Lego Review: 75055 Imperial Star Destroyer

After building and reviewing the Snowspeeder, the B-Wing, the Mos Eisley Cantina, and the AT-AT, we've finally arrived at the end of our Classic Star Wars journey with the 75055 Imperial Star Destroyer.

This is the priciest set in Lego's 2014 Classic Star Wars line, with an MSRP of $129.99, but don't let the price tag scare you away, this is a massive set. The Star Destroyer measures in at 7" high, 12" wide, and 19" long. The set comes with six minifigures: Darth Vader, an Imperial Officer, and Imperial Crewman, an Imperial Navy Trooper, and two Stormtroopers. It also comes with a Mouse Droid and a microscale Emperor Palpatine hologram.

My biggest fear with this set was that it's construction would be repetitive and tedious, much like the AT-AT. And while there is a lot of repetition here, the Star Destroyer is mirrored down the middle, so I didn't feel like I was building the same thing over and over again. But I suppose this was due more to me building the set over a few days instead of in one sitting, like I did with the walker.

Also, with the exception of the tip of the destroyer, which is the smallest point of the build, it feels very sturdy. Unlike other large builds I've had experience with, like the 7965 Millennium Falcon, I'm not too worried about breaking the build by "swooshing" it around. Not to say the Falcon is flimsy, there's just not as many moving parts here.

With that said, let's get on to the minifigures.

The Minifigures

There are six minifigures included in this set. We've seen all six before in some incarnation, but technically these are all new figures because of the new printings and detail added to this go around. We also have a microfigure in the Mouse Droid, which actually has the most parts of any figure in this set, and a holographic Palpatine. 

But let's start things off with the figure everyone is probably the most interested in: Darth Vader.

Darth Vader

By my count, thanks to a little help from Brick Set, this is the 27th time you've been able to buy some version of Darth Vader, but being that this is the latest release, it is the best and most detailed incarnation.

The biggest change from previous versions is the head under the helmet. Instead of giving us a gray head, Lego changed the color to a darker, almost ashen tan, giving Vader that "my skin hasn't seen the light of day in years" look. There is also a lot of added detail to the face, showcasing his scarring and yellowed eyes. I especially love the slight pink color variation added around Vader's eyes, adding depth to the minifigure. And when you turn it around, you can see even more scarring on the back of his head, somewhat matching what we see in The Empire Strikes Back.

Moving on to the body, there's a lot of detail to be seen. His outfit now has many wrinkles and creases, giving it a more cloth-like appearance. There's also a lot of detail on his belt and chest piece, which really pops due to the use of silver metallic paint for the decals. I should also point out there isn't any printing on the back of the figure, but that's to be expected since I'm sure most people won't be using Vader without his cape.

My only gripe with this figure is the helmet. It looks good, but with all the fine detail added to the body and head of Vader, they could've added some metallic highlights. But really, I'm grasping at straws here. There's a lot to like about this version of Vader. Plus, you gotta give Lego something to update in the future.

Stormtrooper

Moving on to the other minifigures, we have the Stormtrooper. Or I should say the two Stormtroopers, since Lego gave us two in this set. Not that I'm complaining. I love world building, and everyone needs an army. 

As is the trend, there's a lot of detail on this figure that hasn't been seen on previous version of the stormtrooper. I especially love the helmet, as there is black, gray, and blue printing for the decals. Now I'm not sure if the blue printing along the sides of the helmet is just a stylistic choice, or if it signifies something in the Star Wars universe, as the Sandtrooper from the Cantina set has black detail, and the Stormtrooper from the Ghost set has light blue detail, but it's a welcome addition, as it gives a little "pop" to the helmet. Under the helmet, we have what seems to have standard bad guy face for the Lego Empire.

As for the body, there's lots of detail on the front, the back, and the legs. I love the pouches along the belt, and what looks like a single kneepad on the legs. I know it might seem silly, but I always love asymmetry when it comes to armor. 

Imperial Navy Trooper

Imperial Crew

Imperial Officer

I've decided talk about the Imperial Navy Trooper, Crewman, and Officer together, as there isn't that much difference between the three. All three are well detailed along the body and legs, with the exception of the Officer. His body is well done, but he lacks any detail, fine or otherwise, along the legs. Granted, his uniform is supposed to be a solid gray, but solid colors didn't stop Lego from adding details along the legs to the other minifigures in this set. 

Of the three, the Officer is the only mini that has a new head. I love the worried look he has on his face, as he knows he's only moments away from Vader's wrath. I also think the sideburns are a nice touch.

Little Palpatine

Here we have the Holographic Emperor Palpatine. it's a nice little addition to the Star Destroyer. It's molded in clear blue plastic, giving it the holographic look. There isn't much fine detail sculpted into the figure, but it looks the part. You instantly know what it's supposed to be when you see it.

The best thing in this set

Lastly, here's my favorite piece of this set: the Mouse Droid. It's a simple build, and there isn't much to say about it. I just love the way it looks, and wasn't expecting to see it. Hell, I blanked when I first built it, not realizing what it was until I actually dropped it into the Destroyer.

The Star Destroyer

Imperial Star Destroyer

Here we have it, the star of our show, the Imperial Star Destroyer. As I said before, this is a massive build, coming in at over 1300 pieces. It also has a bit of heft to it, which just makes it feel really good in you hands. When I first started building it, I was a little underwhelmed by it's size, as I couldn't really visualize how big it was. But once it came together, I was very pleased with what sat in front of me.

The outside of the build

I know it's not easy to get a sense of scale through pictures, but this really is a big set, I just love the look of the ship from this angle. It just looks imposing. There's also a lot of detail on what's supposed to be the bridge of the ship, at least on the outside. The engines on the back are also well done, utilizing clear blue pieces to signify the flames coming of the back.

It opens!

What I thought was a really neat addition was the housing for extra missiles built in to the back of the ship. It's a simple addition, and a great solution to a problem that wasn't really that problematic. Having bought plenty of sets, I actually just use a cigar box to keep extra, yet necessary pieces, so it's great to be able to keep these missiles with the build at all times.

And the top comes off!

To get to the inside of the ship, the top of the build, which also houses the spring-loaded missile launchers, is removable. I wish it fit a little better, as it slides around just a little bit once you start moving the ship, but it doesn't hurt the overall build. I should also point out that the cannons on the sides of the destroyer are moveable, and since they're built on a track, all four on each side move together at the same time. It's a minor detail, but it's really well done.

Now, as you can see, removing the top doesn't give you that much access to the interior, which Lego did account for.

And it opens up!

By looking at the outside of the build, you can see that it's being held together by hinges. This isn't just a stylistic choice, or simply used to give the destroyer it's angular look. It opens up, allowing you full access to what it inside. Now in all honestly, you don't get that much floor space to play with, but some is better than none, so this is an absolute plus. 

Inside the ship, we have four computer consoles, two seats for the crewman and trooper, a weapons holders, a map table (which actually looks like plans of a Death Star trench), and a table for the Palpatine hologram to sit on. It's a bit cramped in there, but I'm sure someone with much smaller hands will really enjoy getting inside this thing.

Another thing that takes away from the interior space of the star destroyer is the technic build in the middle of the ship. Now part of it does help keep the ship together, but the other part is an ingenious addition to this build: a handle.

It floats! (kinda)

Honestly, I was a bit scared to actually use it at first, since I wasn't sure that it would be able to hold the ship up through extended play. But I've been able to zoom it around my house with no worries of it crashing to the ground. The handle is built solidly. And the balance of the ship is great, allowing it to hang level.

The Verdict

Someone's about to get force choked

And that's the Imperial Star Destroyer. I really enjoyed myself with this build. The minifigures are great, although about half of them are not too exciting to look at. So to wrap things up in a few words: It's big, it's expensive, but it's worth it. This is a great build with lots of features, and lots of playability. 

I have no problem fully supporting your purchase of the 75055 Imperial Star Destroyer.

Lego Review: 75052 Mos Eisley Cantina

The 75052 Mos Eisley Cantina is the third release (at least according to price) of Lego's Classic Star Wars Collection, fitting in nicely between the Snowspeeder and B-Wing, and the AT-AT and Imperial Star Destroyer.

Buying this set will set you back $69.99 and get you 616 pieces, including eight minifigures with assorted accessories. As far as I can tell, the three Bith musicians are the only minis in this set that haven't been seen before, with updated versions of Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Han Solo, Greedo, and a Sandtrooper rounding out the ranks.

Interestingly enough, this set seems to be a remake of the 4501 Mos Eisley Cantina released back in 2004. I didn't have this set, but I do have access to Google, hence me learning this little tidbit. Both sets contained a version of the Cantina, the Landspeeder, and the Dewback, so it's neat to be able to see how the set has been improved over the previous release.

I was on the fence about this set at first. I'm not a huge fan of playsets because I don't do much playing with these builds. And I already had the previous version of the Landspeeder, which I have pictures of below. I also have more versions of Luke and Han than I can shake a stick at. But in the end, the set won me over. Read on to find out why.

The Minifigures

As I said before, I have plenty of Luke's, Han's, and even a few Obi-Wan's. I also have at least 20 Stormtroopers, so that certainly wasn't the driving factor behind me purchasing this set. That being said, I did want the other minifigures, especially Greedo, so I'll start things off there.

So here we have Greedo, scourge of the underworld, and bane of Han Solo's existence. Naw, just kidding. Greedo can really only be summed up in two words: super chump. And I don't care what Lucas says, Han shot first.

Now that that's out of the way, lets talk about this minifigure. This isn't the first time we've seen Greedo, as he was part of the Cantina set I mentioned above, but this is the first time he's been released in almost a decade, so I'd consider him a new figure. Greedo is a solid design, despite not completely matching the movie counter part. The blue is a little bright for my tastes, and I'm disappointed he doesn't have the yellow stripes running down his arms and legs. But it does work as a facsimile, because it'll be hard to look at this figure and not know it's supposed to be Greedo. The head is well sculpted, I like the belt printed on his legs, and I think the vest looks great. Greedo also comes with a standard blaster pistol.

Next up is the Cantina Band. You get three identical minifigures, and while it wouldn't hurt if Lego had decided to make slight differentiations around the torso, ala the Ghostbusters,  I can't fault them because the characters are supposed to look identical to one another. I like the way they turned out, and the sculpt of the head is fantastic. Two of the three come with accessories: a wind instrument and what I think is a microphone. The third band member is supposed to be the drummer, and his drum kit is part of the Cantina build.

This is definitely the most detailed version of Luke Skywalker in his Tatooine outfit that we've seen to date, although whether this is a good or bad thing might depend on your personal preference. I like the outfit. It has a lot of detail, and I like the printing on the back. What I don't much care for are the use of excessive lines on Luke's face. It's supposed to look more detailed, but really just makes the figure look older. Not that I'm not a fan of detail, I just think it takes away from Luke's youthful appearance if he looks world-weary before he even goes off-world. Luke also comes with his blue lightsaber and a pair of binoculars. And if you were keeping track, this is the same figure that came with the UCS Sandcrawler.

Since we're on the topic of too much facial detail, Obi-Wan Kenobi looks rough. The extra lines on his face makes him look more haggard than he needs to be, as if I couldn't tell he was supposed to be an old man by looking at his gray hair and beard. The two-tone beard is a great touch, but I wish Lego would update his hairpiece. Or this hairpiece in general. Obi and Han have had the same hair since 1999, and I think it's time for a new do.

As far as Obi-Wan's body goes, I think it looks fantastic. I was shocked it didn't come with a cape, but integrating his Jedi robes into the printing really works well. The printing on the back is very detailed, and the front looks even better. It's funny that this is both the best and worst Obi-Wan has looked. He also comes with the blue lightsaber pictured. And of the three main minifigures, Obi-Wan is the only that doesn't come with a double-sided head.

If we have a Cantina set featuring Greedo, then of course Han Solo isn't far behind. And he looks pretty damn good. As far as I can tell, this is the same minifigure that came with the 75030 Microfighters Millennium Falcon (which is worth the $10, btw). The detail on the body is well done, I like the belt on his legs, and unlike Luke, I think the extra detail on his face makes Han look the part of the smuggler we all know and love. There isn't much else to say, other than he also come with a blaster pistol.

As great as the other minifigures in this set are, the Sandtrooper stands out as being the best. It's great to see the evolution of the Stormtrooper, and I have a lot of them, so I may one day do a piece on the change in their looks. The detail on this figure is amazing and really matches what we see in the movies. I suppose I could do without the tan highlights that represent sand, but overall the look works well. The scowl on his face also looks rather menacing, a feature that could've been left out since most people would use the sandtrooper without his helmet. The minifigure also comes with a long rifle and staff (both of which are pictured with the Dewback) and his backpack.

Finally, we have the Dewback. It's a good-sized figure that only moves at the mouth. The back consists of studs which can either be covered by four rounded plates or the Dewback's saddle. The saddle is pretty neat, designed to look as if it's draping over the animal's back. There are also two holster on the saddle to hold the rifle and the staff when not in use by the Sandtrooper. 

The Landspeeder

From what I can tell, this is the fourth version of the full-sized Landspeeder released by Lego, and the second released in this color, which closer matches the movie version. 

The Landspeeder is a solid build that feels good to play with. I like the additional detail the stickers on the engines and hood add to the build, giving it a more used and beat-up feel. The use of nine clear slide shoes on the underside of the vehicle also gives it a floating appearance and allows it to slide around without worry of hooking on to something on you table or base plates. The top engine is removable, revealing a storage compartment to house Luke and Obi-Wan's lightsabers and binoculars.

Now there's nothing wrong with this build. I think it's well done, but ultimately my problem with this Landspeeder is that it was a well done build when it was released four years ago. 

I just don't think enough has changed between these two builds to warrant a second release so close to the original (especially since I already owned it). And since the is a Mos Eisley Cantina scene, the Landspeeder isn't necessarily integral to this set. As much as I like this vehicle, I would much rather have preferred more minifigures, maybe the bartender and other patrons to fill out the scenes this set represents: Obi-Wan slicing that dude's arm off, the Han/Greedo shootout, and the first meeting between Han, Chewie, Luke, and Obi-Wan. Actually, this could've been a perfect opportunity to gives fans of the Original Trilogy the newest version of Chewbacca, since it's only currently available in a set based on Episode III.

The Cantina

As you can see, the Cantina scene itself is pretty big. And what I love the most about it is that it can be folded up to be stored compactly, if space is a problem (which it is for me). When folded, it kinda looks like a building from the outside. Along the back, there is a trough for the Dewback, and what I think is a power converter. Whatever it is, it looks cool.

On the interior, you get the bar, some seating, the stage for the band, and the domed entrance of the Cantina.

The bar comes well stocked, with a few pieces acting as glasses and beer mugs, which is a nice touch. It also comes with what appears to be a cash register and has a couple drawers to hold all the coins being tossed at the bartender to clean up all the grisly murders. The stage is also well done, able to house all three members of the band (although they won't all fit when the set is closed up), along with their instruments and the drum kit. The table and chairs are there to recreate the showdown between Han and Greedo. Now a great built in feature is the stage and the showdown scene slide out of the Cantina, which allows you to easily position the minifigures in place. Great forward thinking on Lego's behalf. 

The last room in the entrance of the Cantina, which has a dome that can open and close, and a sliding door. The door is neat but kinda pointless since the entrance is completely open on one side, two if you leave the door folded out.

The Verdict

When I first bought this set, I wasn't expecting much. But after I built it, and spent some time with it, I've realized how much of a value you get with this set. It's true that you're getting a little over 600 pieces for $70, but when you break it down, you're getting eight minifigures, a regular-sized figure, a vehicle, and a playset that has plenty of features. 

And as far as gripes go, almost all of them stem from how this set compares to other sets I own. If this is first Star Wars set you've purchased, or you only recently started collecting, you will be getting a hell of a deal. This is a fantastic set, and you shouldn't be disappointed by it. 

So to wrap this up, I'll sum up my review in three words: GO BUY THIS!