Review: 7663 Sith Infiltrator

[Big Cam]

For my 9th Star Wars review(I'm going for a bakers dozen), I bring you the updated Sith Infiltrator. This is a remake of the original 7151 which I desperately wanted but was never able to pick up and I am so happy I waited and got the new updated version because this one looks so much better.

BASIC INFORMATION:

Set Name: Sith Infiltrator

Set Number: 7663

Number of Pieces: LEGO box 310, Peeron 310, Bricklink 303, Brickset 310

Minifigs: 1

Price: $29.99, £24.99

Theme: Star Wars

Year Released: 2007

RESOURCES:

(high res pics available here, also by clicking the images in the review)

THE REVIEW:

The Box

Front:

The front of the box has a great in flight shot of the stealthy fighter, as well as a quick pic of Darth maul on his tiny speeder bike. There is also some printing stating this is a limited edition and LEGO is well aware of how hard it was in the past to obtain a Darth Maul fig since it was last produced in 2000.

Side:

The side of the box shows the same image as the front, Darth maul with his little speeder, and a special thanks to KimT as Denmark is the first country listed for where the components were made.

Back:

Lots of features are shown on the back of the box. From speeder bike storage to Sith droid storage to flick fire missiles, this ship has it all. Not to mention some slick landing gear and fold out wings.

Instructions

Front:

One booklet of standard size for a medium sized set, roughly the size of a piece of 8x11 paper which has the same image as the box with the same blaster effects. Boy I wish my set did that.

Back:

Loads of advertising on the back of this instruction booklet. 9 sets in total, of which I have all of them, except the MTT, it just never appealed to me.

Parts List:

The bread and butter of building duplicate sets. I much prefer this being on the back of the booklet but you can't win them all.

All Pieces:

310 pieces and 1 yellow piece. The large wing panels are pretty cool, and you get 4 of them.

Random pieces of interest:

A small control panel and a radar dish style piece with some markings for the top of the ship, as well as the rear hatch with lots of printing, and the best part is no stickers!

Extra Pieces:

2 1 stud tiles 2 1 stud round studs and a controller piece. A pretty weak selection of extra pieces, but then again, they are extras. Into the giant bin they go(not really).

Cape Box:

Cape box 4182970 contains one black cape. The cape is a standard black Jedi/Sith cape.

Minifigs

Darth Maul:

A loan minifig for a lonely Sith life. With only 1 minifig usually I'd complain, but for this set it only makes sense, plus he's a hard to find minifigure. There is no back printing and the cape would cover that anyway, so I'll focus on his weapon and face.

Darth Maul with saber:

Although it's just a regular lightsaber hilt, they do give you two blades for the full effect. Lets not forget that this is a chrome hilt, which is all but extinct.

Darth Maul face close up:

A close up of his face shows a pretty good printing job, I think it looks like him. I do not own the previous version from 1999/2000 so I will borrow a photo from Bricklink. The new head is on the left and the previous version is on the right. The main difference is in the chin and the eyes; the newer version has pupils.

Sith infiltrator build process

Cockpit Step 11:

This is an important step to show because it clearly shows the printed control panel and the rails, which hold the speeder bike in place. It's cozy but it's a perfect fit for a lonely Sith.

Cockpit Step 17:

The lovely printed pieces close out the back side of the cockpit for Darth Maul's sleek ship. I love the rounded look the whole unit has, the rear hatch resembles the Tie Interceptor clear cockpit glass, and in fact it's the same piece in only grey and printed.

Cockpit Step 20:

I have jumped forward to the addition of the wings on either side of the cockpit. They are very true to the design in the movies and look rather good.

Main Hull Step 5:

This particular hull build picture is here to show how the front landing gear work. All of this gets covered up so this is the only time you get to see it. The two leg pieces are on 2x2 turntables but are then blocked in so they only move as much as shown in the picture.

Main Hull Step 16:

Advancing on the hull is taking form and we see the storage location for the 3 probe droids as well as Darth Mauls lightsaber hilt and a nice pair of binoculars which if you recall he does briefly use in the movie.

Watch your pieces :

If you didn't build Darth Maul from the beginning like the instructions tell you to, you may find the back of Darth maul's head looks alot like a probe droid. Be careful when building.

Main Hull Step 18:

The front end of the ship is so much smoother than the previous version except mine seems to have some permanent damage done to it. For the life of me I can't get that big black scuff off of the front piece.

Completed Ship front left:

Sleek and streamlined would be how I'd describe this set. Even with the battle damage of being stored, this ship looks great.

Completed Ship back left:

The lightsaber blades on the edge of the wings are a nice touch. In total you get 4 red saber blades in this set.

Completed Ship right rear:

Very similar tot eh other picture but here you get a clear view of the saber blades on the main hull area. These are actually the saber blades from Darth Mauls lightsaber. I think they look really good right there and I wish LEGO would have given us 2 more for his lightsaber so those could be left on all the time. In order to use his lightsaber, you need to take those 2 blades off the ship.

Completed Ship head on:

Flick fire missiles are hiding under the wing section near the front of the cockpit and you can see that the front of this ship is only 4 studs wide.

Completed Ship rear:

Another fine view of the printed hatch piece and the dish on top, both very complimentary to the ships design. The printed hatch opens up for the speeder bike that we will see below.

Completed Ship Bottom:

Underneath the ship the main thing to look for is the landing gear. It's a little hard to see but if you click the picture you'll get a high res copy and you'll see how one landing gear leg is moved out and the other is tucked away close to the ship. It's a very subtle difference but it actually helps with the stability.

Speeder bike:

Personally I think this is the best speeder bike LEGO has ever made. It is so simple and small, yet it looks awesome. It clearly can't compete with a regular speeder bike for size, but it's a very functional bike.

Rear hatch:

Storage for the speeder bike is not a problem with the Sith Infiltrator. Darth Maul can ride right up into the back of the Sith Infiltrator and control the ship from his speeder bike. This ends up being very convenient for playability since the bike is always with you.

Flick Fire Missiles:

Flick fire missiles, what is there to say, they are the downfall of LEGO design. All they ever do is fall out when you try to play, and they perfected the cannon back in the 80's, why can't they incorporate a smaller cannon on ships, so there is actual power in the missiles. That is my dream.

Storage:

The entire front of the ship can slide forward to get to the storage area with the probe droids; his lightsaber and his binoculars are conveniently stored.

Flight mode:

Finally the wings fold out to enter flight mode. The ship has to be raised off the ground to open the bottom wings, I used some clear 2x2 round pieces to elevate the ship high enough to fold them out. While swooshing it's not a problem, but you need to close them before you land.

Totals:

Design: 9/10 I rated this a 9 out of 10 because the overall design is pretty solid. The only things I'd change is the front area that opens, can actually slide all the way off. Now according to the instructions this is normal, I just wish it slid out a few inches and then locked in place or stopped. Not a real big deal, but it did stop it from getting a 10 in my book.

Parts: 6/10 Nothing spectacular in this set. The large wing pieces are unique but I'm not sure what else I'd use them for. 4 lightsaber blades are always appreciated but otherwise I don't really feel the need to go on and on about parts that aren't that special.

Build: 7/10 The build is pretty simple, barely any technic and structurally it's pretty sound. The wings can break off if you get a little rough but if your careful like all sets, it handles just fine. The landing gear is very good for displaying the model and store away nicely and don't wiggle around when in the closed position. This is something I think is worth noting because while building it, you think they are going to wiggle around and make noise until the build is complete.

Minifigs: 8/10 Darth Maul is a hard to find minifig and I think he is worth is weight in bricks to me. Since I was unable to get a previous version I have no problem only getting one minifig in a $30 set. I of course want as many fig's as possible but I can't really see anyone else being in this set, unless they gave us a Qui Gon Jin, which would be similar to what they decided to do later on with sets like the new Republic Gunship where we get a villain that has no ship of their own.

Playability: 10/10 Some may argue with me but I think this set is great for playability and swoosh ability. It is sturdy when holding in your hand to swoosh and when on the ground, it has the great storage space for the speeder and all of the other useful pieces like the droids and his lightsaber and binoculars are all housed conveniently in the ship. It's all self contained and that's important, especially if you fly from downstairs to upstairs, you don't want to have to lug up his heavy speeder by itself. Although I hate flick fire missiles, the kids love them and they are included in this set.

Price: 8/10 I think it's a good deal but $30 for 300 pieces and one fig is slightly on the high side. The more I think about it, the more I wish they included Qui Gon as an adversary for Darth maul to fight. Other than that it's a great ship with some specialty pieces which I feel make it worth it's money.

Total: 48/60 This gives it an overall rating of an 8. If I had the chance and the extra money I would have bought this set twice, or even three times. I can see this set growing in value, as it is the best version and likely the last version of this ship that we will see. The one fig you get is lonely but he's a rare fig. The ship looks great and is very functional for play. If you had the old set, I can imagine you bought the new one as well due to the vast improvement in LEGO pieces over the last 8 years. New sealed versions of this set are already going for $50 on Bricklink showing that this set will likely remain a popular one in the future.

[commdr_neyo]

I really like this set (just like the review), and I wish I bought it when I could.

This set also has the good printed Darth Maul (his head) and it isn't bad quality

[Brickus]

Good review, thanks for showing where the components were made.

[RileyC]

I do have this set and i am so glad I picked it up. The darth maul minifig is just so incredible. The hip is pretty cool and I dont see them making a remake any time soon. One thing I find annoying about the set is that you have to take the red lightsabre pieces off the ship to put onto his lightsabre which is a dat annoying sometimes.

[Shompis]

I bought it last week! I was just casually looking around in a toyshop and saw one set of it available. Bought it instantly. By the way, was it really a limited piece around the world, or just in NA? Because there is no limited editon or any other text printed on my set. Its just as plain as the other SW boxes of that year. And I believe I saw it in numerous different stores in 2007. In Sweden that is.

[Legostein]

Hello!

I like the review. It's very detailed and provides much information. I however don't like the set that much, and hence only voted for average. Generally I like the older version of the re-released sets better. While the new ones have many big shape-giving pieces, the older ones still had shape realized by many smaller slpes and plates. That increases piece count, and creativity.

Cheers,

~ Christopher

[Big Cam]

I do have this set and i am so glad I picked it up. The darth maul minifig is just so incredible. The hip is pretty cool and I dont see them making a remake any time soon. One thing I find annoying about the set is that you have to take the red lightsabre pieces off the ship to put onto his lightsabre which is a dat annoying sometimes.

I agree, I wish they would have given us 2 more but you can't win them all.

I bought it last week! I was just casually looking around in a toyshop and saw one set of it available. Bought it instantly. By the way, was it really a limited piece around the world, or just in NA? Because there is no limited editon or any other text printed on my set. Its just as plain as the other SW boxes of that year. And I believe I saw it in numerous different stores in 2007. In Sweden that is.

I'm not 100% sure but I believe that it was only limited in NA. Toys R Us is the official distributor in the US so any sets like this or the Hoth set, or Home one, only show up in Toys R Us stores.

[Zenox]

Great review, im so jealous now

[bamaker]

I'm not 100% sure but I believe that it was only limited in NA. Toys R Us is the official distributor in the US so any sets like this or the Hoth set, or Home one, only show up in Toys R Us stores.

It was actually a Wal-Mart Exclusive. The three big chains, Wal-Mart, Target, and Toys R Us, get their own exclusives each year. This year it's the Midi-Falcon at WM, Pirate Tank at Target, and Home One at TRU.

Anyway, to get back on topic, this is a very nice review. You provide lots of pictures and they really help with seeing the whole completed model. For example, I always thought the wings could be fully opened without having to add risers to the model, but now thanks to your review I know better.

[Big Cam]

Thanks for the comments.

And thanks for clearing up the limited edition thing, I knew I was on the right track, but I was missing a bit of info.

I see I got a poor vote, anyone care to volunteer their identity? I rather liked the set and I'd love to hear what made you vote so low.

[Commander_Rob]

Nice review, and I have to agree, Maul`s speeder is one of the best there is.

I also have that set and I must admit, I pretty much only bought it because of Darth Maul.

But, as he`s just so cool, it was worth it.

[bamaker]

I see I got a poor vote, anyone care to volunteer their identity?

I voted 'Average.' There don't appear to be any "bells & whistles" on the set to really justify it being any higher.

Question: When we vote on these polls, are we voting on the SET or the REVIEW? I thought the review was outstanding, but the set was average.

[Big Cam]

I voted 'Average.' There don't appear to be any "bells & whistles" on the set to really justify it being any higher.

Question: When we vote on these polls, are we voting on the SET or the REVIEW? I thought the review was outstanding, but the set was average.

On the set.

The Poll question refers to the set not the review.

"How do you rate this set"

[prateek]

Great review. This set is better than I thought

[def]

I think this review is really tight and professional looking I have the 1999 model, and I really liked it, so I would pick this up if I could. I think Darth Maul made this one disappear quickly.

Thanks for the review!

[CommanderFox]

Another surperb review Big Cam

This is a really nice set imo.

Lego captured it really well!

Your review makes me regret not buying it now.

Great job!

CommanderFox

[Big Cam]

I think this review is really tight and professional looking I have the 1999 model, and I really liked it, so I would pick this up if I could. I think Darth Maul made this one disappear quickly.

Thanks for the review!

I hate to be prejudice against old sets for being blocky because well that's what LEGO is, but when I first got out of my dark age around 2006, and I started buying new sets, I found FBTB and saw all the old sets I missed. The Infiltrator was one I desperetaly wanted. I was close to buying one off ebay a few times for ridiculous amounts, but I just couldnt bring myself to do it and then luckily this new version came out, and I am SO happy I didn't spend a ton of money on the old set, because if I had and then I was able to buy an updated and better(IMO) version for $30, I would have been very sad.

So this all worked out for me in the end.

Thanks again for the comments on my reviews, I'll try to get some more SW oned out sooner than later.

[def]

I was close to buying one off ebay a few times for ridiculous amounts, but I just couldnt bring myself to do it and then luckily this new version came out, and I am SO happy I didn't spend a ton of money on the old set, because if I had and then I was able to buy an updated and better(IMO) version for $30, I would have been very sad.

That cost $30 Americans have it so easy It started at $60 in Japan, and is average $90 when you can find it now.

As for the first waves, they do look utterly primitive now, but at the time they were fantastic. It's like comparing an original Playstation to an original Nintendo. Without a frame of reference, a Nintendo fares pretty poorly. But at the time...

I was working at Toys R Us, a non-toy collector in 1999, and all the sets hypnotized me. I got the Sith Infiltrator for half price after Christmas or so, and love it dearly. Maybe I'll submit a review after I recover all my old sets this Christmas. Wish I could do a comparison!

[Big Cam]

That cost $30 Americans have it so easy It started at $60 in Japan, and is average $90 when you can find it now.

As for the first waves, they do look utterly primitive now, but at the time they were fantastic. It's like comparing an original Playstation to an original Nintendo. Without a frame of reference, a Nintendo fares pretty poorly. But at the time...

I was working at Toys R Us, a non-toy collector in 1999, and all the sets hypnotized me. I got the Sith Infiltrator for half price after Christmas or so, and love it dearly. Maybe I'll submit a review after I recover all my old sets this Christmas. Wish I could do a comparison!

Exactly, that's exactly what I was getting at. I wanted it so bad until I saw the new one then the old was was a distant memory whichI feel partially bad about because I love all LEGO and theoretically I'd like every set but since I have to be choosy I choose the newer less expensive one.

[BlueDragonZ]

This one does look to be a improvement compared to the old one. And i'm like you as well big cam. I usually prefer the newer updated versions of sets as they are usually better.

[Minxter]

Hi Big Cam.

Really good review of a really good set!

I want it so badly and my friend says i can buy it for about 100sek which is about $14.

But we never trade

Bye

Minxter

[Big Cam]

I suppose with def's competing review of the old school version it was only a matter of time before this got bumped. Thanks for the compliment, I really like this set. Even though I like studs the old one is just too blocky for me.