The annual LEGO Star Wars May the 4th promotional event starts in just a few hours and usually we get exclusive minifigures as part of the promo but this year, LEGO has decided to do something different. For this year, we get a brick-built R2-D2 (30611) polybag to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Star Wars. The polybag consists of 70 pieces and you can get it for free with purchases of $50 or more in LEGO Star Wars products.
When the set was revealed to be this year’s promotional polybag, there were differentiating opinions on it. Some welcomed the change while others are somewhat disappointed that it’s not an exclusive minifigure since there are a ton of other characters that could be great minifigures.
Build
R2-D2 is actually a pretty decent build with the body useing SNOT techniques to create the look. You actually build it upside-down before turning it back over to finish it up at the end. The head piece is exclusive to this polybag and there’s printing all around it. It is attached in the middle of the body with a Technic pin so it can actaully rotate around. Just a side note, the head is the same size as the R4-P17 Astromech droid head from the UCS Obi-Wan’s Jedi Starfighter (10215).
There is some articulation at the legs and feet using Technic pins as the main things to connect the legs to the body and the feet to the legs. There’s also the retractable central leg in the front to show R2-D2 in his travel mode. This is attached using the Technic liftarm piece to the round knob plate. This, however, makes him tilt more back than what I would have liked and makes him look weird. You can also remove it if you like to show him in a standing position.
The dark blue tile panel piece in the front representing the acoustic signaller and system ventilation is also exclusive to the polybag. There’s also some dark blue grill pieces on the front and the side as well to give some more detailing. The back of the droid is pretty plain with only a 1×1 light gray tile at the bottom.
Results
When I first saw this polybag, I thought it was very interesting as it strays from the usual minifigure-sized characters that we get for the LEGO May the 4th promotion. Given that 2017 is the 40th anniversary of Star Wars, R2-D2 isn’t too bad of a character choice. The model as a whole is a nice display piece as well as having some playability for those who make larger scale model displays.
As I mentioned before, there are also fans who don’t like this change because there are a plethora of characters that haven’t been introduced as LEGO minifigures before.
Again, you can get the LEGO Star Wars R2-D2 (30611) polybag starting in less than 24 hours for free with purchases of $50 or more in LEGO Star Wars products. Thank you to LEGO for sending an early copy of the polybag for review.
[easyreview title=”The Brick Fan Scoring Summary” cat1title=”Design” cat1detail=” ” cat1rating=”4.5″ cat2title=”Playability” cat2detail=” ” cat2rating=”4.5″ cat3title=”Value” cat3detail=” ” cat3rating=”5″ summary=” “]
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The 1×1 tiles on the front should be switched around to match the picture on the polybag.
I just noticed that, that’s going to drive me crazy 😛
It’s actually a single 1×2 tile with the two square…vent things (the internet can’t even begin to agree on exactly what they are). Cheaper to produce that way, I’m sure. It uses less plastic, involves less print applications, and eliminates the need to catalog a second decorated tile (which we know also eliminates the need to cut another element out of production due to the strict limit they now have on total range of elements being produced at any given time).
I think it’s cute and well done for sure and will be happy to get one as part of the May 4th deal, but it isn’t the kind of thing that would drive me to make a purchase just to get it. I would definitely have preferred to get a new minifigure. The more recent minifigure choices have also been disappointing, TBH. In a universe as large and varied as Star Wars, it’s a bit baffling that Lego can’t seem to make consistently good decisions. Hey Lego, where is an updated Cloud City set? I think we’re pretty good on Hoth for a while!
My whole problem is just one of “what am I supposed to do with this?”
It doesn’t look bad, per say. But It’s not in a scale of almost anything else in the SW line. Could I put it on a desk? Sure, with all the other random display Lego I have. But it’s just another R2 unit. At least it wasn’t a minifig version of R2, because that would have been extremely insulting.
Basically, going to pass on this and go to a local Lego centered store that has much more interesting promotions.
I enjoyed this review quite a bit, and personally can’t wait to pick it up come midnight!! Do you have any idea what sets will be on sale? Since usually there is a list released a few days in advance if I remember correctly.
The legs aren’t posed correctly, and I’m not 100% positive about this but it appears the official set photo may have the same incorrect pose. The instructions do show them in the proper position. When viewed from the side, the center foot should be nearly 2 studs in front of the outer legs because the outer legs should be angled back. Doing this won’t change the angle of the body, but it results in the entire body fitting within the triangle formed by the three feet, and it makes him look like he’s not leaning back quite as far…even though he is.
The outer feet appear to be designed badly, but it may not have been by choice. I just tried switching them, and they do look a lot more accurate (and less knock-kneed, which is very weird for a droid with three legs and zero knees between them) if the feet stick inside under the body, but the downside is the build just doesn’t quite accommodate them. Trying to make him stand upright with the feet flipped results in the inner edges of the feet being pressed downward. But he looks _soooo_ much more accurate like that. Of course, then the pneumatic T’s look even more awkward, and the feet look even less finished, so maybe he doesn’t look quite so good after all.