Reviewed by Thys Brits (SAFOLs Member, jhbLUG Member)
I have not done many reviews on LEGO® sets (in fact, this is
only my second one), but I’ve read quite a few and appreciate what people who
have done many of them try to put into them. Seeing as there have been so many
other reviews done on pretty much every LEGO® set out there, I decided to keep
it straightforward and simple. Here are the views of an avid LEGO® builder (not
collector), although as a family, we have managed to build up quite a
collection over the last few years.
Apart from looking great next to the earlier released 1989 Batmobile,
the Batwing makes a unique display piece that can be easily wall-mounted. This
set has quite a few surprises to it, from plain building fun, to very clever
building techniques and hidden gems. There are also a few parts that only
appear in this set.
The build starts with what feels like building a Technic set, with a very big structure to keep the model together. While building this, you already start getting the feel of the size of the final build.
After completing bag set 1, the framework is complete and
the unique Batman minifigure is inspecting the build process. The minifigure is
in fact the same minifigure from the Batmobile set, with the unique moulded
cape and cowl.
From there on, most of the building happens with the many black parts that make up this set. If you are purely looking to build up your collection of black parts, this set will go a long way. The techniques used to get to the unique shape of the final build are as varied and unique as the model it represents. Various sideways and upside-down mini constructions are put together and then attached to the main construction. The SNOT (Stud Not on Top) technique is used a lot.
One odd thing about the set is the few odd parts that are hidden away inside the build, including a round 2×2 tile with the Bat signal printed on it.
The set does have a sticker sheet, but only a few stickers to make up details for the cockpit and of course the big display plate.
The build took the better part of a week, building two to
three sets of bags per night, so as for value for money, it is worth it.
Finding a place to display it will always be a problem, due to its size, so
many people will be tempted into putting it up against a wall. The instruction
manual has great instructions on how to do this. Purists, like with the
Batmobile, will say you need to build this set with gloves, as all the black
parts tend to show fingerprint smudges very easily. But for those who build
this for the fun of building and having it played with, this should not be an
issue. It certainly is playable. My 8-year-old son has flown it through the
house quite a few times, and the build is extremely sturdy, with no parts
coming off while playing with it.
The final product is amazing, and it displays beautifully next to the Batmobile. All in all, a great set. Lots of fun to build, play with, and for those who collect parts it is a great set to get a load of black parts.
How much did it cost the pirate to pierce his ears? A Buccaneer!
Coming in at R3999.00, this set has 2445 pieces. Sure to please even the fussiest LEGO® Fan. A massive shipwreck island that contains the wreckage of the infamous Black Seas Barracuda. The set can be transformed to create the full, seaworthy sailing ship, inspired by the 1989 LEGO®® model, “Captain Redbeard’s Black Seas Barracuda” thus ensuring maximum bang for your buck!
Milan Madge, LEGO® set designer, really worked hard to bring the original Ideas Set “Pirate Bay” designed by Pablo Sanchez into line with the classic LEGO® Pirates world. He made an awesome feature packed set! You will notice that the Inn is named after Pablo’s father José. José introduced Pablo to LEGO® Pirates, so this was his way of paying respects and to honour His father.
Austin Carlson, LEGO® Minifigure designer, designed 8 highly detailed minifigures for this set. They are Captain Redbeard, Lady Anchor, Quartermaster Riggings, Jack “Dark Shark” Doubloons, Tattooga, Robin Loot and twins Port and Starboard for pirate role-play action, plus a shark, pig, 2 parrots, 3 crabs, 2 frogs and 2 skeleton figures.
The shipwreck island model measures 59cm high, 64cm wide and 32cm deep. The build time would be approximately 5 hours depending on how fast you build. The build is immersive and will keep you entertained as you build this highly detailed set. The ship is split into three sections, and fits seamlessly in either model i.e. The Shipwreck or The Black Seas Barracuda.
Split into 27 numbered bags, a 460
page instruction manual which introduces the key figures in its development.
Pablo Sánchez designed the original submission on Ideas and is responsible for
returning the pirates to LEGO®’s portfolio. There is also an interview with
Milan Madge and Austin Carlson. The book also includes a backstory on the
pirates, as well as an introduction to the crew.
If you owned previous LEGO® Pirates sets, you will notice that in this set, the Minifigures have aged, this was a really nice touch. The box has the yellow frame and diagonal stripe to mimic the classic LEGO®LAND boxes from the late 80’s and 90’s sets. The only missing part in the box design was the flap and clear panels to see the parts in the set, like how it was in the older sets.
I was considering going into detail about the build but I thought I’d leave the treasure for you to enjoy in detail. I love this set and it really makes an epic display set with the hidden treasure chest, palm trees, and the island is packed with details! There are crates and barrels all stacked in a haphazard way replicating a busy dock. Three cannons guard the various angles of approach and each are positioned on a different level of the structure.
From Bag 15, you will notice that there are still 50 pages left in the instruction manual. This makes it relatively easy to convert the shipwreck into a sea worthy vessel. The process should take 20 minutes BUT converting it back to a shipwreck would be a challenge as you must work backwards in the instruction manual. All part of the fun I suppose.
The sight of the red and white sails when the build is completed is sure to get any enthusiast excited.
After completing this build, how would you know if you are a LEGO® Pirates fan? You don’t! You just ARRRRRRRR!
Released
on 01 January 2020, this is the last instalment of the LEGO® Creator Expert
Modular Buildings. Do not be alarmed, LEGO® will still be making the Creator
Expert Modular Buildings but I suspect that this range will change to be in
line with the 18+ Range, aimed at us Adult Collectors. I am keen to see what
the new designs would be! This set is slightly cheaper than previous modular
buildings.
This
is the 14th year of the modular buildings from the Creator Expert
team and should be an exciting build. The set is split on two 16×32 baseplates
and is split into 8 numbered bags. I like that with this Modular Building, you
can build the two buildings separately but therein lies the catch. There is an
extra wall in each building, with extra items to decorate the walls. These
extras bring the part count higher.
They can be displayed separately or together and fits well within a city setup. I did find that this set was very detailed in front, but not much attention was given to the interior and back of them. The “Birch” Tree is awesomely designed in the Bookshop section and the Townhouse bricks are an amazing teal colour.
The Bookshop “Birch Books” occupies the left ground floor and mid-level. The apartment takes up the top left side. I found the interior to be lacking in both the bookshop and apartment. I built the Corner Garage last year and I was expecting similar detail but, was sadly disappointed.
On
the right-hand side is the Townhouse. I enjoyed building the dining room
because it has some great details like, a dinner table and fireplace. Upstairs
is a small bedroom with access to the balcony. The Townhouse has some nice
details but sadly it is incomplete, there is no kitchen and bathroom. I wish
the designers paid more attention to the details that where included in the
interior of this whole set.
The Bookshop comes with 5 minifigures, which is less than the previous sets in this range. Corner Garage came with 6 minifigures, Downtown Diner 6 and Assembly Square 8 minifigures. An Adult Collector would definitely add this to his collection despite the shortcomings, the high expectations where set by the previous Modular Buildings.
The
building profile is lower and should you buy another set, you could increase
the height. Should us Modular fans add this to our collection? YES, because the
exterior has some really fun details, the colour scheme is on point and
provides us with some interesting building techniques even though the Modular
Building feels less substantial next to its predecessors.
Overall, this is a good build but falls short of its predecessors like the Corner Garage, and the Assembly Square. After building those, I expected the same detail in this set. I would rate this set 6/10 because of the interior lacking many details that we have become accustomed to.
When my sisters and I really started playing with themed LEGO® 12-13 years ago, we collected City sets exclusively, but as the years passed we slowly moved on, and by 2011 we had almost stopped buying them completely. As a result, this is the first City set I’ve built since 2011, so it’s interesting for me to see how far the theme has come in nine years. This set, along with a small handful of City sets in The LEGO® Group’s partnership with National Geographic, marks a return to the Ocean Exploration sub-theme. This has always been part of the City theme, but hasn’t had much going on for the last 5 years. When looking at a set, I like to approach it using a score system for each main aspect, so I’ll do the same here.
Firstly, the Minifigures
This set comes with 4 Minifigures, which I think is the perfect number for a set of this size. There are two Deep Sea Divers, one Explorer, and lastly, Jessica Sharpe, who is featured in the LEGO® City Adventures show, and is exclusive to this set. Many of the Minifigure pieces in this set are exclusive to the Ocean Exploration theme. The level of detail on the figures is pretty good, and what I like about two of them is that they could easily be used in other contexts. The Deep Sea Divers have dual-sided heads, showing some happy, and some more alarmed expressions. They also have rather large diving suits, with large lights, and a handful of accessories. Overall, the Minifigures are of high quality, with some nice new prints and good accessories, and I think they deserve a nifty 9/10.
Now, onto the build
The three main builds in this set are quite simple, and something you’d expect from a relatively inexpensive City set. However, they were still quite fun to build, and I appreciate the size of the Submarine, and the sea-bed cave. I particularly appreciate the different colours used. The Sub has more classic, bright colours, whereas the cave uses some more muted, natural tones. The Submarine is a simple design which looks nice all-round. I only have two small complaints with it, being that there are no studs to hold the Explorer who sits in the back half of the Sub, and the fact that the vehicle isn’t entirely enclosed. Admittedly this is difficult for a small vehicle, but it does bother me somewhat. Otherwise it’s a solid build, designed for play, but still nice for those who wish to display it. It serves its purpose well, with some minor faults, and I think 8/10 is a fair rating.
Next, “Playability”
What I like about this set is that it isn’t loaded with play
features. While I think it’s a lot of fun for kids, (and sometimes adults) to
have designed features, sometimes less is more, and I believe that this set
shows that. A major feature is the way the glow in the dark Angler fish can pop
out of the crevice in its cave, which is effective, but isn’t perfect in my
mind. My problem with it is just how the clear Technic beam that holds the fish
protrudes quite far out and makes it a bit difficult if you want to keep the build
against the wall. The Submarine’s claws can quite easily clasp the gems which
is something I really like. Its super simple, but still very satisfying, and
they are quite poseable. The small vehicle clips onto the Sub when not in use,
which makes it look more enclosed, and serves to prevent the Explorer from
falling out through the back. The Angler Fish really does glow in the dark
quite well and is more menacing than I had anticipated.
I think this set has good playability, with the only blemish being the Technic beam. I believe a solid 8/10 is justified.
A small point, but one I usually consider is packaging. The box is nice, but there’s not really much to it aside from the National Geographic label. The set comes with three instruction booklets, which I think is too much. It’s not a serious point, but two booklets are more than sufficient, although I suspect it’s to enable several builders to tackle the set at the same time. The instructions were easy to follow, and there are some images of what the real-life counterparts of the builds look like. In the end LEGO® seems to always do a good job when it comes to packaging. 8/10 is a fair score in my opinion.
Last up is the question of value
So, I thought some stats might be helpful to provide some
context to this set’s value. This set retails for R550, with 286 pieces. In
comparison, the Ninjago set, Jay and Lloyd’s Velocity Racers (71709) goes for
the same price, with a more generous 322 pieces. The recent Star Wars Jedi
Interceptor (75281) is also the same price, with a somewhat underwhelming 248
pieces. Going by this we can see that while it’s not the cheapest set out
there, it’s worthwhile, and I feel that for what you get, it’s not bad at all. If
it were rounded down to R500 then I’d be perfectly happy. One last point to
consider is that this set uses quite a few large pieces, and some that are new
for 2020, such as the sea plant piece, and of course the Angler fish. Given
these points, I feel that 8/10 is an accurate judgement of this set’s value.
Overall, this set earns a favourable 41/50 in my opinion. It has a few minor faults, but it does what it needs to. The Minifigures are all great, and the Submarine is nice. The sea-cave provides some texture and colour, and everybody likes the adorable LEGO® crabs, two of which are included. I really like how LEGO® has used its extensive inventory to give the four Minifigures a lot of character, which was something that was more limited back in 2011. At the end of the day it’s an enjoyable, inexpensive set that I imagine most children, and even older fans will like very much.
Reviewed by Clive Crafford (SAFOLs Member, jhbLUG Member)
Suffice it to say I was jumping up and down like a five year old on Christmas morning when I received this set. When joining the LEGO® hobby, it doesn’t take long before you have a wish list of sets that your heart desires. And it is not every day that you get the opportunity to add one to your collection, so when I saw this, I could not let it go by. Advertised on Facebook for more than a month without selling it, I made the seller an offer nearly 35% less then what he was asking, and he was happy to take it. It was also far less than the cheapest one currently on Bricklink – and with the set in a good condition with the original box – a bargain!
The set was first released in 1990, with 767 pieces, 9 minifigures and a retail price of $140.00. The set I have unfortunately is missing one window, one minifigure and one 16 x 16 baseplate, but sure I will be able to replace those – the important (and expensive) parts are included – working motor and track. The box has some tears around the corners (as can be seen above – left bottom corner). It still holds up well though, and can be carried around with all parts inside. The box art is not faded, can still clearly see the image of the monorail car. The track layout is shown as well, and this is the smallest configuration space wise, that it can be set up in. The age range is given as 8 – 12 years, so I am a bit old for it – but the set itself is older than I am.
The box has a cover that you can lift up – revealing some images of a child enjoying the set, and instructions on how to operate the monorail. The bottom has windows so you can see the perfectly packed parts, or in my case, scattered parts in a few Ziploc bags.
The original price sticker of this set was also still visible, retailing for US $159.99 in New Jersey at Jamesway Discount Stores that unfortunately did not last as long. I bought this set from a guy that received this set from his parents back in 1990/1991. It was built and played with by him as a child, but was then boxed up and packed away for more than a decade, until he discovered it again and decided to sell it.
The first item out of the box is the manual – there are a lot of pages with creases, and also some loose pages as can be expected from a set belonging to a child that just wanted to have fun. Despite that, it is still well preserved. The majority was clear though, and I used it to build the model. LEGO instruction manuals have come far though compared to this nearly 30 years old manual, and big improvements have been made by the LEGO Group. There are times where you really have to check what parts are needed, as they aren’t always listed, or check where they go, and the page cuts them off without you being able to identify which piece it is.
The next parts are the baseplates that come with the set. There are also two 8 x 16 green baseplates, just not pictured here. The grey parts are quite discoloured here, but the green baseplates is still in an excellent condition. There is another 16 x 16 grey baseplate for this set that I did not receive, but was able to use one from my parts. Both the shuttle stations are built on these, one being a raised platform, and the other being on ground level.
Also included are the track supports, 8 tall ones, and 2 half the height, for the middle of the ramps. They slot into the monorail track easily, but still with enough gripping power to not fall out when you lift the track. They also have plates at the bottom that can be stuck onto other plates or bricks, however is preferred.
The most expensive pieces in the set are of course the track itself. With this set comes 8 quarter curves, 6 quarter straights, 5 straight pieces, 4 straight ramp pieces, 2 half straight pieces that allow you to control the monorail train and 1 half straight. Unfortunately one of the track control pieces was broken in my set, so although it works for the train to go across, it doesn’t allow you to control the train. The ratio of straight to curved sections of track was a lot better back in the day, as you got more straight pieces, which are the hard to come by and always in demand pieces.
The monorail train itself is a good size, has a sturdy design, and is similar to other train sets of the time. There is certainly room for MOC’s here, especially using pieces that are available today for a much more modern take. The motor still works perfectly, and I hope it will for a long time to come. There is space at each end of both cabs for a driver. The one on the left above only has space for two passengers as opposed to four in the other side, because of the space being taken up by the battery pack. The more recent city sets with a monorail or tram car don’t have space for more minifigures either. The sides and windshields of both cars also flip open for easy access to place minifigures inside. The on/off switch for the battery is on the battery itself, and access is gained by lifting the side cover up.
The first station you get to build is the one on ground floor. (There is one tan plate instead of a white plate.) The station itself is very simple, just a platform with a small roof overhang, and seating for two people. The cross walk extends over the road, to a bus stop, also with two seats and a phone booth. A nice touch, remembering that this set came out long before cell phones became popular. There are some flowers decorating the sidewalk – made from pieces with the same moulding we can find today.
The second station is raised about 10 bricks high. The platform has seating for two minifigures, with a staircase leading up. The stairs are completely brick built, and parts intensive, so I understand why they have the single stair piece now. There is also a hot dog stand underneath. The newer sets contain a few more details then this set, but still nice to have it included. On the opposite side has a bus stop with two seats for waiting minifigures, some flowers and two lamp posts. (One missing above.)
The set
assembled completely. It is an impressive set, and takes up quite a large area,
120cm x 140cm. In comparison to train set today, it takes up more space, mostly
due to the two stations that are included. I think it would be great if LEGO
could do something similar again with its current train sets, including bigger
stations, or at least have proper stations for sale separately. The market for
trains and related products is definitely big enough world-wide to encourage
this. The stickers are all intact, and still well stuck one, with just one
exception.
Overall I am very pleased with this set, and feel the lack of monorail sets today. It was a great theme that LEGO surely can continue. I will be playing with it all weekend, and planning on how to incorporate it into my yet to be built city. I hope to add to my monorail track collection in the near future, and incorporate this set along with that on a much larger scale.
Voted for by LEGO brick lovers
all over the world, a wonderfully nostalgic new LEGO® Ideas set has been
brought to life after being envisioned by an avid builder. The brand-new LEGO®
Ideas 123 Sesame Street set is the latest product from the LEGO® Ideas
collection, which conceptualises and produces the creative wonders imagined and
voted for by LEGO® brick fans themselves.
Created with all the
delightful elements of 123 Sesame Street, the new set is packed with authentic
details from the famous New York City neighbourhood. From Bert and Ernie’s
apartment, in which Bert famously pleaded with Ernie to remove a banana from
his ear so he could hear better, to Big Bird’s nest, where the grown-ups
finally met Mr. Snuffleupagus in person – builders will marvel in Sesame
Street’s most memorable moments.
As they embark on their
immersive build journey of LEGO® Ideas 123 Sesame Street, seasoned LEGO® fans
and younger builders alike can take a trip down memory lane, passing by
Hooper’s Store, Oscar the Grouch’s trash can, and many more quintessential
Sesame Street locations, making it the perfect set to enjoy on your own or
together as a family. Fans can even bring their favourite characters and show
moments to life with the brand new and exclusive buildable minifigures which
have been moulded specifically for the set, including characters such as Cookie
Monster, Elmo and Big Bird.
The Box, Inside and Outside
The box presentation is the
new 18+ black box with the set images brightly printed to jump out and catch
your eye.
The instruction manual is also all black with the well-loved character minifigures in a row on the front and just the Sesame Street sign logo on the back. Inside has some detail about Sesame Street, the original designer and LEGO® designers.
We get 2 16×16 Light
Bluish-Grey plates and 11 bags of parts.
There is also a sticker sheet with 22 wonderful Sesame Street designs, which also bring in some of the well-loved characters that were not made into minifigures.
The Build
We begin the build with the base (the street block) and then see the building emerge from the ground up.
The building has been cleverly thought out and with excellent part use in the finer details and the features of the building. There are also some hidden “easter eggs”, such as the spider on its web in the basement.
Most of the image detail come from the sticker sheet, but we have been given some nice new printed parts as well.
Once each part of the building structure is put together, we start to furnish the rooms. It is a great learning experience to see how the furniture and fittings are put together and what parts are used which one would not necessarily think of.
As the build progresses and
the set comes to life, the memories start flooding back from the time spent
watching these loveable teachers.
The set has been built in the standard LEGO® “Dolls House” design so that you can display or play with the minifigures in the various different rooms and outside areas.
The Minifigures
Each bag set contains one of
the iconic characters supplied in the set.
Starting from first to last, we have Big Bird, Elmo, Ernie, Bert, Cookie Monster and lastly Oscar the Grouch in his trash can.
Elmo, Oscar, Bert, Ernie, Cookie
Conclusion
Although the set is very much reduced in size to the original Ideas submission, it is a real joy to build. There are no big complexities in the build, but there is a lot of fun and learning involved, which I would say is the essence of Sesame Street. I highly recommend this set to build either for yourself or your kids to have fun playtime with.
Centuries ago, the beloved Chinese Monkey King used his magical staff to capture and trap the evil Demon Bull King deep inside a mountain. Flash-forward to modern-day China, when fate leads MK (aka Monkie Kid), a young noodle shop delivery boy, to find the long-lost staff. Soon, MK and his best friends find themselves entangled inadventures packed full of action, mystery, imagination, and magic.
Being a LEGO® Mech fan, I had
to get this set to build as it looked so awesome.
The set comes with 12 bags of
goodness, a sticker sheet with 47 stickers in 31 unique and eye-catching designs,
a plastic sheet with foil printed cut outs as well as a fabric cape to dress
and decorate the mech.
Apart from the great mech build,
this set comes with a number of mini-builds to set a fun scene for playing
with.
The Minifigures
Jia, An, Monkey King, Monkie Kid, General Ironclad & Growl with some nice new parts, such as the headphones around MK’s neck, the Bull Helmets and more…
The Mini-Builds
Bag 1: Contains the parts for
a small Bull Mech. A quick and fun little build that fits Growl the Ironclad
Henchman minifigure who is also in this bag.
Bag 2 & 3: We build the Monkey
King and his flying Cloud. There is also a nicely detailed Noodle Shop with
some interior design. There is also a side attachment with a power pole and
arcade game. The An minifigure is also found in these bags.
Bag 4 has the parts for the start of the mech torso and the final mini-build. The iconic Flower Fruit Mountain that is said to be where the Monkey King imprisoned the Demon Bull King. The tree built on the top of the mountain has some nice 1×1 pink heart tiles with peaches printed on them.
The Warrior Mech Build
Bags 4 – 12 have the rest of
the parts to build the mech.
It is a nice surprise to see
the return of metallic gold parts and so many of them.
The build progresses in the
following stages.
Bag 4 – Torso & Monkie Kid Minifigure
Bag 5 – Shoulders and Torso Details
Bag 6 – Upper Legs and General Ironclad
Minifigure
Bag 7 – Lower Legs
Bag 8 – Feet
Bag 9 – Upper Arms and Jia Minifigure
Bag 10
– Forearms and Hands
Bag 11
– Head
Bag 12
– Staff, Banners and Dressing
The mech is very well designed
with a sturdy skeleton of Technic parts, gears, ratchet, and ball joints. The
arms move on rotation gears at the shoulders to give them some good manoeuvrability.
We have seen this technique in other sets as it works well.
The colours of red, yellow, turquoise
and metaling gold are very eye catching and stand out, giving the mech a powerful
look.
There is some excellent part
usage to add little details all over, such as Utensil Zip Line Handles as the
control levers in the torso cockpit and Weapon Hilts as metal bars at the knee
joint.
Instead of printed parts which
would have raised the cost of the whole set two-fold, they have included the
sticker sheet with small stickers to really bring out the detail in the whole
build.
We finish off with the large
staff that can be set in place between the hands, held in one hand as a full
staff and even shortened into a smaller staff.
The last bit of detail is the plastic foil printed Samurai dressing and fabric cape, all attached at cleverly well positioned pins and small ball joints.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed building this
set and feel it is one of the sturdiest of the large LEGO® mechs to be
released. The Ideas Voltron set was a fun build but only a display piece in my
opinion. This build has a lot more playability and can be placed in a variety
of different poses. There are a few fiddly bits that can fall off if and if not
balanced correctly it will fall over due to the size. The added mini builds
give some extra playable features to the whole set.
The LEGO® designers have done an excellent job in making a solid, sturdy mech that looks like the Monkey King and I definitely recommend this set if it falls within your budget.
Reviewed by Clive Crafford (SAFOLs Member, jhbLUG Member)
As a collector of LEGO® Planes, I was eagerly awaiting the new arrival when it was announced. I was pleasantly surprised with the new set once the first images were released, and enjoyed the building experience a lot.
Officially titled Passenger Airplane, set number 60262 comes with 669 pieces, 9 minifigures (includes a baby figure) and a retail price of R1 699.99 (before the November 1st price increases). Not differentiating too much from previous sets, this set comes with the plane, the airport terminal and control tower, along with a ground vehicle. The only addition to this is the passenger car belonging to Poppy Starr.
The red convertible is a pretty standard LEGO® vehicle measuring just 4 studs wide. The ground vehicle is also 4 studs wide, and comes with the standard steps to access the plane, the only difference to previous sets being the car lift. It works well to lift the car to the same height as the plane.
Although it is dubbed a passenger plane, it is actually the first multi-purpose plane with dedicated areas for both passengers and cargo. The build itself goes quite quickly, the larger components make this set feel bigger then what it is, with the small part count it has. There are some new elements made for the plane, the nose cone being the most noticeable. I like the new look, and reminds me of the shape of the A380, although this is a much smaller plane. The other parts are in the tail, and both work well. The look maintains similar colours to the previous passenger plane, and no dramatic changes has been made to the colour scheme. The larger blue area being exchanged for white and vice versa. The empennage (vertical tail) is a printed part, which will be welcomed by most, as positioning the stickers correctly on both sides has always been difficult and frustrating. The plane has 2 engines, and both are constructed with 3 major pieces, instead of a single piece as in previous iterations. The wing is still the same large, moulded piece, and seems unlikely that LEGO® will move away from this any time soon. The finished build is stable and as Brickman from LEGO® Masters Australia would say, has a lot of swooshability.
The interior of the plane is quite spacious. The car that comes with fits snuggly into the cargo hold, but it is big enough for all sorts of cargo you may need to fly around. The passenger area has just 5 seats, indicating that this is much more of a luxury private jet, and not to be used for commercial flying. The minifigures fit well with no struggle to get everyone seated. There is also a shared entertainment system. The sticker does contain a tease for fans of Bionicle, so will be interesting to see if this hints to future plans LEGO® have. The passenger area is connected to a service area, containing a small bathroom for the occupants as well as a service trolley, and baggage area. The plane can be piloted by two pilots, however only one is included in the set. The cockpit is one of the most detailed areas, and the designers recreated it very well.
The most disappointing part of the build is the terminal building that feels lacking in all aspects, just as most previous sets. It would be great if this can be released as a separate, dedicated set, with more attention to detail and overall impression. This is aimed at younger fans, so is understandable that they do not require much in this regard, it is only adult fans that would like to see more here. The roller coaster track for the roof is clever, and gives the building a smooth look from the outside. The control tower is there just for the sake of, without adding too much to the set in terms of looks and playability.
Overall I am pleased with the look of the plane itself, and it makes for a decent companion to the other sets in the range. The only improvement would be on the airport terminal and control tower. I also like all the minifigures you get with the set, which makes the price feel better when looking at the piece count. It is definitely a fun set to play with and will be welcomed as a Christmas gift.
Reviewed by Chris McGee (SAFOLs Member, jhbLUG Member)
The world is changing
Initial
thoughts:
So, the partnership between LEGO® and
Nintendo® has become a highlight for many during an altogether rough
2020. Just the news alone brought with its thoughts and wishes of set
integrations with favourite games, minifigures of our favourite characters and
possibly even LEGO® themed Nintendo games.
What we got was the announcement of a 4-year development and design process which yielded this starter course with its unusual figurine star. I was intrigued more than upset but I will not lie… I saw my minifigure dream collapse into a million studs. After a few days, more insights started to come to mind and after a few viewings of the videos, I decided not to write the concept off just yet.
A couple of months later the internet reviewers started receiving early sets for building and reviews (a great idea for this new concept I believe as it allowed for many different opinions to be available). I managed to see the potential of something I thought I could get into through these and taking the chance, pre-ordered my starter course. And, in late August, it arrived a bit earlier and I have now had about a week with the set.
The technology and the figure:
So, LEGO has produced something entirely unique with this figure, making great use of the technology available and packed into a reasonably small and (thankfully) sturdy package. The main point of focus is on the screen behind the eyes, mouth, and chest, which has some great expressions and bring Mario to life in a fun way. There is also a speaker which projects Mario’s voice with notable quotes and reacts to various movements with nostalgic sound effects. Internally the figure comes equipped with an accelerometer and gyroscope which perform well in understanding the movement of the figure and gives precise integration with the sounds and expressions. The scanner is also spot on and interacts almost seamlessly with the different bar codes and colour plates.
The concept:
It is a really simple concept… build a course, laying
out various pieces provided, start using the start tile provided through
scanning it with your new LEGO Mario, finish using another tile, and during the
run, collect as many coins as you can.
Though a simple concept like this may seem arbitrary
and uninteresting, it allows for an imagination to take flight and basically go
anywhere it wants to. My son started changing up the course, adding plates to
extend the trail, and within a few hours we had played around 10 different
courses and he still had more ideas. I am pleased to say that I gave it a good
go and only narrowly lost in the coin count.
The build:
So the build is not complex and it is a bit annoying
that there are only digital instructions (there is a short booklet that
explains Mario himself, but from there you would need the app which is
available for your smart devices) or download the instructions from lego.com.
As an adult, I didn’t enjoy the app giving me not only build instructions, but
these are also in pieces and with some videos in between. I do understand the
need though as the videos act as tutorials which show kids how to use Mario and
interact with the different elements, and for a 6+ set, this is needed. The tutorials
will definitely help kids during their first couple of runs with Mario.
The new parts are appreciated and do aid in connecting the different sections with ease needed just simple 2x something plates to help structure your course layout. They even include a few extra plates to help get more combinations.
The game:
So as noted, the premise is to collect as many coins
as possible in 60 seconds. Now many will ask, “Why bother with the route, line
up all the barcoded tiles, stomp Mario down thereon and end it?”, and they may
have a point. But I could ask the same of other games such as snakes and
ladders. Why not just make the snakes pointless and just go through the game
without any hindrance? Well, it is because it is a board game and with any game,
there are rules whereby the players would decide on which to follow or how to
engage.
This new LEGO® theme pushes the same idea,
although imposes far fewer rules, with it pretty much being for you to start
and finish before time runs out. Fewer rules will allow kids to create their
own games with different challenges or mechanics. One course which I made was
that the end was at the other side of our lounge and you needed to travel by
the provided “cloud” to fly there, collecting coins along the way (but again,
you need to time your other actions to be able to make it). You can put all the
elements in or shorten the course, thereby also maximising or limiting the
amount of coins possible.
In effect, I equate this system to something akin to a board game, just with some impressive technology and almost boundless potential.
The
application:
Thankfully, Mario will work without the application
and will play just fine on the course itself, but to note that he does get
firmware updates through the application which may provide added functionality
later on. The application works just fine and also provides access to building
instructions and ways to share courses and scores with others. One nice feature
of the app is that it will give you a breakdown of where you earned coins if
you connect the figure to the app before starting a course run, which is very
handy to try and develop strategies towards maximising your coin haul.
The
expansions:
The starter course comes in at R999 retail price,
which I feel is warranted given the quality tech and workmanship within the
Mario figure and the elements provided give added value to a full experience
within the game itself. With that being said, there are also expansions
available to lengthen and add to the experience. Currently I do see these as
being over-priced though, even if I were to liken them to video game or board
game expansions. Having had limited time with the set so far, it would be
unfair of me to say that the expansions are not needed, but for now the starter
course really does provide a solid experience.
The
experience:
So it isn’t an attention seeking item that requires a
lot of your time but I have thoroughly enjoyed walking up to a course during a
break and giving it a go and 60 seconds later I have sometimes bettered my
prior score or found myself annoyed and wanting to try again. For me it has
given a nice breakaway from work and a nice interlude with my son when we just
need to do something. So, I am quite impressed with this.
I think a lot of my interaction comes from me being
into board games already and a fan of the Mario games. I can say then for
adults without the fanfare or who do not have kids, may find this set and the
premise difficult to digest. Nintendo has always been geared towards innovation
and providing a unique experience, and with LEGO® I believe that
they have brought something that truly follows this pattern and brings us an
entirely new and authentic experience.
The verdict:
Simply put, this is great for families, great for
kids. Adults who can see past the standard “LEGO® sets” will gain a
lot from this experience with the fun that can be had here, but I can say that
it probably isn’t for everyone.
Reviewed by Chris McGee (SAFOLs Member, jhbLUG Member)
Nostalgia in spades
So…
2020 has been an interesting year so far, and the world of LEGO® is
no exception. In fact, we have seen the campaign of adult targeted sets
dramatically increase and almost take away from the standard children’s set
dominance. Walking through our local LEGO® Certified Store these
days (with mask on and sanitiser at the ready) now looks like something
altogether different with a quarter (at least) of the store’s shelf space being
dedicated to the sets aimed at 16+ (includes Technic® and the
Architecture themes), the Ideas theme and the new line of 18+ sets. Including
not having space for other themed sets released only 6 months prior. It’s a
bold move for a company in the “toy” business, and the set in this review is
very much targeting the nostalgia factor of us big kids.
In the most positive form of critique from the release notes and set description, the 71374 LEGO® Nintendo Entertainment SystemTM (NES) is a set that will “trigger nostalgic memories”, and as a fan of video games of old and fond memories of those many hours (too many from my parents perspective), I really wanted to project myself back and experience the magic. Although I had the “Family Computer” variant of the console growing up and am not sure if we got this version of the NES into SA, I wanted to see if it still strikes home on the nostalgia front.
The
beginning:
The set contains 2646 pieces across numbered bags
(thank goodness), with the instructions split into two separate booklets, one
for the NES console and controller and the other for the retro TV, so can be a
build for a couple of family members. The instructions also have some handy
facts about the history of the console, the games thereon, and some facts about
the set design and the team behind it. I can really appreciate this focus on
the designers and set design as it adds more to the effort and love given
towards the development process.
The
console:
So, the partnership with NintendoTM has
apparently been on the go for the past 4 years, which makes me wonder if this
was originally on the cards or something that came later. But one thing is for
sure, they really went to town on getting the accuracy factor there. The
shaping and details around the outer casing is near identical to the original
console, including printed parts for the specific written components. I love
that they even bothered to make the plug receivers for the controllers and the
connections through to the television (and with some nice techniques to boot).
The consistent finishing using tiling for the edges and some nice building of
the cartridge loading cover make for a product that brings the device to be the
blocky heart of the set.
The console is accompanied by a single built up game
cartridge, obviously using the Super Mario Bros sticker of the first 8 bit game
variant as it’s label. This in itself would have been a great extra, but the
cartridge loader on the console actually works, including a locking in feature
of the loading which is amazing in how it is built. There is even a hidden
easter egg built into the side of the console for those who dared venture into
the warp zones. The simplicity and effectiveness of the mechanism is fantastic
and a highlight of the set.
Moving on, you get the controller, which is also heavily decorated with printed parts giving that added grace to a device where your fingers begin to get some muscle memory thereon with the A and B, and directional buttons in place. This controller would drive forward generations to come for home gaming consoles, after the older consoles focusses on controllers like the arcade joysticks. The controller comes with a pneumatic pipe as its wired cable, and actually slots into the console port, and the connection friction is just right for easy removal and placing for a firm hold.
The
television:
I can only guess, but my thought is that the console
was the first point of focus for the team since it is more directly linked with
the new Super MarioTM theme, so this makes the retro TV the “gravy”.
So much so that it could easily be seen as the star of the dish, giving the
flavour and energy needed for the set.
Built into it is a lovely screen rotation of a section
of the first level of the Super Mario Bros 8-bit game. Needless to say, I spent
a lot of time on this level growing up, but I think it is the right choice for
all, being recognisable to all who have any knowledge of the game. The actual
method used in scrolling the level, is done using the larger track pieces in 2
levels connected through long plates and then finished with tiles and some
plates. There is a lever to the right of the television which is used to rotate
the tracks. The special prints stand on different 1×1 shaped parts on top and
provide character to the environment in the form of the gumba, koopa shell,
star, question mark block and coin. You also get an extra of each of the
printed elements.
Then comes the specialised Mario modified plate. This
is a unique part both in the print and it’s construction, able to connect on an
anti-stud to the bar and trans-clear dish piece which helps guide Mario in
navigating the level as the screen scrolls across. A key to this is the use of
a microphone piece just providing less friction for easy movement. Handy hint:
don’t push the dish piece too close to the tiles as it tends to get stuck
easily on the plates on the screen.
All this in an amazingly detailed adaptation of an
older television, complete will stand. The channel changing dial, volume and
display settings all represented with prints and the channel dial having a cool
mechanism to add a resistance and clicking noise to the experience. Even the panel
to the left of the screen comes with some building for the speaker cover with
the receiving studs showing to lovely effect.
To the back of the television and we get only our third sticker for a neat and tidy finish for the back of the television providing the actual specifications. A fun little easter egg comes through now as the specifications thereon are actually for the set build itself. Considering that this section would normally not be seen on display, it is great that they finished it so well, giving the right shape and smooth design. To top it off, a small arial can be clipped down or set up to display.
The other function:
So once finished building, scrolling and admiring the
set, there is another option available, although a critical component does not
come with the set itself, and that is interaction with the LEGO® MarioTM from the upcoming Starter
Course set (71360). It allows you to play the famous music and sound effects
triggered by coloured tiles within the colour sensor of the Mario figure. All
this comes from simply scanning the provided coded tile. Now initially when I
received the set, I didn’t have the LEGO® MarioTM but I was still able to
get what I wanted from the interaction of scrolling the screen around and
watching the jumping and general interaction (all the while having the music
play through my head).
I did receive my pre-order a bit earlier than expected
and so then tried out the new Mario figure and the interaction it provides, and
yes, having the music and sound effects did add to the experience.
I do feel that this is more of an enhanced inclusion rather than a necessity, but can understand why people would be upset at not having a “complete” set when this inclusion is offered but you need to have a key device to effectively use it. That and the set would cost you an extra thousand rand over and above the current price tag for this set.
The final
product:
This set is perhaps a great indicator of what can
expect from LEGO® going forward – sets targeting a growing market of
adults wanting a combination of build and display value. And what a way to do
it.
It rings all the right bells for me with regards to
nostalgia, build quality and experience, and really does look phenomenal when
displayed. A must I would say for big Nintendo fans, a great display piece for
those wanting that point of focus. The mechanisms used for the play features
are well thought out and well-built to give an experienced builder some fun and
these are a fair accompaniment to the set.
On a price point, at R3,799.99 (recommended retail),
the set may be bordering the higher price point, and we can probably get an
actual NES for half the price, and play it (didn’t check but I doubt it would
scale up to this price). But honestly, this is meant to be built and compared
with LEGO sets, and in that, I feel that the price is fair for what comes out
and the experience with the building, considering the new moulds and great
prints we also get.
The added feature with the integration of the starter
course set is nice to have and add some pep but is not necessary if you would
rather not get the starter course (price or otherwise), and I don’t believe
have added to the price point given that the price to part ratio is still quite
low.
Overall, a great set, and I hope the partnership with Nintendo does continue as I know many are looking for those elusive minifigure based sets.
