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Subject: 
review: LEGO '99
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.reviews
Date: 
Mon, 13 Dec 1999 00:53:45 GMT
Viewed: 
1673 times
  
A little over a year ago, we were all poring over the little 1999 one
page mini-catalog (or at least the scans of it Huw had up at his
website).  Most of us expressed joy at the new sets while some showed
disgust.  Personally, I was excited about almost everything in the
mini-catalog with some exceptions.

(To those who have no idea what I'm talking about:  The mini-catalog
had the following sets shown: 3051, 3052, 3053, 4910, 4920, 4940, 4959,
4970, 4980, 5925, 5956, 6429, 6434, 6454, 6456, 7110, 7128, 7130, 7140,
7150, 8500, 8501, 8502, 8503, 8504, 8505, 8506, and 8507)

The big news, of course, was the first appearance of the 1999 Star Wars
classic sets.  These were almost universally claimed to be especially
well constructed and even more so once people got the sets.

Under Star Wars were the Rock Raiders, which looked pretty neat to me.
Then they started showing up in stores and all of a sudden, they didn't
look so good.  The price per piece was a lot more than any other LEGO
sets known to me at the time.  $19.99 for 89 pieces?!?!?  So many of
the pieces turned out to be those those large clunky, single-use pieces
that need foul-sounding acronyms.

Space Port was a similar experience.  6454 and 6456 looked good but when
they got into stores, they were overpriced, probably because of the
Light & Sound I had no desire for.  The other Space Port set, mainly
6455, was better but it looked so skimpy with its large pieces, in the
"Town Jr." style of building.

The 1999 Ninja sets also looked nice.  But 3052 was especially priced
too high.  The old ninja was a great addition, though, and so were 3050
and 3051.

The 1999 Adventurers sets were well received.  The Amazon setting was
liked.  But why was there only one Amazonian?  The largest set,5986,
was overpriced, and why?  Because of the new baseplate it was sitting
on?

City Center was just pathetic with its half-there buildings and and
slapped-together-in-30 seconds vehicles.  Town Jr. is the worst thing
I've ever seen and the worst thing every parent I've talked to has
ever seen.  LEGO, please don't let this continue.

The Throwbots confused me at first.  They seemed to me like K'Nex
action figures, which was different than what LEGO had done before.
Later, as these sets became available, people reported they connected
with Technic, making these strange sets somewhat useful.

Then came the Episode I sets, which almost everyone loved (except for
that butt-ugly Sith Infiltator 7151).

In July came some new train stuff, with the cross-over track being
especially loved.  But with the good, came 4561, with the
dumbest-looking train engine ever.  We were so glad LEGO had put out
a new train but so amazed LEGO could make one so badly, in that hated
"Town Jr." style.

Now we have the 2000 sets showing up in stores.  Most of them look
really good to me.  I got my fingers crossed.
---Jon



Message has 2 Replies:
  Re: review: LEGO '99
 
On the Technic side, in 1999 we got several nice little sets, among which 8251 is my favorite. To me, both the main model and the alternative model are among the best mini Technic sculptures that Lego has ever made. Altough I like the look of the (...) (25 years ago, 14-Dec-99, to lugnet.reviews, lugnet.technic, lugnet.robotics)
  Help: Re: review: LEGO '99
 
(...) Would you mind translating the set numbers into names? Thanks. JaB (25 years ago, 14-Dec-99, to lugnet.robotics)

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