Review: 30697 Friends Nova's Doghouse Build Polybag

Another new for 2025 polybag.  The availability might be a little wider than Wednesday's review as I found this one at Wegman's.  Friends sets are usually interesting so let's take a look.

Bag.  MSRP is $4.99 at Wegman's for a $0.10 Price per Piece.  

Instructions.

Minidoll.

Doggo.

Parts.  Plates, Arches, Double Large Jumpers, Panels,

Tiles, Slopes, Clip Plate, Printed Tile, Bricks w/Clip,

Bricks w/Studs on Side, Round Bricks, Large Cheese

Slopes, Rounded Plates, Minifig Paint Roller, Small

Bones, Translucent Round Tile, Printed Round Tiles,

Minifig Yarn Ball, Minidoll Sunglasses, Minifig

Hammer, and Round Plates w/3 Leaves.

Build.  Two 1 Hit pieces of Cover, and a Station.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  At.  (0)  (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?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: +15 (A).  I like the colors, I like the parts -- The Minifig Paint Roller is always useful -- I just wish there was a little more to this set.

Review: 30703 Animal Crossing Julian's Beach Painting Polybag

Another new for 2025 polybag but it doesn't seem to be widely available.  Last year's Animal Crossing polybag at least had some interesting pieces so I decided to give this one a try as well.

Bag.  I paid $5.99 at Playnow for a $0.14 Price per Piece.  MSRP is $4.99 for a $0.12 Price per Piece. 

Instructions.

Minifig.  

Parts. Plates w/Rounded Corners & Feet, Plates, Wedge Plates, Round

 Plates w/Flower Edge, Printed Round Tiles, Brick, Studless Slope,

 Round Plates w/3 Leaves, Round Tiles, Minifig Paint Palette, Quarter

 Circle Tiles, Round Bricks, Bar Plates, and Minifig Paint Brushes.

Build.  A 1 Hit piece of Cover and a 2 Hit piece of Cover.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (0)  Cover.
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?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: 0 (B).  Again, parts count problems.  One, more piece would have shaved a penny off the PpP.  Five more pieces would have brought it down by two cents and changed the score.

Review: 30690 Easter Egg Chick Painting Fun Polybag

This can be found in the Seasonal section of both Target and Walmart.  It's also a "Gift with Purchase" at Barnes & Noble, it may be online only though.

Bag.  MSRP is $4.99 at Target for a $0.08 Price per Piece.  

Instructions.

Parts.  Curved Corner Slopes, Plates, Round Plates, Brick, Plate w/Bar on Bottom, 

Studless Slopes, Inverted Round Tile, Tile, Antenna, Brackets, Bricks w/Studs

on Sides, Jumper, Printed Round Tiles, Clip Tile, Apollo Studs, Barbs, Round Tiles,

Stadium Tiles, Quarter Circle Tiles, Curved Slopes, and Vertical Clip Plates.

Build.  Frame [2Rd (gun) 2Rh (claw) 1B(back armor) 1G(big feet)]

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?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: +20 (A+).  It's a nice set -- I really need more of that Plate w/Bar on Bottom -- but I feel like it'd be a great candidate for the Double Set Challenge.

Review: 30695 Cinderella's Mini Garden Castle Polybag

This and another polybag were part of a "Free with Purchase" offer at the Lego store in February.

Bag.  MSRP is $4.99 for a $0.10 Price per Piece.  

Instructions.

Minifig.

Parts.  Plates, Half Circle Plate, Half Oval Plate, Slopes,

Round Plates, Round Large Jumper, Tooth Gear

Plates, Fence, Bricks, Arch, Tiles, Rounded Top

Window, Brick Bricks, Turntable Bases, Cheese

Slopes, Round Plates w/Flower Edge, Translucent

Octagonal Jewels, Flag, Minifig Head, Jumper, Round

Plate w/3 Leaves, and Minifig Watering Can.

Build.  Gateway Station and 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?  At.  (0)  (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?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: +15 (A).  Not bad but not great.  Not being sure what the availability is besides being a GwP doesn't help how I feel about it.

Review: 30696 Friends Autumn's Waffle Stand Polybag

This and another polybag were part of a "Free with Purchase" offer at the Lego store in February.  I've seen it in other retail stores since then.

Bag.  MSRP is $4.99 at Playnow for a $0.14 Price per Piece.  

Instructions.

Minidoll.

Kitty!  Apparently the Toque (Chef's Hat) will fit on a hollow Stud.

Parts.  Plates, Arches, Half Oval Plate, Bricks w/Studs

on Side, Tiles w/Studs, Bar Plates, Clip Plates, Tile,

Half Circle Tiles, Printed Round Tiles, Minifig Tea

Saucers, Technic Ball, Round Plates w/3 Leaves,

Large Jumper, Flowers w/ Bar & Small Pinhole,

Dome Bottom, and Plate w/Bar on Bottom.

Build.  Station.

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?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: +5 (B+).  There are some interesting pieces in this set but that PpP definitely kills it for me.

Review: 30705 Minecraft Lush Cave Fight Polybag

I found this in the Lego section at Barnes & Noble as opposed to the checkout aisle where they're usually kept.

Bag.  MSRP is $4.99 for a $0.13 Price per Piece.  

Instructions.

Minifig.

Same figures as the Skeleton Defense polybag, just one weapon change.

Parts.  Plates, Bricks, Large Jumpers, Angular Leaves, Bar Plate, Jumper,

Brick w/Studs on Side, Round Plates, Round Plates w/Flower Edge,

Stadium Tiles, Round Tiles, Inkwells, Travis Brick, and Clip Bar Holder.

Build.  Station and 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?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: +5 (B+).  Ugh, that parts count.  One, ONE, more piece would have shaved a penny off the PpP.  Four more pieces would have brought it down by two cents.  I still feel like the Turtle Beach polybag was the high point for Minecraft polybags in recent years.

Review: Gundam Converge RGC-80 GM Cannon [Red Head] {Immortal 4th Platoon} (302)

After a week of Zeon Gundam Converge reviews I feel the need to tilt things back the other way.  According to Gundanium Gateway, these were released in November of 2024.

Box.  I paid $11.99 at Newbury Comics for this.

Parts.

Disassembled.  The head could be Defense or Spotting, The backpack

could be Defense or Movement.  The shield could be Defense.  The gun

could  be Melee, Direct Fire, or Spotting.  The cannon could be Direct Fire, 

Artillery, or Spotting.  The arms could be removed for White Die damage.

Assembled.

I managed to get the antenna in correctly this time.

Size Comparison.

The Questions:

Is it below, at, or above $10 per Frame?  Above.  (-10)

Is it a good size to use in a game?  Yes.  About the size of a Classic.  (+5)

How many parts does it have to represent systems?  Two.  (0)

Does it have enough parts you can remove to represent White Dice damage?  Yes.  (+5)

Score: 0 (B). This has the same advantages as Wednesday's review along with being a recolored design which allows you to field two duplicate GC figures on the table at the same time.