Review: 30266 Sykor's Ice Cruiser Polybag

This was a "free" giveaway at Toys'R'Us in September of 2014.  I just dug it out of storage so let's give it a whirl.

Bag.  I think the price was $3.99 which is a Price per Piece of $0.16.  Even at
$3.00 -- which is the lowest Bricklink price -- it still has a $0.12 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Minifig.

Parts.  Boat Studs, Bar Plates, Clip Plates, Cheese
Graters, and the Trans-Blue pieces are all nice.

Build.  Yeeeeaaaah, not really.

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).  Not worth it.

Review: 41588 Brick Headz Joker

It's Monday, so let's change it up for the start of a new week.

Box.  MSRP is $9.99 which is a Price per Piece of $0.07.

Instructions.

Parts 1.  Plenty of Slopes, Plates,
and Tiles here, plus a few printed
pieces, and two Clip Plates.

Parts 2.  A lot of those 2x1x1.6
Bricks w/Studs on 1 side, plus
Plates, Slopes,Bricks, Modified
Bricks, Round Bricks, and Tiles.

Build.  I'm thinking 2Ra+d8/1G/1Y/2W.

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+).  With reservations.  There's plenty of SNOT but not a lot of hinges.

Review: 30166 Disney Rapunzel's Market Polybag

This one's been around for a while.  It first became available in 2014 but I never picked one up because the price was never great.  I stopped in at the Lego Store recently and these were in the impulse buy bin by the registers, so I grabbed one for a quick review.

Bag.  I paid $4.99 for this at the Lego Store, for a $0.16 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Minidoll.

Parts.

Build.  A lackluster IO High Value Asset.

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-).  Licensing costs give this a horrible score despite some nice parts.

Review: 30398 Friends Adventure Camp Bridge Polybag

This was released as a "free item" at the Lego Store in January 2016.  I found one recently at my local store in the impulse buy bin by the registers.

Bag.  I paid $3.99 for this at the Lego Store, for a $0.11 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Minidoll.  The Minifig Camera is useful.

Parts.  Bar Plates, Clip Plates,
Slopes, and an Antenna are the
only real standout parts to me.

Build.  A quick 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?  No.  (-5)
Score: -5 (B-).  Another okay score for a Friends polybag.

Review: 30402 Friends Snowboard Tricks Polybag

Another brand new polybag for 2017.

Bag.  I paid $3.97 for this at Walmart, for a $0.15 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Minidoll.

Parts.  Not a lot here.  The New Headlight,
2x4 Tiles, 1x2 Brick w/Pin, 2x2 Axle Plate,
1x2 Tiles, and Cheese Slopes are all cool.

Build.  A throwaway 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?  No.  (-5)
Score: -5 (B-).  Some useful pieces and good color but, that parts count {* ouch *}.

Battle Report: Stone Garden

Another weekend and another game.  We played at Narbey's place this time, and we tried another table setting.

Me (4 Frames & 15 Systems) = (7 Points per Asset) * (6 assets) = 42 points.  (Centurions)
   Purple Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Orange Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Green Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Lime Brawler -- 2Rh+d8/1B/1Gd8/2W.

Narbey (5 Frames & 20 Systems) = (5 Points per Asset) * (6 assets) = 30 points.  (Skitterers)
   White Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.

   Orange Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Red Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W + SSR.
   Yellow Recon by Fire -- 2Ra+d8/2Y/2W.
   Lime Brawler -- 2Rh+d8/2B/1Gd8/2W.

Occam's Spork (6 Frames & 23 Systems) = (3 Points per Asset) * (8 assets) = 24 points.

   Blue/Green Recon by Fire -- 2Ra+d8/2Y/2W.
   Green/ White Medium Tank -- 2Rd+d8/1B/2W.
   Blue/White Brawler -- 2Rh+d8/2B/1Gd8/2W + SSR.
   White Soldier -- 2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W.
   Blue Moving Wall -- 2B/2G+d8/2W + SSR (x2).
   Green -- 2Rh+d8/2Rd+d8/2W.

This is what the table looked like at the start of the game.

Events of Turn 1 (DDC@11): In the opening move of the game, my Lime frame hits Occam's Spork's Blue/Green frame for 2.  It, in return, reaches down the table to hit Narbey's Lime frame for 2.  Occam's Spork's Blue/White frame then hits Narbey's Lime frame for 2 more.  Narbey's Yellow frame then hits Occam's Spork's Blue/Green frame for 1.  Narbey's Red frame hits Occam's Spork's Blue/White for 1.  Occam's Spork's Blue frame launches a SSR at my Lime frame for no effect then moves up to support his Blue/Green frame on his Station..  Occam's Spork's Green/White frame hits my Lime frame for 1.  Occam's Spork's White frame hits my Lime frame for 2.  My Purple frame moves down off the rock formation, attempts an attack on Occam's Spork's Blue/Green frame and misses.  My Green frame hits Occam's Spork's Blue/Green frame for 1.  My Orange frame hits Occam's Spork's Green frame for 2.

Me: 42 points.
 Narbey: 35 Points
Occam's Spork: 24 points.

Events of Turn 2 (DDC@8): My Purple frame attempts another attack on Occam's Spork's Blue/Green frame, fails, then moves back towards my Station.  Occam's Spork's Blue/Green frame attempts an attack on my Lime frame, misses, then retreats to the safety of his other Station.  Occam's Spork's Blue frame launches a SSR at Narbey's Orange frame for no effect.  Narbey's Orange frame hits my Purple frame for 2 then captures my Station.  Narbey's Yellow frame hits my Green frame for 2.  My Green frame attempts an attack on Occam's Spork's Blue frame then moves towards his Station.  Occam's Spork's Blue/White frame hits Narbey's Lime frame for 2, destroying it.  In return, Narbey's Red frame hits Occam's Spork's Blue/White frame for 3.  Occam's Spork's Green frame hits Narbey's white frame for 1.  My Orange frame hits Occam's Spork's Green frame for 1.  Occam's Spork's Green/White frame hits my Lime frame for 2, destroying it.

Narbey: 35 points.
Me: 28 Points.
 Occam's Spork: 24 Points

Events of Turn 3 (DDC@5): Occam's Spork's Blue/White frame launches a SSR at Narbey's White frame for naught.  Narbey's Yellow frame hits my Purple frame for 1.  Narbey's Orange frame hits my Purple frame for 3.  Narbey's Red frame hits my Purple frame for 5, destroying it.  Occam's Spork's Green frame hits Narbey's Yellow frame for 5.  Occam's Spork's Green/White frame moves forward after a failed attack.  Occam's Spork's White frame hits my Green frame for 1.  My Green frame hits Narbey's Orange frame for 1 and moves into cover behind the rock formation.

Narbey: 35 points.
 Occam's Spork: 24 Points
Me: 21 Points.

Events of Turn 4 (DDC@2): Occam's Spork's Green/White frame seizes my other Station and hits Narbey's Red frame for 1.  Narbey's Red frame returns fire and hits Occam's Spork's Green/White frame for 4.  Narbey's Orange frame hits Occam's Spork's Green/White frame for 1 and it does the Station Dance.  Narbey's Orange frame then seizes the Station from Occam's Spork.  Occam's Spork's Blue/White frame hits Narbey's Yellow frame for 1, destroying it.  Occam's Spork's Green frame seizes one of Narbey's Stations.  Occam's Spork's White frame hits Narbey's Red frame for 2.  My Orange frame hits Narbey's White frame for 1 and Occam's Spork's Green frame for 2.  The Doomsday Clock gets counted to zero.

Narbey: 30 points.

 Occam's Spork: 27 Points

Me: 14 Points.

Here's a couple of pictures of some of the aftermath.

Thoughts & Observations:

• We actually put together a storyline for the game by accident.
• Amazingly enough, none of the Terrain got hit.
• With the table being small, there wasn't a lot of movement in this game.

Review: 30473 Juniors Racer Polybag

This polybag was released in 2016.  It apparently didn't create much fanfare because the first time I saw it was in the impulse buy bin at my local Lego Store.

Bag.  I paid $3.49 for this at the Lego Store, for a $0.12 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Minifig.

Parts.

Build.  A quick IO Frigate.

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-).  The limited number of parts kills the score.

Review: 30425 CRU Master's Training Grounds Polybag

This is one of the new Fall polybags.  so new in fact that I basically took it out of the box before it was even on a hangar in the Lego aisle.

Bag.  I paid $3.97 for this at Walmart, for a $0.09 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Minifigs.

Parts. Red 1x1 Round Tiles!  A Gold
Minifig Head!  Oh, the Bar Clips
and Technic Half Pins are nice too.
As are the Red Skeleton Legs.

Build.  I just built a variation of what's in the bag.  It'll make for a decent 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?  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-).  A decent score and some interesting parts.