LEGO® Creator 3in1 31387 Iconic Pirate Ship

LEGO Creator 3in1 31387 Iconic Pirate Ship model displayed, featuring detailed ship design, sails, and pirate minifigures.

Pirates have been a core theme for LEGO® play since their debut in 1989. Like the other classic playthemes such as Space and Castle, Pirate themed sets have been dominated by licensed properties such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Once Piece in recent years . Despite this increased commercialization on the store shelf, classic themes remain core zones in the LEGOLAND THEME PARKS- and core memories for many people of a certain age.

This is where Creator 3in1 steps in, bringing multi-build models that serve to fill the gaps that are no longer truly represented by in-house themes, not only covering the hero build of the theme, but often include alternate builds that also fit ‘in world.’

Creator 31387 Iconic Pirate Ship fits into the Creator lineup just where the 2020s 31109 Pirate ship sat, until it retired at the end of last year. The new version has fewer pieces, but boasts an additional minifigure (bringing a total of 5). It also seems to involve fewer red elements in its makeup. It retails for $AUD149.99 £89.99 $USD109.99 €99.99, a decidedly more palatable price bracket than the previous model (AUD189.99/ £114.99/ USD119.99). The set includes a pair of skiffs and a hideout as its alternative builds. Has this been a marvellous exercise in cost reduction or have they left something out? Is it as iconic as its title claims?

Continue reading

Tiger! Shark! Tank! – 71515 [review]

A colorful LEGO set featuring the Tiger Shark Tank from Dreamzzz, showcasing a large shark with various attachments and accessories, along with minifigures and crystal creatures.

Branko’s been thinking a lot about Dreamzzz lately. Here is his first formal review for the wave:

I imagine the brainstorm sessions for the latest wave of Dreamzzz sets went something like this. Get a group of children in a room as ask them what they like. They all start shouting and words get thrown onto a whiteboard “Tigers! Knights! Tanks! Diggers! Sharks! Swords! Dinosaurs!” with a subdued “classic space” or “classic castle” mumbled by an aging adult LEGO fan in the back of the room. All that remained was to group these terms together and you end up with something like this Tiger Shark Tank.

A colorful LEGO set depicting the Tiger Shark Tank, featuring a tiger-striped shark front and tank tracks, showcasing intricate design and various LEGO elements.

This set ticks the boxes of having buzzwords, or clickbait, to make sure to appeal to as many sensibilities as possible. Not only is there a shark, and a tiger mixed, there is a reference to Black Falcon castle, another to Pirates and then there is a tank. The only thing to widen the appeal more was to add Space to the mix, but Mr Oz has done that plenty in previous iterations of Dreamzzz.

A LEGO minifigure with white hair and glasses, wearing a blue torso with a planet graphic.

71515 Tiger Shark Tank contains 1548 pieces and retails for AU$229.99/£129.99/$139.99/€139.99. Follow me to read why you want this set.

Continue reading