Review: 40464 Lego Xtra Chinatown Polybag

It's been a while since I reviewed Lego Xtra polybags so let's take a look at this one.  

Bag.  MSRP was $3.99 for a $0.11 Price per Piece.

I paid $3.19, for a $0.09 Price per Piece.

No Instructions.

Parts.  Crate, Round Plates, Minifig Paint Roller, Lattice Fences, Technic

Pin Connector, Technic Half Pins, Minifig Pumpkin, Truncated Cone,

Dishes, Lightsaber Hilts, 6L Bar w/Stop, Tassel, Round Bricks w/Leaves,

Minifig Lantern, Round Jumper, Minifig Tea Pot, Minifig Tea Cups,

Tile Clip, Travis Brick, Transparent Round Brick, and Pyramid Tiles.

Build.  Three Stations and a 1 Hit piece of Cover.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Above.  (-10)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -5 (B-).  While it has some neat parts, the quantities are lacking.

Review: 854065 Xtra Water Tape

I've had this sitting around for a while.  I only broke it open as I was looting it for one particular piece -- I have sung that song in the past.  :-)  

Roll.  I paid $8.99 for a $0.39 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Patterned Tape, Minifig Bucket, Log Bricks, Minifig Tool Box,

Flag, Round Plates, Bracket, Bar w/Stop, Paddle, Minifig Coffee Cup

(This would be great as a SSR or part of a missile box.) Frog, Fish,

Crab, Plant, Minifig Net, Plates, minifig Bucket Handle, and Flower Plate.

Build.  1 Hit piece of Cover.

The Questions:
Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  No.  (-5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Above.  (-10)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -15 (C).  This isn't really a fair review as I didn't get into the possible utility of the actual tape itself.  And I probably won't use it until I have some idea on how to implement it without wasting it as this is a discontinued item.  Hopefully some time in the future I'll be able to tell you it was worth it in the end.

Review: 853841 Xtra Sea Playmat

After Roadway Rumble first saw use, I started looking at the last of the Playmat sets.  I saw that like the others they had four different facings.  I managed to map out a 3x4 grid that was mostly water, as I'd been wanting to revisit that environment since the Bunker Battle back in 2015.  We had discovered in that game that an Environmental factor had to take up the majority of the playing surface otherwise it was easily avoidable and doesn't have much effect.  As these are being phased out and marked down, I grabbed six to implement a table-setting at some point in the future.

Box.  MSRP is $7.99 for a $0.73 Price per Piece.  Markdown PpP is $0.58.

Parts.  Bricks, Plates, Minifig Crab.

Side 1.

Side 2.

Side 3.

Side 4.  The only problem I have is the sand on this side

is slightly different in color to the sand on Side 2.

Size Comparison.  The standard Chub and Classic for reference.

Here's a test run to show you what

an almost complete grid looks like,

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  No.  (-5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Above.  (-10)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -15 (C).  It basically fails the normal review questions.  But that's not the reason to buy these.  One thing I will say about these is that they are half the price of regular Baseplates.

Review: 40375 Xtra Sports Accessories Polybag

Continuing on with recent Lego Xtra polybag purchases.  This one is more minifig oriented than Monday's review.

Bag.  I paid $3.99, for a $0.11 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Plates, Printed Tile, Tiles, Clip Plates, Bar Plates, Slopes, Log
Bricks, Arch Bricks, Minifig Hockey Sticks, Bow & Arrow, Skis,
Helmets, Trophy, Rollerskates, Ski Poles, Skates, and Round Tiles.

Build.  Three pieces of 1 Hit Cover.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Above.  (-10)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -5 (B-).  Some good parts, but I don't feel like it's as immediately useful as the Botanical Accessory pack.

Review: 40376 Botanical Accesories 2 Polybag

A year and a half ago the Lego Xtra polybags were released.  There was an article that came out before they were released about botanical pieces being made from sustainable products.  I haven't heard anything about that decision being reversed, so I wonder if these parts are made that way.

Bag.  I paid $3.99, for a $0.12 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Quarter Circle Plate, Fences, Large Jumper, Small Trees,
Branches, Arch Brick, Grass Stems, Leaves, Round Brick, Plate,
Flower Stems, Round Bricks w/Leaves, and  Flowers.

Build.  I'd consider the Trees 1 Hit cover along with the piece in the middle.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Above.  (-10)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -5 (B-).  Not bad if you're in a hurry and need some terrain.

Review: 853842 Xtra City Park Playmat

Like Monday's, this review is going to be a little different.  Before my group's last game I picked up some of these new Xtra sets to fill out the number of road pieces in my collection.  Over the last couple of years I've been exploring different methods of representing new environments in this game we all love so much. Back in the day I wrote about wanting my gaming table to look awesome, this is just a continuation of that quest.

Box.  MSRP is $7.99 for a $0.73 Price per Piece.

Parts.  Bricks, Plates, Minifig Snake.

Side 1.

Side 2.

Side 3.

Side 4.

Size Comparison.  The standard Chub and Classic for reference.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  No.  (-5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Above.  (-10)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -15 (C).  It basically fails the normal review questions.  But that's not the reason to buy these.  One thing I will say about these is that they are half the price of regular Baseplates.

Review: 853840 Xtra City Road Playmat

This review is going to be a little different.  Before my group's last game I picked up some of these new Xtra sets to fill out the number of road pieces in my collection.  Over the last couple of years I've been exploring different methods of representing new environments in this game we all love so much. Back in the day I wrote about wanting my gaming table to look awesome, this is just a continuation of that quest.

Box.  MSRP is $7.99 for a $0.73 Price per Piece.

Parts.  Bricks, Plates, Minifig Shovel.

Side 1.

Side 2.

Side 3.

Side 4.

Size Comparison.  The standard Chub and Classic for reference.

Build.  One of the things I noticed about these boards is that they can be connected underneath where it cannot be seen.  A Plate and a Tile lies flush with the top of the board.  You can see this in the lower right corner.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  No.  (-5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Above.  (-10)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -15 (C).  It basically fails the normal review questions.  But that's not the reason to buy these.  One thing I will say about these is that they are half the price of regular Baseplates.

Review: 40311 Lego Xtra Traffic Lights Polybag

A few weeks ago Lego Xtra polybags debuted in Lego stores in Europe.  Looks like they've finally made it to the United States.

Bag.  I paid $3.99, for a $0.09 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Plenty of New Headlight Bricks.  I
think those Bar w/2x2 Base are new.  Tons
of 1x1 Round Plates.  The Minifig Bottle
could be handy.  Tile Clips, Tooth Plates,
Dish, and new Leaves should be useful too.

Build.  The proverbial Glass Cannon frame, 2Rd.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (+5)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: +10 (A-).  Seems like a fitting score for a parts pack.

Review: 40312 Lego Xtra Streetlamps Polybag

A few weeks ago Lego Xtra polybags debuted in Lego stores in Europe.  Looks like they've finally made it to the United States.

Bag.  I paid $3.99, for a $0.12 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Lampposts, a Lime Green
Minifig Camera, a new Minifig
Lantern, and a new printed
cellphone Tile.  Not to mention
the Translucent Minifig Heads.

Build.  Three pieces of 1 Hit cover.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Above.  (-10)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -5 (B-).  /There are some interesting and useful pieces in this set.