PowerA’s Blood Moon Zelda Controller, the Closest Thing to an Official Zelda Pad

Hardware | Bought August 17, 2021 | $50 CAD from Walmart

PowerA Blood Moon Zelda Enhanced Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch — Photo credit: Amazon listing photo

Why I Bought It

Nintendo has never actually made an official Zelda Pro Controller, which surprised me when I went looking for one. PowerA’s licensed “Blood Moon” Zelda Enhanced Wireless Controller is about as close as it gets — officially licensed, Breath of the Wild themed, and a fraction of the price of a real Pro Controller. I grabbed one at Walmart to go with my Switch setup.

Living With It

The Blood Moon art print on the front is genuinely striking, and the controller itself is comfortable for long sessions despite being a third-party product. It lacks the Pro Controller’s HD rumble and amiibo reader, and it’s wired rather than wireless despite the name on the box implying otherwise for some SKUs, but as a display piece and a backup controller it more than earns its spot.

The Good

Striking Blood Moon Breath of the Wild artwork
Comfortable grip for a budget third-party controller
Officially licensed, so it doesn’t feel like a knockoff

The Bad

No HD rumble or amiibo reader like the real Pro Controller
Still no actual official Nintendo Zelda controller exists, which is a shame

Final Call

Rating: 3.5/5. A solid stand-in for a controller Nintendo should have made themselves by now.

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LEGO’s UCS Republic Gunship, the Prequel Set I Waited Way Too Long to Get

Lego | Bought August 3, 2021 | $300 CAD from The Lego Store

LEGO UCS Republic Gunship 75309 — Photo credit: LEGO.com

Why I Bought It

I’d had the UCS Republic Gunship (75309) on my wishlist since it launched, but the price kept scaring me off. A points redemption through the LEGO VIP program finally closed the gap in early August, bringing it down to something I could actually justify. At over 3,000 pieces and roughly 23 inches long, it’s easily the biggest single build I’ve tackled for this collection.

Living With It

This thing took the better part of a week of evenings to finish, and it’s worth every hour. The gunship’s iconic gull-wing design translates beautifully into brick form, the cockpit fits two minifigures with room to spare, and the side doors open to reveal a fully detailed troop bay. It’s a genuine display centerpiece — the kind of set that makes casual visitors stop and ask what it is.

The Good

Massive, screen-accurate silhouette that dominates any shelf
Fully detailed troop bay and cockpit interior
Genuinely satisfying multi-day build

The Bad

Full retail price is steep even by UCS standards
Needs a lot of shelf real estate — this is not a subtle display piece

Final Call

Rating: 5/5. The best Star Wars set I’ve built for this collection, full stop. Worth chasing a discount for.

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The Fifth Element Flying Taxi MOC, a Genuinely Weird Left-Field Pickup

Vonado | Bought July 24, 2021 | $150 CAD from Vonado

Fifth Element flying taxi MOC brick model — Photo credit: lesdiy.com

Why I Bought It

Two weeks after the Ebon Hawk, I was still in a MOC-browsing mood and stumbled on a build of Korben Dallas’s flying taxi from The Fifth Element. It’s about as off-the-wall a choice as I’ve made for this collection, but the movie’s one of my all-time favorites and I’d never seen anyone build the taxi in brick form before, official or otherwise.

Living With It

It’s a smaller, faster build than the Ebon Hawk, and the designer did a great job capturing the taxi’s chunky, battered-future-noir look with a clever use of angled plating. It doesn’t get the same double-take from guests that a Star Wars ship does — most people just ask what it is — but for anyone who knows the movie, it’s an instant grin.

The Good

A genuinely unique build you won’t find anywhere else
Captures the taxi’s distinctive battered, boxy shape well
Quicker build than the larger Vonado ships

The Bad

Niche enough that most visitors won’t recognize what it is
Smaller scale makes it easy to overlook next to bigger builds on the shelf

Final Call

Rating: 3.5/5. A fun oddball pickup for fans of the movie, less essential if you’re not.

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A Vonado Ebon Hawk MOC, a Fan Build That Outdoes What LEGO Never Made

Vonado | Bought July 10, 2021 | $350 CAD from Vonado

Ebon Hawk MOC brick model — Photo credit: lesdiy.com

Why I Bought It

LEGO has never made an official Ebon Hawk set, which is honestly baffling given how iconic the ship is to anyone who played Knights of the Old Republic. Vonado fills exactly that kind of gap with fan-designed MOCs (my own custom creations, essentially, just professionally kitted and sold), and their Ebon Hawk build had been on my watch list for months before I finally pulled the trigger this July.

Living With It

The build is a multi-day project, not a weekend one, and the instructions are noticeably less polished than an official LEGO manual — a few steps needed a second look to figure out. But the finished ship nails the asymmetrical, cobbled-together silhouette that makes the Ebon Hawk instantly recognizable, right down to the boarding ramp. For a ship LEGO has ignored for two decades, this is about as good as it gets.

The Good

Fills a real gap in official LEGO Star Wars offerings
Accurate, distinctive silhouette that’s unmistakably the Ebon Hawk
Opening boarding ramp and cockpit detail add real play value

The Bad

Instructions are rougher than an official set and require patience
Not cheap for a third-party build without official LEGO backing

Final Call

Rating: 4/5. If you want an Ebon Hawk on your shelf, this is currently the only real way to get one.

Grab One Here

Borderlands 3 on Sale, a Late-to-the-Party Loot Shooter That Still Delivers

Games | Bought June 20, 2021 | $40 CAD via PSN

Borderlands 3 cover art — Photo credit: PlayStation Store

Why I Bought It

Borderlands 3 had been out since 2019 and I’d somehow never gotten around to it, mostly because I burned out hard on the second game years ago. A deep PSN sale in June finally got me over that hump for $40 CAD, and with a DualSense fresh out of the box I figured a loot shooter was as good an excuse as any to put it through its paces.

Living With It

The gunplay is noticeably tighter than I remember from Borderlands 2, and the sheer volume of weapon variety still scratches the same itch it always has. The humor is a mixed bag — some of it lands, a lot of it is trying way too hard — but the moment-to-moment loop of shoot things, get slightly better gun, repeat is as addictive as ever. Coming to it two years late meant no launch bugs to deal with, which was a nice change of pace.

The Good

Gunplay feels tighter and more responsive than its predecessor
Absurd amount of weapon variety keeps the loot loop fresh
Co-op friendly, which made it an easy pick for couch sessions

The Bad

The humor swings hard and misses often
Story is forgettable and mostly an excuse to move between shooting galleries

Final Call

Rating: 4/5. Better late than never — a genuinely great loot shooter once you tune out the jokes.

Grab One Here

The PS5 DualSense in Midnight Black, a Small Upgrade That Makes a Big Difference

Hardware | Bought June 12, 2021 | $110 CAD from Walmart

PS5 DualSense controller in Midnight Black — Photo credit: PlayStation.com

Why I Bought It

My launch-day white DualSense was starting to look a little grimy no matter how much I cleaned it, and Walmart had the Midnight Black version in stock, which felt like reason enough. I’d been eyeing a second controller anyway for couch co-op, so instead of grabbing another white one I picked up the black to mix things up and give the white one a break from being the only option.

Living With It

It’s the same excellent DualSense underneath the paint job — adaptive triggers and haptic feedback still feel like a genuine step up from the DualShock 4 — but the black finish hides fingerprints and grime dramatically better than the white one ever did. It also just looks sharper sitting next to a black PS5 stand. Nothing about the actual feel or function changed, which is exactly what I wanted.

The Good

Adaptive triggers and haptics are still the best controller feature this generation
Midnight Black hides fingerprints and wear far better than white
Great as a second controller for local co-op

The Bad

Battery life is still mediocre compared to the DualShock 4
No functional difference from the white version, so it’s a style purchase and nothing more

Final Call

Rating: 4/5. Same great controller, better at hiding grime. Worth it if you want a second one anyway.

Grab One Here

LEGO’s Stormtrooper Helmet, the One That Started My Whole Helmet Collection

Lego | Bought April 28, 2021 | $80 CAD from The Lego Store

LEGO Stormtrooper Helmet 75276 — Photo: LEGO

Why I Bought It

A 647-piece buildable Stormtrooper helmet replica, about 7 inches tall with a display stand and nameplate, and one of the original three sets that launched LEGO’s Star Wars Helmet Collection. This is the one that got me into the whole helmet-collecting habit in the first place.

Living With It

The crisp white-and-black paneling genuinely looks great on a shelf, and the piece count/detail feels well justified for the price. It’s an obvious nostalgia hit as an original-trilogy icon. The all-white colour scheme shows fingerprints and dust embarrassingly fast, and there are a few visible panel gaps if you look closely.

The Good

Crisp white/black paneling looks great on a shelf
Strong nostalgia factor as an original-trilogy icon
Solid piece count/detail for the price
Sturdy display stand

The Bad

All-white colour shows fingerprints/dust easily
Some visible panel gaps up close
No opening visor feature

Final Call

Rating: 4/5

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LEGO’s Scout Trooper Helmet, the Underdog of the Star Wars Helmet Collection

Lego | Bought April 28, 2021 | $80 CAD from The Lego Store

LEGO Scout Trooper Helmet 75305 — Photo: LEGO

Why I Bought It

A 471-piece buildable display helmet from Return of the Jedi’s Scout (Biker) Trooper, about 7 inches tall with a display stand and nameplate, part of LEGO’s adult-oriented Helmet Collection. I’d already grabbed the Stormtrooper helmet the same day and figured I might as well round out the pair.

Living With It

The texture and paneling detail through clever piece use is genuinely impressive, and it’s a compact, lightweight shelf piece that doesn’t demand much real estate. The tan/olive colour scheme is a lot less visually striking than the Vader or Stormtrooper helmets sitting next to it, and a few of the finer details rely on stickers rather than printed pieces.

The Good

Clever piece use captures the texture/paneling detail well
Compact, lightweight for shelf display
Good value against other Star Wars helmets
Distinct battle-worn look nicely captured

The Bad

Less visually striking than the white/black helmets
Some details rely on stickers
No visor/face opening feature

Final Call

Rating: 4/5

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LEGO’s Iron Man Helmet, Proof the Helmet Collection Works Outside Star Wars Too

Lego | Bought April 29, 2021 | $80 CAD from The Lego Store

LEGO Marvel Iron Man Helmet set 76165 — Photo credit: LEGO.com

Why I Bought It

My helmet shelf had turned into an unofficial Star Wars shrine by this point, and honestly it was starting to feel one-note. The LEGO Marvel Iron Man Helmet (76165) had been out since the summer of 2020, and every time I walked past it at The Lego Store I told myself I didn’t need another display piece. Late April finally broke me. It’s a 480-piece build that comes together into a roughly 7.5-inch tall helmet on its own little stand, and it was the perfect excuse to prove the collection could survive outside a galaxy far, far away.

Living With It

The build itself is a relaxing hour or so, and LEGO’s designers clearly put real effort into the faceplate shaping to get that classic Mark III silhouette right. Once it’s on the stand next to the Stormtrooper and Scout Trooper helmets, it does exactly what I wanted: breaks up the red-and-white monotony with some gold and crimson. The only knock is that the color palette is almost entirely red and gold, so up close it reads a little flatter and less textured than the Star Wars helmets, which get more visual variety from their panel lines and grey plastic.

The Good

Screen-accurate Mark III silhouette that reads instantly as Iron Man from across the room
Satisfying, fiddly build with good part variety for the piece count
Compact footprint compared to the bigger Star Wars helmets, so it’s easy to slot onto a crowded shelf

The Bad

Almost entirely red and gold, so it looks a bit flat next to helmets with more color variety
The display stand is plain plastic and feels like an afterthought compared to the helmet itself

Final Call

Rating: 4/5. A great palate-cleanser for the helmet collection and a genuinely fun build, just don’t expect the same panel-line detail you get from the Star Wars sets.

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A Mega Construx Master Chief Helmet, LEGO’s Halo-Shaped Blind Spot Filled by Someone Else

Collectibles | Bought May 1, 2021 | $50 CAD from Toys R Us

Mega Construx Halo Infinite Master Chief Helmet replica — Photo credit: eBay listing photo

Why I Bought It

After the Iron Man helmet proved my shelf could handle more than Star Wars, I went looking for a Halo piece to match, and ran straight into a gap: LEGO doesn’t make one. Mega Construx does, though — the 414-piece Halo Infinite Master Chief Helmet replica (GVN33) is basically the brick-built answer to the LEGO helmets, just from a different company. I picked it up at Toys R Us right on the heels of the Iron Man build, mostly out of curiosity about how a non-LEGO brand handles the same idea.

Living With It

Mega Construx’s bricks are compatible-ish with LEGO but noticeably less refined — the clutch power is looser and the tolerances aren’t as tight, so the finished helmet has a slightly less premium feel in the hand. That said, the sculpting on the visor and the angular Mark VI plating is genuinely well done for the piece count, and it captures the Halo Infinite look better than I expected from a third-party set. It’s earned a spot right next to the Iron Man helmet as proof my collection isn’t a one-franchise operation anymore.

The Good

Fills a real gap — there’s no official LEGO Halo helmet to compete with
Good detail on the visor and plating for a 414-piece set
Affordable relative to the LEGO helmets at a similar piece count

The Bad

Looser clutch power than LEGO — pieces don’t feel quite as locked in
Plastic quality feels a notch below LEGO and I’d worry about yellowing over the years

Final Call

Rating: 3.5/5. Not LEGO-quality, but it’s the only game in town for a brick-built Halo helmet, and it looks great once it’s on the shelf.