Today we are quickly interested in the content of the LEGO Star Wars set 75452 BB-8 Astromech Droid, a box of 569 pieces currently available for pre-order on the official online store at a public price of €89,99 and which will be available from January 1, 2026.

As you probably already know, this spin-off product will replace the LEGO Star Wars set. 75187BB-8 (1106 pieces - €99,99) initially marketed in 2017 then withdrawn in 2019, a set which then benefited from a different aesthetic approach with a sphere made up entirely of stairs and visible studs and an inventory mainly composed of small elements.

Here, LEGO attempts another version of the droid with a complex construction that more or less results in a sphere thanks to the use of several domes designed to make us forget that it's still not perfectly round. This shortcut could have been interesting if the rest of the build were of a high enough quality to truly appreciate the addition of these domes, but here they do all the work and struggle a bit.

The assembly process is entertaining, no doubt about it, with a highly elaborate skeleton that is supposed to serve as the basis for the droid's body. It's almost unnecessarily complicated, especially when you see the final result. The angles are vaguely masked, the roundness is artificially suggested by large elements, and you wonder why the designer embarked on such a perilous mission.

The head of BB-8, whose accomplished finish contrasts sharply with the rest of the model, is the most successful part of this small model; its design is relatively simple, but the result is definitely there.

Inside the droid, which is about fifteen centimeters tall excluding its antennae, a mechanism based on gears and rubber bands is installed, with a wheel at its end that will be used to randomly move the head when the model is moved. Here again, it's almost too complex for the result obtained, especially since this sub-assembly doesn't even affect the opening of the hatch that reveals the blowtorch arm.

Judging by the very rough appearance of the construction and its compact size, one might have concluded that this is simply a child's toy, but the set 75187BB-8 It did better in terms of playability with two hidden dials on the sides of the droid's body to move the head and extend the blowtorch arm.

Here, the arm has to be taken out and put away manually and the handling is not simple with the need to orient it correctly to put it away and not retract it too much so that it can be taken out again later.

It will also be necessary to ensure that the Dish which covers the hatch in its place to conceal the opening as well as the colored parts that are visible on the surface. All of this is far too laborious to warrant more than one or two attempts to take advantage of the integrated features.

We can take comfort in the fact that this droid is vaguely the same size as the C-3PO model included in the set. 75398 C-3PO as well as the R2-D2 model included in the set 75379 R2-D2This is not the result of some clever mathematical formula; LEGO explicitly states this in the official product description.

It is obviously this desire to offer a version that is easy to associate with the two other iconic droids of the saga that imposed the scale of this BB-8 and, consequently, the technical and aesthetic choices that we will have to be content with.

There are no stickers in this box, so all the patterned elements are pad-printed. The patterns are actually very well done on the... Dish The stickers are applied to the sides and the elements bordering the droid's head. Requiring stickers to be applied to these pieces would have been inappropriate, so LEGO didn't really have a choice and isn't doing us any favors.

LEGO is once again cheapening the principle of the small identification plate containing a few facts of little interest regarding the associated construction. This plaque was historically reserved for products in the range Ultimate Collector Series is now included in many sets that have nothing to do withUltimate or Collector.

Here, it is downright pretentious of LEGO to play this card, there is nothing in this model that justifies the presence of the plaque and it is necessarily a purely marketing decision.

The BB-8 figure included in this box is made up of elements with new references; you will have to look for the subtle differences in tampo printing compared to the usual figure, and it is in any case a new version of the droid.

I want to like this version of the droid; I prefer the smooth surface to the exposed stud-like stairs of the 2017 model. But it's still far too angular and imprecise to convince me to spend €90 on this little BB-8 model whose body is far from being a convincing sphere.

The only real feature offered in this box is minor, but it involves a number of internal assemblies that put the head into motion, which is something, at least. However, the manual operation of the torch arm, which is difficult to extend and retract, is, in my opinion, very disappointing for such an expensive product.

This small model should appeal to younger children; it can be displayed while waiting for something better, and those who missed the 2017 version won't really have a choice anyway until a new interpretation of the droid is released in a few years. LEGO will inevitably revisit the subject sooner or later; otherwise, there's always the 48-piece version from the polybag. 40288BB-8 offered as part of the operation May the 4th in 2018 to pass the time.

Note: The product shown here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at December 25, 2025 at 23:59 PM. Simply post a comment under the article to participate. Shipping to the winner will only begin on January 1, 2026.

Return of the usual offer at FNAC with the classic mechanics which allows you to obtain an immediate 50% reduction on the 2nd LEGO set purchased from a selection of boxes.

On the menu this time: an interesting selection of nearly 150 LEGO products in the ranges Star Wars, Speed ​​Champions, ONE PIECE, Architecture, FORTNITE, The Lord of the Rings, Marvel, DC, Sonic the Hedgehog or even Harry Potter, NINJAGO, Minecraft and Technic.

As usual, it is the cheapest product in your basket which benefits from the reduction announced and in the best case you can therefore benefit from 25% discount on your entire order, if you buy two sold products at the same price. The reduction appears when both products are in the basket and the offer is valid only on products shipped directly by the brand and while stocks last.

Please note, the offer does not apply if you order the same product twice.

DIRECT ACCESS TO THE OFFER ON FNAC.COM >>

For those who are interested because they are regular customers of this store, La Grande Récré is currently offering a 30% immediate discount on a selection of LEGO products from the Star Wars, Marvel, Animal Crossing, DC, Disney, Wicked and FORTNITE ranges.

As you probably already know, the store usually applies the official public prices without any special discount, so the discount is calculated on the basis of these "official" prices.

One example to note is the price charged on the LEGO Star Wars set. 75374 The Onyx Cinder which drops to €97,99 instead of €139,99.

The offer is valid until December 24, 2025, while supplies last. Delivery is also free for orders over €40 until December 16, 2025.

DIRECT ACCESS TO THE OFFER AT LA GRANDE RÉCRÉ >>