LEGO Star Wars ARC-170 Starfighter (8088)

Monday, May 3rd, 2010 at 2:46 pm

The ARC-170 is the largest of the January 2010 wave with 396 pieces and it is recommended for ages 8-14. It comes with minifigures Kit Fisto, Captain Jag, a clone pilot and the astromech droid R4-P44.

In terms of playability the windshield of the cockpit can be opened (without taking the whole piece off) and the wings can be opened using gears at the back. Spinning the cog at the rear puts the S-foils into attack position (always wanted to say that!). Two green flick-fire missiles fire about 10 inches forward when activated.

Despite being a re-release of an earlier ARC 170 release it comes with new figures. Jedi master Kit Fisto was released in an earlier set with Obi Wan's starfighter but all the other figures are new. R4-P44 is just like R2-D2 but with green markings on its body and a green head. The clone pilot is a variation on the older clone pilots featured in sets like the V-19 but with a new helmet. Captain Jag is also unique, with the same body as the Clone Pilot but different colors on the helmet.

The ship spans 20 inches and as discussed earlier, is a re-release, the first coming out in conjunction with Episode III in 2005. The nose is a little different in this release with the new ARC-170 a little more rounded and sleek looking. The engines are also different. Borrowing the large wheel pieces from the Turbo Tank this new model features huge engines in relation to the size of the ship.

Stickers abound in this set, which is a non-no to hardened LEGO fans, though casual users won't mind so much. It is quite sturdy and its swooshability is high. It's easy to hold and manoeuvre though opening the wings out takes a little bit of juggling when in flight.

In regards to price this set fits in with Lego's new, more expensive price per piece ratio at $59.95 for approximately 400 pieces. If you can find it a little cheaper it's well worth it and as the largest of this wave's releases it is highly appealing.

Find out more about the leapster recharger at http://www.interactivelearningtoys.com. A site maintained by a homeschooling mother and dedicated to Interactive Learning Toys for kids.

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