LEGO Star Wars 75331 The Razor Crest review

75331 The Razor Crest blasts into the top three largest LEGO Star Wars sets of all time, but is this bounty hunter’s ship worth tracking down?

It’s fair to say that Star Wars can be a very divisive property. Recent films and television series have been somewhat hit and miss among both critics and fans alike. However, there is one series that has been almost universally praised: The Mandalorian.

Comprising two seasons of fantastic storytelling, amazing intergalactic adventures and strange new worlds (and some we’re all too familiar with – Tatooine, we’re looking at you), it not only introduced us to two of the most popular characters in the entire Star Wars universe – Grogu and the eponymous Mando Din Djarin – but also debuted his instantly iconic starship, the Razor Crest. 

75331 The Razor Crest marks the sixth official rendition of the bounty hunter’s famous ship, following 75292 The Razor Crest, 75321 The Razor Crest Microfighter, a Razor Crest foil pack and two models included in the 2020 and 2021 advent calendars, but this new model is by far the largest and most detailed of them all, with 5,188 pieces more than 75292. In fact, this UCS model is the third largest Star Wars set of all time (by piece count).

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The Razor Crest is a modern-day classic getting the Ultimate Collector Series treatment: on paper, this should be a match made in heaven. But with the source material being so popular, expectations are going to be at an all-time high for a set that not only delivers a fantastic model, but also offers an incredible build experience – not always the easiest thing to achieve. Is this a set that will come in hot, or will it leave us feeling cold?

— LEGO Star Wars 75331 The Razor Crest set details —

Theme: LEGO Star Wars Set name: 75331 The Razor Crest Release: October 3 (VIPs), October 7 (wide), 2022

Price: £519.99 / $599.99 / €599.99 Pieces: 6,187 Minifigures: 4

LEGO: Available October 3 (VIPs), October 7 (wide)

— Where to buy LEGO Star Wars 75331 The Razor Crest —

LEGO Star Wars 75331 The Razor Crest is available exclusively from LEGO.com and LEGO Stores from October 3 for VIP members, and from October 7 for everyone else. There’s a good chance it will show up at other retailers down the line, but official channels are your only option for now.

— LEGO Star Wars 75331 The Razor Crest build —

Largely based on Season 1 of The Mandalorian, the set is presented in the sleek black packaging adults have become accustomed to. Upon opening the box, you’ll be greeted by two large internal boxes, which between them contain the necessary 6,187 pieces spread across an impressive 48 bags, numbered one through 36 (25 bags in box one and 23 in box two). 

The first thing you’ll appreciate is the absolutely gorgeous concept art that adorns each inner box. The Mandalorion’s concept art that rolled during the credit sequence of each episode was always a highlight and it’s nice to see that it’s crossed over to this model too. It adds a real level of class right at the start of the experience.

Unusually, the manuals are printed with a mustard yellow colour, rather than black or the white style that was introduced earlier this year. For those old enough to remember, it creates the feeling of a Haynes Repair Manual, but that’s probably not a look the designers were going for. Inside is the usual background information, interviews with the designers, behind the scenes tidbits and model info that helps set the scene for the build to come.

For anyone who hasn’t had the privilege to take on an Ultimate Collector Series model, staring at a giant box that contains a whopping number of parts can feel like quite a daunting experience. These sets are huge and are usually home to the most innovative and creative building techniques in the entire LEGO portfolio, so taking on a UCS set is a dedicated commitment of both finances and time. 

75331 The Razor Crest ticks all of the above boxes, but in a way feels like one of the most accessible Ultimate Collector Series sets that the LEGO Group has produced, and certainly at this scale. It’s a very deep and involved build, yet is designed in a way that at no point does it ever feel overly challenging, confusing or a chore to construct – and with over 6,000 pieces that is quite the achievement. 

It’s not uncommon for a model of this size to require a lot of Technic assembly before building with System bricks, and fans not used to Technic can sometimes find this quite laborious. However, after only the first bag – which is all about Technic – the focus shifts to more conventional parts and pieces, adding a number of intricate details and textures to the flooring area, using a combination of tiles, grilles and plates, and even red whips to recreate exposed wiring.

Even at this early stage the level of detail and accuracy is very impressive, and you’ll be able to spot references and Easter eggs from the series right from the start. Nods to Din Djarin’s adventures include Boba Fett’s armour, the shift knob that eventually becomes Grogu’s plaything, and the jar of Frog Lady’s eggs that Grogu enjoys snacking on. There’s also an incredibly impressive arsenal of weaponry scattered around the ship, including a well-stocked (and removable) armoury – after all Din Djarin is a Mandalorian, and weapons are part of his religion. 

The first half of the build continues with one bag concentrating on Technic building, before reverting to System parts, and then back again. In the manual the designers write about how many Technic bricks were needed to support the two giant engines, but because of the way it’s designed it never feels like you are just building with Technic – and for those fans who aren’t that inspired by Technic building, it helps prevent this section from becoming monotonous. 

The Razor Crest is a rather odd-looking ship: it’s bulky, stocky and its design includes a mix of sleek curves and harsh angles, which are not always the easiest thing to recreate with LEGO. But these are skilfully replicated using a series of cleverly-constructed sub-assemblies that fit into place all along the frame. The front of the ship is a smart design capturing the curved shape incredibly accurately – the way the large panel that sits underneath the landing gear is attached feels smart, and the rear section is a highlight to construct. It’s assembled using Technic bars and Technic pins to angle each sub-assembly into position, hinging the different lengths of Technic bars to create the necessary angles. 

While this technique of attaching large sub-assembly panels to the frame does allow for accuracy and authenticity, it also leaves slight gaps around the bodywork. Due to the model’s size, though, this feels like it couldn’t have been avoided and was probably the right thing to sacrifice in the overall design of the ship.

What the designers did get right was the exterior aesthetic, recreating the yellow markings found down each side of the ship. A combination of yellow tiles and stickers capture the look of the on-screen craft incredibly well. Stickers are often a divisive topic, but here they really do add to the overall look of the Razor Crest, and thankfully aren’t too fiddly to apply (even if they aren’t the greatest colour-match). The information plaque is a sticker too – but this is potentially the last time we’ll see a stickered plaque in LEGO Star Wars UCS sets.

While the panels along the sides connect to one another via brackets and clips, the sub-assemblies on top are designed in a way that they can be easily removed to access the interior sections of the ship. The top of the cockpit just slots into place, not even connected through a jumper plate, while the inner seating of the cockpit can also be removed. The entire middle section comes off incredibly easily, including the two giant engines, which are connected together and lift off as one whole piece.

The engines are easily the most labour intensive, involved and at times repetitive stage of the model, making up probably around a third, if not slightly more, of the entire build. Curved tiles are used to create the rounded shape and the majority of the structure, with small pockets of greebling placed throughout the engines. Because of their symmetrical design you will find yourself assembling the exact same elements, over and over – but it’s worth it, as once finished they look incredibly impressive and give the Razor Crest its instantly-recognisable silhouette.

With the main model finished, the spotlight turns to the construction of Kuiil’s Blurrg, the bipedal creature he teaches Din Djarin to ride. It could potentially be seen as a little bit of an anti-climatic ending to the experience – in other large-scale sets this would have perhaps been the first thing to construct, or used as a mid-way break – but it’s actually a more involved model than it looks. It would not feel out of place next to the Bantha, Dewback and Tauntaun that were included in recent Microfighter sets, and is a great way to round off the entire set. 

On the whole, 75331 The Razor Crest offers a very enjoyable build – but one that perhaps doesn’t quite match the innovative and unique techniques or parts usage seen in other Ultimate Collector Series sets.

— LEGO Star Wars 75331 The Razor Crest characters —

UCS models almost always offer exclusive and desirable minifigures, and 75331 The Razor Crest is no exception. Of the four included minifigures, three are exclusive and two are making their minifigure debut: the Ugnaught Kuiil, who helps Din Djarin locate Grogu, and The Mandalorian’s first on screen bounty, the alien simply known as The Mythrol.

Kuiil features a brand new moulded head piece, unique from previous Ugnaught minifigures. It’s a slightly elongated piece, which captures Kuiil’s distinctive characteristics – including those tiny wisps of grey hair – incredibly authentically. Kuiil’s torso recreates his on-screen outfit with a printed design that includes his brown jacket and ruffled cravat. Minifigure purists might feel his face is a little too realistic for a LEGO minifigure, but others will love the accuracy to the source material.

The Mythrol also features accurate printing on the torso, but the legs are just left plain. The head piece captures the character’s distinctive fins through the use of printing, but could have perhaps benefited from being a moulded piece as well.

We’ve already seen five different variations of Din Djarin, but only one in his pre-Beskar armour (his Durasteel outfit). That minifigure was good, but the version included here is by far the most definitive, complete with excellent new printing on both the arms and his helmet. This version of Din comes with the printed head that first debuted in 75325 The Mandalorian’s N-1 Starfighter, but unlike that set here his hair piece is also included. The Mandalorian was already a very decent minifigure, but this current variant elevates it to a must-have in any Star Wars fan’s collection. 

Rounding off the four minifigures is Grogu complete with his floating pod, which marks the first time we’ve received a brick-built version in the traditional white colour scheme. There’s nothing new about this figure, but he still remains as utterly adorable as always.

LEGO Star Wars 75331 The Razor Crest price —

When it comes to the price of any large Ultimate Collector Series set, it’s very hard to be either positive or negative. These sets command hundreds and hundreds of pounds, euros or dollars, but they are aimed at a much older market, who are willing to pay high-end prices for a premium product – and therefore expect them to be at the highest end of the price range. 

Regardless, there’s no denying that it’s a hefty chunk of change for anyone to spend on one single set, but when comparing this particular model to others that are currently on the market you could say that this is somewhat of a bargain.

Considerably cheaper than both 75313 AT-AT or 75192 Millenium Falcon, but with a part count that isn’t too far off either of them, seems to be a really good deal. However, perhaps what those sets offer – which this doesn’t – is a more involved, inventive and lengthy building experience, making those feel like you are getting a better all-round LEGO experience than what’s offered here.

Still, this is the third-largest LEGO Star Wars set ever released, and is a fantastic recreation of a hugely popular and iconic ship – and still holds up as a very cleverly designed and well executed model, which is exactly what you’d want for £519.99 / $599.99 / €599.99.

LEGO Star Wars 75331 The Razor Crest pictures —

— LEGO Star Wars 75331 The Razor Crest pros and cons —

There is no doubt that 75331 The Razor Crest is one impressive model, capturing the unmistakable look and aesthetic of the Mandalorian’s ship almost perfectly. There are enough references and Easter eggs spread throughout to keep eagle-eyed fans happy, the functions are cleverly integrated into the model, and the minifigure selection is pretty decent. It’s also a sizeable set commanding an impressive amount of display space. 

Thanks to the way this model comes together, especially in those early stages, it really does feel like a UCS set that everyone can enjoy, no matter their skill level or experience with LEGO. However, that’s not necessarily a positive, particularly among the Star Wars audience, as more experienced fans may be left wanting more. Although there are a few moments of smart techniques and brilliant inspiration, the challenge and complexity isn’t at the same level as some of the other larger UCS sets currently on the market, such as 75192 Millennium Falcon.

That said, it also makes it one of the most enjoyable UCS builds – nothing here is tedious or laborious – so it really depends on what you look for in a build as to whether you will love this experience or not. Either way, the final model is brilliantly designed and will make a stunning addition to any collection, or as a centrepiece displayed on its own.

In short, 75331 The Razor Crest is… the way.

ProsCons
Enjoyable and smooth buildSlightly too simple for advanced builders
Relatively fair price for its sizeThe Mythrol would have benefited from a moulded head
Packed with references and Easter eggsEven if the price is fair, it’s still expensive

This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

Support the work that Brick Fanatics does by purchasing your LEGO using our affiliate links.

— LEGO Star Wars 75331 The Razor Crest alternatives —

If you’re in the market for a LEGO Star Wars set to drop a huge chunk of change on, consider instead picking up 75192 Millennium Falcon, 75313 AT-AT or even 75252 Imperial Star Destroyer, which is due to retire by the end of 2022.

— LEGO Star Wars 75331 The Razor Crest FAQs —

How long does it take to build LEGO Star Wars 75331 The Razor Crest?

Ultimate Collectors Series sets are more often than not very time consuming models to construct and while The Razor Crest is no exception, it won’t take as long as some of the other larger sets that are already out there. Expect to spend around 12-14 hours putting this model together. 

How many pieces are in LEGO Star Wars 75331 The Razor Crest?

75331 The Razor Crest is the third largest LEGO Star Wars set of all time and contains a whopping 6187 parts. That piece count also cuurenly makes it the sixth largest LEGO set from any theme.

How big is LEGO Star Wars 75331 The Razor Crest?

By piece count The Razor Crest is the third largest LEGO Star Wars set of all time and its measurements stack up just as impressively. This model is 72cm long, 24cm high and 50cm wide. A fairly sizable set that we would recommend clearing away a decent sized area on your shelf or table to display it. 

How much does LEGO Star Wars 75331 The Razor Crest cost?

75331 The Razor Crest is available from 3rd October to LEGO VIPs and to everyone else from the 7th October.  It will retail for a very reasonable (compared to other UCS sets) £519.99 in the UK, $599.99 in the US and €599.99 across Europe. 

2 thoughts on “LEGO Star Wars 75331 The Razor Crest review

  • 30/09/2022 at 17:25
    Permalink

    Agree with Michael’s point and I’d add, a vehicle that….. no longer exists!

    Feels like this should have been brought out in January 2020 whereas by the time most people are building this they will be watching season 3 and this ship will be a bit of a distant memory in the timeline and by this point it doesn’t really feel that iconic anymore.

    Reply
  • 30/09/2022 at 04:59
    Permalink

    I think my main issue with this set is that it’s a lot of money to spend for a vehicle that just isn’t iconic (at this point at least). The Millennium Falcon? Sure, I had no hesitation about spending $800 on that and did so on day one. I could see spending $700 on the Star Destroyer if I had room for it. But $600 for a vehicle that is relatively new to Star Wars and just isn’t that cool-looking relative to others? Just can’t do it.

    Reply

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