the scene perfectly; quite why Barad-dûr is visible in the background is anyone's guess. The height of Orthanc isn't readily apparent from the picture; a small inset therefore demonstrates the tower's dimensions. Round the back, the tower's entire detailed interior is displayed for your perusal, accompanied by insets of various scenes: some canon, some less so. Click for a larger image Behind the parchment-like insets lies a map of Middle-Earth set on a beautiful gradient from earth blue on the right to fiery orange on the left; this is visible to a lesser extent on the front ... ... and continues on the sides: Here are left and right sides respectively. The latter's top edge is on the right, so the map - which continues at the top end of this side - is the right way up. Isengard is just visible in the centre, about a third of the way from the right, at the end of the Misty Mountains range. Kudos to the box artist if its placement here was deliberate. The five minifigures are represented in 1:1 scale on the box top ... ... while the bottom has a wall of text with the usual language lesson. My box is a little battered here, but it has just travelled six hundred miles in the back of an over-packed car. It appears that the set's components were made in DENMARK, CHINA, SWEDEN, HUNGARY, MEXICO, HONG KONG, the CZECH REPUBLIC, NARNIA, the MOON, and EVERYWHERE. What's in the Box? The box flaps are sealed with tape, so it can be flat-packed easily. Out falls the separately-wrapped and cardboard-backed Instructions and sticker pack, and eighteen polybags forming fifteen modules: see one to eight, which includes the separately packed Eagle, and nine to fifteen. The Instructions Three booklets are included, all of a similar size and thickness; all featuring the same image as the box front, and all covered with nice glossy paper. On their backs are an advertisement for the LEGO Club, the detestable WinGangeGewinne kid, and a trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug; I'm not sure whether the last is a console game, a web game, a video, or a set; but whatever it is, it's coming in December 2013. Maybe it just refers to the forthcoming cinematic release. The modular construction is demonstrated over three pages at the start of manual one: It's actually a little daunting. Although the build process is modular, most sections start building directly onto the previous; there are only two places where the tower is designed to separate - between modules 9 and 10, and 12 and 13 - but even then, it doesn't separate easily. Part call-outs accompany the instruction steps, which are generally easy to follow. The Middle-Earth map is faintly visible in the parchment-coloured background. Despite the preponderance of blacks and dark bluish-greys, there are no major colour-differentiation issues; I only made one mistake in the entire build - mistaking black for DBG on a 1x1 round plate - and I noticed the error very quickly. The substantial inventory is located over three pages at the back of book three; click the links for pages 1, 2, and 3. Also at the rear of this booklet is a subversive 'Collect them all!' enticement, in the form of a minifigure display: Quite why this is included in an adult-oriented set is anyone's guess, but I guess adults can be pretty obsessive collectors too (though less likely deface their instructions by ticking the boxes). Other sets from the impressive Summer LOTR range are advertised: We are encouraged to buy two copies of the Black Gate in order to complete the scene; quite what we'll do with two Gandalfs the White is questionable, but it will help towards amassing an army of Eagles. I'm particularly looking forward to the Corsair ship with its Dead crew. Sticker haters beware ... ... there's a lot of them. Thankfully, they are all applied to flat surfaces, but that doesn't stop them being a pain in the backside. I've actually applied them this time, so we'll see where they go later. The Parts To save space and sanity, I've paired the bags up to show the parts. Modules One and Two build the Ent: There's a lot of useful reddish and dark brown here, along with some less useful parts. I can live without the reddish brown wing-end modified brick, and the Symmetrical wedge with fractured top may be relatively uncommon, but I can't see it becoming sought-after. New in dark brown are the Technic ball-joint bricks; a rather unexciting brick to find in a new colour, but it might be useful for tree-building (obviously). I am pleased by the selection of reddish-brown and dark brown bricks, plates and slopes; there's also a useful array of SNOT bricks and brackets, along with a smattering of dark and olive green. It's worth pointing out the two reddish-brown half-arches; these are the continuous-curved type, like the older 2339, but have a reinforced underside like the discontinuous style 76768 (and a new mold number: 14395). See here for a comparison. The three printed 1x1 tiles at the bottom-right of the picture are Ent eyes; one is spare. From this point onwards, we'll be seeing a sea of black and grey, so be prepared. Bags Three and Four build the base of the tower, and the Uruk. There are a whole load of useful basic black bricks, plates, and tiles, and a load of dark bluish-grey SNOT bricks, with more to come later. The 7x3 flags are new in earth blue; the new 'Elven' arches start to feature here. Bags Five and Six ... whoa. These form the SNOT sides to the tower base. Whoa. Need black plates/jumpers/headlights/bows/tiles? Look no further. Shame the 1x1 bricks with handle were on the Pick-A-Brick recently. Saruman appears with Bags Seven and Eight, and he brings with him more black jumpers and headlights: The 4x4 round plate with central cut-out is new in black. Just in front of the red Light Brick is a green and black round ball, the purpose of which we'll see in due course, if you haven't guessed already. There's also ten 1x3 black arches in this selection. Bag Nine should have been included with 7 and 8 - it forms part of the same section: the Throne Room. Here we start to see lots of black 1x2 bricks with grooves, which will feature prominently throughout the set. The two trans-yellow crystal ball globes also appear in the contemporary 79005 Wizard Battle, and serve exactly the same purpose here. Moving on to Bags Ten and Eleven, the black theme continues ... ... here accompanied by Gríma, and many more useful headlights, SNOT bricks, cheeses and tiles. The trans-clear flask with purple liquid makes its first appearance in a non-Collectable Minifigure set. Gandalf finally appears with Bags Twelve and Thirteen: 1x2 grooved bricks, 1x1 bricks, and 1x2 plates with ridge dominate the selection here; in the top right corner are several 2x2x3 slopes and their corner equivalents. Just visible at the front is a single trans-clear minifigure head - I love this part. And finally, Bags Fourteen and Fifteen build the tower's summit with its spines. There are lots of clippy- and clicky-hinges; the latter make for an interesting build technique, as we shall see. The four black 'Persian' arches contrast to the much larger quantity of 'Elven' arches we have seen earlier. Parts Summary There might not be a great spread of new or rare parts in this set, but I hope I have demonstrated the massive quantity of useful elements included. Here are the front-runners: 113 Black 1x1 Brick 86 Black 1x2 Brick with grooves 73 Black 1x2 Plate 58 Black 1x1 Brick with vertical handle 58 Black 1x2 Jumper Plate 54 Black 1x1 Headlight Brick 45 Black 1x1 Plate 41 Black 1x2 Brick 37 Black 1x1 Cheese Wedge 37 Black 1x1 Tile 37 Black 1x2 Plate with ridge 36 Black 1x10 Bow 32 Black 1x3 Brick 32 DkBGr 1x4 SNOT Brick 26 Black 1x3x3 Elven Arch All in all, this makes a great parts pack - if you need black. The Figures From left to right: Saruman the White, Gríma Wormtongue, Gandalf the Grey, Uruk-Hai, and Orc Pitmaster. Just five figures for a flagship set? It seems a bit stingy, especially considering the range which accompanies other sets of the line: this year's 79008 Pirate Ship Ambush, for example, comes with nine. However, we do also get the Eagle, and the large brick-built Ent which is an important character in itself. Moreover, Gríma is (I believe) unique to this set, and Saruman is new to this summer wave. Gandalf the Grey This version of Gandalf - prior to his level in badass after the Balrog encounter - is surprisingly rare in LEGO Lord of the Rings. He previously appeared only in the entry-level 9469 Gandalf Arrives, and there had a different face and pointy hat instead of this 'Dumbledore' hairpiece. His torso is the same here. This face is new, and reversible: amiable on one side, and ... angry? distressed? I'm not sure. This version is the same as included in the 79005 Wizard Battle - which is basically a way for people who just want Saruman to avoid having to buy this set - except he has a cape in 10237. The cape is another issue: it gets awfully crumpled under the beard and headpiece, and the latter doesn't sit comfortably above the cape. Gríma Wormtongue For a bad guy, I find Gríma's LEGO version to be rather sympathetic. He has a countenance which is somewhere between glum and scared; even his 'angry' face is tinged with fear. I like the use of tan to mimic his sallow complexion. His torso is, I believe, unique, though it looks like he's stolen the Ring for himself. His hair isn't nearly greasy enough. Saruman the White I'm slightly annoyed that this figure will soon be available in a £10 set. To be fair, this version comes with a dress and cape, and people would undoubtedly complain about having to buy a $200 set for an essential LOTR character. As head of the wizards' order, his dress robe has the necessary finery, and looks great! He also has a rubbery-feel, decorated hair-and-beard piece, which judging by its feel, decoration, and separate wrapping is presumably a Chinese production. Under the hair/beard, his face is new; though it puts me in mind more of Sean Connery than Chritopher Lee (think Marco Ramius in The Hunt for Red October, and you'll see what I mean). The set includes legs, for when the unposeable dress is too much, and the front-and-back-printed torso is simply gorgeous. Here are Gríma and Saruman for comparison - on the Orthanc balcony: TLG have captured both well. Look also to either side - it's like that tooth piece was made for Orthanc (or Orthanc designed with LEGO in mind! ). Uruk-Hai Solder This guy is nice (if a ferocious cross-bred maggot soldier can be nice ), though sadly he isn't unique. He can be found in quantity in 9471 Uruk-Hai Army, and, with the beautiful White Hand printed armour, in 9476 Orc Forge. Still, at least he's compatible with the rest of the army. His head is reversible, allowing for some variety in Uruk heads within the army; I'd like to have seen some with the White Hand in different orientations, but that might be a tall order. Orc Pitmaster This dude is ugly. But, he's meant to be. He can be found also in 9476 Orc Forge. Sadly, he doesn't have the ears/hair that one of his doubles from that set has, and I think he looks a little 'unfinished' without it. Great Eagle Although not listed as a minifigure, I've included the Eagle here. He comes in a separate polybag, suggesting Chinese production; and has the detailed printing to match. The LEGO Group haven't given him a name, and he isn't directly named in the movie, to my knowledge; however, I've read the book, and I know that he must therefore be Gwaihir the Windlord. (Apparently, in the movie version of Fellowship, Gandalf whispers 'Gwaihir' to the moth, but I confess I didn't pick that up.) Gwaihir consists of three pieces: the body/head, and the two wings. Unfortunately the head doesn't move. He's pretty big, with a magnificent wingspan, as Gandalf here demonstrates. Four studs on the top allow Gandalf to 'ride' him. I'd have preferred somewhere for him to grip, so that he looks like he's clinging on, but hey. The printing of the wings and tail-feathers is beautiful ... ... and it continues on the underside: His 'talons' aren't so hot: just a 2x2 anti-stud matrix. If you want a bigger, more versaitile eagle, use the new CREATOR one. I'm pretty pleased with this, and I'm almost glad LEGO is encouraging us to buy two copies of the Black Gate set - we'll have three eagles! The Ent Here's the unspecified Ent. I'm not sure which Ent he's meant to be - I think only Treebeard is named in the movies - but in LEGO form, he's basically a big Steampunk macha with foliage and a mushroom. There's a nicely irregular, lopsided look as befitting these strange woody creatures. Take your pick as to which of the many Ents he represents. Judging by the earth green 'beard', he might be meant to represent Treebeard himself, though the resemblance isn't perfect: The LEGO version doesn't really have a 'head'; his eyes are level with his shoulders. I couldn't find an Ent exactly like this in the movies. He does have space at the top where Merry and Pippin might perch: You can also see here the he has a Bionic Arm. Turning the grooved cylinder at the back rotates the arm around the shoulder joint. I'm not exactly clear what purpose this serves; the Ent could hurl rocks at the tower, or perhaps high-five other Ents. The gearing is stiff (achieved by using a stud-end axle in a Technic brick), so the arm will stay in whatever position you leave it: Here he's giving some kind of salute. Note the opposable thumbs, meaning he can pick up stuff. The big downside of the Bionic Arm is that the arm can't be abducted (swung outwards) at the shoulder; therefore, when the arm is lowered, the elbow has to twist uncomfortably: He looks like he's about to start dancing here. The stiff ball-joints, strong clicky-hinges at the hips, and huge feet means that he balances rather well: I'm not sure whether he's skating, or pushing something, but it's a dynamic pose. For a tree, he's quite bendy: 90 degrees movement at the hips ... ... forwards or backwards. This is handy for sticking his head in the water if it catches fire, like one Ent in the film. I haven't directly demonstrated this, but he can also swivel at the waist, where a Technic axle allows a full 360 degrees of movement. If he gets tired, he can have a rest: Note the reddish-brown 'wing-end modified bricks' that cover the arms. I hate these parts anyway, but here they are super-annoying: if you try to grip the arm, it's all to easy to apply pressure to the wing end, the result of which will be the piece pinging off across the room. Still, they do help produce a nice contour to the arms. Enty's prehensile arms enable him to pick up figures: Here he's grabbed the Orc and the Uruk. The Bionic Arm doesn't help here, but you can bash the two figures together ... ... like this: Nice. The Tower It's really hard to demonstrate in these photos, but this is a tall building. At 73cm from base to tip, it's the tallest LEGO structure I've ever built (not counting contributions to multi-coloured monoliths at LEGO roadshows when I was little, or an ugly thing I made as part of a team-building exercise at work ). There's some beautiful detailing on the structure, which we'll look at in due course. The basic construction of the tower - four pillars of black rock moulded together and tapering towards the peak with its four spines - is rendered faithfully, though obviously scaled down ... Click each frame for a larger view ... and of course the fourth pillar is missing, to allow the detailed interior to be visible. Now we'll take a look at the exterior, layer by layer, starting at the base: The black is highly reflective. Apparently Saruman lives in Heartlake next to the school. It's also a dust-magnet. I love the way the spines of rock at the base have been recreated with the long black bows, and the tall staircase leading up to the arched entranceway is simply magnificent. To see how the stairs are attached at 45 degrees, click here. Obviously, the number of spines, and the width of the staircase have been reduced to match the scale. Here's what the base should look like: The many 1x1 bricks with vertcal handle, and the 1x2 cheese wedges above, add further realism; compare here. Moving up, the next layer includes lots of little windows, made with 1x3 arches mounted on jumper plates at a half-stud offset. These are rather fiddly to build, but the result is great. Here also is Saruman's balcony, from which he surveys the building of his army and the wanton destruction of his own garden. Again, the detail is reproduced as faithfully as possible given the scale: Click for an alternative shot of this level Those rubbery tooth-pieces are perfect facsimiles of the spines higher up; 1x2 bricks with grooves are used to mimic the vertical spines above the windows. Higher still, we encounter some tall windows made with 6L bars set vertically under Elven arches. Sorry about the dust. You'll notice that the tower tapers in stages, produced by slope bricks at various intervals; the effect is rather more sudden than I'd like, but I think it is forgiveable. Bear in mind that - at minifigure scale - the tower would have to be about three and a half metres tall for the top to be the equivalent of 'five hundred feet about the plain'. I don't know about you, but we don't have room for that in our house. Approaching the summit, some three-brick tall slopes help to taper the tower more gently, and we find more of the tooth-pieces - again accurate to the real tower. I was a little perturbed by the dark bluish-grey stripes which indicate the floors at various levels; however, if you compare to this distant shot, there do appear to be lighter stripes at various levels. This may be a trick of the light, but it excuses the DBG to some extent. There's a notable anomaly in the open-backed construction of the tower: the side pillars are wider than they should be. This is to allow more depth to the interior. I'd like to see someone build a 'complete' tower, which you could probably do with two of these sets (and probably make it a little taller, too. ) Edit: Someone has! See Missing Brick's back wall here. Finally, Gandalf gets imprisoned at the summit platform: I absolutely adore the four SNOT-mounted spines here, with their 'serrated' lower edges. You can just about see these details in this shot. They are attached with an interesting technique: two 1-wide 'male' clicky-hinges on the spines marry to two 2-wide 'female' ones on the central column. This produces both a sturdy connection and a half-stud offset, centering the spines nicely. The Interior Now we get to see inside the great tower, starting with Gandalf's arrival to visit his master Saruman, before his betrayal was revealed. Inside the entrance hall, we find some stickered flags representing drapes emblazoned with the White Hand of Saruman; there's a little statue formed of a plain LEGO Games figure, and some Classic Castle axes in pearl dark grey. The dark blue tile on the floor has a sticker with a diminutive version of this pattern - fantastic attention to detail, even if the result is a little smaller than the real thing, and should really be in the throne room rather than here. This is the best place for Gandalf and Saruman to fight with sticks. Remember the chandelier; it's important. Note also the grooved round brick facing the camera ... ... this controls a trap door ... ... which opens as Gandalf faceplants onto the floor ... ... and drops him into the dungeon. Exactly how it happened in the movie. Ahem. Inside the dungeon hide some stickered Wargs, some creepy eyes, a ball and chain and some bones. Gandalf looks annoyed, probably because he's fallen into a Plot Hole. The box art has Saruman throwing an Orc into the dungeon instead. Moving up, the next room is the Throne Room, containing an ornate throne and the Palantír - one of the Seeing Stones of Númenor, and the source of Saruman's betrayal as he gazed too far and was ensared by the Eye of Mordor. Here Gríma has joined Saruman, to witness the Palantír in use. Pushing up on the chandelier below ... ... activates the Light Brick ... ... and the Palantír glows! But only if you orientate it with the green side down. It's a pity you can't lock the light on - it requires constant finger pressure to keep it lit - but I guess it saves on battery life. An alternative view of this room shows off the bookcases, formed from SNOT-mounted plates and tiles, with a loose stickered 'parchment' tile; there are also colured phials of arcane liquids. The two tall 'lamps' with yellow globes represent these (seen unlit also in the previuous linked picture). Identical lamps are found in the related set 79005 Wizard Battle, which as I've already said is a significantly cheaper alternative for people who want a Saruman figure. I guess the room above is the 'Alchemy Room' - it's where Saruman Builds the Bomb. Gríma is actually meant to be in this scene, though he's looking a little self-conscious. The bomb is mounted on a platform which rotates forward via a little gear (hidden behind Saruman here). Saruman is standing on a 2x2 jumper tile which normally holds the bomb 'lid'. Here we can see the wonderful, tall, arched and barred windows from the inside. More jars and bottles line the shelves; the torches are - wisely - unlit. Floor five is a little chamber with more bookcases, and a couple of large stickered books which may be grimoires, and skulls for arcane value. Pictures of five wizards line the walls, and might indicate that this room is a wizardly council chamber - though you'd be hard pressed to squeeze more than two wizards in here. Saruman, as head of the order, takes pride of place in the centre ... ... while on his left is Radagast the Brown. Radagast plays a significant role in the LOTR novels, but is all but ignored in the films; he is mentioned but once in The Hobbit book, but is cast in the movie: see his image here. The stickered image is a good representation. Two other wizards form part of the Order, but are not named in either the LOTR or Hobbit books; they should both be Blue, but this one is - apparently - also Grey. Note the stickered map on the wall. [Edit - I just watched the first Hobbit movie. There's a lovely in-joke, where Gandalf cannot remember the names of the other two Blue wizards. ] On the right is Gandalf the Grey, and another wizard, this one also Brown. At least the numbers are correct! Another bookcase is found here. On the ceiling is a little trans-clear inverted dome, mounted on a turntable - we'll see what it is for shortly. The sixth and final floor is Saruman's Secret Chamber. In it, his true allegiance to the Eye of Morder is revealed, and he keeps some Uruk armour as mementoes, it seems, along with spare staves. The helmet rests on a trans-clear minifigure head with a round 1x1 tile, also trans-clear. The Keys of Orthanc hang on the wall: the one on the left has some ugly plastic flashing attached, which I'm sure wouldn't have passed quality control in Billund, so probably originates elsewhere. The Secret Room is accessed via a trap door with a folding ladder. Rotating the turntable on the ceiling of the room below allows the trap door to open, and the ladder unfolds. It's a little tight on space, but can be done without removing walls. This is the only means of climbing from one floor to another in the whole tower - save for the entrance staircase. Perhaps the main tower staircase is in the missing fourth wall? Comparison I've saved this move still till now, as it best sums up the entire set: Orcs try to topple and Ent with a rope and grappling hook, with the best exterior shot of the tower in the background. This is also the only decent shot I could find of the tall barred windows of the Bomb Room. Compare the tower again to here. Conclusion Click for a larger image Orthanc features prominently in two parts of the movie trilogy: the encounter between Saruman and Gandalf, in which Gandalf is imprisoned on the summit until rescued by Gwaihir the Eagle; and the destruction of Isengard by the Ents. This set attempts to recreate both scenes, while also allowing for Bomb-building scene with Gríma, and for Saruman to survey his 'army' of Uruk-Hai - if you've managed to collect a significant proportion of the ten thousand figures you'd need! In addition, there are some added extras not in the movies, in the form of the dungeon, the Council Chamber, and the Secret Room, all produced with remarkable detail for such small spaces. The Tower itself is a brave production. There is no way the five-hundred foot tower could be recreated accurately in LEGO bricks at a scale compatible with the rest of the range, and at an affordable price. The result is a necessary compromise - it looks a little squat from certain angles, and tapers perhaps too suddenly, but I hope you'll agree that the outcome is still remarkable - for its detail, its beauty, and its size. And that's just the outside. Inside are six floors of detailed interior, recreating several important scenes from the movies, and packed with little features making the model both a great play-set and a wonderful display and talking-point. TLG have been a little stingy with the figures - I'd have thought that Merry and Pippin could have been included to sit on the Ent; or, failing that, at least another Orc and Uruk, but we do get the one and only Ent figure yet released, in addition to the lovely Eagle mold. All in all, I'm delighted with the set. It's far more impressive in the flesh than even the box art or press-release pictures suggest; of my pictures, only the final 'Conclusion' photo really does justice to its size. It's also a great source of black parts, at a reasonable price-to-part ratio; however, I think I'll keep this built. If I can find a shelf to put it on! Design & Build 9 There's some fantastic attention to detail in the architectural features of the Tower, and a remarkable number of features crammed into the interior. Building the tower is interesting, with plenty of SNOT techniques and offsets used to reproduce the tower's design as faithfully as possible; there is by necessity a little repetition but far less than you might expect. And the result is well worth the effort. Parts 8 If you're after rare or new parts, you might be disappointed, but the set is probably the best source of useful black pieces that I have ever seen. I will never complain about basic bricks in useful colours, and the quantity of headlights and jumper plates is awesome. There's also surprisingly little multi-coloured filler. Figures 8 Gríma is the only unique figure. Saruman could have been a big selling-point had TLG not decided to release him in an entry-level set; he does come with a unique skirt in this set. Coupled with the Black Gate set, Gwaihir will allow the building of a little Eagle Army; the Ent figure is brick-built (and could perhaps be cobbled together from spare parts), but this is the only Ent yet available in the whole LEGO LOTR range. Play and Display 9 Bearing the 14+ age guide, this is an adult-orientated set, but nevertheless includes quite a range of play features, whether it be recreating movie scenes or bashing orcs with the Ent. Mostly, though, Orthanc makes a superb centre-piece for your LOTR display - though it will tend to dwarf the other sets. Value 9 $200 or £170 might be a little outside many people's budget, but for just under 2400 pieces - and useful ones - this actually represents good value. Add to that the enjoyable building experience, and the magnificent result, and I think that the set is well-worth the money. Overall 86% My Score 9/10 This monster is a joy to build and to own. A must for any die-hard Lord of the Rings fan, and a great set for any LEGO Collector. Orthanc you for reading. Please leave a comment! Rufus Acknowledgements All movie scenes © New Line Cinema EB Staff for assistance - especially Rick, Pandora, and ISC. And Hinckley for encouraging 'schnell'. Resources Orthanc at Tolkien Gateway Orthanc at LOTR Wiki LEGO LOTR Page LOTR on Shop@Home My flickr set Endpiece Treebeard forgets which movie he is supposed to be in If you like my reviews, and would like to learn how it's done, please consider joining the Reviewers Academy
  15. Got my copy. It's worth the purchase. Read the review at thirdwigg.com.
  16. LegoGunInstructions

    LEGO Black Ops 2 KAP-40 Review

    I am a Black Ops fan and I love replicating lego guns from the game. Here are some I made: [removed link] You can also check out the PDW-R [removed link] Please share your opinion on them!
  17. Redhead1982

    REVIEW 41033 Jungle Falls Rescue

    ''Help a baby tiger in trouble at the LEGO® Friends Jungle Falls Rescue with Olivia mini-doll figure, cliff hut, dam function and caves.'' But... ...did the TLG get the right story? If you're interested, scroll down (and read the review) to find out. Basic info of the set Set no.: 41033 Name: Jungle Falls Rescue Theme: Friends Subtheme: Jungle Year: 2014 Pieces: 183 Minifigs: 1 (plus a tiger and a chameleon) Age group: 6 - 12 Price: £ 17.99 / US$ 19.99 / EUR 19.99 Price per part: 9.831p / 10.923 c / 10.923 c Links: Brickset, Bricklink, LEGO S@H The box The front of the box is (as always) in bright Friendly colours, with the main five characters on the top right corner as opposed to the main set's character, in this case Olivia, in the bottom right corner. The sides of the box are typically curved, as seen in larger sets from the Friends series. The landscaping on the box art is tropical and acts as a nice background for the set. Interestingly, there are many features that set the box(es) in the Jungle subtheme appart from the classic ''Town'' Friends. The five characters are dressed in tops seen in the Jungle subtheme, the box art is framed with bamboo and tropical flowers. I also noticed that the set as shown on the front of the box differs slightly from the set as seen in the instruction booklet. Can you spot the differences? The back of the box reveals other aspects of the set, most importantly the playability of the set. The Friends theme is aimed at female population, young and less young girls like me, and playability is an important factor. Individual play set-ups are framed with a bamboo pattern. There's a mechanism that allows sliding the waterfall panel to the side, Olivia saving the baby tiger, exploring the cave in the rocks and giving him a treat. In addition, Olivia can enjoy a meal with her chameleon. Same as seen at the front of the box, the most obvious box art are the bamboo and tropical flowers, clearly distinguishing the Jungle subtheme. The same jungle box art is seen on the sides of the box and it looks really nice. Of course, the mandatory hearts, butterflies and dog paws are seen in subtle print. The top of the box has a bamboo framed picture of Olivia as a measure of scale. The tropical flower pattern nicely rounds up the top of the box. I'm only missing the butterflies here. The booklet The front art design is repeated on the front page of the booklet instruction. It's slightly bend on the left side as a result of bags of bricks being pushed against it. Luckily, the instructions were not damaged. I know it's just a small set, but having more protection for the instruction booklets would be nice. On the inside, the booklet is as neat as ever. The background is in lavender, again a typical Friends colour. Building steps are simple, with not many bricks to add in each step. What I liked specifically, in some steps, such as step 18, there are red arrows emphasizing the right placement of some bricks, where it's a bit hard to see. This is a nice addition, not so much for the experienced builders, but for the beginners. The odd pages differ from the even pages in that they have a small heart and butterfly design in bottom right corner. Again, this kind of watermarks is typical for Friends. Although, it's not a necessary one, it became a traditional, and the page would look a bit empty without it. A positive surprise in the instruction booklet was the promotional page for the Jungle subtheme sets. Apart from the pictures of all 4 sets, there's a lovely presentation on how to combine those sets into one larger setup. Although it's more of a MOD, I see this feature as a promotion for MOCing. It also shows nicely how the TLG planned the individual sets to allow for combining them together. The pieces Inside the box, there are two numbered bags of similar size, a 16x16 plate in medium azure, a sticker sheet and two lime plant vines with leaves. Medium azure plate of this size is available in only 4 sets of the Friends and Disney Princess themes. Since the standard base plates in blue are not available any more, this medium azure plate can be considered as its substitute to create water. The lime plant vines are the highlight of this set - they're a new mold and one of them is an extra part! They're flexible, and can be placed in different positions. Sticker sheet is included, but again it could easily be avoided. While it does make some of the rocks slightly more interesting with the printed flowers, the set would be just as nice without it. I have two copies of this set, and chose to use the stickers only in this one for the presentation purpose. In general, I like the flower designs, but I'd rather see more plants and flowers included. The build starts with the bag no. 1. The parts found in this bag form the base of the rocks and the waterfall. Here, the torso and legs for Olivia are found, but I forgot to include them on these photos (they're discussed in more detail later on). The parts to point out include the dark bluish grey rock panels and the trans-light blue waterfall panel. The latter is actually quite rare, it's included in 3 sets only. These are my first parts of the kind, and although I'd prefer smaller parts for the rocks, in the end, these do their job just fine. Most parts are in light and dark bluish grey, and from the colours seen on the picture I'd never guess this is a Friends set (where's the pink?). Inside the bag no. 1, there's a smaller bag with the smaller parts. These parts are more colourful, and surprisingly there's only 3 parts in pink - again, is this a set aimed at girls? Yes, it is! My favourite parts here are the trans-light blue ones, they complement the waterfall nicely, and I only wish that more of them were included in the set. The 1x1 bricks were re-introduced in 2014 after a 12-year gap. The other interesting parts are the 1x1 round bricks in dark orange, appearing in 5 sets, but only 2 of these sets are currently available at the stores. Bag no. 2 contains slightly more colourful parts, but again, there's not as much pink as I'd expect from my experience with the Friends series, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The dark pink plate is the only part in a girly colour. The interesting parts here are the lime palm trees which were introduced in many sets in the last two years, two inverted tan tiles and the chameleon in bright green with medium lavender pattern. Inside the bag no. 2, there's another polybag with smaller parts. There were only a few. The most interesting (and anticipated in my collection) were the 1x1 round bricks in dark orange (there's a total of 6 in the set). Other parts are not that excited, apart from the round tiles - they are the new types with a bottom stud holder. The best parts in this set are the the panels for the rocks and waterfall. I might be too excited over those, but these are the first ones in my collection, and I'm looking forward using them in future MOCs. Also, the trans-light blue bricks and tiles are interesting and useful parts to build various water features. In addition, there are the newer molds, the 1x1x3 brick, the round tile with bottom stud holder and one with a hole in the middle. The dark orange 1x1 round bricks are welcomed too, as they allow for more variations of bark colour when making trees, and the highlight for me is the new plant vine. Did I mention you get two and one of them is an extra? Chameleon with the lavender pattern is also a new (recoloured) LEGO species. The extra parts are the usual small bricks that could get easily lost. As mentioned before, there's an extra plant vine. I won't complain about that one. I was positively surprised to see one, but I wonder why it was included as an extra part. Is it possible it breaks more easily when under stress? Never the less, it's a great part to have as extra! The minifig Olivia is the main and only character in this set. Her outfit is a uniform of the Red Cross Friends Jungle team. The dark pink printed scarf is a lovely addition to add more feminine touch to the uniform. Her hair has holes for hair assessories, but there are none included in the set. If I could choose, I'd go for some type of large pinkish tropical flower as seen on the box art. Well, I guess Olivia knows better than to pick wild jungle flowers just to put them in her hair. I didn't include the parts of Oliva in the parts section, so here they are. We all know the Friends anatomy, so there's nothing new here. Everyone would look so thin with an empty stomach, right? In addition to Olivia, two animals are included in this set. The baby tiger is the first one presented in the set. It's the same type as in the Friends Animals series 4, Tiger's Beautiful Temple. It has a nice back printing. I only wish the dark brown pattern would be printed also on the sides of the torso. It has cute written all over him/her. Beware if you have a soft spot for blue eyed kitties! The tiger has the main role in this set, as Olivia seems to be rescueing him/her from the waters in the waterfall lagune. The tiger is placed on this simple raft, that could be easily thought of as a drift wood. What I like about it, is that the underside of the 2x4 plate has inverted tiles attached to it. This way, the raft moves more rapidly over the studded water surface. The other animal in this set is the chameleon. It's a new LEGO species that was introduced in the 2014. One of them is Pascal, the chameleon from the Rapunzel's Creativity Tower. Chameleon in this set differs from Pascal in two ways, both obvious. He/she doesn't have a name, and he/she has a more realistic chameleon-like pattern. It comes in bright green with a medium lavender pattern. Since I own two copies of this set, I thought to compare the lavender pattern, and it's actually different. For me, this is really great, as it's easier to distinguish between them in case you name them. The build The set is targeted at girls from 6-12 years old, and it's basically an intermediate build. There are some more complex aspects of the set, where you need to be careful when placing parts in the correct positions. Contrary to some other Friends sets, where smaller subsets are included, the Jungle Falls Rescue is a one build set. The building process is divided into two parts as already indicated by the two numbered bags. It's starts with forming a base for the rocky landscape or the cliff, as TLG described it. The tiles seen here are where the waterfall slides into the cave, and the black jumper tile is where the crystal stone can be found. What I found interesting at this step, is that the stickers were applied to parts which are not visible from the front. This is why I think the sticker sheet could be easily omitted from the set. However, in a way it feels nice to have some details included also at the back side. At the end of the day, each builder gets to decide for him/herself whether to apply the stickers. As for me, I applied them in one set only. Few steps on, part of the mechanism for sliding the waterfall is built using Technic gears. Also, the first rock panel part is included and it's decorated with a stickered butterfly. My least favourite parts, the 1 x something x 5 bricks are included here, and although I'd prefer smaller bricks, I have to admit these parts are efficient when trying to gain some height. So far, all the building was on the baseplate. The next step is building the highly anticipated waterfall. While having a completely brick built waterfall would be amazing, I'm liking this panel-built version just as much, although it's more simple and less realistic. The trans-light blue colour of the panel with a rocky pattern works great as a water feature. Different views of this minibuild show part of the sliding mechanism. Another panel is included here, and I can not blame the TLG for using a panel instead of bricks. This is a part that's not visible in the completely build set. The LBG gear rack connects to the gear and allows movement. The waterfall is then placed on the tiles, and its only connection to the rest of the structure is by gears. The only thing I'd change here is the base of the waterfall. Instead of white plates, I'd go for blue or even trans-blue plates, and then use white, trans-clear and trans-blue 1x1 round plates for the splashing water at the bottom of the waterfall. . A view from the back shows how the gear rack connects to the gear. It looks simple, but I have to admit, I wouldn't think of such mechanism. Well, I'm one of those AFOLs who think Technic bricks are too complicated to use correctly. Here you can see that a medium azure tile was used as the top of the waterfall and it looks much better than the white plates at the bottom. My favourite choice here would be a trans-light blue tile, but you can't have it all. The right part of the sliding waterfall is nicely hidden by a LURP with addition of some slopes and dark orange bricks. Considering the size of the build, this large element fits just fine. To me, it even seems as if the set planning was based on this part, and then build around it. The only thing missing here is some more greenery. More details were added to the water. The LBG tiles look great as stones, and the trans-light blue tile at the bottom of the waterfall creates an effect of splashing water. I would add more of them, though. When opening bag no. 2, another interesting minibuild pops up. It's the handle for the sliding mechanism and is camouflaged as a dam. It has a gear rack on the later hidden side, and dark orange and reddish brown bricks and plates on the visible side. The handle is very colourful, and I really wonder why TLG uses these colourful parts in hidden places. In the end, only the parts above the 1x8 reddish brown plate are visible, so the use of yellow and blue bricks is not a big problem. With the above handle in place, the waterfall can already slide to the right. Here's a view from the back side, showing an ''open'' waterfall. At this point the mechanism doesn't run very smoothly, but this gets better after addition of extra bricks, that help keep the handle in place. Ok, I admit I had to try sliding the waterfall as soon as the handle was added, and I had much fun doing that. It's a great feature, and adds so much to the playability of the set. A view of the sliding mechanism from the top. The yellow handle is used to slide the gear rack to the waterfall slide, and by moving the gear in the middle, it moves also the waterfall part, thus opening the entrance to the caves bellow. I like that the TLG camouflaged this sliding mechanism as a dam, but I'd prefer to have the yellow handle in brown or at least green. It wouldn't stick out so much. Also visible from the point of view is the crystal rock hidden in the cave behind the waterfall. A few steps on, little chairs are added to the top of the rocks to form the platform for Olivia's observation point. At this point, more greenery is included, and the rocks look much better already. The new plant type extends from the top of the rocks to the bottom right. It's attached with clips, and its flexibility allows for different positions. Considering there's an extra plant vine in the set, it could well enough be used in the building of the set. There's no such thing as too much plants, right? The little table at Olivia's observation top is built very simply. It's a combination of lime and reddish brown parts which gives it a more natural look. Colour-wise it fits nicely in the little hut at the top of the rocks. The most interesting part here is the stickered 2x2 tan round tile. My first though was that it's a pizza, but I'm not sure who would order a tropical pizza with kiwi fruits, so I'm guessing it's a fruit pie. As for the yellow spots and pink sauce, I have no idea what could it be. Maybe some sliced bananas and berries. The table is then placed at the platform at the top of the rocks, under the shadow of the palm tree roof. From this front view, it's not so obvious, but the table is not completely covered by the roof. I'm guessing it doesn't rain in the jungle or Olivia is not watching out for little tigers when it does rain. The building of the set is finished here. The size of the build surprised me nicely, as I didn't expect it to be this big. After all, there's only 179 parts in the set. This number would be higher, though, if bricks and slopes would be used instead of the large panels. To increase the parts number, more plants could be included. Bamboo leaves would fill the gaps bellow the tan plate really nicely. The finished product After 42 building steps, the set is finished. The finished cliff looks great from three angles, that is the front and both sides. From the left, the rock panel is nicely decorated with the butterfly sticker. It makes it more interesting, but I'd prefer to see more plants instead of stickers. Also, the yellow handle is well hidden from this side, and the transparent waterfall panel creates a nice effect. As it is not as clear to see through as from the front view, it looks more realistic to me. From the right side, the cliff is partially opened to allow easy access. The stickered flowers add more detail here as well, but as I said before, I'd prefer real flowers. My first thought would be to add a couple of those bionicle spines hanging from the top, and it would make the set even cooler. Also, more plants could be used to camouflage the rocks and the steps to the top of the cliff. A view from the back reveals a cave behind the waterfall and the hidden crystal rock. The cave is a nice feature in this set. At first it may look that it's just an empty space beneath the cliff, but it's much more. The hidden crystal is there waiting to be found, and in addition, the (stickered) flowers are a proof of life in the cave, so there's obviously lots to explore. The access to the cave from the back is relatively easy also for the adult fingers. Another interesting feature is that the access to the cave is revealed by stopping the water flow. The dam function stops the water, and as the waterfall dries out, Olivia can set to explore the cave beneath the cliff. I really like that on one side you can have a tea party at the hut, chat with your girlfriends, and on the other, you can have an adventurous afternoon by exploring the cave beneath the cliff. Olivia climbed down from her retreat, and is debatting whether to call for help or go in the water with the life preserver to save the baby tiger. The tiger is floating on a drift wood in the middle of the lagune under the waterfall. The inverted tiles on the bottom side of the brown plate really allow for smooth surfing. When the baby tiger is safely out from the water, Olivia can return back to her hut on the rocks, and enjoy the kiwi pie. As seen on the box art, the chameleon can join her at the table, but I'm not sure if he can use the cups. Maybe the baby tiger can use them. Anyway, it's nice to have an extra cup included, so Olivia doesn't fell all alone in the jungle. Additional play features were explained in the text above, here I just want to emphasize them again. Apart from the surfing tiger, Olivia climbing up and down the rocks, the dam can stop the water and reveals the entrance to the underground world with hidden treasures, so Olivia can explore the cave. Considering the size and the price of the set, there really is a lot to offer. The Final Verdict Design: 9/10 The overall design is great, but there is still room for improvement. Considering the target population of 6-12 year olds, the build is simple and well done. I'm only missing more plants here. Considering that trees in official sets often have just a couple of leaves, I know I shouldn't complain here. After all, there's an extra plant included. There some rare and interesting parts included in the set, adding more value. I was surprised with the colour scheme, as there's hardly any pink. While being a small set, with not a large number of parts included, it offers a lot. Parts: 10/10 The parts in the set are a nice selection of various bits and pieces in interesting and very usefull colours. There are some new and rare parts included, and that makes the set also nice as a parts pack. The interesting parts are the new lime plant vines (there's 2! ), the panels for the rocks and the trans-light blue parts for the waterfall. The parts selection is very useful for various MOCs, and for me that was the reason to get an extra copy of the set. Build: 8/10 It's a simple and straight forward build approriate for beginners, but also with some elements for the more advanced builders. I was excited to see the dam mechanism. It's a lovely play feature. I missed some extra plants here, but that can be easily added, as probably everyone has some extra greenery. Considered it's targeted at girls, there's a lot of building, and not many mini builds, as in some other Friends sets. It also has a potential to modify it and make it larger. Playability: 10/10 Playability is the most important feature of this set. There's enough action for everyone, boys and girls, and adults. There are moveable features, such as the dam and the surfing tiger, the hut to enjoy a meal, a cave to explore and baby tiger to take care of. Minifigs: 8/10 Olivia wears a Jungle uniform. Her top is a new design, while the skirt isn't. This is probably one of the few minidols without hair accessories, and she looks good that way. Well, I wouldn't mind some tropical flower pinned in her hair. Price: 9/10 It's a small set, but it offers enough interesting bricks for the price. The price per part is a bit high in this price range, as there's sligthly less parts included due to some of the panels. I mentioned there are some rare and new parts included, and these justify the price per part. I was nicely surprised with the selection of very useful bricks, and I have to admit I got two copies of the set for both the parts and playability, and considering the price, it was a great deal. Overall: 55/60 (90%) The overall score implies, this is a set worth having. It's an interesting design, appropriate for the beginners, it has a great selection of parts to attract AFOL, and it offers a lot of playability. Considering its price, this is a set that should attract different demographic groups of LEGO users, and still meet their various needs. So, did the TLG get the right story? I think the baby tiger was after an adrenaline-pumping ride at the waterfalls, and Olivia missinterpreted his intentions. But that's just my story, you can make your own....
  18. Another mech battle, and one of two big sets in the LEGO Movie January wave. That's right, I'm finally up to… Set Title: Rescue Reinforcements Set #: 70813 Theme: The LEGO Movie Pieces: 859 Minifigures: 5 Year of Release: 2014 Price at Release: USD 70 Just browse the pictures? Flickr set INTRODUCTION I already did my little discussion of how I'm not a huge mech fan in my MetalBeard's Duel review. To repeat it again here would be extraneous. Besides for certain ones of the minifigures, which looked super-cool, this set wasn't particularly ringing my excitement bells. It seemed far outstripped by the Lair in the same price range (a set which I really love now, having built it). So how does this set stack up in the LEGO? Let us delve one last time into LEGO Movie review land and find out! BOX The box is large though not excessively so, as to be expected. It's the same size as the Lair's box. It makes you think that it's another 2-in-1 set, but it's not. Only the four USD 30 sets have two sets of instructions. In Creative Ambush and this one, building the alt models will be left up to you if you care to do so. There aren't a ton of play features in this set, and the box doesn't even show them all (since I think twisting the know to make the water gun go round would count as a play feature). The box shows how this set comes with a secret code (that I've blurred out of all my pictures) that will get you something in the video game, just like the code in the High Speed Chase City set got you something in Grand Theft LEGO. I doubt you will be quite as excited as Emmet when you use this code, though. To me, the minifigures alone certainly make this set enticing. Blacktron and Fabuland Fan torsos? How ridiculously wonderful! Hank Haystack looks cool too. CONTENTS This one's got seven numbered bags (all of which may or may not be present in this picture…), two loose fire hose strings, a DSS and three instruction booklets. Plenty of non-grey here, hooray! Sorry I'm not sorry that's always how I judge sets when I spill them out (although Arkham Asylum is wonderful, ok… grey can be fine). The DSS here is not so bad - I imagine the barn stickers could actually be pretty useful, even though splitting up "tresspassin'" in the middle might be hard to incorporate somewhere. The fire stickers are fairly standard affairs, though the warning sign stickers are nice. Why did I include the fire hoses in this shot? No idea… Three instruction booklets, the second of which is a smaller size. It's particularly nice with a big set with numbered bags that there are different instruction manuals for the three different builds (1 is the Fire Mech, 2 is the Micromanager, 3 is the flying barn). You could easily get three family members building at once for some lovely family bonding time, although the different builds may take different amounts of time. As a singular builder, I was surprised that the fire mech was the first thing to build. The Micromanager was first in all the other sets, and I always expect the biggest build to come last. It makes no difference whatsoever, but it breaks a pattern in build order that I thought I had noticed. Lots of sub-assemblies in the fire mech for lots of articulation! MINIFIGURES As expected, the Blacktron and Fabuland fans are terrific! Better yet, they have adolescent faces with too much excitement, braces, and freckles (or acne?)! Hank is a nice farmer figure too, and this is one of just two sets to have the new tactical vest. Plus another Robo SWAT for your Robo SWAT force. The only slightly less exciting figure is the firefighter. It's a great set of prints, but nothing special since it comes in a whole bunch of fire sets. Everybody has backprinting, and the kids have funny scared faces. Somebody commented on the Flying Flusher review that the plumbers could of used some butt printing for a plumber's crack, and well… Hank has got some butt printing! I actually did not notice that until I looked at this picture again. That's hilarious! (I guess we've learned minifigures' behinds are quite high up.) ANIMALS This set includes two lovely animals that are also quite rare. This is the third set to include the white printed chicken (the others being the Kingdoms Mill Village Raid and a new Friends stables set), and just the second to have the dirty-print pig! Even the clean pig only comes in four sets so far, so pigs are a rare commodity. I guess minifigures don't eat a lot of bacon, although I suppose even if they did it would come printed on a tile and they wouldn't needed pigs. EXTRA BITS Lots of nice extras here taken at an unhelpful angle that makes them hard to see! Plenty of extra cheese in different colors, plus an extra carrot-top and an entire extra fire hose, in case you wanted one. SET - FIRE MECH It feels strange to start with the mech, but I usually go in build-order for whatever reason, so here it is! I honestly did not expect to like this thing, but in actuality I do! The colors are on point and work together, the details are nice without being overdone or messy, and just overall it feels like it should be a Transformer and pulls off that look well. The mech is pretty squat and chunky, since the cockpit keeps the proportions of the cab of a LEGO fire truck for the most part. I like that the designer went for symmetry on the model - it makes the design look really put together. The designer easily could've gone an 'everything stuck any place' route, but the symmetry keeps it focused and pleasant. I also absolutely love the yellow cheese 'toes.' Maybe these were done practically for balance, but they're quite funny and cute! Only a few details differ on each side, since the 'hand' parts necessarily have to be different builds anyway. Here are looks from both sides. The back oddly has a rollcage door on the cab which is then covered by the ladder, so it can't open. I guess it's there just because LEGO usually uses that piece on fire trucks? It's a nice part and detail anyway. The back of the feet are kind of strange, but I like getting all of those parts in those particular colors, so I can't complain. One odd design feature is that there are hoses connected from the legs to the cab, a feature which will come into play in a moment. The cab is roomy, and has what you expect… a steering wheel. It would be even cooler with room for two firefighters (Pacific Rim style?), but you could MOD it that way. One seat in the middle is in keeping with LEGO's typical City designs. The one let down of the mech is the pose-ability. The legs don't have much range of movement, and even though the cab is on swivel parts, since there are those tubes connected it to the legs that I mentioned, it can barely turn! Of course you could just take those off, but it's a pretty big design flaw in my opinion. The arms can pose pretty well, though, so that's a plus. Overall this guy kind of reminds me of a sumo wrestler - squat and bulky. I like it, even though the legs and cab movement are impeded. SET - MICROMANGER This is the second tall chicken leg Micromanager, and it's very similar to the one in MetalBeard's Duel. The legs are identical besides for one parts detail difference. This one looks better than the MetalBeard one, though, since the sides get properly covered and don't look messy. This one also has a third arm with a gun. Even though it's the over-used AQ gun, at least it hasn't come in black much yet (only in the CMF line and some 2014 Chima sets), so I'll accept it. And it actually works in this situation. With two grabby arms and a gun, this Micromanager looks like it's ready to run around and do some proper damage. This might be the only Micromanager with a plain, single-unadorned-plate back! Not a problem, though. The function on this one is that the sides flip up to reveal some flick-fires. Extra flick ammo is included inside, which honestly seems like more of a detail than something useful, since I don't know how many people will be pulling out the flick-refill after discharging the first one. Even kids. Unlike the flying small Micromanager with flip-up wings, where the flipped-up mode looked cool, this one looks rather silly. I prefer it with the sides down (I'm not going to be flick-firing anything any time soon anyhow). SET - FLYING BARN I'm pretty partial to this flying barn as well. Unlike Creative Reinforcements, where I thought the plane looked too messy, this barn-copter has a well-balanced color scheme and general look that I can get behind. Perhaps it's because it still quite resembles a barn, just with some helicopter attachments, whereas the bi-plane was a bi-plane and not much of a saloon (which makes good sense, I just didn't like it). One aspect/detail I totally love here is the pilot controls. It's nothing so interesting, I guess, but the simpe combination looks wonderful as helicopter controls. They also make use of the new clip with rod-input piece, so that's nice since it's a great piece. The chicken lookout is also hilarious. The telescope piece is fairly rare in light bley, so that's nice to get. I'm not sure why there would be a pig on the tail, but who cares!? You get a pig! I also can't explain the reason to have a carrot strung up. EDIT: I've been informed in comments below that the pig is on a treadmill to power the tail rotors, and the carrot is what makes it keep walking! Hilarious! END EDIT Of course, two tail rotors is once again a head-scratcher when one considers real-world copters, but since this is a crazy contraption already I don't care much. It was worse in the Wolverine Chopper Showdown where the heli was somewhat 'realistic.' The wind-mill top rotor is quite nice too. I've never put down so many vertical clip pieces all at once (16 in one step). There are a couple of play features included (besides flick-fires and spinning rotors). First is this barrel attached on chains carrying apples. You can manually tip it over to drop some apple bombs (which sounds too much like "apple-bottom jeans" to me, and then reminds me of a certain song that involves those and boots with fur. Now it's stuck in my head ). The play feature works well though! On the other side are doors which open up to reveal a sliding thing with a hole in it for carrots. Pull it out far enough, and the carrots wil drop as carrot bombs! This is plenty of fun too. COMPLETE SET and CONCLUSION I like when this happens - I go into a set thinking I won't like it, and then it turns out to be great! This set has a lot going for it - good-looking models, some unique minifigures with terrific prints, some good parts, and plenty of fun to be had. That said, would I personally buy this? As a person with a tight budget, I can't say I would. The Evil Lair set is unquestionably more enticing since it comes with some key characters for the film and is the only way to get them, and I'm a bigger fan of location-sets than mech sets. There are also so many smaller sets in this line that would come first in buy-order, like the Super Cycle Chase (which already is not a cheap set), some of the USD 30 sets, the Cloud Cuckoo Palace, and the Getaway Glider. Honestly I'll say that if I hadn't received this set to review, I don't think it ever would've ended up in my collection. However, if I had a bigger LEGO budget, I would pick this one up now that I've built it (and not just brickling the Fabuland and Blacktron fan figures). I never would've known I'd want it just looking at the pictures, but having it in front of me, there's a lot ot like. It's a fun big mech and a nice barn with great figures, and when all is said and done it does feel like it's worth the money. Well, that wraps up my LEGO Movie reviews! I hope they've been enlightening when they needed to be, and I hope you've enjoyed them! I've certainly enjoyed bringing them to you. Coming up, look out for a wave overview with pictures of all the sets and group pictures like all of the Robo SWAT, all of the Micromanagers, etc. Coming… sometime! CloneyO out, for now.
  19. Apologies to Nuukeer whose artwork I have mutilated for the background. Thirteen years ago, The LEGO Group amazed everyone by releasing a Star Wars set that was clearly aimed solely at adults. 7191 X-Wing Fighter was a large-scale, accurate representation of the iconic X-Wing, and introduced to the unsuspecting world the concept of Ultimate Collector Series models - large, complicated builds, with interesting techniques and (often) parts, all with oodles of AFOL appeal. The original 7191 - with its sister 7181 Tie Interceptor - might have been seen as an experiment; years have passed, and the UCS title has (officially) disappeared, but it appears the experiment was a success and the concept lives on. Since then, we've seen most of the more famous SW vehicles released in UCS format, but it has been a long time since an X-Wing has been available at this scale without resorting to extortionate aftermarket prices. If you missed the first one, you need fret no longer: there's a new, updated version. I'm therefore proud to present a Eurobricks early review of 10240 Red Five X-Wing Starfighter. Obviously we are keen to see how the new set shapes up, but I'll also concentrate on how she compares to her thirteen-year-old ancestor: to see if owners of the original 7191 might be tempted to shell out for the new version. In honour of this occasion, I've made a new, detailed review of the older one: read 7191 UCS X-Wing Fighter here. 7191 was a great set, but it had a few flaws. The principal ones are these: the wing attachments were weak, and there were a large numbers of STickers Across Multiple Pieces (STAMPs). Let's see how the new one deal with these issues, and also if newly-available parts have improved the overall shape. A huge thank you once again to The LEGO Group for providing this set for early review! Review: 10240 Red Five X-Wing Starfighter Set Information Name: Red Five X-Wing Starfighter Number: 10240 Theme: Star Wars Original Trilogy / Exlusives / Hard to Find Release: 3 May 2013 Parts: 1558 (Press release) 1559 (Shop@Home) Figures: 1 Price: GB £169.99 | US $199.99 | EUR 199.99 (Ger) | AU $279.99 | CA $249.99 | DKK 1699.00 Links ... LEGO Press Release ... Shop@Home ... Brickset ... Bricklink ... Peeron The Box Click the picture for a larger full-frontal image The 2013 Star Wars box art has a smart, attractive green tinge to the banner, matching action-Yoda's lightsaber. Recent years have seen a uniform banner for all Star WarsTM merchandise - LEGO or otherwise; it doesn't necessarily match the model in question. Action-Yoda appears only in the prequel episodes II and III; the X-Wing is very much an Original Trilogy set. Moreover, Luke's Red Five X-Wing doesn't go anywhere near the Death Star II pictured in the background; as I recall, we don't see her after Bespin in The Empire Strikes back. Questionable canon aside, I like the picture: the ship stands out nicely against the dramatic backdrop. The size of the banner (or perhaps of the box) has, however, necessitated the loss of the lower starboard laser to box oblivion. A small inset - also picked out tastefully in green - gives us an idea of the final size of the model. Around the back, we are treated to the X-Wing in display mode, replete with stand and diminutinve R2-D2, on what might possibly be a Bespin landing platform. Click the picture for a larger image Insets show the ship in her most famous role - dodging laser fire in the Death Star trench - and remind us how Luke's Red Five was responsible for the DS's destruction via physics-defying torpedoes. Further insets demonstrate the opening cockpit and wings, and small images show the ship in 'flight mode', with wings closed. The overall effect is neat but a little fussy: I'm not keen on the step between the main image border and the 'torpedo' inset, which exists only to accommodate the set number. Both sides are identical, with the exception of the 'LEGO Club' logo on the right-hand side; I wonder how necessary this is on an adult-orientated set, but I guess AFOLs have a reasonable chance of having KFOL kids! You may be pleased to see that the box opens via flaps, with no box-destruction required, and allowing easy storage for a highly collectable set. Scale is provided on the box top by the image of '1:1' R2-D2, but as he is rather lost in the model itself, the X-Wing's size information is repeated here: The bottom teaches us to say 'Small Parts' in innumerable languages, which I suppose might be useful. I was a little surprised by how big the box isn't: Measuring W 578 mm x H 371 mm x D 82 mm, it's roughly the same width as 7191, but some six centimetres shorter and only a centimetre deeper; she feels much smaller, if that makes any sense. The weight is similar: 2255 grammes compared to 7191's 2204, and there are 250 more pieces. Presumably this represents TLG's move to more environmentally-friendly packaging; we'll have to see if the larger part count translates to an 'improved' model. The Instructions You'll be pleased to see that the instructions and stickers are wrapped separately, and cardboard-backed. Three booklets are contained therein: All have the same cover image; book 3's cover is noticeably lower quality. Advertisements for the LEGO Club and the LEGO Star Wars site adorn the rear of two of them; I'll give you one guess what's on the back of the third. The dimensions of the booklet allow for a slightly larger picture of the X-Wing than the box front affords: We therefore haven't lost quite so much of the lower starboard laser. Inside, we are treated to a whole two pages showing the modular construction; the first is shown here: Here we get a little sneak preview of how the wing-opening mechanism will be achieved. I was surprised to see that the stand is built in module 6, rather than at the end as in most UCS sets. The rather bland grey-brown background persists throughout all the instruction steps: Part call-outs and sub-builds are demonstrated clearly; a quick glance suggest there won't be any issues with colour-differentiation; but when I came to build, I did encouter a little difficulty distinguishing between dark tan and light bluish-grey in artificial light. I quickly spotted the error. Insets depicting the set's principal features are repeated from the box back at the end of manual three: Click the picture for a larger image Owners of 7191 will recognise the design of the rear-end knob which opens the wings. Immediately before this is found the set's inventory, spread over three pages; see them here: Page 1, Page 2, and Page 3. The inside rear cover of manual one advertises the extensive Summer 2013 Star Wars range: I was a little disappointed to find out that we've seen all these already. I'm no Clone Wars fan, but I love that Mando Speeder. DSS There are two separate sticker sheets; the smaller sports the complex decals for the cockpit: I was fortunate to receive two of these, so I have a backup for when I screw it up. On the larger sheet are found the display plaque decal, and some detail for the wings, complete with 'battle scars', in addition to a few smaller features. Click the picture for a larger image with correct orientation It is far less complicated than the rather daunting sheet from 7191, though I'm a little disappointed to see that - it seems - the control panel and targeting computer will be stickered. End of Part One Introduction | Parts | Build | Complete Set | Wings Open | 10240 vs 7191 | Conclusion
  20. Masked Builder

    Review: LEGO Ideas #007 Exosuit

    Firstly, a HUGE thank you to LEGO for sending me this wonderful set, and to Eurobricks for letting me do this review. When I first heard this was going to be a set, designed by Mark Stafford no less, I was super excited to see what he would do for us. When the wonderful promo video was posted last week, it looked better than I had hoped. Set Information: Name: Exosuit Set Number: 21109 Pieces: 321 Price: $34.99 Ages: 12+ Minifigs: 2 Theme: LEGO Ideas Year of Release: 2014 Brickset Flickr Set Box: The front of the box has a moon background, along with what appears to be a space base. (Though possibly the space ship where the Exosuit was discovered) It also features the Exosuit logo, and the LEGO Ideas logo. Let me say now that I was surprised at how small the box was. There is very little extra room in this box. The back shows an alternate image for the set as well as the names for the astronauts; Pete and Yve. Along the left hand side, there's a small blurb about how the LEGO Ideas program works. And the 1:1 image is of Pete our first Classic Green Spaceman! Contents: There were four bags in the box, along with two loose pieces. I'm naming this printed tile the "Mark Stafford." I just love the print so much. Can you believe this is my first one??? The new plant bowls are pretty neat too. And here are our extra parts. The number of extra parts surprised me actually. Manual: The front of the manual has the same image as the box. It also shows the sheer number of languages that this manual is printed with. Seriously, it's a lot. And note that this manual is bound nicely like the Architecture theme. The first page goes into detail about the making of the set, this page also shows some classic space sets. The second page has more details about the making of the set as well as Mark and Pete. The next four tell the back story that, I assume, Pete created for the model, accompanied by some lovely pictures. The manual is printed in black and I had no problems with coloring. Every few pages, there is a small picture and some text describing all of the parts that are on the Exosuit. One of the last pages goes much more into detail about the LEGO Ideas process. We have a new WIN! image! I think this minifigure looks much more like an AFOL. Minifigures: Here we have Pete and Yve! They're your typical neo-classic space men. There's really not a whole lot to Class Spacemen. No back print, or double sided heads. The Build: After the minifigures you build the turtle. It's great to see one of Pete's more popular MOCs in a LEGO set. Then the little stand thingy. And lastly you get to the suit! First you build the body Then the legs. And lastly the arms. Then your Exo Suit is complete! Finished Model: And the completed set! I was expecting just the suit, but I won't say no to one of Pete's turtle bots as well as an extra astronaut. The turtle just looks great. Mark threw just enough silver parts in to make it look mechanical. The only problem I have is the guns aren't big enough. I'm not sure what to call this other than a play feature; because that's all it adds to the set. For how simple it is, I think it looks pretty damn good. Front view. Wow, it just looks SO good! The greebling is perfect, the color blocking is good, and Mark did a great job hiding the various Technic/Bionicle parts the make up the joints. Side view. I think this is the worst possible view for this set. You can see all of the connecting bits. And the back. It's obviously not supposed to be viewed from behind, but I think it doesn't actually look too bad. Were you starting to wonder where this was? It's just such a sweet piece and I actually didn't have any before now. Most of the greebeling is here; so here's a close up of the wonderful work Mark did with this. It is very flexible, allowing for wonderful poses like this one. I'm going to have a lot of fun with this guy. Took a little balancing, but I did manage to pose this way too. The hands work quite well, he has no problem holding the barrels. This is the closest thing I have to a LEGO mecha built right now. Wow that Ent is big. Conclusion: Have I mentioned how much I love this set? I can't imagine what else I would add to this to make it better. It's just that good. The greebling is excellent, the pose-ability is great, and it just looks awesome. I think this would make a great discussion pieces on ones desk at work. Great job Mark, Pete, and the LEGO team! I already planning on getting a second. Ratings: Playability: 8/10 For what it is, it's pretty sturdy and I can see a child playing with this. Design: 7/10 I took a few points off here because it isn't exactly like Pete's original model, but it's still great. Price: 10/10 $35 seems perfect for this set. Minifigures: 9/10 I am just in love with the Green Classic Spacemen. Parts: 8/10 This set not only gives you a great main model, but it's an excellent parts pack too. Total: 42/50 "When is it my turn?!" Like this review? Want to learn how to make good reviews? Then join the Reviewers Academy!
  21. Brickington

    Review: 21013 Big Ben

    This is my first review ever and I hope all of you enjoy it! Big Ben is one of history's most recognized landmark in the World. And now, it's in a LEGO set. Now you don't have to go all the way to London, England to feel the majesty elegance of Big Ben! The LEGO Big Ben set is full of detail and will put you in all at every brick you place on the set. This build is a must get for those interested in the LEGO Architecture series and/or detailed LEGO sets. Basic Information: Set Name: Big Ben Set Number: 21013 Number of Pieces: 346 Price: $29.99 USD / 29.99 Euro Theme: Architecture (Landmark Series) Year Released: 2012 Resources: Brickset LEGO Shop@Home BrickLink The Review: The Box The Front: The typical LEGO Architecture box. I am starting to love the design of it. It is modern, simple, and just lovely. Side: Another typical Architecture set picture. However, I always love seeing these sets in this view. The one thing I do not like is the tape on the top of the box. Back: The back of the box just shows an overview of this set and facts of Big Ben. The back also shows us that this set is 7.7in. tall. Instructions Front: Here's another typical Lego Architecture picture. Just a simple photo, nothing to it. In the instructions there are quite a few pages about the history of the actual Big Ben. These little pages are quite informative and interesting. Also, throughout the instructions you will notice random little clips of the history of this great landmark. Overall, the actual build instructions were pretty easy to follow, in a very step-by-step way. However, I can see a a child having a little difficulty building this alone, due to the type of techniques that are used. But a piece of cake for your average AFOL. Back: Just a nice little picture of this set. Contents: Mostly contains tan pieces. Which isn't a bad thing, is it? I personally like all of the tan pieces. Printed Pieces: ​ Now here is the printed pieces. You have the usual name of the set, obviously here it is Big Ben. And there is the four clock pieces. I think that they are quite ugly. The Big Ben Build The Base: And I present to you the base of Big Ben (in LEGO version at least)! Here there is just some (LEGO) green grass and some (LEGO) concrete. And then of course, the Big Ben title. Stage 1: Just a bird's eye view of the first part of this build. Pretty simple. Stage 1 (with roof): Pretty picture, but as far as the build goes, pretty plain. 1x1 Pieces: For some reason, these 1x1 pieces have always intrigued me. Probably because these 1x1 are quite useful, but it takes a difficult technique to use them. Stage 2: Here's stage 2. It looks like the exact same build as stage 1, but as you will notice in the next picture, you can't always judge a book by it's cover. Also, here's where you can see the ingenuity of the LEGO designers. I never thought of using those 2x1's as windows. Amazing work. Stage 2 (top view): Do you see? Not the same as stage 1, is it? I think TLG did a good job here. The LEGO Big Ben set is a good example of a SNOT technique in the windows. You can see that in this photo. Roof: And now you have the roof. I believe TLG has remarkable job here. It looks very good with the rest of the set. The double-slooped roof pieces are attached to a half-stud offset. TLG had some ingenuity with this part of the build. First Part of the Tower: I like to consider this as the first part of the tower. Three more copies of this piece will be made after this. I like the use of the pieces and simplicity of this part. Clock Stage: Here's clock tower piece, without the clocks. All I can think is "Man is this such a great set!" You are building with the great SNOT technique and just the ingenuity of the window pieces. This set is instantly recognized in a room. Start of the Steeple: Here's the base of the Steeple. Steeple Stage 2: Another simple picture of the Steeple build. Steeple: And the steeple in all it's glory! Simple, yet majestic. Steeple with the set: A picture of the steeple with the set. The Instructions say to put the clocks on after this, so that's what I did. Pictures of the Final Product Full View: ​ * drum-roll* And we are finally done! I just wanted to show you some pictures that show you the true beauty of this set. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. Bottom View: I love this image. It shows how talents the LEGO designers are at using simple LEGO bricks and making them into masterpieces. Tower View: Another view of this awesome set. Clock View: The actual (LEGO) clock in all of it's glory (well sorta). Here is where the complaining starts. I think TLG could have made a way better clock, after all it's printed in the first place. Back View: I love this view. I'll just let the picture speak for themselves. Real Big Ben Photo: I just wanted to post a picture of the actual building for everyone to compare to set to the real Big Ben. I believe the LEGO Big Ben set greatly represents the actual building. As I said above, it is instantly recognized in a room. I'll like to thankHoteles Y Alojamiento for the photo. Totals: Design: 10/10 The LEGO Architecture sets never seize to amaze me. I love the design of Big Ben. The designers did good here. The way LEGO made simple bricks into this, is just incredible. Thus, this set should be no more than 10 out of 10 in design. Parts: 8/10 Personally there are not really any rare parts. However, there is numerous of tan bricks. Which is a great plus. But besides that, not really any great pieces, as I said. Build: 10/10 Big Ben is one of those perfect builds. It is not a hard build, but just a little challenging were it is fun to build. Another 10 out of 10. Price: 7/10 At $30, this is a pretty good buy, but not great. At 7 cents per brick, not bad.However, I think this set could cheaper. I believe this set could easily be five to ten dollars/ euros cheaper. Overall: 35/ 40 Overall, this is a very good set. I enjoyed every single brick I put on this amazing set. I think everyone should go out and buy this set, and have as much fun as I had building it. This is such a great build and there is not enough words to describe how great this set is.
  22. LEGO Ideas - Birds (21301) Review by Adeel Zubair, on Flickr "They will fly off the shelves!" First Impression: When I saw this set for the first time I was very impressed with this set just like any LEGO Ideas set. This is a must have set for any birds enthusiast. These are impressive recreations of three birds seen in different parts of the world. This will be an iconic and popular LEGO set amongst adults. This is one of the LEGO Idea's set that is not based on an IP (Intellectual Property) or a replica, others being the recent Exo-Suit (21109) and Research Institute (21110.) I just want to say a huge thanks to Thomas Poulsom for making this set a reality. Unique Parts: This set contains 3 unique printed 'Flat Tile 2x4' pieces in Black each with the specific bird's name in Latin: Erithacus Rubecula, Cyanocitta Cristata and Colibri Thalassinus. There are recolours of certain pieces which are now exclusive to this set at the time of this review: Plate 2X4X18° (Dark Green), Corner Plate 45 Deg. 3X3 (Dark Green), Tip Of The Tail Ø6,47 (Earth Green), Neck - Tail Link, Ø7.84-Ø6,47 (Earth Green), Plate 1x3 (Medium Blue), Plate 1X2 W. 1 Knob (Medium Blue), Plate 2x3 (Medium Blue), Left Plate 2X4 W/Angle (Medium Blue) and Right Plate 2X4 W/Angle (Medium Blue.) There are also a few rare pieces in this set: Plate 6x16 (Dark Green), Right Plate 3X8 W/Angle (Earth Blue), Left Plate 3X8 W/Angle Earth Blue), Roof Tile 4X2/18° W/Cor. (Earth Green), Brick W/Bow 1/3 (Medium Blue), Plate 1X2 W/Shaft Ø3.2 (Reddish Brown) and Plate 1X2 W. Shaft 12M (Transparent) Something I would like to point out that some ‘Medium Blue’ pieces seem to have two different shades in this set. I don't know why but it may be a quality control issue which does happen sometimes. I found it to be extra useful for different texture as the bird is a natural form. However some people may not like this simply because they may look out of place if the pieces are used for your own creations. Minifigures and Playability: Ha! This set contains no minifigures. These are detailed models of birds for display only. Therefore I don't see young children purchasing this set for any reason besides someone who likes birds or the swoosh factor of the birds. No, the wings don't move but yes each Bird can be easily removed from their display stand. The models are really great display pieces and are just a wonderful piece to adore the details on display. Build Experience: This set contains 5 five numbered bags. 2x Bag 1's for the Robin, 2x Bag 2's for the Blue Jay and 1x Bag 3 for the Hummingbird and flower. It surprisingly contains three instruction booklets (one for each bird.) As always with the LEGO Ideas sets, they are high-quality books containing the building instructions, information on the LEGO Ideas platform and background information about the set and its original creator. It took me an average of 25 minutes per bird to assemble together. This set was designed by the very talented Steen Sig Andersen who has been with The LEGO Group for a very long time and it really shows. He has provided each bird with its own unique SNOT (Studs Not On Top) techniques and very thoughtful engineering which makes the models really strong and durable. Each Bird has its own stand very similar to the architecture stands but this time we have the green grass with a small pedestal for the birds to fit on. In front of the pedestal we have the printed 'Flat Tile 2x4' with the name of the specific bird which keeps them partly hidden and at the edge of the base we have a ‘San Yellow’ finish to possibly represent wood. The set was very enjoyable to put together and I learned a few new techniques along the way which was quite surprising since I'm a pretty experienced builder. Value for Money: This retails for £39.99 in the UK and contains 580 pieces. It's hard to judge this set because it contains three different builds. Each bird with stand works out £13.33 each so that's fairly respectable plus with the high quality box and instructions booklets is definitely worth £39.99 compared with other models LEGO has released in the past. It's a set that will sky rocket in the aftermarket, you would rather purchase this whenever you get the chance since it has a limited production run like any other LEGO Ideas set. This set is only available at LEGO Stores and Shop.LEGO.com Display Attributes: Since this set is built with three separate models I will discuss each model in depth. The Erithacus Rubecula also known as the Robin has been exquisitely rendered with the whole profile and shape capturing the exact shape of a Robin. Unlike the other models it's not smoothed out to try to hide the studs. Instead they have expressed and proudly shown the studs through 80% of the model. It's really great they have exposed the studs to capture what LEGO really is and how its simple brick can be constructed into a beautiful natural form, which isn't seen often. As I examine the photograph I can see that the Robin is orange, light brown, tan, grey and white. I understand that having several colours on a model of this scale could easily take away from the model, but I was surprised they didn't use orange instead of the red but to be honest I saw the original in person and it didn't look right with the brown. I like how the belly of the Robin is built like a Lowell Sphere. One advantage with this compared with other birds is that the Robin can stand on its two very small feet without extra support, again heads up to Steen for some really great engineering techniques used. This model has to be the highlight of the set. The stand is also well designed, you can turn the Technic axle 360° to suit the owners needs of display and it can also be easily be separated. I don't like that the Technic axle wiggles, I feel they are under a lot of pressure underneath the weight of the model. I have two complaints which I have with most LEGO sets: when having SNOT techniques used in a LEGO set is requires you to assemble an opposite colour to the brick/s it will attached on to. In this case the white and brown is showing though a small gap above the assembly of the red belly of the Robin. It's a natural form so I won't complain too much but I have seen it many times in other sets. Yes LEGO have to use as many simple and primary colours in the internal structure of any model to make it easier for the builder to find the pieces when constructing a set. Additionally the black ‘Plate 1X2 W. Vertical Grip’ that have used to attach the Robin's wings which could've been brown but I guess in this case it can represent shadow and depth. Another example is the Technic axle going through the underside of the Robin could have been transparent, now it seems as if it's part of the Robin. Which doesn’t look right? I like that the scale is pretty close to the real bird and it also make these models feel like your personal pets. The Blue Jay (Cyanocitta Cristata) is once again rendered well but this build also has minor problems. Main reason is in some angles you can see right through the bird but to be honest when it's on the stand you can barely notice. Comparing this model to the photograph provided in the instruction booklet. You can clearly see that all black pieces should have been ‘Earth Blue' besides the beak. I feel cheated and I would have preferred them to be 'Earth Blue' I don't understand why LEGO had to be lazy and choose black instead. That's one big problem I have with this assembly. The final bird is the Hummingbird (Colibri Thalassinus) which sits on a ‘Plate 6x16’ for the additional flower assembly. The flower is an interesting but simple. It's nice to see another large natural form in this set beside a couple of birds. Referencing back to the photograph I can see that a Hummingbird also has yellow and blue but would look out of place with the presented scale like the Robin. The brown 'Plate' would have been nice in transparent but I may be mistaken, but it could be its feet? The two sloped 'Earth Green' bricks that were used to hide most of the back of the plates is a great addition however it's only conned by one Technic pin which means doesn't stay still. Fan Model Vs. Final Product: All three models are very well recreated and are pretty similar to the original fan creation. The only differences are the internal structure and the way the models are presented. I do prefer the way the final product displays the birds because they look or presentable. Steen has done a wonderful job of staying true to Tom’s original design and has done them justice as a worldwide product. Final Analysis/ Conclusion: Overall this set it is a must have set for adults. It has its flaws like any other set: the grey Technic axle used between the Robin and tree branch, black pieces used instead of ‘Earth Blue’ for the Blue Jay and the loose ‘Earth Green’ pieces of the Hummingbird. Anyway the models are impressive recreations and would make a great gift for any adult or birds enthusiast. Quick Summary: Parts: 5 - Good quantity of common and semi rare colours from a parts perspective. Playability: 3 - Each bird can be easily removed from their display stand and be swooshed around if you so desire. Building Experience: 4.5 - A few interesting SNOT techniques are used, although some parts of the build are a bit repetitive but still enjoyable. Value for Money: 5 - At first the price may seem high however the models of the birds are very attractive. With a price tag of £39.99 you cannot go wrong. Overall: 5 - It has one or two problems that come from the deep vaults of LEGO but besides that I can only judge the build on its own merits. The models are impressive recreations and would make a great gift for any adult or birds enthusiast. Useful Links: https://ideas.lego.com/projects/16897 https://ideas.lego.c.../1-blog/post/22 http://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Birds-21301
  23. After a post by a fellow member, I learned that 76021 was already in shelves at the Houston LEGO Store. What followed can be best described as "sheer joy." I had been looking forward to this set since initial descriptions surfaced. A Marvel set that's larger than 400 pieces? A set based on Guardians of the Galaxy, one of the comics on my pull list? I was sold. But did the Milano Spaceship Rescue turn out as well as I'd hoped? Is it truly "all that and a bag of chips?" Read on to find out... Name: The Milano Spaceship Rescue Theme: LEGO Marvel Superheroes Year: 2014 Pieces: 665 Minifigs: 5 Minifigures Price: USD $74.99 Minifigures: There are 5 minifigures included, 4 of which are exclusive. The Sakaaran appears in all three sets based on the film. I'll start with Star-Lord, the rebellious prince of Spartax. Star-Lord wears a maroon jumpsuit for space flight. His facial expressions are snarky and angry, similar to most of the other LEGO Marvel Superheroes. His hair is pretty common to find these days, nothing to get excited about. I am excited, however, by his new dual blasters. They're very accurate to the comics and to what we've seen of the film so far. He also comes with a helmet complete with hair! It doesn't look as bad as you might expect. He doesn't tower over minifigures, but it's fairly noticeable. And he has this gun... thing? I'm sure all will be explained in the film. Next up is Gamora, the most dangerous assassin in the galaxy and the daughter of Thanos, the Mad Titan. Her jumpsuit is basically the female counterpart to Star-Lord's, which makes them seem more like a team. Her hair is unique, and useful to MOCers wanting to create a punk rock/pop star. Drax the Destroyer, a being created with the sole purpose of killing Thanos, completes the Guardians included here. He is controversially grey, falling victim to what I'll call "concept art" syndrome, much like sleeveless widow's peak Mandarin. Drax is adorned with tattoos across his torso and on his arms. If you look closely, you can see little LEGO skulls. Neat-o! Ronan the Accuser, the Supreme Accuser of the Kree Empire, takes the role as lead villain, though he is much more (morally) grey in the comics. Only time will tell if the film will follow that characterization. He has a nice headdress that doesn't fold his cape up too much. He also wields the Universal Weapon and carries what I presume to be one of the infinity gems, or stones as they are called in the MCU. The Sakaaran appears to be a member of the Shadow People, the creators of the Old Power. He looks A-OK! Pretty menacing, but forgettable on the whole. His weapon is generic enough to be used for space themed MOCs. The Necrocraft Cockpit Open The Sakaaran sits at the controls... The engine Beauty shot! The Sakaaran ship, or Necrofighter in proper terms, is a nice inclusion. Menacing, swooshable, and equipped with two new spring missiles. The controls are simple, but at least they're there (I'm looking at you, Extremis helicopter...). The Milano Well equipped for any battle... I was surprised that the designer didn't include any of the new spring missiles. There's plenty of room underneath (as you'll see later on). They're super functional and I'm mildly disappointed that we didn't get any to add to the fire power of the Guardians. Thrusters The underside Just a quick note, it's nice that the big holes on the underside are covered by large thrusters. It's not perfect but it gets the job done. Rear view The interior Gamora's controls are a printed tile, previously seen in some of the Star Wars sets... Aurebesh lettering? Mark your calendars, everyone: Disney is planning a crossover. Might the Millennium Falcon meet the Milano? Seating (and a fire extinguisher) ...and some more seating! Are you "Hooked on a Feeling?" Get ready for lift off! Comparison with 6869 Quinjet Aerial Attack Conclusions... So that's the Milano! Overall this was a joy. The interior is great: spacious, plenty of seating, a very detailed cockpit, lot's of free clips. What's not to love? The window in the back is a nice surprise and gives it some atmosphere. Another nice surprise is the stereo! I imagine that'll be a bigger plot point in the film than we previously thought. Can somebody say: "That's momma Star-Lord's mixtape?" Back on track: The build was nicely paced, I was never bored. The ship is heavy and full of features so you feel like you're getting your money's worth. Both fighters are very swooshable. There are a smattering of new elements for the MOCers and the figures will leave all of the Marvel fans and kids happy. If I had some criticisms, they're that the wings take a little time to adjust because the ball joints are very close together so it was difficult to position them correctly. Also the lack of Groot as a potted plant is disappointing given how easy it would have been to include. Perhaps he doesn't have that ability in the film, only time will tell. But in the end... Playability: 10/10 (No spring missiles for the Milano, but the interior, swooshability, and Sakaaran Necrofighter more than make up for it) Design: 10/10 (I see no problems here. As I said before, the build is excellently paced and the Milano is very sturdy) Price: 9/10 (665 pieces is average for $74. It's forgivable though because the Milano is pretty heavy so you feel like you get your money's worth and there is so much playability) Overall: 10/10 (Don't delay come June 1!) Bonus As a little celebration of the LEGO Marvel Universe entering the cosmic realm, I took a group photo of all of the characters we have thus far...
  24. ZeldaTheSwordsman

    REVIEW: 75037 Battle on Saleucami

    I acquired this set on Thanksgiving weekend and had the review photos ready to go as I built it, but I haven't gotten around to it 'til now. It's a decent large battlepack, though a tad overpriced (as with everything in the Star Wars range anymore; licenseflation, I call it) Here's the box, from both the front and the back: As is usual with contemporary Star Wars sets, the front shows a high-energy battle with motion blurs while the action on the back is a bit less energetic. The back also demonstrates the set's gimmick and provides views of the BARC speeder from different angles. The top (not shown) has the customary minifigure images; I like to cut out and save these. Here's what that box contains: An instruction manual, a small sticker sheet with decals for the bike and the STAP, and three bags of parts. Front cover of manual, and the inside of the manual. Amusingly, even today the manuals still tend to show pieces as being Old Gray and Old Dark Gray despite the switch to the new bluish grays. And here's all those parts dumped out, ready for building. You could go bag by bag, but where's the fun in that? Besides, if you want to follow the instruction manual exactly you actually pretty much have to do this! As ever, it starts with building the minifigs (except for one), and they're in two separate bags already. Then the first part of the build proper it gives the instructions for? The STAP, the pieces for which are in the other bag. With that out of the way, it's on to the build. The minifigures, including the one it doesn't tell you to build right away. One 91st Recon Corps trooper (It's not Neyo, he doesn't have Neyo's sash), two Battle Droids (one holding a rifle, one with the original Battle Droid arm on either side to pilot the STAP), and two Super Battle Droids. Note the platforms under the SBDs and the regular BD with the rifle. Those will be important later. The STAP begins to take shape. It too is also on one of those platforms, and is also flying lower than previous STAPs since it's on a transparent flagpole atop a transparent cylinder, rather than a transparent cannon piece. Interestingly, the flagpole is the classic rounded-top version, rather than the new one with the flat top. The STAP is almost completed. It's the same basic STAP design that had its beginnings in the "Droids Battle Pack" set and was refined and given proper CIS livery by the Clone Wars AT-TE set. And boom, one complete STAP with Battle Droid operator. The droids' lookout post is under construction. Note the 2x2 tile, it will also be important later. A bit more formed now. Just like "Clone Battle Pack" from 2007, this set makes use of a wheel arch as a top guardrail for the lookout. Not too much more formed, though the first of the vegetation growing around the place has been added - this is supposed to be in the brush of Saleucami after all. Not as densely forested as Felucia or Kashyyk, but plants do abound. And getting started on the other side of it... Not much to comment on here, although you do get a good look at the hinge plates used to make it not be just a straight line. And voila, the droids' lookout post is complete. Two places of concealment in the brush, flanking an armored lookout's nest. The classic foliage piece that looks like a miniature christmas tree is once again brought into service here, and very nicely so too. Last to be built is the BARC speeder, the star of this set. As with most vehicle builds of the non-nautical persuasion (and even then, some of those do this), it starts with a plate or two or three. As a bone thrown to alt build potential, two 1x6 plates are used where a 2x6 plate would have also sufficed. The body of the bike takes shape. Here, the center is formed from one of the new missile bricks (that goes on your notepad too). A wheelmount piece for the handlebar assemblies to clip to can be seen, something that's standard nowadays for BARCs. The body is basically complete. There is a battle droid head next to tally marks, indicating somebody's been keeping score. Yes, this is a sticker. No, I'm not gonna complain about it being one. And ta-da. BARC speeder ready for action. It looks nice. The BARC design has been well-refined by this point, and it looks very nice. I've seen some people complain "We dun need another BARC" but you have to keep in mind that not everybody was able to get their hands on the previous sets to include one (like me), and the fact that a good chunk of the target market wasn't even born or old enough at the time of those sets' release. So here it is, all together: Battle on Saleucami. One Battle Droid on a STAP, one on the ground with a rifle, and two SBDs. All four of them on 2x2 bases that let them stand without just falling over, but leave them easy enough to knock over. A lookout point with tiled spots to stand them, so that they are braced but not anchored. A clone trooper on a BARC speeder with a spring-loaded missile-launching brick and four missiles for it. Can you say "Shooting Gallery"? It's a lovely idea for a set, good fun to play with and good for building up your armies. It's perhaps a tad overpriced, as I stated at the beginning, but I still recommend picking it up before it disappears from store shelves.
  25. Hi All, Here's my 3 x Modular combo review of the Grand Emporium, Pet Shop and Parisian Restaurant. As I was doing some re-organizing of our LEGO I decided to do an overview of these 3 really nice sets. The full overview with detailed images here http://www.boxtoy.co...s-GE-PS-PR.html I really enjoyed looking back at these sets along with taking the pictures so I hope everyone enjoys it. Do feel free to comment and feedback. Tobysan