ARC2149Nova

Eh! I love it! I'm getting at least 10!

It's been brought up several times, most recently by me, then @jdubbs replied saying essentially "where there's smoke there's fire", so since the A-Wing is very much the smoke, it's a sure fire for the UCS slot this year.

I swear if the AT-RT/BARC combo is anything but an army builder, people will riot. So I hope there are no named clones in it. Rex might fit with the interceptor, and a Jet Trooper in the AAT, but I'd like a different (aka Non-501st) legion from the AT-RT/BARC. With both the 91st and the 212th on Anaxes, one of the two would be nice. Especially the 91st because damn they looked good. Other than those two, the options aren't exactly endless, but as long as it's not more Kashyyyk Troopers, there's nothing to worry about.

This. Though I do think we'll eventually get them in a Battle Pack (maybe with some Phase II shinies), or a Senate Duel set.

I've been in love with the Coruscant Guard/Shock Troopers lately, so here are some sets for them: Coruscant Guard Battle Pack: 2x Shock Troopers, Sergeant Hound w/Grizzer, Underground Police Officer. Police Airspeeder. Duel in the Senate ($59.99): Darth Sidious, Yoda, 2x Shock Troopers, Mas Amedda. Republic Escort Frigate ($139.99): Padme Amidala, Rush Clovis, Commander Thorn, 2x Shock Troopers. Police Gunship ($69.99): Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, Captain Rex, Commander Fox, Shock Trooper. Mustafar Rescue ($89.99): Darth Sidious, Darth Vader (Burned), 2x Shock Troopers, Shuttle Pilot. Palpatine's Shuttle remake.

X-Wing is overrated.

Fair point, but I like the A-Wing, it's one of my favorite starfighters (other two are Y-Wing and ARC-170), so I'd love to see it get the UCS treatment. Prequel UCS sets probably won't happen until after the Gunship hits the shelf.

Um, what? An A-Wing would make the most sense, finally completing the Alphabet Squadron (A-.B-,X-, and Y-Wing), and the core Rebel fighters. Can't see what better ships there would be, other than prequel vehicles. Well, I'd say Biker Scout and Snowtrooper are the next obvious ones, then maybe Phase I & II Clone Troopers, and probably Cody because his visor and color palate. I definitely do not want to see any ST helmets, but that's just me. I also don't think Grievous would make a good helmet, as he's obviously a face/mask. As for the TIE Pilot, I don't see how it's any better than the Stormtrooper, maybe it could've gotten some silver highlights to accent the shaping, but I like the tubes and visor.

I love the show, so I had to click this topic! Very well done, especially with the sign. Bojack's figure is also well done, and I like the clever design of the curtains.

Lego is a children's toy, but, like I keep saying, children are quite the unreliable audience. That cannot be overstated. Besides, sets that are popular with most AFOLs can also be popular with kids. I see no need for Mario to be any different, but that's the beauty of opinion. Hidden Side also doesn't sell from what I've seen, but in my opinion, it's still a cooler theme. Ninjago sadly also isn't as popular as it used to be either, and it used to be the talk of the community. It still is in some circles, but my point is that normal themes have these kind of "will it, won't it" problems, so it makes sense for such an oddity to raise concern from among Lego fans. Nintendo be damned, at its core, this is about Lego. And, at the end of the day, Lego probably has a gem (or two) up it's sleeve. Something that's going to make this all go away. Put it this way, in the Star Wars thread, people were complaining because of rumors that Lego wasn't making any further sets for The Mandalorian this year, and then what happened? The Razorcrest reveal, that's what. So, some see good, some see bad, I don't see why either expressing how they feel is a bad thing.

I agree on both counts, however, no argument is flawless, so everyone jumping on one point can get sort of crazy. And @GREG998 does need to calm down. Seriously.

We've been discussing this ad nauseam because like it or not, both sides are valid. Instead of ignoring arguments to the contrary, or downplaying them, we need to understand that failure is an option, and so is success. For every reason something should work there's another why it shouldn't. And you know the best part? Success in the face of failure, or, in this case, the face of everyone telling you you'll fail, is the most satisfying victory. Lego is behind the wheel, under fire, whatever other analogy for pressure there is, and when they come out on top, everyone will cheer them on, salty or not. So continue well wishing this theme, that's your right. It's also others' rights to question Lego's plan with this. Neither side is right or wrong, it's all a matter of opinion. And, I do have some idea what I'm talking about. Retail and sales work grants you perspective that simple consumerism can't. What sells and what doesn't. And sometimes companies are wrong. Sometimes we the fans are. Understanding both sides is important. Keeping a balanced perspective only serves to temper disappointment, not amplify it.

Okay dude, now you're going off the deep end. I believe that @macaron35 posted the topic in good faith, and that people jumped on one point of his, and eventually @Kristof made his reply, tearing the original post apart and doubting OP's intentions. He did call OP "pathetic", it's there in the original post. Whether it was harsh or not, it was uncalled for. Civility should be at the heart of any discussion. And yes, it might be crazy to assume that every set must be MOC quality, but I don't think OP was saying that. I think he was saying that Lego could've done more with the helmets, making them more accurate and detailed, even if for a higher price. After all, no one put a gun to Lego's head saying "sell these at $70 or else". Lego could've just as easily made them $100 and people would buy them, provided it was a better offering than the $70 alternative. There is a fine line between acting "pathetic" and simply questioning Lego's choices. Disagreement is the basis for discussion, so that we all can benefit from others' opinions. It's almost as if any dissent has to be airtight, which shouldn't be. At the end of the day, even though OP might not have been "harassed" in our eyes, it doesn't mean that the fault is completely his.

I think some are failing to understand the massive risk Lego is taking. Lego has taken massive risks in the past, and some have worked while others haven't. This is a similar product to failed themes like the aforementioned Dimensions, Fusion, Life of George, etc. That might not mean much to the average consumer, but it is worth noting in the overall eyes of a business. And yes, it is Mario. However, many Mario toys stay around on shelves, waiting for the odd customer or two to pick it up. I know what I see working at a retailer that deals with videos games and associated merchandise. I see a whole wall of Mario merch that almost never moves. My experience might be unique, but it's telling. Lego is a toy at its core, that's true, however, this theme from what we've seen has very restrictive appeal. Lego can say what it wants, because at the end of the day, it's a company. It has to be positive, especially in the face of criticism. If you think that they don't know the risks, I don't know what to tell you. They're living on a prayer, and hope that they can make this work. That all being said, it's unlikely that in the event this theme doesn't make it, Lego is doomed, and it's also unlikely that their partnership with Nintendo will end.If anything, they'll learn from their mistakes and try again. Besides, I'm almost 100% positive that the $100 set will save the theme (at least in the eyes of the detractors). Agreed on pretty much all points. This isn't the end for Lego, obviously. It's very risky, but I'm positive they know how to balance the risk.

And others decide that because they like the theme it must succeed. Shade works both ways.

So, Mario only comes in the $60 set huh? Called it. Everything is proceeding as I have forseen. I have spoken.

LEGO is good at hiding its losses, like any company, we're not going to know what fails and what doesn't. Trust me, there's a lot behind the scenes that spark certain decisions. Also, I wish people would stop talking about all the possible Nintendo IPs that could out of this. Until there is more reason to believe otherwise, this is about Mario and friends, not Zelda, not Kirby, not Samus. Mario. Very few licenses come about just because another IP of its parent company got made into Lego. Disney is about the only one, because Disney. This isn't just about what kids want, because kids are very unpredictable, I know I was. Focus groups as a whole is a poor testing tactic, only because however large or small the sample size, you run the risk of failure once product hits the market. These facts are undeniable. Not only that, this is a concept in the vein of Skylanders and Lego Dimensions (with some differences) and various Angry Birds toys (not that different), which have all come and gone in the past. The more info that's revealed, the less hope I have for this theme as a whole. Should've just gone for normal sets. Kids love those too. Lest we forget...

Meant to last is not the same as will last. Plenty of themes I'm sure were meant to last but, depending on their reception, either did or didn't. It's also funny to me that this guy worked on Dimensions, and then went straight into this. Let's also remember this important fact: It took 4 years for them to design and release this. They better cross their fingers tight that it succeeds, or else this will have been a huge waste of time. Reading more of the interview as I type this. Wow, this was inspired by toys-to-life. "Life-to-toys"? Did he think that through before he said it, because it sounds ridiculous. So, you acknowledge that Dimensions, Skylanders, and Disney Infinity all went down the crapper (Dimensions wasn't as bad because of the minifigs), and still thought "We're Lego. We can make this work"? Logic... Focus groups are alive and well, of course. While it is good that some kids found the premise interesting, how many of these kids exist "in the wild"? Focus groups are good and bad because it can skew the viability of a product based on that specific group. I love how the designer says, "kids can make levels for their parents, and parents or older siblings can make challenging levels for the kids", to make it sound more appealing than it actually is. While it is a good idea to try and get parents and kids to spend more time together, how long before, as some have mentioned, it gets old? Sure, it may be fun for that 30-60 minute focus group period, it might be fun for the first week or so, but past that? I think they want this to be a longer thing than it's going to be, because they've put 4 years into it. It has to work in their eyes. Hopes of a lengthy partnership with Nintendo will disappear if the actual sales (initial response be-damned) flop. Let's hope there's some system sets up their sleeve this year in this wave, or (judging from responses across multiple platforms) it's game over.

It's possible that Mario could be in two sets. A $30 set with the Goomba, and a $60 set with Bowser Jr. That way there are two options to get him. There are 14 numbers confirmed, however I think 71361 is a series (?) and therefore I didn't count it among the total. I don't know if the Leaf numbers will come into play at all, and it may be too early to tell. It's also possible that those are (a) planned for next year, or (b) cancelled/unused set numbers.

Yes and no. I'm guessing from the size of the layout, we've seen 5-6 sets put together, (Yoshi, Goomba, Bowser Jr., Piranha Plant, the purple disk, lava add-on), one of which is the main set with Mario. The $10 sets are either more level packs, or simple character builds. $4 sets are going to be add-on content as well. It's clear from the interview that this theme is about interactivity. The theme is a game. No ifs ands or buts about it. Maybe later it'll be something more, but right now, this is it. My breakdown of the set list: 71370-71373 (9.99): With so little parts, they're probably additional characters. 71360 (59.99): This has to be the set with Mario. Probably will only have him and the Goomba level section (as they're promoted together) 71361 (3.99): NOT-A-CMF Series. Most likely level add-ons. 71363-71367 (19.99; 29.99): More level packs. Yoshi, Bowser Jr. and Shy Guy have to be among these. Now what confuses me are sets 71362 & 71369, given their reasonable price-to-part ratios. 71368 has to be another large level pack (Bowser?) given it's high ppr. 71362 ($50) & 71369 ($100) could be system-sets. But that's 2/13. So, don't get your hopes up.

This cannot be overstated. Many will even buy what they don't want because "maybe we'll get X". That works with some things, but not everything. And Lego, for one, likes to play dumb. A lot.

Man I wish we got an Eta Shuttle. It was widely used in the Clone Wars, got more exposure than the T-16 and Frigate for sure. Also love the Rebel tank idea. It really sucks that in all of the new EU, the Rebels still get jack when it comes to ground support. You've inspired me @ArrowBricks! T2-B Hovertank ($29.99): 2x Rebel Fleet Troopers, Stormtrooper. Imperial Troop Transport ($39.99): 2x Stormtroopers, 2 Imperial Troopers (Navy Uniform), Rebel Commando. Rebel Alliance Battle Pack ($14.99): 2x Rebel Fleet Troopers, Rebel Commando, Rebel Mechanic (tan with white helmet). Personnel Cart. Imperial Battle Pack ($14.99): 3x Stormtroopers, Scout Trooper. MTV-7 Light Vehicle.

Well, Mario is a platformer, whereas Minecraft is just build & explore. Still not a valid excuse, seeing as how the adventure games are content-rich, but one nonetheless.

Technically speaking, Hidden Side has had ghosts from the beginning. They weren't full figures, but they did have a physical element. Reading the interview posted earlier, it seems clear that the theme's end product was discovered during a brainstorm process. Initially, it probably would've been more physical and system-based, but over the course of development, it took a side turn and viola, our new theme, in which (I'm paraphrasing) 'all sets will have bricks for Mario to interact with' and a theme which seems to be entirely focused on said interactions. Vague as the designer might have to be, there's little doubt that there's anything more to this.

Well, that sucks...