Category: Lego Space

Lego Death Star – Review (Set 10188)

Lego Death Star BoxThe Lego Death Star is the biggest Star Wars Lego set ever released.

At 3803 pieces including 24 minifigures (some of them exclusive) this is a set that both adult and kids love – but be prepared to set aside some serious time for building.

Released originally four years ago in 2008 it is due to be retired soon,  so now is the time to buy this Ultimate Collector’s Edition -before the price skyrockets on the secondary market.

If you think $399 is too much to pay, compare it to the UCS Millenium Falcon which now commands $1500 on ebay!

Lego Death Star

Lego Death Star Details

Lego Set Number: 10188
Pieces: 3803
Minifigures: 24 minifigures: Luke Skywalker (Stormtrooper outfit), Han Solo (Stormtrooper outfit), Assassin Droid, Interrogation Droid, Death Star Droid, 2 Death Star Troopers, Luke Skywalker (Tatooine), Han Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi, C-3PO, R2-D2, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight), Darth Vader, Grand Moff Tarkin, Emperor Palpatine, 2 Stormtroopers, 2 Emperor’s Royal Guards, R2-Q5, and mouse droid!
Price: US $399.99 / £ 274.99
Ages: 12+
Released: 2008
Theme: Star Wars
Best Prices: We recommend Amazon or Amazon UK who offer FREE Shipping on this heavy set.

Lego Death Star – A Little Background

Death Star

“That’s no Moon. That’s A Space Station” – Obi Wan Kenobi (A New Hope)

The Death Star is featured in two Star Wars films, A New Hope and Return of The Jedi. You might say it is the Empire’s ultimate weapon and one that they use to not only destroy planets but also keep the galaxy living in fear.

On both occasions the Empire built a Death Star it was destroyed by the Rebel Alliance but before they were blown to dust the space stations they were also the scene for awesome adventures and close escapes, particularly  by Luke Skywalker.

Lego Death Star – A Closer Look 

The Lego Death Star set depicts a number of the most important scenes in A New Hope and Return of the Jedi.

Areas and Play features (complete with quotes!):

  • Death Star control room (Where is the secret rebel base? I grow tired of waiting.”)
  • Hangar bay with TIE Advanced starfighter (“You two come with me”)
  • Tractor beam controls (“Did you hear something?” “Probably just a drill.”)
  • Emperors throne room (“And now. My young fool. You will die.”)
  • Detention block (“Aren’t you a little short for a stormtrooper?”)
  • Imperial conference chamber (“This station is now the ultimate power in the universe…I suggest we use it.”)
  • Swing across the chasm with Luke and Leia (A kiss for luck)
  • Face danger in the crushing trash compactor (“I just felt something move past my leg.”)
  • Duel with Darth Vader for the fate of the galaxy (“So you have a twin sister. Now your feelings have betrayed her too.”)

Lego Death Star Set Sideview

Moving Parts

  • Tie fighter moves in the hangar,
  • Firing laser cannon
  • The trash compactor compacts
  • The lift through the center moves up and down
  • Freight elevator moves in the hangar
  • Doors open and close (“Open the blast doors, open the blast doors!”)
  • Sooooo many more details.

Each of the environments has a great deal of details fans will notice, things like the parallax effect in the detention block, the screens in the Death Star control room, the chasm in the throne room, etc.

The model is viewable from 360 degrees, so you can play or display at all angles.

Minifigures

In a unique move for a Lego set, with the Lego Death Star, you get more than one of some of the characters. This is because the set depicts scenes from two separate movies. So while you have Luke and Han wearing stormtrooper uniforms in the trash compactor, the set also comes with Luke dressed as a Jedi Knight so he can confront the Emperor two movie later.

Some of the minifigures are exclusive but the main incentive for this set is the sheer number of figures and the fact that they make the set instantly playable and also a wonderful display piece.

Lego Death Star Minifigures

Lego Death Star – What Others Are Saying

  • “Santa gave the Death Star to our son (who is 6 and 1/2) for Christmas…we knew it was going to be incredible, but wasn’t sure if it would be way too difficult to construct. Anyway, it is awesome and my son and husband and I are all enjoying working on it. The instructions are excellent and my son’s attention to detail has improved alot. No question a great product!”
  • “I have heard rumors that this set, current reigning champion for the largest most expensive set that has not been retired, is due to retire soon. So, if you don’t want to pay $1000 or more, now is probably the time to buy.”
  • “$400.00 is well worth it when you consider the quality you get with Lego. I used to complain of the expense until I worked with other cheaper construction blocks. Now I’ll never go back. Don’t forget these are also durable. My 10 year old still plays with Lego’s I had 30 years ago.

Lego Death Star BoxLego Death Star: Review

The Lego Death Star is an expensive set, there is no doubt about that. But it is a unique collector’s item that Lego put alot of time and effort into designing and they did an awesome job-it’s almost the “perfect” Lego set.

We think it is worth the money if you can afford it and the current retail price will seem like a bargain in a year or so when it is peaking on the secondary market. Let’s Break it Down.

Lego Death Star Ratings

Value For Money:  Expensive, but worth the price overall for such a big set –  4/5
Play Experience Straight Out of the Box: Lots of minifigs and play features – 5/5
Variety of Pieces and Minifigures: Lots of minifigs and pieces – 5/5
Overall Play Value for Kids:  Kids and Adults love this – 5/5

The Brick Life Rating: 5/5

Lego Review Ratings 5/5

A Highly Recommended Lego Set

Lego Death Star Gallery

Where To Purchase the Lego Death Star

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Lego Death Star Video

Lego Figures To Fly To Jupiter On Juno

NASA Juno LogoLego and NASA are continuing their partnership of geek-inspired-awesomeness (GIA) with tomorrow’s (August 5th 2011) launch of the Juno spacecraft.

After the excitement and a little sadness (if you are a fellow-geek) of the last Space Shuttle Mission, NASA is moving on to unmanned projects like sending a spacecraft to orbit Jupiter, the focus of this latest launch.

As Lego had partnered with NASA to send some of their beautiful bricks on Space Shuttle missions it made sense that they would also make a contribution to the exploration of our larger galaxy as well.

Three minifigures were constructed especially for the journey, and reflect the Roman-God theme of the mission – Jupiter (the planet), Juno (the spacecraft) and Atlas (Atlas V-The very big rocket that will get Juno off Earth) are all named after Roman gods.

The three figures are Galileo Galilei (the grand-daddy of astronomy and not a Roman God but certainly could be considered a god-like Italian :0) ), the Roman god Jupiter and his wife Juno. As yet we have no word as to whether the figures will make their way into sets (or collectible minifigures).

You can watch the launch of Juno and his fellow figures live on NASA TV.

Here is the Official Press Release:

Lego Juno FiguresJuno Spacecraft to Carry Three Figurines to Jupiter Orbit 08.03.11

Three LEGO figurines representing the Roman god Jupiter, his wife Juno and Galileo Galilei are shown here aboard the Juno spacecraft.

PASADENA, Calif. – NASA’s Jupiter-bound Juno spacecraft will carry the 1.5-inch likeness of Galileo Galilei, the Roman god Jupiter and his wife Juno to Jupiter when the spacecraft launches this Friday, Aug. 5.

The inclusion of the three mini-statues, or figurines, is part of a joint outreach and educational program developed as part of the partnership between NASA and the LEGO Group to inspire children to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

In Greek and Roman mythology, Jupiter drew a veil of clouds around himself to hide his mischief. From Mount Olympus, Juno was able to peer through the clouds and reveal Jupiter’s true nature. Juno holds a magnifying glass to signify her search for the truth, while her husband holds a lightning bolt. The third LEGO crew member is Galileo Galilei, who made several important discoveries about Jupiter, including the four largest satellites of Jupiter (named the Galilean moons in his honor). Of course, the miniature Galileo has his telescope with him on the journey.

Lego Juno Figures In The SpacecraftThe launch period for Juno opens Aug. 5 and extends through Aug. 26. For an Aug. 5 liftoff, the launch window opens at 8:34 a.m. PDT (11:34 a.m. EDT) and remains open through 9:43 a.m. PDT (12:43 p.m. EDT). The spacecraft is expected to arrive at Jupiter in 2016. The mission will investigate the gas giant’s origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere. Juno’s color camera will provide close-up images of Jupiter, including the first detailed glimpse of the planet’s poles.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. The Juno mission is part of the New Frontiers Program managed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the spacecraft. Launch management for the mission is the responsibility of NASA’s Launch Services Program at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Juno Gallery

Atlas V RocketLego And NASA – More Information

DC Agle 818-393-9011
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
agle@jpl.nasa.gov

Dwayne Brown 202-358-1726
NASA Headquarters, Washington
Dwayne.c.brown@nasa.gov

Andrew Arnold + 45 23 24 1770
LEGO Group, Copenhagen, Denmark
Andrew.Arnold@LEGO.com

More information about Juno is available at: http://www.nasa.gov/juno and http://missionjuno.swri.edu .

You can follow the mission on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nasajuno.

NASA and Lego have some great resources for parents and kids as well as educators.

Kids can join the NASA Kids Club to learn more about the organisation, space flight and space in general.

Lego has a dedicated Lego Space page that has a whole heap of educational activities and downloads as well as more information on their partnership with NASA and the latest Lego space sets.

All images courtesy and copyright NASA.