Review of the Lego Skatepark 60290 Replica Set / Lari 60053

 

Hello brick fans!

I bought a bootlego replica of the Lego 60290 Skatepark set from Aliexpress and I'm here to tell you all about it today!

Here's the set details:

Set Name and Number:  Lari 60053 Skatepark

Replica of: Lego 60290 Skatepark

Number of pieces: 217 pieces

Minifigures: 4 of them

Stickers: Yes

Printed Pieces: Yes

Numbered bags: Yes but they don't correspond to the building instructions.

Price paid: $13.91 CDN or about $10.24 USD

I ordered the Skatepark set from a store called China Iwonders Store on Aliexpress.  I've never seen this particular clone of the Lego Skatepark set 60290 on Aliexpress before, and the price of  about $14 CDN was fairly decent So I decided to take the plunge.

I bought the set on March 28 and it was immediately shipped, with subsequent delivery to my porch in a mere 11 days.

Here's the packaged building block set with the 16 page instruction booklet.

This sticker sheet was taped to one of the pages inside the manual.

I found four bags of parts and one of the newer baseplates.   The bags are numbered 1 thru 4 but I soon discovered that the parts of bag 1 did not correspond to the steps in the instruction manual.

Since there are only 217pcs in the set, I just opened up all of the parts bags and dumped them on the table.

Here's all of the minifigure parts I picked out from the pile.

And here all all of the printed pieces, consisting of 6 soda/pop can lids, a cell phone and several signs for the fictional product Vita Rush.

There are a total of 4 minifigures that come with the Skatepark set.  There's a female who looks to be the product marketing rep for Vita Rush, and a young lady with a purple skateboard and matching helmet.  The hair is part of the helmet and she doesn't get any extra hairpiece.  She does however have an alternate face.

The other two minifigures are male, with the younger lad riding a bmx style bike and the older guy in a wheelchair.  Both minifigs are wearing bike helmets and they don't have any additional hairpieces either.

Here's the back printing on all four of the minifigures.

Accessories for the Skatepark set include this baseplate and some ramp pieces.  It's up to you how you want to arrange the equipment on the baseplate.

More ramps and guard rails to keep the atheletes busy.

This offroad vehicle is included in the set and it's probably used by the marketing rep to travel to all of the different events.  There are a couple of pylons with flags to promote the Vita Rush product.  Also included in the set is a small palm tree.

Regarding the quality of the bricks, I found them to be overly plasticy with that feeling that maybe Lari cheaped out on the type of plastic used to mold this set, and their clutch was a bit tighter than I would have liked.   It's an easy set to build for the younger crowd but I think they will have fun  creating new adventures in the skatepark.

I was going to add a link to the store on Aliexpress, but unfortunately, it looks like all of the products in the store have been removed.   A search for this copycat Skatepark in the Building blocks section of Aliexpress only yielded this result, which looks like customized version of the newer Lego 60364 Skatepark set.

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DkA2i1x

Maybe the fakelego clone of the Lego 60290 Skatepark set will reappear in a few weeks time, who knows?   Hope you've enjoyed this quick look and review of the Lari 60053 Skatepark building block set!   Thanks and see you next time!

Here's A Closer Look at the Funwhole Medieval Watchtower F9027

What's up brick fans?  Today, we will take a tour of the 1625 piece Medieval WatchTower by Funwhole.  There's so much of the set I want to show you, that I'm going to skip the build pics this time and jump right into all of the amazing details and features of this set.

Today's blog post was made possible by Funwhole for providing the Medieval Watchtower for purposes of review.

You can get it here: https://www.funwhole.com/products/medieval-watchtower?ref=tN9EBQmQ and save 10% off using my code itsnotlego.

The Funwhole Medieval Watchtower is also available through Amazon.  Discounts now available.  Please refer to the Amazon store that applies to your country.

Overview

• Set Name: Funwhole Medieval Watchtower F9027
• Piece Count: 1625 pieces
• Minifigures: 4, not compatible with Lego
• Numbered Bags: Yes
• Stickers: No
• Printed Pieces: Yes
• Lighting Kit: included 
• Bonus items: Tweezers, Brick Separator, Mobile Ballista, Ox and Cart

The medieval watchtower is constructed in two parts, first the namesake watchtower and second the main gate segment of a castle wall.   From a display perspective, the watchtower looks awesome with all the accent lighting, like the flickering lights that flank the entrance and the bright flame that burns in the tower keep.  It's details like this that differentiates Funwhole from other Lego compatible brick brands.

Oh BTW, if you want to see what's in the set, I did an unboxing post which you can find here.

The Funwhole Medieval Watchtower comes with it's own uniquely designed minifigures, of which there are 4 in this set.  There are two soldiers, a villager and a maiden.  One of the soldiers has a fabric cape and the maiden has a fabric skirt.   If you look closely, I've included two Lego style minifigures in the picture above.  Although they have different designs, I think that you can display both types of minifigures together.

There are no stickers, I repeat, no stickers with this set.  Only printed pieces, like the watchtower walls.

And the shield decorations.

Here is the entrance to the watchtower, it's flanked by two lights which flicker when turned on.  The door can be opened and closed as a play feature.

A thatched addition houses some weapons on one side of the watchtower.  In fact, there are a plethora of axes, spears and swords included in the set.

Moving to the rear of the watchtower, there is a giant door that runs pretty much the entire height of the tower.  

The door can be opened to reveal the interior of the watchtower!  See the steep staircase that gives the soldiers access to the top of the tower.  

The stairwell looks even cooler when it is lit up!

Here's the top of the watchtower.  There is a burning flame to be used as a signal to other watchtowers in the area.  A stash of weapons are readily available to defend the tower.

Back on ground level, the Castle is protected by not one, but two different gates.   The one in the back is a drawbridge and using a crank, the large ramp can be easily raised or lowered.

Check it out!

The Medieval Watchtower contains a segment of main gate and castle wall.  It would be cool to get two complete sets of the watchtower to fully protect the inside of the fortress grounds.   This side has a small flowering tree growing next to the wall.

There's lots of secret passages throughout the set, it's fun to discover them all.   More weapons can be found on the roof.   Pictured above are the two spindles that operate the gates to the fortress.

This huge ballista can be swivelled in the desired direction to thwart off enemy intruders with the javelin.  Sadly, the javelin is for display only and doesn't actually work.

More weapondry is on display including helmets and shields.

I love the look of the main gate which can also be raised and lowered.  

However, the front gate is cogged, so that you have to remove the second floor to release the mechanism that holds the gate in place.  Just a minor quibble.

Here's a peek inside the main gate.  There's even a cauldron for pouring boiling liquid on invaders should they manage to breach the fortress walls.  Too cool.

Some bonus accessories found in this set include this Lego compatible ox cart carrying two barrels.  

And this portable ballista that can be rolled around easily.   These items are great little play features.

Of course, what makes this set truly special is the LED lighting that comes embedded with the Funwhole set.  

I'm super happy that my Medieval town is growing, especially with the new Medieval Watchtower.  This was a really fun build, with lots of play features such as the working gates and it also makes a great display.  Of course, we can't forget that this Funwhole set has printed pieces and no stickers.  I'm going to give this Medieval Watchtower set an awesome 4.9 out of 5!

Here are some of my other Medieval themed set reviews, you might be interested in:

Medieval Apothecary Shop

Medieval Pier Inn

Medieval Dutch Windmill

Medieval Observation Watchtower

Thanks for looking!   Bye for now!

The FunWhole Lookout Campground F9022 Building Block Set Review

 

Hey brick builders and Lego enthusiasts! 🌟 Today, we'll take a closer look at the mesmerizing details of the Lego Compatible FunWhole F9022 Lookout Campground set, another great set with lighting kit included! 🏕️✨

Thanks to FunWhole for their generous provision of this captivating set, which has allowed me the awesome opportunity to thoroughly explore and provide a comprehensive, in-depth review. 

** Quick highlights **

• Set name and Number:  The Lookout Campground F9022
• Piece Count: 1426 pieces
• Age Rating: 12+
• Minifigures: 3 + 1 dog + 1 frog + 1 bird
• Stickers: Yes
• Printed Parts: Yes
• Numbered bags: Yes
• Lighting Kit: Included
• Extra parts: Yes
• Bonus Items: Tweezers, Brick Separator Tool, Battery Pack
• Retail Pricing: $79.99 USD (as of November 2023)

** Where to buy **

Get the Campground from the FunWhole website or from their Amazon stores, pricing listed below.

And also on their store:  https://www.funwhole.com/products/lookout-campground?ref=tN9EBQmQ

** Unboxing **

To see the unboxing of this Campground set please check it out on my other blog post here.

Ok, let's review the major components and features of this set in the order of building.

** Section 1: The Minifigures and Camping Trailer **

pages 1 thru 22, steps 1 thru 47

The Funwhole minifigures are found in Bag F.  "F" for figures?

There will be other parts in the bag for which you will use later, for now just separate out the pieces that are used to make the minifigures.

Here are the three minifigures that come with the set, 2 guys and a gal.  There's also a pet dog that's included but he comes later.

Instructions on how to assemble the minifigures are right at the start of the manual.

Once assembled, the silver camping trailer is solid, almost too solid.  Looks great with the rounded corners, gives it a real retro feel.  I just wish it was a bit bigger, though.  

I really like the silver sheen of the parts, not quite chrome, but still shinier than normal bricks.

The interior of the trailer comes furnished with a small cot, a coffee maker and a medical kit (which I forgot to put the sticker on).  As assembled, the only way you are going to view the inside is via the door, since the roof is not designed to be removed easily.  I made some changes to my trailer to address this which I will discuss later in the blog post.

The covered awnings can be folded up or down, just like the door.  

A bonus feature is that you can decide what colour of awning you want to use, choices are green or red. All are stickers.

. 🚐💫

** Sections 2 thru 4: The Campsite and the Outhouse**

pages 23 thru 112, steps 48 thru 152

The base of the diorama is comprised of 4 smaller baseplates that make up 32 studs by 32 studs when put together.  Green to simulate land and blue to simulate water.  As it moves away from the water, the base is also elevated making the terrain look more realistic.

Every FunWhole set comes with a lighting kit, which you can see more of in the set unboxing. The expansion board placed right in the middle, serves as a central hub, with all of the wires feeding outward from it.  The lighting wires are strategically placed and hidden through out the display.  There is room for the battery pack as you can see.

Pro tip:  👉 Make sure you have fully tested all of your lighting components by attaching all of the lighting wires and the power pack to the expansion board.  You will need to provide 2 AA batteries to power the lights.   Make sure each of the lights work before you place everything into the base.

 🏞️🎨

With the remainder of the plates installed you won't see all the wiring underneath the base.  I will look at all of the lighting in greater detail later.

For now, check out the cute outhouse and toilet.  There's just enough room for a small faucet (not pictured) and a toilet paper roll in addition to the commode.

Fortunately, there is lighting outside of the outhouse so it's easy to find in the dark.

🚽😄

**Section 5 thru 7: The Lookout Tower **

pages 113 thru 186,  steps 153 thru 230

It's time to construct the lookout tower!

The tower feels sturdy and all parts fit snugly and  it doesn't wobble.  I like all of the details such as the scaffolding and struts that support the tower and the platforms.

To get to the top of the lookout platform, you have to go up a set of stairs to the first level, then. climb a ladder to get to the second level, from there you step up to the side platform that takes you to another set of steps.  Finally you reach the platform which has a nice commanding view of the campgrounds. Whoa, I'm all tired out now from all of the climbing.

🏡🌲

We're not done yet, there's still the cabin to install on top of the platform.

** Section 8:  The Lookout Cabin **

pages 187 thru 214, steps 231 thru 263

Inside the lookout cabin, we find a bed, a wood stove, a pair of binoculars, a fire extinguisher, and a mug.

When you come up the stairs, you can get a nice 270 degree view from the upper platform.

The cabin has both exterior and interior lighting.

** Section 9: The Cabin Roof and the Tree **

pages 215 thru 240, steps 264 thru 303

The stove pipe from the wood burning stove comes right up thru the roof.  I would have picked a better location for the antenna though.

There is the obligatory tree for the campground.  Wish it was taller and more majestic looking.  A bird and his house occupy the tree.

 🌳🌟

** Section 10: Picnic Area **

pages 241 thru 252, steps 304 thru 313

The final bag of parts gives you a whole bunch of little accessories for your campground display.

Of all the accessories, only the Taylor Swift Magazine is not from this set, its from the FunWhole Newsstand set.  Thought it would be fun to include it here.

**Lights, Lights and more Lights **

Alright, let's dive into what sets FunWhole apart from other brick brands. They've got this awesome lighting kit that comes with every single set. In the campground set, eight lights are cleverly placed to light up the crucial spots, giving off this cozy and welcoming vibe. 

The central expansion board is easily accessed by a secret hatch and even has some free slots should you choose to add extra lighting to the set.  I can think of adding an LED light to the interior of the camping trailer as an example.  The power supply can be found in the form of the USB plug connected to the battery pack, which can be secured into the base.

Imagine the camping trailer all lit up in the evening, from the giant spotlight, to the lookout tower's cabin with a soft glow, and even the outhouse throwing out a whimsical light. One of the lights is chilling near the water, and there's even a lantern hanging out on the picnic basket. It's like they've thought of everything to make it shine, literally!

Adding lights to the FunWhole Campground F9022 kicks it up a notch, making it a real showstopper. Whether you're sticking it on a shelf or dropping it into a diorama, those lights bring a magical vibe, making the whole set sparkle – both literally and figuratively. It's like the cherry on top, turning this thing into a masterpiece.. 💡✨

** The Pros and Cons **

As much as I love the look of the FunWhole F9022 Lookout Campground, there are a couple of things I wished could be improved.  The silver camping trailer looks awesome, yet I can't help wondering if FunWhole could have made it slightly larger.  It seems rather small when I park it next to my other Lego compatible camping trailers.  

Here's my attempt at modifying the camping trailer.  It's not much but I added two plates of height to the trailer.  It also allows me to easily remove the roof if I want to display the interior.  In front of the door I added a step-up to allow easier access for the minifigures.

My other lament is the number of stickers in this set.  I guess I'm spoiled after having built the FunWhole Newsstand set which had all printed parts and no stickers.  Not showstoppers but just a small gripe.

Overall, this was a really fun set to build!   Here is the FunWhole Lookout Campground next to the Funwhole Lakeside Lodge.  These two buildings make a really nice outdoor diorama to be sure. 

I can highly recommend this set and I give it well deserved 4.8 stars out of 5.

Well, that's it for now, hope you liked the review, see you next time, bye!

  🌈🧱 #FunWholeF9022  #DelightDayandNight