The #10188 LEGO Star Wars Death Star has been one of the best-selling LEGO sets of all time, originally released in 2008, and finally retired after seven years at the end of 2015. However this wasn’t a true retirement, just a bit of time taken off to get some updates and improvements, and now the Death Star is back! The #75159 LEGO Star Wars Death Star includes over 200 extra pieces as well as three new minifigures. Below is the full press-release with pictures and details. 🙂
Here is the official description of the #75159 LEGO Star Wars Death Star: Win the battle for the Empire with the awesome Death Star! Reenact amazing scenes from the Star Wars saga with the Empire’s ultimate planet-zapping weapon—the Death Star! With over 4,000 pieces, this fantastic model has a galaxy of intricate and authentic environments, including a superlaser control room, Imperial conference chamber, hangar bay with moving launch rack and Lord Vader’s TIE Advanced with space for Vader inside, Emperor Palpatine’s throne room, Droid maintenance room, detention block, trash compactor, tractor beam, cargo area, turbo laser with spring-loaded shooters and seats for the 2 Death Star Gunners, and 2 movable turbo laser towers. This fantastic set also includes 23 iconic minifigures and 2 Droids to ensure hours of Star Wars battle fun.
Includes 23 minifigures and 2 droids: Grand Moff Tarkin, Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, Imperial Navy Officer, Imperial Officer, 2 Stormtroopers, 2 Death Star Troopers, 2 Emperor’s Royal Guards, 2 Death Star Gunners, Death Star Droid, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, C-3PO, Han Solo, Han Solo (disguise), Luke Skywalker (Tatooine), Luke Skywalker (disguise) and Luke Skywalker (final duel), plus R2-D2, an Imperial Astromech and a Dianoga trash compactor monster.
Features a superlaser control room, Imperial conference chamber, hangar bay with moving launch rack and detachable TIE Advanced with space for Lord Vader inside, Emperor Palpatine’s throne room, Droid maintenance room, detention block, trash compactor, tractor beam, cargo area, turbo laser with spring-loaded shooters and seats for the 2 Death Star gunners, and 2 movable turbo laser towers.
- Weapons include 3 Lightsabers, 4 blasters, 3 blaster pistols, 4 blaster rifles, 2 force pikes, 2 Force Lightning elements and a bowcaster.
- Load up and fire the turbo laser’s spring-loaded shooters to keep the rebels at bay.
- Maneuver Lord Vader’s TIE Advanced into position and prepare for launch.
- Battle the Royal Guard in the throne room and then take on Palpatine himself!
- Help Leia escape from the detention block and swing to safety with Luke across the chasm!
- Will Obi-Wan shut down the tractor beam and help the rebels defeat the Empire?
- Can you spot the Dianoga trash compactor monster?
- Recreate other unforgettable scenes from the classic Star Wars films.
- This set offers an age-appropriate building experience for ages 14 and over.
- Measures over 16” (41cm) high, and 16” (42cm) wide.
- This set includes 4,016 pieces.
LEGO VIP members will get early access to the #75159 LEGO Star Wars Death Star on September 15th, followed by general release on September 30th. Prices are as follows: US $499.99 – CA $599.99 – DE 499.99€ – UK £399.99 – DK 4499.00 DKK (Euro pricing varies by country). The set will be available at official LEGO stores and under the LEGO Star Wars section of the Online LEGO Shop.
Rumors started circulating even before the #10188 LEGO Star Wars Death Star was retired that LEGO was going to release a new Death Star. Some people thought it will be related to the new Star Wars film, others speculated that it would be like the old #10143 LEGO Star Wars Death Star II display-model from 2005, and some LEGO fans reasoned that it will probably be just an updated re-release with new minifigures and improved building techniques. And this third group pretty much had it right; the #75159 LEGO Star Wars Death Star is basically the same thing as the original set, with updated minifigures.
It is clear that LEGO felt that there was no need to change the original set, besides freshening up the minifigures and adding a couple of other small changes. On the box image the Death Star is even oriented almost exactly the same way as on the original set, to emphasize that it is the same thing. Nobody was expecting that the sets will be this similar. In fact, when the first images of the new set leaked in mid-August, most LEGO fans thought it was a prank. Even with a re-release people expected that LEGO will at least update some of the more unsightly features of the original model, like the stepped curves. Personally, I would have loved if the outside would be covered with opening panels!
The collection of minifigures is nice, but I don’t think it justifies a $100 increase in price. Just to give you some comparison here is some data. The #10188 LEGO Star Wars Death Star was released in 2008 with 3,803 pieces and 24 minifigs/droids for a price of $400 (10.5 cents a piece). The #75159 LEGO Star Wars Death Star comes with 4,016 pieces (213 more pieces) and 25 minifigs/droids for a price of $500 (12.4 cents a piece). The #71040 LEGO Disney Castle is 4,080 pieces (so 64 pieces more than the new Death Star) for a price of $350 (8.6 cents a piece). From this perspective, it might make more sense to just buy the old Death Star (which still sells for around $400 on the secondary market and prices will likely drop once the new one is out), and maybe add a few updated minifigs. Or if you just want to get a big display set, the LEGO Disney Castle is a much better deal. Below are a few more comparison pictures of the two sets (old on the left, new on the right).
What do you think? How do you like the new LEGO Star Wars Death Star? Do you think it is worth getting it? What interesting changes and updates you notice between the two sets? And how do you like the minifigures? Do you have the previous version of the set? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below! 😉
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It’s massively overpriced now (£125 more than last time for UK) and although a nice set in itself, not really a display piece for AFOLs and no big improvement on the last one unless you’re more into the minifigures. There are much nicer sets to spend £400 on.
Totally agree. Although I refuse to touch lego star wars (too much was in my dark ages and I’m not willing to blow the requisite £8k or so for getting the UCS backlog) the markup is ridiculous for 200 parts and some new figs. From what I have seen almost all of the big sets this year haven’t been fab…
Agree…
I would love it, if it didn’t spike in price to 500 dollars. I have never had that much money to spend. Ever.
Yeah, this is going to be over the budget of a lot of LEGO fans. Spending this much money on one single set is tough. The Disney Castle is a much better value for the price.
Has the minor redesigns resulted in an advanced build requiring two more years of maturity, or is the population getting dumber?
Yes. 🙄
Didn’t you hear money grows on trees . Just go to your back yard and grab a fist full of hundreds . I think LEGO has gotten little money hungry . If there not careful in time this could be LEGO down fall .Big company or not it’s a snowball effect . It will catch up with them. I know some also will say ” if you can’t buy it , don’t. It seems like theirs a lot of” don’t buys ” on a lot of sets these days . All I can say keep telling LEGO about it and hopeful they will listen .
I agree. This year has been particularly expensive. My favorites are actually the $40-$100 sets. They are interesting, good play value, good selection of parts, and enough inspiration for customization. And they are not too expensive, so you can get several through the year. But then these big sets are selling really well too – at least so far. Money doesn’t just grows on trees, but also speaks, and LEGO listens. BTW, I have plenty of trees, but I never seen them grow money. I checked… several times… 🙄
LEGO is very good about spreading the choices across the board . So, everybody can get something from each theme and not break the bank . I also believe that bigger isn’t always better . I agree that the $ 100.00 sets are very cool and sometimes better detailed .
Yes, that’s true. There is a great variety of sets both as far as themes and price. There is something for everyone. The only unusual thing this year was the number of very large several hundred dollar sets.
Sadly, It’s only going to go up in prices and then what . We’ll have to take out a loan for a LEGO set. I think I am going to learn to enjoy what I and not what I can get . (If LEGO prices do go up.) I hope I am wrong .
Yeah, LOL! It may come to that! I’m also focusing on just enjoying what I have, and stay within my LEGO budget for new sets.
I always wanted the old death star set as a kid and I still wanted it but when I finally had the money for it it was retired. That set was worth the €420,- asking price it had in the Netherlands.
For the added 200 pieces and the asking price of at least €500 and probably €550 here I’ll have to skip this set. I simply can’t justify a purchase like that if I can get three modulars for the same amount of money.
Yeah, when you put it that way, I would also choose the modulars, or some of the other moderately priced sets.
This is reminding me of the UCS Assault on Hoth set…
Yeah, deja vu…
I don’t think it’s worth it, but at the same time if you were to buy all of the updated minifigures it would cost well over $500. But I think that LEGO is getting a little money hungry.
Yeah, the only real change here is the minifigs. So if you already have the original set, you might just consider upgrading some of the characters where you prefer the new look.