LEGO IDEAS Minifigure Vending Machine – Review
Even though we review games first and foremost on 3rd-strike.com, we do feature collectibles from time to time as well. It’s not that long ago since we featured Hasbro Pulse’s Star Wars The Black Series Obi-Wan Kenobi Force FX Elite Lightsaber. While that name is certainly a mouthful, the Obi-Wan Lightsaber is still an amazing addition to our collection. Although we thoroughly enjoy displaying many of our collectibles, we sometimes want to do more than just purchase and display items, as we also love building things. In comes LEGO with its ever-expanding variety of sets, featuring many fun, original builds as well as licensed sets based on iconic IPs. We have a soft spot for the IDEAS line of products, as these feature creations by LEGO enthusiasts whose builds have gotten enough traction to be turned into officially licensed LEGO sets. Today, we’ll be taking a closer look at one of those sets, namely the IDEAS Minifigure Vending Machine.
As stated in the introduction, the IDEAS line of LEGO products always comes from the creative minds of fan designers. People can vote on chosen designs, and with enough votes, these original builds can be fine-tuned and then turned into official LEGO sets. If you have a great idea, without too many ties to a famous IP, then you might be able to see your own set design hit the shelves after some time. In this case, Rob Vangansewinkel is the creative mind behind the LEGO IDEAS Minifigure Vending Machine. His design was further streamlined by Hoang Dang and Chris McVeigh, two senior designers at the LEGO Group. If you wish to read more about Rob’s creative process, be sure to read the interview on the LEGO IDEAS site by clicking here.
In terms of actual building pleasure, it took us somewhere around three and a half hours to finish the set. We aren’t exactly the quickest when it comes to building bigger sets, so depending on your skill level, results may vary. The actual build is fairly easy for the exterior, but a bit more complex for the inner workings. We assumed the inside was a fairly simple system, but we were quite impressed by the complexity and the inventiveness of the set’s creator. There’s nothing more satisfying than zoning out with a nice set and being surprised by the work that went into the design. With 1343 pieces in this set, there is some variety in terms of bricks. The set, however, does have a fairly monotone red exterior, meaning there will also be a lot of similar bricks in the box.
When it comes to the price of this nostalgia-induced machine, it’s arguably a bit on the higher side. We initially shared this sentiment, but upon closer examination and actually building the set, we felt that the price was still within proportion. We realize this isn’t a licensed set like the recent Nintendo sets, but you’re still getting your money’s worth. Outside of the interesting and original concept, you’re getting some new, unique printed pieces and basically an entire minifigure set that’s exclusive to this build. You’ll get a whopping 16 minifigures with the Minifigure Vending Machine, which is every collector’s wet dream. Granted, some of the minifigures are nearly identical, as most of them come in a set of two, albeit with minor differences. We loved the different themes of the characters, giving subtle nods to older franchises befitting of the nostalgia factor of this specific set.
Functionality and practicality are the main keywords for this set. For starters, you don’t have to limit yourself to just the minifigures that come with the set, as this could be a fun set for parents to reward their children with minifigures when performing well in school or just as a treat. Some minifigures may not fit easily, as they come with larger parts that may not fit into the capsules. We’re thinking of the recently released Dungeons & Dragons Minifigures series, for example, which would be trickier to fit in the capsules. As this is a set that friends and family also would love to have a go at to see what they can get out of the Minifigure Vending Machine, we loved the fact that it’s easy to wipe clean. The smooth surface panels make it easy to wipe off fingerprints, dirt, and dust. This is also great for LEGO collectors who might not own display cabinets that protect this item from dust.
Conclusion
While the price may be steep for casual LEGO enthusiasts, it’s still very much worth it when looking at all the individual components. Not only are you getting some unique set pieces, you’ll also get an impressive number of minifigures, several hours of building fun, and a great display and conversational piece with functional parts. We can imagine this set granting a lot of fun to adult builders who can reward their kids with cool minifigures they stow away in the plastic capsules. Perhaps we’re just getting old, but we were rather smitten with the set and have ensured it received its rightful place in our collection.
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