Chocotopian's Contributions

Chocotopian

Share Chocotopian's profile

Chocotopian's Stats

Reviews

4.3
Average Rating
25
Helpfulness Votes

0
Featured Reviews
3
Review Count
January 9, 2015
First Review
June 18, 2015
Last Review

Chocotopian's Reviews

Changing Seasons

Posted:June 18, 2015

Chocotopian

Age: 25-34 years old

Customer Type: LEGO Fan

Building Experience: Advanced LEGO builder

Overall:

4 / 5

A Build for all Seasons

" A lovely take on the 3-in-1 range, advancing from merely changing the design to changing the mood as well. The way in which all the white pieces were hidden or exposed to create walls or else represent snow was a clever touch, as was the use of the red roof bricks as wooden wall panels in the winter cabin.

The presence of a light brick is always appreciate by me, and this too was given a neat variety of uses in the three designs, so I applaud its inclusion.

At £39.99, I felt the set could've been priced a little lower. Granted, there's triple instructions and playability (not including anything else you choose to make with the bricks of course!), but you can naturally only have one build at a time, and I felt that the substance of the largest build didn't quite cover the cost.

Overall though, a great set and one which fits in nicely with the other Creator buildings of this size. A good selection of bricks, plenty of replayabilty, and a clever theming idea. My task now is to create a spring-time house with the pieces! "

I would recommend this to a friend!

From: Essex

From: United Kingdom

Age: 25-34 years old

Customer Type: LEGO Fan

Building Experience: Advanced LEGO builder

Purchased For: Self

Build Time:

01 hrs

Build Time:

20 mins

Play Experience (Optional):

4 / 5

Value for Money (Optional):

3 / 5

Level of Difficulty:

Easy

Very Easy

Very Challenging

I would recommend this to a friend!

+11points

11of 11found this review helpful.

Ferris Wheel

Posted:May 27, 2015

Chocotopian

Age: 25-34 years old

Customer Type: LEGO Fan

Building Experience: Advanced LEGO builder

Overall:

5 / 5

A Classic Success

" Towering, colourful and sleek - the latest Ferris Wheel model is a fantastic replica of an instantly recognisable classic ride.

Before opening the set, my first concern was the model's stability, as it was evident from the images that it comprised of many slender rods, both on the supports and the wheel itself. However, upon completion I can safely say this is not an issue: Its careful design of interlocking bricks and plates ensures that all beams are strong without becoming too bulky. The wheel maintains its circular form superbly and also stays relatively strong, even during the building process.

In terms of functionality, the crank mechanism works excellently and the wheel turns smoothly. The idea to use elastic bands to maintain the tension and keep the wheel constantly against the driving gear is particularly impressive and ensures there is no faltering.

Rather hidden from view in the images is the loading platform and, more specifically, the workings beneath it. Without giving too much away, this section of the model features an additional operation, which is slight in its movement but elegant and effective in adding extra realism to the design. I was pleasantly surprised by this, and was intrigued with the way the mechanics were implemented.

The gondolas are lovely, in my opinion. Some would argue the colours clash with the wheel colours, but I say they all add to the flashy, gaudy nature that such rides present. With regards to their build, I think they have been designed in the most effective way possible: using the fewest bricks required to make them recognisable, operational (regarding both the swinging motion and the opening doors), attractive, durable and spacious enough for minifigs.

Granted, there is some repetition in the construction, but that is only to be expected. My main suggestion here is to pay close attention to the instructions at these points, making sure that all little clips, hooks, sockets and rods are facing the correct way, as it becomes easy to fix half the wheel in the wrong direction. The base, too, requires careful following of the instructions, as the design itself is more complex than it first seems, and any early mistakes could obstruct the mechanical workings of that area.

Basically, the Ferris Wheel is a wonderful model that is impressive and has great playability. Naturally it accompanies the Fairground Mixer perfectly, but works great as a standalone model too. It has nice little touches throughout (a special mention for the round-topped trees), and overall, is a fun model to build, play with and just observe. "

I would recommend this to a friend!

From: Essex

From: United Kingdom

Age: 25-34 years old

Customer Type: LEGO Fan

Building Experience: Advanced LEGO builder

Purchased For: Self

Build Time:

08 hrs

Play Experience (Optional):

4 / 5

Value for Money (Optional):

4 / 5

Level of Difficulty:

Challenging

Very Easy

Very Challenging

I would recommend this to a friend!

+1point

1of 1found this review helpful.

Detective’s Office

Posted:January 9, 2015

Chocotopian

Age: 25-34 years old

Customer Type: LEGO Fan

Building Experience: Advanced LEGO builder

Overall:

4 / 5

A lovely addition, but just shy of perfect

" As a standalone set, this is a fantastic build. The intricate details bring life and character to each and every room, and the textures and colours are a nice combination in my opinion. There's plenty going on, and it was an appealing choice to have two distinctly different buildings in one. The inclusion of a real mirror was superbly done, with it fitting in perfectly with its surroundings and adding a certain finesse to the room. The clever build methods dotted throughout the construction kept things interesting too.

However, there are some things that just keep this product from being perfect in my eyes, and that is because I am comparing it to the other modulars. I have to echo what was said in another review, in that the predetermined storyline felt like a somewhat more childish addition to the modular range. It certainly shows that the designers have put a lot of thought into its playability, and it undoubtedly adds a lot of fun to the building, but that in itself makes it stand out from the others. Previously, each building has stood tall and proud, and as a blank canvas for the builder to create a story or else leave it as an impressive visual display. By comparison, the Detective's Office seems more... I don't know... "cartoonish", and looks ever so slightly out of place next to the towering Town Hall or elegant Parisian Restaurant. The seedy aura given off by the pool hall players, the hidden passages and the theme of prohibition, while a highly appropriate setting for a detective's office, jar slightly against the prim and proper nature of the other sets. That, and it is considerably shorter!

To conclude, I really do like this set and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good challenging build with a lovely, playable structure at the end. There is plenty to see and do, and it provides a lot of fun. But for those die-hard fans of the modular range, you may feel a little underwhelmed by this otherwise excellent product. "

I would recommend this to a friend!

My Product Recommendations