Review: 42640 Guinea Pig Playground
Posted by MeganL,
As we approach the end of the first wave of Friends sets (the second wave coming very soon!), there's another pocket money set, 42640 Guinea Pig Playground.
Every time I think we can't have another cute Friends animal, I'm proven wrong with another one being released. This time, it's the guinea pig, and we get two of them in this small set.
Summary
42640 Guinea Pig Playground, 86 pieces.
£8.99 / $9.99 / €9.99 | 10.5p/11.6c/11.6c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
A fun pocket money set with an unfortunate inaccuracy
- Very cute guinea pigs
- Fun playground
- Guinea pigs can't eat sunflower seeds
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Inside the box there are two unnumbered bags, 8x8 half circle plate, 6x8 plate, a tree trunk piece, and an instruction book. There are no stickers in this set!
Minidolls and animals
There are two minidolls in this set - Matilde, who is wearing the same outfit as she was in 42650 Pet Accessories Shop, and Aliya from the regular crew. Between them they have the two guinea pigs - it's unclear as to whether they're pets or if the girls are petsitting.
Regardless, the two guinea pigs are named Ruby and Lucky, who have lovely printing. Snacks are included for the guinea pigs, but unfortunately, they're sunflower seeds. Guinea pigs have a particular diet, and sunflower seeds should not be included. It's unfortunate that this wasn't caught somewhere in the development process. (Many thanks to the Brickset member who brought this to my attention!)
The completed model
First off, the guinea pigs have their own carousel! It's the perfect size for them, and I'm sure they're having loads of fun spinning around.
All that fun attracts a passer-by, who is determined to ride the carousel whether they're the right size for it or not.
(Note: carousel riding sloth not included in this set.)
The playground has all the activity a cay would need. There are two slides, depending on how brave they feel. A water dispenser is on the top level. A ball of yarn and a little mailbox are on the lower level.
The back of the playground shows that there's even a little area for the guinea pigs to catch a nap in between play sessions.
Overall thoughts
This is a really good pocket money set - two minidolls, two cute guinea pigs, and a very nicely furnished playground with a carousel. It's nice that snacks are included for the Friends (and ostensibly the guinea pigs), but it's unfortunate that it's something that guinea pigs can't eat.
It's a good set for those looking to expand the Friends animals collection.
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9 comments on this article
My younger sister bought this the week it came out. She really likes guinea pigs and has been waiting for them in LEGO form for at least 3 years.
@MeganL Is the carousel really the perfect sive for them? Or could it be the perfect size?
I got this set day one. So great those amazing animals joined Lego family!
Cant wait for recolors!
Ayant eu un grand nombre de cochons d'Inde, je ne trouve pas une grande ressemblance. Un peu déçu sur ce coup.
Guinea pigs need collard greens!
Surely everybody knows that?
The sunflower seeds seem like a massive oversight. Still, it’s not like fiction meaningfully affects reality.
Now, if you don’t mind I’ve got to go feed carrots to my pet rabbit for the next few days.
@Mathieu_Duesy said:
"Ayant eu un grand nombre de cochons d'Inde, je ne trouve pas une grande ressemblance. Un peu déçu sur ce coup. "
Je vois ce que tu dis, mais selon moi ils sont mignons quand même, et ils ressemblent aux miens. Je pense qu'il n'y a pas de différence assez marquée entre cela et un hamster. Néanmoins, je suis plutôt content de la façon dont ils l'ont fait.
I got it right away when it came out. Would have loved if the individual sections of the castle were differently colored and there was a a bit more variety in the shapes instead of everything being based on the same Coral arch...
@Mister_Jonny said:
"The sunflower seeds seem like a massive oversight. Still, it’s not like fiction meaningfully affects reality.
Now, if you don’t mind I’ve got to go feed carrots to my pet rabbit for the next few days."
Maybe the choice of snack provided for the guinea pigs accounts for their sad eyes.
Who's going to be the guinea pig to test the new playground equipment?