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awesome review, richard!
i love reading stuff by folks that really love the brands like you do. you
were informative yet fair about strengths and weaknesses of the sets.
it's too bad not everyone can take a peek at some mega blocks' instructions to
see how the company continues to use basic bricks (1x2, 2x2, 2x4) for so much
of their structures (rather than large bulky jr. pieces).
thanks again for the info.
..joseph g
In lugnet.off-topic.clone-brands, Richard Marchetti writes:
> Hey Y'all:
>
> There are some WAY cool new Mega Bloks sets out right now. Fail to buy them
> at your own risk -- they are better by far than Lego's own Throwbots or Znap
> lines, are about even with some other system sets, and are even better than
> some others. They may not in the same league as Lego's best sets, but they
> are getting pretty darn good! And how can you pass on chrome engine elements,
> 2x2 trans tiles (yes, trans tiles in antifreeze green, ruby red, and dark
> blue), and trans plates?!
>
> Overall, the Transforming bots are VERY cool, and while not as good as some of
> the designs of our own Mecha enthusiasts( Sandlin, Mladen, etc.) -- they are a
> great value for the price. Still not as high quality as Lego, but totally
> worth the price. I defy any real Mecha enthusiast to dislike the designs,
> even if there might be complaints as to the quality of the bricks themselves.
> There are plenty of unusual items here to make the investment worthwhile.
>
> I almost always like the small space sets, so no change here really.
>
> And the new hot rod sets just rock! You really must go look at the quality of
> the sets available. Even the boxes are very nicely designed. And then try a
> blind building test: close your eyes and have someone hand you a series of 2x4
> bricks and see if you can tell the difference between Lego and Mega Bloks from
> a tactile perspective only -- I bet you can't! When you look at the bricks
> you can tell which is which by a slight difference in visual quality -- and I
> agree that Mega Bloks still don't look quite as well made as lego bricks. But
> the difference is getting pretty slight.
>
> Lego had better get it's head out of THAT dark place and pay attention. With
> sets like these from a competitor and at a cost far below Lego prices, Lego
> could disappear tomorrow and who would care? Harsh realities loom. And I am
> just not listening to that quality costs argument anymore. They need to cut
> prices across the board to reflect something like the prices they are wanting
> for the Star Wars theme -- around $.10 USD a brick and not just pluck the
> prices out of hat anymore. That's still more costly than Mega Bloks -- but
> the quality is worth the cost at that point to put up with juniorization and
> lame/short-lived themes.
>
> Below you will find some brief descriptions of the new Mega Bloks sets.
> .........................................................
>
> #9332 SWAT Transforming Blok Bots -- 185 pcs. for $13 USD
>
> Main colors:
> dark grey (going towards silver), black with touches of trans blue and trans
> red
>
> Amazing elements:
> new socket elements -- 4 dark grey, 2 black, 1 double-sided black.
> eight male counterparts to the above sockets in grey and black that have
> rotating and swiveling click hinges on either end
> Stiff turning black 4x4 extra high turntable with ribbed edge
> 2 double-sided 2x2 male black plates!!! (1 1/2 traditional plate height)
> 4 2x2 trans red tiles
> 4 2x2 trans blue tiles
> 4 1x2 trans red bricks
> 4 1x2 trans blue bricks
>
> Juniorization:
> Head and face elements, both hand elements, both feet elements
>
> things to like:
> matt finished bricks, plates, and tiles.
> Crisp sharp top edges to tiles.
> Nice click of the face plate.
> The usually great 3D modeled instructions
> The finished project reminds of the Baron Karza Micronauts figure from the • 70s-
> 80s
> The transformed gun tank might be even cooler than the Karza look
>
> Gripes:
> while pieces are tighter fitting, some are difficult to fit into place, and
> some don't want to make a perfect seal with adjoining elements. Getting
> better, but this area still needs work.
> Some of the 1x1 brick elements seem a little brittle and take on stress
> fractures
>
> .........................................................
> #9331 SPACE Transforming Blok Bots -- 195 pcs. for $13 USD
>
> Main colors:
> violet/purple, silver, black, flourescent green
>
> Amazing elements:
> new socket elements -- six silver ones, 1 double-sided black.
> eight male counterparts to the above sockets in violet, black, and grey that
> have rotating and swiveling click hinges on either end
> Stiff turning black 4x4 extra high turntable with ribbed edge
> 2 double-sided 2x2 male violet plates!!! (1 1/2 traditional plate height)
> cool new wing elements (flat like tiles) - 2 violet
> Solid top black 1x1 cylinders
> violet slopes (1x2, 2x2, and inverse 2x2)
> 5 2x2 violet tiles
> 3 2x2 silver tiles
> cool trans black hatch bubble
> best Mega Bloks mini ever! The little fella has a gritted teeth, silver
> printed shades, a copper face shielded helmet, and a dark grey breast
> plate/jet pack that will fit VERY snugly on a Lego minifigure (I might file
> down the clips in the front).
>
> Juniorization:
> Head and face elements, both hand elements, both feet elements
>
> things to like:
> matt finished bricks, plates, and tiles.
> Crisp sharp top edges to tiles.
> Nice click of the face plate.
> The usually great 3D modeled instructions
> Finished design looks great. I have rigged up a hand attachment so that this
> mighty warrior can hold an old chrome Voltron sword -- looks pretty cool this
> way! Having wings on this model is a nice touch. I am not as intrigued by
> the alternate spacecraft model.
>
> Gripes:
> while pieces are tighter fitting, some are difficult to fit into place, and
> some don't want to make a perfect seal with adjoining elements. Getting
> better, but this area still needs work.
> Some of the 1x1 brick elements seem a little brittle and take on stress
> fractures
>
> .........................................................
> #9143 HAWK Grip 'n' Clip 70 pcs. for around $5 USD
>
> Main colors:
> violet and light grey
>
> Amazing elements:
> cool trans black hatch bubble
> cool new wing elements (flat like tiles) - 4 light grey
> 4 2x3 inverse violet slopes
>
> Juniorization:
> none
>
> things to like:
> great little set -- plenty of "swooshability"
> excellent compact design
>
> Gripes:
> my set was missing the mini -- not usually a huge loss in the case of Mega
> Bloks
> maybe I was tired, but I was finding the instructions for building hard to
> follow while also eating and watching the Newshour.
> otherwise no complaints...bricks were of solid quality
>
> .........................................................
> #9704 MUSCLE CAR Pro-Builder Collector Series 245 pcs. for $10 USD
>
> Main colors:
> violet and yellow
>
> Amazing elements:
> a TRULY amazing assortment of chrome elements for rollbars, shocks, intake
> scoop, valve covers, exhaust pipes, etc.
> 2 1x2 trans plates (clear)
> 2 2x4 trans plates (clear)
> 2 1x4 trans hinge plates (clear)
> 2 2x2 double-sided male black plates!!! (1 1/2 traditional plate height)
>
>
> Juniorization:
> very little worth mentioning, mostly just specialty elements
>
> things to like:
> everything is just so cool -- if only it were Lego! Lego is only this good in
> the more expensive Technic sets, and then they are even better of course!
> A great value for the money! (Lugnuts like Stangl take note)
>
> Gripes:
> none, except maybe the usual brick quality thing.
>
> And that's enough for one dinner hour on my own...
>
> -- Richard
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