It’s another one from the Friends range, and it is just as colourful and sweet to build. This one has Mia in the set, a wetsuited shop owner and watersports enthusiast. I found this, once again, at the local charity shop, payiong the average used price of, £7.50. The only downside of this set was the missing stickers on two pieces. You could see they had been there, but had been pulled off at some point. The two that were missing were the shop sign, from the roof, and the lower shelving inside the shop-space.
I was most attracted by the kayak. As a paddler, myself, I have only had canoes, and to see a properly-shaped kayak, is a treat. Overall, the build is nice. It has the same process as a Minecraft build. Create the accessorized parts of the building, construct the base plating, then add the walls and roof. (It’s a little bit like the way a new McDonald’s is built.) Like other sets, it has an animal to support the main character. In this case, it’s a seal. The front is adorned with plants, and the panels split between the shop-floor, the sandy beach and the water. Having stickers is always a problem, for me, it was a blessing that they had already been done, but they are quite messy as it has likely seen use for a few years since it’s availabilty.
The two main issues are the price when purchased new, and the way in which Mia holds the paddle. Most of it is great, with even an action-cam to enjoy ahead of the kayak’s helm. Due to the lack of rotation of the Friends’ Mini-Doll hands, you can’t turn them to hold the paddle-shaft, properly. It’s just a minor frustration. The key issue, is price. Looking at sets that are still available, they retails at around £30, new. Coming from 2017, it is now retired from Lego’s stock, but it is still around for the budding builder.
I like it, and used, it was a nice find, but…new, there are more enjoyable sets to get your hands on. The starry-night set is sweet and the Friends general look is always available, regardless of which one you buy. It took me twenty-five minutes to build, that came from one bag, as it had already been opened, prior. Used, grab it…new, move on!
First Impressions – Sweet colours and design, the building’s breaking-wave looks amazing.
Price-Point – Above Average (Average as a used set.)
Time to Build – 40-50 Minutes
Score: 7/10
(All details were correct at the time of writing, 25th August ‘2024)
