My son has been interested in building a Lego chess set for a few years now, but only recently did I notice some of the cool sets that LEGO has been putting out -- including the Pirates Chess Set, Viking Chess Set, and Giant Castle Set. All have become collector's items and are selling for far more than their original purchase price. So I was glad to see a new set come out that I'd actually buy. At $49.99, the Kingdoms Chess Set is a real bargain, especially considering that LEGO mini-figures generally go for over $3 each and the set contains 28 of them, each with weapons and various other accoutrements. You better buy it soon, though, because it has already been bid up to nearly $70 on Amazon and hasn't even been out for a month.
It is a fun set and easy to assemble, with a Medieval theme of warring feudal armies surrounded by a plastic castle shell. The white pieces bear a lion crest, with steel weapons and helmets, looking like civilized knights in full regalia; the black pieces have a dragon coat of arms, iron gear, and more pagan appearance, with a wizard king and warrior queen (complete with dagger). The pawns have two different types of weapons, so there is some variety there, though this does introduce some potential confusion during play ("that's a Knight? I thought it was a pawn!") It is easy to play with, and though you'll inevitably knock off some of the gear during battle it snaps right back on, of course. I especially like white's jester knights with their cross-bows and two possible faces (so you can make the king's knight wear a frown and the queen's knight a smile). My son really loves it and it has definitely gotten him excited about playing chess, which I am always looking to encourage. Highly recommended.
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