Stephanie's Play Cube

My problem with this set and concept of a whole is that it really doesn't feel much like LEGO. It's not awful but there's barley any building and the little that exists is repetitive. There's limited space in the cubes, so they couldn't have fit in much more. But I definitely think they should've included a recipe (even a sticker on a 1x2 tile) instead of one of the lights just to show customization is possible. This set doesn't seem to spark much creativity, bar maybe putting what's in the oven on top of the cake? Speaking of which, at least the new icing piece is really nice. But again it can't really be used in many different scenarios limiting the playability of this small set. I guess the idea is to get kids who don't like LEGO into LEGO? But if that's the case, LEGO themselves don't seem to be pushing that angle. I also find the random pet a bit strange, it seems too expensive for someone to buy multiple of just to get their favorite pet. I'm glad they're just zany colours than normal varieties of the pets that people would actually want. I got the magenta dog if you're wondering. :P It is nice to get a pet in an exclusive colour set, but I think they could've done that without the random aspect. Also a weird thing they don't mention on the box is that Stephanie's set only comes with a dog, Andrea a parrot, Emma a cat, Olivia a hamster and Mia a baby bunny. Which is a really odd exclusion. I'm really disappointed with the new minidoll torso printing. LEGO have updated the minidoll's torsos to be dual moulded to allow back printing. This has also meant the quality of printing has gone down to minifigure standard so some of the torsos look weirdly tanned or weirdly pale compared to their faces, arms and legs. Stephanie's print is too pale to match her skin tone and even stranger the prints don't match on either side, they're not symmetrical despite clearly trying to make a V shape. I know most kids won't care but I think it's kind of an insult to the few that will. Also the exclusive faces in these cubes are really lack luster. Stephanie's mouth is now half open, that's the change. While I'd assume young girls wouldn't want a sad or angry face on their character they'd surly appreciate a blushing one, or a winking one or one with the tongue sticking out? It just feels like a waste of a new print. I did really appreciate the recolour of the chef hat and hair combo for Stephanie, which is why I purchased this cube first over the others. I can't really recommend this set to people. I think you're money would be much better spent in the other small sets and thankfully a lot where released this year. Getting into this concept might be dangerous for parents as it's going to be quite pricey by the end of the year if you have to collect them all for a child, which is another reason I'd go with the other sets. The set isn't awful but it's not great either. more less

I'm not sure what the average 6+ child gets for pocket money these days but they are marketed as "the perfect impulse reward, birthday gift or holiday gift for kids aged 6+" and they seem to hit the mark in this respect. They will undoubtedly have both play and collecting value given their low price point and inclusion of both mini-dolls and play scenes. more less

Although I don't often build Friends sets, I do like to discover some of the new pieces LEGO introduce across it's new product ranges. I'm also a sucker for collectible themes, although I doubt I'll be collecting all the Play Cubes. They are a fun addition to the Friends line and a great way to allow you to easily take your LEGO play out and about. The real draw has to be the new pieces the set features. They are nice additions to the LEGO system, although their pastel colouring make their use elsewhere a little limited. more less

For the target audience, this play cube is perfect for travelling -- as everything fits inside the cube. Just mind all the flowers and bows that could fall while building. Although we do get a generous supply of extras. For AFOLs, the new pink brackets should be of interest, especially for interior cafe or house builds. For fans who collect Friends animals, the re-colored pets will be hard to resist. As I mention in my review of Andrea's cube, I have already seen fan creations of various scenes inside. Even in roughly 2 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches of space, fans still find a way to re-build! more less