Theme: Star Wars
Name: Republic Striker-class Starfighter
S/N: #9497
Year: 2012
Pieces: 376
Minifig: 3
Price: RM279.90, USD44.99, GBP39.99
Box
This is one of the first two Old Republic set that were released by LEGO. The front of the box have a Old Republic logo printed and the right side is where the character is been introduce. On the top side of the box, the actual scale of the minifigs is shown together with their introduction of the minifigs. The back of the box shows the playability of the fighter and also to seduce you to buy #9500 Sith Fury-class Interceptor by showing the picture of Darth Malgus have a showdown with Satele Shan.
Content
There are three numbered bags inside the box and each of the bags assemble the different parts of the fighter. As usual, it comes with and instruction book and the good news, there is no sticker in this set but only printed part.
Accessories
We have brick-built guns and a dual sided light blue lightsaber. I don't really like the brick-built accessories though and Satele Shan is the first Jedi by LEGO that use a dual sided lightsaber.
Minifigs
T7-O1 astromech droid is a brick-built droid, and all the parts are printed parts. The Republic Trooper and Satele Shan is a nice minifigs, both of them have both side of their torso printed and the leg printed. Satele Shan have two expression and the print on her torso are very nice.
Republic Striker-class Starfighter
The main thing of the set would be the starfighter itself. The fighter is built mainly from dark red parts, and the parts are printed which is pretty cool. I like the fighter in the original form and the shape looks a bit like Snowspeeder, however, there are tehcnic bar that are sticking out from both side of the wings due to the push-fire missiles playability. Not really sure about the accuracy of the design, but I think they get it right. Below is the picture of the fighter:
At the very front of the fighter there are this two piece that are movable and I'm not too sure how they should be and I just made them bend down a bit. I guess is due to the clipper that are in use. Also the front part of the fighter are printed.
Now the cockpit. The windscreen that protect the cockpit can be open and close, and inside the cockpit there are controller, printed screen and button tile and a translucent dark green cheese slope which I have no idea what is the use of it but it just add in more detail into the cockpit and at the same time make it smaller.
Right at the back of the cockpit, there is a compartment to hold the lightsaber. The clipper will be hidden by the orange tile, and if we flip it up, we can attached the lightsaber to the clippers, but we need to separate one of the saber beam. That is the reason there are two clips at the back. However, they will be exposed at the back because the cover are not long enough. Also, on the both side of the clippers are the engine with translucent part pink round bricks. Looks very nice.
The wing open and close mode again is being control by clippers. The clippers at the wing will be attached to the bar in the fighter body and it will hold the wings from open and close when you swoosh it around.
Now the twin blaster at the front of the fighter, they can switch position when the wings are open and that can be done by using the right parts. With the grip, the blaster cannon only will switch place when you push it, otherwise it will stay in the right position for the two different flight mode.
There are a pair of missiles under each wings and to fire them you just need to push the technic bar which is places right at the back of the missiles. This playability leads to a design flaws of the fighter where a pair of bar sticking out at the back of the wings or at the side of the wings (depends on mode). Perhaps too many fans complain about flick-fire missiles and the designer change it to push or maybe the length of the wings that are make it not suitable to flick. Is still the same old playability in most of the Star Wars set and currently spreading to other theme.
Guess that is all about the fighter and now is the time to have fun with the camera by taking the picture of the starfighter with pilot in it.
Extra pieces
Here are some of the leftover parts after the assembling process, quite a number of them since each bags with small parts will have an extra one. Some spare are repeated.
Completed model
I would say the starfighter looks better when the wings are not open, both of the minifigs Republic Trooper and Satele Shan was indeed a nice minifigs that worth considering. Not sure whether next year Republic Trooper will comes with a helmet or not, but well just get one them first.
Playability: 7/10 Push-fire missiles, changing wing mode, open and close cockpit, switch position blaster cannon.
Building experience: 6/10 Some repetitive steps, but do teach some new playability technique.
Parts: 8/10 Printed parts bring up the score.
Value for money: 3/10 Depends on how you compare the price, looks good if were to compare with Geonosian Starfighter price but not good when compare with USD.
Overall: 6/10 Nice fighter with nice minifigs, price is still consider high.
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