I don't typically purchase sets for the minifigures, but certainly they are a major draw in this set, but the main reason I got it is because it depicts an iconic Death Star scene, and since I'm unwilling to drop hundreds of dollars on a Death Star set, the $23 I spent on this one was well worth it.

The Minifigures

Lets start with the stormtrooper. Of course I have plenty of these guys, and while the torso and leg prints look very much the same as previous iterations, the dual molded helmet is absolutely amazing. Even if this is the minifigure you are the least excited about, seeing this helmet is going to amaze you.

Leia is next and she of course is the most exciting of the minifigures as she is one of the hardest to get, and typically only available in more expensive sets. This rendition of Leia certainly doesn't disappoint. This is a vast improvement over the one that came with the Millennium Falcon set almost 10 years ago, I believe the hair hasn't changed, but the print looks so much better.

Next is Luke and just like Leia and the stormtrooper he looks great. His hair piece is also a big improvement over many of the older designs. His utility belt is actually a separate piece (a white version of the Batman belt) plus he wears the clear backpack holder around his neck. While the former isn't crucial, it could have been printed, given that it is where he held his grappling hook it is pretty important to have. The later on the other hand is essential. It is what connects to the grappling hook and how you get Leia to hang onto him as well. As a result of these two extra pieces you might be asking yourself "Aren't you a little big for a stormtrooper?" I guess that's just the price you pay for a fantastic play feature, it is still the best looking Luke minifigure I own and you could always remove those two pieces if you want to use him in a different setting.

Finally you actually get 2 droid minifigures although for whatever reason only the mouse droid counts. Nothing has changed on him but it is still a welcome addition. The other I think is some sort of simple astromech and holds a pair of binoculars. Not the best looking but it does its job, like the mouse droid it is a brick built figure.

The Build

While it isn't a complex build, it is interesting. Given it is a location and not a ship it is rather unique for a Star Wars set. The part selection was rather interesting as well with one I've never seen before, long plates that are half plate and half tile and an I-beam type side on the tile side which is used for building the blast door. However, beyond that while the parts were rather unusual for Star Wars, they aren't anything too special.

The build is divided into 3 bags, although it could have easily been 2 bags as the 3rd was pretty skimpy. Logically you iLife one half, and then the other half, which get connected by a pair of hinges. For the most part it is just standard stacking. The only SNOT being used for controls and door frames. There is a bit of technic, most notably the mechanism for holding open and then closing the blast door which is rather ingenious and extremely well designed from a functional point of view but not an aesthetic one. Since it is a small set you really can't expect too much from the build, but it was still enjoyable and nice change of pace from building ships.

The Model

Overall it isn't the most attractive, but then again, it is a single interior scene from the Death Star, I couldn't expect much more. The model is aesthetically pleasing on the inside, but not so much on the outside. This is alright since it opens up, and while opening it up doesn't allow the bridge to connect, it gives you the necessary room to play with it. My only real complaint about it is that the bridge lacks any friction, it would have been nice if it had some sort of way of locking it in both the open and closed positions because in its current state it is very easy to knock and send flying.

The playability on this set is through the roof, and that is what the set is all about. An opening and closing bridge. A blast door that remains slightly ajar (technically it should close all the way and then open slightly, but I can forgive this as it would require a much more complex mechanism for a rather small build). And of course you have the grappling hook.

Overall

I am very pleased with this set and am glad I was still able to get my hands on a new one despite it being recently retired. I'm quite tempted to buy the Death Star Cannon now because it would be great to collect a handful of these smaller Death Star sets and then build them into my own Death Star shell MOC. I don't mind dishing out $20-30 here and there, it's the few hundred buck investment that I find absurd. I know that throne room sets have been made, so I suppose I need to hope they release a detention block and trash compactor to complete a Death Star MOC. Hangars after all are just wide open spaces, and I've always wanted to design a mini trench run. This is what I did with Cloud City and it makes building a scene so much more affordable as well as more fun since you need to design parts of it as well.

If you can't afford the big Death Star set, I highly recommend getting this one. It looks like these hinged "scene" sets are being released with each new wave, and based on this one I'm tempted to buy more of these now.

I bought this set for the Princess Leia minifigure, but I had much more fun building it than I had imagined at first... it was very intricate for such a small set.

It's not exactly a beautiful set to display in your house, very grey and weird looking - although it looks really nice and accurate in relation to the movie and it must be fun if you're buying it for a kid. But I was not expecting so many good parts! Including some relatively uncommon ones (including two light grey 30586 - the large 2x8 plate with gliding groove) - and lots of different plates and flat tiles (there are 9 dark grey corner plates!!)!

Totally worth the money, even if you're just going to buy it to get Leia... it is, after all, the cheapest way to get her minifig.

Ps: I love the mouse droid <3

It's no surprise that Star Wars is one of my favorite Lego themes. One of the set's I've recently picked up is 75229.

Box/Instructions

75229's box looks like any other Lego Star Wars box. The printed greebling is a nice touch that feels like the hallmark of an evergreen theme.

Parts

75229 has an average assortment of parts for a Lego Star Wars set, and does not necessarily stand our in that aspect. the count of 329 pieces in a $30 set makes this set more than a good value.

Minifigures

75229 comes with Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and a Stormtrooper.

Luke comes his standard Episode IV design that we've seen since 2016. He comes with a bracket for Leia to hang onto and a white utility belt, but I leave them off of the minifigure because I think they look goofy.

Leia's Episode IV design finally makes it to a mass retail set after being only available in the Death Star set for two or three years. I love the new design as it's more faithful to the film that previous versions, but I also have a soft spot for the old design because nostalgia.

The Stormtrooper's design as usual is excellent. I don't know how, but Lego consistently raises the bar whenever they redesign the Stormtrooper minifigure. The torso and legs are identical to the 2014 Stormtrooper, but the redesigned helmet is more detailed than last, and now features dual molding. My only criticism with the new Stormtrooper is that the helmet now feels slightly oversized, but that's a flaw I can live with.

The build

75229's build actually feels eerily like a Minecraft set because the majority of the model is co posed of bricks, rather than the usual mix of bricks and plates that I usually see in Lego Star Wars sets.

The completed model

I admit the final model is not impressive. However, the set does win me over the play features. The door on the right side of the model can pulled up to open, and pressing on the lever releases the door. The bridge can extend and retract very easily. The platform where turning a gear makes the Stormtrooper works perfectly. However, the actual grappling play features leaves much to be desired

Overall opinion

While the set might not the best Lego has ever made for the Star Wars line, it makes for a great playset, and I anticipate what else Lego will make for the Star Wars line.

Pros:

+ Wonderfully detailed and iconic minifigures.

+ Interactive scenery, such as retracting bridge and opening and closing door, are really nice touches.

+ Two in one nature of the set means variety of displayable scenes.

+ The grapple hook is absolutely awesome.

Cons:

- The diagonal look of the chasm is a bit strange: would've been better if you could put the two segments side by side to create the alternate look.

- Stormtrooper helmet looks weirdly flat from side angle.

- Could've been a bit bigger for its price, which would have allowed more detail.

- The see through backpack on Luke can't help but look a bit obtrusive.

Build time: 1 hour

Score: 9/10