Weekly Set Review: Magic Shop

Discussion of official LEGO Castle Theme sets and products
User avatar
Thrall1138
Freeman
Posts: 75
Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2004 12:05 am

Post by Thrall1138 »

This is the set that I got my magic wands, hats, and crows from. I think this is a great set and even though it doesn't look like a great shop, it is a set that should be bought fast.

:D :D :D :D :) /5
Last edited by Thrall1138 on Sun Jan 30, 2005 3:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
My Brickshelf Gallery: [url]http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?m=Thrall1138[/url]
User avatar
Cyclonis
Bailiff
Posts: 300
Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2005 6:08 am
Location: Cyclopia
Contact:

Post by Cyclonis »

I have now made myself an official member of this set review club.

Now, I started collecting sinse around 1994, (i am only a young chap now, compared to you all) BUT i know a heck alot better than all of yous put together, I must say i am quite spoiled with my knowledge of Lego :lol:

Now, I have always admired The Majisto/Merlin sets, Although I have never really purchased any. This set is quite great, because of the side pieces and the foalage an the minifig. Its what you's expect for a 1993 set. I do not own this set, but I would buy this set just for the minifig and the beard. I would instantly brake this set up, to add to my MOC bin.
Overall, right now i'd give this a 7/10, because of the pieces, but it would probably be a 10/10 in that year.

-Cyclonis
User avatar
Formendacil
Knight Templar
Knight Templar
Posts: 4162
Joined: Wed May 05, 2004 7:22 pm
Location: Ashland, MA
Contact:

Post by Formendacil »

Not a set I would personally want. There were plenty of Merlin/Majistos floating around, and there's nothing spectacular about this set to make it particularly desirable, like weapons, design, rare pieces, etc. The parts assortment is nice, but other than the foliage not particularly useful.

Edit: On reflection... perhaps it is a set I'd want... but I stand by the lack of spectacularity of the set. A solid set, but not spectacular. As I age, though, the nostalgia factor goes up. One of the best designed Dragon Master sets--and if you didn't like their colours/soldiers/faction generally, this is probably the set for you.
--March 29, 2010


Parts: 8.5/10
Playability: 7/10
Figs/Accessories: 7.5/10
Design (contemporary): 9/10
Design (universal): 7.5/10
Nostalgia: 8/10

Overall score: 7.92/10 (B)
User avatar
Sir_Marcellus
Laborer
Posts: 113
Joined: Sat Nov 22, 2003 12:42 am

Post by Sir_Marcellus »

See, I never had a wizard. Not one clad in blue, anyway. I did custom-make a green one with a beard from 3052, a green wizards' hat from a freestyle set, and a torso from 6034, but I still always felt as if he didn't look just right. So I would pick this set up if I saw it.
Kyrie eleison
Christe eleison
Kyrie eleison
User avatar
Athos
Councilor of the Realm
Posts: 4262
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 4:33 am
Location: Nevada
Contact:

Post by Athos »

Nice way to get some tree trunk parts. And the wizard beard and torso were nice. Ladder and bird too, if you don't already have a ton of them.

Not much of a set, but I would love to have some more sets like this rather than the stupid Vladek's Attack.

Steve
[url=http://www.johnny-thunder.blogspot.com/]Travel with Johnny Thunder![/url]
User avatar
ezehogan
Foot Soldier
Posts: 201
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2004 6:47 am
Location: USA

Post by ezehogan »

I didn't pick this set up until a few weeks ago in an eBay lot with about five other small sets.

It was assembled one time, and then quickly torn apart and the pieces went into one of the spare parts boxes. I just don't really see anything to get excited about here. This set claims to be a "magic shop" but there isn't much that can be done in such a small area.

There isn't really much to get excited about as far as the set is concerned, and frankly I don't think it makes too much sense. My feelings are that the tree wouldn't have any foliage at all, as the entire thing has been hollowed out. I could understand it if the tree were bigger, but with half of the trunk gone, this thing should be dead. Personally, I prefer Majisto's Magical Workshop as a "magic shop" over this (and that doesn't even have doors!), but fo course, that was a considerably larger set and a comparison isn't really fair.

The bottom line here is that this set was simply produced for kids who wanted a wizard but who couldn't afford the larger sets. I don't honestly think this was ever intended to stay together as a set for very long, so for what it is, it accomplishes its goal. You get a wizard, some weapons, a barrel, and some useful pieces for a few dollars. If you don't need more wizards, you can easily take the beard off, put on a Wolfpack hood, and you finally have more peasants for your kingdom.

If I were to compare this to other similar sized sets like the Black Monarch's Ghost, it would not get a very good review. However, as stated, I don't think this set was ever really intended to stay together for any length of time. It was a parts pack plain and simple, and as a parts pack it succeeds. For that reason, I would give this set an 8 of 10.
"A chair like this is like a girlfriend! Why would you trade in an old one that's comfortable for a new one that could be a pain in the butt?" -Archie Bunker-
User avatar
BuilderQ
Laborer
Posts: 110
Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 11:53 pm
Contact:

Post by BuilderQ »

I suppose this could be a good "tree-builder" set (just stack 'em on top of each other to get something more sizeable) - but the tree looks a little odd, with a brown trunk and black branches. Anyways, the wizard is an interesting figure; the long beard piece is suitable for castaways, dwarves, old kings, and, of course, wizards.
User avatar
Silent Arrow
Villein
Posts: 31
Joined: Tue Jul 27, 2004 10:35 am
Location: Greece

Post by Silent Arrow »

Nice set but I can't call it special.... Perhaps this set would be better if it had some figures-soldiers except from the mage......
User avatar
TheOrk
Master
Posts: 1755
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2004 12:39 am
Location: Canada

Post by TheOrk »

Nice small set. You get a wizard cheaply, and you have a good set to go with forestmen. 9/10
Avatar by Graynar
User avatar
forester3291
Merchant
Posts: 1397
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2004 8:18 pm

Post by forester3291 »

It ahs a nice selection of pieces and you can always use those arches and slopes.

The overall selection of pieces and parts is pretty fair soI will give this set an 8/10.
Space rocks.
User avatar
Bruce N H
Precentor of the Scriptorium
Posts: 6311
Joined: Mon Sep 15, 2003 9:11 pm
Location: Middle Zealand
Contact:

Post by Bruce N H »

I have to come down on the negative side on this set. I don't see much of interest if you don't want the panel pieces (everything else is common enough in much better sets), and there's absolutely no playability. I agree with ezehogan, this set was basically for kids who wanted a wizard but couldn't get the big sets.

Bruce
[url=http://comicbricks.blogspot.com/]ComicBricks[/url] [url=http://godbricks.blogspot.com/]GodBricks[/url] [url=http://microbricks.blogspot.com/]MicroBricks[/url] [url=http://minilandbricks.blogspot.com/]MinilandBricks[/url] [url=http://scibricks.blogspot.com/]SciBricks[/url] [url=http://vignettebricks.blogspot.com/]VignetteBricks[/url] [url=http://www.classic-castle.com/bricktales/]Brick Tales[/url]
User avatar
Sir Dillon
Man-At-Arms
Posts: 881
Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 10:50 pm

Post by Sir Dillon »

I sortof like this set, it could be a good for a forester, although if you already have a wizard I see no point in buying it. :?
it has good pieces, but not much playability.

5/10
User avatar
TwoTonic Knight
TwoTonic of Many Colors
Posts: 1815
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2003 11:33 pm
Location: The Lowest Pit of Megablocks

Post by TwoTonic Knight »

The main problem I have with the set is the name. It's not much of a shop. Maybe Majisto's Magic Tree wouldn't bother me.

Mainly it is a cheap set for kids to get the wizard and a little greenery. I'd like to see a complete tree and a little more elaborate setting, but for what it was intended it was an okay set. 6/10. I'd give it a 7 if they made the tree all black or all brown.

******

Not only does Opera not like all the formatting auto-inserts, it makes the itty-bitty text even smaller. I have no idea how long I've been a lush again.

It's worth it not to have the porous defense of Explorer....
:wink:
Redwine the Ribald: Stare long enough into the abyss...
Two-Tonic Tippler: ...and you spit into it.

[img]http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/corsair/C ... ippler.jpg[/img]
User avatar
Jyp
Peasant
Posts: 70
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 7:10 pm
Location: Montreal
Contact:

Post by Jyp »

This set is typical of the first age of fantastic castle sets, which are unrealistic and made only with a few big parts.

So, I don't like it as I don't like all the Dragon line of sets.

Some parts are good (barrel, scale, glass,...) but some other seem stupid to me (torches under a "tree", strange shape for a tree, gray parrot supposed to be a falcon,...).

2/10 because I don't like fantastic sets.
6/10 if I'd like fantastic sets.
User avatar
Azaghal
Landlord
Posts: 952
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 6:23 pm
Location: Gabilzâram
Contact:

Post by Azaghal »

Bruce N H wrote:this set was basically for kids who wanted a wizard but couldn't get the big sets.

Bruce
I was one of those kids. I have a memory of a cousin who thought I was really lucky to have gotten one of those. Ah, the memories...

Anyway, for what it was meant to be, it was a good set, great for getting arches and beards cheaply (bad for those pointy hats :| ).
Post Reply