Review: Yoda’s Jedi Starfighter (75168)

Now this is a weird little critter. No, not Yoda. I mean his starfighter of course! According to Star-Wars-lore, it is based on the ETA-2 Actis Class Interceptor, flown by Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi in Episode III, but smaller in size. Just like its pilot.

Yoda, his Jedi Interceptor and R2.

Assisted by an astromech droid (in this case good ol’ R2D2) and equipped with his lightsaber, the set has the same accessories as the ones piloted by Anakin Skywalker in 2014 and Obi-Wan Kenobi in 2016, but contains with 262 pieces slightly more than the other two, which are in the 220-piece range.

Brick-build canopies: not the most elegant thing in the universe!

The additional pieces went mostly into the cockpit canopy though. And that’s where the issues start. Where the other Actis Class ships got a nice cockpit canopy made of one piece (with an additional small TIE-fighter style front screen), this one got a blocky brick-build one, that doesn’t only looks by far not as good, it is also bigger than the actual “bigger” variants! Sadly it doesn’t stops with the canopy. The rest of the ship appears weirdly oversized and hefty compared to the others, and it really should be the opposite!

Putting Yoda’s ship next to Anakin’s Jedi Interceptor clearly shows there isn’t much of a size difference!

Like the other… ahem “big” Jedi Interceptors, Yoda’s fighter has two spring-loaded missiles and wings that fold in when in landing mode. And just like the others the wings are a bit fiddly to get into the right position. Unlike the others though, the spot for the astromech droid isn’t located in a wing, but instead (according to Star-Wars-canon) behind the cockpit. Very nice.

A look at the rear reveals the docking station for R2 and some construction-related blockiness (display stand not included).

All in all the building experience doesn’t disappoints. Especially way the wings are attached to the fuselage is pretty clever. No issues here. Every step is clear and easy to follow. All in all the whole assembly is pretty sturdy and should last swooshing around and dropping to the floor. If it would be just a bit smaller! Oh, and yes. Of course there is a sticker-sheet. Actually, apart from the Canopy there is no printed piece on the ship. Yoda doesn’t even has controls in his cockpit…

S-foils in attack position!

On the Minifigure-side everything is fine though. Yoda’s head is just beautifully sculpted and looks appropriately wise and kind. Much better than the caricature-like clone-wars variant of the LED Yoda.

I really thought, they would be basically the same Minifigure, just in different scales, But the design of the head is completely different. And much nicer on the small Yoda.

R2D2 is… R2D2! Its design hasn’t changed, but I noticed a much straighter printing on its dome, than on the one from Anakin’s starfighter. Good to see!

Yay 2017: perfectly straight print!

A step back though is the lightsaber, which has a couple of bubbles in its blade. That shouldn’t happen anymore in 2017.

Oh no! bubbly lightsaber!

Taking everything into account, Yoda’s Jedi Starfighter is an OK-set. Its good to see one of the key-characters of the Star Wars universe represented in the lowish price-range, but from the design point of view the ship doesn’t meets the standard other sets of that size have. It is just a bit lazy to have a brick-build canopy instead of a new mould and it throws the whole scale of the ship off.

If you have already a Yoda Minifigure, then you can give this set a pass. If not, then its a good opportunity to fill that gap in your collection, but don’t expect miracles from his ship.

Pieces: 262

Rating 3/5

 

 

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