Welp, if we're gonna dedicate this month completely to Minecraft, let's start things off right with an official Minecraft set from Lego! ...As well as a straight-up copy of it from LELE. Let's see if the comparison will end up featuring the best of both worlds, or be as contrasted as the Overworld and the Nether...
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Name: Minecraft The Cave
Distributor: Lego/LELE
Model: 21113/79043
Pcs: 249
Yep, for anyone who wants to bring the creative building side of Minecraft into the real world, Lego has you covered! ...Probably the most fitting theme ever assigned to a brick set. You have a game that focuses on building blocks? Then make it a line in a franchise centered around building blocks!
Minecraft Lego was one of the first projects to be approved on Lego Ideas(then known as Lego CUUSOO) back in 2012. It was submitted by Mojang themselves in December 2011, before the commercial release of the game was even a year old. But, even then, Minecraft had enough fans and supporters to get the 10,000 votes it needed in only 48 hours, the fastest an idea has ever achieved that goal!
I just wish some other Ideas had the same love...
Originally, all that was produced was this little "Micro World", sold for a whopping $35 when it was first released!
But since that sold so well, they started producing more of these Micro sets a year later
Then, a year after that, we finally got the first "full-sized" sets
And this line continues to this day, with sets like the Mountain Cave and the Ocean Monument being the most recent releases this year. And with how these are some of the best-selling Lego sets since Lego started producing sets based on licensed properties, it's likely that this will be a name Lego will be holding onto for quite some time.
What I have here is one of the first sets released in the Minecraft line: The Cave, released in November 2014. Why one of the first sets instead of the more recent? ...Well, 4 reasons: 1) I figured it would be best to start at the beginning, 2) Since when have I ever been on top of new releases?, 3) I just so happened to find this set at a thrift store one day
And 4), It's the real thing of a bootleg that I already owned. ...Yep, we're going back into this little subject I try to avoid...
I already addressed my thoughts on bootleg Lego sets back in my Pokemon Nanoblocks review last year, in that I don't promote them. Not only is it wrong to pay money to another company for a stolen design already being sold, but they're BORING! Why do I want to buy an exact mold copy of something with lower quality plastic and electronics, when I could go buy the REAL thing and experience it the way they intended it?
It's the same with pirated movies someone just recorded off the theater screen or cheap phones that mimic some popular line but are terrible mock-ups that barely work. Sure, the real thing is a bit more expensive, but you get what you paid for, not some cheapo copy that will break or you can barely watch/hear and you'll just end up spending more money to get it replaced!
So stop grumbling about having to spend a few more bucks and just buy the real thing. You'll be getting the best quality product in the way it was intended to be used and you'll encourage the manufacturer to continue making them at the same level of quality. You win, they win, we all win.
Or just be like me and wait until stuff ends up in a thrift store or on heavily discounted clearance. ...What? I'm still giving them money and showing I support their product. It's just my pockets aren't as deep as most of their consumer base...
So that once again brings up the question of why I have a bootleg set if I'm so against them? ...I didn't know at the time. I bought this thing way back when, when I was just starting to gather another building brick collection, so I wasn't aware of mold copies or bootleg Lego companies or any other form of toy piracy. I didn't even know other companies could produce exact copies of Lego, especially with all the unique parts and electronics involved.
So when I saw sets like these on eBay from China for half the cost they usually go for, I just thought I was getting a huge deal from some overseas retailer! Most of the pictures were just of the sets, so I never saw a fake logo in the left-hand corner like what is pictured here. I thought I was getting the real thing! And since they were so cheap, I went crazy and bought several!
...But when the sets(and minifigure bundles) arrived, I finally realized that I got gypped. There was no box, the Lego brand on the brick studs was missing, the Lego logo was replaced with a different company, Minecraft was named something different, and the plastic quality was noticeably cheaper than standard Lego, creating some obviously warped bricks and connections that were too loose or too tight... And thus, I learned the hard way not to trust "legit" stuff that was being shipped from overseas stores...
But on the plus side, this experience DID introduce me to the unofficial side of ORIGINAL video games and building brick sets, so that was also the start of my knockoff collecting. Something I've based this blog around and I'm perfectly happy to continue adding to.
And since I now own both an official and UNofficial release, maybe we can have a little bit of fun comparing and contrasting these things. So let's dig in and see the real thing and a copycat trying desperately to be the real thing but completely missing the mark.
*Insert traditional AVGN vs Irate Gamer joke here*
First of all, and most noticeably, we have the traditional Minecraft logo on the official set. The stone-carved, weather-worn letters in an isometric perspective, with the Creeper face in the middle of the "A". We've seen it, we know it, we love it.
The bootleg has actually managed to replicate the Minecraft font, though with much more defined cracks in the letters, but instead goes under the name "My World". ...A bit generic, but not too inaccurate a name for a set based on a creative sandbox game.
Better by far than "My Street"...
Though that's not even the funniest bootleg name I've seen for a Minecraft set, as one manufacturer produced their own figures under the name "MySpace". ...I wouldn't be surprised if they also marketed this set using that social platform... Probably be the most interesting thing on that site.
As is mandatory for all Lego products, we have the big red square to the left of the line's name, which is usually the defining sign that this is an official product.
And while there's no logo next to the bootleg's name on the front
On the back, they feature a line of bootleg Minecraft sets, and you can clearly see the name and logo for LELE.
LELE is a company I mentioned in August when I featured their line of fidget spinners. ...And to date, that's the most original thing they've ever produced. They're one of the most prolific bootleggers of nearly everything Lego, straight-up stealing already existing sets, slapping their own logo on top of Lego's, and marketing an exact mold copy under their own name...
But they do make sure to change the name of the line to something that absolutely nobody can link back to the original! Such as changing "Star Wars" to the incredibly imaginative alias of "Star Wart"! ...Because everyone will think the line is actually about intergalactic foot fungus instead of the most famous sci-fi series of all time now! ...Is that really how you want to market your building brick line? Or anything for that matter?
Strangely, they have ANOTHER line of Minecraft bootlegs that go under the name "Worldcraft". Why the change? I dunno. Maybe the MySpace name was being used by too many other building brick pirates and they needed a new name to differentiate themselves? Or, seeing how this is a line of "original" models(aka, they stole some structures from other sets and decided to market them as standalones), maybe they thought they could trick people into thinking there were two separate Minecraft lines, so they had to buy a copy of a copy on top of the bootlegs they already owned...
You can never tell what goes through the minds of the greedy and incompetent...
You can also notice that the background pattern on the bootleg is much darker and pixelly than the official release. Possibly because they just found a picture of a creeper online and used its texture instead of designing a new version for their background. That's just a guess, but I wouldn't put it past them.
The front of the Lego box has a picture of the set and the minifigures included, in a much more painted style than other Lego box art, where it's clear they set up and Photoshopped the set and figures into a pose. I don't know if they actually drew this scene or if they took a picture of the set and put a filter over it, but the result is a much smoother, shaded overview of the brick set.
And while this picture isn't as action-packed as I usually look for in brick set art, it is very nicely set up to show you what you can expect. It's also accurate to the tone of the source material, with Minecraft Steve wielding a pick-axe to mine the minerals in front of him, while a zombie emerges from the shadows behind him and a spider stumbles onto a crate of TNT. ...Life's about to get miserable for Steve...
I especially like the Minecraft textures in the background to blend the two worlds together. It's obvious, but it's a nice touch to really give it that Minecraft low-res feel.
The bootleg has a similar scene on the front. ...But would you believe that they actually put in the effort to redraw/reposition the entire thing?!
If you look closely, you can see slight differences between the real artwork and the copy, such as the zombie's head being positioned differently, Steve holding the pick-axe higher in the copy, the bread sticking out of the chest more in the original, the bucket being full of lava or water, etc. They're admittedly slight changes that you can easily pass over if you're not looking closely, but there are differences between the artwork.
They even changed the lava on the front to be much more in-game faithful
And the background is a different shot of the Minecraft world. I don't know why they bothered to completely redo the entire scene, but it makes for an interesting comparison. Go find the two box covers yourself and enjoy a game of "Spot the Difference."
On the right, Lego tells us to "Build your own creations. Inspiration included." And that basically means they've included a few different designs in the instruction manual, mostly comprised of switching some elements around to lengthen the room. Still, I get what they're saying and I'm glad the sections are easily to reorder.
But LELE's not one to be outdone by Lego, as they tell us on THEIR cover to "Build your own 'oreations'! Inspiration included." ...In a slightly different and overly spaced font.
So they inspire us to own a Canadian business that imports clothing from China? ...Well, I've heard of worse entrepreneurial ventures. It'll give the kids something to do after they've finished putting the set together at least.
The other differences on the front are much more minor, with the bootleg also telling us "8+" and "249 pcs", just in a slightly different font. ...However, while the Lego model is 21113, they changed the LELE model to 79043, presumably to give them their own product range and so people can actually notice them by looking up the LELE model instead of the actual Lego set. Basically the equivalent of changing a letter in a web address to lead people to YOUR fan site instead of the official place.
Though if we interpret the LELE model number into the Lego franchise, that would mean these sets are part of "The Hobbit" line.
I'd say that now I want to see a Minecraft and The Hobbit crossover. ...But that already happened and I'm not a fan of The Hobbit, so I'd be lying.
The backs of both are completely different.
Lego's version features a different perspective of the cave with the zombie chasing Steve into the lavafall.
But luckily, Steve is able to avoid him by climbing a ladder. ...Which I can't remember if zombies can also climb. ...Eh, he can just smack it when it reaches the top and send it falling into the lava, so he wins either way.
We also get a picture of Steve pouring a bucket of water onto lava to create obsidian. This is a very important clue to some of the major secrets and strongest elements of the game, so if you haven't played yet, remember this clue. ...Also throw an Ender Pearl through the portal the Ender Dragon leaves behind.
And we're again reminded that we can change things around in this set, with a different picture of the cave we can build. ...But we need to actually BUILD the set before we can alter it, so let's not get ahead of ourselves, guys...
And finally, we have the little link to more Minecraft stuff on the Lego site. ...Provided we like this set enough to bother.
The back of the bootleg just features the (then-current)line of Minecraft sets, all bootlegged and with the LELE and My World logos for each. Thank you. Now I know what to avoid when I want the real thing.
There's also this picture of Steve holding a pick-axe. ...In a way that looks completely wrong. For some reason, they replaced the diamond pick-axe with a regular iron one, and the way they drew him holding the tool, it looks like the handle is going THROUGH his arm instead of it in his hand! It actually hurts my brain a bit trying to comprehend this denial of perspective!
Just compare it to this official art of Steve with a pick-axe and you'll see just how strangely they drew him here...
Luckily, they bring us back to reality with the mandatory bootleg disclaimer of "Specifications, Colors, and Contents May Vary From Illustrationas." ...Well, I sure hope so, because "Illustrationas" doesn't exist, and I'm hoping to own something that DOES!
And in the same place they put the Lego Minecraft set on the official set, they simply put LELE Toys. ...Well, I highly doubt a blatant bootleg company like this would even HAVE a website for Lego to track them down through, so they just want you to type in LELE Toys and hopefully find a vendor that's selling the exact bootleg you're looking for. Hopefully, you'll just give up and search eBay for the real thing.
I don't actually have the box for the bootleg, so I can't compare the sides. There's not much to them, though, with the majority of space taken up by the same blurbs on the front and back, only in different languages.
And look! We actually have a sealed set! A rarity for this blog! ...Well, we'll soon spoil that, won't we?
But, as always, we can't forget the "0-3" warning
And the 8+ recommendation on the front.
Anyone between those ages is eaten by the Ender Dragon. ...A BOOTLEG Ender Dragon, so it's much more embarrassing that you can't even go out being eaten by the real thing...
Alright, we technically have TWO sets to put together(though I'm only putting one together for the video since it's otherwise redundant), so let's grab those nonexistent Minecraft hammers and start a-buildin'!
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And here they are! The real deal and its illegitimate twin, together at last! And with them side-by-side, you'd be forgiven in thinking that they're the exact same thing or mistaking one for the other. ...And, you'd mostly be right, as it's only through a careful examination that the small differences between the two really start to become obvious. Which, again, is why I don't bother buying bootleg mold copies, as there's not much to talk about without the real thing to compare it to.
We might as well start at the very beginning with the instruction manuals. And, if you can believe it, the bootleg manual is actually BETTER than the official thing!
The "My World" booklet is printed on much stiffer, higher quality paper, meaning that it's much easier to keep open and less prone to tearing. Plus they didn't crumple this up as much as 90% of the other instruction manuals of sets I've featured here...
Meanwhile, the Lego manual is printed on what feels like toilet paper that will tear if I even look at it wrong, and you can tell this is yet another packing job where they probably only had 2 seconds to pack and seal each box, so they just scrunched up the manual and buried it under everything else... Which, seriously, Lego, if the manual isn't meant to fit in the box, why make it this size and shape to begin with?!
But what makes the bootleg manual even better is how they laid out the instructions. Unlike the official manual, where they give each step half of or even the entire page
The bootleg is much more compressed, with roughly 4-6 steps each on most of the pages. ...Now that may SOUND clumped and frustrating to follow, but the way it's set up, it's actually EASIER than Lego's method!
Each step in the Lego manual is fully colored, so the previous steps and what comes next can end up blending together if you're not paying close attention. You can end up darting between the last step and the current one to see what's different and where the next few bricks need to go, especially if both steps feature similar bricks.
But with the bootleg, all the previous steps are grayed out, while the current step to work on is in color! It plainly shows where each brick goes contrasted against all the bricks you've already assembled! So even in a smaller resolution, it's much easier to follow along and recognize what to build next! ...That is just AMAZING to me that a brick-for-brick copy of a set can actually end up doing something BETTER than the market leader!
The smaller scale does mean that they have to split up some of the steps, so the sync between the official instructions and the bootleg ends around #14. ...But since you're not likely to have both manuals, and even then, nothing's contradicted, this isn't an issue. And again, I'm impressed that they went through the effort of redrawing each step and they bothered to split the larger sections up instead of cramming it all into a barely visible square! They've made a booklet that gives more detailed instructions than Lego, and with fewer pages!
And while the bootleg of course doesn't have the ads and legal information Lego sticks in its booklets.
They do start off with some nice reused promotional material, made even nicer with the higher quality paper and print job. It really does set the mood and gives you an idea of what the Minecraft universe is all about.
And I feel that I should point out that they bothered to keep the parts inventory page AND even kept the yellow circle and minifigure head in the bottom right-hand corner. ...But instead of containing Customer Service information, they went with a different style minifigure head that says "cool styling, changing colors, joining us together the exciting world tiling, Let your imagination without limits!" ...Google Translate and your literal translations. How we love thee...
Alright, I heaped enough praise on the bootleg. ...Literally, since that's the only thing the bootleg had going for it. From here on out, Lego scores all the goals.
Since we're essentially dealing with two of the same sets, there aren't any major differences or comparisons to point out. ...At least until we reach the minifigures.
However, if you look closely, you can notice that the color scheme of the bootleg set is slightly darker than the official thing. I don't know if this is because the colors were cheaper and easier to do in a darker tone, or whatever they based their copy on was more shaded, or what, but it is a good indicator that you're not getting the real thing.
Besides the lack of the Lego logo on top of the studs and the obvious injection holes on some of the bricks. If you're looking to buy Lego and you find a listing from overseas that's offering a set for a steal, these are all good signs to look for that will tell you if you're getting the real deal or not.
Also, notice the copious amount of dust on the bootleg. Gives you an idea of how long I've had this set and how long I've been putting off a review until I got a real copy...
Oh, and the bootleg also comes with this brick placing tool Lego sometimes puts in their sets(though not this Minecraft set.) I nearly forgot, because I don't use these and nearly forgot what it even was. ...So it's nice they included it.
But besides those slight differences, we're dealing with the same set, so let's set aside the bootleg for a bit and talk about the set proper. And for a Minecraft set, I think they've perfectly captured what the essence of Minecraft IS.
Minecraft is basically a "shattered world", in that different climates can exist right next to each other without much rhyme or reason. So you could be walking through the plains, then immediately find yourself in the desert/jungle/swampland/arctic/etc. Sure, there are biomes comprised mostly of a certain terrain, but they exist right next to one another with no gradual shift.
And it's no different underground. In fact, it might be even more chaotic, with different rocks and minerals existing right on top of one another, and lava pools flowing right next to large bodies of water! And that's what we have here.
Since this set is called "The Cave", I'm assuming this is a section of underground that's found more commonly on the same level as the Overworld, usually embedded in a mountain or even a pit*, hence why the right side is comprised mostly of dirt blocks for an entrance.
*Raise of hands. How many players have just walked along, minding their own business, then suddenly found themselves falling through a hole in the ground into a pool of lava...? I think the Random Seed Generator gods have a sense of humor...
But even at the minimal level for stone to start appearing, there's plenty of coal to be found. Represented very well here by layering round black one-stud pieces and square gray one-stud pieces and sandwiching them together between two 2x2 pieces.
This is also how the other ores in these Minecraft sets are represented, as seen with Iron, which is a little harder to find on the Overworld level
And Redstone, which just pops up everywhere.
Of course, it took a minute for me to realize that's what these were, since I always play with the Fantasy texture pack, so the ore designs are a little different. A lot easier to see in dark locations, though...
The design they chose for the ores and other blocks meant to be seen as Minecraft blocks is simple, yet ingenious. Instead of just keeping the tops flat like a regular Minecraft block, the tops are 2x2 plates with a center stud.
This way, not only can minifigures still stand on the bricks, but they can still securely stack, yet be taken apart with little trouble, as I'd assume you'd want if you're actually play-acting(or animating) with this set and you want realism. ...As real as a game where Obsidian is one of the strongest elements known to man, that is...
Speaking of which, here's some obsidian now, serving as a barrier between the pools of lava and water I mentioned earlier.
Unfortunately, the only tools Steve brought were a bucket and an Iron Pickaxe, so he can make Obsidian, but he can't mine it without destroying it. Better find some diamonds* and get that Diamond Pickaxe made!
*Not included in this set...
As well as your Enchantment Table, so it doesn't take all day to mine enough for your Nether Portal. ...Geez, I'm such a nerd...
To further defy the laws of physics and reality, they included a "lavafall", where the lava's just flowing down from some above source and pooling right next to the water, where it's instantly turned into obsidian. ...It's game logic, so I have to give them points for accuracy.
What I especially love is that they put this Iron Ore Block right behind the lava pool, which is something quite common in the game. It's a gamer's greatest joy yet also fear to find veins of ore behind lava, as it's there for the taking, but almost impossible to grab without frying the blocks or falling into the lava and losing all your stuff...
For anyone who hasn't played Minecraft yet, this will be you every other time you venture around lava...
You're better off tunneling right next to the lava and finding a cavern full of ore that way. ...And the way this is positioned and how dark it is inside really conveys the feelings of claustrophobia and nyctophobia prevalent in the game.
...Seriously, if you're trapped underground in the dark in this game, you might as well respawn and lose your progress, as you will have NO bearing on where you're going and the many monsters of the dark will end you quite quickly. ...This cute pixellated game about building and creation is scarier than most horror games, come to think of it...
So remember to take a bunch of these torches with you. ...Not a bad recreation of a Minecraft torch. Though, if it was me, I'd have given it an elongated square body.
Here's a Minecraft torch flashlight* I own, so you can see how a square body looks much more like something from Minecraft. I guess Lego just wanted to make it look like a regular torch that could fit into smaller spaces than a square piece.
*Or a Minecraft torch TORCH for my UK audience.
Speaking of standard Lego accessories being used for Minecraft elements, the ladder is your basic Lego ladder, instead of the kind that is pressed flat against the blocks like in the real game. I understand why they did this, since having to design a new kind of ladder with that function would probably be more trouble than it's worth.
What I'm more disappointed with is the chest the ladder leads up to, which is again a regular Lego treasure chest and not the box-like version from the game. Again, I can understand them not wanting to spend more money on custom pieces than they had to(especially with the custom minifigure molds), but it would have been really cool if they did design a more rectangular chest than the standard shape. It probably wouldn't have been hard to mold. ...But again, cost. People don't like another few bucks added onto the set's price just for a custom chest.
What they DID get right was this box of TNT from the game. Not only is it in the large box shape of the game's blocks, but the text is pixelly, with some detail pixels around the letters. This really looks like they just snatched it from the game itself!
And it's perfectly placed for launching attacking spiders. How considerate of them to think ahead.
And that's the set. A very well put together environment that clearly had fans working on the design, especially with minute details any regular player would notice and say "Nice!" So how do the minifigures hold up? And how do the bootlegs stack up against the real thing?
First up, Minecraft Steve. ...Which I've always been surprised they even have a name for, since he's just the general male avatar for the game. ...But I guess if you have a generic starting model for all players with no major character customization, might as well give a name to it, I guess.
As far as I can tell, the square heads used for Minecraft minifigures were introduced specifically for the Minecraft line and there were no figures that used this head mold before. It's pretty rare for Lego to create heads that don't follow the standard Lego head mold, so it's impressive Lego went that extra step and actually molded it, instead of making it a mask like JR's Inside Out minifigure of Anger.
It's the standard Lego body though. I'm a little disappointed that they didn't go all the way and give him a square body, but I guess that would cause issues interacting with the Lego world. Besides, he has the standard rectangular legs every Lego figure has, so what am I complaining about?
Still, they at least could have given him shoes as opposed to his legs being one base color.
One legitimate issue I have with with Steve, as well as the other Minecraft Lego characters, is that instead of the heads sitting flush with the shoulders, they gave them necks. In Steve's case, it's a brown neck,which doesn't match his flesh tone. That makes the color of the head gel even less with the bit of skin at the shirt top.
In fact, Steve's entire head is brown-colored, leaving out the cheeks and ears the actual figure has! So with only the very front of the head having different colors for the face, it again looks like somebody's wearing a mask.
Maybe he and Zombie Pikachu should have a chat. ...Before Pikachu eats him...
As I pointed out earlier, Steve comes with an Iron Pickaxe and a bucket of water(or lava, depending on which stud you put in.) The bucket is a standard Lego bucket, but the pick-axe is a custom design, molded to look like the pixelly Minecraft tools. And I think they were spot on with it!
Obviously, they couldn't design it with the jagged handle, so the minifigs could actually HOLD their tools, but besides that, I think they really nailed the design of the Lego pick-axe to match the real thing. ...The low-res pixelly thing. ...Whatever.
And here's Bootleg Steve! ...Which we can probably call Indian Steve if his skin tone is any indication...
I mentioned they produced all the bricks for the bootlegs in a slightly darker tone, but this one takes the cake! It's probably harder to see in a picture, but believe me when I say it's like a reverse Michael Jackson.
They even changed the patch on his shirt to match, yet kept his hands flesh-colored! ...SOOOO many jokes, but due to my trying to keep this blog relatively family-friendly, I'm not making any of them.
Bootleg Steve also has an Iron Pickaxe and bucket, though clearly made out of lower quality plastic, as you can clearly see stress and molding lines in the pick-axe.
The buckets are also molded slightly differently on the bottom, with the Lego one having the more standard connection. ...No joke. Just thought I'd point it out.
And, being a bootleg, I shouldn't have to tell you that the plastic and molding quality is suspect and the joints either fit too tightly or not at all. ...So I won't.
Instead, let's talk about the Zombie minifig. ...You think this thing looks cute? Wait until it sneaks up on you in the middle of the night and reduces your health to nothing and you lose that stack of diamonds on the other side of the map! ...It's not friendly!
While I can't say the design for this guy is better than Steve's, I can say that it screws up less. The features are limited entirely to a green head and three dots for eyes and a nose. And that's basically all a Zombie is in Minecraft, so I can't complain.
And, since the entire head mold is green, the neck matches up with the head and the patch on the shirt a lot better. Heck, it's much less noticeable here, so that's another plus!
Maybe it would have been nice if we had more detail with the clothes. I mean, it's a zombie! Even the game version has a torn piece of the shirt dangling over a leg on the front and a tattered back! This is clearly the same body mold as Steve's, just with a green patch instead of flesh-colored! ...Which is the point in the game, as the Zombies are supposed to be undead Player characters, but... I've completely lost my point here...
And here's the bootleg Zombie on the right. Once again, the skin tone is a bit darker, but not as noticeably as Bootleg Steve's.
What is a bit more noticeable is that the bootleg's face is slightly higher than the official, and the patch on the shirt is slightly lower. ...Sort of like the figure also hates the fact it has a neck, so its features are retreating from the unwanted addition.
This is also a much worse quality figure than Bootleg Steve, with much more obvious seam lines around the hands and legs. Much harder to move as well. ...Sort of closer to what a zombie is. ...Isn't it ironic? Don't ya think?
Finally, we have the Spider figure, which is more a traditional parts sculpture than a minifigure. ...But that was the way to go for something like this.
I'm really impressed with how they recreated this spider mostly out of regular Lego bricks and kept the blocky shape of the Minecraft universe, as well as how they gave it 8 legs. The legs are those flat hinged bricks you see that are usually to open up the inside of a structure set to reveal what's inside(or for those Spider-Bot legs we saw on the KAZI Super Man Spider set), and they're perfect to emulate spider legs moving.
Unfortunately, this means that the middle legs are immobile. ...At least sideways
As the legs can also move up and down! So you can really get some convincing spider-like movement out of this figure!
While it's mostly made out of traditional Lego bricks, I'm pretty sure the head mold is custom, as I've never seen it previously. It also seems to be the standard Lego Minecraft creature head, as the same mold is used for Minecraft cows, pigs, and sheep. Hey, whatever works.
There's really no point in comparing the bootleg, as it's the exact same parts. The facial features on the bootleg are slightly lower and the colors are a bit lighter, but besides the fact that the Lego logo is missing, you wouldn't normally be able to tell it was different.
And those are the sets. One's official, the other's a bootleg, but they both represent the same Minecraftian location. And very well, in my opinion. These are wonderful places to begin your Lego Minecraft adventure!
Just beware of Creepers...
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NOTE: All ratings will be based on the official release. It's not fair to include the exact same yet obviously inferior copy in any of the overall stats.
Quality: It's Lego quality. The standard. No problems with the plastic, paint jobs, or any of the pieces.
Design: I REALLY like this design. I like how there's a good mix of Minecraft elements, I like how it's laid out and blocky like the game, and I like how well it replicates the game's environment. If you've ever found a Minecraft cave, you'll know quite a few are laid out like this, with the dirt blocks at the entrance slowly giving way to stone and eventually water and lava. And with the ladder and chest, it's likely that this is a secret area, one of those rare bonus caves that contains what are thought to be remnants of previous expeditions and usually have items only found in these bonus chests. ...Though it's just bread in this case, which is still a common find in bonus chests. I also really love how they designed the ore, dirt, and some of the stone blocks, that they can be easily stacked and removed, yet have a relatively sturdy connection so they don't fall over unintentionally. And I especially like the detail where they placed obsidian blocks between the lava and water pools, simulating what happens when those two elements meet. A lot of detail and attention went into designing this set, and it's clear there was love for what they were doing.
The minifigures aren't too bad either, but they're not as well detailed as the set. The custom heads and paint jobs help them stand out as Minecraft figures, even if the body is the standard Lego minifigure model. However, I'm not crazy about the lack of detail(especially with Steve's head), and that they have necks, which just looks strange on figures you're so used to seeing as a mesh of quadrilaterals. On the whole, the zombie's the most accurate, but I think they did a pretty good job across the board.
Creativity: The sets are made with standard Lego pieces and there aren't any gimmicks, electronics, or actions, so there's not a whole lot of creativity. I guess the previously mentioned dirt/ore/stone block stacking design and the custom Minecraft heads are interesting, but there's no function that really makes this stand out creatively against other traditional sets. However, the set really shows a lot of thought and I'm glad they took the time to add minor details like the dirt blocks at the entrance and the ore hidden behind the lava fall.
Readability: It's Lego, and therefore perfectly legible. Like I said, I think the bootleg's manual actually manages to one-up it, but since Lego is normally a 5/5 by default, I can't go any higher.
Packaging: The packaging shares the same amount of detail of the set. Every element you'll get in the completed model is clear and present on the front of the box, posed in sort of an "in-between" scene, where things look about to happen, but they haven't realized it yet. The scene also has much more of a smoother, painted style to it than most other Lego sets or brick sets in general, where images are just Photoshopped into a mishmash of actions. Again, I don't know if they actually drew it or if it's some filter they used, but it looks nice. It was also a nice touch to surround the brick set with actual Minecraft textures, sort of blending the Lego into the Minecraft world it represents. ...However, with all the other boxes from other companies I've collected, I miss not being able to close up the box. Still, it's a very nicely designed box with a color scheme and picture that's unmistakably Minecraft and Lego.
Compatibility: Being Lego, the standard of this category, it's compatible with other Lego. ...However, I guess I'll have to knock off half a point since I can't stack anything on the custom head molds.
Overall:
If I wasn't the overly picky-type, I would give this set a 5/5. The quality's perfect, the customization is (mostly)spot on, and I LOVE the design and attention to detail present in this set and the fact that there are even Minecraft sets, being a Minecraft fan myself. What holds it back for me is the slightly lazy detailing for the minifigures, especially the custom Steve head, and the lack of any gimmick. It needed something like a hidden chamber or light-up lava or some spring-loaded trap or weapon to really make it stand out. Still, I highly recommend this set for its exceptional quality and attention to detail. It's also currently not that expensive and you can pick up a new, official set for about $15-20 online. If you're a fan of Minecraft at all, whether you've played the game or not, I recommend you check this set out!
And if you see the bootleg anywhere... Just leave it. The slightly lower price isn't worth it for quite the difference in quality. ...But if you can get the bootleg manual, that might be worth using instead of the official thing. Find both and decide for yourself.
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