As a preamble, I remind you that I only collect the Star Wars, Super Heroes and Lord of the Rings / The Hobbit ranges.
So I am only giving my opinion here on these ranges, but you are of course free to mention your tops or your flops for 2012 in the comments.
It's no secret that my favorite set of 2012 is obviously the 9500 Sith Fury-Class Interceptor and this for many reasons :
- This set is proof that LEGO is still capable of innovating in the Star Wars range with new creations. The universe of the saga The Old Republic, allows an appreciable refreshment in the middle of the remakes of existing sets or the sets taken from the animated series The Clone Wars.
- The minifigs in this set are brand new, and I remember being amazed when I discovered them for the first time, which had not happened to me since the announcement of Amidala's minifig delivered in the set 9499 Gungan Sub.
- The ship is also a success because it preserves and respects the spirit of its successors (or predecessors in the chronology of the range).
- Sold by LEGO at a slightly excessive price of 99.99 €, it can however be found around 70 € by searching carefully. (68.99 € currently on amazon.fr)
The other set that excited me this year is 6857 The Dynamic Duo Funhouse Escape released in the LEGO Super Heroes (DC Universe) range.
Arrived from nowhere when no one expected it, this box represents to me what every LEGO set should be: A playable product, with many features, delivered with enough minifigs and marketed at a fair price which is the case here.
This exclusive set, still available on the LEGO Shop for €49.99 and hard to find elsewhere at a reasonable price, lets you collect five key characters from the DC/Batman universe: Batman, Robin, the Joker, Harley Quinn, and the Riddler. It's a great way to start a collection and enjoy the features offered by the " Palace of Laughter, " as LEGO calls it.
On the flop side, I would put two sets for which I expected something else without really knowing what: the 9516 Jabba's Palace which, even if it is chock full of interesting minifigs, lacks finishing and ambition: The palace is reduced to a hut in which the characters come cram like in an overcrowded Christmas crib.
The retail price of € 144.99 is clearly exaggerated. Fortunately, it is possible to get this set for less than 100 € (97.99 € currently at amazon.fr).
The other disappointing set this year is the 9497 Republic Striker-Class Starfighter, with a ship that's a complete failure in my opinion—a sort of X-Wing ancestor disguised as a Christmas tree. It's ugly, barely faithful to the versions seen in the game or the webcomics based on The Old Republic, and that's a shame. The three new minifigures in this set (Satele Chan, T7-O1, and the Republic Trooper) have gone somewhat unnoticed by fans and deserved to be better complemented.
Do not hesitate to talk about your favorite sets for 2012 in the comments, even and especially if they are products from other ranges than those mentioned above.
