If you’re anything like us, you’ve already got tickets booked for multiple showings of Star Wars: The Force Awakens when it hits cinemas in a little under a month. The marketing campaign for the film has hit its stride, with all manner of merchandise, TV spots, tie-ins and videogames plastered everywhere you look.
We’re not complaining, of course – particularly when said merchandise involves more Star Wars LEGO, because you can never have too much Star Wars LEGO. Among the latest range of sets are seven inspired directly by characters and vehicles from The Force Awakens, including an updated Millennium Falcon, a stealthy black and orange X-Wing and a brand new First Order Snowspeeder.
We took the latter for a test drive along the snowy plains of Starkiller base (well, our shelf, anyway). With side-mounted rapid-firing laser cannons which shoot actual LEGO studs, transparent wheels allowing it to roll along and mimic hovering, and three First Order snowtrooper minifigures, there’s plenty to love here.
There are crates filled with spare ammo for when you inevitably lose the initial batch by firing it at the cat, a forward mounted gun which fires yet more studs, and folding rear backrests so the troops can take a breather. We’ll have to wait for The Force Awakens to see just how film-accurate the design is, but it seems to have captured the militaristic feel of the First Order’s other vehicles quite well.
At £39.99 it’s not cheap, and could probably have stood to include a couple more snowtroopers, but the final result is far heftier than it looks on the box. Now we just need a Resistance snowspeeder to do battle with.
Also among the latest batch of Star Wars LEGO sets are six Battle Figures, the style of which you’ll be familiar with if you’re a fan of LEGO Bionicle. There’s a healthy mix of prequel and original trilogy characters available, from the mighty General Grievous to the fearsome Darth Vader.
The robotic or helmeted characters tend to work better in this form, so while Luke Skywalker may look slightly deformed/terrifying/nightmare-inducing (delete as applicable), Darth Vader and Commander Cody are both great options.
There are plenty of poseability options, from the serious to the silly. While Vader’s helmet is spot on, his proportions do seem a little off (were his hips really that narrow?), and his cape hangs limply off his back rather than draped over his shoulders. Cody, on the other hand, is spot on: right down to the musketeer-style rapier used as an antenna.
There’s less of a traditional building experience on offer here, but the final result is well worth the pocket money-friendly price: Vader retails at £24.99 while Cody is a mere £14.99. Both would make for ideal gifts for your LEGO-mad loved ones.
