Whether you’re a collector, avid fan, or a young person hell bent on reconstructing the amazing fighting scenes from George Lucas’s Star Wars, the LEGO Star Wars Droid Tri-Fighter 8086 is an awesome new model.
And, being of the LEGO line, parents gifting this item need not worry in it being broken, as the pieces are meant to easily fall apart in active play. Plus, LEGO toys do an amazing job of teaching children the craft of engineering and following instruction.
At over 8” tall, the LEGO Star Wars Droid Tri-Fighter 8086 is a set comprised of 268 pieces and is a joy to construct. For parents, this is always a great opportunity to join in your child’s soon to be wondrous childhood memories.
Included are three droid fighters. Due to the small size of some of the pieces, it is recommended for ages 7-12 to avoid an accidental choking. As a threat to the Jedi knights, the LEGO Star Wars Droid Tri-Fighter 8086 is a direct model from the acclaimed clone wars part of the recent trilogy. It is a separatist fighter for the Sith to combat the Republic starfighter.
The Tri-Fighter greatly envelops the idea of cool because it is droid fighter, aka dark side. While it is fully American to want to play on the side of good, dark side toys often have a more fun look with sharper edges and meaner facades.
This droid fighter is notably different from the previous release earlier in the decade due to the droids having special yellow markings on the chest and head. Plus, each battle droid comes equipped with a jet pack. As a collector’s item, it stands the test of uniqueness.
It also has a far-out feature named the flick firing mechanism. Located at the top of the vehicle where it is held, this trigger allows the commander (in this case the player) to fire at the enemy two missiles located beneath the vehicle.
Although this feature does not appear in the film, it is an awesome addition to the toy. Flying it across a field of Republic armies, the missiles unleash heavy payload to knock out the advancements of the opponent.
In the center of the fighter is the cockpit, or ball turret, that the player is able to open and place a commander droid inside. This feature increases the authenticity of the fight. This tinted ball could also be used as a safe haven for higher ranking dark side officials (or allowance money.)
After firing the flick bombs and the blaster cannon, the player can land the craft, remove the droid and joining him with the front line ground forces in all out battle.
Giving your child hours of fun or adding to a collection doesn’t need to brake the bank. The LEGO Star Wars Droid Tri-Fighter 8086 retails around $20 at places like Toy’s R Us. Yet, some frugal parents have been able to find it new and used for less with certain online retailers.
photo credit: dave_banks_geekdad