Like the saying goes, the Devaronian is in the detail and 75290 Mos Eisley Cantina has a lot of hellishly clever element use and design features that lifts the entire build to a level that hasn’t ever been achieved in anything less than an Ultimate Collector Series set before.
This scale of playset is very unusual in the LEGO Star Wars theme; in the past we’ve had large Ultimate Collector Series sets that valued play over display – like 75098 Assault on Hoth – and this lead to the creation of the Master Builder Series, which 75222 Betrayal at Cloud City had the honor of being the first set in this subtheme. Not long after the creation of the Master Builder Series, word came out of LEGO that the inclusion of the subtheme’s logo on the debut set’s box art a mistake and that the line was burned.
Whether this is true or not, with the release of 75290 Mos Eisley Cantina the thankfully subtheme was given a reprieve, and fans of the LEGO Star Wars line who were discouraging of 75222 Betrayal at Cloud City were immediately heartened by the scale and detail of beloved Wuher’s cantina.
Roundly regarded as the creme da la creme of packaging, 75290 Mos Eisley Cantina enjoys the distinct higher-end graphical layout that characterizes those sets aimed at adult collectors without the confusion of the “Ultimate Collectors Series” branding.
Pitch black and screaming class, all the lements of the set’s packaging sets it apart from every single set in the LEGO Star Wars theme to date. The fade to sunset, complete with two setting suns, in the top right corner highlights the Master Builder Series branding, and the reflective obsidian background beneath the model suggests polished finish. Even the LEGO and Star Wars logos are set aside, so as not to distract from the finished product.
With the side flap opened, the contents inside the box slide out like they are desperate to be assembled. First out of its bag is the instruction book – a hefty, glue-bound tome that ought to be on display itself. The book opens up with the normal intriduction from Jens and his designers, and is followed by some details about the Mos Eisley cantina – both from the aspect of it being a real-world place as well as a filming set – and then a brief explanation about the design process and why certain decisions were made regarding the final product.
And then it’s into several hundred pages of step-by-step graphics that are printed on black paper so the contents of each page pops out. It’s worth highlighting that a number of the characters – particularly those that are being given the minifigure treatment for the first time – are given brief biographies to introduce us to these alien denizens. As if anyone with enough interest and money to buy this set wouldn’t know that the mouse-like Kabe is a female thief who lives in the sewers under the cantina!
The only fault that can be aimed at the instructions is that a digital version wasn’t available when the set was released. It’s a minor complaint, to be sure.
Without going into every single aspect of the build – which are dealt with in detail in Part One – The Transports, Part Two – The Outbuildings, Part Three – The Saloon and Part Four – The Patrons – it’s fair to say that the assembly if this set is both immersive and absorbing.
Throughout the build there are a lot of interesting techniques and fine details – the Aurabesh labels and signage, the greebling on the drinks dispenser, the assorted mugs and bottles left in the alcoves, the build up of sand around the entranceway, the dewback paddock and rings to tether rontos too, the tattered waning over the junk shop serving window and the use of different elements and colors to create texture on what would be otherwise mundane walls.
And even though there is only one real play feature – the pair of ejector seats that you decide the outcome of the famous Han Solo vs Greedo duel (which LEGO politely labels as “Han fired first” instead of the fan accepted/more bloodthirst “Han shot first”) – everything about this set shouts PLAY WITH ME!
The playability of this set is further enhanced by the open-top feature of the main bar section, as well as the removable roofs over the drinking alcoves and flip-up domes above the front and back foyers – but above all, it’s the hinges that allow the entire bar to be folded open that gives the most access.
Don’t expect this playset to be a quick build – at more than three thousand pieces – it can take an entire trilogy to assemble. If you only buy one LEGO Star Wars set this year make sure it’s this one, that is if you can find it in stock!
There is no doubting that this is a fantastic set with lots of detail and lots of minifigs. However, it really confuses me. It is basically a kids play set but at £320, it would be a major considered purchase for a reasonably well off AFOL and way out of reach of a kid looking to spend their pocket money and birthday money and as a main Christmas present, most kids would probably choose a PS5 over this. I believe this would have been better marketed as a series of smaller, cheaper modular builds that all join together giving the buyer the option to buy one or all of the sets. The Jabba’s Palace and Rancor Pit sets from 2012/13 are a good example of this.