LEGO often releases many Harry Potter-themed sets every year. Whether for building a certain location or recreating a scene from the movie, these sets are never disappointing.
The Hogwarts Wizard’s chess set is something else, as it’s suitable for play as well as display. In addition to that, it serves as a fully functional chess game. So, you can say this set is multipurpose for entertaining Harry Potter, LEGO, and chess fans alike.
In this article, you’ll find a detailed LEGO Harry Potter chess set review to know everything about the summer 2021’s edition.
LEGO Harry Potter Chess Set: Overview
It’s not the first time LEGO releases a chess set. In fact, one of the most expensive LEGO sets is the Fantasy Era Castle giant chess set. In pristine condition, this set usually auctions off for over $2,000.
That said, the Hogwarts Wizard’s chess set #76392 is $59.99, which is a decent price for a set of this kind.
This set is a part of LEGO’s Harry Potter 20th-anniversary collection. It recreates the famous scene from the first Harry Potter movie: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
In this scene, Harry, Ron, and Hermione have to play a gigantic chess game in place of the board’s bishop, knight, and rook to get to the sorcerer’s stone.
The chess pieces of this LEGO set aren’t any less impressive than those of the movie. They display fascinating details and intricate designs.
The set contains 876 pieces used to build a chess board and chess pieces (black and white). Inside the box, there are six bags of LEGO numbered for stages one through five and two other bags of 16-stud long pieces.
Aside from the buildable pieces, you also get three random collectible wizard cards (there’s a total of 16), along with a 43-page instruction manual.
Here’s a list of what you should expect to end up with after building this LEGO set:
- 6X10.6 inch chess board with surrounding flame elements (they don’t light up, though)
- Sixteen pawns
- Four Bishops
- Four knights
- Four rooks
- Two queens
- Two kings
- Harry Potter minifigure
- Ron Weasley minifigure
- Hermione Granger minifigure
- Anniversary gold minifigureof Professor Snape
- Two magic wands for each minifigure
LEGO Harry Potter Chess Set: Key Features
LEGO’s Hogwarts Wizard’s chess set #76392 is an interesting product, targeting different categories of people. It’s also a fantastic idea if you want to teach your children how to play chess in a fun way.
Take a look at a detailed review of the set box and its contents.
The Packaging
The box of Hogwarts Wizard’s chess LEGO set shows the built chess board on the front. The scene features Harry, Ron, and Hermione standing in the middle of the board while the three chess pieces they should replace are on their side.
Moreover, at the lower left corner of the box, you notice the three figures listed beside the golden anniversary version of Severus Snape.
In addition, the back of the box shows the chess board with many pieces outside as the game progresses. At the top, you see the numbers of each piece listed with their image and the board’s dimensions stated on the right.
Furthermore, there’s an image declaring the included three collectible wizard cards at the bottom left corner.
The Minifigures
This Set’s minifigures hold great resemblance to the movie characters. Harry Potter’s minifigure comes in a dark red sweater with a rip across the chest (just like in the movie). Additionally, the hair piece and dark tan legs are spot on.
The minifigure’s head has a smirk on one side and a more frightened expression on the other side, without missing Harry’s famous scar.
LEGO has also nailed Ron Weasley’s minifigure with the plaid shirt and undershirt. The minifigure’s head also has two similar faces to Harry’s, and the hair is great. However, it comes with black legs, while Ron in the movie is wearing jeans.
As for Hermione’s figure, it may be the only one that didn’t quite live up to expectations. Although her green cardigan is awesome, the figure doesn’t come with a skirt. That said, Hermione’s figure also comes with the same two expressions.
In addition, Professor Snape’s minifigure comes as a part of the collectible 20th-anniversary collection. All these golden minifigures are part of the extendable display stand that came with a previous LEGO set named “Hogwarts Icons Collector’s Edition.”
Similarly, the wizard cards have a display stand that was part of the 148-piece Hogwarts Gryffindor Dorms set.
The Chessboard and Pieces
Interestingly enough, the Hogwarts Wizard’s chess set builds a life-size chess board with the standard 64 squares. Each square of the chess board is 4X4 studs in size.
Additionally, the black frame surrounding the chessboard has 16 small flame figures. Though shown on the box illuminated, they don’t actually light up in reality (which would’ve been awesome).
The hollow construction beneath the board keeps it light yet strong, with two rubber tires to prevent the board from sliding around.
What’s more, the chess pieces look spectacular, and you can easily tell what each one represents. The details on each piece are impressive. However, the building process may somehow be tedious due to the repetitive pieces.
Pros
- The set allows you to recreate the movie’s scene, play chess, and use it as a display piece
- Figures come in different apparel than the usual LEGO Harry Potter characters
- Chessboard is life-size
- Minifigures’ torsos have printed details both on the front and back
Cons
- Chessboard squares have no studs for the pieces to stay in place
- Hermione’s minifigure doesn’t come with a skirt
- The lit-up flames on the packaging are misleading
- There’s no graceful way how to place Ron on the knight’s horse
Conclusion
Now that you have the full LEGO Harry Potter chess set review, it’s safe to say that it’s quite remarkable. Aside from a few downsides regarding some tiny pieces, the overall design is superb. The unique minifigures also add up to the set’s awesomeness.
Having said that, the building experience can be boring for some. Plus, the final result isn’t that practical for a chess board, as the pieces easily slide across the board.
Finally, this is a great piece to add to your Harry Potter display collection. However, it may not fully serve as a satisfying playset nor an enjoyable chess board.
