REVIEW: 7754 Home One: Mon Calamari Star Cruiser

[starstreak]

This review is on the #7754 Home One Mon Calamari Star Cruiser

Prepare to attack the Death Star!

Aboard the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser Home One, the Rebel Alliance plans its final assault against the Empire’s second Death Star. Voted for by fans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of LEGO® Star Wars, the famous Rebel flagship features a command center and briefing room with Death Star “hologram,” a launch and repair hangar, a Green Squadron A-wing starfighter with removable engine and firing flick-missiles, and the first-ever LEGO minifigures of Admiral Ackbar, Rebel leader Mon Mothma, General Lando Calrissian, General Madine, a Mon Calamari officer and a Green Squadron A-wing pilot. Move the levers and gears to prepare the A-wing for takeoff or to rotate Admiral Ackbar’s command chair!

Set Name: 7754 Home One Mon Calamari Star Cruiser

Theme: Star Wars

Released: 2009

Pieces: 789

Price: $109.99/$79.85EURO/69.73GBP

Here are some quicklinks Lego.com, Brickset, Bricklink

Wanna see some pictures? Let's start with the normal box arts and manuals!

Box Front

I guess for a limited edition, they pull all the stops. Very colorful and full detail of the whole playset.

Box Rear

Back of the box, shows back of the playset. Here you can also see how the moving pieces move.

Parts Bags

OK, about 790 pieces. But yet, they needed 11 bags. About 4 bags for each stage of the build. I wonder why they don't use less bags?

Minifigs front

Rebel leader Mon Mothma, General Lando Calrissian, Mon Calamari officer, Admiral Ackbar, Green Squadron A-wing pilot and General Madine

Minifig rear

Nothing much to see here. The only one with detail is Admiral Ackbar.

Sticker Sheet

Nothing fancy with these stickers. Just enough to make the A-Wing, and the control panels.

Instruction Manuals

Same cover for both manuals. And these manuals was all warped in the box. I hated taking these photos.

Random Page

Final build page. In it you can see the lever that locks in the bridge and repair bay.

Action Page

Here you go. A close up of everything that moves and comes apart. Well, just about. I don't think they show you the crane that moves the engine.

Parts lists

Yes, there are 3 pages of parts! While I don't consider 790 pieces a lot, this set uses many different types of Lego parts.

Build Sheets

I created a contact sheet for this build. For a set that doesn't have that many pieces, they had many steps. I've broken it up into sections. A-Wing. Repair Bay. And Bridge. The contact sheets can be clicked on to take you to my flickr site where you can click on high-resolution photos of each step.

A-Wing

The engine fits very well in the rear. Once you slide in the red engine in the back, you fold the two white colored flaps over it. It actually does a good job at holding the engine in without too much play. If you notice just in front of the canopy, there is a 2x2 space. I was thinking this is a good place for a R2 unit, but it's really there just so when the canopy opens it has a place for the nose to fit. Green looks nice for the A-Wing. Did you know that the A-wing was released twice as a stand alone set? Both of those were red. All of them used the same general shape, with the same rear thruster design, and same idea for big wing guns. This version in this set is the most detailed.

Repair Bay

The best part of the hanger bay is the crane. It moves side to side and the rope can be raised or lowered. The A-Wing can also be rotated. Not sure if it was done to give it the idea of maneuverability or just a way so the crane can get the engine in just right..

The top where the crane is located holds what appears to be two light panels on both sides to light up the bay so the techs can work on the ship.

Bridge

As I was building the bridge, it reminded me of some Greek structure with all the white pillars, which later just turned into walls.The back is where the hologram globe sites. There 5 places for key figures to stand with a control panel. Somehow this looks more like an afterthought. The Front of the Bridge came out better. The captain's chair moves and swivels just like in the movie. And just like the A-Wing in the bay.. Hey, they used the same idea twice. I see they can't forget to include a cup to drink. But that that seems so out of place.

Final Photos

Front shot. They included just enough of the Bay to make the A-Wing seem at home there. Just enough pieces. They did use a contrast of pieces to show that they aren't supposed to be joind like that. Grey for the bay and white for the bridge area.

Rear shot with the two halves joined. I love the idea how the A-Wing's engine comes out. The long black stick is there to move the A-Wing i and out and also to give you the ability to swivel the ship. Not that you can see it, but even the hologram globe has detail on the inside of it. There are some yellow technic parts and a shaft to simulate the inside of what appears to be the death star.

Close-up of Mr. Ackbar sitting in his chair contemplating how to say "It's a trap to get you to buy more Lego!" I kinda like the chair. It moves forward and back and rotates. Just like the movie. Smart idea to use grey guns as details to the display panels on each of the side chairs.

Just two different focused views of the A-Wing sitting in the bay. I like the shot of where the engine is in focus.

My rating

Playability: 4/5. Very playable with all the minifigs. But unless you have it sitting on a flat surface, I can see this set breaking.

Design: 3/5. For a set called "Home One Mon Calamari Star Cruiser" I was hoping for something like how they made a playable Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser. But I guess for what it turned out, they added 3 different play areas. None are "great". But all are average.

Build experience: 2/5. Nothing hard to build. Everything fit just right. And no hard stickers to put on.

Overall: 4/5. For a limited edition I wanted more than just exclusive minifigs. I'm giving it a 4 for the minifigs and the great design of the A-Wing. If it wasn't for that, this set would be about a 3 in my book. I don't think I would've bought it. Ah! I bet you were thinking no comment about the price? Ha! I paid $135+ for this. Now it's being sold just around $100. Way expensive. I sometimes wonder if Lego knows some people would sell the minifigs so they keep the price high so not to do so. :)

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!

All photos are click able for larger, bigger-than-life picture sizes! You can see all photos used here, including the larger build pictures: 7754 Home One Mon Calamari Star Cruiser.

[CELESTRIAL]

Thanks for the review !! i really want to get this set, but i find its just WAY to expensive in AU. At Toys r' us they were selling it for roughly $200, there's no way i'm paying that much for it, because i only want the beautiful A-wing and Akbar.

Thanks again for the review

[The Eye]

Thanks for the fantastic review! I'm torn between this and a few other sets for BDAY 2010. You've given me some more material to think about.

[Brickus]

Excellent review as always starstreak, I probably won't get this set anyway.

[Hewman]

Thanks for the review !! i really want to get this set, but i find its just WAY to expensive in AU. At Toys r' us they were selling it for roughly $200, there's no way i'm paying that much for it, because i only want the beautiful A-wing and Akbar.

Thanks again for the review

I bought this for $160AU from toys r us, and at that price it was still a majorly disappointing set. I know they had it for $140 for a while before Christmas but even at that price I wouldn't recommend it unless you desperately wanted the figs which are very nice. As for the A-Wing it's nice but not sufficiently different from the last release to warrant buying the set.

Thanks for the comprehensive and thoughtful review.

[RileyC]

I love this set. The minifigs I just love because they arent soldiers but just people that only appear in the movies for a few minutes (excluding Lando). The a wing is really cool and I like how it is in green instead of red. Its is one of the best sets from 2009 if not the best set imo.

Great review!

[Alldarker]

Excellent review, especially the many well taken photo's!

I actually really like this set: I bought one MISB, and afterwards actually bought another very cheap new one on e-Bay from which the figures were removed, but which included all the pieces. I now have a display of the Home One with landing pads with A-Wings on each side of the control room, and it looks very impressive!

The figures are of course the main selling point of this set: Mon Mothma, Madine and especially the two Mon Calamari figures are unique to this set, and Llando and the A-Wing pilot haven't been included in very many sets. Llando seems to be very fond of those expensive sets...

[fenris]

A+ review. Great series of high quality pictures - no questions left open. Lots of work! Thank you very much.

I'm not sure about the set. But I'm sure that i love the figs in it and considering a buy just because of them..

[lightningtiger]

AWESOME REVIEW FOR AN AWESOME SET !

Nice to see the A-wing built bit by bit !

Must try and get this set !

I'm a conformist! !

[Big Cam]

Great review, although this review is sad for me since I know more of a background on our fair reviewer Starstreak. No more reviews at work.

This was a great way to finish it out. I have 3 of these still sealed, it's never a set I really wanted so I think they will stay that way.

[Gnewal Gwevus]

Nice review!

Man, I wanted this set so bad because of the Mon Cals, but I guiess I'll just buy the GG starfighter for them. The set still looks cool though.

[def]

Lovely review.

I got this in January, and I built it after having built a bunch of sets, and couldn't enjoy it so much. But after a couple of weeks, I started adding all the other Rebel Alliance mini-figs I have to it, and it looks quite amazing, so no regrets at all. Is it worth is versus the price? 20,000 yen in Japan, I got it for $140 Canadian, and even then it wasn't a deal. But I'm glad I have it.

It's no Cloud City playset, but it is memorable all the same. And pretty in white!

btw, you forgot your poll

[starstreak]

I was just put into my new office yesterday. :( No eating, pretty much no internet, no LEGO, no building or taking photos. Not a happy place.

Great review, although this review is sad for me since I know more of a background on our fair reviewer Starstreak. No more reviews at work.

This was a great way to finish it out. I have 3 of these still sealed, it's never a set I really wanted so I think they will stay that way.

[Big Cam]

I was just put into my new office yesterday. :( No eating, pretty much no internet, no LEGO, no building or taking photos. Not a happy place.

More money at least??

[BlueDragonZ]

Great Review At first i thought this set was going to be something similar to the venator / star destroyer too. But it turns out to be just a play scene. Oh well, it's still very nice though. Price was a bit heavy on my end as I brought it off Lego for $139.99 + tax

[pedro]

Really nice review Starstreak, cheers for taking the time to do it for us!

I have this set but it's still on my 'to build' list (along with the Tantive IV, AT-TE, Vader's TIE and Anakin's Starfighter!) but it looks like a fun build and it's a superb setting to add characters to: I've got many Rebel Pilots, Rebel Troopers and extra Mon Cal to populate it with.

I really like the A-wing models we've seen so far and the one oncluded with this set is a nice improvement - what with the removeable engine and slightly more accurate hull shape.

Thanks again.

[prateek]

Great review. I like this set, but I probably won't get it.

[starstreak]

Nope. Just new work area. Nicer area as it's new, but no drawers as they really don't want you to bring anything extra to work.

More money at least??

[80 Dollar]

I have no room for the whole set, so I just bought the A-Wing itself and it is really good. (without the stickers :P )

Thanks for the review. :)

[Rufus]

Amazing review, starstreak. Your pictures are superb: crystal clear, and beautifully consistent; they look professional. The best I have seen; I'd love to know how you pull it off! It'll be sad indeed if we don't see more like these.

Only one thing - I think some of the A-wing pics might be in the wrong order?

Due to a communication error chez Rufus, I have too of these - only one built (yet)! I'll build the other some day; I'd like to see two of the repair bays side-by-side, perhaps with the red A-wing. I know the set hasn't exactly won over the majority of EB members; however I really like it, particularly the green A-wing and the interesting characters (finally, I have Lando!)

[starstreak]

Thanks for the comments. :)

I think I found the error. I fixed it. Thanks!

Amazing review, starstreak. Your pictures are superb: crystal clear, and beautifully consistent; they look professional. The best I have seen; I'd love to know how you pull it off! It'll be sad indeed if we don't see more like these.

Only one thing - I think some of the A-wing pics might be in the wrong order?

[Cerlin]

Great Review, but I found something to nitpick: I guess you just calculated the €-price from the $ down, but, as usual, rather add 15-20% to the $-Price, then you have the price in EU.

In TRU in Austria, the Price is €129,99 (I looked in the TRU in my area, and they still have 3-4 of this set, gotta save money fast...)

http://www.toysrus.at/spielwaren/lego/7754...iser-62774.html

sorry, if I was too picky

Edited April 21, 2010 by Cerlin

[fred67]

I bought this set when TRU had it on sale a couple of months ago.

My love of Star Wars LEGO is pretty limited to OT and normally just ships or scenes that I can display on a shelf, I don't normally like "play" sets.

But I got this because of the sale; my wife was away for the weekend, so I had time to hang out and build it and... I really loved it. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed building it, I love the playability (yes, it's there on the shelf, and occasionally when I walk by I play with the controls to make the ship and admiral Akbar move around).

The striking thing for me was the A-Wing. I didn't have one. I liked it so much that, while I was putting it together, I was thinking about what I had in my own collection to be able to build more. So far I've built two more, mostly from parts I had but I did order a few pieces to complete them, so now I have a little fleet, even if the colors don't all match.

There was another thread with the same idea.

I bought two because they were on sale. I don't know whether to hold onto one, or use it to make another A-Wing bay. Ultimately I'm really happy with it, seeing as how I was at first going to give it a pass, and how it wouldn't normally be my "cup of tea."

[mrfootball]

Built this over the weekend. My kids and their cousins love this playset and have spent hours playing with it.

[jtr]

Great review -

Just picked this set up - looking forward to building it . . . .

I think I'd like to put a solid plate under the death star hologram section and pick up the new A-wing set.