amazed78
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amazed78's Stats
- Review Count94
- Helpfulness Votes563
- First ReviewFebruary 18, 2015
- Last ReviewDecember 25, 2018
- Featured Reviews0
- Average Rating4.7
Naida's Epic Adventure Ship
Naida's Epic Adventure Ship
Overall:
5
/
5
A Ship for Elves
Posted:May 18, 2015
amazed78
From: Muurame
From:
Finland
Age:
35-44
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Novice LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Play Experience:
4
/
5
Value for Money:
4
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
" This is the second Elves set that I've purchased. "Naida's Epic Adventure Ship" contains 312 pieces in many vibrant colors. I especially enjoyed the various pearly gold pieces, which are quite hard to just casually come by when buying Lego sets. Also some of the curved dark blue pieces are hard to find and rare (the two 1 x 3 x 3 dark blue brick arches are currently exclusive to this set).
There are a number of play features (such as a turning sail, a galley kitchen, and a sun deck) and accessories (a map, a golden telescope, a cooking pot and a purple jar, and a light blue magic key) that will provide hours of entertainment for the young Lego Elves fan.
Again, the most difficult part of the build is getting the stickers to line up. I have no idea why it is so hard for me to put a round sticker properly on a round flat plate, but for me it seems to be an almost impossible task. The second most difficult part of the build is probably the mast of the ship with all those Technic parts that look almost alike (my apologies to Technic fans).
I also managed to pop some parts loose when adding new ones, since there are some bricks that are only held by one stud until the build moves on and the builder is able to cover them with other pieces.
While the ship's galley (kitchen) may seem a bit tight for adult fingers, even with the roof off, I'm positive that a seven-year-old girl will be able to play with the ship with no problems at all.
My favorite play feature was definitely the rotating sail that all real sailboats have (well, not exactly the same kind, but similar). What I don't understand is why there is a black rubbery Technic connector to prevent the white clamshell from staying open while Naida picks up the magic key from the inside. This is the only part of the build that I find slightly baffling. Otherwise, a very nice set for Elves fans.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Product Recommendations
Naida’s Spa Secret
(7)Share:
+3points
3of 3found this review helpful.
Horizon Express
Horizon Express
Overall:
5
/
5
Horizon Express
Posted:April 5, 2015
amazed78
From: Muurame
From:
Finland
Age:
35-44
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Novice LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Play Experience:
4
/
5
Value for Money:
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Challenging
" I quite recently purchased two of Horizon Express trains (and because they're sold out, I had to pay through the nose for them) and now I've finally completed one set. Had I been able to get the trains from the Lego site, they would've been worth every penny, that's why I've chosen "excellent" when evaluating the value for money.
The build of this train was definitely much more difficult than that of a regular Lego City train, for example the Cargo Train (60052) or the High-speed Passenger Train (60051), which is also reflected by the piece count of this set (1352 pieces versus 610 in the High-speed Passenger Train or 888 in the Cargo Train). Just like the High-speed Passenger Train, the nose of Horizon Express, too, sticks out in curves. Because the train is so long, I would recommend separating the locomotive from the passenger cars before lifting it.
I had a few problems building this set (probably due to my brain capacity - or rather the lack of it). One was that the passenger car window assemblies tended to come loose before I got them in place. Problem number two occurred when I was building the first passenger car: I noticed that getting the assembly which is between the train wheels to stick to the base plate of the train was really tricky. However, when building the second passenger car, I had no problem at all with the exact same parts. I also noticed that I have one extra black 1x2 plate left from building the locomotive and I think I've made a mistake when assembling it (I just can't find the mistake!).
I'd have given this set full 5 out of 5 on play experience if the train wasn't so narrow that putting the suitcases and the newspapers in place takes me an eternity. The narrowness of the train also pretty much makes it impossible for a minifigure to "walk" from one end of the train to the other, but here I'm just being a nitpicker.
"Horizon Express" looks magnificent and is arguably a very modern train. This set is an absolutely fantastic buy for those who love trains, especially for those who love Lego trains, and would be a great addition to any Lego train collection. My next step is to take a disassemble one of my other trains and see if I can get my own Horizon Express motorized.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Product Recommendations
Cargo Train
(43)
Train Station
(23)
High-speed Passenger Train
(48)Share:
0points
0of 0found this review helpful.
The Battle of Five Armies™
The Battle of Five Armies™
Overall:
4
/
5
The Battle of Five Armies
Posted:April 3, 2015
amazed78
From: Muurame
From:
Finland
Age:
35-44
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Novice LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Play Experience:
4
/
5
Value for Money:
3
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
" This set consists of 472 pieces, 7 minifigures and an eagle. Four of the minifigures are the "good guys" (Thorin Oakenshield, Dain Ironfoot, Legolas Greenleaf, and Bard the Bowman). Three are orcs (Azog and two generic orcs), all of which have gone through some facial modifications. The "good guys" all have two-sided faces, so one can choose between an angry and a neutral face. The Dain Ironfoot minifigure is (thus far) not included in any other set besides this one. There are no capes nor stickers involved, so that's a big plus for me personally.
The build is divided into three sections which are all quite different, so there's hardly any repetition. The first build is the battle machine, which looks as if it were a larger and a better version from the one in Uruk-hai Army (9471). It does pack a punch so one has to be careful not to poke anyone's eye out with it. The second build is the bridge. I noticed that the two grey baseplates under the left side of the bridge are attached to each other by only one 2x2 plate before you put the large brick arches in place, so the structure is not very steady. It does get much steadier once it is completed.
The final build of this set is the watchtower which is attached to the right side of the bridge by two connector pegs. The tower includes ornamented 3x6x5 arches in the color tan (or brick yellow in the pick-a-brick lingo) that are (thus far) available only in this set. At least in my set, the translucent fire elements are a different color from those in Dol Guldur Battle, these ones being more orange than red.
The set seems a bit less sturdy than the previous Hobbit/LoTR sets that I've built because the hinge bricks in the watchtower side of the bridge aren't completely immobile, but in reality the set can be lifted without bricks falling off it (I've lifted it with only one hand but I don't recommend doing that too often in case the hinge bricks get bent out of shape).
"The Battle of Five Armies" offers a bunch play features (bridge and tower wall collapse, shooting arrows, swooping eagles) and interesting minifigures which undoubtedly make it a great set for a Hobbit fan. My only complaint is the price which is more than I'd wanted to pay for this number of bricks.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Product Recommendations
Witch-king Battle
(24)
Attack on Lake-town
(15)
Dol Guldur Battle
(21)Share:
+2points
2of 2found this review helpful.
LEGO® Business Card Holder
LEGO® Business Card Holder
Overall:
4
/
5
Business Card Holder
Posted:March 31, 2015
amazed78
From: Muurame
From:
Finland
Age:
35-44
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Novice LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Play Experience:
4
/
5
Value for Money:
4
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Very Easy
" It's nice to get two minifigures (male and female) with the set. There's a fair number of letters and numbers included, three of each number and 1-3 of each letter from A to Z. However, the set desperately needs some more vowels, especially 'i' (now it has 2) and 'u' (now it has 1). I also would've loved to see some letters from the Nordic alphabet included in the set (at least 'a' umlaut and 'o' umlaut), but I'm biased since my own name includes one of those letters.
Lego should sell the letters and numbers separately, Pick-a-Brick would probably be the best venue.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+1point
1of 1found this review helpful.
Knights' Castle
Knights' Castle
Overall:
5
/
5
A Mighty Castle for Knights
Posted:March 30, 2015
amazed78
From: Muurame
From:
Finland
Age:
35-44
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Novice LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Play Experience:
5
/
5
Value for Money:
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Very Easy
" This set caught my eye because of the white horse (I've loved horses since I was five or maybe four). I also liked the idea of extra bricks, since I didn't have any, but what really cinched the deal was that it was on sale. I haven't regretted the purchase for one second.
The set consists of 480 pieces, which includes the pieces to build three minifigures and a horse. The build itself is very easy for an adult. Since the targeted buyer is, however, a 4-7-year-old child, this might not be the case. If the child has never played with Lego before, reading the instructions might be a bit difficult at first, but I think that won't be a problem for long. In my opinion, the most difficult parts of the build for a four-year-old may be putting the treasure chest lid and the dungeon door in place.
For the older or adult Lego fan, there is a good number of bricks (1x2, 2x2, 1x4 and 2x4) one can use when building one's own creations. I, personally, have already used most of the white bricks for a modular that I've built, and I wouldn't be surprised if I were able to include all the blue roof tiles in my building, too.
The only flaw in my particular set is that the king's crown keeps falling off all the time. Maybe a witch doctor slipped something in his mead and now his head is shrinking.
ps. I think I'll name the white horse 'Shadowfax' and donate him to Gandalf the White. I've heard rumors that the RSPCA are investigating the king and his minions.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Product Recommendations
Dol Guldur Battle
(21)
Witch-king Battle
(24)Share:
+2points
2of 2found this review helpful.
Naida’s Spa Secret
Naida’s Spa Secret
Overall:
5
/
5
A Spa for Elves
Posted:March 26, 2015
amazed78
From: Muurame
From:
Finland
Age:
35-44
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Novice LEGO builder
Play Experience:
5
/
5
Value for Money:
4
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
" This set contains a spa / beauty salon which is split in two parts, one elf-girl minifigure (Naida Riverheart), and a dolphin (Delphia). The set has a multitude of play features, such as a round pool, a diary that opens up, perfume and lotion bottles, not to mention the magical map which is hidden inside the set.
The build is probably not too difficult for a seven-year-old, but the set contains five stickers that might require some adult attention. I found that especially the round stickers were a bit tricky to get to line up properly. The only other part of the build that I think might be difficult for a child to assemble is the mechanism that reveals the magical map. Some of the technic parts are very small and tight and may cause some trouble.
I also noticed that the opening in which the magical map is inserted in order to hide it is a bit tight, so one has to be very careful when putting the surrounding bricks in place. In my opinion, the secret compartment for the golden diary could have been a bit deeper in order to hide the diary properly. The back of the diary turns white from the edges because the plastic is not very thick (I guess this happens with all Lego books).
"Naida’s Spa Secret" is a very beautiful set for those who love the color blue, elves, dolphins, spa treatments, and water. And for those who collect rare Lego pieces there are limb elements (plant parts) of three different colors (lilac, lavender and pink), transparent blue 2x2 roof tiles, an inverted 1x4x5 dark brown arch, an abundance of medium azure bricks and plates, and dark pink rock crystals.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Product Recommendations
Parisian Restaurant
(262)
Detective’s Office
(191)Share:
+14points
16of 18found this review helpful.
Painting Easter Eggs
Painting Easter Eggs
Overall:
5
/
5
Painting Easter Eggs
Posted:March 26, 2015
amazed78
From: Muurame
From:
Finland
Age:
35-44
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Novice LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Play Experience:
5
/
5
Value for Money:
4
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
" This little set contains 153 pieces and is packed with details, such as paint pots, a kettle, an oven inside of which are two cookies on a baking tray, and a coffee-maker complete with a red mug.
The two minifigures (probably a mother and her son) included in the set both have two faces, which is always a nice addition. Their task is to paint eggs for Easter. The son has dropped one egg on the kitchen floor, but no worries, the set comes with a hen that is always ready to replace any broken eggs!
"Painting Easter Eggs" is a very nice little set for all Lego fans, especially for those who love Easter, and for the die-hard Lego fan, the set contains some pieces that are probably hard to find and rare, such as dark red profile bricks, a bright yellowish green cupboard, and dark yellow 1x1 plates with teeth.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Product Recommendations
Parisian Restaurant
(262)
Detective’s Office
(191)Share:
0points
0of 0found this review helpful.
Dol Guldur Battle
Dol Guldur Battle
Overall:
5
/
5
Dol Guldur
Posted:March 23, 2015
amazed78
From: Muurame
From:
Finland
Age:
35-44
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Novice LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Play Experience:
5
/
5
Value for Money:
3
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
" This is by far the largest Lego Hobbit set I've built as it consists of 797 pieces. The set includes six minifigures (seven if you count the skeleton), two of which are exclusive to the set (the Necromancer and Radagast). There is an abundance of play features in this set: a statue that has a base which opens up, a revolving wall, a swinging blade trap, a catapult, falling skulls, a spider web, and a cage (with a skeleton in it) that can be dropped on top of a wizard or an orc. My favorites are the statue and the skeleton cage.
The set is very sturdy and can be picked up without shedding bricks all over the floor. The fortress wall is hinged and can be bent slightly. The build is not too difficult and there is very little repetition, since almost all parts of the fortress differ from each other. The most time-consuming phase of the build for me was applying the stickers, some of which are quite large. The mechanism for the falling skull trap could be a bit sturdier (the vine is a bit flimsy for the job). Also, one has to be very careful when building the trap in order to avoid the cradle/tray getting stuck with adjacent bricks when it is lowered down again.
In my opinion, the fortress could have been a bit higher, since it is so very high in the movie, and I wish the set had included a section of a bridge that leads into the fortress. I, personally, did not like the combination of the interchangeable skeleton cage and catapult and I think the catapult should have been placed elsewhere. The Necromancer figure would be more intimidating had it been printed using glow-in-the-dark paint.
Other than that, "Dol Guldur Battle" is nice set for battle-loving Hobbit fans. I recommend combining this set with "Dol Guldur Ambush" (79011) to further extend it.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Product Recommendations
Mirkwood™ Elf Army
(22)
Witch-king Battle
(24)
Attack on Lake-town
(15)Share:
0points
0of 0found this review helpful.
Mirkwood™ Elf Army
Mirkwood™ Elf Army
Overall:
5
/
5
Mirkwood Elves
Posted:March 16, 2015
amazed78
From: Muurame
From:
Finland
Age:
35-44
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Novice LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Play Experience:
5
/
5
Value for Money:
3
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
" This set includes a tree, a bendable and detachable wall, a detachable weapon rack, a ladder, 6 minifigures and a dark brown warg.
I believe the six minifigures and the warg of this set are quite rare, and most of them are exclusive to this set. The most noticable of the six is Thranduil, the king of Mirkwood. Thranduil is wearing a crown and a red cape and wields a sword. The other minifigures in the set are two elf archers with dark green hoods, an elf with a dagger and two very angry looking orcs, one of which can ride the sharp-toothed warg. All elf figures have two faces, a neutral and an angry one.
My favorite play feature of this set is the elf-catapult, which is hidden inside the rotating top of the tree included in the set. When you press the lever in front, a part of the tree top bends to the side and out pops an elf armed to his teeth. There's also a flick-missile to fire at the orcs and a barrel full of green gems hidden inside the tree trunk. The set comes with an extra silver-gold elven blade, so you can fill the weapons rack to the maximum and let the grey microfigure guard the weapons. My favorite accessories of this set are the elf shields which are printed with a very beautiful pattern.
This set contains bricks and plates of rare colors (dark brown, sand yellow, and earth green). There are also three limb elements (plant parts), four 1 x 2 plates, and a few 1 x 1 x 2/3 roof tiles in a color I believe is olive green and very rare indeed.
When assembling this set I noticed that one has to be very careful when placing the bricks adjacent to the elf catapult or else they will chafe on it and slow it down. And, in my opinion, there could have been more limb elements (plant parts) included in this set, since the confrontation between orcs and elves is supposed to happen in a forest. I also wondered why the weapon rack is not attached to anything in the pictures on the official (and original) sales package. This makes the weapon rack seem like an afterthought or simply a surplus element.
There were no real flaws in this set. Everything functions the way the designers meant and the whole structure is surprisingly sturdy. All in all, "Mirkwood Elf Army" is a great set for Hobbit or LoTR fans.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Product Recommendations
Attack on Lake-town
(15)
Witch-king Battle
(24)Share:
0points
0of 0found this review helpful.
Attack on Lake-town
Attack on Lake-town
Overall:
5
/
5
Attack on Lake-town
Posted:March 13, 2015
amazed78
From: Muurame
From:
Finland
Age:
35-44
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Novice LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Play Experience:
5
/
5
Value for Money:
4
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
" This set is the third Hobbit-themed set that I've built, the previous two being 79015 and 79011. "Attack on Lake-town" has 292 pieces and 5 minifigures, which makes it the largest of the three.
The five minifigures of this set are not the most famous ones of the movie trilogy. However, one of them is a female elf, Tauriel, which is nice because most characters in the films are male. The other minifigures are Bard the Bowman, his son Bain, and two orcs. All of the "good guys" have two faces so you can choose between a neutral and an angry face. The two orcs have only angry faces ( what a surprise!).
My favorite play feature of this set is definitely the spring-loaded shooter (which has a big silver bell above it and the bell actually moves, too). The barrel-swinging crane is a close second. There's also a booby-trapped door, a crumbling wall with a ladder attached to it and a small boat for navigating the watery sections of Lake Town.
The set contains bricks of rare colors (dark brown and earth green) which is probably a bonus for the die-hard Lego collector. I especially liked the gold windowpanes and the dark green window frames are also something you can't just buy from Pick-a-Brick (well, at least not today).
The front of the set is very nice looking and detailed, but when you turn it around the roof of the bell tower does look a bit unfinished. In my opinion, that is the only flaw in this set. "Attack on Lake-town" is a nice little set to have, especially if you're a fan of the Hobbit trilogy.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Product Recommendations
Witch-king Battle
(24)
Parisian Restaurant
(262)
Detective’s Office
(191)Share:
+1point
1of 1found this review helpful.