Category: Lego

The Guardians of the Galaxy Advent Calendar: LEGO’s First Marvel Countdown Done Right

Toy Review · Purchased October 11, 2022 · $60.00 CAD via Amazon.ca

LEGO Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy Advent Calendar 76231
Guardians of the Galaxy Advent Calendar, 76231. Photo: LEGO

The Setup

Set 76231 marks LEGO’s first-ever Marvel-licensed advent calendar, at 268 pieces across 24 doors, with small vehicle and gear builds alongside minifigures including Star-Lord, Groot, and Rocket.

The Review

LEGO’s Star Wars and City advent calendars have been a holiday staple for years, so it’s a little surprising it took this long for Marvel to get one, but the wait was worth it. The mix behind the 24 doors is genuinely well balanced — a good spread of small vehicles, gadgets, and character minifigures rather than padding out the count with filler pieces, and getting a new Guardians character or item revealed each day for a month has a real novelty to it that a single big set doesn’t offer.

As with any advent calendar, the individual builds are necessarily tiny and simple, so this isn’t the set to reach for if you want a substantial building session on any single day. But as a first outing for LEGO Marvel in this format, it’s a confident one, and it’s an easy recommendation for any Guardians fan looking for a low-stakes, spread-out way to get some genuinely fun little builds and minifigures.

What I Liked

  • Well-balanced mix of vehicles, gear, and character minifigures across the 24 doors
  • Genuinely fun day-by-day reveal format
  • Good value for a first-of-its-kind licensed calendar
  • Solid entry point into LEGO Marvel minifigures

What I Didn’t

  • Individual daily builds are necessarily tiny and simple
  • Seasonal-only availability makes it hard to find outside the holidays

The Verdict

Rating: 4/5

A confident first outing for LEGO Marvel’s advent calendar format — well worth it for any Guardians fan.

Where to Buy

The UCS Snowspeeder: A Retired Set That Still Holds Up

Toy Review · Purchased May 4, 2022 · $300.00 CAD via Lego Store

LEGO UCS Snowspeeder 75144
Snowspeeder, Ultimate Collector Series 75144. Photo: LEGO

The Setup

Set 75144 is LEGO’s Ultimate Collector Series recreation of the Rebel Snowspeeder from the Battle of Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back, at 1,703 pieces. It first released back in 2017 and had been periodically restocked through LEGO Stores before finally retiring, which is presumably how I managed to grab one in 2022.

The Review

This is UCS design at its best: an opening cockpit, a posable harpoon gun and towing cable, and a display stand with an informational plaque, all built with genuine LEGO precision rather than the clone-brick compromises I’ve gotten used to from my Vonado purchases. The build itself is absorbing without being punishing — detailed enough to stay interesting for the full 1,703 pieces, but never confusing.

Having spent a lot of this year building unofficial oversized clone kits, going back to a genuine, officially-licensed UCS set was a genuinely nice change of pace — the fit and finish, the printed manual, the color consistency are all just better, in ways you don’t fully notice until you go without them for a while. At $300 it’s not cheap, but for a retired UCS vehicle it’s an easy recommendation if you can still find one.

What I Liked

  • Genuine UCS build quality, fit, and finish throughout
  • Opening cockpit and posable harpoon gun add real interactive detail
  • Display stand and plaque give it a proper collector’s-piece presentation
  • Absorbing, well-paced build across the full piece count

What I Didn’t

  • Retired, so availability is already inconsistent
  • Premium UCS pricing for the piece count

The Verdict

Rating: 4.5/5

A genuine UCS classic, and a great reminder of what official LEGO fit and finish actually feels like after a year of clone-brick builds.

Where to Buy

Yoda’s Hut: A Small, Cheap Set That Punches Above Its Price

Toy Review · Purchased May 4, 2022 · $100.00 CAD via Lego.com

LEGO Star Wars Yoda's Hut 75208
Yoda’s Hut, 75208. Photo: LEGO

The Setup

Set 75208 is a compact, 229-piece recreation of Yoda’s swamp hut on Dagobah from The Empire Strikes Back, including a fold-open interior, small jungle terrain details, and Yoda and Luke Skywalker minifigures.

The Review

Picked up on the same order as the much bigger UCS Snowspeeder, this was the perfect quick palate-cleanser build — done in under an hour, but genuinely charming for it. The fold-open hut design lets you display it either as a closed exterior or an opened-up interior scene, and the swampy terrain base with its little jungle details sells the setting better than I expected from such a small piece count.

Nothing about it is ambitious, and it’s clearly built to be an easy, affordable entry point rather than a display centerpiece. But for $100, getting both Yoda and Luke minifigures plus a nicely detailed little diorama is a genuinely good value, and it displays well as a small companion piece next to bigger Empire Strikes Back builds.

What I Liked

  • Fold-open design lets you display it as a closed hut or an open interior scene
  • Includes both Yoda and Luke minifigures
  • Swampy terrain details sell the Dagobah setting well for the piece count
  • Quick, satisfying build for a change of pace

What I Didn’t

  • Small and simple — not a set that holds attention on its own
  • Works best as a companion piece rather than a standalone centerpiece

The Verdict

Rating: 4/5

A small, affordable set that punches above its price — a great quick build and a nice companion to bigger Star Wars displays.

Where to Buy

The Death Star Trash Compactor Diorama: A Wall-Mounted Slice of A New Hope

Toy Review · Purchased February 10, 2022 · $120.00 CAD via Lego Store

LEGO Star Wars Death Star Trash Compactor Diorama 75339
Death Star Trash Compactor Diorama, 75339. Photo: LEGO

The Setup

Set 75339 is part of LEGO’s Star Wars Diorama Collection — wall-mountable, adult-collector display pieces built to capture a single iconic scene rather than a full ship or vehicle. This one recreates the trash compactor from A New Hope, at 802 pieces, complete with Luke, Han, Leia, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2, and the dianoga lurking in the murky water.

The Review

What makes this diorama line work is restraint — rather than trying to build an entire ship, it isolates one claustrophobic, grimy moment and nails the details that sell it: the textured “walls” closing in, the murky trash-and-water surface, the dianoga’s single eye peeking out. Building it is a satisfying, moderate-length session, and the six included minifigures (with genuinely good facial expressions) make it feel like a proper scene rather than just a backdrop.

It’s a wall-hanger, not a shelf piece, which is either a selling point or a limitation depending on how much wall space you’re willing to dedicate to a single Star Wars moment. For anyone who’s been collecting the wider Diorama Collection, it’s an easy addition; on its own, it’s a fun, focused build that’s more about capturing a mood than showing off scale.

What I Liked

  • Captures the claustrophobic mood of the scene very effectively at a small scale
  • Six included minifigures with strong facial printing
  • Satisfying, focused build without an overwhelming piece count
  • Fits neatly alongside the rest of LEGO’s Diorama Collection

What I Didn’t

  • Wall-mount format takes up permanent wall real estate rather than a shelf
  • A niche pick if you’re not already into the Diorama Collection line

The Verdict

Rating: 4/5

A small, well-executed slice of one of the most memorable scenes in A New Hope — easy to recommend to anyone already collecting the Diorama line.

Where to Buy

A Sand Crawler MOC From ComeBack Jeremy, Closing Out the Year on a Desert Note

Lego | Bought December 5, 2021 | $450 CAD from ComeBack Jeremy

Sand Crawler MOC brick model
Photo credit: mocbrickstore.com

Why I Bought It

I wrapped up my 2021 buying with another custom build, this time a 379-piece Jawa Sand Crawler MOC picked up through a seller going by ComeBack Jeremy. It’s a smaller, more compact take on the Sand Crawler than the larger Vonado-branded version I already had on the shelf from a different year, and I specifically wanted something at a different scale so the two wouldn’t just look like duplicates side by side.

Living With It

At 379 pieces it’s a much quicker build than my bigger Star Wars vehicles, but it still captures the Sand Crawler’s blocky, treaded silhouette well. The smaller scale actually works in its favor here — it slots into gaps on a crowded shelf that the bigger builds can’t, and it doesn’t compete for attention with the Republic Gunship sitting nearby. A nice, low-effort way to close out a year that had already delivered plenty of big builds.

The Good

  • Compact scale fits into shelf gaps the bigger builds can’t
  • Captures the Sand Crawler’s silhouette well despite the smaller piece count
  • Quick, relaxing build to close out a busy year

The Bad

  • Less detailed than a larger-scale Sand Crawler build
  • Third-party seller sourcing means less consistency than an official or established MOC brand

Final Call

Rating: 3.5/5. A solid smaller-scale companion piece, not a replacement for a full-size Sand Crawler build.

Grab One Here

LEGO’s Santa’s Visit, a Christmas Set I Bought Way Too Early

Lego | Bought October 5, 2021 | $150 CAD from The Lego Store

LEGO Santa's Visit set 10293
Photo credit: LEGO.com

Why I Bought It

Santa’s Visit (10293) hit shelves in October, and I’ll admit I jumped on it the moment it was available rather than waiting for the actual holiday season. At 1,445 pieces, it’s a chunky seasonal display set, and I wanted enough runway to actually finish it before decorating for Christmas.

Living With It

The finished piece is genuinely charming — the rotating chimney mechanism that reveals Santa’s legs stuck inside is a clever little detail, and the color palette does a lot of work making it feel festive without being garish. It’s a set clearly designed to be displayed as a diorama rather than played with, and it succeeds at that in a way a lot of seasonal LEGO sets don’t quite manage.

The Good

  • Clever chimney mechanism with Santa’s legs sticking out is a great little touch
  • Festive without tipping into tacky
  • Doubles nicely as year-round shelf decor thanks to the warm color scheme

The Bad

  • Only really makes sense to display for a couple months a year
  • Pricey for a decoration piece with no real play function

Final Call

Rating: 4/5. A genuinely fun build and a great seasonal centerpiece, just don’t expect it to earn its shelf space year-round.

Grab One Here

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.

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

Grab One Here

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

Grab One Here

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.

Grab One Here