Review: Turbo Wheels Micro Vehicles Track

Let's finish out the month by looking at using non-Lego pieces for Cover/terrain.  I came across this in a recent Dollar Tree excursion.  I've wanted to build a roadway/overpass as terrain for a MFZ game for a long while so I grabbed this to see what it would look like when put together.

Box.  MSRP is $1.25, for a $0.03 Price per Piece.

"Instructions."

Parts 1.  Overpass Columns, Overpass Sections, Curve

Sections, Straight Sections, Curve Merge Sections, SUV, Street

Sign, Straight Link Section, and Straight Extender Sections.

Build.  I added in my usual suspects.  So this needs to be assembled on a hard

surface for the road sections to clip together correctly.  I feel like the main

issue comes in deciding how many Hits it will take.  Is each section of road

a Piece or is each section of road a Hit?  I'll leave that up to you to decide.

Size Comparison 1.  That SUV looks to be roughly 4P scale.

Size Comparison 2.  A closer look at the height of the overpass section.  The chest of a Classic is 12.5 Plates tall, so the overpass is firmly in "Cover" range.
  

Size Comparison 3.  As you can see, the whole set is a decent size.  I'd say you'd need four of them to fill an entire battlefield with roads though.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Cover/terrain.  (0)
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?  No.  (-5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -5 (B-).  Not a great score.  Still, it's terrain so the object is to look good on the table more than anything else.

Review: Mega Bloks HKT10 Pokemon Rookidee

Let's do another Series 17 Pokeball review.  Once again there's only a listing on the Canadian site.  I'll be honest, I only bought this because it looked like it had some interesting parts.

Box.  MSRP is $8.99 for a $0.41 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Printed Dome, 3/4 Dome, Wings, Double Sided Half Circle Brick

w/Ball Joint Cutout, Tile w/Stud, Plate, Double Slope w/Cutout, Claw

Pieces, Double Sided Bar Studs, Round Plate w/Bar Holder, Apollo Stud,

"Ear" Insert, Double Sided Round Bricks w/Bar Hole, Tail, and Plate.

Build.  It's fairly stable once you adjust the claws to compensate for the tail.

 

Size Comparison.  This one is pretty compact.

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-).  It has some neat bits but, UGH, that Price per Piece.

Review: Mega Bloks HKT14 Pokemon Combee

Let's do a Series 17 Pokeball review.  Once again there's only a listing on the Canadian site.  I'll be honest, I only bought this because it looked like it had some interesting parts.

Box.  MSRP is $8.99 for a $0.26 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Hexagonal Plates, Plate, Double Sided Plate, Printed Small

Domes w/Hole, Small Domes, Printed Small Dome, Round Plates, Double

Sided Half Round Plates, Dome, Jumper, Antenna, Brackets, Apollo Studs,

Transparent Bar, Wings, and Double Sided Round Bricks w/Hole.

Build.  I think it looks neat and it has a few mounting

points for Systems.  It will need a base though.

 

Size Comparison.  As you can see it has some volume.

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-).  I'd get this for the Hexagonal Plates alone.  The antenna are neat also, too bad they're Mega Bloks bar diameter.  I may possibly like the build enough to track down more to put together a squad.

Review: 71778 Nya's Dragon Power Drift

There was some discussion on the MFZ Discord back in May, when these sets were announced, about the new "spinner" and sphere pieces that the Ninjago line was using in some of the new sets.  I saw them on the shelf recently so I figured I'd give them a look.

Box.  MSRP is $10.99, for a $0.19 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Minifig.

Parts 1.  Loose in box.  Spinjitzu Minifigure Stand w/3 Outer

Studs and Ball Holders.  Wow, that needs a better name.

Parts 2.  Octagonal Boulder Bottom, Ninjago Dragon Power Spheres,

Dishes, Boat Sliders, Transparent Plant Stems, Round Large Jumper,

Double Tile Clips w/Stud, Tiles, Plates, Travis Bricks, Inverted Studless 

Slope, Slope w/Cutout, Flame Pieces, Tile Clips, Apollo Studs, Bar

Round Plates,  Transparent Round Tiles, Transparent Apollo Studs, 

Transparent Power Blast Piece, Minifig Claws, and Minifig Crescent Blades.

Build.  Swarmer Frame (2Rh+d8/1B/1Y(Systems in Gold)) and 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+).  I feel like that Minifig Stand has a lot of potential but the base price is a little discouraging.

New MFZ Setting

It's not often we see people sharing their homebrew setting for Mobile Frame Zero, in fact it's something those of us who do moderating on the various MFZ sites have always wanted to see more of from the community in general.  Anyway.

Lord Talmage recently shared their fiction on the world they've put together for their home games.  Give it a read.  Hopefully this inspires other people to share what they've created.

Non-Human 37

It's been a weekend, so here's some neat pictures to look at.

Prospecting Robots by Julius Kanand.  There are so

many little touches here that are possibly useful.

Species 13 Frames by Joe Murphy.  I like the use of Whip Antenna as legs.

Centipede by Caleb Flutur.  This has a really interesting

technique to connect the body sections.

LEGO MOC PZM-9 "Straznik" mk4 by Tomasz_exe.  It's a render

but it doesn't look like it'll be that hard to convert into the brick.

Space Crab by Julius Kanand.  This looks really neat.

Review: 30647 Minecraft Dripstone Cavern Polybag

This is another new for 2023 polybag I found at Target.  

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

Instructions.

Minifigs.  I've used that Creeper body as mecha "hands" before. 

Those Bright Light Orange Plates have printing on the side.

Parts.  Plates, Large Jumpers, Bricks, Technic Bricks w/Pinhole, Tiles, Round Plates,

Travis Brick, 1x1x3 Brick, Technic Axle w/Stop, Technic Bushings, and  Pyramid Tiles.

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+).  I feel like last year's Minecraft polybag was much more interesting.

Review: 30657 McLaren Solus GT Polybag

This is a new for 2023 polybag I found at Target.  Brickset has it as available in March but I'm guessing it fell victim to the usual post-Covid shipping issues.

Bag.  MSRP is $4.99, for a $0.05 Price per Piece.

Instructions & Stickers

Parts 1.  Plates, Cross Plates, Wedge Plate w/Cutout, Wedge Plates,

2x3 Plate w/Cutout, Transparent Plates, Tile, Wedge Studless

Slopes, Studless Slope, Tires, Rims, Axle Plates, and Brackets.

Parts 2.  Inverted Curved Slopes, Studless Slope, Plates, Wedge Studless

Slopes, Transparent Plate, Half Circle Tiles, 2/3 Bricks, Quarter Circle

Tiles, Apollo Studs, Wedge Plate, Triangle Tiles, and Robot/Droid Head.

Build.  IO Frigate (2Ras+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?  Yes.  (+5)
Score: +20 (A+).  This has a bunch of useful parts, makes a cool looking build, and still has plenty of bits left over.

Review: Block Tech US24-2231 Block Bouquet Marigold

After this line sold out the last time 5 Below brought them back recently in different packaging.  I watched them sell out online in a matter of hours but I managed to find some in a local brick and mortar.  So let's jump back in again and hopefully you can find some too.

Box.  MSRP is $3.25, for a $0.03 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts 1.  Octagonal Bar Plates, Plates, Curved Arches w/Cutout,

Curved Bricks w/Cutout, Round Plates, Round Jumper, Tiles, Ball

Joint Plates, Travis Brick, Technic Angled Axle Connector, Technic

Axle Connectors, Technic Axle/Pin Connectors, and Technic Axles.

Parts 2.  Clip Plates (Wow, those clips are thin.), Wedge Studless Slopes,

Inverted Curved Slopes, Studless Slopes, Technic Bushings, Ball Joint

Pins, Technic Axle, Technic Gear, Round Plate, and Flower Round Plate.

Build.  Two 2 Hit pieces of Cover, Station, and Frame.

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'm conflicted about this set.  There's tons of useful parts but trying to actually build a Frame is challenging.  Although that Red Octagonal Bar Plate would be super useful in a different build.

Review: Block Tech US24-2236 Block Bouquet Zinnia

After this line sold out the last time 5 Below brought them back recently in different packaging.  I watched them sell out online in a matter of hours but I managed to find some in a local brick and mortar.  So let's jump back in again and hopefully you can find some too.

Box.  MSRP is $3.25, for a $0.04 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts 1.  Technic Axles, Technic Pin Connector, Clam/Scallop Shells,

Octagonal Bar Plate, Wedges, Technic Steering Wheel, Plates, Studless

Slopes, Ball Joint Plates, Wedge Plates, and Technic Axle Connectors.

Parts 2.  2x1 Clip Plates, Studless Slopes, Thin Inverted Tiles, 1x1

Clip Plates, Wedge Studless Slopes, Plates, Tiles, Technic Axle 

Connectors, Technic Axles, Technic 1L Axle/2L Pin, Technic 2L Axle/

1L Pin, Ball Joint Axles, Apollo Studs, Bar, and Bases and Levers.

Build.  Watchtower frame (2B/1Gd8/2Y/2W) and Frame (2W) or 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've been a fan of Clam/Scallop Shells for a while.  There are some other fun parts in here too.

Review: Block Tech US24-2243 Block Bouquet Lily

After this line sold out the last time, 5 Below brought them back recently in different packaging.  I watched them sell out online in a matter of hours but, I managed to find some in a local brick and mortar.  So, let's jump back in again and hopefully you can find some too.

Box.  MSRP is $3.25, for a $0.05 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts 1.  Balloon Sections and Technic Axles.

Parts 2.  Hinge Plates w/Angled Sides, Hoses w/Tabbed Ends, Octagonal

Bar Plate, Round Plate, Technic Steering Wheel, Technic Axles, Propeller

Blades, Hinge Plates, Ball Joint Plates, Round Plate w/Hole, Round Plate,

 Double Sided Round Plate, Cone, Technic Axle/Pin Connectors, Technic Axle Connectors, Ball Joint Pins, Technic Bent Axle Connector, Technic Bushings, Clip Tiles, Double Sided Round Plates, Apollo Stud, Bar, and Bar Connector.

Build.  Frame (2Rh+d8) & 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+).  While this does have a ton of cool parts, I don't see inexperienced builders having an easy time of it.