Inconspicuous

Wonderful, simply wonderful Walter! I'd definitely heard of your TIE project, and looked over some of your designs, but I really never fully appreciated your work into I really looked into this one. I love a the incredible details, from the SNOT dripping all over the model, to the cool interior. Keep up the awesome work! (I would love to see a UCS Tie Crawler, I'd fallen in love with the design long before Lego released one)

Welcome to Eurobricks, mhael! I'm not a regular at the Pirates forum, but I do like the theme a lot and enjoy writing Classic Pirates reviews. From what I've seen over there, you'll have a blast! Have a nice stay here. Your fellow Californian, Inky

Happy Birthday Cutlass Iz! I admit, I don't know you too well, but I can still pitch in a help celebrate your special day!

It doesn't attach. It's already considered tall enough to fit it snugly with the castle layout. Take a look at the back of any HP2 instruction manual, for example, in my 4720 Knockturn Alley review found in my sig, if you want to see the official layout.

Do you know if I can edit the poll without losing the votes? I realize they aren't technically exclusive to PoP, but I decided they were trademarks of the line, and thus included them in the poll. The same goes for the 2x2 jumper- it's a newer piece, and is mainly in this theme to help with the parkour play, so I threw it into the poll.

After recently reviewing set 4743 Ice Blade, I was inspired to revisit the Alpha Team theme. The only set I could find completely intact and ready for reviewing was 4742 Chill Speeder, so here's my stab at it. This set was my second favorite of the theme, clocking in right behind the Ice Blade. I remember buying this set on vacation in Maine, and playing with it in the hotel for hours. It was cute and looked very good to me, and I'm still not quite sure why I liked it so much. Join me as I take another look at this set, and scrutinize what is so special about 4742 Chill Speeder. BASIC INFORMATION: Set Name: Chill Speeder Set Number: 4742 Number of Pieces: 58 Minifigs:1 (Agent Flex) Price: $4.00 USD (Now worth about $15 New) Theme: Alpha Team / Mission Deep Freeze Year Released: 2004 RESOURCES: Brickset Peeron Bricklink Flickr THE REVIEW: INSTRUCTIONS: Front: First up are the instructions, since I didn't save the box. They feature an icy background, typical for the theme. This is another one of those sets (like the Ice Blade) where a single Agent seems to drive by an ice orb and not quite notice it. There are some sequences of numbers in the upper right corner and a medium-sized Alpha Team logo at the top. Random Page: Inside, the instructions have a textured ice backdrop, which doesn't get in the way of the set's colors. There are no piece call-outs, but small submodels get their own little box. Transforming Page: Another typical part of an Alpha Team booklet is a little photo sequence demonstrating how to transform the vehicle. In this case, it only takes three frames. Note the agents' silhouettes in the foreground. Back: On the back is the blue Win! logo, which has now been replaced by the infamous screaming punk kid. Instructions:: Thoughts: Easy to follow yet a little flashy at times. Either way, they serve their function. PIECES: Pieces: Here are the pieces of the set, spread out for your viewing pleasure. You can see that the set is mostly black and sand blue, with touches of dark blue and white. It's quite a nice variety, ranging from basic tiles to Technic bricks and slopes. There's also a fair amount of specialty pieces, like the magnifying glass, pick, and printed parts. Pieces of interest: These are the more interesting pieces of the set. There are four lovely printed pieces, including printed slopes, which is a major bonus. Also included are accessories like the cool red magnifying glass, the pick, handlebars, and crystal ball. Finally are the rare dark blue torch pieces, which are exclusive to this set. Pieces:: Thoughts: A very good quantity and variety, including lots of nice printed and rare parts. MINIFIGS: Agent Flex: The one minifig included in this set is Agent Flex, the orange agent. He has astounding printing on both his torso and legs, as well as a snug beanie, a smug expression, and some sweet shades. Note that his left arm is orange. All agents in this theme had a specific color, which was on both their suit, arm, and vehicle. There's no back printing on him, but it was uncommon back then, and the amazing front makes up for it. Minifigs:: Thoughts: Lovely printing, which seems to occur throughout the theme. He's quite a cool agent. THE BUILD: Build: The build is completed in 15 quick steps, shown at steps 4, 8, 11, and 15 respectively. The only major submodels are the two "legs" that extend in the front. The process is smooth, and although no particularly interesting techniques are used, the build is still quite entertaining for a small set. Build:: Thoughts: Simple but entertaining. The Technic isn't very annoying and the process is relatively fun. COMPLETED PRODUCT: The Whole Set: And we have our completed model! It looks very nice- almost like something out of Star Wars. The sand blue and the printing contrasts the black nicely, and the whole thing is just well-balanced. Front: From the front, you can see that the two stabilizers extended much farther out sideways than the rest of the speeder. Also, you get a nice view of all that lovely printing. Back: From the back, you can see the nice dark blue thrusters, and catch a glimpse of the white skis. The whole thing glides smoothly despite the fact that there's only one smooth plate on the bottom. Left: On the left side, you can see the pick-ax held below Flex's feet. Also, see that orange piece? It looks out of place, but it's actually signifying that this is Flex's speeder, since his color is orange. All of the other Alpha Team sets had a special cockpit, with a colored tile above it. However, since this set doesn't have a cockpit, this is the alternative. Right: On this side you can see the magnifying glass stowed. The special windshields found in all the other sets served another function: to "scan" the ice orbs. Here, a magnifying glass is used in the place of the windshield. Top: Here's a more upper angle. It real feels like all the space is used: there are tools stowed towards the base, skis and thrusters at the back, and extensions for the stabilizers at the front. It really feels perfectly designed to me. Dismounted: Let's have a little demonstration shall we? Flex dismounts and grabs his two trusty tools. Ice Orb: Using his trusty magnifying glass, he can identify if the ice orb is activated or deactivated. If it's activated, he can simply disable it with his pick-ax. Transformed: All the Alpha Team sets could transform in some one, and this set is no exception! Here, it has become a walker. The feet can actually walk, and Flex is secured to some degree by the two thrusters, which are now apparently lights or guns. This changes utilizes a SNOT plate hidden in front of Flex in the other version. Clever! It's by no means as ingenious as the Ice Blade, but still more dynamic than many of the other vehicles. Front: From the side, you can see how precariously placed Flex is. Good thing he has the thrusters to hold on to! Also note that the tools are now in a upright position. _______________________________________________ Totals: Design: 10/10 Everything is very efficient, functional, and coherent. It's not very often designers put so much effort into a little set like this, but the result is splendid. Parts: 10/10 An amazing selection of rare types and colors, along with an abundance of printed parts. A simply stunning selection for a small set. Build: 10/10 Even if it's short, the build is quite entertaining and interesting, with very little repetition. The process is smooth, even with the small amount of Technic it includes. Minifigs: 10/10 For a $4 set, one minifig is expected, but one that's incredibly printed is a bonus. Flex is one of the cooler Agents, and his orange color scheme is nice. Playability: 10/10 This set has as much playability as you're going to get out of a $4 set. There's an obvious mission for Flex, the correct tools to achieve it, and a swooshable vehicle. In addition, it can transform a variety of different ways, which just makes it even more fun. Price: 10/10 58 pieces for $4 is above and beyond the golden ratio, so you really can't complain. It might be a little worse by today's standards, but it's really not as bad as other sets. Total: 60/60 The first time and most likely last that I'll give a set a perfect score. This set is simply stunning on all levels, and is definitely deserving of the little shelf space it occupies. The only reasons I can think of to not buy it are that you have no interest in Alpha Team or you don't have the money. Bonus 1 Here's a little bonus- I created my own alternate transformation! I always used this one as a kid. Since I thought Flex didn't want to leave the deactivated orb in the field, he needed a way to bring it home! Here, he has a little hover-speeder with a cradle for the orb. Bonus 2 This angle reminds me of a boat. I really like the fact that this set isn't limited to the two options they gave you! Thanks for reading! -Inconspicuous

The Prince of Persia line has given us an incredible variety of prints, colors, and molds. In the spirit of Prince of Persia month, I thought I'd set up this poll. Which is you favorite new mold that originated from this line? Let's have a discussion and see if there's a fan favorite. 1) Minifig Hand Claws/Dagger 2) Square Katana 3) Headwrap 4) Spiky Epaulette 5) Dastan Hair 6) Double Katana Holder 7) Ostrich 8) Bent Whip 9) Camel 10) Arch 11) Quarter Dome 12) 2x2 Jumper 13) Dagger of Time 14) Persian Helmet 15) Tamina Hair 16) Large Doors 17) Mini Catapult Happy Prince of Persia month! Inky

Awesome review ZO6! I was always a fan of underwater themes, but this theme was before my big Lego Golden Age. I recall seeing this or a similar set at my older cousins' house, and I really liked the color scheme. The sub looks a little bulky to me, but with so many "realistic" hatches and controls, I think it's well worth the space. Thanks again for the great review!

Agreed! It was kind of nice to have an episode based off of conflicting points of view, rather than plot twists. It's also cool how they seemed to set up the events in Episode III quite a bit. Overall, I liked it, but I think the next episode is going to leave Zillo in the dust. My favorite quotes from the episode: Mace Windu: "How is it a plan if it's improvised?" Rex: "A lot of the General's plans involve falling." (reference to Landing at Point Rain)

Done! I probably should have remembered, given that I put the count in my previous post in this thread.

I've added my entry, clocking in at 118 pieces. I wanted mine to be a general-store-like stall, to capture the vibrant colors of a Middle Eastern market. I'm very pleased with the result!

Al's One-Stop Convenience Stall (118 pieces) Convenience comes at a price! Left Close-up ~ Center Close-up ~ Right Close-up

Looks like a blast! I've already started one of my entries, and I'm very pleased with the results so far! I look forward to seeing the entries.

The Mini ARC-170 is a very interesting and overlooked set. I bought mine off of Ebay, after knowing nothing of its existence and then falling in love at first sight. What lured me into this rare set was its stunning accuracy. For a while, I became quite obsessed with the model, and I even created lame board games based on it. But is the set still fascinating, even five years later? Let's take a look at this fantastic little ship and find out. BASIC INFORMATION: Set Name: Mini ARC-170 Starfighter Set Number: 6967 Number of Pieces: 42 Minifigs: 0 Price: MSRP unknown, now worth about $15 USD New Theme: Star Wars / Mini (Episode III) Year Released: 2005 Notes: 65771 Episode III Collectors' Set included either 6967 (Mini ARC-170) or 6966 (Mini Jedi Starfighter). RESOURCES: Brickset Peeron Bricklink Flickr THE REVIEW: POLYBAG: Front: First up is the little polybag, adorned with lava, lasers, and Darth Vader. The photo is very basic, and the set information is limited to the age suggestion, set number, and name. There's isn't too much room inside, but the small size is relieving in this modern time of gigantic Brickmaster bags. Back: The back has the usual logos, languages, and warnings. Like many bags, there's a clear strip in the middle through which the pieces can be viewed. Polybag:: Thoughts: A cute little polybag. I'm not quite sure why I kept it, but I'm glad I did. INSTRUCTIONS: Folded: The instructions fold up into a tiny little stack of paper. When we unfold them we see... Front: A set of very basic and to-the-point directions. There's really nothing complex about the set, and that's certainly reflected in the instructions. Note the orange glow at the bottom- they give an odd feeling to the instructions, like someone dipped the bottom in orange juice. Back: The backside has no extra fluff- not even a parts inventory! The orange "stain" on the front appears here too. Instructions:: Thoughts: Very concise and to-the-point, with absolutely no ads. PIECES: Pieces: Here is the small array of pieces, which were extremely easy to spread due to their scarcity. You can see that there are a total of four- count 'em four- colors in the set, dominated by white. The selection is quite basic, but contains a few useful parts like the white fins and the dark red. Pieces of interest: There's not much of a variety, so the more "interesting" pieces are quite basic. The red modified plate is pretty cool, and I can never have enough jumpers. Pieces:: Thoughts: A decent selection for a small set, but nothing mind-blowing. THE BUILD: Build: In 11 fast steps, the ship is constructed. There's a lot of nifty jumper techniques and overlapping plates. It's a very fun but short experience, and the ship is quite sturdy throughout. Definitely one of my favorite mini-models to build. Build:: Thoughts: A very fun build, considering it's a mini-model. COMPLETED PRODUCT: The Whole Set: And we have our completed set! Pure mini goodness, without a flick-fire in sight. It seems to be quite accurate, compared to this picture: (From this site) However, the guns should be even bigger, and the nose shorter (it could be modded with a 1x3 tile). Also, the engines should be way bigger. Last, the plate extends too much in the back. Otherwise, it's pretty good. Side: The side view shows how glaring that one stud gap at the front is. Otherwise, it looks pretty bulky in the middle, but I believe that's accurate. Back: The back view is relatively uninteresting, save for the s-foils. You can see that the bottom ones actually go an angle, which is probably inaccurate, but kind of cool. Front: The front view is also quite uninteresting. The only new addition is the two engines. They should really be much bigger. Two fezzes might work instead. Top: From the top view, it's apparent how far the nose juts out. You can also see its impressive wingspan, which is definitely captured well. Note that the clear cockpits turn an ugly gray, due to the color of the bricks behind them. This is a major downside for me. Open: Much like the actual ship, the s-foils are capable of opening. The designers did a really good job with this, despite the tiny size they were working with. It's by no means as impressive as the transforming Mini V-19 Torrent, but at least it's something. _______________________________________________ Totals: Design: 8/10 It loses a few points for the flaws I pointed out earlier: the extended nose and tail, and the short guns. Otherwise, it's pretty darn accurate for a mini. I wish Lego made more sturdy and efficient models like this. Parts: 7/10 Nothing amazing, but not a bad selection considering the size of the thing. Build: 10/10 A truly incredible if short experience, with lots of jumpers and cool flaps. Minifigs: N/A Playability: 8/10 You can open the s-foils and swoosh it. It's much better to crash this one than the full-sized thing! That's where the minis really shined. Price: N/A (By today's price, it's really only a collector's item) Total: 33/40 Overall, a decent set. It's quite pretty even if it isn't 100% accurate, and is good for swooshing and crashing. I'm very proud to own it, and if you too just fell in love with it, I don't think you'll be disappointed! Bonus: Size matters not? Thanks for reading! -Inconspicuous

Hooray! It seems like Svelte's love of the theme has engulfed the entire website. I definitely look forward to the festivities, since I quite enjoyed my first three PoP sets, Desert Attack, Ostrich Race, and the Fight for the Dagger. My excitement is building!

I'm glad they at least ask for our opinions. Now we can only hope that they take a lot of it into consideration!

Alpha Team is definitely one of the most overlooked Action themes. The line of transforming vehicles seen in the Arctic Wave (or Mission Deep Freeze) just didn't seem to catch on in the adult community. However, it was one of my favorite themes as a kid. Even though it wasn't the largest, the Ice Blade was my favorite set of the line. The transforming feature simply blew me away, and I was always a sucker for contraptions. Now, let me share with you the hidden beauty of this set, frozen yet preserved in the ice of time, in my review of 4743 Ice Blade. BASIC INFORMATION: Set Name: Ice Blade Set Number: 4743 Number of Pieces: 107 Minifigs: 1 (Charge) Price: $10 USD (Now worth about $20 MISB) Theme: Alpha Team / Mission Deep Freeze Year Released: 2004 RESOURCES: Brickset Peeron Bricklink Flickr THE REVIEW: INSTRUCTIONS: Front: First up are the instructions, battered by time. The paper is relatively flimsy, so a little bit of careless storage made its mark. On the cover is an exciting scene where the Ice Blade skims across the sunny ice, and appears to miss the evil ice orb lodged in the ice nearby. The cool Alpha Team logo is emblazoned at the top. Comic: Right in the inside cover is a fun comic sequence. I'm not quite sure why it's in the front instead of the back, but it's a very cool touch. Remember, you can click the picture to see it in more detail. Random Page: The interior of the booklet is way more flamboyant than today's. There is an intricate ice pattern printed in the background, which actually compliments the set's colors. The colors can be easily told apart, and the process is overall very clear. Transformation Instructions: Towards the back is a sequence of small pictures showing in-depth how to transform the vehicle. This proves very useful when first attempting to do so. Back: After a few ads, the booklet ends. The blue Win! logo is so refreshing in these modern times of screaming kids. Instructions:: Thoughts: A fancy and sleek booklet, that get its job done. PIECES: Pieces: Here are the pieces of the set, meticulously spread for your viewing pleasure. Th set is mainly black, sand and dark blue, gray, and white. The variety is quite incredible, from Bionicle parts to giant cockpit pieces to turntables, bricks, and plates. The pieces are definitely more useful to someone who builds vehicle than to someone who builds castles, for example. Pieces of interest: The more interesting pieces of the set- large Bionicle chainsaws, turbines, and printed pieces. Although the set has printed pieces, it also came with a DSS. The printed pieces were used all over the line while the stickers were set-specific. Please note that I didn't apply any of the three stickers. I'll discuss where they should have gone later on. Turbine: The turbine is one of the cooler pieces. As I discovered, some Lego turbine pieces spin when you blow direct down them, but this one doesn't. Pieces:: Thoughts: A great variety for vehicle building, but otherwise, the pieces are cool but not useful. MINIFIG: Front: The one minifig included in this set is the elaborately printed Charge. He has red buckles and zippers all the way down his pants, as well as a shiny silver headset. As an interesting fun fact, every Agent had their corresponding color on their left arm. Even though it's obvious Charge is red, this is still a cool feature. No back printing for him, though this was uncommon back in the day. Minifig:: Thoughts: One is satisfactory, especially when it has such amazing printing! THE BUILD: Build: The set is constructed in 18 steps, not including the three major submodels: the base, the cockpit, and the helicopter blades. Here, it's shown at steps 5, 10, 12, and 18, with a submodel between 10 and 12 and two submodels between 12 and 18. The process is quite interesting and non-repetitive, and there is only basic Technic used. Build:: Thoughts: Fairly interesting and yet not too challenging or too "Technic"al. COMPLETED PRODUCT: The Whole Set: And we have our finished product! The vehicle, the minifig, and the ice orb. I do admit, that gigantic blade looks foreboding! Please note that I have not applied stickers- there's supposed to be on along the center blade and two on either side of the cockpit. Personally, I think it looks fine without them. Cockpit Closed: Here you can see the cockpit and the two turbines next to it. The windshield has a special red print, which has a use as we'll see later. Also, another fun fact about Alpha Team is that there was a colored grille tile above the windshield of each vehicle that signified which Agent was supposed to drive it. You can see the red grille at the top here. Cockpit Open: And the cockpit is open! You can see the nice printed console. There is a very good amount of space for the minifig, and the whole section looks sleek and "agent-like". Side: Below the cockpit is an awkward gap. You'll see why this is necessary in a bit. Also notice how subtly the Bionicle chainsaw has blended into the vehicle. Front: The tip of the vehicle is very sleek. Again, the Bionicle blade has blended in nicely. You can also see the orange poles. These are either cannons or simply support for the transformed model. Back: At the back, you can see the helicopter blades locked in. The blades themselves also help lock the cockpit into place. The blades simply have to swing up, and the cockpit can freely rotate. Crystal Viewer: The ice orb has two sides, both with a similar design. In one, the central beetle is blue; in the other it's red. When viewed through the red plastic, the red side "disappears" and shows that the ice orb is deactivated. A very clever touch that allows for even more playability throughout the theme. Video: A brief video shows how quick and dynamic the change is. It blows my mind! Transformed: And poof! We have a helicopter. I think it looks very good, and is considerably different. This was probably the most dynamic Alpha Team set. The others only became slightly different. Note that the orange poles I put down in the video aren't necessarily needed for support. Common Problem: The one problem that occurs when transforming it back is demonstrated here. The helicopter blade doesn't want to detach! Lego forgot to put some sort of partially-tiled surface, so naturally the plates stick. Well, at least the transformation into the helicopter is seamless. _______________________________________________ Totals: Design: 9/10 It looks a bit strange, especially around the middle, but this is to accommodate the function. Still, it loses a point for the sticking helicopter blades I showed. Parts: 7/10 A good selection of types and colors, but they're really only useful for building vehicles. Build: 8/10 Pretty entertaining, not repetitive, but it does have some Technic. It's pretty smooth, but certainly not as impressive as a Modular Building. Minifigs: 9/10 You only get one minifig of one faction represented, but he is very flashy and special. Lego rarely put this much printing into a minifig back then. Playability: 7/10 You can deactivate the orb, and transform the vehicle, but that's about it. However, the transformation is captivating. Price: 10/10 A perfect ration of 107 pieces to $10, especially considering the larger pieces. Very satisfactory to me. Total: 50/60 Overall, a very solid set. Maybe it goes to show that the Alpha Team line shouldn't be as overlooked as it is. This set is very rare on Bricklink, but if you can grab it for a good price, go for it! Thanks for reading! -Inconspicuous

Icarus Carter checking in. I hope there's minimal turbulence as we fly into madness. I hate turbulence.

It was actually part of Lego's official display to advertise the set. On the other side of the table is all the new Toy Story and Prince of Persia sets.

Sorry to bump and old topic, but I thought this belonged here: Dita Svelte Outdone! From Bricks by the Bay 2010. A total of 48 Grand Emporiums were used.

I talked to the guy at the table, Apparently it's in all 3, but I'm not sure if this cast of characters is specific to the third. Flickr. I'll add some pictures of the Train in a bit.

New pictures I took at Bricks by the Bay: (click them for high-res versions) Box Front: Box Back: Set: Car: Front: Back: Driver's Seat: Interior: Hamm: Hamm has a rubber stopper underneath- it looks like it can come out! Video: Hidden pizza launcher underneath, filled by opening the hood. Enjoy!

When I first saw this set, it was my least favorite set out of the Prince of Persia line. However, it grew on me, and ended up being the first set I bought. Featuring a camel, Persian architecture, and the two main characters, this medium-sized set gives a very good impression of the Prince of Persia line. At a relatively cheap $30, I simply couldn't miss it. And indeed, it was everything I had hoped for and more. But is it really worth your excitement too? Read on to find out. BASIC INFORMATION: Set Name: The Fight for the Dagger Set Number: 7571 Number of Pieces: 258 Minifigs: 4 (Alamut Merchant, Princess Tamina, Asoka, and Dastan) Price: 29.99 USD, 39.99 CAD Theme: Prince of Persia Sands of Time Year Released: 2010 RESOURCES: Brickset Bricklink Shop @ Home Flickr THE REVIEW: BOX: Front: Up first is the amazing box. It really jumps out at me, due to the vibrant colors and details. The market in the background and the blue sky are pretty touches, and the set is arranged in an appealing fashion. Thankfully, the Disney and Dastan pictures at the top don't distract the viewer from the set too much. Back: The back of the box showcases details of the set over a crimson background. The vibrance and detail on the front is also apparent here. The traps are a hard to show and explain, since the pins are a confusing and close together, but I think they did a good job. Side: Along the top are 1:1 pictures of the minifigs. Asoka's hat is horrendously cut off, due to its insane height. However, I'm glad the decided to keep the box thinner and more space efficient instead of making sure you could see the rest of his hat. Open: Box savers rejoice! The box has seals and can be stored flat. Box:: Thoughts: A very pretty and detailed box- one of the few I will actually keep and admire! Contents: The box was relatively efficient with the space, but unfortunately the instructions were mutilated in the process. The camel is also bagged separately. From this shot, it looks awfully small. INSTRUCTIONS: Front: One badly printed and mutilated instruction booklet is all we get. Lego really shouldn't overlook the quality of the instructions this much. Random Page: A random page showing the subtle sand background. Also note the piece call-outs, which have become increasingly more common in sets these days. Parts Inventory: The parts inventory takes up only one page, since there are lots of multiples of pieces and not that many types. To view the Bricklink inventory, click here. Instructions:: Thoughts: Mutilated and poorly printed, a major let-down, but otherwise fine. PIECES: Pieces: All of the pieces, meticulously spread for your viewing pleasure. The main colors are tan, dark tan, medium nougat (or whatever the heck it's called), brown, and black. There are plenty of exciting accessories from the weapons and fruits to the arches and domes. Remember, you can click the picture for a much larger version. Separate/Bagged Pieces: The camel is bagged separately, while the red canopy and white cape get their own boxes. The boxes open the same way as the new rubber band boxes- by peeling down the flap and sliding out. Pieces of interest: The more interesting pieces of the set include the new domes, arches, 2x2 jumper, and weapons. There is such an abundance of these cool pieces that I've only included one of each type in the picture. Dagger: One of the most exquisite pieces of the batch is the Dagger of Time. The blade is intricately designed and colored, and the curved section is equally amazing. Pieces:: Thoughts: Lots of interesting pieces, and in good quantities too. MINIFIGS: Front: The set comes with four satisfactory minifigs. Tamina has a lovely torso and face, as well as a white cape. I've wanted an official white cape most of my life, and I didn't bother getting the Home One. I've very pleased to finally have one! Next is Dastan with his torso and leg printing. I do like his hairpiece. Then comes Asoka, with his flamboyant hat and plume. His face would make an excellent Sallah. Last is the market salesman, with his exclusive white headwrap and chicken leg. All very impressive. Back: A back view reveals Tamina's crazy ponytail, Dastan's sharp swords, and the salesman's back printing. The braid is well sculpted and I really like Dastan's double sword holder. The salesman has a nice vest design on his back. Revealed: Tamina, Dastan, and Asoka all have reversible faces. Tamina's is an angry one, Dastan's is a fierce/constipated one, and Asoka's is a blank pokerface. Also note the salesman's sideburns and Asoka's printing. I'm glad Lego printed his torso, even though they didn't need to. Minifigs:: Thoughts: Plenty for this sized set, with lots of generous printing. THE BUILD: Build: The build starts out with a few small trinkets, which aren't pictured. Then construction of the main building begins. It takes a decently-long 35 steps, pictured here at roughly 9 step intervals. There are no particularly special techniques used, except on the red canopy and fish, which will be discussed later. The build is a little shaky going up, but as soon as you secure the second floor, it get better. Otherwise, it's very straightforward. Extras: The extras are standard- cheese, studs, axles, etc. The cherries can be thrown back into the market stall though. Build:: Thoughts: Simple, and fairly interesting. It felt about right for a $30 set. COMPLETED PRODUCT: The Whole Set: Let's take a look at our completed set! The market salesman seems to be running a good business under his red canopy, selling fish and fruits. His loyal camel is tethered to a post nearby. Dastan seems to have just climbed the stairs and is charging at Asoka. Tamina gazes at the world around her from her simple bu elegant balcony. Overall, a busy and exciting scene. The one thing that bugs me is the color of the arches- they stick out in a bad way. They would look much better if they were tan. Merchant and Trinkets: The market stall section of the set is one of my favorites. The camel, table, and cart all go together and are relevant. It almost reminds me of a cross between an impulse set and a battlepack. Crates: The camel holds two containers- one filled with jewels and one with fruit. It's a miracle the poor beast can stand! The mechanism that keeps the boxes in place is cool and effective. Back: The back view shows some pretty arches and plants. That pin controls the balcony on the front, as we'll see later. The bricks with the cheese slopes are also used in the Alamut set, hinting that the two sets may have been originally intended to be connected. Top Area: There's only a little space on the second level. The walkway is three studs wide, but it's more like two because of the annoying plants. The balcony is the other main source of space. The little room is cramped, and it's pretty challenging to get a minifig to stand on the trapdoor. The canopy is attached creatively, using a pole to anchor the top, and another pole to keep the bottom in place. You can also see the studs on the wall. they can allow the minifigs to don parkour poses, but in my opinion the only useful one is the far left one. Dome: The building features some nice architectural designs, like the cheese slopes and the arches. The golden dome is particularly eye-catching. That pin on the side drop the middle trap door. Fish: One of my favorite small details is the hanging fish. One is attached to the pole supporting the canopy, and the other is clipped in place. It's really cool that they are opposite direction, it gives sense of asymmetry. Fusion: One of the reason I bought this set was to enhance my Cairo setup. Here are the two sets fused together, minus the machine guns and more modern aspects. I think they look quite well together. However, they're not perfect together. The Cairo set is less elegant, while the Persia set is more beautiful. Balcony Scene: The balcony could be used for a Persian Romeo and Juliet. Here we have Tamina playing the role of Juliet, and Dastan as Romeo. Romeo and Juliet Ending: Of course, no rendition of Romeo and Juliet is complete without dead bodies at the end! Romeo has killed himself with poison cherries, while Tamina has stabbed herself with the Dagger of Time. Asoka makes a cameo as the County Paris, slain by Romeo. Video: A quick video showcasing the two main functions, both of which are trapdoors. The balcony works very well, but the other trapdoor often doesn't fall smoothly, and it's hard to fit minifigs under the roof. Tamina's cape, Dastan's swords, and Asoka's hat often keep them from falling through. _______________________________________________ Totals: Design: 9/10 The overall design is very good, but the mismatched arches stick out like a sore thumb. The set is otherwise very attractive and effective! Parts: 10/10 A very satisfying amount, with lots of new types and colors. Definitely one of the sets stronger points. Build: 8/10 A little unstable going up, but is about the right time and difficultly. Minifigs: 10/10 Four lavish figs for a $30 set is great! Especially at their caliber. Playability: 10/10 Tamina and Dastan are good, Asoka is "bad', and the salesman is neutral, so all sides are represented. Plus, there's plenty of accessories, traps, and wall studs for poseability. Price: 8/10 The piece/price ratio isn't that good. The pieces aren't that huge either, but the ratio is better than many licensed sets. Total: 55/60 Overall, a very good set. Its strong points are parts, minifigs, and playability, so this set has something to offer for MOCers, collectors, and kids. I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to sample the Prince or Persia line, since it has many features of the other sets. And of course, any Prince of Persia fan should definitely pick this up! Parting Shot: One extra letter can be fatal... Thanks for reading! -Inconspicuous

Happy birthday fallentomato! Your amazing and humorous Brickfilms never cease to amaze me- I look forward to more, but for now, just enjoy your day.

I agree that when done right, becoming the character well should get the job done, but that's because the character is trying to get the job done. And the character would use strategy. So in that sense we agree. As the old saying goes, "A magician is an actor playing the part of a magician". I really hope I'm making sense! (And for the record, I have nothing against acting. I'm an actor myself.)