Lego Review: Lego 21103 Back To The Future: The Delorean Time Machine

"Marty, You're not thinking fourth-dimensionally!"

"Pre-Spin City" Michael J Fox and "Post Taxi" Christopher Lloyd caught our attention in the 80s as High School student Marty Mcfly and Doc Emmett Brown in the Back To The Future movies series which will always be remembered for an excellent cast, thrilling adventure and great humour, not to mention hoverboards, intelligent Nike shoes, self cooling jackets and cars that run on Portable Nuclear reactors called "Mr Fusion" but i digress. Nostalgia is big business these days so there was already a ready made fanbase waiting to lap up this long overdue Lego interpretation of the time traveling Delorean DMC-12. This particular set, like 3 other sets that came before are the results of CUUSOO programme where individuals or groups can submit ideas for new Lego sets and those who gain enough support will then pass through Lego's evaluation committee to assess whether to produce it en-masse for public consumption. On to the review!

Box & Contents

Attractive box design

It is a relatively small box, similar in size to smaller-mid sized creator sets. This is patterned like a creator set in that you are able to build 3 versions of the Delorean from each of the movies in the trilogy just by modifying some of the parts. Opening the box, you will get the following:

5 packets of parts & a think booklet with instructions & photos from the movie

The packets of parts are not numbered so you have to sort out the parts yourself. Lovely booklet with nice photos and instructions to build the vehicle.

No sticker sheets to muck around with in this set.

Minifigs

It comes with 2 minifigs (of course): Doc Emmett Brown & Marty Mcfly:

Doc & Marty

Well they only come in one variation, the version from the first movie.

Assembling

I have decided to go with a different approach than the past where I used to take photos at significant stages of the build to show the progress till completion. This time i am going to show stop motion videos which detail the step by step process of how this vehicle is built. Enjoy!

Part 1

Part 2

The completed Delorean looks like the following:

Complete!

Note the License Plate displays "OUTATIME"

Back to the Future II

It does not take much to modify the Delorean to reflect the version seen in the 2nd movie in the franchise. See video below for proof: 

The completed variation from the 2nd movie is shown below, essentially the wheels are now red, the portable fusion reactor is added and the license plate is now a bar-code.

"Where we're going, we don't need roads!"

Note the Mr Fusion portable Nuclear reactor (in white) & orange barcoded license plate

Back to the Future III

Again, the main modification to version 2 of the Delorean is to add the panel of pieces on the bonnet of the car as shown below: 

BTTF III version Complete

Final Thoughts

Essentially quite a nice looking design but it is not without issues. Firstly, the original concept vehicle in the original submission had a wider roof and the front bonnet of the vehicle was more movie accurate. The revised version released in this set seems to skimp on parts and it means a short roof and the pieces used to construct the doors and windscreen are not as "resilient" as I would have liked it to be. The reduction in parts also results in a few problems: You can't fit 2 minifigs in the car because the width of the seat is too short. Even if you can fit one of them in, the roof is also too low and too short, so the minifig has to lean back more and half of his head is sticking out to the right of the car roof. The 2 parts affixed to the bonnet to help form the front windscreen of the car are flimsy and are not actually joined to the roof. Another interesting issue is a spelling mistake on the flux capacitor (see below). "Shield" is spelt wrongly.  

'

'SHEILD' EYES FROM LIGHT

These issues do take the shine away from what otherwise would've been a perfect product. The originators who created this concept are pushing for a UCS version of this car (as well as the train used in the 3rd movie) on CUUSOO. If and when it gets built, let's hope these issues will be addressed and BTTF fans will get the version they truly deserve.  

Interested fans who intend to get this set, can get it from Amazon.com for US$34.99 (Full retail price) or cheaper. Currently it is able to be shipped directly to Singapore from the US. If you combine it with other global eligible items to make up the minimum of US$125, it ships for FREE. Till next time, happy building! I'm outahere!  

Dealspotting: Savings by buying Lego from Amazon.com

Those of you who are fans of Lego, will know the reality is that in Asia, we usually end up paying more than our US or Europe counterparts to indulge our building hobby.
So it goes without saying that we are always on the lookout for deals that will stretch our dollars further.

For this very reason, I have taken it upon myself to create a consolidated list (in the form of Amazon astore or associates store) to list all sets that can be shipped from Amazon.com to Singapore.  I have done this the hard way by manually checking each and every link for Lego items that ship from Amazon.com to Singapore.
I have made the process much easier for you so that it can speed up your shopping just that much faster.
You'll be amazed that over 100 items ship for free under Amazon's global eligible scheme with a minimum order of US$125. But do remember to select FREE AmazonGlobal Eligible option at checkout.
You can also check out some of the featured sets that can ship (not for free) but will give you significant savings over the Singapore Retail Price. I am not saying everything is cheaper, please do your own price comparison with local prices to justify if it is worth plunking down your hard earned money.

I see it as a Win-Win situation: You get the convenience of everything being laid out for you and if you do purchase something through these links, I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you) as a token for my efforts.

Here is the link to the astore : http://astore.amazon.com/gimjlego-20
or alternatively you can click on the Shop Lego and Save ! link on the right side of this blog.
I look forward and am always grateful for your support :)

Some examples of noteworthy sets include: 

Lego Architecture Studio set
Those hankering for the Lego Architecture Studio set which is not readily available here now can rejoice too. Here's the most amazing part, it ships for FREE to Singapore from Amazon.com so you only pay the price of the product US$149.99 which works out to be S$192. A great deal! but please Remember to select the FREE AmazonGlobal Saver option at checkout to get FREE shipping.



Lego Mindstorms EV3
Always wanted to tinker with programmable robots? Save S$100 off the full retail price of the Lego Mindstorms EV3! Get it from Amazon.com also shipping direct to Singapore for US$406.48 (including Shipping and GST since amount exceeds S$400) works out to about S$520. Currently retailing S$629.90 in the shops. 


Lego Tower of Orthanc
LOTR lego fans shouldn't feel left out, the UCS Tower of Orthanc lego set is also able to ship from Amazon.com to Singapore. Currently going at US$239.87 (including shipping to Singapore) which works out to S$307. The price here is similar to the UCS Red Five X-wing, closer to S$400 so there's still savings to be had. Don't miss out!



UCS Red five X-wing Fighter
For Lego Star wars fans, here's a great offer for you. The UCS Red five X-wing Fighter can now be shipped direct from Amazon.com to Singapore and it's only US$230.39 (including shipping) which is about S$295 after currency conversion. Stores here are selling it closer to S$400. Don't miss out :)


* 6 Nov 2013 - NOTE* While every effort has been made to ensure that this list is as accurate as possible, do take note that Amazon.com's listing of eligible items can be quite dynamic i.e. one day you will find that some sets are able to be shipped from Amazon.com and the next day these same sets may not be able to shipped from Amazon.com.  I created the list a day ago but today I found out that some Star Wars, TMNT sets in my list no longer qualify to ship worldwide. It is quite arbitrary and there is no recognisable pattern to this. Moral of the story, grab it before you can't get it shipped. 
Of course, If you can let me know of any items that no longer can ship to Singapore by emailing me or leaving me a comment, it would be very much appreciated. 

For Lego fans who are not based in Singapore, you might have noticed that I have given the prices and perspective from a Singaporean viewpoint as this is what I am familiar with. Chances are if the item can be shipped outside of US, it will apply to countries that Amazon.com does ship directly to so no harm in trying. 

Thanks in advance and have fun shopping!

Dealspotting: Philips Fidelio X1 & Denon AH-D600 Headphones at excellent prices

Yes, I've been meaning to update the blog in awhile but I've been busy but this is too good not to share. Those in the market for great headphones should check these offers out before they're gone!

Philips Fidelio X1

Philips new top of the line Headphones that retails for US$399 (S$499 in Singapore) now going for a steal on Amazon US. Do some googling and you will find generally rave reviews (e.g. T3, WhatHIFI) for this headphone known for great comfort and sound. Currently priced at a low US$275 (approx S$360). To sweeten the deal further, it is eligible for Amazon Global Saver i.e. Free shipping! To Singapore too. 

Denon AH-D600 

Second in line to the premium AH-D7100 model (that retails for US$1199) in Denon's Music Maniac range of headphones is the AH-D600. These are excellent headphones that are usually priced at US$499 in the US. On Amazon UK, It is currently priced at £203.97 (VAT included) minus shipping. Buyers outside the UK pay VAT exempt prices which makes it cheaper i.e. the price including shipping to Singapore is £190.02 (approx. S$380). An absolute steal if you compare the fact it is priced at S$749 (RRP) in Singapore.

Prices are time sensitive as they do fluctuate often on Amazon sites so don't delay if you are interested in getting these. Great Audio Gear at Great Prices, what's not to love? 

Lego Review: Lego 75003 A-Wing Star Fighter

Released in the first batch of Lego star wars releases for 2013 is the Star Wars A-Wing Fighter! One of my favourite fighters in the original Star Wars trilogy (Frankly, I like most of them). Not much to add so on to the review!

Box & Contents

New for 2013! The box for the A-Wing 

It is a small box by Lego standards. You may have realised that the colour theme of the Star Wars box sets this year is Green (see above). If you are an old hand at Lego and have picked up the new boxes, you may have realised the contents are more compactly packed i.e. less wasted space which also results in smaller boxes. This is especially welcome for us who order and ship Lego from overseas as  the volumetric weight of the packages may be smaller i.e. cheaper shipping.

From Left to Right : Parts Packs 1 to 3, instruction manual and stickers

The box contents hold no surprises, 3 packs of lego parts, an instruction manual and 1 sheet of stickers.

Minifigs

It comes with 3 minifigs as pictured below: A-wing Pilot, Han Solo and Admiral Ackbar

A-wing Pilot, Han Solo & Admiral Ackbar

Not sure how Han fits into all this but hey, a minifig is a minifig. No complaints there, In fact the more the merrier!

Assembling

You start off with a simple base foundation like so:

Foundation!

You continue adding the parts as you go along. The picture below shows the view from the back where the jets are added:

View of the back

It's beginning to take shape and bears more semblance to the A-wing design (see below)

Closer to completion...

Fast forward and the final product is shown below:

A-Wing Complete!

To paraphrase Admiral Ackbar, "it's a Wrap!"

Now add the pilot and here we have the ground level view 

In line with my previous posts, when compared with the other Star Wars vehicles in the fleet:

Obviously not to scale but what's not to love?

Final Thoughts

Another straight forward build, it took me an hour and a half (including taking the photos) so it should take most people less than that to get it up. One criticism I have of the A-wing is the cockpit is too small, resulting in the pilot minifig actually leaning backwards quite far back when seated in the cockpit as compared to others where the pilots get to sit upright. Lego, how about a new UCS edition :) ?

Available at Toys R US outlets and department stores that sell Lego. Also available at Amazon US, and Amazon France.  

Lego Review: Lego 9495 Gold Leader Y-Wing fighter

This is one of the latest additions to my growing Star Wars Lego Fleet. The Lego 9495 Gold Leader Y-Wing Fighter. Let's not waste a parsec, onwards!

Box and Contents

Y-Wing Box

A Mid sized box with the usual attractive design and colours. Nice but not as exciting. This has not so much to do with any flaws of this set as it is to do with the fact that after building the Lego Millennium Falcon previously, the itch is there to try more challenging Lego sets. Arrrgghhh... the perils of Lego building haha :)

Clockwise From top Left to Right: Instruction Manual, Sticker sheet, Parts Pack 1, Parts Pack 3 and Parts Pack 2

Emptying the box, you would get the usual suspects, the instruction manual, a sticker sheet and 3 packs of parts.

Minifigs

Left to Right : Princess Leia, Gold Leader, R5-D8

The set comes with 3 minifigs, namely Princess Leia, Gold Leader and an R5-F7 droid (another variant of R2D2). Gold Leader and R5-F7 are dubbed as new which I take to mean this is the first time they are releasing these figures or these are new versions of older figures. I find the Princess Leia minifig a bit more unique compared to those in the other sets as it comes with a Long Hair Piece flowing to the back and she also has 2 faces: A happier face as shown above and more serious face as shown below 

The Princess has 2 faces!

Assembling

Always start with the spine

It starts with the spine as shown above and you continue building upon this foundation

Now with more definition

As it gets more defined, the overall shape starts to resemble a "Y".

End of Part 1: Starting to look like "Y"

That's the end of Part 1 of the building process. The next part is defining the "head" or front of the ship. The foundation for the front as below:

It does look like a raft

Build upon it and attach it to the main body as built in Part 1

Joined to Main Body

Below is what you get when you refine the cockpit, add the blaster cannons on top of the cockpit hatch and add the 2 jets at the side

Almost there!

Adding the final touches to the jets and Voila ! the Complete Y-Wing as shown below.

"It's a Wrap!"

Here's a ground level view:

The R5-F7 also fits in sideways i.e. similar to how R2D2 fits into the 9493 X-wing

Armed Parking Lady making him pay the fine

To give a comparison of scale, when compared to the other vehicles in the fleet:

It's about as long as the 9493 X-wing.

Also added 2 simple videos on how the weapons (missiles and bombs) are used:

Missiles:

Bombs:

Final Thoughts

Overall, a straight forward build that took me about an hour and a half. Decent level of detail for the size. This set is a Toys R US (TRU) exclusive.

Available at Toys R US outlets. 

Dealspotting: Lego 7965 Millennium Falcon now ships directly from Amazon US to Singapore!

Just had to share this for Lego Star Wars fans interested in getting the Lego Millennium Falcon especially those who live in Singapore. I just discovered that you can get it shipped direct to Singapore from Amazon US (Previously Amazon US restricted it from being shipped direct) for an affordable price. 
The Current Price is US$139.97 before shipping. The Price including direct shipping to Singapore is US$165.24. Based on the current exchange rate (with credit card), it should be about S$215 in total. That's 35% off the retail price of S$329.90. 


Do remember to select the option "Ships from and sold by Amazon.com"
It is quite coincidental that the last post on this blog was the review for this set.
What are you waiting for? Check it out and May The Force be with you ! :)

Lego Review : Lego 7965 Millennium Falcon

Next to the X-wing fighter, my next favourite vehicle from the Star Wars Franchise is the Millennium Falcon! 

“You’ve never heard of the Millennium Falcon? … It’s the ship that made the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs.” so boasts Han Solo when he first meets up with Luke Skywalker and Obi-wan Kenobi in Star Wars IV: A New Hope.

Lego-wise, this is the biggest set that I have attempted to build so far since my return to the Lego-fold. So let's get cracking!!!

Box and Contents

The Box

The box itself is quite impressive and has definite heft to it. Emptying the contents from the box, you would find:

15 Parts packages, 2 manuals (Part 1 and Part 2) & 1 sheet of stickers

You get a total of 15 packages of parts numbered 1 to 6 accordingly (a total of 1254 pieces), a sheet of stickers and 2 building instruction manuals.

Minifigs

You get a total of 6 minifigs with their respective weapons i.e. lightsabers, blasters, or crossbow, which is great! You get most of the important figures related to the Falcon minus the droids. See below:

(L to R): Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker & Obi-wan Kenobi

Darth Vader and Obi-wan come with paper capes that you are to attach before adding their heads. Just to point out the Chewbacca figure slightly differs from the rest as you don't attach just the head to the torso. Instead, you attach the top half i.e. his head and hairy chest and belt which are in one piece.

Chewie: Top half and torso

 Assembling

Starting with the base as below:

Laying the Falcon's Foundation

Adding more pieces as I go along, now there is a hatch and the base of the outer wall is starting to form up: 

Hatch added and base wall foundations

Next, you can see part of the engine assembly, the chess table and some chairs in the next photo:

Engine Assembly, Chess table and chairs added

The Central Computer console is next up:

Central Computer console added

Next, the front walls of the hull and the side support structures are taking shape

Front Walls, Side support structures are taking shape nicely.

After adding the back walls of the hull, Lego ingeniously came up with this method to create the look of the blue light from the Falcon's Jets i.e. a light blue plastic tube is added to 2 securing joints at each side and attached to the back as below: 

Ingenious use of a plastic tube

Next, the side support structures are built up and reinforced 

Reinforced support structures

Next, you can see on the left, the formation of the cockpit and the side structures are close to completion

Cockpit being built on the left 

Turning it over, you can see the twin missiles (red tipped tubes near the front), the rotating laser cannons in the centre and the landing gear.  

Of Missiles and Cannons

Next, construction continues with the adding of the back hull plates. Use your steadiest finger to stick on the round stickers here.

Continue with the rest of the hull plates as below

The great cover up

Add the front most hull plate and the cover the hatch with another rotating laser cannon.

I've got it fully covered

Next, you have to attach the front triangular sections, the first one is shown below:

Finally, add the remaining front section and the cockpit cover and Voila! You have a fully built Falcon!

Falcon ready for action!

A close-up showing Han Solo in the cockpit below. Do note, you have to pry open the front section to release the minifig.

Chewie! Get me out of here!

Though not movie accurate in that the top half of the hull is not sealed (in fact they would've died from being exposed to space), the opening hull plates allow you to assess and place your minifigs easily around the ship:

Falcon in bloom

Recreating Classic Scenes:

Luke's Lightsaber training:

"I can't breathe in this thing!"

Chewie and R2D2's chess game: (Note C3P0 and R2D2 have been borrowed from my Droid Escape set, no droids or wookies were harmed in the setup of this scene)

"Let the wookie win!"

Luke and Han manning the Laser Cannons:

This scene is not so straight forward as the tunnels don't allow proper access to the guns. So you need to do it in 3 steps:

Step 1: Remove the top laser cannon guns and attach Luke and Han to the platform that has the controls (as below)

Literally back to back action

Step 2: Lower them in the tunnel like so:

"Dude, I forgot to tell you I had onions at lunch" 

Step 3: Attach the laser cannon guns to close off the hatch:

"Oh crap!"

Obi-wan vs Darth Vader:

"I see your Schwartz is as big as mine. Now let's see how well you handle it"
Oops ..that's from Spaceballs

Size Comparison

Placing it side by side with my X-wing, you can see that the scale isn't movie-correct. The Falcon is much larger than the X-wing in the film but I guess it would probably mean a very expensive set too if it were built to scale.

Final Thoughts

Overall, this is an extremely fun and challenging set to build. I took about 4 and a half hours to complete it. This is probably the best version of the Falcon you could get without forking crazy money (Upwards of US$2000)  for the UCS version which is long out of print.

My main feedback/suggestions for this set are: 

1. Lego, please consider making capes out of nylon or cloth material, paper is way too fragile.
2. Obi-wan minifig's head needs to include his hair, then you can add the hood on top else you cannot do the scenes without his hood.

I got this set off an Amazon Warehouse deal, Condition:  used-Like New which kind of explains the slightly dented box. However, it came nicely taped up. There were no missing pieces and all the packages were sealed and did not show signs of being opened before. You are welcome to try this method to get it cheaper but it is at your own risk. Thanks for reading ! 

Available (should be) at Toys R US outlets and major stores wherever Lego is sold. Of course, you can also check out Amazon US, Amazon France or Amazon UK.