Review: 30698 Cooper's Flying Controller Mini Build
Posted by CapnRex101,
Cooper pilots two vehicles based on video game controllers this year and 30698 Cooper's Flying Controller Mini Build is the smaller example, as the name suggests. Even so, this model is fairly detailed, given its size.
The minifigure is appealing as well, so this should be a satisfying little set all round.
Summary
30698 Cooper's Flying Controller Mini Build, 53 pieces.
£3.49 / €3.99
Cooper's flyer looks good, but this is not a must-have
- Interesting and well-designed vehicle
- Great minifigure
- Minifigure looks a bit odd on board
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigure
DREAMZzz minifigures are always highly detailed and this version of Cooper is no exception. The dual-moulded hat and hair element looks superb and I love the printed visor, with a scowl shown on the other side. The torso is impressive too; boldly decorated, but still realistic enough for use in the Waking World of DREAMZzz or perhaps LEGO City.
My only disappointment with this minifigure is the lack of accessories, as including Cooper's chainsaw weapon from his other appearances in 2025 would provide another option for play.
Cyber Brain Spiders are the major opposition in DREAMZzz season three and I wish a proper spider was provided here. However, this simplified version is a decent alternative, sharing the bigger spiders' colours and spindly proportions. The only alteration I would make is to replace the red part on top with a magenta or trans-pink one, better matching the other spiders' brains.
The Completed Model
Cooper has already piloted some unusual vehicles, including 71458 Crocodile Car and 71484 Cooper's Robot Dinosaur C-rex, so a flying video game controller should be easy for him! The vessel looks surprisingly aerodynamic, thanks to the use of curved slopes around the front and sides, so its shape mirrors real controllers.
I like the colourful buttons on top as well, especially the D-pad on the left, which comprises four 1x1 rounded tiles arranged cleverly. The trans-blue pieces fixed to the thrusters look perfect too. They are available in several DREAMZzz sets, but this polybag is the smallest and cheapest.
The minifigure looks slightly awkward grasping the handlebars on top. This configuration works, but I think a standing position would look better. Perhaps the controller could have behaved like a flying surfboard, directed by the driver pressing buttons with their feet, similar to dance arcade machines.
Overall
30698 Cooper's Flying Controller Mini Build is certainly my favourite of the three DREAMZzz polybags released so far. An excellent minifigure, a fun vehicle and an enemy to battle are all included, which is exactly what I like to see in polybags for action-based themes.
The only issue is competition from other sets in the theme. 71487 Z-Blob's Robot and Vehicle Adventures and 71488 Bunchu's Creative Animal Adventures are both tremendous small sets and cost only a little more than this recruitment bag. Nonetheless, this is a nice companion for those sets.
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14 comments on this article
I actually really love this one, and ive brought 5 of them all ready. Plenty of red parts from the controller, great number of the black mech fingers and the minifig is great, I love the VR visor and the casual jacket.
Really really nice little poly bag.
The two sets you compared it to cost over double what this costs. Yeah, objectively it's not much, but getting 2 of these and saving a pound isn't nothing.
Really like that head and legs, could definitely use those in other builds.
Very gamer
Much controller
Wow
You know, critiquing corporate generic "gamer" aesthetic aside, the shaping would make a decent starting point for a Sega Genesis / Mega Drive controller, which I assume was the primary inspiration (despite the target demographic of DREAMZzz having no idea what that is), and given that they have the Sonic license and they're still on the trend of brick-built game consoles, I wouldn't be surprised if this polybag was repurposed from a sketch model that didn't get picked up.
Seeing Cooper and Mini in the title had me interested... not for long though!
I really thought this was Sega Sonic theme product. Maybe it should have been.
Very silly but interesting at the same time.
This is a nice little polybag! The build is about average, but Cooper is excellent. I was hoping for Izzy though so I could get her hair and new outfit. Maybe next year...
I'm reminded of Cave Racers, although Cooper has something to lie on, which is more than the pilots of those ever did.
I would have preferred the controller to be some kind of grey, but I can understand why they went with a vibrant colour instead.
Nice little set overall.
polybag or paperbag?
@emef said:
"polybag or paperbag?"
Probably depends on what region of the world you live in.
Nice looking set but if it came with one of the new cyberbrain pieces, it'd be an instabuy. Understandable omission, since the specialized molding is probably too pricey for a polybag.
A game controller that farts?
Yes, world, that's what we need.
Bit of a shame that the cyberspider was smaller instead of the usual set-up. I've got three already from sets 80018, 30636, and 682405 and seems that just adding that properly in its entirety would've given a much better value for money/bang for your buck as a throwback to the polybags of yesteryear.