Review: Make-It Blocks 344183-4 Building Block Bot Blue Polybag

I found these recently while shopping at Dollar Tree.  They're apparently so new they don't have a page on the website.  I feel like they're going for some sort of a Mixel / Technic crossbreed with these.  I've only found four different sets in this release so far.

Bag.  MSRP is $1.25 for a $0.04 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

 Parts.  Plates, Turntable Base, Technic Bricks, Bricks, Gear, Steering

 Wheel, Technic Connector w/Pinhole, Ball Joint Axles, Axle/Pins, Friction

 Pins, Round Tile, Printed Round Tiles, Headlight Bricks, and Turntable Top.

Build.  Yeah, it's not much (2Rd+d8/1Y).

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-).  There are some good parts but I don't feel like there's a lot of "connective

tissue" there.  Maybe two of them together will yield something more substantial.

Review: 30559 Frozen Elsa & Bruni's Forest Camp Polybag

I found this polybag recently -- along with Monday's review -- while shopping in Target.  

Bag.  MSRP is $4.99, for a $0.09 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Minifig.

Parts.  Plates, 6x5 Leaf, Round Plate, Half Circle Plate, Arch Brick, Tile, Corner

 Bricks, Slopes, Translucent Crystal, Leaves, Round Jumper, Bar, Round Translucent

Tiles, Translucent Apollo Studs, Flames, Gems, Translucent Cheese Slopes,

 Branches, Fire, Round Flower Plate, Translucent Bricks, Brick w/Axle Hole, Round

Brick, Connector w/Axle, Large Cheese Slopes, Translucent Tile, and Tail.

 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?  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+).  This has some interesting parts and colors 

Review: 30443 Spider-Man Bridge Battle Polybag

I found this polybag recently while shopping in Target.  

Bag.  MSRP is $4.99, for a $0.11 Price per Piece.

Instructions & Stickers.

Minifig.

Parts.  Tile, 2x3 Rounded Plate, Minifig Shield, Studless Slopes,

 Studless Slope Wedge, Stud Shooters, Minifig Sci-Fi Pistols, Clip

 Plates, Jumper, Translucent Plates, Rounded Plate, Apollo Studs,

 Translucent Round Tiles, Round Plates, Cheese Slopes, Brackets,

 Minifig Binoculars, Stud Shooter Triggers, and Clip Tiles. 
 

 Build.  I built the drone from the set because it looks like something the Ijad would create.  It needs a flight base but I'd call it 2Rd+d8/2Y.

 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+).  The only thing holding this back is the price.  If this had the old pricing it'd be great.

Review: Linoos LN8044 Peanuts Circus Balloon

After reviewing that first Miniso set, I felt like the bricks were of a decent quality so I went back and bought one of the Peanuts sets that had caught my eye initially.  Except it turns out they're manufactured by a different company, Linoos, and just sold by Miniso.

Box. I paid $10.00 for this which gives a $0.06 Price per Piece.  Originally it was more expensive.

Instructions & Stickers.

 Minifigs.  Well, those are a mess.

Parts 1.  Loose in box.  Printed Tile.

 Parts 2.  Balloon Panels, Translucent Chains (on sprues), and Plate.

Parts 3.  Half Circle Plates, Round Plates, Octagonal Bar Plates, Axles,

3L Axle Connector, Curved Fences, Curved Tiles, Round Bricks,

Pinhole Axle Plates, Bar Plates, Plates, Clip Bar Holders, Studless

Slopes, Inverted Studless Slopes, Half Pins, Stars, Apollo Studs,

Bar Bar Holders, Bars, Clip Bars, Round Brick w/Pinholes.

Parts 4.  Quarter Circle Plates, Plates, Translucent Angled Lift Arms, Inverted

Arch Bricks, Arch Brick, Corner Slopes, Tiles, Bricks w/Axle Holes, Bricks, Large

Cheese Slopes, Hinge Brick Bottom, Hinge Brick Top, Jumper, Round Flower

Plates, Translucent Apollo Studs, Translucent Antenna, Translucent Bars, Grille

Tile, Half Bushings, Axles, Translucent Round Bricks, and Flower Stems.

Build.  Two Frames, a Station, and a 2 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?  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+).  Oh yeah, I'm getting more of these.

Review: 76204 Black Panther Mech Armor

Let's finish reviewing the three new Marvel character mecha for 2022.

Box. I paid $9.99 for this which gives a $0.08 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Minifig.

Parts 1.  Cockpit Shell, Technic Plate, Plates, 1x5 Technic Plates, Translucent 

Minifig Book Cover, Bar Plates, Inverted Studless Slope, Axle Plates, Ball Joint 

Plates, Tile w/Studs, Rounded Plates, Studless Slope w/Cutout, and Clip Claws. 

Parts 2.  Pentagonal Tiles, Plates, Printed Studless Slope, Stadium

Tiles, Corner Tiles, Wedge Studless Slope, Ingots, Ball Joint Plates,

Studless Slopes, Inverted Studless Slopes, Cheese Slopes, Bar Ball

Joints, Clip Plates, Tooth Plates, Brackets, Panel, and Minifig Claws.

Build.  Two Frames (2Rh/2B) 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?  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+).  I struggled a little bit with the build for this set.  Only in the sense that I thought the Frames I made were really cool and I had so many leftover parts I tried making more.

Review: 76203 Iron Man Mech Armor

After a short-ish diversion, let's finish taking a look at the new Marvel character mecha for 2022.  This is the second of the three.

Box. I paid $9.99 for this which gives a $0.08 Price per Piece.

Instructions & Stickers.

Minifig.

Parts 1.  Cockpit Shell, Pearlescent Hexagonal Windshield, Double Inverted 

Slope w/Cutout, Plates, Technic Plates, Inverted Tiles, Studless Slopes, 

Inverted Studless Slopes, Brackets, Tile w/Studs, Bar Plates (open ends), 

Ball Joint Plates, Vertical Clip Plates, Panel, and Stud Shooter. 

Parts 2.  Printed Pentagonal Tile, Brackets, Exo-Force Arms, Corner

Tiles, Transparent Round Plates, Transparent Boat Studs, Round Jumpers,

Transparent Dishes, Wedge Studless Slope, Rounded Plates, Plates, Ingots,

Ball Joint Plates, Bar Plates, Clip Plates, Tiles, Stud Shooter Triggers, Bar

Ball Joints, Slopes w/Cutout, Inverted Studless Slopes, Studless Slopes,

Clip Bar Holders, Large Cheese Slopes, and Transparent Energy Wave.

Build.  Two Frames 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?  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+).  At this point it's almost a cliche, right?  I've managed two Frames and a Station out of all but one of this line of sets.

Review: 76830 Lightyear Zyclops Battle

So generally the "4+" sets are awful in terms of price and not much better when it comes to parts.  This was another chance to get that Printed Boat Stud though.  The main build might even be useful as a starting point for MFZ: Rapid Attack.  Let's see!

Box.  MSRP was $19.99 for a $0.23 Price per Piece.
I picked this up for $13.00 for a $0.15 Price per Piece.

Instructions. 

 Minifigs.  I want to use that

 Minifig Helmet in a build.

Parts 1.  Plates, Tiles, Corrugated 2x2x0.6 Bricks, Slope, Container,  Round Tiles, Bricks, Projectile Launcher Brick, Clip Brick, Panel,  Minifig Wrench, Jumper, Minifig Telescope, Clip Bars, Minifig Radio, and Minifig Sci-Fi Guns.

Parts 2.  Large Figure Legs, Bent 2x6x0.6 Plates, Triple Curved Wedges, Printed

Dome, Studless Wedges, Printed Triple Curve Wedge, Transparent Dish, Plates,

Mudguard Plate, Wedge Plates, Inverted Double Slope w/Cutout, Bricks w/Studs

on Side, Bricks w/Pinhole, Printed Boat Stud, Round Plate, Round Tile w/Hole,

Round Tile, Round Jumper, Curved Slopes w/Studs, Tiles, Clip Plates, Ball

Joint Plates, Brackets, Friction Pins, Minifig Handlebar, and Minifig Torch.

Build.  One Hit piece of Cover, Station, and Frame. The gun could be Direct

Fire or Spotting.  The printed boat stud could be Defense or Spotting.

The head could be Defense or Spotting.  The feet could be Movement.

Size Comparisons. 

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+).  That base price is horrendous, and the Clearance price isn't much better, but it might make for an okay starter set in a pinch.

Review: 30434 Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro Polybag

I found this polybag recently while shopping in Walmart.  It was originally a "Free with Purchase" at the Lego store for June of this year.

Bag.  MSRP is $4.97, for a $0.05 Price per Piece.

Instructions & Stickers.

 Parts 1.  Plates, Tile, Cross Plates, Wedge Plates, Axle Plates,

 Studless Slopes, Apollo Studs, Wedge Studless Slopes, Quarter

 Circle Tiles, Brackets, Rims, Arch Brick w/Jumper, and Tires.

Parts 2.  Oar Head, Bar Stud, Tiles, Studless Slopes, 

Cheese Slopes, Transparent Plates, Plates, and Taps. 

 Build.  Two IO Frigates and a HVA.

 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+).  There's a good cross section of parts in this set.  The Price per Piece is pretty phenomenal too.

Sales Alert

Target is running a "20% off Select Friends, Ninjago and Duplo" sale this week.  At first glance it appears to be online only, so this may require research.

Also, Walmart has been putting random Lego sets on Clearance for the last week or so.  You'll have to check your local to see what's available.

As always, good hunting.

Review: Miniso 1806-6 Construction 8 in 1 Bulldozer

I was planning on reviewing the other Marvel mecha but I stumbled into a new Asian product store called Miniso over the weekend.  I was initially intrigued by Peanuts licensed sets I saw but those will have to wait for another day.  Along with a bunch of junk food, I purchased this set instead.  I figured starting with something small and inexpensive would be better if the set wasn't great.

Box. I paid $2.95 for this which gives a $0.09 Price per Piece.

Instructions & Stickers.

The other side of the instruction booklet.  

Parts.  Brackets, Mudguard Plates, Plates, Tiles, Cone, Axle Plates, Studless

Slopes, Transparent Brick, Bar Plates (open ends), Clip Plates, Bar

Plate (closed ends), Grille Tile, Wheels, Panel, and Bar 1x4x2 w/Studs.

Build.  Battlecart.

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-).  That's not a bad start.  Guess I'll have to go back and get more.  Just for research.  :-)