Review: 10320 Eldorado Fortress
Posted by CapnRex101,
LEGO has celebrated several classic themes in recent years, launching the spectacular 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay in 2020, followed by a range of anniversary sets in 2022. Presumably they have been successful, as 10320 Eldorado Fortress joins the series this summer.
This modernisation of 6276 Eldorado Fortress adheres more to the original set than other celebratory sets have done, although includes far greater detail, of course. Similar to 10305 Lion Knights Castle, this detail continues into caves under the fortress, taking advantage of the brick-built baseplate to introduce some surprises!
Summary
10320 Eldorado Fortress, 2,509 pieces.
£189.99 / $214.99 / €214.99 | 7.6p/8.6c/8.6c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
10320 Eldorado Fortress celebrates LEGO Pirates brilliantly, but falls short of perfection
- Excellent balance of old and new, overall
- Clever use of internal space
- Beautiful colour scheme
- Merchant vessel looks superb
- Some dated features
- Compromises to accommodate an alternative design
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Box and Contents
21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay introduced a new packaging style for sets celebrating the history of LEGO, which 10305 Lion Knights Castle and 10497 Galaxy Explorer perfected last year. This set follows the same style, closely resembling the box for 6276 Eldorado Fortress and sharing its tropical colours. However, this box omits reference to the 'Pirates System', unlike the Space and Castle sets produced in 2022.
Inside are twenty bags, numbered between one and ten, alongside four instruction manuals. The instruction manual in 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay received praise for its explanation of how the modern set and its minifigures related to the iconic 6285 Black Seas Barracuda. These manuals lack such extensive detail, although the first does state that this Eldorado Fortress is a renovation of the original, within the LEGO Pirates universe.
Minifigures
The instruction manual also suggests that Governor Broadside has been succeeded by a new commander of the fortress, which seems strange because I think this bearded head works for an older version of the governor. Regardless, this minifigure's striking garb closely resembles the original minifigure from 1989, most notably including his decorated bicorn.
I love the white pattern across the top, with a white cockade on the side. The red plume seems fittingly oversized, while the golden epaulettes also lend the governor a sense of majesty. Gold designs continue on the torso, which also resembles that on Broadside's minifigure, albeit now featuring more intricate detail.
Lieutenant de Martinet accompanied the governor in 6276 Eldorado Fortress, recognisable by his red facial hair. Two officers are provided here and these minifigures look superb, although I wish one had included red hair, perhaps representing de Martinet's daughter. Even so, the dual-moulded hat and hair elements are effective and their availability in two colours is welcome.
Otherwise, these officers are distinguished by the differing sizes of their plumes and their epaulette colours, as pearl gold epaulettes likely denote a higher rank. Both look splendid, but the blonde-haired minifigure is presented with the ship in the instruction manual and official images. Perhaps her attire should have alluded to that role, inspired by the merchant in 6277 Imperial Trading Post.
The more junior officers each feature double-sided heads, with smiling expressions on either side. A variety of accessories are available inside the fortress, including more than enough weapons for the whole garrison, but only the governor is shown armed in the instructions, among these three minifigures.
Three soldiers populate the stronghold, wearing the classic shako hats and blue uniforms of the original Imperial Soldiers. These are heavily influenced by the minifigures produced in 1989, so include white straps across the torso, with black and gold trim on their jackets. The same piece is used for the junior officers above, matching 6276 Eldorado Fortress.
Imperial Soldiers were similarly modernised for the Pirates range in 2015, so those minifigures are similar to these. However, the designs found here remain closer to the soldiers from 1989, featuring red epaulettes and plain shako hats. The more significantly updated minifigures were thus superior in some respects, but I understand wishing to recreate the original soldiers more faithfully here.
The female soldier incorporates a head only introduced this summer, while her companions also feature uncommon heads from LEGO City. None are double-sided because their headgear would not cover a second expression. All three are equipped with backpacks and muskets, which can be posed as though held against the minifigures' shoulders.
Like in the original Eldorado Fortress, two pirates complete the minifigure selection. However, rather than Captain Red Beard, this raiding party is led by Lady Anchor, whose head and hairstyle remains unchanged from 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay. However, her torso is exclusive, adorned with a skull-shaped pendant and purple sash, which replaces the blue sash from Lady Anchor's last appearance.
The final minifigure is unnamed and comprises more generic pirate-themed elements, which is slightly disappointing. Nevertheless, the striped shirt looks good and complements this pirate's bandana, while the head captures as many piratical features as possible! The unkempt beard, eye patch and gold teeth all look perfect, but I still think more of these minifigures should have been named.
The Completed Model
There are various potential approaches to revisiting classic sets. Certain examples are only vaguely influenced by previous products, such as 10305 Lion Knights Castle, while the likes of 40567 Forest Hideout deliberately retain the style of their precursors. 10320 Eldorado Fortress definitely leans towards the latter method, modernising the building techniques, but preserving the shape and style of 6276 Eldorado Fortress.
Unfortunately, I do not own the original set for a direct comparison between them. However, this model measures 33cm across, so is bigger than 6276 Eldorado Fortress, partly because of the beaches on either side. Even so, 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay completely overwhelms the Imperial Soldiers' bastion, despite their near-equivalent numbers of pieces.
The front of the model adheres particularly closely to the 1989 design, arguably to its detriment in some areas. The use of black pieces to represent wood, for example, has attracted a degree of criticism. Personally, I like the bold colour choice and resulting contrast against the brighter stone walls, although it does conflict somewhat with modern sets, including the above island.
Conversely, the gun emplacement immediately above the jetty differs substantially from the original set. Rather than following the bands of yellow and white found elsewhere around the fortress, this projecting structure is predominantly white. This was probably the correct decision, as the height of the yellow band would need to change here.
I like the round shape of the turret and its integration with the rocks, which looks natural. The jetty leaves something to be desired though, as 2x2 bricks form steps and a Technic brick appears underneath. These are taken directly from 6276 Eldorado Fortress, but appear dated within the context of the whole fortress, rather than charming. Retaining some original features can be effective, but I prefer subtler examples.
Furthermore, the jetty becomes very narrow in places, allowing just enough room for a monkey! I presume this animal is a descendant of Spinoza, the pirates' monkey from various early sets. The staircase connecting this platform to the fortress walls is similarly narrow and presents a serious defensive vulnerability, where the pirates can enter surreptitiously.
Eldorado Fortress appears more formidable from the back, constructed atop a taller rock face. The bands of dark bluish grey and light bluish grey stone look marvellous and I love the plants clustered around a natural outflow. Their concentration here seems realistic, as the stone would presumably be especially wet.
Small beaches adjoin the cliffs, which are a satisfying addition to the model, where pirates may come ashore. The use of curved slopes to denote sand is lovely, although I am less convinced by the palm trees. These evoke the articulated palm trees found in classic Pirates sets and are successful in that regard, but modern sets have achieved far greater realism.
However, the brick-built ramp is undoubtedly an improvement over the original set. The blend of light bluish grey and dark bluish grey tiles, combined with occasional 2x2 round jumper plates, looks fantastic. Those jumper plates also enable minifigures to stand on the ramp, which was infamously not possible with the printed entranceway in 1989.
The entrance is protected by two wooden gates, making their first appearance in this colour, surprisingly. I am impressed with the smooth transition between the angled walkway and the plates at the top and bottom, while the flaming torches mounted on either side look perfect as well. These were located in exactly the same places on 6276 Eldorado Fortress.
Two muskets are fixed above the entrance, prepared to repel invaders. They slot neatly though gaps in the parapet, which are nicely shaped using 1x2 ingots. The gaps in each corner are less attractive, although more problematic is the walkway on the left, lacking a wall to finish the parapet. There is a reason for this omission, but the design appears decidedly awkward.
A rotating cannon is placed atop the governor's office and launches 1x1 round bricks, activated by pulling back and then releasing the cascabel. The printed flag of the Imperial Guards is essentially identical to that from the original Pirates range and looks good, although I prefer fabric flags for banners of this size, like those displayed on 10305 Lion Knights Castle last year.
The wooden door to the governor's office looks wonderful, but the interior is rather lacklustre by comparison. There is only enough room for a small desk inside, as most of the vacant space is occupied by another cannon. I could excuse not enclosing the office, since buildings in tropical settings are often relatively open to the elements, but this arrangement feels clumsy.
Moreover, minifigures cannot actually reach the uppermost platform. Such compromises are sometimes necessary in less expensive sets or those intended purely for play, where other factors are prioritised. However, this feels like an oversight, as the other towers can all be accessed via ladders. Climbing down the ladder from the governor's office, for instance, leads into the courtyard.
A selection of weapons is available by the main gate, ready for troops to arm themselves when they depart. Otherwise, this area is relatively plain, which leaves space for minifigures to gather around the entrance. Given other sections of the fortress are more densely furnished, this empty space is useful.
Opposite the entrance, another cutlass completes the array of weapons. A sack and a medium nougat barrel are stored here as well, perhaps containing shot or gunpowder for the muskets. These 3x3x6 angled wall panels maximise the available space, although seem slightly out of place because the walls of Eldorado Fortress are otherwise more intricately assembled.
This space is enclosed beneath the governor's office. Thankfully, the structure separates into five sections, so you can access each area of the stronghold easily, although only the division shown below is usually necessary. Clips link the sections together and certainly provide a strong connection, actually making them quite difficult to separate in places!
The courtyard is interesting, consisting primarily of black plates. Despite its appearance, the centre of the island is hollow, hence a wooden platform has been constructed to complete the floor. 6276 Eldorado Fortress also features a wooden platform over a pit, although that example was smaller and seemingly covered a storage area, rather than a natural terrain feature.
A continuation of the stone floor would doubtless have been effective, perhaps with cobbles to match the texture on the external ramp. However, the wooden floor stands out and includes a dining table on top, laden with food and drink. A cooking pot and a stove are also found in the courtyard, alongside clips for several more accessories. Notably, these include the key for the gates.
While not dedicated to storage, the space underneath the wooden floor is accessible through an opening trapdoor, as shown above. Instead, some accessories are kept under the neighbouring guard tower, which would be relatively featureless, were it not for the enormous crane mounted on top.
Minifigures can reach the crane using a ladder, which can be raised or completely detached to access the items stored under this guard tower. These include several cannons balls, another barrel and a sack. Their position seems sensible because goods unloaded from visiting ships would logically be deposited near the crane.
The crane has attracted some criticism. While obviously more detailed than its counterpart from 1989, the crane has grown dramatically too. The device therefore seems overwhelmingly large, relative to the stone tower underneath. Additionally, minifigures cannot interact with the cranks to control the winch and the dark bluish grey pieces look awkward.
Despite these issues, the shape of the crane is impressive and its range of motion is perfect. The boom rotates all the way around and is an ideal length to reach ships docked outside, as well as the fortress' interior. Rotating the reddish brown cranks will raise and lower the attached hook, carrying a crate with a pair of pearl dark grey flintlock pistols inside.
Eldorado Fortress was originally served by a red rowing boat, but now includes a bigger vessel to deliver provisions. The design is inspired by the merchant ship in 6277 Imperial Trading Post and is similar in style to the fortress, as the proportions and colour scheme of this model remain very faithful to the rendition from 1992. However, the modern ship reaches a length of 29cm, including the bowsprit, so is slightly larger than its predecessor.
The angular railing around the forward deck is taken directly from the original ship, including the same yellow highlights and following the contours of the hull. I think the transition between this railing and the deck could be better, although I appreciate the gap between these railings and those on either flank, so minifigures can now disembark more easily.
Furthermore, I love the smooth shape of the hull, which makes outstanding use of the 2x10x2 shells introduced in 10295 Porsche 911. The more traditional 2x3 inverted slope located at the bow thus looks strange, as the hull is otherwise curved. Nevertheless, the general shape is very attractive and I like the proportions of the sails, beginning with the jib, which is smaller than the sail on the model released in 1992.
The spanker has also become smaller, but the main sail has expanded, so the arrangement of sails now appears a little more realistic than it did originally. Even so, familiar features remain, including the same decoration on the main sail and identical yellow and red pennants. These correspond with details on the deck below, although denoted allegiance to the Imperial Guards in 6277 Imperial Trading Post, so blue and white would be more suitable on this occasion.
The mast is firmly secured using Technic pieces, but I think these could have been integrated more tidily. The open deck looks brilliant though, with projecting handrails on each side, which are instantly identifiable from the older vessel. However, more important is the ship's wheel, as this was completely missing from the previous design! Space is limited, but this small wheel is sufficient and features a clip for a cutlass.
Red elements decorate the taffrail, matching the adjustable rudder beneath the poop deck. As expected, the Technic connectors representing tiny cannons look silly, but fun, while the lamp situated at the stern is another feature borrowed directly from the classic merchant ship. The 2x2 curved slopes underneath form a lovely shape, but should definitely have been decorated with the name of the ship or some patterns.
Returning to the fortress, we next encounter a prison. Unlike others in the set, this building is enclosed on every side. The colour scheme of yellow and white remains consistent though, punctuated by dark red 2x2 rounded plates, which represent exposed brickwork. The same technique appears throughout this set and these elements complement 1x1 bows on the roof, forming barrel tiles.
Unsurprisingly, the prison is not as secure as it first appears. One of the walls is only attached using two studs, so can be easily removed to release any prisoners inside. Also, removing this panel provides a good view of the interior. However, there is nowhere to secure a chain or hook on the outside, nor is a grappling hook included, which feels like an oversight.
Alternatively, a minifigure can escape into the cavern underneath and through the outflow, via the opening trapdoor inside. This door is neatly constructed using 2x4 hinge plates, occupying the least possible space. Having dropped through the floor, the escaping minifigure will emerge from the outflow, ready to be collected from the ocean, hopefully!
A rowing boat is supplied for that purpose, adorned with a printed pirate flag. Remarkably, the rowing boat has never appeared in dark brown before, but the vessel looks great in this colour. Black 2x4 plates form two benches inside and a pair of oars are included, which slot through the rowlocks when properly posed.
The prison cell is absolutely tiny, but includes realistic detail. Tan 1x2 grille tiles represent hay scattered as a bed on the floor, while printed planks of wood cover the escape hatch. The slot beside this hatch allows it to open without requiring a conspicuous handle on top, but is hidden once the removable wall is replaced.
Minifigures can reach the parapet above the prison cell via a ladder, or descend into the caves underneath through another hatch nearby. This door does include a handle and a rudimentary ladder is found below. Whereas the trapdoor inside the cell is designed to remain hidden from the soldiers, this one is presumably in common use, given the presence of a ladder.
This cavern is not connected to the outflow, so can only be accessed through the wooden door above. The soldiers' treasure is accordingly secure and includes four golden ingots, only two of which are actually stored inside the chest. I think there was an opportunity to provide some extra valuables here, as the treasure hoard seems rather lacklustre currently.
A narrow passageway links the first cave to the second, passing behind the dark bluish grey rocks between them. While doubtless of less monetary value than the treasure, I imagine the Imperial Soldiers feel equally protective of their rum barrels, which are in storage above another wooden chest. Strangely, there is nothing inside this one.
The underground network of caves also contains a barrel with four printed coins inside, located below the main entrance. This area is more spacious than the others, so could accommodate some extra containers, although allowing room for minifigures to stand or customisation was probably a good decision.
Separating the guard tower with the crane on top from the prison reveals another space in the rock. An unfortunate pirate is found inside, although I am unsure how they could have reached the passageway because it does not connect with the other caverns. Presumably the pirate had similar trouble locating an exit, given their unhappy fate.
Despite not connecting to the neighbouring caves, the passageway leads to a mysterious dark bluish grey box, which blends into the rock. The box is removable and contains an envelope, although the significance of this document remains unknown. Whatever the envelope holds must have been important to the trapped pirate.
10305 Lion Knights Castle opened on hinges and an equivalent design would have been equally effective here. However, the model splitting into sections has a secondary purpose, as Eldorado Fortress can be rearranged to present a wider redoubt. This configuration would be suitable for display on a shallow shelf and is a welcome option, resembling 6277 Imperial Trading Post, but I much prefer the standard fortress.
This design reveals the purpose of the unfinished parapet outside the governor's office, which adjoins another platform to form an unbroken walkway. I like the feature, but the compromise was not worthwhile, in my opinion. Moreover, the neighbouring beaches situated below look strange together, particularly given the narrow stream of water between them.
Another minor issue on the standard Eldorado Fortress is resolved towards the other end, as the jetty beneath the crane tower now lines up correctly with the plates alongside. Again, I am not sure why this configuration was prioritised here, instead of the more conventional enclosed design, which most people will surely prefer.
Of course, this arrangement provides much easier access for play, without needing to detach sections of the fortress. The shallower depth could be useful as well, but the model measures nearly 71cm across as presented below, so requires a much bigger area overall. Also, I dislike the exposed cliff face beneath the crane, which would usually be covered in the middle of the fortress, as this rock wall lacks texture.
The merchant vessel fits neatly into this space though, thereby concealing the unsightly cliffs. However, I doubt this was intended, as the walkway around the quay is much too high for this small ship. The height is correct for the reassembled Black Seas Barracuda in 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay, although that vessel is much too long to occupy this quay.
Fortunately, large ships can dock at another jetty, which originally formed Eldorado Fortress' courtyard. The foliage and textured columns underneath look brilliant, beside a textured rock face. Furthermore, this view reveals a disguised switch on one side of the jetty, which slides to release the aforementioned trapdoor.
The legendary Black Seas Barracuda looks excellent beside the jetty, since their heights match almost exactly. Displaying them together would be unwieldy, but I am glad this interaction was considered for play. Naturally, an Imperial ship with similar proportions would be appealing in future, supplementing 10320 Eldorado Fortress and perhaps rivalling 10210 Imperial Flagship!
Overall
10305 Lion Knights Castle and 10497 Galaxy Explorer are truly outstanding sets, which could be considered modern classics, in my opinion. Although undoubtedly impressive on the whole, 10320 Eldorado Fortress seems slightly underwhelming, by comparison. I think the balance of original and modern features is generally successful, albeit with occasional lapses, such as the dated appearances of the jetty and the palm trees.
However, the updating of the classic yellow and white walls is absolutely flawless, while the level of detail is consistently high. I also like the accompanying ship, although I understand why some would have preferred an exclusive focus on the titular fortress. Despite not quite reaching the heights of the anniversary sets produced in 2022, I am very pleased with 10320 Eldorado Fortress and would recommend this addition to the range, even at the price of £189.99, $214.99 or €214.99.
259 likes
105 comments on this article
I still would have liked the return of the OG monkey ... no matter how impractical
The white printing on the darker torso's continue to be a huge issue. Don't know why they can't get it right. The figures look faded and almost boring. bebetter lego!
I’m going to have to start claiming LEGO as a dependent on my taxes.
Thanks for the review and especially for the photos 10320 Eldorado Fortress near 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay (both Bay and Ship)!
Boo to the lack of classic monkey here. Boo, I say.
If the designers wanted to get really cheeky, they could have put a classic "pirate" Santa Claus in the jail.
I am at work so I just had to skim through the article but I have already spotted a number of words unknown to me, so thank you much for expanding my vocabulary!
I am sure you must have raced round the clock to get this fortress and ship built and reviewed - great job!
I am very biased since I never had the original set ($$$) but this new model will be a great fix for the adult me, so I am more than pleased and will purchase it despite some of its minor flaws.
This is definitely on my list.
Next,remake the space monorail sets (with the newer rail pieces)
Never felt being so torn apart. First (and angry) part tells me the fortress could be really cool when adding at least that number of pieces used on that ship for making it more majestic, robust and completed. But the second part of me is telling me that I should be grateful that Lego produced at least something for Pirate/Imperial Armada range... I really don't know what to think...
@picdo01 said:
"The white printing on the darker torso's continue to be a huge issue. Don't know why they can't get it right. The figures look faded and almost boring. bebetter lego!"
Because it'd cost them more money and we all know how LEGO is struggling nowadays to keep the billions flowing in.
The set does feel like a small step down from the other Classic sets we got in the recent past. This will need a sizable discount if my Barracuda is ever to invade it.
@CapnRex101 -
Thanks for the insightful review.
For some reason, however, some links to 6276 point to 10497 instead?
At a child of the 70s, Lego Pirates came a little too late for me to enjoy, so I've got absolutely no nostalgia (unlike I do for Classic Space and Castle). However it's still a lovely set and I'm pleased for any of you Classic Pirates fans out there. Still, I'm hopeful that TLG will continue to produce these sets (Castle, Space and Pirates).
Really hoping to see a good GWP this summer to match with it. I'd love something like Sabre Island (even though I have a few), or the rumored Majisto's Workshop. That would help the price go down smoother in my mind.
Another nice modernized retro set. What more is there to be said.
Well, here goes my urge to buy this at Day 1. I still feel very nostalgic about the original so I will get it eventually. But my main reason for buying was displaying it next to Barracuda Bay. And that simple looks terrible.
Also I would have preferred a larger beach with clutter and plants and maybe a burried treasure chest.
This is a fine set at a good price, but it's not giving me must-have FOMO like Barracuda Bay did.
Someone at Lego really likes frogs. All the Jurassic Park sets have one, there's one here, and I've noticed them hiding in a couple other sets reviewed recently.
Nice use of the word ‘surreptitiously’.
I dunno - maybe its just me, but this retro rebuild/recall isn't standing out to me like Barracuda Bay or the Galaxy Explorer remakes. It's an ok looking set, but no real WOW factor. The crane looks comically huge. Minifigures look great, I will commend them on that one. It's on the lower end of the "maybe" list.
I will say these remakes for the new generation are great. I hope more are re-visited and re-imagined!
Great review as always. As you've mentioned this set while appealing to the nostalgia factor does seem rather rushed & not thought out properly in several areas.
The oversized crane with no minifig access to the cranks, the anorexic jetty. No access to the parapet over the governors office & the lack of detail in that office & that cannon.
Spinoza the original mold does desperately need a comeback! So much more posable & fun.
Overall a good set but no where near as good as Barracuda Bay for a similar price point. Might get but at a discount hopefully.
@DekoPuma said:
"Someone at Lego really likes frogs. All the Jurassic Park sets have one, there's one here, and I've noticed them hiding in a couple other sets reviewed recently."
They really do love their frogs don't they and also toilets. Lol
@chief7575 said:
"I dunno - maybe its just me, but this retro rebuild/recall isn't standing out to me like Barracuda Bay or the Galaxy Explorer remakes. It's an ok looking set, but no real WOW factor. The crane looks comically huge. Minifigures look great, I will commend them on that one. It's on the lower end of the "maybe" list.
I will say these remakes for the new generation are great. I hope more are re-visited and re-imagined!"
Its too bad we didn't get an Imperial ship to match in size with the pirate ship from Barracuda Bay
Btw forgot to mention one thing. I think that experienced AFOL could create pretty nice makeover with using 2 of these sets. I'm truly curious if anyone shows up in the future because I would go for it. We could get potentially truly majestic and dominant IA Fortress.
Actually Lieutenant DeMartinet was portrayed as black-haired in the 6255 The Golden Medallion comic, only having a thin and long moustache instead of the bright red full beard of his minifigure counterpart.
Those sets look very nice. But still waiting a redemption of an iconic Town set... Monorail?
I'd be curious to see this set photographed next to 31109 the currently available pirate ship. Perhaps the scale matches more closely?
Thanks for the review. As expected, it is pretty solid. I'm sure a few things could be changed for the better. The real question is do I spend that kind of money just to modify it, or do I wait. I love Pirates since they came out right when I was getting into LEGO, so nostalgia supreme.
I still need to decide if I'm unboxing the Barracuda Bay set.
I hope they keep redoing classic sets for us older fans.
@Bricko_Ricko said:
"I'd be curious to see this set photographed next to 31109 the currently available pirate ship. Perhaps the scale matches more closely?"
One advantage of 31109 is also that the studded "sail" can change it into a ship that belongs to the bluecoats, or traders by changing the skull mosaic to something different.
(I'm not going to say that brick-built sails are better or worse, but in this case, the set offers option of change)
There's too much effort devoted to the crane and not enough governor's office. It has two doors and virtually no space inside. It feels like the set designer loved cranes and construction themes more than the Pirates theme.
Thankfully, this is Lego, where if you don't like a set you can modify it. I'll be buying this one.
I would have loved to see some pictures of -just- the brick-built raised baseplate, I'm curious to see what it looks like.
I'm not sure what I can say that hasn't already been said. Good-looking set, fun play-features, good graphical design on the prints, deplorable quality on the actual print-work, expensive, not as 'must-have' as some of the other remakes, will probably enrich the lives of the people that get it, but I probably won't be one of those fortunate souls.
I already have 500 Euros worth of stuff in my basket on lego.com, there is a limit to how much I can irresponsibly spend in one go, you know?
You do have to wonder what the conversation with the fortress' architect must've been like.
"So hey Lieutenant, where do you want the brig? Somewhere secure, I take it?"
"No, we just want it out of the way. How about here?"
"What, over this easily-accessible gap in the terrain?"
"Yeah, yeah. And we want it done really cheap. Could we maybe just build it out of loose bricks? No mortar?"
"It's going to fall apart at the seams!"
"Man, that's okay, we don't mind if the prisoners catch a cold."
"Catch a... what, and I guess you want me to build the floor out of loose wood planks?"
"Oh, could you? Nails are just so expensive, you know?"
"I swear, Lieutenant Bandana, if I see a suitable crevice in these rocks, I am bricking you in, alive. Free of charge."
"Sweet!"
I think this is fantastic. I have nearly all of the Pirates sets from 1989 to 1995, only a few after that. Pirates of Barracuda Bay just didn't excite me: as a ship, the "gunports" being leaded windows just ruined it (yes, I know it's Lego, easy enough to modify, but still), and as a shipwreck, it was just too much, like they were trying too hard.
This set, on the other hand, basically gets everything right, IMO. I like that they added an enlarged version of the ship from Imperial Trading Post- and the crane is appropriately sized for it.
I will buy this set eventually.
Why does the woman with brown hair have dark tan eyebrows and why does the woman with blonde hair have black eyebrows?
@8lackmagic said:
"At a child of the 70s, Lego Pirates came a little too late for me to enjoy, so I've got absolutely no nostalgia (unlike I do for Classic Space and Castle). However it's still a lovely set and I'm pleased for any of you Classic Pirates fans out there. Still, I'm hopeful that TLG will continue to produce these sets (Castle, Space and Pirates)."
I feel exactly the same lack of nostalgia for the same reason. I remember going to a younger friend's house who had some Pirates Lego and thinking how weird it was that the figures had different facial expressions. Even beards! The peg-legs, sharks and cannon blew my mind!
At the time it all felt too new-school to be proper Lego, but now my favourites look crazy like Ninjago, Monkie Kid and Vidiyo :D
I'm really glad Pirates fans are getting more attention, both of the big sets have looked great.
@DekoPuma said:
"Someone at Lego really likes frogs. All the Jurassic Park sets have one, there's one here, and I've noticed them hiding in a couple other sets reviewed recently."
Their appearance in all of the Jurassic Park sets is a reference to their relevance in the book/film.
Next to the PoBB 21322 this fortress looks like a joke. A good example of why piece count does not mean anything when comparing sets in terms of value for money or volume. And the PoBB also cost less, so this set is still overpriced, especially considering the low quality printing on those bluecoat torsos. It's as if they watered down the ink to save costs. They needed at least another layer or two to look proper and it's not even on a black background.
So how about us generous customers don't accept such false advertising (box shows same white coloured torsos) and complain to CS about it? Remember, it helped fix the misaligned Mustang stripes, Sian's 50 shades of lime and many other screw-ups. If people just throw money at TLG they will continue to cut corners.
Another thing that bothers me is, why could the boxart receive such a nice custom artwork, albeit being an Icons set that "has to" sticks to funeral black otherwise, but the instructions got an ugly plain white cover that is not even showing the set number (a trend that is becoming a real pain in the hind for people like me with a huge collection). It's as if again, they ran out of budget or try to save a few drops of ink instead of reducing the ridiculous number of pages and dumbing the building experience down to 5 year old level. Makes zero sense, just it it doesn't make sense to use black instead of reddish brown or dark brown. Back in '89 brown was not yet available for regular bricks and used only for custom moulded pieces like doors, boat hulls, palm trees, animals, chests etc. It just looks out of place and unnatural for today's standards.
@Trigger_ said:
"Why does the woman with brown hair have dark tan eyebrows and why does the woman with blonde hair have black eyebrows?"
Maybe the designers wanted to depict trans men that mixed up their wigs when being called to arms. ;) Or it's just another building instruction mistake that got overlooked. Regular LEGO QC. Nothing to worry about.
"Some dated features"...Reviewer is aware the set is based on a "Classic" set right?
I mean, I loooove my Galaxy Explorer (2.0), but but even I'll look at it and think "they too 'far' "that way"...". Something like this, a "neo-retro" type set; balances have to be made: part usage, printing, and so forth. I guess "the ideal" would be: a set that both a long-time fan AND a newbie would go "wow"; and I think this set qualifies.:)
Oh (and edit), RE: "Martinet's daughter" idea...yeah maybe, but in my "head canon", the blonde ship...Captain?...Skipper? She's the Governor's Daughter as per 70412 "Soldier's Fort" although, again; the hair doesn't match...
@CapnRex101 said:
"Naturally, an Imperial ship with similar proportions would be appealing in future, supplementing 10320 Eldorado Fortress and perhaps rivalling 10210 Imperial Flagship!"
I certainly hope you're right about that! I missed out on Pirates of Barracuda Bay (which spent too much effort on turning into a huge shipwreck to suit my taste) but an Imperial Flagship, a Creator Pirates' Ship, and the cutter included here would be the perfect complement to this structure. I like how it can be unfolded for play (with suitable accommodations for the visiting ships of various sizes) but returns to a compact footprint for storage/display while still looking like a viable island fortress. Of the four "reimagined" sets released so far, I do think this one is my favorite! I will buy it as soon as I can afford it--sadly, not on day 1, although it's much less expensive than Lions' Castle and IMO better value than Barracuda Bay. But soon. And it's put that Creator Pirates' Ship back on my Want List to boot!
Thank you very much for this detailed and thoughtful review, CapnRex!
Why the sea is all under the fortress but none around???
@R0Sch said:
"Next to the PoBB 21322 this fortress looks like a joke. A good example of why piece count does not mean anything when comparing sets in terms of value for money or volume...it doesn't make sense to use black instead of reddish brown or dark brown. Back in '89 brown was not yet available for regular bricks and used only for custom moulded pieces like doors, boat hulls, palm trees, animals, chests etc. It just looks out of place and unnatural for today's standards."
When this fortress is unfolded, I think the two sets would look very much in scale--given the shipwrecked pirates are happy to betray their location and waste some very useful materials by retaining their masts as masts! And it's been three years since PoBB was released, so some inflation is only to be expected--unpleasant as it may be. As for the lavish use of black bricks to represent wood, that's part of the point IMO. No, it doesn't look "natural"--but it does pay tribute to the original set. If it really bothers you, invest the time and effort to replace the pieces with whatever you like better! (Isn't that part of the point of Lego? ;-) )
Why do the pirate chests have a flat top now, instead of the original rounded top? I don’t understand the change. Was there a reason for the switch?
Looks quite lacklustre next to Barracuda Bay. Even worse considering they're the same price (adjusted for inflation).
I'm still mad how quickly the retired that one. It was gone before I could get a copy :(
Love the side by side image with Pirates of Barracuda Bay, definitely highlights the PPP metric.
Overall it looks good, but also sort of spare? IDK, I really liked the initial images but looking at the detailed review I am left feeling a little underwhelmed.
I agree that the new monkey pales in comparison to the original.
@sklamb said:
"If it really bothers you, invest the time and effort to replace the pieces with whatever you like better! (Isn't that part of the point of Lego? ;-) "
No, it's not the point to have to invest even more $ and time to fix and improve an expensive set. Otherwise I could just as well buy the bricks and do a larger MOC instead. It's bad enough I saw the need to buy additional soldiers for 10305 to properly defend such a large castle and modify that steep ramp.
The photo showing Eldorado next to Pirates of Barracuda Bay (POBB) is jarring. But if you visually remove the masts from POBB, the two structures are fairly similar in size.
piratesbroughtback Hurray!
@R0Sch said:
"but the instructions got an ugly plain white cover that is not even showing the set number (a trend that is becoming a real pain in the hind for people like me with a huge collection)."
I have no idea the actual reason. One theory as to why they are seemingly hiding the set number is graphic design choices that could be influenced by their idiotic marketing dept. Maybe they consider the set numbers ugly or confusing to their imagined audience.
@R0Sch said:
" @sklamb said:
"If it really bothers you, invest the time and effort to replace the pieces with whatever you like better! (Isn't that part of the point of Lego? ;-) "
No, it's not the point to have to invest even more $ and time to fix and improve an expensive set. Otherwise I could just as well buy the bricks and do a larger MOC instead."
Buying the bricks to do a larger MOC instead gets expensive very quickly unless you buy them in set form--check out how much Bricklink sellers can theoretically profit by parting out large sets and selling the pieces at the average price, or try putting together a set by buying from Bricks and Pieces! So as far as I'm concerned, every set is a potential MOC for me, and the larger the set the more I'm willing to tinker with it. It's not as if the Lego designers can magically know exactly how you would like it to be. Also, what's perfect for you might not be perfect for someone else.
Great review, thanks!
As for the monkey... I agree it would've been nice to have the original design included, but for those that don't own few of them from back then, you can just buy the monkey for less than $3 on Brick Link if you really want to add it.
Since I never bought any of the original Fortresses, Ports or Pirate Islands. I'm happy to get whatever pirate sets they put out these many years later so I will definitely be buying this. My focus way back then was mostly space & castle. I did get a couple of the original ships and a few of the really small sets that only had a pirate or soldier or two with a row boat or such. Happy to say POBB was a day one buy for me. My 3-in-1 has been converted to the Inn build because I didn't really like the brick built sails on the ship but I may need to pick up a second copy before it retires.
This set perfectly demonstrates how a redesign of a classic set should look like, similar proportions, similar color scheme, identical play features. The extra features that the brickbuild base brings with it is an added value. This set is perfect, although I miss the good old Spinoza. Classic Lego simplicity, I love it. Bring it on Lego!
Tempting but I allready have the old version and no room for display so skip.
Hail to the old palm tree
No banana's :(
@Wellspring I believe they first appeared in HP and minecraft.
Good point is that they are stackable
I applaud lego for making iconic nostalgia sets. But I feel that this one is too pricey for a playset and too simplistic visually for a display set. There should be more sea around and more foliage imo.
@Ridgeheart said:
"I would have loved to see some pictures of -just- the brick-built raised baseplate, I'm curious to see what it looks like."
Brothers Brick review got you covered: https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/media.brothers-brick.com/2023/06/LEGO-Icons-Pirates-10320-Eldorado-Fortress-TBB-Review-GSR2S-14-1024x683.jpg
@Your_Future_President said:
"I still would have liked the return of the OG monkey ... no matter how impractical "
The day 21322 was announced I opened a new tab, went straight to BrickLink, and ordered a pile of Spinozas in various colors for 25-50 cents each. Still quite a few of them available in the U.S. but they're $2-3 now. Totally worth it.
Underwhelming is the right word, it was exactly what I felt when I first saw it. Having read the review, I'm still not sure its worth it unless you have two and moc the original design to the way you want it. I did that with the haunted house, buying it because I liked the moc on rebrickable. I spent at least twice what it was worth to do so, but it was worth it.
With this, I'm not sure what needs doing, but it needs to be better than this for me.
@thor96 said:
" @Ridgeheart said:
"I would have loved to see some pictures of -just- the brick-built raised baseplate, I'm curious to see what it looks like."
Brothers Brick review got you covered: https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/media.brothers-brick.com/2023/06/LEGO-Icons-Pirates-10320-Eldorado-Fortress-TBB-Review-GSR2S-14-1024x683.jpg
"
Thank you, my guy!
I'm hoping we get a re-imagining of 6082 Fire Breathing Fortress next!!!
I like it a lot. The original wasn't exactly during my time but it's a classic for a reason. And this one brings far more detail and features than the original could have. I love the merchant vessel's inclusion and I love that the build can be divided in multiple sections for rearranging.
And trapdoors! How I missed hiding places in fortresses like that!
That said... it would be quite pricey for me to acquire and my collection has ballooned too much already so I most likely won't be able to get it. Also, I barely have anything to go with it (or against it, actually).
But still, more of this please! And I don't just mean remakes. Historic, adventure-focussed sets.
@CapnRex101 said:
"Naturally, an Imperial ship with similar proportions would be appealing in future, supplementing 10320 Eldorado Fortress and perhaps rivalling 10210 Imperial Flagship!"
Yep, that'd be great!
I understand why our competent captain can't constantly criticize the Company over it's cut-rate minifg quality. 'One coat is good enough for profit.' - Lego's new moto. After all, our bud Rex better believe his bread is buttered in Billund.
Yet, I praise @picdo01 who's part of the picky party parsing Lego's pathetic minifig painting policy.
There are some subtle differences that may explain the "inconsistencies" between this set and the other classic remakes. Pirates of Barracuda Bay was a Lego Ideas set. Lion Knights' Castle while greatly inspired by retro castles, is not a direct remake of any specific one. Galaxy Explorer is the most direct remake, which is similar to this set.
I think they are still finding the balance between a faithful re-release and a modernized reinterpretation of classic sets.
@StyleCounselor said:
" @CapnRex101 said:
"Naturally, an Imperial ship with similar proportions would be appealing in future, supplementing 10320 Eldorado Fortress and perhaps rivalling 10210 Imperial Flagship!"
Yep, that'd be great!
I understand why our competent captain can't constantly criticize the Company over it's cut-rate minifg quality. 'One coat is good enough for profit.' - Lego's new moto. After all, our bud Rex better believe his bread is buttered in Billund.
Yet, I praise @picdo01 who's part of the picky party parsing Lego's pathetic minifig painting policy."
Despite your ill-informed assertions, LEGO always receives my honest feedback.
The white decoration on these minifigures looks the same as it does on any others. Perhaps there is potential for improvement, but there are many other issues of greater importance. I know from experience that prioritising those issues in feedback is the only means of effecting change.
It looks very lovely. I owned a number of the smaller pirate themed sets as a child and loved the imperial soldiers very much. Sadly, I wish there were a way to bolster the ranks of these types of sets. I got the Galaxy Explorer last year and love it to pieces but I am still wishing they would have released some add-on pack to that set for more of the classic LEGO space folk to populate that set inside and out. Similarly I would love for something like that for this set as just a handful of officers and only a small detachment of soldiers seems rather sparse for a Fortress set. I know it is based on the original which had a set figure count but still.
@CapnRex101 said:
" @StyleCounselor said:
" @CapnRex101 said:
"Naturally, an Imperial ship with similar proportions would be appealing in future, supplementing 10320 Eldorado Fortress and perhaps rivalling 10210 Imperial Flagship!"
Yep, that'd be great!
I understand why our competent captain can't constantly criticize the Company over it's cut-rate minifg quality. 'One coat is good enough for profit.' - Lego's new moto. After all, our bud Rex better believe his bread is buttered in Billund.
Yet, I praise @picdo01 who's part of the picky party parsing Lego's pathetic minifig painting policy."
Despite your ill-informed assertions, LEGO always receives my honest feedback.
The white decoration on these minifigures looks the same as it does on any others. Perhaps there is potential for improvement, but there are many other issues of greater importance. I know from experience that prioritising those issues in feedback is the only means of effecting change."
Yeesh! No real offense was meant. I was mainly trying to have fun with alliteration.
I very much appreciate the job you do. Yet, obviously it IS subsidized by Lego. Moreover, you have expressed a desire not to be repetitive in your criticism on this issue (which is quite awful and Lego has shown that they can easily fix it when they care to).
Thus, it's up to us serial complainers to keep ot up until there is change. There really is no excuse for Lego. It's their motto and the subject of their motto's origination story for God's sake!!
Moreover, the minifig is really the only defining component of their intellectual property that they have exclusive domain. It should be treated that way- especially in expensive sets or exclusive characters.
While I appreciate the nostalgic appeal of the classic monkey, I honestly greatly prefer the new ones (which I realize makes me a bit of an outlier).
For one thing, the smooth, printed face feels more consistent with other LEGO mammal species like cows, horses, cats, dogs, and even "humans" (i.e. standard minifigs) than the old monochrome carved-out face, which feels kind of lifeless and wooden by comparison, almost like a statue.
Additionally, this current monkey mold's size is MUCH more realistic relative to minifigures and other animals. The classic LEGO monkey was practically the size of a full-grown minifigure, whereas real monkeys (even the largest monkey species, the mandrill) are typically a fraction of that size — smaller even than a large dog like a German shepherd/Alsatian.
The classic monkey being oversized was not as noticeable in the 80s and 90s, since back then a lot of the only other molded animals were large species like horses, sharks, and crocodiles. But nowadays it'd feel weird if a monkey were larger even than a LEGO sheep or pig!
I don't mind the use of black for some of the wooden details like the crane and pier, either. After all, wooden piers in real life were traditionally treated with tar to prevent rot, so it wouldn't be unreasonable for them to look black, especially when wet.
Plus, it's not like any of us complained about black being used for the timber framing in 10305 or the masts and spars in 21322. On the contrary, I remember far more people complaining that the Reddish Brown timbers in 21322, 21325 and 31120 were too bright/vivid and would have looked better in Black or Dark Brown!
That's not to say I don't see any areas where the set could have potentially been improved. For instance, I wish some of the empty crates or barrels had been stocked with food items, especially fruit to help sailors embarking on or returning from a sea voyage fight off scurvy! Similarly, some 1x1 round plates or tiles in a color like Dark Orange could have been included in the bowls and cooking pot to represent a hearty stew.
I also wish that the space underneath the front ramp had been put to some use, just as all the other large subterranean spaces had been, instead of being walled off on all sides. And it would have been nice if the mechanism for the trap door next to the dining area had been designed so you could easily trigger it in either an "open" or "closed" layout — for example, by rotating one of the dining chairs. As it is, the activation switch is inaccessible when the fortress is built in a closed layout.
But all in all, I'm very impressed with what the designers were able to achieve here! Like Barracuda Bay, the designers of this set did a great job upgrading the designs of both the fort and merchant ship substantially (with greater realism, added furnishings, more detailed building techniques, and new play features and display options) while still adhering fairly closely to the originals' footprint and color palette.
@Wellspring said:
"Why do the pirate chests have a flat top now, instead of the original rounded top? I don’t understand the change. Was there a reason for the switch?"
LEGO still makes the rounded treasure chest lids, and they appear in several recently-released sets, including the latest wave of Friends and City sets! So no need to worry that they've been "replaced".
I suspect LEGO opted for the flat lids in this set so that multiple cargo containers can be easily "stacked" on the pier or on the deck of the ship (same as why a lot of the barrels use 2x2 round tiles with a center stud for their lid instead of studless tiles, even though in most cases nothing is attached on top of them).
Plus, since the flat lid is a newer mold that wasn't available in any previous Pirates sets, getting multiples of them in this set instead of the rounded ones might be more exciting to fans who are used to that older design being the universal default.
I was already wanting this, and this review just increased my desire. Love the way it uses the underground areas. Also, it's a little touch, but I like the 1x1 round tile under the spout off the rum barrel, as if some has leaked.
@Wellspring They're still using tho old-style chest in Pirates sets, if you consider 40589 to be a Pirates set.
Japanbuilder: Should have done what I did and bought multiple copies of 70841, then.
@Aanchir: Excellent point about the tar.
I actually love the black piers and detailing, as well as the throwback palm trees. I really miss those bendy trunk pieces - I wonder why they stopped making them?
Count me as a fan of the newer monkey too. As @Aanchir said, it’s a charming piece but very much of it’s time.
@Trigger_ said:
"Why does the woman with brown hair have dark tan eyebrows and why does the woman with blonde hair have black eyebrows?"
The Governor must be like that guy in the Life of Brian during the stoning scene: "Are there any women here?" when reviewing the troops!
Pretty lazy and tokenistic efort from Lego - if they want to have gender balance amongst minfigs give us some more interesting female pirate/civilian/merchant/Elizabeth Swan style torsos like the one Lady Anchor got in this set than just making half the army female and patting themselves on the back.
Great review! Interesting reading the comments. I am with many of you guys, indeed it reminds me of Jazz Club. I love the subject matter (jazz/blues/swing music & Italian cuisine) or in this case Lego Imperial Navy, however in both cases the sets just don't have that 'WOW' factor. Both sets have some things I'm happy or at least content with, and they aren't 'bad' just...underwhelming really.
In the case of Eldorado Fortress, I reckon it's the lack of interior detail. I'd like to hear other's thoughts on this. All the other Classic Remake sets (as well as the modular buildings for example), have lots of fun little details on the inside that tell a story, as well as interesting techniques and mini builds for furniture and so forth. Eldorado Fortress has none of this.
The Governor's open air office is particularly disappointing, like seriously, all he has is a desk? The rest of the model has some barrels...a couple of weapons, a table and chairs and a furnace. That's it. Oh and a very mediocre treasure storage room thing. Aside from the gaol escape tunnel there's nothing fun or interesting. You can search Lego Imperial Fortress MOCs online and see heaps of fan-made models that are much smaller than this, but have far more interior detail, indeed entire rooms that are fully detailed and dedicated to things like officer's quarters/mess room, armourey, storage, Governor's office/quarters.
Unlike LK Castle or POBB, the 2 in 1 idea here (as well described by CapnRex), just doesn't work very well. The fully open version is thinner and longer but that's about it, whereas the open LK Castle looks AMAZING. (the closed version is also really cool), whereas this is just...there. Some might argue that you can't make a fort interesting but I disagree, and I'd also just like to clarify that I am not comparing this to the original. Like yes, the original had basically no interior detail, but with a set of this size and cost, in 2023, it should have way more detail which by the way doesn't necessarily require more parts or a higher price, just better use. The merchant ship is great, I'm glad that was included and I doubt its parts would have improved the fort as much as some argue.
Part of the reason for the lack of detail could be the pieces wasted on the base. LK Castle had great tunnels and stories underneath, this one they seem to be just added for the hell of it. Like why did we need a skeleton hidden in a tiny tunnel? Why waste a minifigure like that? I'd have much rather gotten a merchantman or another Imperial infantry soldier.
I will get this, and it's not all bad, but it's a shame it's not up the standards of its fellow Classic remake sets.
@DekoPuma:
Nick Vas designed the Bonsai, which used a pile of frogs for the pink blossoms, and mentioned trying to fit them in wherever he could in an interview. This was designed by someone else, so I'm not sure if there's any connection here. JP sets, it could just be an easter egg, since they mentioned using frog DNA to patch missing sections of the dinosaur genomes in the very first movie.
@Trigger_ said:
"Why does the woman with brown hair have dark tan eyebrows and why does the woman with blonde hair have black eyebrows?"
L'Egoréal.
@B_Space_Man:
PoBB was technically inspired by two different sets. Galaxy Explorer was scaled up so adults could experience it the way kids did the original. Not mentioned here, but the Forestmen and Blacktron sets were both modernized versions of the original, even moreso than this set.
@Aanchir:
Tar was my first thought as well. Alternately, to be realistic, the wood parts should have been dark-bley, since that's closest to what they would have looked like after a few years in the tropical sun, if they weren't regularly treated to prevent bleaching. And frankly, if you haven't treated milled lumber, a lot of it appears tan after you've stripped all the bark off.
@TeufelHund Agreed. It's annoying we don't get a Lieutenant de Martinet. I don't have a problem them including female minifigures, but please just make the soldiers and knights male and give us some unique and interesting female characters instead. A Governor's daughter using some of the pieces of the French Aristocrat CMF would have been cool. Or maybe an older lady cook with a new piece for the 'doiley' type headgear they used to wear. I will say that thankfully men did have ponytails often in the 18th century so the tricorn hat with hair piece isn't too much of a concern, but it would have been nice to have included some regular tricorns as well, especially in new colours. It was suggested over on the Forum that Lego should include extra heads for these sets so people can make the characters male or female and I think that is a good compromise.
By the way, as mentioned by CapnRex, why did they cancel Governor Broadside?? If we can have a 'new' Captain Redbeard, why not a new Governor Broadside, especially given, as was mentioned, the fact the face they used could pass as an older version?? They could have also had some fun like included a young man who is Governor Broadside's son or nephew who has recently taken over duties from his father/uncle. But nope, no story in this one :(
@Brickchap said:
"A Governor's daughter using some of the pieces of the French Aristocrat CMF would have been cool."
I’m pretty sure in this climate she’d look like the second dude with the red bandana, if she was dressed like that.
"WE WANT MORE REALISM IN OUR SETS! NO FEMALE CHARACTERS IN OUR ARMIES!"
"Okay, so how about that cran--"
"NO! WE HATE THE BIG BLACK CRANE! WE NO NOT WISH TO BE SLAPPED IN THE FACE BY A REALISTIC BIG BLACK CRANE!"
"Is that also why we shouldn't include sl--"
"NO! NO REFERENCES TO OWN OWN COLONIAL PAST! JUST PURE WHIMSICAL AND WHOLESOME FUN!"
"Bu--"
"WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WANT, BUT WE WANT IT NOW!"
@R0Sch said:
" @Trigger_ said:
"Why does the woman with brown hair have dark tan eyebrows and why does the woman with blonde hair have black eyebrows?"
Maybe the designers wanted to depict trans men that mixed up their wigs when being called to arms. ;) Or it's just another building instruction mistake that got overlooked. Regular LEGO QC. Nothing to worry about."
The majority of trans men don’t wear makeup (to say nothing of how few who wanted to pass did in the pirate days), so I assume they’re feminine-identifying troops in a theoretical empire where there’s no sex restriction. As for the hair, shouldn’t it be white if those are wigs?
Why I am I asking these questions
Looks like a great set. And I wouldn't be bothered by the unfisihed parapet, because by using couple of 2x bricks the problem can be solved easily.
As a kid, I didn't have any of the classics, nor am I a fan of any of the Pirates/Space/Knights themes, but this set seems to be a good combination of display model and playable model. It is on pair with the 21322: Pirates of Barracuda Bay as price (even better if we consider the last 3 years price hikes) and, even if it is smaller as a display model, I think it gets extra points for being a bit more playable and modular.
I see it as a set with reasonable price, that can be bought, build and displayed by adults, but can also be passed to the kids to play with it. Actually, this is exactly what I am planning to do with it.
Thanks for the detailed review and comparisons with the other Classic themed sets! I didn't want another display set, but seeing it has great potential as a playable set, I can now justify the purchase :)
Good set, bad remake.
Its Eldorado. It needs more yellow.
Also we are really overdue of having updated molds of old rounded doors. This would be perfect set to reintroduce them. Sadly they cheapened out and we got wrong looking wings on both doors
It's time to make a heartfelt confession: I, too, have bought sets that I didn't completely like. Sometimes I didn't quite like the colours or colour-balance, sometimes the shaping didn't completely sit right with me. I have been known to swap out those bricks with others that I liked better. I've even built new structures on top of old ones, and built things that WEREN'T IN THE MANUAL. There have been times when I just didn't like the minifigures, and I... I partially, sometimes completely replaced them, as well.
A-are those the dreaded "illegal techniques" I've heard so much about? Am I going to be okay? IS it okay to alter sets to my own liking? Please, friends, I am too beautiful for jail. Please, please tell me everything is awesome!
@Ridgeheart
Everything IS awesome, including not wanting to pay for the set AND additional pieces to make it "good" in one's eye. Voicing that opinion is also awesome.
I did call the cops though, they're on their way. And don't try any funny business with eggs or ice cream, I hear they've been training for that.
@Trigger_:
In the time period depicted, the officers and aristocracy definitely would have gone with powdered wigs. White hair signified age, and age signified wisdom, so it was kinda like pinning an “I is smart” button to your lapel. Everyone knew what you were doing, and nobody believed it (especially if you had a jet-black mustache), but it was the convention of the time. If you _didn’t_ do it, that said you were too poor to afford one.
@Ridgeheart:
I don’t believe that at all. The part about being too beautiful for jail, that is.
I don't mind saying this one doesn't do anything for me at all. The spaceship and the castle were both representative of what those old sets would look like were they produced now, to show how Lego has evolved in terms of brand and design. This one I just don't understand. What does this achieve that the original didn't, aside from being incredibly expensive? Totally missed the mark for me.
I might pick this up… but the more I see it, the less I like it. Totally lackluster in comparison to Barrcuda Bay.
I love they included the merchant ship, but where is the merchant minifig?!?
It looks good otherwise, and unlike the 10305 is actually somewhat affordable. But it's also odd they didn't go all out and do a new fortress, instead of a remake, so I'm kind of torn.
I'm sad about two things though. First I'm sad the original monkey isn't made anymore, but this one seems ok, and I get that the old one is rather oversized etc (though much more posable). I'm REALLY sad about the palm trees - these look ok (and match the old set well enough) but I MUCH prefer the brown technic pieces used for the trunk in the old sets. It's a shame that piece is gone... :(
I really like what they've done under the fortress though! Especially the outflow in the rock under the prison, that looks really cool.
@picdo01 said:
"The white printing on the darker torso's continue to be a huge issue. Don't know why they can't get it right. The figures look faded and almost boring. bebetter lego!"
Why? Only because LEGO doesn't want to apply two layers of paint...
@laibros said:
"Never felt being so torn apart. First (and angry) part tells me the fortress could be really cool when adding at least that number of pieces used on that ship for making it more majestic, robust and completed."
100% OK with you!
My wish for next classic set redesign: Adventurers in Egypt!!!
@PurpleDave said:
" @Ridgeheart:
I don’t believe that at all. The part about being too beautiful for jail, that is."
I have exceptionally beautiful ankles, but I don't feel comfortable sharing them on the internet. I also have a lovely set of lungs, but nobody still cares about inner beauty in this day and age.
@Ridgeheart said:
"It's time to make a heartfelt confession: I, too, have bought sets that I didn't completely like. Sometimes I didn't quite like the colours or colour-balance, sometimes the shaping didn't completely sit right with me. I have been known to swap out those bricks with others that I liked better. I've even built new structures on top of old ones, and built things that WEREN'T IN THE MANUAL. There have been times when I just didn't like the minifigures, and I... I partially, sometimes completely replaced them, as well.
A-are those the dreaded "illegal techniques" I've heard so much about? Am I going to be okay? IS it okay to alter sets to my own liking? Please, friends, I am too beautiful for jail. Please, please tell me everything is awesome!"
Don't try to sell us that lot of baloney! We all know it's that you're too crafty for jail. ;)
@Ridgeheart said:
"It's time to make a heartfelt confession: I, too, have bought sets that I didn't completely like. Sometimes I didn't quite like the colours or colour-balance, sometimes the shaping didn't completely sit right with me. I have been known to swap out those bricks with others that I liked better. I've even built new structures on top of old ones, and built things that WEREN'T IN THE MANUAL."
You should see what I did to the Black Pearl!
@shaase said:
"Its too bad we didn't get an Imperial ship to match in size with the pirate ship from Barracuda Bay"
We did. 10210. I just failed to buy it, that's all. Oops.
@TeufelHund said:
"Pretty lazy and tokenistic efort from Lego - if they want to have gender balance amongst minfigs give us some more interesting female pirate/civilian/merchant/Elizabeth Swan style torsos like the one Lady Anchor got in this set than just making half the army female and patting themselves on the back."
I too am baffled by Lego's apparent disdain for historical women. There's a regrettably clear trend now of placing women in roles that were predominantly masculine, to the total exclusion of roles that were predominantly feminine. The pre-industrial era demanded work of everybody just to stay alive, but Lego erases the contributions of half the human population of the era as if they were just a non-essential waste of space.
@AllenSmith:
Well, little girls don't really aspire to the role of "daughter". They're already that by birth, so zero stretch to get there. And upgrading to "Governor's daughter" is more about getting their dad elected, which is more of a stretch for him than her.
@AllenSmith said:
" @shaase said:
"Its too bad we didn't get an Imperial ship to match in size with the pirate ship from Barracuda Bay"
We did. 10210 . I just failed to buy it, that's all. Oops.
@TeufelHund said:
"Pretty lazy and tokenistic efort from Lego - if they want to have gender balance amongst minfigs give us some more interesting female pirate/civilian/merchant/Elizabeth Swan style torsos like the one Lady Anchor got in this set than just making half the army female and patting themselves on the back."
I too am baffled by Lego's apparent disdain for historical women. There's a regrettably clear trend now of placing women in roles that were predominantly masculine, to the total exclusion of roles that were predominantly feminine. The pre-industrial era demanded work of everybody just to stay alive, but Lego erases the contributions of half the human population of the era as if they were just a non-essential waste of space."
Very astute point. That's a good feminist critique!
Lego should make a much greater effort (especially in quasi-historical contexts) to provide us with interesting, diverse characters. If you can't do it with a pirates theme, then when can you? The characters here are better than nothing, but are mere tokenism than anything. [Also, the white (light blue, really) color-matching on their uniforms is incredibly atrocious!!!].
Tokenism is what you HAVE to do, and then you just throw some stuff in to fulfill the corporate quota. Interesting, fun, diverse characters occur when you show some love, passion, and interest for your artistic subject matter.
The female pirate character shows a bit of love, But, where's the hard working merchant sailor plying her trade in troubled waters? Where's the monkey owning tradeswoman trying to strike a deal whilst her monkey sneaks around the back? Where's the uptight governess? Where's the rebellious anti-imperial leader? I want to hear more about them.
Even more to your point, why can't we celebrate the more mundane roles many women occupied? Where's the scribe, the cook, the nurse, the charwoman?
For that matter, only 8 minifigs and a monkey is pathetic for a non-licensed set that is over $200. We need better, Lego.
@AllenSmith Absolutely agree. Why are historical women in non-military roles viewed as a bad thing? Look at Catherine the Great or Queen Victoria. Both were very intelligent, respected and influential women. But they didn't need to run around waving swords or joining the army or whatever. (as the warrior queen of Lion Knight's Castle apparently needs to do, which is weird given she's supposed to be involved in diplomacy. After all, king or queen, you don't turn up to negotiate peace in full battle armour and waving a great sword around.)
@PurpleDave Firstly, why is she 'just' the daughter of the Governor? There's no reason she can't be more than that. We could have had a whole new character maybe Lady Broadside or Mary Broadside, wife or daughter of Governor Broadside as the formidable and close knit husband-wife or father-daughter team going up against Captain Redbeard and Lady Anchor. Also, I didn't know kids needed to 'aspire' to plastic versions of unnamed characters in an historical setting. Besides, why should little girls aspire more to an 18th century infantry soldier than a regular 18th century young lady? Are little boys expected to 'aspire' to the role of Governor or Naval officer?
In my opinion, the need to turn female characters to traditionally male (and especially military) roles, while completely ignoring literally everything else like a lady, cook, nurse, shopkeeper, merely reinforces the incorrect belief that the male role is somehow 'better' than the traditional female role.
@StyleCounseller , absolutely right. 8 minifigures (with one wasted on a skeleton) is not right for a $330 set (AUD). If it was me, I'd have all male infantry and officers, a merchant captain, Governor Broadside, Lady Broadside and either another unnamed lady or the couple's daughter, an older lady cook (ready with a rolling pin to knock down any pirates better than any musket would!) and then the two included male and female pirates. This would be historically accurate, fun, and include both male and female characters. :)
@Brickchap:
Referring to someone as the son/daughter/wife/husband of someone else implies that they aren’t notable in their own right. Elizabeth Swann started out as Governor’s Daughter, but nobody referred to her that way after she got elected Pirate King because now she was Pirate King.
@PurpleDave said:
" @Brickchap:
Referring to someone as the son/daughter/wife/husband of someone else implies that they aren’t notable in their own right. Elizabeth Swann started out as Governor’s Daughter, but nobody referred to her that way after she got elected Pirate King because now she was Pirate King."
LOL so you're saying I'm disrespecting my mother by referring to her as my mother?? That's ridiculous. Besides, if you actually read my comment, you would have noted I suggested giving the wife/daughter character a name.
@Brickchap said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @Brickchap :
Referring to someone as the son/daughter/wife/husband of someone else implies that they aren’t notable in their own right. Elizabeth Swann started out as Governor’s Daughter, but nobody referred to her that way after she got elected Pirate King because now she was Pirate King."
LOL so you're saying I'm disrespecting my mother by referring to her as my mother?? That's ridiculous. Besides, if you actually read my comment, you would have noted I suggested giving the wife/daughter character a name."
It's a matter of agency. While your mother might have lead a rich, adventurous life - let's say she was a bodyguard and a high-ranking MMA-fighter whose twin-careers were ended prematurely when she took a bullet for Beyoncé - all of that gets diminished when we ONLY refer to her as "Brickchap's Mom", because at that point, it's no longer about her, but instead, all about you. And while you seem like a good dude in your own right, I'm now much more interested in your mother's further adventures. I think there's at least three movies in there, as well as an extended universe. Yes, that's right, I went there: yo momma is a classy, interesting lady and we wish to learn more about her.
Lego is under no obligation to be historically accurate, it's a toy-company. All the sets need to do, is teach children (of ages up to 70 or 80) interesting building-techniques, and maybe set the stage for wholesome adventures of their own. Which is why these soldiers aren't shellshocked husks, eternally trying to scrub the blood of indigenous tribes off of their hands. Which is these pirates aren't going to die of scurvy. Which is why these stones weren't laid by the hands of entire tribes that were sold like cattle by both the soldiers and the pirates. Which is why Lego doesn't make sets that showcase man's inhumanity to man (and woman), because it instead chooses to show our kids what life could have been like, and that maybe parity is a good thing, that pirates are fun, and that girls can play along too.
Of course, all of the above is a lie in and of itself, because you're not going to buy this set for your kids - you're buying it for yourself. In which case, you can just cynically sell the heads or minifigs that you don't like on Bricklink, I guess? I'm not the boss of you. It's your set now, go crazy.
@StyleCounselor said:
"Don't try to sell us that lot of baloney! We all know it's that you're too crafty for jail. ;)"
Ah, I'm not really afraid of jail, that was just a hook. If I ever go to prison, all I need to do is look for the fragile wooden planks that lead to the built-in escape-tunnel, or simply push out the loose wall!
@Freddy_Hodson said:
"I don't mind saying this one doesn't do anything for me at all. The spaceship and the castle were both representative of what those old sets would look like were they produced now, to show how Lego has evolved in terms of brand and design. This one I just don't understand. What does this achieve that the original didn't, aside from being incredibly expensive? Totally missed the mark for me."
That is fine. But I disagree with the argument. 10305 is unnecessarily large and over-decorated, and it fails to recapture the charm and soul of the old LEGO castles. It is only representative of how a modern castle - that is specifically targeted for adult LEGO collectors - should look like in 22/23. 10497 is not about modern design, it is the faithful recreation of an old set, and it delivers on this aspect really well. Does it achieve anything that the old set did not though? No, it does not. But it gives a chance to LEGO fans to finally buy a set that they always craved (but sometimes never got) in their childhood. So I do not really get your criticism of 10320 as it follows the exact same footsteps as 10497, and it does it on a scale that might still be enjoyable for today's children. I wish LEGO would give the same treatment for more large baseplate sets of the past (6081, 6988, 6273, 6086, 6082, 6983, 6278, 6195, I would buy them up in a heartbeat to enjoy them together with my son.
I own the original and truly love it - I’m not sure if I need another. While I appreciate the ability to reassemble this version, I feel more was needed to distinguish it. A homage instead of a copy would have been more effective in my opinion.
@Brickchap:
@Ridgeheart gets it. If you refer to her as Someone’s Daughter, her greatest accomplishment is being born. If it’s Someone’s Wife, then it becomes getting married. And if it’s Someone’s Mother, then it’s giving birth. Meanwhile, the fact that you refer to her in this manner celebrates the accomplishments of whatever man’s name you’ve attached to her. In Swann’s case, you’re always noting that her father rose through the political ranks to be appointed governor of an entire colony under the Crown. If you refer to her as Pirate King, that’s her own achievement. But Turner doesn’t suddenly become “the Pirate King’s husband”, since that would similarly disregard the fact that he’s captain of the Flying Dutchman.
Good to see pirates back. I love the setting, this one is a true classic but quite expensive, so smaller island sets could be a nice addition to this beauty.
@lszlsmn said:
"I do not really get your criticism of 10320 as it follows the exact same footsteps as 10497, and it does it on a scale that might still be enjoyable for today's children. I wish LEGO would give the same treatment for more large baseplate sets of the past (6081, 6988, 6273, 6086, 6082, 6983, 6278, 6195, I would buy them up in a heartbeat to enjoy them together with my son."
Checking out the Brothers Brick comparative photo linked to above, this set provides the template to rebuild this particular large baseplate (or at least a significant chunk of it, easily turned into the full "piece"). Of course, you'd need extra pieces to do the color changes the sets you cited require.
@sklamb said:
" @lszlsmn said:
"I do not really get your criticism of 10320 as it follows the exact same footsteps as 10497, and it does it on a scale that might still be enjoyable for today's children. I wish LEGO would give the same treatment for more large baseplate sets of the past (6081, 6988, 6273, 6086, 6082, 6983, 6278, 6195, I would buy them up in a heartbeat to enjoy them together with my son."
Checking out the Brothers Brick comparative photo linked to above, this set provides the template to rebuild this particular large baseplate (or at least a significant chunk of it, easily turned into the full "piece"). Of course, you'd need extra pieces to do the color changes the sets you cited require."
What about a single base plate design and various purchaseable retro "expansion packs" or "part packs" you can put on top? Now we are talking! :) Too bad that we are never going to get something like this.
I actually have the original this is based on. Now I kind of want to dig it out of storage to revuild and put beside this.
Great review, thanks. As an AFOL in my mid 40's, I will definitely get this set... pure nostalgia!
Lieutenant de Martinet isn't a redhead!
The minifig (1989 until 1991) sports brown hair and facial hair.
The red version of that same face print appeared in 1992, together with the black variant. I believe 6277 is the only set in which the black and red versions appear together (Imperial officer and the captain of the small ship respectively) The red one is relatively rare, while the black one is used for every Redcoat officer, of which there are actually more than soldiers over all Pirates sets. Just 8 Redcoat soldiers appeared, commanded by no less than 12 officers and 3 commanders (governors/admirals/whatevers).
I’m a bit late to the conversation, but I feel like there is a bit of a historical precedent for the women soldiers thing. American history has severely known examples of women who acted against social convention and even law by disguising themselves as men to enter the armed forces. A prime example is Deborah Sampson, alias Robert Shirtliff, who fought in the American Revolution. It seems to me that where there have been a few such women throughout history, there have probably been even more that we don’t know about, and these figures can be seen to represent that.