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Weekly Set Review: Fright Knights Flying Machine

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 2:29 pm
by architect
Join the weekly Classic Castle set review discussion. Please post your opinions on the set play ability, piece selection, design, etc. Which sets stand up to our catapult of critique and which ones crumble in shame!

This week’s set is 2848 Fright Knights Flying Machine.

Fright Knight's Flying Machine was released in 1998. An armed Fright Knight patrols the skies with this crystal ball and fire powered machine.

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Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 2:40 pm
by Jojo
Hello!


That's a ridiculous model. There's nothing that would possibly make this set worth buying. And how is it supposed to fly?


Bye
Jojo

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 2:46 pm
by Sir Dillon
This an awful set! (my opinion) You get some weapons and the batlord, but the design is just bad.

2/10

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 3:04 pm
by Blueandwhite
This set is not worthy of a review.


Later.

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 3:17 pm
by Lord_Of_The_LEGO
I wonder how the physics of this machine works. It has no wings, no propellers, has a piteous excuse for a thruster in the form of a tacked-on dragon flame, and apparently is powered by a round lump of glass. *cough* excuse me, crystal ball... :roll:

Too primitive for a space model, too futuristic for a castle model, and too wacky for a town model...what is it?

Compared to this, Willa's Windship ownz. 8)

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 3:21 pm
by TheOrk
It has a Batlord, and um....(walks away)

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 3:55 pm
by Athos
Kind of a goofy set. Not much worse than any other little set of similar size. Would have been nice get a shield of two. Never saw it for retail anywhere, and I don't own it.

Steve

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 4:59 pm
by Fry_slayer
Fright knight...ah the symbol of Dark Age. In fact i wonder how did the designer(s) who created this theme ever got the job and *ahem* got them approved in the first place. Another paranormal event.

This is an excuse to sell crystal ball and chrome sword right? Some more they took away his cape for fear it might caught flame at the "engine"

In fact it looks now like an MOC done by kids

Not applicable for scores

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 5:05 pm
by quiksand
Yes, indeed a horrible set. No useful castle parts. What more can I say?

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 6:00 pm
by ezehogan
It is hard for me to believe when looking at this set, that only a few years prior Lego was making some fantastic castle products. The Fright Knight's line sent me unwillingly into a Dark Age, and looking at this set right now reminds me why.

I never saw this set before now, but it retains all of the elements of the 97 lineup that sent me into the dark age. Looking at it, I can just FEEL the bitterness I felt those years ago, excitedly looking at the new '97 catalog to see what great castle offerings Lego had for me, only to discontinue everything I liked and bring out this stuff. I remember I was hoping to see new Dark Forest and Royal Knight's sets... seeing sets like these made me so disillusioned with Lego's offerings that it took several years until the Star Wars sets came out for me to take up the hobby again.

It is difficult for me to "review" this set in the traditional sense, but I think my comments above would give the reader an accurate depiction of what I would rate this set. Whereas sets like 6080 and 6085 represent everything great that Lego is to me, sets like this represent everything terrible that they can also be.

Looking back, I REALLY wish Lego had come out with more Dark Forest sets in '97 rather than introducing the Fright Knight's. I didn't WANT to go into a dark age... but I was so mad/upset over the '97 catalog that I almost did it out of spite.

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 6:27 pm
by Webrain
I don't have to say a lot on this set just that if you also have 2539 you can easily convert these set into it's better mode:

Image

Instruction can be found here: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=60945

Enjoy!

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 7:28 pm
by HenrytheV
That's a set? I looks ridiculous. JoJo, is this in your collection?
I give it a -100/10

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 8:50 pm
by Formendacil
Well, considering that it comes with a decent fig (hey! that's a great torso, and the helm is GREAT to chop down, or even keep as it is..), and three weapons, its a half-decent army-builder set. After all, it doesn't come with Willa the Witch! However, as far as design goes... There IS no design! It looks like the "designers" just took at random selection of sorta-Castley pieces and put them together in a semi-coherent fashion.

Buyable, if cheap, for the fig and weapons. Would take a LOT of multiple copies to build anything worthwhile out of it.

Parts: 1/10
Playability: 3/10
Figs/Accessories: 5/10
Design (then): 0.5/10
Design (now): 0.5/10
Nostalgia: 2.5/10

Overall Score: 2.08/10

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 9:32 pm
by Sir Kohran
I don't think a comment on how awful this...thing is, is neccessary.

Posted: Sat Apr 16, 2005 9:41 pm
by Lord Mikal
Good parts, decent fig, lousy set. Which is better than KKII, with it's bad figs, bad parts, and bad sets.
I also fail to remember seeing this in stores or catalogs, then again, it's not as if I was actually looking for crappy litle sets at the time. How much did this thing cost? I wouldn't have pait more than $1.75 for it. Well, maybe $2, 'cause it's got the sword and all.

This was a stupid idea on someone's part.