HELO{"id":95615,"date":"2020-12-30T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-30T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brickfanatics.com\/?p=95615"},"modified":"2020-12-30T14:06:45","modified_gmt":"2020-12-30T14:06:45","slug":"lego-star-wars-75288-at-at-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brickfanatics.com\/lego-star-wars-75288-at-at-review","title":{"rendered":"LEGO Star Wars 75288 AT-AT review","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Collectors are tuning their macrobinoculars as something appears on the horizon \u2013 it\u2019s 75288 AT-AT<\/a>, the latest LEGO<\/a> Star Wars<\/a> set based on the Empire\u2019s dreaded walker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of all the toyetic designs in Star Wars<\/a>, one has captured the imaginations of children and the young at heart more than almost any other \u2013 the AT-AT Walker. There’s a very tangible sense of menace as the mechanical beasts lumber across the ice plains of Hoth, looming over the rebel soldiers on the ground. They offer an alternative to the zippy starfighters and show more inventiveness than a wheeled vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It makes them perfect for translating into toys, yet the LEGO<\/a> Group has overlooked the walking tank for a while. After releasing four in the space of 11 years, there hasn\u2019t been a minifigure-scale version for six years. There was 75189 First Order Heavy Assault Walker<\/a> in 2017, but the sequel trilogy iteration lacks the elegance of the original classic<\/a> walker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Six years is a long time in LEGO<\/a> design, so 75288 AT-AT<\/a> has the potential to offer something worthy of fans\u2019 attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2014 Set details \u2014<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Theme: <\/strong>Star Wars<\/a> Set name:<\/strong> 75288 AT-AT<\/a> Release:<\/strong> August 1, 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Price:<\/strong> \u00a3139.99 \/ $159.99 \/ \u20ac146.21 Pieces:<\/strong> 1,267 Minifigures:<\/strong> 6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LEGO<\/a>:<\/strong> Available now<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Build \u2014<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This version of the AT-AT Walker does not reinvent the build method for the vehicle. Instead, it adapts and improves a design that has worked well several times before. The basic shape of the All-Terrain Armoured Transport has been captured so well in the past that it would be ludicrous to try some completely new structural method at this point. The design really has been elevated this time around, though, with even some small improvements offering a much-enhanced model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One apparent difference between this release and its immediate predecessor 75054 AT-AT is that it\u2019s a few centimetres longer, which improves the proportions significantly. There\u2019s something about this set that you immediately notice as being more screen-accurate, without necessarily realising what it is. It\u2019s amazing what difference just a few studs can make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What looks like the head of the AT-AT, but should probably be referred to as the cockpit, is the most accurate depiction in LEGO<\/a> pieces yet. This version delivers the characteristic guns and angles, but for the first time successfully delivers its long profile. That\u2019s another thing you might not have noticed being off, but will definitely notice being right. It\u2019s also double-jointed, able to turn at the head and the neck, offering better poseability than previous releases. As for the inside, it actually has space for General Veers as well as two AT-AT Drivers, giving fans the opportunity to more faithfully recreate the movie scene. (They obviously don\u2019t have much elbow room, though.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A clear example of how the main body has been improved is in the additional sloped panels on this version \u2013 rather than just feeling like a box, subtle shifts in the shaping accurately reflect the way the movie prop looks on-screen. There\u2019s also a little more texturing than we\u2019ve seen before thanks to grille tiles and recessed sections, which really gives the model the mechanical feel it demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the outer legs hiding the Technic<\/a> pieces and pins well, the point at which they connect to the body makes little effort to disguise them, which is particularly obtrusive as blues and browns don\u2019t belong on an AT-AT. There\u2019s a similar issue where the cockpit connects to the main section. It might seem like a minor gripe, but if this was fixed then this model would be pretty close to perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The moving panel that provides access to the main body\u2019s interior is great \u2013 it pulls out and then can be pushed up out of the way, allowing full access to the troop area no matter how big your fingers are. There are five seats inside, so anyone who has extra Snowtroopers can load it up. It\u2019s probably better to have extra chairs than the trapdoor that was included in 75054 AT-AT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A winch is included towards the front of the body, which allows Luke Skywalker to be raised beneath the AT-AT, as if he is grappling up to hurl in a thermal detonator. It\u2019s much better than the way this was portrayed in 8129 AT-AT Walker and makes for a well-executed, relevant play feature. There\u2019s even a gap to represent where he slashed with his lightsaber to make a hole for the bomb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those who have built a LEGO<\/a> speeder bike before won\u2019t find anything too exciting in this set\u2019s mini build, but it adds something extra and fun. For some reason the vanes at the front have a really loose connection, and it\u2019s surprising it passed the LEGO<\/a> Group\u2019s quality checks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building this Star Wars<\/a> icon is thoroughly enjoyable \u2013 thanks to the variety offered by the different sections, it never gets dull. While the legs are repetitive, they don\u2019t take long to build so don\u2019t end up feeling like a chore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Posing the AT-AT requires some patience \u2013 if you position one of those legs wrong, it will start sliding and end up floored. Nice positioning is definitely possible thanks to multiple joints in each leg, as long as you take your time. Getting subtle leg shifts in place is incredibly satisfying as it does leave the machine looking as if it is about to take a step, especially when the head position is also taken into account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Characters \u2014<\/h2>\n\n\n\n