LEGO is expanding their Friend’s scale lines with the addition of the Disney Princesses we reported earlier this year. They’ve started popping up in stores, so keep an eye out. We’ll be sure to let you know when they are available online, too.
First up is Merida’s Highland Games. The set retails for $19.99, and comes with 145 pieces. The set features Merida’s home (I think) along with a tree, a little water fall, and a catapult of all things.
The Build
Overall, I can’t say I’m terribly impressed with this set. There were two numbered bags and two small instruction booklets. I am awfully confused as to the purpose of the catapult or why we’re flinging the enchanted cookies about.
The waterfall and tree aren’t terribly impressive, but they at least make sense.
As far as the castle is concerned, I just can’t get behind lavender and tan as a color combination and it detracts for me. The build itself is fairly simplistic.
Also, the only printed things are the cookies, the bears, and Merida herself. Everything else is stickers.
The Parts
I think overall this set has a few good things going for it. Merida herself is pretty fantastic. The bears are simply adorable, and everyone needs little printed cookie tiles.
The extra pieces aren’t terribly exciting save for an extra cookie.
Ultimately, I’d recommend the set if you have someone in your life who is a huge Merida fan, as this is currently the only set she comes in. She and the bears are the only real stand-out parts to this particular set. If you can live without her and the bears, then I’d say you’re safe passing this set.
The set is called the Highland Games. The Catapult represents some aspect of that most likely since Scots have several variations of head to head skill demonstration during such events (though catapulting is not one I am familiar with). And doesn’t everyone want a lavender door?
It’s an old game: take a ball, put it in a catapult, catapult launches it, and you hit it with an arrow. If you do hit it, next “level” is two balls – and you keep on doing it as long as you can shoot down all the balls with arrows – game of skill and steady arm ;)
Hmmm. A nice set, with some nice parts. The high cost-per-piece figure is to be expected being both Friends and Disney Princesses. While the reviewer does comment on use of stickers rather than printed part, the reviewer has chosen not to apply the stickers (a reasonable choice, and one that I generally make myself), however, looking at the pictures of the set with stickers applied on another site, I think they make a huge difference.
Maybe not a geat set, but I’m not sure is was a great review, either.
@Buffalorand, Angeli: Thanks. That helps a tiny bit;
@Mnomonyx: You’re right, I didn’t sticker. My biggest issues with the set wouldn’t have been solved by stickers: they don’t make the catapult any better nor do they change the colors of the castle. I didn’t care for the design of the tree, and the waterfall feels unfinished somehow. Just little things I think could have made the set better overall, so this one just doesn’t hold value for me.
Overall I’m not very impressed. For a licensed product the princess sets look very brickshy and underdecorated. Compare this to one of the $20 super hero sets and it doesn’t look like much. I was thinking of buying a few for parts if the price-point was better but I’m less than inspired. If other consumers see it my way perhaps I’ll find my price-point in a clearance bin.