Here we are, the set LEGO Star Wars 75192 Millennium Falcon (Ultimate Collector Series) is now available out of stock for members of the VIP program and it's time to take a look at this box of a dozen kilos which will make many dream, which will leave some unmoved and which will relieve the most motivated from 799.99 €.

As a preamble, I would like to point out that I ordered my copy of this box as soon as it becomes available on the LEGO Shop. Even if I'm not sure I want to assemble a second copy in the coming weeks, I will save this opportunity for later without having to regret not having decided earlier ... *

That being said, the purpose of testing this product is not to convince you to buy it or not. I am just giving you my opinion in my capacity as a fan of the LEGO Star Wars range AND as a consumer who offers himself a high-end product or at least presented as such.

This Millennium Falcon is presented as an exceptional product, it is also a show of force which highlights all the know-how of a brand and which in the process gives a big blow of old to the set 10179 which remained until here a reference model. It is therefore advisable to take a little height for the occasion.

799.99 €, it is indeed a sacred sum and we can find all the valid excuses not to buy this box. We can also list all the arguments in favor of this expense. But the public price of this box places this set in a position where all the arguments in the world will have their chances. The truth is that everyone will especially need to have a very private discussion with their wallet.

Let's tackle the few points that pose a problem to me right away, so that we can then return to the pleasure of construction ...

My first contact with this box sent by LEGO did not come under the best auspices. Smooth delivery, apparently intact packaging, the plan seemed to go off without a hitch.
Until the thing is unpacked. I note in passing that the bags are packaged in four white boxes wisely arranged. It is nicely decorated and each box bears a mention from the dialogues of the saga. Original.

And here is the drama. The cardboard insert that holds the enormous instruction booklet in place is recessed. The 466-page booklet seems too heavy to be properly maintained in transit and it too has suffered some damage. The box of the set has nothing, the outer outer packaging either. I deduce that it is linked to shaking during transport.

My first thought was for the conditioning of the set LEGO Technic 42056 Porsche 911 GT3 RS which had the same problem in its day, problem corrected later by LEGO to limit the crushing of the internal under-packaging. The LEGO quality department has been notified, I haven't had any feedback yet.

If you buy this set to never open it, that's okay, you'll never know what's going on inside. Otherwise, check immediately that everything has gone well during transport.

Another disappointment, the instruction booklet contains much more than the assembly steps and over fifteen pages it delivers a lot of information on the genesis of this set with several interviews, a summary frieze of the different versions of the Millennium Falcon produced by LEGO , etc ... in English.

If you want French, it's as usual, manage to download the PDF file (when it is online ...) that you will find on the manufacturer's website. If I can understand that this technique is used on some lambdas sets, I am disappointed that this exceptional product does not benefit from preferential treatment on this point. A manufacturer of the stature of LEGO is obviously able to localize its products according to the market in which they are distributed. Even the Porsche had benefited from an instruction booklet in English and German (we can see why).

To finish with the contents of the box, let's not forget the "traditional" sheet of stickers. In 2017, what is the excuse for not pad printing the elements of a high-end model intended for the exhibition? Being able to reuse the parts concerned to build something else? Limit production costs? You can try to convince me, you will not succeed. Finding yourself sticking stickers on a product priced at € 799.99 marked "Ultimate Collector Series"is simply unacceptable.

LEGO didn't go so far as to let you stick a sticker on the canopy of the cockpit. It is therefore pad printed. Anyone who has tried to put the sticker on the canopy of the set correctly 10240 Red Five X-Wing Starfighter will be relieved not to have here to employ improbable techniques to get a correct result. It is always that taken.

As you can see, this first contact with this set is not really up to my expectations. But whatever the setting, it's the content that counts. I am demanding about the condition of the products I buy but I am not a packaging fetishist andunboxing languid tires me. If I open a box, it is to assemble what is inside. So now is the time to get down to the basics, building this Millennium Falcon.

No way to give you a guided tour of the assembly of the set, others will do it better than me and if that's your thing you will quickly find online long real-time assembly videos of the 7541 pieces of this set. No question of racing either, I take my time, I have fun. The dismantling, however, promises to be laborious ...

We therefore start with twenty or so sachets numbered 1 to 6 (in groups of 3 or 4 sachets). In total, there are 17 groups of bags to assemble and 1379 assembly steps ...

It's not a surprise, the structure of the ship is based on Technic parts and it will bring back some memories to the owners of the set. 10179 UCS Millennium Falcon released in 2007.

Here we find a cross design similar to that of the previous model. The result is extremely solid and the structure is easily manipulated at this stage by grabbing it by the center.

You will not escape a few repetitive sequences during which you will have to build the same sub-assemblies several times, such as the landing gear of the ship which also partially take the design of those in set 10179. Thanks to the spiral system used for the instruction booklet which avoids having to block each page with a heavy object to prevent it from turning while putting something together.

However, the designer made sure to vary the assembly sequences so as not to generate too much weariness during the assembly phase of the internal structure. You will quickly have to shift a part or two of a tenon, vigilance is required. The risk: you realize a little late of the mistake made and have to backtrack. Connection points not visible on the perspective of the booklet visuals are often highlighted in separate insets, which is convenient.

Along the way, you also need to assemble the few internal spaces of the ship before attaching them to the structure. The 2007 version only had a cockpit to install the minifigs. This new model offers other "playable" spaces and it is in my opinion a major evolution, in addition to the significant improvement of the aesthetics of the model.

These intermediate sequences are entertaining enough to forget the hundreds of pine Technic to set up. A few stickers to apply to give the illusion of the depth of the corridors of the ship, the effect is successful. Dejarik's table is pad printed.
Be careful to press each part well on the tenons of the adjoining part to avoid having to leaf through the enormous booklet in the opposite direction if a part falls while handling the assembly. It is annoying.

By inserting the different modules that come to dress the interior of the ship, we start to get something substantial. It's pretty rewarding after a few long hours of assembly. We then move on to the outline of the ship and we start to put in place the countless details (greebs) which give this particular look to this model. Lots of small, varied pieces to set up, little symmetry between two elements that are nevertheless similar, you have to be careful and meticulous.

To be continued...

* Note: We do as usual, with a small change in passing: You have until October 1, 2017 at 23:59 p.m. to express yourself in the comments of this first part and the second which will be published in a few days. The comments will then be accumulated for the draw (One comment per article / IP / email will be taken into account, ie two chances of winning).

We finish this series of tests of the sets based on the film The LEGO Ninjago Movie with a very nice little box: The reference 70610 Flying Jelly Sub, with its 341 pieces, its 4 minifigs and its retail price set at € 29.99.
The main machine of the set is a rather faithful reproduction of that of the film which makes several appearances in the various trailers already available.

As on the manta ray of the set 70609 Manta Ray Bomber, we find here the elements (dominant color, numbers on the tentacles) which gives this mechanical jellyfish a military aspect. It's well seen, it makes you want to build a small army.

As in the film, the lower part of the machine can turn on itself. There is no particular mechanism to start the rotation, you just have to use your fingers. A few cannons to sow ammunition everywhere and let's go.

This jellyfish is also both a submarine and a flying machine which can participate in the movement of heavy loads. The craft also moves on its tentacles in the streets of Ninjago City. Versatility is essential on screen and that's good for the playability of this derivative.

I really like the look of this mechanical jellyfish. For the upper part, it looks like one of those miniature submarines with which a few billionaires who love thrills and underwater exploration have fun.

The tentacles are articulated at two points, which at least allows the craft to be placed on the ground even if the orange chains, which cannot be rolled up or retracted, inevitably also end up flat. The thing deserves to be hung somewhere or placed on a suitable support to show it off.

Propulsion system, air tanks (or whatever you want), cockpit with 360 ° view, it's all there. Simple but effective. Hammer Head even has a transparent mug. Using a dome with a diameter sufficient to embody the parasol of the jellyfish allows you to really enjoy the cockpit and place a minifigure there without having to use tweezers. There is room.

Once again, LEGO has thought of incorporating something for fun without having to go back to the checkout right away. Takuma's boat (which does not float) is a rather successful accessory. He might someday sail the canals of Ninjago City if you do well at school or if you can convince your other half that your life is meaningless without the set. 70620 Ninjago City.

With three or four copies of this flying jellyfish, it may be possible to transport the mechanical shark of Garmadon announced for the end of the year in set 70656 as in the film trailer ... Complicated to achieve but it 's is tempting ...

On the minifig side, it's pretty balanced: Two good guys and two bad guys. Jay will have to save Takuma, the frightened fisherman who didn't ask for anything. A few fish would have been welcome, so Takuma doesn't come home empty-handed ...

In the bad guys, Hammer Head will take control of the jellyfish and Jelly will help him rob poor Takuma. Two young fans can have fun here and share their adventures. For 30 €, it's already good.

This set 70610 Flying Jelly Sub is not the box of the century but there is plenty to have fun. Its content is balanced, we get a very original machine, a consistent boat and four characters. At € 29.99, it's probably a bit expensive, but around € 20, I buy.

Note: We do as usual, you have until September 18, 2017 at 23:59 p.m. to manifest yourself in the comments.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

We continue to go around the range based on the film The LEGO Ninjago Movie with the two small sets of this first wave: 70607 Ninjago City Chase (19.99 €) and 70606 Spinjitzu Training (9.99 €).

Even if there is no reason to dwell for hours on these two sets, there is no question of considering them as boxes without interest, quite the contrary.

They are first of all good loss leaders to discover the universe of the Ninjago film at a lower cost before possibly embarking on the acquisition of slightly more expensive boxes.

They are also two affordable sets that will make nice gifts to offer on various occasions without having to leave your shirt there. Many of us want to offer a box of LEGO to our children's friends when our offspring is invited to a birthday party, and the budget / size / interest ratio of the gift is not often to our advantage. However, a LEGO box, even a small one, is always a pleasure.

On the side of the set 70607 Ninjago City Chase (233 pieces), it is necessary to assemble the stall of the nice merchant Ham, the tuk-tuk of the Toque officer and two lampposts on which several lanterns are suspended. A few stickers to stick and it's then rather successful and playable, thanks in particular to the five minifigs provided. The police vehicle and the stall will easily find their place in any city diorama.

The endowment in minifigs is rather balanced here: Two young ninjas in "civilian", a policeman in uniform, a bad guy and a nice frightened victim. It does not take more to start having fun while waiting to be offered something to flesh out this beginning of city staging. Some accessories like the banknote, Lloyd's can or Nya's smartphone will delight those who like to accumulate this type of coin.

The and 70606 Spinjitzu Training (109 pieces) is also a loss leader that allows you to afford a set based on the film at a lower cost. The mini dojo corner is convincing with the different training supports which give it a little consistency.

The parchment is pad-printed, just to make you want to buy other boxes from the same range. Failed, there will be stickers in the shovel in the more expensive boxes, but it's a good try from LEGO.

The strong point of this box: For 9.99 €, we obtain here two ninjas in uniform, Kai and Zane, with their respective fetish weapons. It's a good start to set foot in this universe and start to gather the little troop.

These two small boxes therefore have, in my opinion, arguments to make. They may not have the cachet or appeal of the biggest sets in the range, but they allow you to approach the world of the film without breaking the bank and are interesting additions for those who, for example, have managed to offer the set 70620 Ninjago City.

If you have the opportunity to find them at an even more interesting price than that practiced on the LEGO Shop, do not hesitate. You will always have an opportunity to please a young fan of the Ninjago universe who will be delighted to be able to add these different elements to build and these minifigs to their collection.

Note: We do as usual, you have until September 16, 2017 at 23:59 p.m. to manifest yourself in the comments.

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.
Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

Did you like the set LEGO Ideas 21301 Birds marketed in 2015? Do you want to continue the fun and ornithological experience offered by this box? I have what you need.

Glénat is offering the French version of the book this year Birds from Bricks by Thomas Poulsom, who is as you know the creator of set 21301, and this book is a rather logical and successful extension of what the box offered in its time.

Over the 144 pages, you will be able to discover how to assemble fifteen new species of birds that will join the blue jay, the hummingbird and the robin from the LEGO Ideas set.

Northern Cardinal, Common Blackbird, Passerine Nonpareil, Peruvian Cock-de-Roche, Scarlet Macaw, Moseley's Penguin, Red-crowned Cossyphus, Blue Tit, Canary Island Serin, Lapwing, European Kingfisher, North Pacific Albatross, Miro Crimson, Kakapo and Sulfur-crested Cockatoo, these new buildable birds come from all over the world.

Was a French version of the work really essential since it is above all a book of instructions? I think so.

Each species is presented on a dedicated page with information that allows you to go a little further than the simple accumulation of models to build. This is not off-putting or encyclopedic, the author just gives some essential information about each species so that you can wow your friends. At the end of the book, the author even tells you how to put together a perch model that can showcase some of these new species.

The real strength of this book is that these models are really complementary to those in set 21301. It is not a simple interpretation by a third-party author of the techniques and ideas implemented by Thomas Poulsom.

The latter had resources beyond the LEGO Ideas project and he thus makes the fans of his creations benefit from them. If you go to the end of the concept, you can proudly line up 18 different bird species on your shelves.

For those who are wondering, the identification stickers of the different species with their scientific names present in the LEGO Ideas set are not provided. you will have to create them yourself if you wish to harmonize your extensive collection of birds.

In short, this book should excite fans of LEGO, ornithology and beautiful models. It will also be a rather well designed tool to allow the youngest to discover some species of birds in a fun way.

Only downside, of a technical nature, some steps of the instructions are a bit complex to decipher, you will have to be very careful. The building instructions are condensed into a few pages for each model and they are not broken down to the extreme like those typically produced by LEGO.

Unfortunately, the LEGO Ideas 21301 Birds set (initial retail price € 44.99) is no longer available from LEGO. If you want to acquire it as a starting point for this trip to the land of birds, you will have to turn to the secondary market (on bricklink for example) where you can still find it at a reasonable price.

The work is currently in preorder from amazon with availability announced for October 18. Gather the set and the book and you get a really original gift to put under the tree at the end of the year, with long hours of assembly and discovery ...

Note: We are doing as usual, you have until September 14, 2017 at 23:59 p.m. to express yourself in the comments.

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.
Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

Today we are interested in another set from the The LEGO Ninjago Movie range, the reference 70614 Lightning Jet with its 876 pieces, six minifigs and its retail price set at 64.99 €.

I had put this box aside, the visuals of the box did not inspire me any good. I was wrong because this set really has it all. This Supersonic Lightning Jet, as LEGO calls it in France, in my opinion deserves your full attention.

The LEGO version is as usual a simplified interpretation of the film model that we briefly see in two of the trailers already available. Nothing really catastrophic on that side, the set ship remains sufficiently consistent and coherent even if we go here from more than twenty side antennas on each of the wings to a dozen on the set 70614 craft.

When I discovered the product, I told myself that it would all be difficult to hold in place during long gaming sessions. It is not. Despite the skeletal appearance of the vessel, it remains easily "swooshable"as LEGO fans like to say.

Nothing falls and LEGO has provided a grip by the handle located under the machine which will serve incidentally as landing gear or presentation support.

11 stickers to stick in this set. Here it is not their number that is the problem, it is the difference in color between the blue of the stickers and the color of the parts to which they must be applied. It's ugly. It is time to generalize the use of stickers on a transparent background, especially for fairly large surfaces.

The side elements that integrate the reactors can be oriented as you wish. The angle is limited but it's always taken to change the look of this robotic insect a little.

The underside of the construction has obviously not received the same care as the top. It's a bit empty but we'll do with it. In particular, an element of the electro-disc visible on the promotional poster is missing (see above). Too bad for a ship meant to be handled from all angles.

On the functionality side, everything happens under the ship. Pressing the black trigger located in front of the gray handle will cause the generator located on the back of the ship to rotate. The large missile located under the nose of the jet is ejectable via a button located on the system which retains the ammunition.

I often criticize LEGO for not balancing the forces enough for maximum playability. Here, the manufacturer has chosen to provide an enemy machine to be able to take action right out of the box. Well done for that. The mechanical crab equipped with a pincer and a rotating missile launcher is basic but it is welcome.

In terms of minifigs, it's also very balanced. On the good side, Jay will take the controls of the jet to fly to the aid of the couple of civilians in distress, Ed and Edna.

Small technical downside for the minifigs of the two civilians: We find once again the usual differences when the same color is applied to surfaces of different colors. It's unsightly.

As a bonus, we also see the other visible defect on many minifigs with a lack of ink at the place where the rounded legs meet the flat surface of the latter. Too bad for a brand that has made the minifigure the flagship of its products.

Among the evil invaders, the assortment is interesting. Three different characters are provided including the Mechanical Crab Pilot with his matching helmet.

In short, this set undoubtedly deserves better than playing the outsiders in this range which combines both successful products and a few failures. it is already available for less than 50 € at amazon and at this price, it's a nice gift for a young fan of the Ninjago universe.

Note: We do as usual, you have until September 10, 2017 at 23:59 p.m. to manifest yourself in the comments.

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.
Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.