Review: 40789 Flying Moon Car
Posted by CapnRex101,
LEGO Ideas models are sometimes criticised for diverging too much from the initial submission, but that cannot be said for 40789 Flying Moon Car! This set closely mirrors EnchantingNoodle's original design and is now available as a LEGO Insiders reward.
The smooth bodywork of the titular car is lovely and the lunar base looks great too, again using the same building techniques as the original Ideas submission. Only the minifigures have undergone a more substantial change and they are potentially a slight weak point.
Summary
40789 Flying Moon Car, 211 pieces.
Apart from the minifigures' helmets, this is a creative and delightful LEGO Space set
- Beautiful moon car
- Retro-futuristic styling
- Great design for cratered lunar surface
- Minifigure helmets look odd
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigures
Two minifigures are included, preserving the retro-futuristic style of those in the Ideas model. However, they now sport the spherical helmet developed for Mysterio in the Spider-Man: Far From Home sets rather than the older one produced for Sandy Cheeks from Spongebob. The newer part looks alright, but distorts the minifigures' faces and lacks space for hair elements inside the helmets.
Although the helmets could be improved, I like the astronauts' bright green and flame yellowish orange space suits, introduced in LEGO City sets last year. These vivid colours work beautifully with the moon car and the Classic Space symbols are a nice addition, as always.
The Completed Model
For a model comprising just 211 pieces, I think the diorama looks superb! Bright light blue is a perfect choice for the vehicle, contrasting with the grey and black base and reflecting the retro-futuristic aesthetic. Also, I like how the moon car is angled to create a sense of motion and you can change its position on the stand, if you wish.
The pillar under the vehicle is black and could have been better camouflaged against the lunar surface, although this colour does not distract attention from the car. The craters on the ground are assembled sideways using arch bricks and bricks with Technic pin holes, which works nicely and again matches the design from LEGO Ideas.
The brick-built lunar surface rests in a black frame, with a lamppost integrated vertically in the corner. Also, I like the yellow arrow attached to this lamppost, which reminds me of the arrows found in various Blacktron sets, including 10355 Blacktron Renegade earlier this year.
Black brackets form prongs on the support for the moon car, so it remains firmly attached, but can be easily removed too. The vehicle is a bit smaller than I had envisaged, measuring 13cm long, excluding the flames. Nonetheless, it is big enough to accommodate the figures and I like its nearly studless finish, as well as the features influenced by 1950s cars.
1x2x2 arched window frames look good as intakes or radiators on the front, with trans-orange tiles hidden behind the lattices. The texture on the bonnet is effective too, but I am less certain about the 1x2 grille slopes on the sides. I prefer the bright light blue pieces from the submission on LEGO Ideas and those are in production for 10298 Vespa 125.
Similarly, the windscreen seems a little too small to me, so I am not sure why they decided to replace the 3x6x1 windscreen from the fan model. Otherwise, the cockpit is very detailed and contains a couple of printed parts, including a white slope previously limited to Friends. Ideally, the seats would be deeper for the minifigures to sit upright, but that would be tricky on such a small vehicle.
I earlier mentioned the influence of cars from the 1950s and that is particularly visible near the back, where the white tail fins look splendid. The mechanical detail between them is appealing as well, making clever use of light bluish grey cupcake cases for the engines. The trans-orange flames look great too.
Overall
It is testament to the quality of EnchantingNoodle's Ideas submission that 40789 Flying Moon Car has required so few adjustments for its final design and I am glad because this set is truly excellent. The smooth shape of the vehicle is appealing and the lunar surface looks superb too, using some fun construction techniques for a set of this size.
I wish the bigger helmets had been used for the minifigures and I am not sure why that change was made because those elements appeared as recently as last year. Regardless, this is still a wonderful set for LEGO Space fans and its 'price' of 2500 points from the Rewards Centre feels fair, equivalent to around £15.00, $19.00 or €16.50.
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83 comments on this article
I like the use of the window frames as the radiator grille. It's so bold.
Lovely little set! And indeed, even more so for just 211 pieces, very efficient build without holding back on detail. Wider windshield would have been better though, but that's my only nitpick.
Which makes it all the more unfortunate that it's locked behind a double paywall :-(
Would buy this without hesitation if it was just on shelves for like €15-20.
I do like those helmets for various purposes - globes, fishtanks, that sort of thing. But it makes regular heads look like AI, and nobody ever wants to hear "your head looks like it's AI". That is harrowing, there's no coming back from that.
Middling minifigures aside, this is a great build and one of the better VIP-offerings we've gotten in recent years. I see no fault with this, although I do question the wisdom of actually traveling TO a Blacktron-base. One hour from now, that moon-car is going to have a black-and-yellow livery, with a fetching trans-yellow windshield.
The original drivers will never been seen or heard from, ever again.
I love this... Feels like a Gerry Anderson animation!
Aren't car designs from the Fifties influenced by Flying Moon Cars?! Space Age illustrations, cartoons, serials and films and comics? Or maybe this designer has gone full circle... And I'm inspired to build it in a Classic Space livery, perhaps more than one (Blacktron, M-tron, etc). Thanks for the review and a lovely little VIP reward it is.
This is a damn lovely set, and I'm glad it's a VIP points set instead of a GWP. They seem to stick around longer, and now that points sets are a thing, points can be hoarded for such things.
The car itself is brilliantly built. The smooth shaping (and the techniques required) are Speed Champions quality.
This would work in any Star Wars Landspeeder collection, no?
It’s “only” $19 worth of points which only requires $385 worth of purchases to accrue said points!
@darthnorman said:
"This would work in any Star Wars Landspeeder collection, no?"
yes, that's a great spot for it, but not the figs...
Seats aside, there are only 6 studs on that thing!! really impressive and 'nearly studless' as Rex points out, but I'll still be skipping on it.
All I can think of when I see this is “Ride from Outer Space” from Phineas and Ferb.
Also (-): No airtanks!
Otherwise, a recommendsble set! The result is how a flying moon car should look like. If you don't want the insiders hustle, have a look at the instructions an bricklink it!
the 6 wide windscreen would have looked much better. apart from that, great little set. not buying it though, with the instructions easily available, it shouldn't be too hard to build this from existing collections, maybe in a different color. I agree that this would have been a retail banger even at $/€20.
Space Police 4 ???
The passengers remind me of Boimler and Mariner from Star Trek: Lower Decks.
I’ve got this in my basket ready to go next month; it’ll accompany the new Mario Kart sets, which seems appropriate. I like that it can easily removed from the base for swooshing, although I wish there were some physical controls.
the only thing that really bothers me is the helmets, the original submission have a better use of another piece that allow the use of hair
The minifigs look massive compared to the car, I mean it's a long car but the high seats plus the short and narrow windshield leads to something doesn't quite work for me.
After seeing the set in person, I actually like the look of the helmets; they look so goofy, it really fits the vibe of the set.
A fun small sized set... if it was more easily available
The heads in the helmets remind me of the scene in the original 'Total Recall' where Quaid and Melina's eyes bulge after they are blown into the Martian environment by the explosive decompression. They look like they are about to pop as their heads swell up.
Well they don't have air-tanks so that might explain it.
Do we have any pictures of the car's underside?
Fits perfectly with the Nuka-World theme park vibe my roller coaster collection is favoring.
"I wish the bigger helmets had been used for the minifigures and I am not sure why that change was made because those elements appeared as recently as last year."
You know why with Lego. It's budget. They have as set price, amount before the design.
Those bigger globes which are great, would've looked better most likely cost a little more.
Then you'd add in two more wig piece and it probably tipped their threshold for this product.
It's a push and pull with price set and design.
@WizardOfOss said:
"Lovely little set! And indeed, even more so for just 211 pieces, very efficient build without holding back on detail. Wider windshield would have been better though, but that's my only nitpick.
Which makes it all the more unfortunate that it's locked behind a double paywall :-(
Would buy this without hesitation if it was just on shelves for like €15-20."
Or those not eligible for physical Insider Rewards :(
It seems like Lego is averse to release any sets between "polybag" and "$50" for actual retail release anymore. I don't get it.
Well I think the chosen helmet is a huge improvement over the original Ideas entry... So there!
@emQ said:
"It seems like Lego is averse to release any sets between "polybag" and "$50" for actual retail release anymore. I don't get it."
Profit margin. Same reason why car makers hate small cars.
Nice little set, and great review but I do lament the fact that these smaller, original and more reasonably priced (if it was on the actual shelf) Ideas sets are now GWP or require points. A wee set like this feels very much in the original spirit of the Ideas line, no IP, a creative build outwith the regular themes and well, just fun. These days this would be practically an 'impulse buy' in a world of three figure (cost not three minifigs) Ideas IP sets. I will keep an eye out for it on Bricklink but as much as I am charmed by it, it's not one I would be rushing to cash points in for, if I had any spare at the moment...
I like it, but I think it would look nicer if it was all in blue shades. I'm also reluctant to spend that many points on it, even though I have enough. I'm saving for another set, even though I find it a shame that you don't earn points when spending points, because you do think about the points you could have earned from that purchase, even if it's on a set you would struggle to afford, though you could argue that about any set you could earn a lot of points from.
@Lego_Prime said:
"All I can think of when I see this is “Ride from Outer Space” from Phineas and Ferb."
Not "Put Your Head On My Shoulders" from Futurama?
@sjr60 said:
"I love this... Feels like a Gerry Anderson animation!"
"Supercar...Supercar...it's the marvel of the age!"
Or maybe given the bubble helmets, Fireball XL5 would be the more apt comparison! "I wish I was a spaceman, the fastest guy alive..."
@legoDad42 said:
""I wish the bigger helmets had been used for the minifigures and I am not sure why that change was made because those elements appeared as recently as last year."
You know why with Lego. It's budget. They have as set price, amount before the design.
Those bigger globes which are great, would've looked better most likely cost a little more.
Then you'd add in two more wig piece and it probably tipped their threshold for this product.
It's a push and pull with price set and design."
That is true, but could they not have found the budget somewhere by changing some other minor thing about the set? Perhaps both minifigures could have worn the same uniform, as they did in the Ideas submission, for example.
What is with the studs / tile I front of the seats. The visible studs are sometimes on one side and then the other in the next photo.
@emQ said:
"It seems like Lego is averse to release any sets between "polybag" and "$50" for actual retail release anymore. I don't get it."
There were about 240 sets between $6 and $49 last year.
Thunder cougar falcon bird
@CCC said:
" @emQ said:
"It seems like Lego is averse to release any sets between "polybag" and "$50" for actual retail release anymore. I don't get it."
There were about 240 sets between $6 and $49 last year. "
While rue, how many of those were nice 18+ display sets like this?
These will be replacing the current passengers.
https://brickset.com/minifigs/col296/retro-space-hero-series-17-(minifigure-only-without-stand-and-accessories)
https://brickset.com/minifigs/col439/retro-space-heroine-series-26-(minifigure-only-without-stand-and-accessories)
I'm really looking forward to building my copy. I'd neber really noticed how few studs there were.
@darthnorman said:
"This would work in any Star Wars Landspeeder collection, no?"
I'm reminded of a picture on starwars.com a couple of decades ago that had a screenshot from American Graffiti with the yellow speeder that Anakin speederjacks in Episode II (the one depicted in 7133) in one of the parking spaces.
@WizardOfOss said:
" @CCC said:
" @emQ said:
"It seems like Lego is averse to release any sets between "polybag" and "$50" for actual retail release anymore. I don't get it."
There were about 240 sets between $6 and $49 last year. "
While rue, how many of those were nice 18+ display sets like this?"
Very few, because display sets below $50 will tend to have about 500 parts or fewer and so would normally be classed as a child / 9+ set as they are not difficult to build and would tend to be stocked in toy stores. But that range includes many sub $50 display sets such as all the Brickheadz, various statuettes, botanicals and creator builds.
@twentythree said:
"These will be replacing the current passengers.
https://brickset.com/minifigs/col296/retro-space-hero-series-17-(minifigure-only-without-stand-and-accessories)
https://brickset.com/minifigs/col439/retro-space-heroine-series-26-(minifigure-only-without-stand-and-accessories)
"
Good idea!
@piteous said:
"It’s “only” $19 worth of points which only requires $385 worth of purchases to accrue said points!"
I just contacted Lego and they gave me the points for me to redeem it.
@CCC said:
" @WizardOfOss said:
" @CCC said:
" @emQ said:
"It seems like Lego is averse to release any sets between "polybag" and "$50" for actual retail release anymore. I don't get it."
There were about 240 sets between $6 and $49 last year. "
While rue, how many of those were nice 18+ display sets like this?"
Very few, because display sets below $50 will tend to have about 500 parts or fewer and so would normally be classed as a child / 9+ set as they are not difficult to build and would tend to be stocked in toy stores. But that range includes many sub $50 display sets such as all the Brickheadz, various statuettes, botanicals and creator builds. "
Since when does the 18+ age rating have anything to do with difficulty? I've been repeatedly told that 18+ sets should be seen as absolute entry level sets aimed at people who have never touched a Lego brick before. It's just marketing.
It's just frustrating Lego doesn't want to sell us the stuff we actually want, but tries to use it as a ploy to make us buy the stuff we don't really want.....
@WizardOfOss said:
"It's just frustrating Lego doesn't want to sell us the stuff we actually want, but tries to use it as a ploy to make us buy the stuff we don't really want....."
Yeah, how dare they abide by the rules they set down for their own contest instead of risking certain litigation to make a few quick bucks?
@PurpleDave said:
" @WizardOfOss said:
"It's just frustrating Lego doesn't want to sell us the stuff we actually want, but tries to use it as a ploy to make us buy the stuff we don't really want....."
Yeah, how dare they abide by the rules they set down for their own contest instead of risking certain litigation to make a few quick bucks?"
Well, it's not just this set....
And who forced them to set those rules in the first place?
@UProbeck said:
" @twentythree said:
"These will be replacing the current passengers.
https://brickset.com/minifigs/col296/retro-space-hero-series-17-(minifigure-only-without-stand-and-accessories)
https://brickset.com/minifigs/col439/retro-space-heroine-series-26-(minifigure-only-without-stand-and-accessories)
"
Good idea!
"
Best comment MOD suggestion in years! This will be very cool.
@emQ said:
"It seems like Lego is averse to release any sets between "polybag" and "$50" for actual retail release anymore. I don't get it."
Meanwhile, 60430 Interstellar Spaceship will be sold another year while the other space stuff retires...
Small spaceship set, lasting 3x as long as a set like 10355 Blacktron Renegade or 60446 Galactic Spaceship which are just 1 year sets.
Even something like 31134 Space Shuttle recently got it's time extended to the end of 2027, which will be 5 year lifespan for such a small set that doesn't even have minifigs etc.
@twentythree said:
"These will be replacing the current passengers.
https://brickset.com/minifigs/col296/retro-space-hero-series-17-(minifigure-only-without-stand-and-accessories)
https://brickset.com/minifigs/col439/retro-space-heroine-series-26-(minifigure-only-without-stand-and-accessories)
"
I like your style, @twentythree.
@TeriXeri said:
" @emQ said:
"It seems like Lego is averse to release any sets between "polybag" and "$50" for actual retail release anymore. I don't get it."
Meanwhile, 60430 Interstellar Spaceship will be sold another year while the other space stuff retires...
Small spaceship set, lasting 3x as long as a set like 10355 Blacktron Renegade or 60446 Galactic Spaceship which are just 1 year sets.
Even something like 31134 Space Shuttle recently got it's time extended to the end of 2027, which will be 5 year lifespan for such a small set that doesn't even have minifigs etc."
I'm surprised to hear 60446 is retiring so quickly, given how many users on Brickset swooned over it when it was released: https://brickset.com/article/116888/2025-city-official-images!
Oh what a coincidence! I just put this together today!
I remember when I first saw it, it reminded me of an old MOC from way back, called SRF, which stood for Small, Red, and Fast. I can’t remember who built it, but it was very similar. I was trying to find it on Brickshelf before coming here.
EDIT: I found it! It was JPascal, and only single seat and had a canopy. This is like the convertible version!
@peterlmorris said:
"Oh what a coincidence! I just put this together today!
I remember when I first saw it, it reminded me of an old MOC from way back, called SRF, which stood for Small, Red, and Fast. I can’t remember who built it, but it was very similar. I was trying to find it on Brickshelf before coming here.
EDIT: I found it! It was JPascal, and only single seat and had a canopy. This is like the convertible version!"
Link, please?
@TheOtherMike said:
" @peterlmorris said:
"Oh what a coincidence! I just put this together today!
I remember when I first saw it, it reminded me of an old MOC from way back, called SRF, which stood for Small, Red, and Fast. I can’t remember who built it, but it was very similar. I was trying to find it on Brickshelf before coming here.
EDIT: I found it! It was JPascal, and only single seat and had a canopy. This is like the convertible version!"
Link, please?"
I am not as internet savvy as I once was. If you go to Brickshelf and type SRF into the “search gallery” box, it’s the first folder listed.
You can’t miss it. The front end is almost identical.
@TheOtherMike said:
" @peterlmorris said:
"Oh what a coincidence! I just put this together today!
I remember when I first saw it, it reminded me of an old MOC from way back, called SRF, which stood for Small, Red, and Fast. I can’t remember who built it, but it was very similar. I was trying to find it on Brickshelf before coming here.
EDIT: I found it! It was JPascal, and only single seat and had a canopy. This is like the convertible version!"
Link, please?"
https://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.php?f=76138
Incredible that the build is from 2004!! It looks like it would slot in perfectly next to this new set.
@WizardOfOss said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @WizardOfOss said:
"It's just frustrating Lego doesn't want to sell us the stuff we actually want, but tries to use it as a ploy to make us buy the stuff we don't really want....."
Yeah, how dare they abide by the rules they set down for their own contest instead of risking certain litigation to make a few quick bucks?"
Well, it's not just this set....
And who forced them to set those rules in the first place?"
Nobody forced them to set those rules, but the fact is they did so. And another fact is that some of these sets only exist because they were entered in these contests. That includes 40335, 40448, 40487, 40533, 40566, 40595, 40698, 40786, 40788, and now 40789. Without Ideas contests, none of these would exist as sets, so there’s no “just selling them to us” on the table. None.
@twentythree said:
"These will be replacing the current passengers.
https://brickset.com/minifigs/col296/retro-space-hero-series-17-(minifigure-only-without-stand-and-accessories)
https://brickset.com/minifigs/col439/retro-space-heroine-series-26-(minifigure-only-without-stand-and-accessories)"
Pretty sure that’s going to happen to a _lot_ of these. Not mine. I’m keeping the set original, but I have been planning to do a recolor for those two.
@peterlmorris:
The front end definitely feels like it was cribbed from that design, but I much prefer the 50’s style of this back end over SRF. Landing gear was a nice touch, though.
@PurpleDave said:
" @peterlmorris:
The front end definitely feels like it was cribbed from that design, but I much prefer the 50’s style of this back end over SRF. Landing gear was a nice touch, though."
I prefer the Moon Car's style too, and agree with you that the landing gear is nice. Besides, blue is my favorite color.
I wonder why the first images of the final set showed the body as being medium azure.
That was my only gripe with it and the reason why I didn't get it when I bought the Blacktron Renegade during the Insider's days.
Now it's back to the bright light blue of the original submission, which looks far better than medium azure imho. Ah well, can't be helped.
@TheOtherMike said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @peterlmorris:
The front end definitely feels like it was cribbed from that design, but I much prefer the 50’s style of this back end over SRF. Landing gear was a nice touch, though."
I prefer the Moon Car's style too, and agree with you that the landing gear is nice. Besides, blue is my favorite color."
Powder blue doesn’t really do it for me, which is why I’m already planning a recolor. I think red would be a great choice for the style of the vehicle, but I don’t think it suits the two retro space CMFs’ odd color schemes. Colorwise, I’m just going to have to see what’s possible and figure out if there’s a good match for the CMFs. But the SRF just has the most awkward shooting brake style I’ve ever seen, and I’m not really a fan of that general look to begin with. It would have worked better if the engines were lower and there wasn’t such an extreme scoop to the rear underside.
@PurpleDave said:
" @WizardOfOss said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @WizardOfOss said:
"It's just frustrating Lego doesn't want to sell us the stuff we actually want, but tries to use it as a ploy to make us buy the stuff we don't really want....."
Yeah, how dare they abide by the rules they set down for their own contest instead of risking certain litigation to make a few quick bucks?"
Well, it's not just this set....
And who forced them to set those rules in the first place?"
Nobody forced them to set those rules, but the fact is they did so. And another fact is that some of these sets only exist because they were entered in these contests. That includes 40335, 40448, 40487, 40533, 40566, 40595, 40698, 40786, 40788, and now 40789. Without Ideas contests, none of these would exist as sets, so there’s no “just selling them to us” on the table. None."
So if they hadn't set those specific rules, those sets couldn't have existed? That's weird, as there have also been contests that resulted in regularly available sets, like 21329. Seems like people are still willing to send in submissions even when the resulting set won't get a very limited release.
@WizardOfOss said:
" @CCC said:
" @WizardOfOss said:
" @CCC said:
" @emQ said:
"It seems like Lego is averse to release any sets between "polybag" and "$50" for actual retail release anymore. I don't get it."
There were about 240 sets between $6 and $49 last year. "
While rue, how many of those were nice 18+ display sets like this?"
Very few, because display sets below $50 will tend to have about 500 parts or fewer and so would normally be classed as a child / 9+ set as they are not difficult to build and would tend to be stocked in toy stores. But that range includes many sub $50 display sets such as all the Brickheadz, various statuettes, botanicals and creator builds. "
Since when does the 18+ age rating have anything to do with difficulty? I've been repeatedly told that 18+ sets should be seen as absolute entry level sets aimed at people who have never touched a Lego brick before. It's just marketing.
It's just frustrating Lego doesn't want to sell us the stuff we actually want, but tries to use it as a ploy to make us buy the stuff we don't really want....."
18+ is used for mainly for marketing but also indirectly difficulty and availability due to the size of the set. Difficulty is also related to time to complete, not just putting pieces together. 18+ tend to be bigger and sometimes exclusive sets, mainly because they are more in line with adult wallets but also more difficult to complete than a smaller set. They could probably put 9+ on Modulars but don't because that type of set doesn't really overlap with an average child building it (especially in one session) and so similar sets with more play features are available through City, and because they don't want parents returning them as they were recommended for 9+ but their child couldn't finish it.
Brickheadz could easily be marketed as 18+ sets but if they do that then there is the feeling that they are not for kids and so it would probably hit sales and retail stores would not want them. Whereas in-house promos of similar difficulty can be made to appeal to adults by slapping the label on it without worrying about sales.
I find it ridiculous when people complain that LEGO don't make sets under $50 that are of interest to adults. There are plenty of them, just that sets of that price tend to be non-exclusive, regular retail sets of interest to slightly older kids, teens and adults so don't need the 18+ sign on them.
As for not selling us the stuff "we" want, have you seen their financial report?
@twentythree said:
"These will be replacing the current passengers.
https://brickset.com/minifigs/col296/retro-space-hero-series-17-(minifigure-only-without-stand-and-accessories)
https://brickset.com/minifigs/col439/retro-space-heroine-series-26-(minifigure-only-without-stand-and-accessories)
"
10/10, no notes.
@HAL_9001 said:
" @sjr60 said:
"I love this... Feels like a Gerry Anderson animation!"
"Supercar...Supercar...it's the marvel of the age!"
Or maybe given the bubble helmets, Fireball XL5 would be the more apt comparison! "I wish I was a spaceman, the fastest guy alive...""
Yes, a pressed steel Supercar was one of my first toys, and I still have the single of Fireball!
@CCC said:
"Brickheadz could easily be marketed as 18+ sets but if they do that then there is the feeling that they are not for kids and so it would probably hit sales and retail stores would not want them."
Since BrickHeadz are LEGO exclusive and hence not sold at retailers anyway, this shouldn't be a problem.
@CCC said:
"They could probably put 9+ on Modulars but don't because that type of set doesn't really overlap with an average child building it (especially in one session) and so similar sets with more play features are available through City, and because they don't want parents returning them as they were recommended for 9+ but their child couldn't finish it."
Perhaps those parents should rather consider returning their child instead of the set.
;-)
@AustinPowers said:
" @CCC said:
"Brickheadz could easily be marketed as 18+ sets but if they do that then there is the feeling that they are not for kids and so it would probably hit sales and retail stores would not want them."
Since BrickHeadz are LEGO exclusive and hence not sold at retailers anyway, this shouldn't be a problem."
I was going to say...
@CCC said:
" @emQ said:
"It seems like Lego is averse to release any sets between "polybag" and "$50" for actual retail release anymore. I don't get it."
There were about 240 sets between $6 and $49 last year. "
Spoil sport!
Whingers come here to whinge and will not let trivial things like facts get in the way!
@piteous said:
"It’s “only” $19 worth of points which only requires $385 worth of purchases to accrue said points!"
Or completely free if all the points were accrued by buying sets that were wanted anyway and weren't available cheaper elsewhere!
@AustinPowers said:
" @CCC said:
"Brickheadz could easily be marketed as 18+ sets but if they do that then there is the feeling that they are not for kids and so it would probably hit sales and retail stores would not want them."
Since BrickHeadz are LEGO exclusive and hence not sold at retailers anyway, this shouldn't be a problem."
I don't think they are exclusive here, they sell them in a department store near me.
Even if they are exclusive, they are probably no harder or easier to put together than a huge set once you have the correct bricks in hand. But a huge set takes much longer to put together, finding the parts then total assembly time, and so is more suited to an adult than a child who may lose interest. Hence larger sets tend to be 18+ and smaller ones tend to be a child age plus. And the other way around, smaller sets tend to be marked as child age plus because they can be completed by an average child of that age.
There are BH sets like the LOTR figures and other nostalgia ones that could easily be sold as 18+ sets because of the subject matter rather than difficulty. But to do so would seem silly when the designs are essentially equivalent to child BH sets and it is simpler to have a standard age rating across the range. But that doesn't mean they are not producing cheap sets for adults. Adults can enjoy those smaller sets too.
It is like completing a jigsaw, there is nothing physically stopping a child putting together a 1000 piece jigsaw, as the actions are the same as putting together a 25 piece jigsaw. However, a young child is likely to be put off completing a large jigsaw because it is more time consuming to find the parts and put them together. The difficulty of placing the pieces is no different, the difficulty is really the challenge of putting larger numbers of parts together without getting bored.
I have no clue why they make these small Insiders promos 18+ but there are reasons that can be speculated. Presumably their data indicates that adults are more likely to get these for themselves if they are 18+ rather than 9+, and in doing so it means there are less people using the points for money off instead of a cheaply produced set. And of course, they can also use it to show they are engaging with the AFOL community through contests.
@AustinPowers said:
" @CCC said:
"They could probably put 9+ on Modulars but don't because that type of set doesn't really overlap with an average child building it (especially in one session) and so similar sets with more play features are available through City, and because they don't want parents returning them as they were recommended for 9+ but their child couldn't finish it."
Perhaps those parents should rather consider returning their child instead of the set.
;-) "
I've seen some kids get bored putting together a couple of hundred part sets. Some kids only want to play with the completed toy without the hassle of building it, and some would prefer to be outside playing football. Whereas other kids of the same age can sit for hours playing with LEGO, whether following instructions or MOCing.
@CCC said:
" @AustinPowers said:
" @CCC said:
"They could probably put 9+ on Modulars but don't because that type of set doesn't really overlap with an average child building it (especially in one session) and so similar sets with more play features are available through City, and because they don't want parents returning them as they were recommended for 9+ but their child couldn't finish it."
Perhaps those parents should rather consider returning their child instead of the set.
;-) "
I've seen some kids get bored putting together a couple of hundred part sets. Some kids only want to play with the completed toy without the hassle of building it, and some would prefer to be outside playing football. Whereas other kids of the same age can sit for hours playing with LEGO, whether following instructions or MOCing."
My comment was meant as a joke, hence the Smiley.
Nevertheless, like you said, some kids are the outdoorsy type rather than the concentrating-for-hours-on-a-LEGO-set type. And there's nothing wrong with that. Some may enjoy both activities equally.
But if a child gets bored by putting a set together then it's probably better suited to a different hobby. It's usually not the set's fault.
@HAL_9001 said:
" @sjr60 said:
"I love this... Feels like a Gerry Anderson animation!"
"Supercar...Supercar...it's the marvel of the age!"
Or maybe given the bubble helmets, Fireball XL5 would be the more apt comparison! "I wish I was a spaceman, the fastest guy alive...""
Nah no one in Fireball XL5 ever wore a helmet, they had Oxygen Pills... then again if I said they had those I could give them hair pieces or helmets.
I liked (not loved) the original submission. For possibly the first time ever for me, the changes LEGO made on this Ideas set kind of turn it from a probably get to a probably won't get. That's the blessing and downside of the current LEGO paradigm. They're putting out so many great sets, GWPs, and Insider Rewards that I've somehow both increased and obliterated my FOMO.
@AustinPowers said:
"
But if a child gets bored by putting a set together then it's probably better suited to a different hobby. It's usually not the set's fault. "
Yes but this is where the suggested age is important. If the kid doesn't like LEGO, they probably should buy them LEGO. If a 6 year old kid puts together a 250 piece set and enjoys it, then the parents buy another set recommended for 6+ years and the kid doesn't enjoy it because it takes too long to put together even though the difficulty is the same, then the suggested ages are not really working.
And I think this I why there are few 18+ small retail sets. It is not so much that 18+ sets are necesarily any more difficult to assemble but that they need more dedication to complete, or are just something kids are less likely to enjoy. So a set that an adult might enjoy that is less than $50 doesn't need to be labelled as 18+ especially if kids would like it too.
And back to the original point, LEGO do produce sets between polybags and $50. Lots of them. And many will be enjoyed by adults, whether or not they have the 18+ tag on them. Just like before LEGO introduced the 18+ badge, AFOLs can still enjoy sets with younger ages on them.
@CCC said:
"I find it ridiculous when people complain that LEGO don't make sets under $50 that are of interest to adults. There are plenty of them, just that sets of that price tend to be non-exclusive, regular retail sets of interest to slightly older kids, teens and adults so don't need the 18+ sign on them."
yet somehow all those GWP or Insider reward set seem distinctly different from similarly sized sets regularly available. I wonder why that is. And heck, why does this particular one even need that 18+ sign to begin with?
@WizardOfOss said:
"So if they hadn't set those specific rules, those sets couldn't have existed? That's weird, as there have also been contests that resulted in regularly available sets, like 21329. Seems like people are still willing to send in submissions even when the resulting set won't get a very limited release."
Most likely not. 21321 and 21343 were the result of two "second chance" contests, where the contenders were pulled from rejected projects designed to the standard rule set, and they were too large to be considered for GWPs/Rewards. 21329, 21337, 21346, 21348, 21352, and 21355 appear to be the only past/present retail releases to come out of contests, and they're all large enough (864-3745pcs) to suggest the standard rules were in effect. For the GWP/Rewards category, the rules always include a much lower maximum piece count, with the final results so far ranging from 154-330pcs.
If they do an open contest, with the standard rule set, the fan designers are encouraged to go bigger by the profit-sharing arrangement (the more expensive a set is, the more they make per copy). And even if that's not the case, the finalists are picked by the Ideas team (who seem to favor larger designs) and voted on by other fans (who definitely favor larger designs). If they don't reduce the maximum piece count for a contest, I think it's highly unlikely that a set like this will make it through to win the fan vote. And if they do impose a lower piece count restriction, it always seems to be for GWP/Reward contests like the one this came out of.
That's all nice and well, but still no answer to the question: Why should it be considered be impossible to do a contest for a smaller set with a regular release? Or to turn it around, why can contests with such limitations only be for GWP or other promotional stuff? I still see no reason for that.
Would EnchantingNoodle not have submitted this design if it would have been sold in much bigger numbers? I can't imagine him/her getting a bigger cut now.
(and honestly, wouldn't the financial aspect be considered just a nice bonus for most people submitting their ideas? The chance of getting picked it so slim, maximizing profits would probably be the last thing on my mind....)
@CCC said:"...[I]t is simpler to have a standard age rating across the range. "
I can't help but think of the current Speed Champions lineup, where a couple of the sets are 18+ because of the sponsors.
@WizardOfOss:
Standard rules don't have a minimum piece count. Small projects just don't seem to fare well in an open pool anymore, whether it's a contest or just a regular review class. I can't speak for the designer as to whether they would have submitted this for an open contest or not, but I think it would be a long shot for making the list of finalists, and a near certainty that it wouldn't get voted in by the fans. Regarding the idea of putting a lower size restriction on an open contest...why? What's the point? An open contest is just another retail set, but with content restrictions. The only reason they put a lower piece count restriction on GWP/Reward contests is because nobody would be able to manage the spend or the points to secure a 3000pc freebie.
If you look back over the full run of Cuusoo/Ideas, 21104, 21109, 21110, 21312, and 21314 were all small enough to have qualified for one of these GWP/Reward contests, but the last of these was released in 2018. Since then, they've only released five sub-800pc retail sets, with 21345 being the smallest at 560pcs. The odds just don't seem very good that we'll ever see these sub-300pc sets get approved for a regular Ideas set, much less win an open contest. Once they set down a maximum piece count, people started building towards that number. Everyone also knows it's within the realm of possibility, where previously many people withheld their support from projects that seemed too large to ever clear review.
@WizardOfOss said:
"That's all nice and well, but still no answer to the question: Why should it be considered be impossible to do a contest for a smaller set with a regular release? Or to turn it around, why can contests with such limitations only be for GWP or other promotional stuff? I still see no reason for that.
"
They already kind of do, it is called IDEAS.
For specific theme contests, I imagine they don't sell the winner's designs but instead use it as a promotion because they don't financially reward the winner like for IDEAS and BDP. The winner gets a specified prize rather than a percentage of the sales. If LEGO were directly making large sums from the design by selling the set, then there would be a significant inequality between IDEAS and IDEAS competitions' prize values even though both ended in a set being sold.
I've replaced the minifigs in mine with 71018-11 and 71046-4 to really lean into the atomic age sci-fi aesthetic. I did have to remove the cape and skirt to have them fit, but they look great.
@piteous said:
"It’s “only” $19 worth of points which only requires $385 worth of purchases to accrue said points!"
And you've got to love all the scalpers that bought them all up, then turned around and sold them for $50. I'll probably never get it because of that.
@Vankor said:
" @piteous said:
"It’s “only” $19 worth of points which only requires $385 worth of purchases to accrue said points!"
And you've got to love all the scalpers that bought them all up, then turned around and sold them for $50. I'll probably never get it because of that."
Psst, hey kid, wanna buy some bricks to make your own car? Got some minifigure-parts for ya, too. Arches, slopes, I can hook you up. 100% gin-you-wine Lego too, I'm not like those hooligans who cut their sets with Mega.
https://www.lego.com/en-us/pick-and-build/pick-a-brick
What? Instructions? What are you, some kinda cop?
I just built this, and I love it! I'll probably display it next to 40448. I guess I hadn't really looked at the instructions too closely, because I hadn't realized that the moon surface was the old wall-lying-down method.
@Crux said:
" @Vankor said:
" @piteous said:
"It’s “only” $19 worth of points which only requires $385 worth of purchases to accrue said points!"
And you've got to love all the scalpers that bought them all up, then turned around and sold them for $50. I'll probably never get it because of that."
Psst, hey kid, wanna buy some bricks to make your own car? Got some minifigure-parts for ya, too. Arches, slopes, I can hook you up. 100% gin-you-wine Lego too, I'm not like those hooligans who cut their sets with Mega.
https://www.lego.com/en-us/pick-and-build/pick-a-brick
What? Instructions? What are you, some kinda cop?"
If you're really jonesin' for instructions, I can set you up. First one's even free: https://www.lego.com/cdn/product-assets/product.bi.core.pdf/6593419.pdf
Really love this set and want to buy it second-hand on Bricklink
@LegoFan39 said:
"Really love this set and want to buy it second-hand on Bricklink"
If you don't have the points, I would definitely recommend either doing that or buying the pieces (either on Bricklink or PaB) and downloading the instructions.