r1chard

From Build-A-Minfig at Sherway Gardens Lego store

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Hello, I'm a newbie to Lego stuffs in general, and recently was drawn into thinking that I want a motorized Lego train. I have Hogwarts Express but my problem is that it doesn't come with tracks and power function. I thought of buying these separately but calculations showed I might spend a lot (you know Canadian prices is 33% more than US MSRP plus 13% tax), and I'm not sure if I could get at least 16 curve tracks required to have a complete circular track. To have less headache, I just bought the Passenger Train set 7938 which contains Track pieces: 16 curved and 16 flexible. Power Functions: battery box, train motor, infrared receiver and infrared remote control and the Level Crossing set 7936 which contains 4 straight tracks. I think those that I highlighted above are the bare essentials to have a motorized train. Of course, not everyone will agree specially the experts, may recommend you to buy like the rechargeable battery instead of the battery box above that uses AAA batteries, or the bigger train sets like Cargo Train. Or suggest you to buy the 9V system instead of the current Power Functions. If you have the money then go for those. But if you're like me, a newbie and just wanted a simple and cheaper set up that works then Lego 7938 is a good start or I must say a must-have. But if I have a bigger budget I will get the Cargo Trains either the older one or the recently released, just because it looks different than the Hogwarts Express. Another point is about buying older models. My thought about this, and I know not everyone will agree, and this is sort of a Lego philosophy of mine is to buy what is current. It will save you more money, less headache about compatibility and availability, no sour-graping in case a new set is released very similar to the old model, and the current one will soon be a thing of a past anyways. Links: Video review of 7938 http://www.brickshow.com/episode92-7938

I just realized that in the spinners Chopov, Bonezai, and Krazi don't come with headgears, like pictured on the cards that came with the spinner sets. I also hope they'd make a Samukai spinner set soon, or it would be unfair since he can hold a lot of weapons

Great review eh. Thanks for sharing! I like the details on these 2 minifigs. This reminds me of 'adidas'

Thanks for the review and sharing this to us. The pictures are great by the way! I like the comparison of the ninjas and skeletons. I like to get them all though I know this will not happen.

Thanks Cheers! It helped a lot. Would it be better to buy a set (like 7938)that includes all the power function stuffs, instead of buying them individually? There's a close Lego store at Toronto but as we all know Canadian pricing is like 30% more than US MSRP.

Hello, I have the set 4841 too, and plan to motorize it. I have zero knowledge of how to do it, and what stuffs I need to do it. So please be patient with my questions. 1. What kind of track/s do I need that fits this train? What I have in mind is just a circle or an oblong. 2. What motor do I need for this train? Please direct me to a link or exact model number. 3. Do I need a (mandatory) remote control? If so what kind? And what item in the train will this control. That's all for now. Thanks in advance.

What I hate about this set

nice modification. the gate is now high enough for the knight and his horse.

This set is just twice the price of the set below, and you get the same horse eh. my flickr

Thanks for reviewing this set. I like the armored knight too! and the build/design of the prison.

Thanks for review! I agree, and the hair piece would have been a nice piece to have.

Cole without his ninja mask my flickr Screencaps showing the four ninjas without their masks.

let's play spot the difference Hello Elvis! What's in the red tool box? I will get these two definitely. Bonaparte: Pictures removed on request of LEGO

3815 Heroic Heroes of the Deep 3816 Glove World

The photos are from brickset. I sort of like the clear spinner, though clear also means you're gonna see cracks clearly as well I really hope someone will do a review or even just the pics to see the set in actual photo and not cgi. Nice observation though about the yin-yang imbalance Please do a review specially the Garmadon spinner set. Nice choice eh. I wonder how he will look side by side with Darth Maul. I will get both Garmadon and S. Wu once Chapters have them online. I like that Vietnamese hat too.

Can't wait for these two!

my flickr

I just opened my box to put the bags in a more compact container. I noticed two 4x1 red bricks loose inside the box. Any idea about this? Also the 2 instruction booklets are so crumpled. I'm excited to open and build the first 2 bags! On the review: Thanks for a very comprehensive review! whenever I need to check on these sets, eurobricks is my first stop for reference.

Wow! I also bought 2 of these last Friday? Where did you get yours? I was at Sherway Gardens, and I think there are about 5 or 6 boxes when I went in. And I just checked my box now that I saw your reply. Mine has the same code '311B1'. I built one of mine last night too. It's all complete. But when I started building it, and started with all unprinted white on the bottom just like in the box I thought I ran out of bricks. But I realized there should be no blank row instead so Now, I have to open and check the other box if it is complete. Email or Call lego they will replace the missing brick, though I understand the feeling eh. It's disappointing, specially if you have to make a long trip going to the store just to pick this brick calendar up.

Lego 2172 is one of the Ninjago spinner sets released this year, 2011. This is the only spinner set, so far, that includes a female minifigure. Number: 2172 Name: Nya Theme: Ninjago Year Released: 2011 Pieces: 21 Minifigs: 1 Price: US $9.99 / UK £7.49 / CA $12.99 Links: Brickset Bricklink Packaging The set is packaged in a blister pack, and you can easily see the contents. The spinner and the card collection each has their own compartment, while the bag of pieces and instruction sheet are in another slot. I think this type of packaging suits this particular theme since it is geared towards kids (ages 6-14). Seeing the contents themselves (pieces, cards, and the colorful spinner) would be more appealing than getting just a small box. Cards The card collection is tightly sealed. Here you could see the front of the card featuring Nya, as well as the back design of the cards. I did not open it as I don't have any intention of playing with these cards. I like the choice of the red ninja (Kai) on the back of the cards. I guess the aim of this theme is for kids to collect as many Ninjago characters as they can (and therefore accumulate these cards as well). Note that one has to have at least 2 spinners in order to play. But of course, the more the merrier. Pieces The packaging says 21 pieces, go figure. The gold-color blades are flexible. The gray 2x2 circle goes to the bottom of the spinner, allowing it to spin. The red bricks become the card stand. I like that they made the spinners in different color for different characters, and that each character has unique golden piece of weapon. Instruction Sheet This is just a section in the instruction sheet, but nonetheless shows where certain pieces go, such as assembling the minifigure, weapons, and the spinner. The right side shows how to start the spinner, and also how to place the cards on the stand. Check out Lego's website for the whole instruction sheet. Minifigure: NYA Now for the main reason why I got this set. I generally like East Asian themes and minifigures (Kimono Girl, Sumo Wrestler, Samurai Warrior), so this minifig is a must for me. I could also see Nya as a civilian in City sets when she's not in Ninja-mode, maybe waiting tables in a Chinese restaurant. This minifigure has a dual face. This one is the pretty face. The printing in the torso and the legs are great. No back printing though. And here's the ninja face, which I like better that the other face. Nya in Action Now in the spinner, Nya has to extend her weapons to hit her opponents. Apparently, this is the only spinner set that I have right now. I'm planning to get Lord Garmadon soon once it is released. Video/Demo Here's how to start the spinner. I only used as little force as I can using my fingers so it will not go far, away from the camera. Of course, if you apply bigger force then the spinner will be more stable on its spin. However the challenge here is to control the direction of the spin and hit the opponent's spinner. Conclusion Design 7/10 - There's not much to say really about design. The spinner is not bad at all, and works well. Parts 7/10 - Maybe another interesting weapon would be nice. The gold-color blade doesn't interest me. But you do get 2 light saber handles. Build 6/10 - There is nothing to build. The spinner comes pre-assembled but I can't imagine it coming with all the screws and a screwdriver. Minifigs 9/10 - The reason why I got this set is because of the minifig, nothing else. And this is the cheapest set to get Nya. Plus points for the printed torso and legs, and also the ninja face. Playability 8/10 - I think kids will love this set. Especially that it comes with collectible cards. The spinner, of course, provides all this playability. Though you need to buy another spinner set or get the set with 2 spinners. Price 3/10 - I got this 40%-off the regular price C$12.99, so no complaints. But I will not buy it more than that. I say C$12.99 is over priced. I don't think the cards, and the spinner would cost too much. I suggest get it when it goes on sale. A lot of these spinners set are just sitting on the shelf. Overall 40/60 - I guess the price is too much eh. I must admit, I used to ignore this Ninjago theme but now starting to gain some interest into it, specially with the minifigures (Nya, Sensei Wu, Lord Garmadon). If we disregard the price for just a moment and look at this set in terms of the other aspects such as playability, design, and parts, then I would say it is a good set. As I said, kids will love go crazy with the spinner.

Lego 30091 Desert Rover is a polybag set released this year as part of a promotional offer of a UK newspaper. There are only 2 polybags under the Pharaoh's Quest theme, the other being set 30090 Desert Glider. The Desert Rover set includes a small nice looking car which blends well with the rest of the Pharaoh's Quest sets in terms of color. It also includes Jake Raines (minifig) with his sideburns and pistols. Let's start the show! Number: 30091 Name: Desert Rover Theme: Pharaoh's Quest Year released: 2011 Pieces: 34 Minifig: 1 Notes: Promotional set given away with The Sun newspaper in the UK on 20th May 2011 Links: Brickset Bricklink Packaging Nothing special on the packaging. No shiny gold bar or gold coins , typical polybag set. At the back it says 'Components made in Denmark, Hungary, Mexico, and the Czech Republic. Pieces The above photo shows the (folded) instruction sheet, pieces for the Desert Rover vehicle, and two pistols. Instruction The instruction is a small piece of paper printed on both sides. The front page shows steps 1-6, while the back page shows steps 7-9, and the rest of Lego Pharaoh's Quest sets. At the upper right-hand corner of the back page is a watermark of a mummy holding a snake. The Mini-figure Here is Jake Raines. I call him 'The Gunslinger'. Details of the minifig showing front, back, and side. One issue I have with this minifig is how to place the hair piece so that it works with his sideburns. The Desert Rover For me the best piece of this set is the front detail of desert rover. It reminds me of the fire truck in Fire Brigade, and Indy's car in Shanghai Chase. The above photo shows the front and side of the rover, and the extra pieces. Back side of the rover. I like the rear wheel cover. Completed Set Lego Pharaoh's Quest 30091 Desert Rover Conclusion Design 8/10 - The design is good. I'd say it worked for it's purpose. Let's keep our expectation low for promotional polybags. It blends well with the rest Pharaoh's Quest sets. Parts 8/10 - As mentioned above, I like some pieces, in particular the Car Grille. Which according to peeron.com doesn't appear much on sets. Build 8/10 - Simple build as expected on polybag sets. Minifigs 8/10 - I like the Jake Raines minifig, the same guy appears in Scarab Attack. I like the facial expression, printed torso (front and back), and the sideburns. Playability 8/10 - As you will see in the bonus image below, Jake uses his vehicle to his advantage. Price - I will not give a rating for the price. But if you're interested, I got 2 of this set from eBay UK for GBP 1.79 each and another set 30131 (GBP 3.50) plus GBP 4 shipping for all three sets. So it's good better to have a British friend . Overall I like the Desert Rover in this set, and all the vehicles on Lego Pharaoh's Quest sets. The same goes for the minifig. It's a polybag set, so really there's not much to expect, other than it gives a taste of the Pharaoh's Quest theme. For that purpose I think this is a good set (I just bought 2 eh ). If you're going to compare the rover to other polybag vehicles, it's not that bad. Bonus Images Love at first sight.

Lego 30131 Jack Sparrow's Boat is one of the 3 polybags released this year 2011 under the Pirates of the Caribbean theme. This set contains Captain Jack Sparrow wearing a fortune cookie tricorne (three cornered) hat, which can only be found on larger PotC sets (London Escape, Whitecap Bay, and Queen Anne's Revenge). So this is the smallest set where one could get such minifig. Unfortunately, this polybag set was released only in UK as part of a newspaper promo. Number: 30131 Name: Jack Sparrow's Boat Theme: Pirates of the Caribbean Year Released: 2011 Pieces: 22 Minifigs: 1 Notes: Promotional set given away with the News of The World newspaper in the UK on 15th May 2011. Links: Brickset Bricklink Packaging Notice that at the back of the polybag, it says 'Components made in Denmark, Hungary, China, Mexico, and the Czech Republic'. I assume it is the head/hair piece that is made in China, and I must add that it looks great as we shall see in a while. Pieces The pieces for the boat, and accessories including two swords and a liquor bottle. The next best thing in this set after the Jack Sparrow minifig. Yeah, smoked gray. Instruction Sheet The back side of the instruction sheet shows previews of the boxed PotC sets. Here we could see the Queen Anne's Revenge set at the upper left side of the page with the set number 4195 written on the golden ribbon. The Minifig: Capt. Jack Sparrow Front and Back. I was surprise of how faithful the look of this minifig is to the actual movie character. Side Details. Back Printing on the torso, and alternate scared face. I love that head/hair piece. Building the Boat Step 1. We start by joining the two black pieces which will constitute the boat's hull or the main body. Step 2. We then add the other dark brown pieces which comprised the top part of boat and gives a wooden feel to it. Step 3. Finally, we add the sail, and we're ready to conquer the sea! Completed Set Here's the completed set of Lego 30131 Pirate of the Caribbean - Jack Sparrow's Boat. The extra sword is not shown. Conclusion Design 7/10 - The design is okay. The boat is as simple as it gets but is effective. A pirate and his ship. Parts 9/10 - Nothing special, but I like the sail, the liquor bottle, and the minifig with 2 swords. Build 8/10 - Simple build as expected on polybag sets. Minifigs 10/10 - You get Capt. Jack Sparrow! TLG did a great job on this one. It is as good as it gets, a detailed replica of the movie character. The head/hair piece is fantastic. Playability 7/10 - If the boat will actually float it would be awesome. Price - I will not give a rating for the price. But if you're interested, I got it from eBay UK for GBP 3.50, free shipping if you asked the seller to send it using Jack's boat. Overall I like the PotC sets (Captain's Cabin, Isla de la Muerta, and Whitecap Bay). But we all know they're nice and expensive sets. So polybags such as this is a cheaper way of getting at least the minifig. I used to have this idea of getting at least one set of every theme, it turns out it is not a good idea. Sometimes you like to buy all the sets of a particular theme (like the PotC sets), and sometimes you hardly pay attention to certain themes. Anyways, going back to this polybag set, I'd say this is a good set. A kid would be happy to get this set But if you have the budget for the bigger PotC sets then you'll get the same Jack Sparrow minifig. Bonus Image He used to be a waiter, hence the liquor connection.

yeah, i wonder why mine's is 1 2 5 10 while in this photo on page 10 is different. in 10 20 30 40 How many gold bars, and gold coins exactly are in the Isla de Muerta set?