So a friend of mine helped get me this commemorative set exclusive to Singapore in celebration of their 50th anniversary as an independent state. This set was given to students of all levels free of charge, so naturally there were a lot of interest on this set coming from all over the world. I must admit, before getting my hands on one, I was extremely keen and excited on how the build would be like, but now that I have one and actually built it, I would definitely say, its no biggie. Should you have one and decided to keep it as a souvenir, it is best kept sealed. Otherwise, do not bother to find one, for there is an official statement stating that this set may be on sale to the general public come this OCtober, at a 5000 set limit.
Boxart of the SG50 Commemorative Set
So from the boxart, you could see that one is able to build 3 sets out of the bricks supplied. What’s not mentioned though is that with each design, there are 3 levels of difficulties for Ages 7+, 13+ & 17+, though I do not see the point actually. The build is extremely simple and straightforward. Nothing you nor your child will have difficulty with.
Instructions manual and also a single sticker
So on to the 3 builds. The set allows you to build either of the 3 iconic sites in Singapore: The Cavenagh Bridge, Changi Airport & Gardens By The Bay. I liked the Cavenagh Bridge the most, probably because the airport and gardens didn’t quite portray the actual sites accurately. That said, this being an education set and free of charge, I suppose they would have to ditch some details for practicality.
Cavenagh Bridge Levels 1 -3
So the bridge, in my opinion utilizes the most bricks from the set. Some blue slope tiles are used to give the image of waves, though I would say the choice of the base plate being grey seemed out of place. The width of the bridge increases with each level too, along with ‘web-slings’ (because of spiderman sets?) used as wireframes.
3 Levels of Changi Airport
Changi Airport, pictured above with 3 build levels. Honestly, the build for the control tower is not exactly stable, as evident if you increased from levels 1-3. Could use with a bit more bricks to cover the whole base plate. That said, as mentioned, they probably had children in mind when designing this so I shouldn’t be to harsh on my opinions.
Gardens By The Bay – The most pointless of the 3 designs
The last design, Gardens By The Bay is in my opinion, the ugliest and most pointless design. The actual site was built only recently, which leads me to think that perhaps another site of more significant historical value should have been in place. In each of the 3 levels, you get to build 3 trees, white in color, which again does not look anything like the actual site, and some green plates to indicate patches of grass on the ground. Pointless. Did I also mention that the set comes with 2 minifigures? The figures themselves are ones with generic bodys, face prints and accessories. Again, probably to keep costs down.
I end this post by saying again that if you intend to get this set, do it only if you would like to keep one as a souvenir, as well as because it’s exclusive only to Singapore. The builds are really nothing to shout about, so do consider thoroughly before making a commitment.
bricknoobie.wordpress.com 