WesternOutlaw

Benny: this is a very nice creation. I don't think that I've ever seen a Japanese freight train before. You've certainly created a unique model, and did a great job building it with Lego. The colors look very good, and I like the overall design. Does the middle roof section open? This is really impressive. Blogged!

Thank you both for the great suggestions. I think one of the big differences will be the addition of a sand beach using tan/yellow bricks. I will definately need more palm trees this go around. Some reefy rocks is a really good idea that I had not considered. I also like the gallow idea. If any of you have any more suggestions, I'd appreciate it.

Earlier in the year, some of you will remember that I had created a large Jungle Adventure Diorama containing Indiana Jones and Adventurer sets. I'm in the process of doing something similar once again; but this time, I want to create a Pirate Lagoon/Island and Imperial Port. As I don't want this to come out the same as an "Along the Amazon Creation", I could use some tips. How can I create a Pirate Lagoon that differs from my Jungle Adventure? What would you recommend? I'm considering having two sides to the creation, the port on one side, and the lagoon on the other. What would you master Pirate builders recommend? Your help is appreciated.

Alex did a review of 5978 a year or two ago. Here it is. At the same time, it's always nice to get a different perspective from multiple reviews.

This is general news about a Lego City set, so I think it's fine to stay here. In fact, I saw it the other day at TRU and was thinking about announcing it here as well. We need a review though.

Yay! My local TRU had just a few, but they were $5.00 (USD). I'm still glad I found them!

Definately! The idea was also used by Playmobil: Their older Royal Cannon set:

A whack-o-mobile. (AKA a Hinckonator). Cool! Looks like something out of Ghost Busters.

Surprisingly, very mixed opinions in regard to this question. I've only created a pirate display once before. It had two ships that were both set up as docked, rather than an epic battle at sea. My desire to set up a pirate scene focusses on the land aspect. I think that the land/island just offers so many more possibilities and play, rather than a ship. If you had asked me to compare these when I was much younger, I probably would have said I liked ships better for that swoosh value (mentioned by someone above). Tacitus mentions the Batman theme above, and this is exactly what I was thinking when I initiated this poll. In most themes, I think I like buildings/bases better than vessels and vehicles.

KimT: Great job on this! As a big fan of the Adventurers theme, it's great to see an Index of these fine sets.

I have an Ionic Breeze that I picked up at a Sharper Image store. I think it ran around $250 a few years ago. You can probably find some cheaper, but they are not as good. Good luck on your dust prevention. I think it's something that relates to all of us. I want some large glass cases (if I had the space).

Neat little site. I enjoyed reading the History of the Island, and left a comment in the guest book.

Wow! These are some of the best review pictures that I've seen - so crisp and clear. Excellent review!

Strangely, I saw the story on the news yesterday. Seems that everyone is trying to get in on the pirate lure.

Nice review Cobra. Thanks for sharing. I esp. like the doctor's torso. I rate this little set a 4 based on the design of the vehicle and the classic doors. BLOGGED! EDIT: I must have missed this review after it was posted back in Sep. I went ahead and kept the blog, since it's always enjoyable to look at these reviews.

I was comparing ships and vehicles (for non-pirate themes), with buildings and structures. Savy?

Over the past few days, I've been in Pirate-mode really enjoying the new 2009 Pirate theme. I have not yet found the new Soldier Fort or the large Pirate Ship, but I'm really looking forward to the fort. I love island and fort sets. As I've been looking at all the new pirate sets, it got me asking myself, "What do I enjoy more, Ships or Structures"? One could almost say that the new Pirates theme is predominantly a "land-lovers" theme at the moment, with more land sets than ships. This may change in the future, but at least at present. In comparison to License themes like Batman where vehicles are predominant, would you have expected the new Pirate theme to have more ships & sails or land-loving island sets? As a pirate fan, what do you enjoy more? I'm not sure if a topic like this has been previously discussed, but I'm curious to read your thoughts on the subject. I've added a poll for some extra fun.

Arr! Great review NewRight. Your pictures are very nice. I love boxed Impulse Sets! Unfortunately, my local TRU doesn't have any of these yet. Once they do, I will definately buy a few. Weapon racks always make neat little sets with a single fig. We are seeing a lot of clone faces on the Imperial redcoats though - just about one in every set. I would prefer to see a more plain face that would work better for army building. What I like about the Arsenal though is that he has a backpack, a piece not contained in any of the other four sets that I own. I'm guessing there might be one in the Pirate Fort. A barrel would have made a nice piece to include too. I still rate this little set a strong 5! The Pirate Survival set is equally nice. I love the fish! With a flame, gems, and a pick (great piece), it's the perfect little set. Thanks for the outstanding dual review. I can't wait for the Pirate Fort and the Ship, my next two sets. I'm going to keep looking for these Impulse sets as well.

Thanks Moose, and thank you as well for sharing the first review of this set. Everyone has a diiferent perspective when doing a review. I think this one deserves it. My thoughts exactly. I think it's my first - thanks for the info. I have the Mt. Everest set, and it's probably the same cheap plastic, but with the lighter color, it probably looks more soft. I'm OK with the single mast, but I definately agree with you in regard to more green needed. A few palms would have really looked great, even if just on a tan 4x4 baseplate. We need a Pirate supplement set for this sort of stuff. Thanks for the great thoughts.

Pirates Shipwreck Hideout Set #: 6253 Theme: Pirates 2009 Year Released: 2008 Piece Count: 310 Minifigs: 5 + 1 skeleton List Price: $39.99 (USD) First, let me say that I don't want to steal any thunder from Moose's recent review of this set. When I came home this afternoon, I was looking forward to building and taking pictures of this set for an image review, only now to discover Moose already reviewed it. As I've uploaded all the images to Maj.com and that this is a terrific set, I'm going to go ahead and share my review. Starting with the box, the hideout is pictured on the water as opposed to land. The box is prominently marked with the words "LIMITED EDITION": Some of the great pictures and boxart on the back of the box: The set instructions has a similar picture as pictured on the front of the box: Included in the instructions is a short comic. I like these: Two wonderful redcoat Imperials are included in this set. These are terrific! The back of their torsos have printed pouches. This makes me wonder what they would look like carrying an actual Indy cases: I absolutely love the pirates in this set. Redbeard has a wonderful torso and who doesn't love a female pirate? And their backsides: The set is packed with accessories including some extra pieces: And pictured here is the pirate skeleton on a small dark blue boat. Dark blue is certainly an interesting choice of colors for this boat: The shipwreck hideout consists of five sections: 1) the front of the ship, 2) the rear of the ship, 3) middle/quarters, 4) the bridge, and mast. Each section is made separately, then connected by technic pins. The front of the ship is a simple, yet effective design giving the appearance of a wrecked bow. Strangely, the treasure chest is attached to this section: Inside the treasure chest is four gems and gold coins: Sorry if this picture is a bit out of focus. I couldn't seem to get it to come out. The stern of the ship is a similar build with a large ship wheel piece: The next section is the middle cabin part of the ship: The first level appears to be a rock foundation: On the left side as you face this section, there is a swinging blade that moves when you pull/push the skull: Here is the right rear view: The 2nd floor is the cabin/deck of the ship with door leading inside: There are windows on both sides of the cabins: The inside of the cabin is small, but nicely detailed. That's a stack of skulls on the left side of the cabin: By turning the desk with treasure map and gold goblet, a small opening appears. The skulls can be dropped into the hole and will come out of the front/lower floor: On the roof of the cabin is a cannon, parrot, and pirate flag: The large black pirate flag (skull and cross bones) is made of the hard plastic that reminds me of the old Ninja theme flags. These hold up very well. I don't mind the more cartoon-like skull at all: The next section is the tall mast. the build is pretty simple. I love the new crab! The top of the mast. Some small black or red flags would have been nice: The last component is the bridge that connects the mast with the deck/cabin. While I like the color, I hate this soft low-quality plastic. The pin is used to keep the bridge from turning when it's attached to the mast: All of the sections are connected forming this structure: And lastly, the complete set. It's a hard set to photograph: Final Thoughts I absolutely think this is the neatest little set. It's one of those sets that actually looks better when you see it for yourself (pictures do not do it justice, including the boxart). The cabin almost reminds me of the headquarters of Fort Legoredo, with a turning table as opposed to two chairs. This is reminiscent of nicely designed detailing that Lego designers must have put some thought into. The figs and accessories are excellent, including the new fish piece. I love the fact that none of the flags use stickers. Thank you for this Lego. I also like the sectional construction that is all combined in the last step of the build. This set has just about everything that one would want in a pirate hideout, except for a few palm trees and a net trap. With a $40 (USD) price tag, it's an outstanding set! I'm not even interested in the piece count. I rate this set a strong 5! PS. I'm tempted to break out the old blue water mat, and set these new Pirate sets up for a while. Enjoy!

Svelte_corps returns with an awesome review! I love it! Your pictures of this fabulous set are outstanding. It's been a long time Lego's offered a pirate ship of this caliber, and it is well worth the wait. I'm so glad Lego decided to pursue this theme in a traditional fashion incorporated classic pirate style. This is probably the best of the lot, followed by the Soldiers fort. Excellent review and thanks for taking the time to share on EB! And welcome back. Thank you for the congrats. EDIT: I challenge you with my new pirate ship

Blogged!

Wow! Great review 5150L. I love it. This is a terrific set, and a very nice review. Thanks for the early pictures. And to think, you went looking for a Pooh. I really like the color combination of the black, red, and white. The 4WD looks nice with the numerous windows. The horse trailer is equally impressive. I also love the fact that the set includes a small western fence, and in white. Thanks for the outstanding review!

Nice poll, but I think it's too early to decide. Most people don't even own one set yet. I'll vote once I pick up the entire collection.

Pirate Construction Set Set #: 6192 Theme: Basic Construction Set Year Released: 2008 Piece Count: 150 Minifigs: 1 List Price: $10 (USD) Ahoy maties, yet another Pirate set review, but this one be a little different. This set, discussed here and here, is not part of the new Pirates theme, but rather a new basic construction series. One could refer to this set as a Creator set, but the name Creator does not appear on the box. In any case, it includes something special found in no other Pirate set, an exclusive Pirate Captain (pictured later). My first thought was, why would Lego offer a new Pirate construction set, not part of the Pirates theme? I think Lego was pursuing the Creator builder with this set, or perhaps even a more younger builder that gives the buyer a number of pirate-possibilities using classic bricks. The outcome is actually quite pleasant and offers creative "build-ability", rather than "play-ability". So, enough talk, let's take a closer look at this set. Starting with the box which many of you die-hard pirate fans have seen: The back of the box shows some alternate models including a red crab next to what I think looks like a cactus (ok, it's the cowboy in me talking ): The best part of the entire set is the exclusive blue-torso smiling pirate. Not pictured is the back of the torso that is just solid blue with a brown strap printed along the back: The set also includes two swords and three clear gems as the pirate captain's treasure: Although a little too large, the red treasure chest with working lid is actually neatly designed and holds the three clear gems: OK, now don't laugh (or compare this to an actual Lego shark). For using only standard bricks, it's not too bad: On to the pirate ship. It actually isn't too bad for a standard brick-built design. This is actually the type of stuff we made in the late 70s/early 80s before Lego created their Pirate theme (but better ). Only a few of us remember. The ship actually has a nice steering wheel piece that is a great piece for MOCs. Here's a shot of the back of the flag and steering area: One good thing is the sail doesn't wrinkle: And what kind of pirate ship would not have a plank to walk. Here's the captain checking it out: After building this set, it even had a number of extra pieces left over. Here's the smaller pieces including a small colorful seagull or parrot (your guess is as good as mine): Here's a picture of the larger bricks: Pictured in the instructions are some alternate models (same picture as the back of the box): Here's the complete set: And lastly, a picture with many of the new pirates as they flood the small ship: Final Thoughts I had not seen any of the early pictures of this set as I don't frequent the Pirates forum too often, so I was excited to find it on the store shelf this evening. Although I like the pirate captain, I wasn't expecting too much before building. I was; however, pleasantly surprised upon building the pirate ship. It was a fun and enjoyable build. When judging/rating this set, one should appreciate the fact that this is not part of the Pirate theme and rather intended for the "basic builder". The fact that the set has a minifig that is not contained in any of the Pirates theme sets surprises me, but it does draw pirate fans to buy, which is a great marketing ploy by Lego. I think I may be using this little set as an office toy, as I've wanted to bring some Lego to work for a long time. This set also offers a few useful pieces and can be used as a fun little stand-alone set for creative building. It would be a fun contest to see what different builders could create using only the pieces contained in this set. I rate this set around a 3.5 to 4 not comparing it to the new Pirates theme (for younger, "basic" builders). I hope you enjoy this review.