All about playability.
This set is composed of a little loader and a little tipper(hence the title), that are quite reminiscent of older building sets as they are small, built with relatively few pieces and more about playability than anything else. The first that came into my mind was the old dig'n dump (http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=6581-1), although the loader is closer to the Lanscape loader. http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=6512-1
The build is simple. You start with the figurines- one has a beige working suit, the other a blue one. It wasn't needed, but it ads a nice variety: they could simply have used the same for both. ANd they have back printing, too!
The faces are nice- and I think they are new: one is sweating (it's warm in the mines!), the other one has stubbles and scratches. The clou however are the helmets, and they do not disappoint. They are gorgeous.
Then comes a little explosion sign (sticker unfortunately- luckily, there are very few stickers.), a time bomb, both are simple and elegant. The rock has little parts, and two pearl gold crystals, which is actually as many as the much bigger 2012 mining truck (http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=4202-1) has!
Then comes the vehicles, and it's a simple and fast build. This is not to say it's a bad one: there's a bit of snotting, and a few elegant ideas, like the rear mirrors.
There are quite a few bigger pieces, so despite the seemingly high price per piece, you get something for your money. It definitely feels so. Otherwise, nothing all that special. The pieces are nice, and usefull, without blowing your mind. Kudos for the crytals though.
In the end, I'd say the model is like the builds we know from our childhood: using few pieces to do a lot, and a ton of playability. It is, however, updated enough in the details and build to keep up with today's models- though it's seriously refreshing to see something so seemingly simple. I give it 5 despite the 4 it should objectively get judging from the other points I gave because of these reasons: it's a loveable, small little set with a both classic, and modern feel.
10 out of 10 people thought this review was helpful.
Fun for younger builders, but will adults like it?
From smallest to largest, this set is the second set in the new City Mining theme. For less than $18US the set packs a lot of playability into a small set, but suffers from some design issues that may turn off experienced builders.
The story for this model seems to be two miners blowing up rocks, scooping up the pieces and hauling away the smaller rock pieces after the gold is recovered. The model complements the recent Forest Police and Fire sets, but the models in this set could also be used in a general construction or road repair storyline.Box/Instructions
I always struggle with this part of the review, but in this case I want to point out that in my opinion the box makes the dump truck look bigger than it is. Other than that, I love the design of the front cover, the sweating minifig looks perfect. The back of the box is also excellent in that it shows all of the many things that you can do with the set, scoop, load, haul, dump, and use the pick-axe and dynamite. The more I study the box the more I like it.
As far as the instructions, one surprising thing is two instruction books in a set with less than 150 pieces. The instructions are extremely easy to follow, an experience builder can probably skip a few pages at a time and still put together the models without any problems.Parts
With 139 pieces for $18US the price/piece ratio isn't great, but since there are few basic bricks in the parts inventory I think it is still a good value for the money. Some of the interesting parts include eight wheels and tires in two different sizes (four of each), two windshield pieces including the larger one which isn't very common, the roll cage, the loader bucket, the dump bed, and the 4x4 yellow vehicle hood/roof piece.
There are two notable new parts included. First is five of the new trans clear 1x1 round tile (three plus two spares). The second new part is one of the new hinge brackets used under the dump bed.Minifigures
The set comes with two minifigs. The first is wearing blue overalls and a white shirt. He has one of the new miner hats along with a scruffy looking beard on his face. The second minifig really shines. He has sweat dripping down his face, so you can tell he is working really hard. He also has one of the new mining hats. His torso is decorated with a blue shirt with some type of harness or suspenders. He has a wrench printed on his belt as well. Both minifigs are great for the mining theme, but they could also be lumberjacks or construction workers.The build
There are two bags included in this set, one for the loader and one for the dump truck. The loader is a fun little build. It's very recognizable as a skid steer style loader. Like the real thing, the bucket can reach higher than the loader itself, making it quite fun to play with.
The second build is the dump truck, and I must say I was disappointed. The first thing that turned me off is the placement of the license plate sticker - it's designed to go on the short end of a 2x10 brick. I don't mind license plate stickers on a tile, which can easily be reused in other creations, but on the end of a 2x10 brick limits the re-usability of the sticker and the brick. The size of the dump bed was also disappointing. At 4x6, it looks tiny on the completed model. It is much better suited to a pickup-truck size mini-dump truck.The completed model
As far as the model as a whole, this is a case where the total is greater than the sum of its parts. While the dump truck design and build disappointed me, there is a lot of playability in this set. Unlike the 7630 Front End Loader from a few years back which came with nothing other than the loader, here we have a loader, dump truck, two minifigs, a rock and some 1x1 round plates to use as small stones. Loading the dump truck using the skid steer, and then dumping it out again is a lot of fun.Summary
Overall I think this is a great set for kids due to the high playability, with two vehicles and two minifigs. For the playability alone, I think the set is a good value for the money. Adult fans may find it slightly harder to love this set. If you find yourself in that position, a few things you may want to consider are the new minifig torso and helmets, some of the uncommon parts like the roll cage and larger windshield, or the fact that this isn't a police/fire set. If you focus on those aspects, I suspect that you'll find a reason to buy this just like I did.9 out of 9 people thought this review was helpful.
139 pieces of plastic
What do I even say about this set? It's so middle of the road and uninteresting that I find real difficulty in describing it. The gold crystal pieces are nice, as are the boulders and dynamite, but everything else is just so bland. It's not bad, it's actually pierced well which is a rarity for city, and the figures are fine, but that's about it. Unless you have a special attachment to this set, be it nostalgia or a desire for completion, this is an easy pass.
This review has been rated unhelpful.
