Star Wars is the core of our site, so it’s only fitting that we focus on a lot of the sets. Most of these have been revealed (the 20th Anniversary) or released (AT-AP, Microfighters)… but there were some new reveals like the Action Battle line that’s coming soon. Most of these were dated for an April release.
75243 Slave I – 20th Anniversary Edition ($119.99)
The 20th Anniversary sets had already been revealed, but we have a lot more up-close detailed shots. I mean, it looks fantastic, but is Slave I really the iconic set you want to celebrate this anniversary with? Not a TIE fighter, not an X-Wing, not the Falcon?
Okay then…
  
 
75258 Anakin’s Podracer – 20th Anniversary Edition ($29.99)
Celebrate an actual 20th anniversary set by purchasing a remake of the set for only 100% more than the original one!
 
75262 Imperial Dropship – 20th Anniversary Edition ($19.99)
Does it count as an anniversary set if you’re remaking a set from 11 years ago? I mean, don’t get me wrong… the two packs from 2008 (this one and the Rebel trooper one) are probably the best pair they ever made, but I would have much rather seen remakes all be from the original line. Personally, I would have rather seen the trooper remake, but this one is also good.
75261 Clone Scout Walker – 20th Anniversary Edition ($29.99)
This remains to be the weirdest of the anniversary sets, because it’s more of an amalgamation than it is inspired from another set (the walker was from 2005, and was a $9.99 set back then… I owned several of them for the unique clone trooper that it came with). Only a 200% markup over that one, with what seems to be very little extra value…
 
75259 Snowspeeder – 20th Anniversary Edition ($39.99)
It wouldn’t be a calendar year if there wasn’t a release of the Snowspeeder and/or a Jedi Star Fighter… so here we are. Celebrating the anniversary by getting another copy of the same socks that we get every year. Except the price for it keeps going up 33% every time.
75240 Major Vonreg’s TIE Fighter ($69.99)
Based on the Resistance cartoon, I question the naming of this set, as well as the other TIE set. This is clearly a TIE Interceptor…
 
75242 Black Ace TIE Interceptor ($49.99)
… and the one that looks more like a Jedi Starfighter and the old Droid TIE were the inspiration for that Heart song back in the 80s. And nothing at all like a TIE Interceptor.
75236 Duel on Starkiller Base ($19.99)
It’s weird to think that we’re getting out-of-cycle releases of The Force Awakens, but here we are. I mean, it’s great that there’s room to tread, but let’s say that this particular set is… uninspiring.
 
75238 Action Battle Endor Assault ($29.99)
There are three new sets in is being called the “Action Battle” line… setting up two sides against one another to hit some targets. You know, just like the Rebels and Imperials did in Episode V: Carnival Games.
I mean, it’s not a terrible idea… though I’ve never liked the march towards always representing two sides in a set as a war, or taking away set features for play features that won’t hold up, or putting those spring loaders in place, was a great idea. LEGO has toyed with this several times, and they are never done especially well. Worse, these sets all come in at $29.99 or higher, limited minifigs, and not nearly enough parts to justify their price.
I asked Ace about how they played, and his response was “Didn’t work that great,” which is unfortunate, but not surprising if you’ve played with these things in the past. The ones back in the 90s and early 00s that had springs that were capable of putting a missile into orbit were great, but any of the ones built since flick fires became a thing have been very underpowered.
75239 Action Battle Hoth Generator Attack ($29.99)
You know, if they ever made a legit Hoth power generator set… I would be very tempted to buy it. I am amused by the fact that they reversed the minifigs in their display…
75241 Action Battle Echo Base Defense ($59.99)
Look at the price. And consider that what we have here is a battle pack, a bigger microfighter (or maybe another battle pack), and maybe a polybag for the half-sarlacced probe droid… and two launchers. And the AT-AT is stationary by the looks of it.
For sixty dollars in the US… I can only imagine how terrible it will be internationally.
75228 Escape Pod vs. Dewback Microfighters, 75234 – AT-AP Walker
These are already out, but were still featured. I don’t remember the scene where C-3PO and R2 were flying their escape pod around Tatooine, but I’ll admit, I haven’t watched the movie in… six months or so.
The Other Stuff
A new book with an exclusive droid I don’t recognize, keychains that also have a light and aren’t the size of a mid-size sedan, and a podracer polybag that I actually kind of dig (I liked the old mini podracers, always wanted to build a full set.
