The first Lego Chess Set that was released was nice looking, fun to build and had some very interesting pieces. The newest addition to the family is the Castle Chess Set that showcases the Knights battling the evil Black Skeletons. Everything is packaged in a very nice case that keeps the figures safe when not in use. It comes with a ten by ten chess board that is done up in a black and white checkerboard design and the pieces fit perfectly into the pegs. If you are a Lego collector you can modify the pieces any way that you like so if you want to build a specific type of warlord or rook, you most certainly have the ability.
You will need to build the individually figures but that is half the fun. The Skeleton force have small shields that snap easily into their hands and the Knights have small battle shields that serve the same purpose. Instead of a king on the Skeleton side you have a wizard with a huge staff, the Knights have a king but he’s a Lego themed king so he looks a little different than others. Getting used to which figures on the Lego Castle Chess Board represent their basic chess counterparts isn’t hard but it does take a little time to get used to it.
One of the hardest things to deal with in regards to the playing board is the pegs; the figures need to get pressed into them to keep them upright and in place. This can be a little time consuming and if you are playing with someone that isn’t into Legos then they could disrupt the whole board when moving a piece. There is no way around this, if they made this with a flat face board instead of a pegged board the pieces would fall over constantly.
This has a suggested retail price of $49.99 for the complete set of 285 pieces that contains 32 chess pieces, accessories and the playing board. Is the set worth it? If you are a Lego collector or are into chess it is a nice thing to get. The storage box that comes with it is equally nice and it does a great job of protecting the pieces when they are not in use. The downside is that there are a lot of small pieces so this is suggested for those ages eight and older.
Chess is a game that is never played the same way twice so if you are into the spirit of the game, this is something that will have a high replay value. It would make an incredible gift for anyone that is into anything medieval related, chess players and those who collect Lego. You can order this through the Lego Shop At Home Catalog, online at their website or through selected merchants who carry Lego products. The fifty dollars I spent on this is nothing compared to the enjoyment that we have gotten from it and all of the future use it will see.
Name: Lego Castle Chess Set
Set Theme: Lego Special
Set Number: 852001
Piece Count: 285
Age Recommendation: 6 and older
Difficulty Level: Easy
Build Time: 30 – 45 minutes
Price: $49.99
