LEGO Star Wars Venator-class Republic Attack Cruiser (8039)

Venator-class Republic Attack Cruiser Ages: 9 to 14 Pieces: 1170 Requires: Large, flat surface for assembly

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Educational factor: Novelty factor: The Good: Clone Wars' themed set with plenty of details and hidden features. The Challenging: The ship is heavy and delicate, so it may be difficult for smaller kids to maneuver. In a Nutshell: Action-packed building set jump starts imaginative play.

The Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser is equipped with a hidden cannon under the wings. View larger.

Chancellor Palpatine and his elite Senate bodyguards are hidden behind a front panel. View larger.

Every detail of the Republic flagship is packed into this 20-inch-long model, which includes a front panel that opens to reveal Palpatine's quarters, a hidden cannon under the wings, a drop-bomb launcher, an escape pod, and more. The Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser comes complete with five mini figures: Chancellor Palpatine, two of his elite Senate bodyguards, one Clone Trooper pilot, and one Clone Trooper gunner.

Building the Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser
With 1,170 pieces and two colorful instruction booklets, the Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser took our two adult testers approximately three-and-a-half hours to construct. The majority of the pieces come in shades of gray, so approaching construction requires a bit or organization and discipline. But once building is started, detailed step-by-step illustrations make assembly straightforward.

Overall, this set scores an excellent rating for its clever design elements. Just when you think you've discovered all the hidden weapons and command posts, you stumble across another. Our favorite features are the Palpatine mini figure -- complete with cloth cape and wrinkled brow -- the sliding gunner, the hidden Clone Trooper cockpit, the escape pod, the bomb dropper, and the Chancellor's enormous command center.

Finally, most of all, our testers enjoyed the way the narrative of this set allowed them to reenact the ship-to-ship combat seen in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. They also appreciated that the storyline is simple enough to make the set entertaining, whether or not your child has seen the film.

What's in the Box
1,170 LEGO pieces and two instruction booklets.