LEGO DREAMZzz 71477 The Sandman's Tower review

LEGO DREAMZzz 71477 The Sandman's Tower looks impressive from afar, but how does it stack up when you zoom in a little closer?

As a young theme, LEGO DREAMZzz has become known for its extravagant designs, vibrant characters and vivid colours. Looking at the largest and priciest set of the upcoming wave in 2024, 71477 The Sandman's Tower appears to tick those boxes at first as well, with options to build a towering structure for a peaceful mode, or a wider fortress kitted out with interactive weapons.

However, when looking at some of the finer details and particularly at the back half of the set, it doesn't quite impress as much as previous LEGO DREAMZzz sets have. Here's a closer look at what we liked and what we didn't about LEGO DREAMZzz 71477 The Sandman's Tower, diving into the colourful minifigures and towering structure in detail.

— LEGO DREAMZzz 71477 The Sandman's Tower set details —

Theme: DREAMZzz Set name: 71477 The Sandman's Tower Release: January 1, 2024

Price: £79.99 / $89.99 / €89.99 Pieces: 723 Minifigures: 5

LEGO: Order now

— Where to buy LEGO DREAMZzz 71477 The Sandman's Tower —

LEGO DREAMZzz 71477 The Sandman's Tower is available to buy from January 1 via LEGO.com and from LEGO Stores for £79.99 / $89.99 / €89.99. It's part of the second wave of LEGO DREAMZzz sets, inspired by the first season of the animated show.

— LEGO DREAMZzz 71477 The Sandman's Tower build —

As the largest set in the first LEGO DREAMZzz 2024 wave, the tall white and gold tower is an impressive model – at least from one angle. It's made up of largely white pieces, with gold accents throughout that perfectly capture the home of the Sandman. There are decorative sand timers dotted across the building too, a common symbol in the world of LEGO DREAMZzz.

Several more nods to the show can be spotted throughout 71477 The Sandman's Tower too, from Lunia's hourglass perched on a table, ready to be repaired, to a spinning top mechanism that turns the upper section of the tower. While the tower certainly looks good from afar, it's best when viewed from the front, where the exterior decor is full of details. However, the rear of the set is open, allowing for access to the interior rooms.

This is where 71477 The Sandman's Tower is let down slightly, with a fairly bare interior. There is some decor, with a table stacked with potions and a weapon rack on the ground floor, but there's little else included in any of the other rooms. One is filled with the exposed mechanism that turns the top of the tower, which doesn't look great when displayed, even if the function adds some extra sparkle to an otherwise static set.

It's not only the tower that you'll have to build, however. There are also two buildable, fully posable creatures to get to as well and whatever the building itself lacks in detail, the creatures do not disappoint. The bird in particular is a delight, large enough for a minifigure to click on to and ride. You can easily perch the bird on the side of the tower to give the illusion of flight, as well as adding a splash of colour with its blue and orange feathers.

The brick-built spider matches the bird in size, giving both the Dream Chasers and the Never Witch's forces a formidable animal to fight for them. There's some creative use of elements in creating the spider too, with a cauldron for a rear end that also matches the witchy aesthetic as well.

While we chose to build it in its tower form, there's also the fortress option, of course. In this build version, 71477 The Sandman's Tower has an hourglass cannon function, ready for battle and sits wider and shorter than its tower counterpart.

— LEGO DREAMZzz 71477 The Sandman's Tower minifigures —

As with many LEGO DREAMZzz sets, 71477 The Sandman's Tower's minifigures certainly steal the show. Much like the buildable creatures, no detail has been missed. There are five minifigures included: Izzie, Mateo, Logan, the Sandman and the evil Never Witch, as well as a figure of her minion Sneak. The female minifigures are particularly impressive.

Izzie's marbled pink and purple hair catches the light for a unique look and she's kitted out in matching purple armour, with detailed printing on her legs. The Never Witch has bright hair to rival Izzie's capped off with a black and pink crown, ready for battle with a magical staff.

The male minifigures are less colourful but equally detailed, with Mateo's design from the first wave of sets in 2023 making a return. This is the first time that we've had minifigures for both Logan and the Sandman, however, and there are some fun references included in both of their designs. Logan sports a 'Monsters' slogan on the back of his hoodie. His blue skin marks him as his Dream World version, complete with shaggy black hair and ripped sleeves.

The Sandman stands on a vibrant swirl of orange and blue sand, demonstrating his powers. This allows for some dynamic play and display possibilities, with Izzie able to fly in on the bird and the Sandman standing tall on his pillar of sand adding extra depth to the entire model.

— LEGO DREAMZzz 71477 The Sandman's Tower price —

Considering the lack of interior detail, 71477 The Sandman's Tower's price of £79.99 / $89.99 / €99.99 seems a little steep. The creatures and minifigures are undoubtedly impressive, with three new characters introduced for the first time. However, the main build looks its best from one angle only, appearing underwhelmingly bare from behind. For a theme known for its vibrant colours and accessories, the white tower is somewhat lacking details inside, meaning it could have benefited from a slightly lower price.

— LEGO DREAMZzz 71477 The Sandman's Tower pictures —

— LEGO DREAMZzz 71477 The Sandman's Tower pros and cons —

All in all, 71477 The Sandman's Tower is a neat set but, considering it's the largest and most expensive set of the wave, it's lacking a few finishing touches that could turn it from a good set to a great one. When all the best points of a LEGO set are found outside of the main build, you know that something has missed the mark and, no matter how good the characters are, the tower itself is best enjoyed from afar and from the front angle alone.

This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

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— Alternatives to LEGO DREAMZzz 71477 The Sandman's Tower —

There's no other theme like LEGO DREAMZzz in truth, so it only seems fair to compare 71477 The Sandman's Tower to other sets of its ilk. Specifically, 71461 Fantastical Tree House and 71469 Nightmare Shark Ship are both similarly large and detailed builds. While both are a bit more expensive than 71477 The Sandman's Tower, you can certainly see where the money goes.

All of our complaints about lack of detail in 71477 The Sandman's Tower are solved in 71461 Fantastical Tree House and 71469 Nightmare Shark Ship, with rich builds packed full of accessories and references to the animated show. If you're in the market for a larger LEGO DREAMZzz build, we'd recommend either of these two.

— LEGO DREAMZzz 71477 The Sandman's Tower FAQs —