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Jojo's Chess Set Review

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 3:24 pm
by Jojo
Hello!


Who ever spent on Express Shipping from Shop-at-Home wasted their money. I ordered on Thursday (with standard shipping), last night I found the delivery confirmation in my mail box, today (Saturday) it arrived. Kudos to S@H for great service!

This is what arrived (pics = links):

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I read "Ghess". That's probaly the reason for this set's number G678...
The box design is the noblest box design of a LEGO set I've ever seen. And it's really as sturdy as a suitcase should be. It's even so sturdy that you hardly get the display frame off the "letter case" where the figs lay in. (The LEGO logo on the transparent part of the frame is mirrored from my wall. Yes, I have the LEGO logo there.)

Anyway, LEGO is evil. If any prove for this thesis was necessary we get one (actually two) with this chess set:

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No surprise, the board is glued. That's not even the evil thing I was speaking about. However, if you open the box like anybody who was raised in the western culture would open a book you are forced to play the Black side. LEGO makes you act evil! LEGO makes you the Shadow King! How evil is that, huh?
The board is with five tiny velcro dots fixed to the lid of the box. I wonder how often you may be able to attach the board and get it loose until the velcro dots will get ripped out...
I tried to get a black 4×4 plate loose off the white baseplate and I was able to take a look between. Don't even bother with trying to get the glued plates off: the glue has destroyed the studs on the white baseplate anyway. Alas!

Now for the figs. As Jan and Jake already stated they are not glued at all. We have:

1. The Black King

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He's basically a well known Shadow knight with a cape and a crown plus a large sceptre.


2. The Black Queen

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Whew! she's scary. Frankly, if I was the Black King I wouldn't like to share the bedroom with her...
She's wearing a Vladek armour with nothing underneath (No fear, she's not naked but plain black), a black dress (a 2×2×2 slope with bottom tube) and a black cape.


3. The Black Bishops

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That's the second prove for LEGO to be evil: The bishop is your average Vladek. What religion might that be that allows Vladek to be a bishop? LEGO goes Chu.rch of Sa.tan¹ or what?

¹) The . are supposed to safe the CC-forum from being found through a google search for the CoS.


4. The Black Knights

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This is a good source for vladekish horse helmets. I would have liked it better, though, if the black robot arm was black instead of (new) grey. The black 2×3 slopes have a smooth surface, different from the average roof brick surface.


5. The Black Rooks

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Not much to say here. You get a (new) darkgrey halberd and a dark red flag. The red 2×2 round plates are not dark but normal red.


6. The Black Pawns

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This is a Shadow knight with Joe-Freeman-face (like in the polybag set #5998) but with an accurate barbute helmet (unlike #5998). So be happy and rejoice! they are your ultimate source of Shodow knights.


7. The White King

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That's basically King Mathias with a cape and a sceptre. I like that cape, it's the first grey one as far as I know. And I like the silver antenna with the light blue cone.


8. The White Queen

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Her royal majesty is a chinese lady! Her face is from the Chinese Girl of the Orient series, though she's probably older as the colour of her hair seems to prove. She shares the hairdresser with Professor Dumbledore.
Underneath her Jayko armour she's wearing plain babyblue, and she also comes with a grey cape.


9. The White Bishops

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Is the Chess kingdom Anglican? If they are catholic: Poor Jayko! He'll never have a wife. On the other hand that means that the babyblue population will be coming to an end...


10. The White Knights

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Same goes for the whithe horse as for the black one. Except the (new) grey robot arm is appropriate here.


11. The White Rooks

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Not much to say here, either. For those building with new grey parts this is a nice source of (new) grey 2×2 round bricks. And fourbladed pikes are useful as well. The two 2×2 round plates are babyblue, and so is the flag.


12. The White Pawns

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Now those are curious. The torso is that Jayko torso from the tabletop game and from the clocks. The babyblue helmet and the crossbow are ... funny at least. Not sure how useful they are. Anyway. But where does this face come from? First guess was: It's Danju. But it's not. Second guess was: It's the wizard from the Citadel set. But it's not either. So I humbly have to admit I do not know what else fig comes with that face. Is it an entirely new one? Is it a pattern from any licenced line but on a yellow head?

So much for the figs.

Well, one fig finally found its home: Image, although that's obviously not to the other kings' taste:

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With that I leave.


Bye
Jojo

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(If the admins think this post would better be in a new thread just go ahead and move it.)

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 3:37 pm
by SavaTheAggie
I broke this thread off of the other just to shorten the overall threads, as this post will most assuradly get many replies.

Great review Jojo! I've wanted this set, but have been reluctant to pre-order one (since I'm in the US) until I saw your review. I'm happy to say I'm no longer reluctant!

Woo!

I love the soldiers. While I'm not goint buy more than 3, and probably only 2, I will be happy with my new squad of 16 baby blue knights, once I customize them to be less monochromatic.

--Anthony

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 4:24 pm
by Sir Dillon
Thanks for the review. I too was hoping for something else on the pawn's torso. But one can't have everything.

As for the pawn's face, I think it's a new head, though it might be in a town set or something.
(you can tell it's not the guardian's in this pic: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemPic.asp?M=kk09 )

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 4:39 pm
by eNiGMa
Thanks, Jojo! I'm mainly getting this set for the Dumbledore hair, since I don't have any yet. The figs look great, too!

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 5:10 pm
by LEGO_KNIGHT
Thank you very much, Jojo. I will be getting one or two soon. :wink:

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 5:58 pm
by lil Jon
I still don't know if I will buy it. The shadow knights and the queen are the only good thing in my opinion.

There is way too much baby blue for me. :(

Re: Jojo's Chess Set Review

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 6:00 pm
by JoshWedin
Hey Jojo,

Great review! Thank you very much. I plan to buy 3 of these. That head on the blue pawns is pretty cool and 8 shadow knights! Awesome. Yes, the baby blue is a bit odd but, hey, using it will be a good challenge. :)

Josh

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 7:08 pm
by Snap Dracone
Woo!

Thanks for the review, Jojo! I am most ecstatic that the figures are not glued. King Mathias looks much better with the cape, and the queens aren't that bad. (Okay, bad choice of words for the evil one...) I, personally, don't mind the light blue – in an entire faction of it, I don't think it looks at all bad.

And they aren't glued! Woot!

I'm definitely getting one as soon as it comes out in the U.S.

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 7:12 pm
by Athos
Well I hope those Bishop's are Catholic, so we won't have any more of this babyblue nonsense.

Anyhow, nice review. Very helpful. I may be placing an order for this soon.

Steve

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 7:26 pm
by JPinoy
That really nice looking box has a rather Lord of the Ring-ish feel to its appearance.

Anyway, glad to hear that its the board that is glued.

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 7:55 pm
by Snap Dracone
JPinoy wrote:That really nice looking box has a rather Lord of the Ring-ish feel to its appearance.
Definitely, the box reminds me of the Lord of the Rings extended edition boxes. Which I like, so I really like this box!

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 8:00 pm
by LEGOFREAK
thanks for the review Jojo, my son and I agree that the baby blue pawns have awesome faces.. I'll probably have to get at least chess set!
the pics are excellent as usual :D great job!

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 9:09 pm
by Formendacil
Thanks to LEGO and Jojo for the promptness of this information coming to our ears. Now I KNOW I have to get a copy or two of this set...

I agree that the box is very cool-looking. The figs aren't uniformly useful, but I'll be glad to get it all, when I do...

Thanks again, Jojo.

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 9:32 pm
by Rubberchickenknight
thanks, Jojo, now i know i'll have to buy that. those shadow knight helmets will be useful...
maybe i should get that for my brothers birthday...(and then steal the sk helms :wink: )

Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2005 10:50 pm
by Webrain
Thanks for the great review

Actually I'm a bit disappointed because the idea is great and the box is amazing but they could have made it so much better. The queens, the horses and rooks are pretty poor. And not sure what to do with cyan Kettle and Crossbows but I'm glad the set is not glued

I'll buy one of course though