LEGO Star Wars: Rogue One – Rebel U-Wing Fighter Set (75155)

While anticipation builds for the latest Star Wars movie, a glimpse of the new ships and characters we can look forward have been revealed with the latest LEGO Star Wars sets. Continue reading LEGO Star Wars: Rogue One – Rebel U-Wing Fighter Set (75155)

LEGO Star Wars: Battle on Takodana (75139) review

Aside from Rey, one of my daughter’s favourite characters from The Force Awakens is Maz Kanata – so we were really glad to get hold of this set, Battle on Takodana.

The planet of Takodana is home to Maz Kanata’s castle cantina. This set of the exterior is from a very specific point in the story – when the First Order attack, pretty much destroying Kanata’s ancient drinking hole.

LEGO Star Wars- Battle on Takodana (75139) packshot

Constructed from over 400 pieces in 3 numbered bags, this set is recommended for ages 8-14. It was a fun build for my 4-year-old daughter and I to do together.

Despite being a location set, there are various moving parts to construct which add an interactive ‘battle’ element to it. Doors slide open, a twist of a dial and a wall collapses, a lever topples a tree, and rubble explodes from (presumably) a laser blast.

As well as a Maz Kanata minifigure, you also get Finn, Kylo Ren, and two stormtroopers – including the already cult character TR8R, with his distinctive riot baton.

LEGO Star Wars- Battle on Takodana (75139) TR8R minifgure

Maz’s head is a customised sculpt, that includes her hat and goggles in one piece. Finn is a standard minifigure, with a blue lightsaber. My daughter enjoys reenacting the scene where Finn complains “I need a weapon…” and Maz replies “You have one!” indicating the lightsaber she has just given him.

LEGO Star Wars- Battle on Takodana (75139) Maz Kanata and Finn with lightsaber

Beneath their helmets, the Stormtroopers are the usual grumpy white men that LEGO Star Wars troopers tend to be. Given The Force Awakens overtly showed that First Order troops are gender inclusive and racially diverse, I’m wondering if it’s time for the LEGO convention of defaulting to white male troops to change.

LEGO Star Wars- Battle on Takodana (75139) Stormtrooper minifigures without helmets

Kylo Ren is also a grumpy white dude under his helmet, and in this set we can see him in all his emo LEGO glory. He also comes with a fabric cape and his distinctive lightsaber.

LEGO Star Wars- Battle on Takodana (75139) Kylo Ren without helmet

It may seem modest, but this is a fun little set with a lot of play potential. My daughter added Rey, Han, and Chewbacca figures so she could act out other parts of the story – we also had (mini) Tie Fighters attacking and Poe Dameron and his X-Wing squadron coming to the rescue.

In an ideal world the structure could maybe have been another level taller, given the size of the castle in the movie, but this is just a quibble.

This would make a nice addition to anyone’s LEGO Star Wars collection, especially if (like us) you don’t already own any of these figures.

LEGO Star Wars- Battle on Takodana (75139) girl playing

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LEGO Star Wars: Battle on Takodana (75139) set has an RRP of £49.99.

Disclosure: We were provided with this set free of charge for the purposes of this review.

© & ™The LEGO Group and Lucasfilm Ltd.

 

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens Video Game Review

The LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens game is a fun new way to explore the galaxy of Episode VII – with a few surprises along the way.

LEGO plus Star Wars is one of those combinations that would have obsessed me as a child. As an adult – and a parent – the synergy between these two brands is irresistible, and while we have plenty of Star Wars LEGO sets, we’re also fans of LEGO Star Wars games. The latest addition to the cinematic saga has also inspired the newest game – LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

The game surprises from the opening. We fired it up expecting it to start the same way as the movie, but instead it begins 30 years earlier – at the Battle of Endor. So in an action packed opening, we fight with the Ewoks, bring Vader back to the light side, take down the Emperor, and blow up the second Death Star.

The story then movies back to more familiar territory with the First Order’s assault on Jakku, Poe & Finn escaping the First Order, BB-8 finding Rey, and so on. But as I’ve already referenced, the story unfolds in a slightly different way than the movie, and this stops it being a simple re-tread of it.

LEGO Star Wars The Force Awakens Millennium Falcon
While the game faithfully recreates many iconic scenes from the movie – this is not simply a retread of the storyline

There are elements that will be familiar to fans of previous games – collecting coins, mini-builds, and knockabout humour. There is also a free play mode that is accessible as the game progresses.

One major difference is that this game uses actual dialogue from the movie. It also goes one step further – the main cast have all recorded additional dialogue. And when I refer to the main cast, I don’t just mean newcomers such as Daisy Ridley and John Boyega – the likes of Carrie Fisher and even Harrison Ford have also recorded new lines. Perhaps Harrison’s performance in this game will be the last time he ever plays Han Solo?

LEGO Star Wars The Force Awakens harrison ford
Harrison Ford recorded original dialogue for LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens – perhaps his last ever performance as Han Solo

While the voice cast adds great authenticity – and occasional gravitas – it does detract a bit from the knockabout humour associated with previous titles.

But it is as enormously fun as ever to take charge of these LEGO Star Wars characters, explore these environments, fight off  the opposition – and smash the s**t out of everything. Rey and her staff make an immensely satisfying fighting combo.

Like the movie, Rey is probably one of the best characters in the game – and Daisy Ridley appears to have recorded a lot of extra dialogue for this.

LEGO Star Wars The Force Awakens Rey
Daisy Ridley also recorded additional dialogue for the game – quite a lot by the sounds of it

There is added DLC available. We downloaded a set of playable droid minifigures, as well as a season pass which currently enabled us to access a set of playable Jedi characters (this was on the PS3 version). There will be further level and character packs released.

These LEGO games are a great way to play video games with my daughter. At 4, she’s still taking a fair bit of coaching – so I really appreciate the way the screen splits in 2-player mode so that I can continue completing a key task in my half of the screen while she’s mucking about on hers.

But the controls are easy to master, the gameplay is readily accessible, and the puzzles are a good challenge for her.

LEGO Star Wars The Force Awakens Rey BB8 Finn

It’s a real blast to see our already familiar LEGO Star Wars figures and sets in this game – from the minifigures to the vehicles and settings. If you love LEGO, The Force Awakens, and fun video games – then this is for you.

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is now available for PlayStation®4 and Xbox One (RRP £49.99); PlayStation®3 , Xbox 360 and Wii U (RRP £39.99); Windows PC (Steam) and Mac (RRP £24.99); and PlayStation®Vita and Nintendo 3DS (RRP £29.99)

Disclosure: We were provided with a free copy of the game and a season pass for the purposes of this review.

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens © & ™The LEGO Group and Lucasfilm Ltd.

 

 

REVIEW: LEGO Star Wars – Rey’s Speeder

Appearing early on in the very first trailer for The Force Awakens, Rey’s Speeder was one of the first new vehicles to be revealed.

Rey's Speeder, Star Wars, The Force Awakens, Daisy Ridley

Its blocky, lo-fi, junkyard style design quickly became a fan favourite.

This LEGO version is a lovely little set to construct.

LEGO Star Wars 75099 Rey's Speeder

This was one of my favourite looking ones from The Force Awakens line (admittedly, the iconic , far larger, and more expensive Millennium Falcon – also featuring Rey – just edged it). The suggested age is 7-12, but my 3-year-old daughter put it together with minimal supervision.

Rey is clearly a central character to the new saga, so it is great to have a minifigure of her. My daughter also loves the fact that she is another female Star Wars character to play with.

Rey LEGO Star Wars minifigure

The minifigure has the usual two faces, though the expressions are a fairly subtle ‘wry smile’ and ‘displeased frown’. The freckles are a nice detail. She also has a mask with goggles, as seen in the introduction to the character in the film.

Rey wearing mask and goggles, Star Wars, The Force Awakens

The set also comes with a second mini figure, the hooded and mysteriously named Unkar’s Thug.

Rey’s Speeder is already one of the more iconic new vehicles of the new saga and is a great addition to our LEGO Star Wars collection, that that my daughter frequently plays with already.

The fact that it features the character that is basically the lead role in the new saga makes this an essential set for any young LEGO Star Wars fan to own. All she needs is the addition of one particular accessory (not included).

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Star Wars © & TM Lucasfilm Ltd.

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Family Fever

LEGO Star Wars – Rey’s Speeder and General Grievous Playtest plus Giveaway

With less than a month to go until the release of The Force Awakens, Star Wars continues to dominate our leisure time. As well as enjoying watching Episodes IV – VI in anticipation, checking out trailers, speculating what may happen in the new movie (my daughter already predicts that Kylo Ren will get both hands chopped off), we’re also working our way trough the six season Clone Wars animated series. So it was great to receive two terrific LEGO sets that encompassed these strands of the saga. Continue reading LEGO Star Wars – Rey’s Speeder and General Grievous Playtest plus Giveaway