The LEGO Group today is out with a new collection of sets for September 1, and we’re diving in to take a look at what the latest from the Star Wars collection has to offer. Starting off, today we’re taking a hands-on look at how the new LEGO Ghost and Phantom II stacks up and if it’s worth your $160.
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Hands-on with the new LEGO Ghost and Phantom II
As the headlining play set from the new September LEGO Star Wars wave, we’re getting an all-new version of the Ghost and Phantom. The second edition of the vehicle comes themed around its more recent appearance in Ahsoka, versus the original’s animated debut in Rebels. It stacks up to set number 75357 and includes 1,394 pieces at the $159.99 price point.
One of the biggest things that makes the new LEGO Ghost and Phantom II so exciting is that you’re actually getting both ships. Back with the Rebels era of the Star Wars theme, builders wanting to bring both of the now beloved vehicles to their collections would have to buy two individual sets. But not for the 2023 relaunch! This time around, the company is including both of the crew’s starships in one single set to complete the combining feature.
But does that mean you’re getting a worse overall product versus if the LEGO Group had just reimplemented its original take on the ships and made two sets? Absolutely not.
Like many other builders, I eagerly lined up outside of my LEGO store this morning and brought home the new Ghost and Phantom II – alongside the rest of the LEGO Star Wars September lineup. I immediately came home and got to work building what seemed like the best place to start for reviewing the lineup. So having just freshly laid the last brick into place, I am very eager to talk about what I like and don’t like about the kit.
With the included 1,394 bricks, the new Ghost and Phantom II set from LEGO delivers just the two ships. There’s no side builds, nor are there any other elements that would take away from the quality of the whole reason you’re buying the set. And that approach works remarkably well for the new release. Both of the ships feel as complete as you can expect these days, and that’s coming from a builder who gets her hands on just about every new starfighter, frigate, and capital ship from the LEGO Group.
The exteriors are not only accurate to the series, but accomplish such a feat thanks to some impressive techniques and colored elements. The haul may be white, but there are so many little accents of off-blue, orange, and varying shades of gray that you’d be hard pressed to see this as a bland monochromatic ship. So all you LEGO builders who are sick of bringing home just a slab of grey are very much going to love this one.
On top of just meaning that the set looks great once you have it fully assembled, it also means that the actual building process is a lot of fun. Piecing together the new LEGO Ghost and Phantom II reminded me very much of building some kits as a kid. And I say that in the best possible way! The techniques hark back to some of the original Millennium Falcon playsets, but mix in some fresh takes to pack even more greebles into the exterior.
The same attention to detail can’t be said for the interior, however. As happy as the collector in me is about the set, the inside of the vehicle does leave a little too much up to the imagination in my book. There are some highlights for sure, like the stairs that lead from the cockpit into the main interior space, as well as ramps that can fold down to give you much of the same access. The controls for the Ghost are also very good!
But aside from that, you’re pretty much looking at an empty model. There’s plenty of room on the inside, which is fantastic for making sure all of the included figures can hitch a ride on the vessel. But as far as encouraging play goes, there’s a little something missing here.
Speaking of encouraging play, which is what LEGO is all about, I love that the Phantom II makes the cut. The $160 price tag could have easily been reserved for just the larger of the two vehicles, but having the smaller fighter actually come in the box and then be able to dock right on the back of its larger brother is such a fun feature. It also makes the ships look incredible on display, too.
Five minifigures make the cut, too
The last aspect of the set that makes the LEGO Ghost and Phantom II set stand out are the minifigures. There’s five in total, with some entirely new inclusions in the Star Wars collection and a few new versions of fan-favorite characters. There’s Hera, as well as her son Jacen, who comes paired with a refreshed Chopper minifig. A Mon Calamari lieutenant named Beyta makes the cut, alongside a fifth and finally First Officer Hawkins.
All five figures are fantastic and offer a lot of variety. Sure the series’ protagonist Ahsoka has not made the cut in the flagship kit from the wave, but I am perfectly alright with that. It’s rare to see five figures in a set these days period, and as someone who can only appreciate these for minifigs and not their on-screen appearances, I am quite happy with the cash of characters who comes with the LEGO Ghost and Phantom II.
9to5Toys’ Take
I am making my way through the new LEGO Star Wars summer 2023 collection for September, and there’s no better place to start than the top. The Ghost and Phantom II is easily one of the most anticipated sets of the year from any theme, let alone a galaxy far, far away. And now that I have built it, I see why! It’s just such a fun build and while not perfect, is pretty dang close.
Before I get any further, I do want to mention that I haven’t actually watched Ahsoka yet. So these thoughts are all from someone who is just enjoying this kit for what it is – an impeccable LEGO set.
And phenomenal it really is. The value here for $160 is pretty unmatched these days from the LEGO Star Wars lineup. Just last year by comparison, we saw the Justifier hit store shelves at $10 more. Spending more on a set that gives you far less is frankly just insulting in hindsight from the LEGO Group. But a lot can change in a year, and I am more than willing to give the company a break. Because it seems like it has learned its lesson and is actually back to releasing great sets at prices that make sense.
But back to the LEGO Ghost and Phantom II. This set is easily the highlight from the wave, and it’s not just because of the source material. Sure, LEGO Star Wars fans have a particular affinity for Rebels, and that is very much coming through with the reception so far. I have never seen a set fly off shelves at a LEGO retail store quite like this one did earlier today. But some of the builders I talked to today were also in the same boat as me, getting this set because it looked great and not just because of its ties to the actual Star Wars canon.
Back to a point I was making before, there’s a world where the full $160 price tag was reserved for the Ghost itself, with the LEGO Group opting to make another $30 set for the Phantom II. Between the two approaches, I really do think that the company made the right call. The ship might not have the best interior, but it knocks every other element out of the park.
You really can’t go wrong spending this kind of cash on a set like this. While I can’t say for certain yet, as I am still building the rest of the new LEGO sets, but this should be one of the front runners from the new Star Wars September collection. At the very least, I am finally getting in on the Rebels hype, and all it took was an amazing LEGO set to be released.
Buy the new LEGO Ghost and Phantom II from Amazon and LEGO direct
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