(Written by William)
I was excited to review the #31175 LEGO Creator 3-in-1 Unicorn Castle, as I have been a long-time fan of LEGO Castle sets. Even though it doesn’t have any knights, the mythical creatures are a nice substitute. Plus, the set features a beautiful pastel color-palette – drastically different from most LEGO Castle sets.
With 390 pieces, the $44.99 price-tag is a bit high, but that could be because of the new moulds and larger elements. The set comes with three alternate models, but we will focus on the main build in this article. So let’s see what it offers and whether it’s worth the price.
LEGO UNICORN CASTLE – A CASTLE IN THE CLOUDS
Have you ever looked at a picture of a set and totally missed a very obvious detail? That happened to me with this model. I got so focused on the unicorn, two Pegasi, and the brightly colored castle that I didn’t even look at the base. So, I was entirely charmed while building the set and discovering that it is situated on an extensive cloud base.
LEGO designers even extended the cloud base to the backside of the model. In fact, every point where the model touches the table (or other building surface), there is a bit of cloud embellishment. The rounded bowl elements in the back are clever in giving these supports a bubbly appearance.
This even makes the rainbow stairs leading into the castle impressive on multiple levels. First, they fit the bright and cheerful magical ambiance of the set. Second, rainbows are something you find up in the clouds. And third, it makes the model look interesting when you are looking straight down on it from above.
In short, I thought I would be spending most of my time obsessing over the unicorn and Pegasi. Don’t get me wrong, they are cute. I was actually surprised to see that there are two different molds. The unicorn is slightly smaller and has a tiny hole made for its small horn, which is smaller than the spiral horns we’re used to. This is the same size of hole found on many hairpieces, which makes me want to put a party hat on the unicorn.
As for the two Pegasi, they seem to be a mold modeled after the young foal. They aren’t the full-sized horses with movable body parts. Thankfully, the wings are a separate piece that just fits on a stud on the back. This means you can turn them easily into ponies, but not unicorns. They do not have the hole on their head, which is a shame. Personally, I can see many builders taking the wings and adding them to their pigs.
LEGO UNICORN CASTLE – BUILDING INSTABILITY
All the soft, rounded edges of the model do come at a cost. Any time you use a rounded brick or plate, you are not building on a full stud. This means the clutch-power does suffer. I did find parts of the model falling apart a bit more easily while I was building and playing afterward.
Normally, this wouldn’t be too much of an issue, as castles tend to be stationary when it comes to play. Given that one of the other builds is a stable, you will have two delicate but functional playsets right out of the box. The third model, though, is a ship. Seeing as I was having clutch issues with the castle, the boat might be a bit frustrating to move around, especially if it has weak points.
LEGO UNICORN CASTLE – FINAL THOUGHTS
Minifigure fans might have trouble with the price of this set. After all, there are no minifigures. However, the castle is scaled right for minifigure play. So, maybe a princess, or wizard, or even space bounty hunter can come visit the mystical realm and meet its inhabitants.
For those looking for parts, you do get a lot of interesting curves in white, which make up the cloud layer. And even some of the extra detail work, like the shingles on the roof, gives a decent supply of nice tiles. Collectors might enjoy the unicorn and Pegasi, provided they don’t get oversaturated in future sets. LEGO has a history of making interesting animals and then making them crazy rare, which makes collectors’ hearts sore. You could even say, they soar as high as the clouds! In the video-review below, I talk about the set in a bit more detail.
Personally, I feel this set is dramatically different than most of what LEGO has on offer. It’s also probably as close to My Little Ponies as it can be without a license. Overall, I thought the build was whimsical and charming, if a bit delicate, and worth the price. If you want to check it out, it’s available at the LEGO Creator section of the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? How do you like this unusual LEGO Castle set? Feel free to share your thoughts and own reviews in the comment section below!
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This looks like a small Disney castle. Cute.
Dare I say a little Lisa Frank-ish. Should go well with 31140 and the 40691 GWP.