Valerian70
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Valerian70's Stats
Valerian70's Stats
- 4.9Average Rating
- 1,397Helpfulness Votes
- 0Featured Reviews
- 146Review Count
- August 16, 2020First Review
- May 6, 2021Last Review
Posted:November 24, 2020
Valerian70
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
4
/
5
Ship Ahoy
" Although I have purchased quite a few of the Ninjago sets because I really like the look of a lot of them. I have never watched the Ninjago series so the actual characters and their stories are a mystery to me but many of these kits just look so aesthetically pleasing to me that I had to grab them. So, finally got around to building my first one and thought I might as well start with the biggest one I own - go big or go home am I right!
This would have probably been a 5 star review as the completed ship does look really good and it has a decent amount of play value with a lot of mini figures included. However, it is a little fragile feeling in places and I am not sure how well it would stand up to being played with properly.
One of my other problems with the set is the placement of the black half circles on the "bridge" area of the ship. It is a technique I have used previously but for some reason I just cannot get them to sit securely when fitting as per the instructions. I am going to have to modify them a little bit as I hate the way they just don't sit flush the way they should. Connecting the winged pieces at the rear of the ship is also far more fiddly than it needs to be and I know they are supposed to be posable but they just feel loose and like they will pop back off if you play with them too much.
On the upside the sails look great when in place and the mechanism to flap them is really clever. The little bridge house easily pops on and off as it is fitted like the levels on a modular building. Even better it opens out flat so you can use it as a little playset. I do love the dragon head figurehead for the ship too, looks a lot better in real life than it does on the pack images.
Overall, well worth the price and well worth the time spent building it. Looks great on the shelf and no doubt it will look even better when I have got around to building some more of the series.
Number Of Pieces: 1781
Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.07
Build Time: 6 Hours
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Accrington
From:
United Kingdom
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
06
hrs
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+14points
22of 30found this review helpful.
Wrecking Ball
Wrecking Ball
Posted:November 24, 2020
Valerian70
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Hammond!
" Okay, cards on the table, I only purchased this set for the hamster mini figure. He is just SO darned cute how could I possibly resist him? The Overwatch theme isn't really my thing - I am aware of the game but have never played it and have no inclination to. Another plus point is that it works well to balance out the ship from Lego Movie 2 as it is a similar size and shape so just makes my shelving display look a bit better.
Some nice building techniques are used in this set and I did enjoy the build. A few stickers do need to be placed (or discarded if that's your thing) but there is a large printed piece included and I am eternally relieved that I didn't have to use a sticker for that piece. That would have been a real disaster.
My particular favourite with this completed product is the mechanism for the hatch. Works really well to raise and lower Hammond out of what is the cockpit and I did fiddle with it a lot and it works smoothly every single time. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to position the legs so it will stand on the shelf for display, I did expect it to be a bit unsteady but it really isn't.
Overall, a great kit that was fun to build and HAMMOND!
Number Of Pieces: 227
Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.08
Build Time: 45 Minutes
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Accrington
From:
United Kingdom
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
45
mins
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+4points
4of 4found this review helpful.
Posted:November 23, 2020
Valerian70
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Training Centre
" There is a LOT going on in this kit and definitely gives a large amount of play value. From the training tower to a bit of street construction to vehicles (both air and land) there is a lot to do when it is all built. There is a lot to build and although there are some large extruded pieces it will still take you a good while.
I think my favourite thing is the detailing on the training tower. Particularly the two lion heads on the pediment at the top of the building. Genuinely got a "WOW" out of me when I saw the moulded pieces and really made the whole set for me. This is a surprise because it has the Light & Sound brick for the top of the fire truck and I love that particular piece.
The only downside for me was that I could not get the rear of the truck to connect properly to the engine portion. I am only going to have this displayed in my city so it's not a big problem but it did frustrate me. Could just have been that it was late in the day and I had spent several hours building already but could be a problem for you too.
Overall this is a great and very full set. Allows you to create a lot of different scenarios and with the inclusion of the construction workers and models you can even split it up for different areas of your city.
Number Of Pieces: 943
Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.10
Build Time: 3 Hours
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Accrington
From:
United Kingdom
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
03
hrs
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+9points
10of 11found this review helpful.
Posted:November 23, 2020
Valerian70
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Cook Out
" This set includes two of my favourite pieces, the hot dog and the fire axe. I have no idea why but I love these pieces. The fact that a pocket money priced kit has 2 mini figures really pleased me as well as it really increases the play value.
I really bought this for the fact the fire engine has a little cherry picker included. It is a really nice little build and works better than I thought so you can really raise and lower the little cabin so your fireman can get to the fire or rescue kitty from the tree. No kitty included sadly but you can set the tree "on fire".
The barbecue piece is simply detailed but gives you an overall good look and it is easy to see what it is supposed to be.
Number Of Pieces: 64
Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.12
Build Time: 10 Minutes
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Accrington
From:
United Kingdom
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
10
mins
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+1point
1of 1found this review helpful.
Posted:November 23, 2020
Valerian70
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Go Directly To Jail
" First things first, lets talk about the Light and Sound Brick that comes with the kit. I absolutely love this feature and I will readily admit that I kept pressing it and setting it off whilst I was building because it made me extraordinarily happy. This set also has a light brick that powers the searchlight mounted on top of the building which I thought was a fun touch.
The mechanism for the jail break is really well thought through and I was really excited by it. So much so I even took that piece upstairs to demonstrate to my adult son. Yeah, late middle aged on paper only!
The station itself is a modular build that snaps together with technic pins so there is some ability to switch the look up. Also, the look of it really reminds me of our local Police Centre - all blocky and glass fronted. Overall, I really like how it looks.
Plenty of mini figures included and not just for your police force but also some bad guys. This gives the set wonderful playability without having to get any additional bits and pieces - although this is Lego so you can never just stop at one set. Best one has to be the bulldog though - he is wonderfully snuffly looking.
The build was fun and some different techniques used in different sections. A few stickers but most are quite large and make up the interior decoration of the station and a few on the vehicles.
Number Of Pieces: 743
Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.12
Build Time: 2.25 Hours
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Accrington
From:
United Kingdom
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
02
hrs
Build Time:
15
mins
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+6points
8of 10found this review helpful.
Posted:November 23, 2020
Valerian70
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Pull Over
" This is a great looking car and I am tempted to get another three or four to make up a proper fleet of vehicles to go with my Police Station. The jury is still out on that decision though.
The build was really fun and went together nice and quickly but I can see how for a young builder it would present some nice challenges and leave them feeling really proud of themselves for completing it. They will probably only need help with the stickers (yes, stickers!)
Sturdy when built and should give a lot of play value. The roof of the car easily lifts off to place your cop mini figure inside and then clips back in to place. No issues with it accidentally coming off during transportation or zooming it round the table making brum brum noises. Hey, I may be an adult in year numbers but my child always wins.
Number Of Pieces: 92
Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.11
Build Time: 15 Minutes
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Accrington
From:
United Kingdom
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
15
mins
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+5points
7of 9found this review helpful.
Posted:November 23, 2020
Valerian70
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
K-9
" This is a great little set and much better than I anticipated. To be honest I really only got this for the dog figure that it comes with. The actual vehicle is blocky and gives me that nostalgic Lego feel and I can see how it is great for small hands to play with. Because it is built with larger moulded pieces it is wonderfully sturdy and all printed pieces so no fiddly stickers.
The inclusion of a little window to rob is a nice touch for gameplay.
Number Of Pieces: 67
Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.13
Build Time: 5 Minutes
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Accrington
From:
United Kingdom
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
05
mins
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
0points
3of 6found this review helpful.
Newbury Subway
Newbury Subway
Posted:November 13, 2020
Valerian70
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Underground
" I don't know what it is with the Hidden Side Theme but the handful of builds I have done have all been really fun and kept me completely engaged. This is one of the smaller kits but it is still highly detailed and gives a great completed effect. The subway carriage itself is a particularly nice touch.
The major problem with this set is the sheer number of stickers that it comes with. I detest adding stickers as my fat fingers really struggle placing them nice and straight. This didn't stop me from trying to attach them but I have to admit a lot of it looks a mess.
Plenty of places to attach your figures and I like that there is a little plank you fit that is perfect for leaning the bike against which really helps with display.
Number Of Pieces: 348
Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.07
Build Time: 45 Minutes
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Accrington
From:
United Kingdom
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
45
mins
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+4points
4of 4found this review helpful.
The Lighthouse of Darkness
The Lighthouse of Darkness
Posted:November 12, 2020
Valerian70
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
See The Light
" This was such a fun build and the time just flew by as I was building. There are so many tiny little touches included in the build and hidden features that it makes it really interesting to construct. My particular favorite is the hidden crab under the dock and the disappearing bat.
Nicely sized structure when completed and it looks great on the display shelf. If you are building for play this has a load of functionality and is actually quite impressive. I have no idea what the interaction with the app is liek as I haven't downloaded it, I'm happy enough with the set as it is without going down the augmented reality route.
Comes with perhaps my favourite mini figure - the Lego Skeleton, I just love those guys. You also have the option to make a couple of the characters possessed and, as I am doing the build, they definitely got the spooky treatment.
Number Of Pieces: 540
Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.08
Build Time: 1.5 Hours
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Accrington
From:
United Kingdom
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
01
hrs
Build Time:
30
mins
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+4points
4of 4found this review helpful.
Wrecked Shrimp Boat
Wrecked Shrimp Boat
Posted:November 12, 2020
Valerian70
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Stay On Land
" This is only my second build from the Hidden Side Lego theme and I absolutely loved it. There is just something about these sets that is incredibly fun to build and I can't but my finger on what it is but I suspect it has something to do with the fact the sets are designed to have alternate looks - spooky and non-spooky - so there is a lot going on right from the get go. Whatever the reason I am loving this particular range.
Although I forgot to get a photograph of it the boat itself does split in half, after all it is a wrecked boat. It is linked by 2 Technic pins so connecting and disconnecting is straightforward. Personally I like leaving it complete on my display.
You have the option for a standard ship's captain or a ghostly one - as you can see from the photos I went with the ghoulish version. I love the ghoul minifigure versions and am currently marginally mad at The Boy because his builds from the range he has gone with the standard figure options.
Definitely a great buy whether you are going to play with it or display it. I am a very happy AFOL!
Number Of Pieces: 310
Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.08
Build Time: 1 Hour
"
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Accrington
From:
United Kingdom
Age:
45-54
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Fan
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Purchased For:
Self
Build Time:
01
hrs
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
0points
0of 0found this review helpful.