[REVIEW] 75299 Trouble on Tatooine

[JackJonespaw]

Yeehaw, folks. We’re out here in the desert. It’s hot, and it’s sandy. You could probably guess those two, but did you know I’m also dehydrated? I’m running out of time here, but I decided to use these last minutes to type up this review. Don’t say I never do anything for you. I put LEGO before my own life.

So the Mandalorian! I’ll be honest, my memory of the show’s a bit fuzzy, like most memories out in this desert heat. Even so, it’s not like I could pay $9.99 / month to Disney Plus, the exclusive home for your favorite movies and TV shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic. Start streaming today at disneyplus.com. 

Help: Trouble on Tatooine

I’m: 75299

Stuck: 276 pieces

In: $29.99 | 29.99€

The: 3, The Mandalorian, The Child, and The Tusken Raider

Desert: Star Wars

This box stars my friends: Mr. Mandalorian, Mr. Child, and Mr. Raider. Mr. Raider also has his little hut, and what I thought was a desert dragonfly before seeing that it’s actually a ballista. Huh, who knew? Probably could’ve used one of those for Anakin 30 or so years earlier.

Mr. Mandalorian has managed to sit Mr. Raider down, and is now about to execute him in front of a child. How cute, I love Star Wars!

Here’s what’s inside. I was really hoping for water. These plastic bags could hold water, perhaps, but there’s not much I can do with that information other than type it out.

Here he is, the guy. Mr. Dark Brown and Silver. He’s got enough printing to put a Kinkos out of business. He also has two guns, one for shooting, and the other one probably just to look cool with. Again, I do not remember what happens in the show. I don’t even remember the name of the desert I’m trapped in.

“Awwwww!” Everyone said, until they learned his name was Gorgu. Then they all said “ehhhhhhhhh!” Still, he’s a cutie, but man, he is small. Like, I’m afraid my dog might eat him. That’s not a joke; that’s a serious concern. I don’t have a dog, though.

And here’s the Raider. I really do not like these molded heads. I know this might be beating a dead horse (it probably died of dehydration, too), but I miss the old printed heads. These new ones are too...action figure-y.

So, build completed, and tongue drier than the wine my wife made me drink on Thanksgiving, we have a speeder. It’s a pretty nice speeder, and definitely something I wish I had right now in the desert. The colors are not great, though. Like, not only is it not accurate to the speeder in the show, it just looks ugly. Occasionally Star Wars’ beaten-up, ugly ship aesthetic just doesn’t translate into LEGO well.

But you can put Gorgu in the speeder, which is pretty cute. He fits really snugly, and can be a complete pain to get out. My strategy is kinda flicking the bottom of his legs out of the satchel, because pulling from the arms will do absolutely nothing. Does this count as a play feature?

The speeder also fits the two guns of the Mandalorian. Sure, I guess that’s as good a place as any to put them. Usually your legs would go right in front of the barrel, which is maybe not the safest position for a gun, but minifigs don’t have to worry about that problem.

See? He can comfortably sit without worrying about shooting his calf. Must be nice. Although if you flip it the other way, it’s pointing at a baby. So, kinda lose-lose for us folks with legs.

Now this? This I’m jealous. I’ve not seen so much as a dent in a hill for me to shade. Well that’s not strictly true - I saw one, dived down in it to get out of this hot sun, and you know what happened? A rattlesnake was in there. So if I go into the shadows, I’ll get poisoned. Although, that might be better dehydration... 

Anyway, this little hut has all the fixings a Tusken Raider could need. A fire, a pot with one (1) bone, and some shaded seats. It’s not fancy, but out here in the desert, I’m realizing it doesn’t have to be.

It can also do this if you’ve got company over. Set up a project screen where the campfire is, and you can watch some of the great Disney Plus films!

It also folds up for...easy storage? I have no clue what or why this is. If anything, it just puts the the fire closer to flammable objects. I’m no firefighter (a firefighter wouldn’t get stuck out in a desert), but that seems like a bad move.

To reiterate: I am very jealous.

The dragonfly gun, however, isn’t all that bad. It’s a weird looking thing, but hey, who am I to judge? Maybe I look worse, no one really knows, thanks to the anonymity of the Internet and the sun scarring on my face.

I guess it kinda looks like a big, buggy crossbow from this angle. I can definitely see how people could say it’s a ballista, and also how I could say it’s a dragonfly.

And that’s it. A set like this, unlike a lot of these Star Wars ships, is very much a case of “you see what you get”. A hut, a speeder, and a ballista. Nothing here is mind-blowing, nor do I think it’s a particularly good build to be shown off. The best fate I can see for this set, for a lot of children, is being disassembled into their larger collection, while saving the minifigs. Generally I like to categorize LEGO Star Wars sets into one of two categories: either a vehicle or a playset. And while Trouble on Tatooine undoubtedly falls into that latter category, calling it a playset is like calling a great spotted kiwi a bird. It is that thing, but it falls quite short. This set has one play feature - a dart on top of the ballista, and three completely separate builds. I’m having trouble seeing the appeal of the set itself.

Of course, we all know the real pull here are the minifigs. A $30 set with a really nice, new Mandalorian fig and Baby Grogu? It’s a pretty good deal. It’s one of those sets that fits the obligation of a $30 price tag while having to throw an appropriate amount of pieces in there to make it different from a battle pack. And the Tusken Raider, strange as it might seem, has an important purpose. If there were a more exclusive figure, or more prominent villain from the series, I doubt the price tag would have stayed at $30. Unless it was another generic figure. You could probably switch out the Tatooine aesthetic with some other random planet with a random enemy. An Oba Diah set with a Pyke, a Srilurr set with a Weequay, an Alzoc III set with a Talz - take your pick. Maybe Tatooine was chosen because of recognizability? Who can say.

All in all, it’s a set that’s exactly what you’d expect. A simple build with the minifigs being the main draw. Pretty much the only reason for a $30 set to exist. So I’ll give this set a score of 3/5.

Let me know what you think! Is this set more than the minifigs it includes? Why would you pick up this set? Do you think the ballista looks more like a dragonfly? Let me know below, and make sure you vote on the poll!

Thanks to LEGO for giving me the set for review, and thanks to Eurobricks for being the fine community that it is. And thank you to this desert for killing me slowly and with a great deal of heat. I hate you.

[makoy]

Spoiler

Wait... who is Grogu?

Nah, just pulling your leg. 

On a scale of 10, I'll score it a 7 just because this is the cheapest way to get the child. Also with the full beskar armour, I am sure people will still get this set for the duo.

I know it should have been better but it is what it is. I don't even know what to say about that weapon side-build. ?‍♂️ 

[Calanon]

I will definitely pick it up for Djarin in full beskar and the Child, but having seen the episode it feels like this set tries to cover two things poorly than one. Wish it were either speeder + the attackers, or scrap speeder and have Vanth and a krayt dragon.

[JintaiZ]

Thanks JackJoneSpaw for the review! I may pick it up, the price seems very appropriate for what you get.

[Pirean_Grammaticul]

finally a new jackjonespaw review

wish there were more huts and a smaller speeder to make it a better remake of lego set 7113 - the set that shall not be remade, but dragonfly gun and figures are easily the best part; would've liked better lighting on the photos on maybe a white background but im sure you had your limitations. incidentally i saw a dork with legos and a sheet of black paper from my plane going over the sahara but that couldn't have been you right

[JGW3000]

What's up with Zabriskie Point? Anyway, nice review but the set could have included that overly handsome sheriff type guy and another Tuskan at more/less the same price point (maybe they are in the set, just lurking in the shadows?)

[Retro]

The review is of course nicely done. But for a 30 Euro toy, could they not have put in anything of actual interest beyond our favourite father and child, like a fun little brick built Krayt Dragon, or Cobb Vanth or even, I don't know, Doctor Mandible (whatever episode he was in). 

[Smack]

Thanks so much for the review.  I was truly concerned about Mando shooting himself.  Whew!

 

[Paul11283652]

What’s ‘Kinko’s’ precious?

Also why would you be automatically eating the rattlesnake if you go into the shadows?

Mando looks a bit too poo brown for mine. Good review.

[Thomas_w]

Setting aside that this set is a cheap (ish) way to get the Mandalorian and Child figures, it does feel a bit sparse otherwise. In a dream world it would have included a bantha (perhaps in lieu of the speeder and the crossbow?). Having seen the episode I agree with Retro and Calanon in that I would have liked to see Cobb Vanth included, but given the chance of the figure being leaked online I guess it was safer not to include. The Tusken Raider camp is nice, it could have been expanded on if the crossbow wasn't a feature. I mean its not terrible, but if it wasn't for the two major figures I think it would be received more poorly, can you imagine this set with say Luke and R2D2? It wouldn't be popular. 

[BlueDragonZ]

I like how you can put The Child figure in the speeder. That's really cute. The Mandalorian is also a great minifigure. 

[AFOLguy1970]

For those who do not want to buy the Razor Crest in order to get Mando and the Child, this is the way.  Not like the Razor Crest will be available again for a while anyway.  I have a feeling this is going to be a highly targeted set online and in the Lego stores on January 1.  Get it quick before it falls into the five pages out of six online of items which are temporarily out of stock with no backorder option.  

[BlackGloveBricks]

Thanks for the review!

Tried like crazy to get this from LEGO.com last night. But couldn't get mine in before they happened to land on backorder. 

This just makes me all the more excited to finally grab one. 

Maybe I'll try Amazon! 

[DutchBlockhead]

Damn this was a funny review