https://youtu.be/SgxsC9FrCyY
The set comes in a standard thin cardboard box that does its best to showcase the features and alternate builds. Inside are a few non-numbered bags and three sets of instructions (one for each build) in a bag with no cardboard backing. There are no stickers in this set.
Parts wise, there is a nice variety of parts and colors but not enough of anything to make it a good parts pack for any particular project. There are a decent number of brown half arches/tree branches along with a couple other unique parts, only two small white windows, two brown fence sections, the printed map and cookie and a frog. The only slightly rarer colors in the set are small quantities of dark green and dark reddish-brown.
The set comes with two minifigures, both kids with short legs. A boy and a girl, both with dark brown hair and freckles. The torsos are common ones but with appropriate and nicely done prints. The minifigs come with a hammer, a paint roller, orange hat, cookie, map and a brick built squirt gun. There is also a brick built cart for the kids to carry their stuff around in.
The build was delightful. There are tons of extra details and hidden features that the box just cant do justice. There are plenty of SNOT techniques and I liked the use of ball joints to give flexible, natural looking leaves to accent the structure. The mechanism for dropping and raising the bridge/ladder works flawless and is very well done. The set looks very natural and level of detail is impressive. I also like that the play features in no way detract from the look and feel of the set.
The completed model looks great and is wonderful to play with. The set looks solid from all angles and is hinged in the middle to allow it to be posed on a long front with the bridge up connecting the two trees, or it can be hinged closed for a more compact design with the bridge down as a ladder and the set looking more like a single big tree. While both ways look great from most angles, I think it looks best opened up with the bridge up, but in this position the back is the weakest looking side. When closed up, the ladder is not great looking, but the set looks better from all angles.
One thing that is hard to truly visualize until you build the set is how smooth the bridge feature works. There is an angled technic arm hidden under one platform and on the other platform there is a very natural looking branch sticking out the back. When you hinge the set closed, the branch activates the technic arm to lower the bridge. When you open it back up, the action of the branch moving back out resets the arm and automatically raises the bridge. It works perfectly every time, is very smooth, looks great and its nice that it does both the raising and lowering completely automatically. There is also a hidden compartment in one of the tree trunks that you can store some of the accessories. There are a number of other fun details, a well built yellow lawn chair, a nice brick built telescope, a yellow flag, brick built blue jay, small water fall covering the base hinge, two lanterns, a desk and a ladder leading from the main platform up to the roof were the telescope is.
A rope is also included that the kids can use to lift up supplies or the one tan (unpainted) board. The board matches the size of the painted boards on the main room, so the idea is the kids can lift the unpainted board up, use the paint can and paint roller (which matches the paint color) to paint the board, then the included hammer can be used to attach it to the treehouse.
One thing that is hard to truly visualize until you build the set is how smooth the bridge feature works. There is an angled technic arm hidden under one platform and on the other platform there is a very natural looking branch sticking out the back. When you hinge the set closed, the branch activates the technic arm to lower the bridge. When you open it back up, the action of the branch moving back out resets the arm and automatically raises the bridge. It works perfectly every time, is very smooth, looks great and its nice that it does both the raising and lowering completely automatically. There is also a hidden compartment in one of the tree trunks that you can store some of the accessories. There are a number of other fun details, a well built yellow lawn chair, a nice brick built telescope, a yellow flag, brick built blue jay, small water fall covering the base hinge, two lanterns, a desk and a ladder leading from the main platform up to the roof were the telescope is.
A rope is also included that the kids can use to lift up supplies or the one tan (unpainted) board. The board matches the size of the painted boards on the main room, so the idea is the kids can lift the unpainted board up, use the paint can and paint roller (which matches the paint color) to paint the board, then the included hammer can be used to attach it to the treehouse.
I absolutely love this set, it looks great, works great and my daughter has played with it for hours, all for a fairly low price of only $34.99. I would highly recommend this set!
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