Weekly Set Review: Knight's Tournament

[David Girard]

This is a nice set, but not much appealing for me. It was great for it's time. But in comparison, 6060 is far more better. More minifigs. True horses.

I really don't like brick horse, and it's the main reason for me to not like castle sets before 1984. I could love them more with true horses.

On thing that is cool is the presence of a king and a queen. The cypress tree is really nice. The stripe decoration is really accurate.

So this is a good set at last, but the horses is a problem for me.

[Sir Terrance]

Wow, a great set for the figs.

[Formendacil]

A great golden oldie, reviewed deep in the days of yore when yours truly was not a member of CC...

A set of this age is a great set, simply by reason of its age- at least for me. Although the construction is a bit basic as a result of those time, and the actual pieces don't mesh too well with the more recent, and greyer, Castle themes, it is still a well-constructed set, and good figs and decent pieces.

Parts: 7/10
Playability: 8.5/10
Figs/Accessories: 9/10
Design (contemporary): 8/10
Design (universal): 8.5/10
Nostalgia: 7.5/10

Overall Score: 8.08/10 (B)

[Tristram]

I'm glad this got bumped up, as I still have this set from my childhood, albeit, it's missing a few white slope pieces.

I thought this was so fun back in the day. And it still is, after all this time. The colors are bright. The torso and shield designs are very nice. And I really like the brick built horses with barding. But then I like brick built animals, in general.

Aside from my Yellow Castle and Knight's Procession, this is my favorite set! Now I just need to go to BL and pickup some missing pieces!

[Jyp]

Yeah, I had missed this old topic!!

This is my favorite set, because of nostalgia (it's my first castle set!!) and because of the general design (realism, colors, etc.).

Like others, the blue knight is my favorite. I like the very simple and "neutral" emblems. And the two blue cups look funny to me!

Something that hasn't been said: this is the only set where the "building" scale is 1 × 1 comparing to the figs. I mean that on other sets, walls, towers, carts, boats, etc. are very short regarding the size of a fig. So, for example, the top of the Tournament tent is higher than a castle wall on another set!

[Brikbud]

Ya' gotta love this set. It's an absolute classic! I would love to own it, but the cost makes it way out of reach. 10/10 solid.

[MarioDAlessio]

A blast from the past, often less is more, basic bricks, slopes and plates with lots of colour. No grey other than on the minifigures and accessaries.

The bar was set very high by Lego with this and other early sets 375 Castle and the 1952 Town square.

I prefer the greater range of later castle elements i.e.: round helmets, horses, horse barding, cloth etc but this was a time when Lego had their landscaping under control, I’ve always liked this conifer.

Lego wasn't shabby in producing a unique minifigure torso design for the male spectator. (King? No crowns back then).

http://www.peeron.com/inv/parts/973p4s

I see from looking on bricklink that the gold print has often been a victim of play and time and has not lasted as well as other colours; I hope Lego are not using the same gold colour now?


Mario

[jokkna]

This is a fantastic set it has everything that is nessecery to have fun. It has not too many things that are not important so there are no confusions like in nowadays sets and no silly traps or spinning devices.
9,43 of 10

[starbeanie]

Lego wasn't shabby in producing a unique minifigure torso design for the male spectator. (King? No crowns back then).

Prince.

It has everything needed for the scene. Knights, spectators, pavilion, guards and does it in a smallish set, but without skimping.

I still make horses that way. The barding is certainly cheaper.

Absolutely my favorite set. Or is it obsession?? Since I tend to buy it when ever I see it

Bret

[Athos]

I don't have this set, but to me it doesn't hold much appeal. I'm not a fan of brickbuilt horses (I guess that's because, as long as I can remember, there were always the molded horses). I also don't like the tent that much, it's too blocky for a tent. Plates would work better.

The figures look good. I'd like to snag some of those old visors. Plus the red pigtail hair...

Steve

[Tower of Iron Will]

What can I say about this set? It was one of the first Castle sets I owned when I was a kid (and still have the figures). Its from the Golden Age of Castle and will always have a soft spot for it. 15/10.
-Tower

[Kozai13]

I recently acquired this set and I like it alot. One thing that draws me to late 70's and early 80's sets are the quantity of basic bricks. You could build a bunch of different creations in different themes with this set.

I also like the minifigures alot. The horses are cool but tend to fall apart.

Ben

Oh yeah, thats true. A few years ago a recieved the Yellow Castle from a neighbor and before I'd built it, it just looked like a random pile of bricks with some castle-like elements thrown in there. But, after I built it, there was no doubt it was probably the most castley castle I'd seen, to that date. This set is pretty cool too. I'd like to own but WOW, it is EXPENSIVE anyplace you can find it...

[Jyp]

Yeah, I had missed this old topic!!

This is my favorite set, because of nostalgia (it's my first castle set!!) and because of the general design (realism, colors, etc.).

Like others, the blue knight is my favorite. I like the very simple and "neutral" emblems. And the two blue cups look funny to me!

Something that hasn't been said: this is the only set where the "building" scale is 1 × 1 comparing to the figs. I mean that on other sets, walls, towers, carts, boats, etc. are very short regarding the size of a fig. So, for example, the top of the Tournament tent is higher than a castle wall on another set!

Well... I don't know what I may add...

This set remains my favourite one. Factions are neither King's (like the currently available Castle sets) or fantastic ones (like Black Falcons, Skeletons, etc.) -- they are simply Middle-Age factions, and I love that.

10/10 despite the built horses (minifig horses didn't exist in 10979).

[The Blue Knight]

This was first posted the day I became a member! This is a great, great set. I got this last of the first three castle sets. I have 2 full and 2 partial sets over the years. This is one of the most complete "life" sets Lego made. No castle itself, no need to try to throw in some thing odd and unfulfilling to try to have a "castle-ish" thing. This is such an outstanding set, the figs (of course) the quality of the design. Brings back such fond memories...