ARC-170 Starfighter

Name: LEGO ARC-170 Starfighter 8088
Brand: LEGO
SKU: 8088

82 · HIGHLY RECOMMENDEDINVESTMENT GRADE: A2009396 pcsHigh agreement · 96%

Expert reviews

6analyzed

Owner ratings

298

BrickScore

Highly Recommended

Owners

Synthesized Verdict

"A well-executed remake that corrects the structural weaknesses of the 2005 original and delivers exclusive, sought-after minifigures; its BrickScore of 82.0 reflects strong reviewer consensus, and 94% of 298 owners recommend it despite the premium price per piece."

The 2009 ARC-170 Starfighter (8088) earned a strong BrickScore of 82.0 and a Highly Recommended tier, recognized by reviewers as a meaningful upgrade over its 2005 predecessor. Builders praised the minifigure roster, improved structural stability, and impressive wingspan, while some noted the relatively steep price per piece for a 396-part set. Owner sentiment backs the critics: 298 LEGO.com ratings average 4.58 out of 5, with 94% saying they would recommend it.

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LOVED (8)

01Kit Fisto minifigure, exclusive to this set at the time (only second appearance in LEGO form)
02New detailed clone pilots with orange visors, considered a significant upgrade over the 2005 versions
03R4-P44 green astromech droid, unique to this set

+5 more with Collector

CRITICIZED (7)

01Price considered high for 396 pieces (approximately $0.15 per piece at original MSRP)
02Wing articulation mechanism is unintuitive and confuses many builders at first
03Wings and cockpit canopies can detach during play

+4 more with Collector

Build Facts what critics report

⏱ Build time

~28 minutes

🧩 Difficulty

beginner

🎯 Audience

adults

In Their Words most-used terms across every critic review

designmechanismreargoodstickersnicecockpitinsteadpanelsenginesincludinggreateasilyopeningdespiteoveralldetailclearstickerpaintedenginebetters-foilswingspanappearancerarepilotsfisto

What reviewers are saying

Critic quotes from 3 more reviewersUnlock See a premium example →

Ecosystem

Old clone pilot minifigure — The new Captain Jag and Clone Pilot variants with open-faced helmets and new torso/printing are improvements over the old generic clone pilot.

AT-AT Driver helmet — The new ARC-170 pilot helmet is better designed than the AT-AT Driver helmet, which is open in the back and less successful.

7259 ARC-170 (older version) 82 — The 8088 is cleaner and more up to date, with larger engines, improved wing-folding mechanism using a rotating ball, and canopy improvements. However, the 7259 retained superior design choices: painted bricks instead of stickers on computer panels and rear nacelles, clear window instead of sticker simulation, hinged center cockpit, and printed pieces on technical details. Reviewer concludes the new set is not significantly improved overall; many things were done right the first time in 7259, and notes an intent to potentially combine the best elements of both sets if dismantled.

Star WarsInvestment Grade

By Reviewer · 1

Avg score

EuroBricks

Expert Video Source · avg of 3

BUY

"I.Love.This.Set. It is big, and has three brand new minifigures, and one rare one."

Key Pros

✓Very nice, intimidating design
✓Huge engines and wingspan
✓Sleek and shiny appearance

Key Cons

✕Box is unnecessarily long and wastes space
✕Cockpit mechanism is flimsy and fragile

JUMP TO REVIEW

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Dimensional Analysis

Investment Layer

Critics discussed this set's investment case

Buy-now vs wait consensus, value drivers, exclusivity and resale outlook

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Minifigures & Standout Parts

In this set (4)

Kit Fisto

Astromech Droid, R4-P44 - 2 Black Rectangles on Front

Clone Trooper Pilot (Phase 2) - Sand Blue Arms and Legs, Frown

Clone Trooper Pilot Captain Jag (Phase 2) - Sand Blue Arms and Legs

Standout parts (per reviewers)

Open-faced helmet (Captain Jag)
New mold with great blue printing, new to this set.
New torso for Captain Jag
Nice improvement over the old clone pilot torso.
New head for Kit Fisto
Very nice sculpt for the character.
Pearl lightsaber
New color variant for Kit Fisto's lightsaber.
Technic gears mechanism
Used for opening wings and firing missiles functionality.
1x2 Cheese slope in light grey
New part, appears to be first appearance or new color variant