Review: 40065 Kingfisher

[ResIpsaLoquitur]

I'm taking my first stab at an unofficial review here. I have some free time tonight and thought I'd try doing one. So, be gentle, and here we go...

Set Name: 40065 Kingfisher

Theme: Promotional

Released: 2013

Pieces: 21

Price: Free

The promotional Kingfisher is the monthly mini-build for the Lego Store for May 2013. If you haven't heard by now, the Stores do a free promotional build at 5 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month. (A weird exception was this month, as last Wednesday they also had a free build of a Star Wars droid in advance of The Yoda Chronicles.) The build is often thematic for the month; for example, last month was a pair of lambs for Easter or Spring. This month, we get an appropriate little bird as spring warms up and summer approaches. So let's see what we get...

Here's the very nondescript bag for the build. This is honestly the first month we've ever received the bag. Every time my daughter has been to the monthly build (we've been every month since September), the pieces were already provided in a Pick-a-Brick container. This month, the Store rep just handed us the bags as we walked in, although he pre-opened the bag for us. From there, you walk over to a table where the directions have been laid out, and you get to build with other kids.

I don't have a photograph of the directions, as none are provided in the bag. Like I said, a copy is put at the table for the kids to use. However, the Lego Shop website is nice enough to post the directions so you can make your own if you can't get to the shop.

Here's what you get in the bag:

If you're in it for the parts, you do tend to get some interesting pieces in the sets. My favorite are probably the white SNOT pieces, especially since there's four of them. The only disadvantage of the monthly builds is that you tend not to get pairs of the interesting pieces. For example, the blue curved slope is nice, but you only get one of them. If you wanted to build something like a blue couch...well, I hope you brought two kids to the event.

Most of the way through the build. I think my daughter put it together in well under 5 minutes. You can see here where the SNOT pieces attach so the chest and wings can go on. You can also see that the bird is somewhat "functional," as the placement of parts lets you rotate the wings and wag the tail. Unfortunately, there's no mechanism to let the wings flap; you're pretty much restricted to posing a perching bird.

Here's the completed bird. Personally, I don't like the abstract nature of brick-built animals, but I do admit that the use of parts is clever. The "traffic light" tip as the beak is clever, as is the black jumper plate for the eyes. Also, it's neat how they used the 2 x 4 slope on the SNOT bricks to get the puffed-out chest. One disadvantage is the yellow clips for the feet: you can't directly clip the bird onto a studded surface. You'll have to put a 2 x 2 plate or brick under him before he can sit on something. He is pretty stable and balanced, and will sit comfortably on any flat surface.

While waiting in line, you do get a cute little card with a picture of the completed build and a spot for your child's name. This is essentially your "ticket" to get into the build, so don't toss it until after you get into the store.

The back gives you a parts inventory, so you can drool over the SNOT pieces you'll be getting while waiting in line. (However, Brickset already has all the parts inventory for the year over on their site.)

We typically get to the store an hour before the build to secure our spot in line. A LOT of people show up for these events and the store gets pretty crowded, so an hour before gets us close to the front. Fortunately, while we're waiting, the store often gives you goodies to keep you placated. This month, we got this lovely sticker...

That's right, you're more likely to get hit by lightning than to find a Mr. Gold, but you get compensated with a large sticker of him. Here's a big picture of the guy you'll never find! (We've gotten some nice stickers other months, including a bunch of Lord of the Rings and Monster Fighters stickers.)

Well, the back of the sticker comes with another shot of the figures, and a teaser about finding Mr. Gold. We at least used this as a motivator to drool over the figures we wanted. While waiting in line, I was able to run in and find a Sad Clown, and another dad found a Trendsetter for me. No Mr. Gold, but a lot of teasers thanks to Warrior Woman's spear.

We also got the latest Lego Club magazine and next month's calendar. (We've gotten the Club Jr. magazine as well, but I didn't see them hand it out this month.) You can get these on the Club and Store websites, so I won't overwhelm this review with photos. I will say, though, that they help pass the time while waiting to get into the build. Here's an overall shot of all the loot we got:

So, back to the Kingfisher: is it a good build? Well, at an average cost of $0.00 per brick, it's certainly one of your best value sets. Hey, it's free Lego, and given how the cost of sets has gone up, you can't complain. It's an obvious ploy to get you into the store to inspire your kids to yell at you to buy more minifigures, and as an AFOL, you're inevitably going to wander over to the PAB wall. But you do get a cute little model to take home. They can make cute little household decorations; I plan to break out last year's Black Cat at Halloween, the Turkey at Thanksgiving, and the Moose at Christmas. Alternatively, you might be getting some useful parts. I can't think of any alternate builds for these few pieces, but somebody, somewhere, might really need one blue curved slope. At any rate, going to the build is more for the experience than the set: you get to bond with your kid while watching him or her building a cute brick-built model. And isn't your kids what Lego is all about?

...you DID bring a kid to the monthly build, right?

Rating

Build: 5/10 - it's a quick build with limited parts, but it does look like what it's supposed to be.

Parts: 7/10 - the SNOT parts are useful, as is the white hinge. Like I said, your big problem is that a lot of the unique pieces don't come in pairs.

Figures: N/A.

Playability: 5/10 - This is in the eye of the beholder. A kid under 10 can easily pretend this is a real bird. However, you have very limited poseability--it's really only the tail and (sort of) the wings that can move.

Price: 10/10 - It was FREE. However, you do have to wait in line and brave the crowds, and it's a marketing ploy--your kid will inevitably ask you to buy something.

Overall: 7/10. It's a free set, so that alone should pump up the rating. In my book, a 10/10 would be a free promotional 10188 Death Star, but that'll never happen. But between the free bricks and the goodies, I can't complain. If you can get to a monthly build, do it (but go early to beat the lines).