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Subject: 
Millionaire Playboy reviews Minimates C3
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.clone-brands
Date: 
Tue, 28 Sep 2004 20:58:34 GMT
Viewed: 
1535 times
  
This page links to three reviews, as well as to other stuff that I didn’t read.

I’m torn. Millionaire Plaboy seems to love love love these C3 sets, and I admit that the reviews are cleverly written and contain a lot of detail. Unfortunately, I find myself in general disagreement with the overwhelmingly positive score that the site gives these sets.

The reviewer gives major props to the multi-jointed articulation of the minifigs, and I guess that’s cool, for what it’s worth. But I really despise the design of these things, from the boring cylindrical heads to the lobster-like pincer hands. I’m really sort of stuck on the LEGO/MEGA BLOKS minifig scale, and MiniMates are slightly larger, so maybe that’s part of my dislike.

Additionally, the site doesn’t mention that the piece:price ratio of these sets is really lousy. It’s a rare clone brand, licenses notwithstanding, that can justify a piece:price ratio worse than LEGO’s1, yet C3 seems to be trying it. The Mini Batmobile is $9.99 for 73 pieces (some of them very use-specific), and the Batwing is $19.99 for 126 pieces (some greatly juniorized). In addition to the general one-use-only design of the parts, the sets themselves don’t lend themselves to much customization without the addition of other parts. Since “C3” stands for Construct, Customize, & Conquer,” it’s a bummer that 1/3 of that name turns out to be mildly inaccurate.

The reviewer didn’t comment on the apparent duplication of (presumably) patented LEGO elements. The Batcave set has quite a few pieces that should be familiar to LEGO fans; I wonder if some deal has been struck, or if these parts really aren’t patented after all. Since the bricks have the C3 logo on their studs, I’m pretty confident that these aren’t subcontracted LEGO bricks.

I grant that the quality of the plastic is quite good, and the colors are rich, so that’s a definite plus.

Oh well. Check out the site if you want more info about the C3 line.

Dave!



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: Millionaire Playboy reviews Minimates C3
 
In lugnet.off-topic.clone-brands, Dave Schuler wrote: SNIP (...) i've got the batcave-in pieces-the plates are SO warped & the clutching power SO weak & the 1st level pillar design SO pitiful it wouldn't stay together-worst building set i've EVER (...) (20 years ago, 29-Sep-04, to lugnet.off-topic.clone-brands, FTX)

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