Feature: LEGO Star Wars Landspeeder Review

Long gone is the time when LEGO was intended for children only, and that is a relief. Being an adult is hard enough, and it's easy to forget that grown-ups also enjoy a little bit of fun. LEGO offers a variety of complicated sets aimed at older children and adults, some are themed towards movies or games, others are more generic or replicas of famous landmarks. 

The LEGO Star Wars Landspeeder set is part of the LEGO Ultimate Collector Series. It allows fans to recreate a model of Luke's Landspeeder, first seen in Star Wars: New Hope. 

With a total of 1890 pieces, this set is extremely detailed and, when finished, measures a whopping 49 centimetres in length. In addition, there is dedicated space for two minifigures of Luke Skywalker with his trusty lightsaber and C-3PO. Designed by set designer César Carvalhosa Soares, it shows how much attention to detail has been put in. 

The sleek black box in which the set comes in is massive. The size is, however, easily explained by the sheer number of bags of pieces within. Indeed, upon emptying the box there were an amazing 11 numbered bags of parts, plus 2 bags of other parts. Unboxing this alone was enough to get the excitement going. 

The instruction booklet is similarly neat looking, with a black design that gives it a more mature aura. It offers more than just instructions. Indeed, there is some background information about the build and photos of the Star Wars movie set which will please the hearts of many fans. As a side note, instructions for different sets can also be found online on the LEGO website if the booklet itself gets lost. This is extremely handy. 

Naturally, the bricks are of top quality. They feel strong and the colours are consistent and very well done. Some bricks require stickers, often a point of contempt for some, whereas others enjoy the challenge of attaching a sticker as neatly as possible. 

As far as instructions go, there is definitely room for improvement. At the very start it isn't too hard to follow, but the bigger the build gets (and it does get very big), the more complicated the instructions are. This is due to the fact that the instructions merely show which parts to use next, but don't point out exactly where to put them. Rather, they are added to the picture of the build. However, especially once the build is relatively big, it can be difficult to see where the pieces have been put. It comes down to comparing the own build to the one in the instructions and playing a game of find-the-difference. Perhaps this also adds to the fun of building, though, so it's up to each individual what they make of this. Regardless, a few arrows pointing to where the tiny corner pieces go couldn't hurt. 

The Landspeeder itself is completed first. As mentioned above, it is extremely detailed. Especially the cockpit and the open parts showing mechanical interior make this build something very special. The Landspeeder is very heavy, once completed, and feels mostly sturdy. Its sturdiness was tested by an expert (the cat) halfway through building, when she decided to knock it off the table, but it held together remarkably well. The only design flaw is one of the engines on the side, which slips off the build a little bit too easy as compared to its counterpart that is safely clicked in. However, that is the only downside and can be ignored, given that this build isn't for playing with, but rather to display. 

Building the stand was a little bit tricky, as pushing some of the parts together required a lot of strength. The Landspeeder rests on top of the stand and can be lifted off easily to have a closer look at. Overall, the stand feels surprisingly sturdy for carrying such a heavy build. It comes with a nice big sign showing the details of the machine, and there are dedicated spaces for the figures of Luke and C-3PO, making it ideal for display. 

Building this set takes a lot of time, which is very much appreciated as the fun lasts longer. Once built, it feels incredible satisfying to display and show off. 

9/10

Exceptional - Gold Award

Apart from minimal design flaws and, at times, difficult instructions, the LEGO Star Wars Landspeeder is an incredible set for more mature fans of the series. It allows for a long building time (which really is the main aspect of LEGO), and the finish looks and feels superb. The details and colours are amazing. This set comes highly recommended for fans of the Star Wars series.