[Review] 9496 Desert Skiff

[Plissken]

Name: Desert Skiff

Setnumber: 9496

Theme: Star Wars

Year: 2012

Parts: 213

Minifig: 4

Price: €29,99

Bricklink

Today I bought the new Desert Skiff set and decided to do a review. At first I thought the price is a bit high, but more on this later. Let's begin with the review. Enjoy.

The box. Lengthy and shiny with a nice picture of the set.

Back of the box, showing of the features. I really like this kind of pictures. They give away a good feel about the set.

The contents. Three bags, instruction booklet and three plates.

Instructions, random page and comic at the end. The booklet feels very thick and sturdy.

Minifigs of bag 1. Luke and Boba are both newly designed. Both are single faced and only Luke got backprinting.

Bricks of bag 1. Nice tan selection.

In-build and finished Sarlacc. Looks better in person than on pictures. A minifig fits easily into the mouth but that's it. If you can get a poor fella in it, there is no more danger coming from old Sandmouth. You know the digestion can last thousand years

Spare parts.

Minifigs bag 2. Lando is just awesome. Great print and the helmet is a beauty My favorite fig of this set. Kithaba is also great, nice face. Both got backprinting but no second face.

Bricks of bag 2.

These new pieces are very useful. Nice creation LEGO .

In-build and finished bag 2.

Spare parts.

Up to the third and last bag. No Minifigs in this and to a great surprise not one spare part in it.

In-build and finished Skiff. Some really simple but nice techniques.

Besides the plank there are three more features at the skiff. Moveable wings, a weapons compartment and one flick fire missle at the left side under the skiff (not pictured, sorry).

Completed Set.

As a bonus a little comparision with the first LEGO Skiff. Pretty impressive size on the new one.

Fun fact: This picture shows my very first and latest Star Wars set I bought. I realized it while building. Very emotional

I hope you enjoyed my little review. Now the final verdict.

Playability: 10/10

The new skiff is great and very swooshable. Nice features round this up. The sarlacc is a welcomed addition and nicely executed.

Minifig: 10/10

4 figs. Two really nice ones (Luke/Kithaba) and two awesome ones (Boba/Lando). The latter ones alone make this set a must have.

Parts: 8/10

Nice selection in useful colors. The new snot pieces a nice.

Price: 7/10

I was lucky and used a 10% coupon, so I only paid €26,99. I think this is a good price for the set. The original one seems a bit to high but at the end you get nice figures and a pretty entertaining build. It is way more satisfying than 7956 Ewok Attack or 7749 Ecjo Base with similar pricepoints.

Total: 35/40 Highly recommended.

[CMP]

Nice review. I haven't been into Star Wars all that much lately, and Lord of the Rings is my main focus of this year, but...you've convinced me I have to get this set. My old collection practically revolved around Jabba the Hutt, and even though there's no way I'm going to be able to get the Palace, these awesome figs are just way too much to miss. I'm the glad they fixed both the skiff and the Sarlacc's scale, and the parts are just slick.

[fyrmedhatt]

Great review! This set is such a must-buy, with four exceptional minifigures and a great build. I love Lando's helmet as well as the leg-printed Boba, and they are both candidates for minifigure of the year in my eyes. For $25-30 in the US this is also one of the best value Lego Star Wars sets in the last few waves.

[The_Chosen_1]

Great review! It's hard to believe that the summer sets won't be released for another few months here in the U.S., but here we are looking at in-hand pics. As great as Jabba's Palace is, I think this is one of my favorite sets from the wave. Just a really great scene and tons of playability. Plus the original Skiff set was one of my first as well!

[Solscud007]

Thanks for the detailed review. I cant wait to get this. Even if it is just for Boba Fett hehe.

[Anio]

The figs are great.

But the skiff is very slovenly, IMO.

[Lobot]

Great review, thanks!

This is a definite purchase for me; it looks like a really good set & at a reasonable cost. The only thing I'm not too sure about is the 'boot' printing on Boba Fett....

[Galaxy Explorer]

Thank you for the nice review! This set looks really good and is a great example of why you shouldn't judge preliminary pictures! I really had my doubts at first but now I look forward to getting it. I like your comparison shot with the 2000 original which was my first LEGO Star Wars "let down." The new version is much more in scale and actually has functions unlike 7104 which is very static- the plank doesn't even move! The Minifig selection is pretty decent although in a perfect world I would have loved to see Weequay included as he was one of my favorite Kenner figures back in 1983. I missed the last Slave I so this will be my first pimped out Boba Fett, although I have the Cloud City version. I'm glad the Sarlacc has been improved- I like how the figures actually fit in its beak. All in all, this is one of my must-haves for the year!

[Ash]

Thanks for the review. I'm not much into Star Wars Lego but I'm going to be tempted to get this one. It just a neat little set. I don't think the price is that bad considering the four minifigures.

[The Blue Brick]

This set is great. I had the original when it first came out, and will definitely be getting this one.

I really like the Lando fig and could always go for another Boba.

[JackJonespaw]

Yes. Absolutely yes. This review pretty much confirms that this is one of the best looking Star Wars sets I've ever seen. The minifigs: A cheap Lando, a cheap printed Boba, all four new! Amazing!

[Lance]

You lucky lucky ducky!

This is one set I'm definately picking up, mainly for Boba Fett.

Thanks for the review, Plissken!

[TheLegoDr]

Thanks for the review.

I only recently got into SW Lego, so I will definitely be getting this set. The minifigures are brilliant. Lando is superb, and Fett is beautiful as well. I can't wait to have this in hand. There are too many great sets coming out this year. I thought I spent a lot last year...

[commanderneyo]

Even though I'm very picky when it comes to OT sets, this one is definitely a must have for me. Can't wait to get it!

[1980-Something-Space-Guy]

Thanks for the review! Love that Boba Fett. I think that the Cloud City Fett is probably going to drop slightly in price. It would have been perfect for this one to have arm printings too, though. Still a great fig!

[lightningtiger]

Thanks for the review 'Plissken', cool skiff....even cooler...no, totally AWESOME minifigs especially Boba !

My problem will be I'll have to buy two sets....one for me and one for my son !

[Im a brickmaster.]

This set is high on my wanted list! Now Im going to have an even harder time

waiting till it comes out!

[TheDarkness]

I like the look of it and the figs looks awesome!

Thanks for the review

[Ceroknight]

Thank you for the review!

It looks brilliant and I can't wait to get it!

[Faefrost]

Thanks for the review. Those spectacular minifigs in such a nice low cost set really make this the showstopper of the summer.

[TheLegoDr]

Thanks for the review 'Plissken', cool skiff....even cooler...no, totally AWESOME minifigs especially Boba !

My problem will be I'll have to buy two sets....one for me and one for my son !

My daughter has been getting into Lego lately. She always wants to build or play with my pieces/figures instead of her own Duplo. She loves the Friends sets too. But with getting her into Lego, I never considered the time when there would be a set both of us may want and we would have to get two! Now I'm worried!

The Skiff will be amazing for sure. I can't wait.

[Speedboat]

Thanks for the review, Plissken! I had not really made up my mind about this set, but after seeing your pictures, I don't believe I'll be able to pass up on this one. Surprisingly, the highlight for me is the new Luke and not Lando or Boba. Sure, he might not have the same level of detailing as the other three minifigs in the set, but Episode VI - Luke is simply one of my favourite characters and I the new LEGO version looks aces! The skiff and the sarlacc also seem to be well enough designed to earn a spot on my display shelf.

[Cardinal Brick]

Thanks for the review Sanke. I really like this set but it's a big improvment over the originl skiff which was the first Lego Star Wars set I ever got. I'll be waiting for the UK price before I decide if I'll be buying it though if it's going to be £30 it'll be another to "expensive for me" set

[Mr Man]

I'm getting one, just for Boba, though Lando and Kithaba may make OK bounty hunters. Luke...Meh another Jedi .

[Cutty]

Excellent review Plissken, thank you for that!

The figs clearly make this set, hands down. I worried, whether or not this might be useful for me, but given the nice selection of parts in colours I want, there's a big chance I will get rather one or two of these skiffs for parting out. Luke's torso and Lando in his entirety could really be useful for my needs. Not so sure about BF and the grunt*, but even they could provide some useful material by leg- and arm-swapping them.

Be well!

Cutty

*(Yeah! As if its "name" was really relevant for anyone besides die-hard collectors! Way to sell out on even the last background character by obsessively inventing nomenclature for any and all of them, GL... *facepalm*)