Reviews posted by mngoult | Brickset: LEGO set guide and database

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4

4709
Hogwarts Castle

Good effort from Lego all round

Posted by mngoult in United Kingdom on 03 November 2009

I picked up this set with box and instructions for £25 on ebay and the first thing that struck me was the number of interesting pieces inlcuded with this set.

Its a fairly simple build that creates two main sections and a weird little tunnel piece. The main hall is nicely detailed and constructed, it could do with being wider as it gets very unsteady, especially when sitting on 4730.

This is the appeal of the set for me its goes well with the chamber of secrets to create a massive multi-layered castle. 8 minifgs seems fair but i would've preferred mcgonical (not sure of spelling ) rather than another snape.

It features lots of moving pieces, hidden treasure chests and interesting nooks and crannies. The loft on top of the main hall is a little squashed in and the paper roof on top really lets the overall look down.

In fact the only real let down with this set is the roof sections, there either pre-fabricated green sections or made of paper/card. A similare roof as seen on the black falcons fortress would have given this set an extra star.

As it stands its a solid four, a good effort for the first large HP set released but definete room for improvement. The benchmarks for all my reviews is how long my two year can play with the set before getting bored, i take off all the small bits and supervise carefully but even at two he appreciates the hidden sections and different levels.

Pros
-Lots of moving sections allowing good playability
-8 minifigs including dumbledore and Hagrid
-Seperate sections allow for expansion and making different combinations
-Lovely looking set with realistic castle colours

Cons
-Considering how tall it is, its very narrow
-Poor effort made for the roof sections
-Stair case moves to much (yes i know its supposed to according to the films but still it is not solid enough for me)

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0.3

5

6286: Skull's Eye Schooner
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6286
Skull's Eye Schooner

Impossible not to compare with the bsb

Posted by mngoult in United Kingdom on 02 November 2009

Now I own the bsb and the ses i finally feel able to post a review.

This set was recently dragged from under my bed at my parents house which due the unfortunate position of a window and careless nature of cats came out alittle worse for wear.

It has now been rebuilt (and all the white parts replaced) and takes pride of place within all my lego sets. Firstly is massive, really big, contains nine minifigs and loads of pirate themed weapons.

The trimming on the ship is excellent and really makes it stand out, I like the black and white sails and even quite like the skull and crossbones design on the larger sail at the back.

The colours flow nicely from the brown hull of the ship, red to grey to black and finally white. Theres plenty of storage at the front although it seems with pirate ships never enough detail goes into the front section (cover it with a lid and don't ask questions).

The captains cabin is nice although interupted by a clumsy steering mechanism, and gives good access with two hinged walls and a removable roof.

Four cannons available on one side make it the meanest ship out there (until 10210 anyway), i would like more detail and completion of the floor of this ship, something like the bsb has would have made this set almost perfect.

If we are going to compare it with the bsb, it is better (IMHO) in the following regards.

Working winch, extra mast at the back, cool storage for the little boat, working (albeit badly) rudder and the extra minifig.

The bsb is the more asthetically pleasing boat and I think overall the better but this is about the ses. Its an easy five star set for me, the few cons i've found can't out way the hundres of positive things about this set.

Pros
-Massive ship, loads of pirate weapons and minifigs
-Very striking model when built
-Four working cannons and enougth ammo to take out 6276 and 6274
-Brilliant storage for the little boat
-The view from the back is stunning with arches and mix of colours

Cons
-White doors (into cabin) look wrong on a pirate set
-No detail on floor of boat (its just cannons down there)
-I know its picky but why green flags?

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0.3

4

4733: The Dueling Club
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4733
The Dueling Club

Not bad for Harry Potter

Posted by mngoult in United Kingdom on 02 November 2009

First things first, I'm not a massive fan of the Harry Potter theme. There are too many missing walls and cobwebs in most of the sets for my liking.

This set is now one of only three HP sets I still have due to high levels of playability and the fact it fits togther nicely with 4709 and 4730.

The dueling platform is a nice idea if not executed perfectly, the main chamber looks nice and is fairly solid. The four minifgs is a massive bonus for a set this small and for once are all relevent to the set.

The throne is nice although not sure how it fits in with the book or the film, overall a very solid 4 with the following pros and cons.

Pros
-Four minifigs
-A decent idea with the dueling platform
-Lots of spare wands

Cons
-Missing walls (get used to it in HP sets)
-The weird bit at the top where the owl sits looks out of place

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