There is a lot more playability to BB-8 than meets the eye. You can use the circles on the side to make his head spin, or make a hand with a lighter pop out of the front. He is a bit fragile on the antennas but other than that nothing falls off of this at all, it is a really solidly built model. It is mostly for display though. The stand also sometimes it will collapse if there is too much weight to one side which is kinda annoying. Overall I would highly recommend this set to anyone who can afford it.

Summary

BB-8 is one of the central side-kicks in the final three movies of the Star Wars series, and as such has been turned into a non-UCS Star Wars UCS set; it lacks the size (and price) but the design of the set conforms to that of the UCS series: it is a non-play model, has a stand, the stickered panel, and the single minifig of - in this case - a BB-8. The build itself is OK - though somewhat repetitive, simply because of the need to turn a cubic core into a sphere - leading to a lot of repetition in the 6 panels that have to be constructed. There is a little bit of variation in the sides, and the designer has done a good job in trying to minimize the repetitiveness through slight variations in the construction of the panels. This is a nice set, I like how the moveable head and the lighter are done. I am not sure it is worth its RRP. On a discount, it definitely is - if you like Star Wars.

Build experience

The build itself did not take up too much time, some 3 hours or so at a lazy pace. Much of the build consists of plate-stacking; there is a little Technic construction involved for the operation of the lighter as well as the turning of BB-8's head. The most interesting part to me is how the designer has managed to turn the cubic core into a sphere (or rather close to it). There is some colour-coding going on - 1 blue, 2 green and 1 yellow sides - which is actually helpful. Off-colour bricks are in the end covered up nicely. The mechanism to operate the lighter as well as wobble and turn the 'head' is well done. Maybe it did not look like it during construction, but in the end it works very well. Personally, I would not as much consider this a fun build, but more of an interesting build. Especially the internal structure (especially for getting the 'eye' fixed at the right angle is the best part. The designer - in the way he sequenced the construction - has prevented the build from becoming a slog. And IMHO the end result is worth it.

The build

Well, the one thing you can say is that the result definitely looks like BB-8. The way the sphere has been constructed from pieces with square angles is to be applauded. He has also captured the orange circles on each side well, and I like how they have managed to make each center slightly different. Each side is unique. The 'head' is well done, even though it is slightly less spheric, due to the size. But even then the optical suggestion works really well. I like the antennae and the way the sensors/eye are executed. The wobbly head is nice, though it is a shame (but understandable) that the head can only wobble on one axis. I like the way the mechanisms for rotating the head (which also induces the wobble of the head) and extending the lighter are done. As such, this is about as good as one can hope for in a BB-8 model of this size.

The stand is simple but effective.

Play vs display

This is clearly a display model, with the only 'play' features being the extension of the lighter, and the head being moveable. It is an eye-catcher, but its limited size makes it possible to pose it at the corner of one's desk without it taking up too much space.

The verdict

Overall, I think this is a very good set. The designer IMHO has done a very good job. That said, even though the RRP is under € 0.10 per piece, I feel € 100 for this set is just a little too much. Thankfully, it can be found for (much) lower prices. On the other hand, this is the kind of Star Wars set that could well see a considerable price hike when it is taken off the market. I am happy I got this set, and I hope this set will remain available for a long time.

Parts

This set offers a large variety of parts, including orange parts, white parts, some technic pieces, and some more white parts, and even some Orange parts. Okay the parts do feel very limited, but considering what your building, it is very understandable, but you do get some smaller sized light gray pieces, which are always desirable (in my mind at least)

Building Experience

The building experience was just awful, nothing felt more repetitious than this build, even the building of the head felt awful considering how many small 1x1 pieces it used, the center of the model felt very fun to build, but that is the best I can say about the building of this model

Playability

The playability is really non-existent in this build, it does not roll, its head can bobble and be positioned, and it has a retractable arm with a torch on the end, but that is it. The build itself is somewhat like a giant block that goes nowhere (ironic considering BB-8 is shaped as a smooth ever moving ball)

Value for Money

The value for money doesn't sit well with me on this set, though you get a large amount of parts, there all in more un-desirable colors, so unless your in need of a large sum of white and orange pieces, I see no reason to buy this set for the parts.

Overall

The building experience was very brutal, and the part options are bad as well, but I will say this, it makes an absolutely fantastic model for displaying, the model itself looks very well balanced on what figure its representing, and it is a very durable build considering it is almost a solid ball of plastic, I think overall it is a good UCS, the model doe snot have any bad sides to it, it is constant throughout all views. Overall a fantastic UCS set that is well detailed and does a fantastic job of representing BB-8, the construction took me yonder 3'1/2 hours.

To give some background on this purchase, I was planning on obtaining this regardless, but luckily this was on sale for 25%, so I picked it up then and there. I shall also mention that this is my first (technically) UCS set, so I was also pleased that I didn’t have to spend $200 or more for a single LEGO set (Thankfully. My wallet shows mercy...).

Packaging

The box is pretty average sized for the price point of the set, however it is surprisingly light for the amount of elements in the set.

Bags are numbered, and the instructions are relatively thick.

The Parts

Many small elements are included in this set, including many 1x1 white plates, and a number of half pins an blue. Many round plates and round tiles are also included.

The Build

The build took me roughly 3 hours (I’m a slow builder, fair warning) and the build kept me intrigued throughout.

Bags numbered 1 start with the framework for the model and the underside. Very easy to follow so far.

Bags numbered 2 deal with the functionality of the set. It is very complex even compared to other technic sets I own. I was also pleasantly surprised with some of the techniques used. If you’re like me, there’s some techniques in this set that don’t add up to their purpose at first, but you’ll find out about them once you’re almost done with the set (probably just me though).

Bags 3, 4, and 5 finish the spherical shape of BB-8, and although repetitive, are fine to construct.

And finally, Bags numbered 6 include parts for the head and stand. The head was also very enjoyable to build, also featuring many cool techniques to give the head its shape.

The stand is a stand.

I had to take a few breaks during the build, but I was excited to continue work. Only thing setting the experience back is that not a whole lot of things blew me away. The model at some places was difficult to construct, but all-in-all its above average.

Minifigures

Only 1 figure is included in this set, BB-8. As far as I know he is not exclusive, but the detail is high on it.

The Model

The first thing that should be noted in this set is the appearance, and this really has a classic LEGO look. The exposed studs would generally be a problem, but they are deliberate on this model, giving it, in turn, a great look.

The functionality is also great, as turning the head is proven to be very fun and the “thumbs-up” torch is brilliant! Closing the hatch manually does not bother me, however to some it will be pretty annoying. The functions work well and do not jam. Make sure to loosen the gears in Stage 2 when building the model so that the functions do in fact end up working well.

BB-8 however, is not the biggest of sets. However, I believe it is made up for with the density of the set, and the playability for a collector’s model.

The stand works like a stand, I’ve had no problems with it. I would however recommend carefully setting the model on the stand, but I think that’s a given.

The plaque also has a lot of cool information about BB-8. I think it’s worth being looked over, I find some of the facts included pretty interesting.

Overall

I find the set very enjoyable! It has many cool features, the appearance of the model is great, and I think you get quite a bit for your money. I think the retail price of $100 is worth it, however if you can manage to get it on a slight discount like I did, then I think you should purchase it, without a doubt. The model is small, and the build is repetitive at points, but that should be expected with some sets, however in this circumstance, there are many other positives to look at.

The Verdict

I think this set is a must buy for any fans of Star-Wars or of the sequel trilogy. If you are a casual LEGO fan looking for a fun build and good display set, I would also recommend the set. As long as you keep an eye out for the few side notes mentioned in this review, I think you will enjoy almost every minute of owning this set.

I bought BB-8 yesterday on release, one of the only sets in memory I bought on day one. It had me interested in it as soon as I saw leaks to it. But did it live up to my expectations? Let's find out....

Box and Contents

The box is very large and stands out on the shelf. I don't like the white design Disney have decided to use for TLJ products, I think it makes it look a bit cheap if I'm honest, but that's hardly Lego's fault. Upon opening, you will find 6 numbered bag as well as one instruction booklet and a single sticker on a sheet, both contained in plastic.

The Build

This was easily the best part for me. The building experience was new for me and watching these linear shapes form a convincing sphere was mesmerising. It may not be for everyone though as it gets repetitive. It took me about an hour and twenty minutes to build.

Final Product

Once built, BB-8 will just make you smile. It's a really pleasant end result and I really just love staring at it. The stand is quite basic however and the struts to hold the droid in place can easily break if you're not careful. The info plaque looks good though.

Playability

The functions in this model are astonishing, and so fun to play with! The first function is by moving one of the round sections on the side, you can make BB-8's head spin. Not only that, but there is a rubber band around the axis holding up his head, so when you rotate it, it also goes back and forth, adding a lot more life to the thing. Secondly, if you turn the opposite round section, BB-8 can put his 'thumb' up by revealing a lighter, as he does in TFA. This function works really smoothly and is a joy to do.

Overall Thoughts

This is by far the standout of the wave. It's reasonably priced for the complexity of the design as well as the end result, so I cannot recommend it enough.