Ever since the first reference to the Mandalorians in Marvel’s Star Wars #68 comic in November 1982, the popularity of this race of supercommando warriors has only ever waxed, and never waned.
Over the years their lore has come in and out of canon as different authors have added (and retconned) their layers to the mythology, and no matter whether you consider Fenn Shysa or Bo-Katan Kryze the reigning Mand’alor or you think that Boba Fett’s origin story began as an unaltered clone or as Jaster Mereel, the cult of the Mandalorians is one of the richest and most beloved in the story of the Star Wars universe.
Likewise, Tatooine has a special place in the hearts of many Star Wars fans. Being the first planet seen in the Skywalker Saga, as well as home to many important characters, creatures and events in all three trilogies and multiple TV series and comics, this sandy planet has been pivotal throughout the franchise’s +40 year history.
In this latest set, LEGO combines both to deliver play that involves the Sand People – the mysterious indigenous race of desert dwellers – and The Mandalorian – eponymous persona of the hit TV series – in a playset that allows fans to act out the crucial scene that drew the original Mandalorian of the Original Trilogy out of hiding.
75299 Trouble On Tatooine
Children will love teaming up with The Mandalorian and a Tusken Raider for desert missions with this LEGO® Star Wars™ 75299 Trouble on Tatooine set. It features The Mandalorian’s speeder bike with a LEGO minifigure seat and saddlebag for the Child to sit in, plus a buildable Tusken hut and a new-for-January-2021, missile-shooting ballista for the Tusken Raider.
Role-play action
This awesome kids’ building toy includes The Mandalorian and Tusken Raider LEGO minifigures, a LEGO figure of the Child (affectionately known as Baby Yoda), plus cool weapons to inspire hours of role-play fun. A great gift idea for young Star Wars: The Mandalorian fans, it comes with clear instructions so even LEGO first-timers can enjoy the building experience.Galaxy of delights
Since 1999, the LEGO Group has been recreating iconic starships, vehicles, locations and characters from the Star Wars universe. LEGO Star Wars has become its most successful theme with a huge variety of sets to excite fans of all ages.
- Kids can recreate scenes from Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 2 and play out their own speeder-bike-riding, missile-shooting battle stories with this Trouble on Tatooine (75299) building toy.
- Includes The Mandalorian and Tusken Raider LEGO® minifigures, each with weapons for role-play battles, plus a LEGO figure of the Child (the popular character affectionately known as Baby Yoda).
- The speeder has a LEGO® minifigure seat and saddlebag for the Child to sit in. The set also features a buildable Tusken hut hideout and spring-loaded, missile-shooting ballista for the Tusken Raider.
- Great for solo building and play or for sharing the fun with friends, this awesome construction toy makes the best birthday present, holiday gift or surprise treat for creative kids aged 7 and up.
- The speeder measures over 1.5 in. (3 cm) high, 5 in. (13 cm) long and 1.5 in. (3 cm) wide, and this complete set combines brilliantly with other LEGO® Star Wars™ buildable playsets for creative play.
- Thinking of buying this 277-piece set for a newcomer to LEGO® building? No worries. It comes with easy-to-follow illustrated instructions so they can build with confidence.
- There are LEGO® Star Wars™ sets to thrill fans of all ages, whether they want to recreate famous scenes, role-play their own stories or just build and display the authentic construction models.
- LEGO® components meet the highest industry standards to ensure they are consistent and compatible for a simple, strong connection every time – it’s been that way since 1958.
- LEGO® bricks and pieces are tested to the max to make sure they meet stringent safety standards.
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| Ages | Pieces | VIP Points | Item | Minifigures | Value |
The build starts with the speeder, loaned to him by hanger bay 3-5’s manager Peli Motto, followed by a Tusken Raider tent (a shelter first revealed in Attack of the Clones and sadly left out of 7113 Tusken Raider Encounter) and the ballista that helped drop the krayt dragon that had been plaguing both Sand and human people settlements.
With the current grapevine suggesting that The Mandalorian collection will be growing by four sets this year – and with plenty more inspiration to draw on – this popular story arc is sure to be a hot topic of conversation amongst the LEGO Star Wars design team members. So, how does this new set stack up?
At first glance the $29.99 price tag is exorbitant, but considering that the set consists of 276 pieces the dollars per brick count is at a favorable $0.11.
There is no ignoring that this set’s primary enticement is the new Din Djarin (aka The Mandalorian) minifigure, which, after two outings (in sets 75254 AT-ST Raider and 75292 The Razor Crest) in his brown durasteel armor – with many fans and collectors buying 75299 Trouble on Tatooine just for the minifigure.
It’s hard to ignore the appeal of this minifigure – the detailing is exquisite, with metallic silver paint making the whistling birds armament and mudhorn sigil pop. The only aspect of The Mandalorian’s equipment load out that is missing is a jet pack. On the plus side, he is equipped with a Baby Yoda Bjorn carrier.
For many. paying $29.99 to add a single character to their collection is beyond belief, and with it consisting of nine elements (including the cape, rifle and sidearm) the dollars per brick calculation changes to a whopping $3.33!
Insanity aside, the “normal” consumer gets more for their dollar, with a speeder, a hut and a Krayt killing catapult – as well as a Tusken Raider and The Child minifigures – adding to the set’s value. The speeder, along with The Child in his pannier, is the most rewarding model in the set because, unfortunately, the other two models aren’t without their own faults.
The finished hut, while an exciting addition the LEGO Star Wars theme, looks basic and blocky, and the gaps between the hinged sections would let more sand in than the walls would keep out. Lacking any detail – which is understandable given the Tusken people’s austere lifestyle – this model would be greatly improved if it included a die-cut vinyl roof instead of plates.
Similarly, the ballista has a clumsy look that comes across as if the set’s designer slammed a wheelbarrow, two pit droids and a dragon fly together. It’s ugly and clunky and the spring-loaded missile launcher delivers limited play value.
With this combination, LEGO has let their chance to release Cobb Vanth’s podracer-like speeder and a bantha slip through their fingers. Pairing tthe two speeders seen in the first episode of the second season of The Mandalorian together, and bring out the Tusken tent and their shaggy ride as a second set would have been a far more logical – and popular – way to fulfill their fan’s wildest dreams.
That’s not to say that a Cobb Vanth speeder and bantha set will be shunned, so hopefully someone at LEGO is listening! Odds are that cost of production, the constraints of the license and the approvals process means that neither of these will see the light of day.
Regardless of your motivation, this set can be purchased at LEGO.com, Amazon.com, Target and Walmart now.
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