Lego R2-D2 (75379) review: "Finds a healthy middle ground between toy and display piece"

Lego R2-D2 (75379) exists, as far as I can see, for two reasons: that the other R2 was too expensive for anybody but the most committed Legophiles, and too big to pair with the new C-3PO that had come out. It would be a little jarring to see their sizes reversed, after all.

Fair enough, but assuming that we can think of the 75379 edition of R2 as the budget model, does it hold up as a worthy contender and worthy of the lesser price? Well - yes, with a couple of minor caveats. Arguably flying the flag for Star Wars Lego as much as those giant Millennium Falcon kits (still amongst the best Lego sets overall), or the agony of treading on a Jar Jar Binks minifig, a Lego R2-D2 of any scope and scale was always going to be putting the effort in.

Lego R2-D2 (75379) features

• Impressive scope for price
• Pairs with C-3PO figure
• Comes with presentation plaque - and Darth Malak, for some reason

A suitable stocky and stalwart model, R2 as presented here is more of a pliant toy than the C-3PO counterpart. Down from an 18+ rating to a mere 10+ and with some more customization options, the great incongruity between the two Lego Star Wars sets that are supposedly meant to pair with each other is that they're clearly intended for different purposes. C-3PO is supposed to sit on a shelf and occasionally manage a slight head tilt or a royal wave. Meanwhile, R2 is a robust model with all sorts of modular components and no built-in base to speak of.

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I like it more this way, to be honest. R2 as presented here isn't quite as adjustable as the more expensive 75308 version of the model, but you can switch his poses from two legs to three, give him his hacking tools, spin his head around and set up that scuba-eye-periscope thing he was using in Episode V.

But at the same time, it will work nicely as a shelf-piece, as the appearance is pretty good and accurate, especially from a distance where all those sharp Lego edges blur into R2's rounded chassis. The only downside is that all those peripheral tools and prongs aren't built into the model - they have to be fitted on and then just pulled off the body like an insect's wing when you change your mind, so you'll need somewhere to store them between computer hacking.

The other thing that was odd was the completely unexplained inclusion of a Darth Malak figurine. The R2 model comes with the now-standard presentation plaque and minifig incarnation of himself, but there's also the main villain from Knights of the Old Republic, for some reason standing on a black table. Why, I don't know - I suppose it's not a fault of the kit per se, but they might as well have included Ratts Tyerell for all the real relevance it has.

Lego R2-D2 (75379) build

• A few hours to build
• Not an especially engaging construction
• Clear instructions with few presentation flaws
• Stickers, as ever, remain annoying

As a build, the Lego R2-D2 was painless, if a bit unremarkable. R2 being just a big mailbox means that most of the process is creating a large, rounded can and then sticking a couple of identical legs on it (which means about one fifth of the build is repeating yourself). I know that's an unavoidable issue, but the reality is that it was never going to be quite as satisfying as making the interior of a spaceship or a more fiddly, visually-nuanced construct like one of the Destroyer Droids.

Still, as mentioned, R2 does look really good when it all comes together, barring some slightly oversized wiring about the feet that kind of makes it look like his shoes are untied. The model is accurate and does a lot with a little, and I found the instructions were pretty clear for the most part, preventing any annoying errors or real need to backtrack. The only real stumbling block was the build's love of stickers, which inevitably become a fiddly mess as you apply them over and over on a piece slightly too big for them, trying to get the angle right.

Lego R2-D2 (75379) design

• Superb visual look
• Modular additions will appeal to some
• Good value for money

While creating R2-D2 isn't the most thrilling process, the final result is actually very impressive, and helped really bring me around on the whole thing. Putting aside that having R2's various tools built into the model would've made construction more stimulating, the final result stands as one of the best value-for-money builds I've seen from Lego in a while, and treads a lovely middle ground between visual fidelity and playability.

My only major caveat is the middle support leg - rather than something that can fold up into the droid's body when you want him to stand upright, you instead just have to rip it off the model in a manner that feels... rather uncomfortable to watch, and always feels like something's going to break when you do (though admittedly it never actually did). Plus, that severed foot then becomes yet another extraneous piece of the model to be kept in a drawer.

Still, the actual ratcheting back and forth between upright and leaning is clean, with an internal gear system that's sturdy enough to hold the pose, but not rigid enough to feel like something's going to snap. I find that everybody has an unspoken, intuitive preference for seeing R2 in one stance or the other - the Star Wars equivalent of choosing to wipe standing up or sitting down. Having the model handle both easily is probably one of the most important factors at play.

Should you buy Lego R2-D2 (75379)?

Assuming you don't want to put out a bigger budget on the grander and more illustrious version 75308, this model provides good value for money and a tangible reason to buy for both younger and older builders. A slightly less enthralling build process and modular design don't detract from that to any great degree, and there are few people who'll regret spending on this - even if they're as bewildered by the inclusion of Malak as I am.

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How we tested the Lego R2-D2 (75379)

I made the Lego R2-D2 (75379) over three days in segments of about an hour each in my living room, usually in the evenings. The final result was closer to three hours than four, through younger model makers may need to take a little longer.

For more, check out our guide to how we test products.

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