Review: LEGO Star Wars 75218 X-Wing Starfighter

Because you must always have at least one X-Wing in your collection, today we are quickly interested in the LEGO Star Wars set. 75218 X-Wing Starfighter (730 pieces - 99.99 €) which finally takes over the set 9493 X-Wing Starfighter (2012) after the variants seen in the sets 75102 Poe's X-Wing Fighter (2015) et 75149 Resistance X-Wing Fighter (2016)

Forget the previous versions, they're overpriced on the aftermarket anyway and there's always an X-Wing on the shelf at LEGO. It is a staple of the LEGO Star Wars range as can the police station in the CITY range.

I remember my discussion last June with the two designers of the LEGO Star Wars range, Michael Lee Stockwell and Jens Kronvold Frederiksen, who explained to me this desire to renew with each new version of a recurring model in the range. This X-Wing is a perfect example of this permanent questioning of designers, both in terms of aesthetics and functionality.

Exit the wheel which protruded from the back of the ship and which allowed the wings to be deployed, now places a new, more discreet, a little brutal, but very effective mechanism which puts the X-Wing in combat position instantly. The gameplay is thus maximum, no need to spend your time putting the wheel back in place while your friends are already shooting you with their Tie Fighters.

We find here some interesting techniques for the construction of the front fuselage but, due to symmetry, the assembly quickly becomes repetitive when it comes to building the wings and engines. Not to discourage a fan so far, young or old.

I will not embark on the eternal debate around the fidelity of each new interpretation of the X-Wing to the ship seen in the movies. This model is not a UCS, it is just a toy. Overall I think this new version brings a nice amount of cosmetic updates and makes the 2012 version dispensable.

I note that we can finally place the droids in the right position, in the direction of travel, instead of placing them aside as was the case in set 9493.

We could also discuss the simplification of the cannons placed at the end of the wings, but the solution implemented on this new version is in my opinion more suited to the fights between young fans who will thus avoid losing a few pieces during the confrontation.

The vessel is also thought to be handled by the youngest. Nothing comes off the fuselage, the whole is rather solid. Small annoying detail: in flight position, the front landing gear cannot be completely retracted under the fuselage, it's a shame.

Here we find the usual rubber bands that ensure the return to the closed position of the wings, it's a bit unsightly but we will do with it. LEGO still does not provide replacement rubber bands in the box and it is a shame for a € 100 toy that has to undergo a lot of handling.

We also glue some stickers with once again this very unpleasant difference in color between the white background of the stickers and the cream color of the parts on which they are placed.

I note in passing that these stickers seem strangely thin to me, more than usual. For those who are wondering: the cockpit canopy is pad-printed, it is the one that was already delivered in sets 75102 and 75149.

Collectors who consider LEGOs not for children will eventually be able to get rid of the spring shooters placed on the wings to reinforce the model aspect of the machine. The youngest ones will be delighted to be able to knock things out with these elements rather well integrated and which do not disfigure the ship.

You will also be able without regret to remove the somewhat unsightly Technic axis placed under the vessel and which is used to return the wings to the closed position during landing, the mechanism provided for deploying the wings is sufficient on its own, it works in both ways. Some may regret the somewhat violent side, including the slamming, of the mechanism. I do not care.

On the minifig side, LEGO delivers here Luke Skywalker and Biggs Darklighter both accompanied by the essential droid that comes to stay behind the cockpit. If the two pilots wear the same outfit, their helmets are obviously different with pretty pad prints.

We could debate for a long time this new version of the pilot's helmet with integrated visor that some find too bulky, but in my case it is a significant evolution of this accessory that avoids us the very questionable pad printing of the visor used until now on the face of the minifigure.

A note about droids, LEGO persists in pad printing only one side of the body of these little robots. Some patterns on the back would be welcome, just to make R2-D2 and R2-Q2 more successful.

Sold for 99.99 €, this 730-piece X-Wing is a bit too expensive for my taste even though it comes with two pilots and two droids and offers the possibility to customize it in the colors of Luke Skywalker (Red Five) or Biggs Darklighter (Red Three), which is making a comeback here in the LEGO Star Wars range, with a set of Tiles additional.

Fortunately, we find this box currently less than 80 € at amazon and this new version of a classic from the LEGO Star Wars range deserves in my opinion to be found at the foot of the tree even if I hope that LEGO will one day be able to offer us an X-Wing without these small rubber bands and whose mechanism does not contains only parts ...

Note: The set shown here is put into play as usual. To participate in the raffle, simply post a comment on this article before November 4 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

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.