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"The 75159 Death Star is a deeply playable, minifigure-rich tribute to the original trilogy that earns mixed notices primarily because it is a near-structural replica of its 2008 predecessor at a steep price. Its BrickScore of 64.5 is an honest appraisal for existing 10188 owners, though first-time buyers consistently rate it among their most cherished sets."
The 75159 Death Star carries a BrickScore of 64.5 and lands in the Mixed Reviews tier, reflecting a set that divides opinion sharply along one fault line: whether you already own the 2008 original (10188). Reviewers who came to it fresh were largely delighted by the playable interior, 23 updated minifigures, and the ability to reenact scenes from across the original trilogy. Critics who compared it directly to 10188 found it structurally near-identical and hard to justify at a $499.99 original retail price. Now retired, it trades on the aftermarket where its iconic status sustains demand. Owners rate it 4.55 out of 5 across 521 ratings, with play experience (4.4) rated significantly higher than value (3.6), echoing that tension.
Where they split: The primary divergence is between first-time buyers (who loved the set) and those comparing it to 10188 (who found it an insufficient upgrade). One careful reviewer compared the building instructions of both sets and found the core structure identical, with only the minifigures and surface details materially improved. Owner ratings (4.55) are notably warmer than the expert BrickScore (64.5) because owner reviews skew toward buyers who had no prior Death Star.
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"75159 Death Star had been the subject of enormous speculation until the set was revealed a couple of weeks ago and it seems to have received almost total condemnation from the majority of LEGO Star Wars fans since then."
Brickset Reviews
"I'm going to take you through all the major features and the major rooms of the Death Star itself then show you the figures which are the main things that have been updated since the last version"
JANG's LEGO Reviews"I no longer care for the 2008 2016 design almost at all."
MandRproductions"75159 Death Star had been the subject of enormous speculation until the set was revealed a couple of weeks ago and it seems to have received almost total condemnation from the majority of LEGO Star Wars fans since then."
"I'm going to take you through all the major features and the major rooms of the Death Star itself then show you the figures which are the main things that have been updated since the last version"
"I no longer care for the 2008 2016 design almost at all."
Owners praise the Death Star's scale, playability, minifigure selection, and iconic detail, but significant buyer frustration centers on the high price relative to modest improvements over the 2008 predecessor set.
Amazon4.7
LEGO.com4.2
