Lego Star Wars Yoda review

Originally released in October 2019, Lego Star Wars Yoda is one of the longest-running Star Wars sets still available. In fact, it’s only beaten by one set: the $800/£700 Millennium Falcon, which has been around since 2017. The £700/£615 Imperial Star Destroyer is still around too, which released at the same time as Yoda. Those two are a special case thanks to their price point. For Yoda to still be around after almost three years – when most other Lego Star Wars sets retire after less than two years – it must be something special. And after building it, we can confirm it is. After all, there’s little more lovable than Yoda in the Star Wars galaxy. Well, except maybe Grogu.

This surprisingly large model of Yoda isn’t quite life size, but it’s still impressive in stature. According to the accompanying information placard, Yoda is 25.9 inches (66cm) tall. This model, including the lightsaber, is 16 inches (41cm) tall, making it a formidable display piece. 

Read on to find out our full thoughts on Lego Star Wars Yoda, and if it’s worth adding this charming green guy to your collection. Write the whole review in the style of Yoda, we won’t. Annoying, that would be.

If you’re looking for more great Lego content from us, head on over to see our picks of the best Lego Star Wars sets. You should also visit our Lego Star Wars deals page to grab a bargain or two.

Lego Star Wars Yoda review: Build

• Very enjoyable build thanks to clear instructions
• Slightly repetitive due to limited color palette

The first thing that stood out to us when we started building Lego Star Wars Yoda was the instruction booklet. It does the thing that we love most: puts a red outline around the new pieces introduced in each step. That doesn’t sound like much, but it’s something that Lego is inconsistent with. In a set like Yoda, which uses a lot of the same color, it goes a long way in making it really easy to see where new bricks need to be placed. We assume this is because Yoda is a 10+ set rather than part of the 18+ range aimed at adults, but it’s still something we wish Lego did consistently. Strangely, even in this set, the outline disappeared towards the end of the book – no such guidance was given for Yoda’s head, but we managed okay.

Because of that helpful outline, putting Lego Star Wars Yoda together was a cinch. It’s easy to stumble when you’re working with hundreds of bricks all of the same color, but the instructions made it really easy to know exactly where everything was going.

Building Yoda is split into 13 stages, each with its own bag of bricks. To start with, you’ll put together an internal rectangular frame, largely made of Technic-style pieces. Each side of Yoda’s body and cloak will then be built independently before being attached to the frame. It’s a novel way of building which we really enjoyed, and seeing the textured detail of Yoda’s cloak come together is particularly neat. For what looks like nothing but a sea of beige bricks, the final effect works really well.

Once Yoda’s body is completed, you’ll move on to building the head. Again, this is done piecemeal, with the front of the head coming first, and the top, back, and ears to be attached afterwards. There are some wonderful building techniques on display here, particularly on Yoda’s eyes. Dustbin-lid shaped bricks are used for his eyelids, which can be slightly adjusted to allow for a range of emotions. The rest of Yoda’s head is layered together with mostly smooth bricks, with some interesting detail given to his nose to give the effect of wrinkles above it. Once it’s attached to his body, Lego Star Wars Yoda’s head can also turn slightly so he can be posed.

Image 1 of 2

The final part of the build goes to Yoda’s hands and his huge lightsaber. His hands are made up of three long, spindly fingers which wrap around the lightsaber handle – they’re perhaps more alarming in appearance than Yoda’s real hands, but they’re effective and we appreciate the ability to pose them. The lightsaber is simply a stack of translucent bricks applied to a long Technic rod, but the finished build is unmistakable. It’s a real shame that Lego hasn’t made use of a light brick at the bottom to luminate the whole thing, but perhaps we’re asking for slightly too much there.

Lego Star Wars Yoda review: Design

• Sturdy model when finished
• Captures Yoda’s expressive face very well

Despite this set being marketed for ages 10 and above, it’s not much of a toy. Yoda’s eyes can move slightly, as can his head, but that’s it. It’s not like a ship that can be swooshed about through the air. It’s a display piece through and through, and so this is a set that will still likely appeal mostly to adults. But what a display piece it is! 

Yoda’s face has been captured wonderfully, with an extraordinary amount of personality on show. His robes also look very effective, particularly the bunched-up hood behind him (where you can also see a smattering of white ‘hair’ on the back of his head – a nice touch). 

We were initially put off by the amount of studs on display on Yoda’s cloak, thinking that smooth tiles would have finished it off better. But in person, it works just as it is, implying the texture of his flowing cloak very well. Yoda’s face has been captured wonderfully, with an extraordinary amount of personality on show. 

His robes also look very effective, particularly the bunched-up hood to his rear (where you can also see a smattering of white ‘hair’ on the back of his head – a nice touch). We were initially put off by the amount of studs on display on Yoda’s cloak, thinking that smooth tiles would have finished it off better. But in person, it works just as it is, capturing the texture of his flowing cloak very well.

Since Lego Star Wars Yoda is a display piece first and foremost, it comes with a display plaque, which is a welcome extra that gives the set the feel of a premium model. There’s also a Yoda minifigure included, which stands at the side of the plaque – and we always appreciate the inclusion of a minifigure. It isn’t a minifigure exclusive to this set, but it is the only current set where this particular Yoda can be found. In fact, it’s the only current set to include a Yoda minifig, full stop, so that’s something to keep in mind if you’re a minifigure collector.

Should you buy Lego Star Wars Yoda?

As one of the most recognizable characters in the whole of the Star Wars universe, it’s hard not to instantly fall in love with this Lego model of Yoda. It’s a great display piece that, thanks to its impressive height, makes quite a statement. It looks striking by itself, or can be displayed alongside other Lego Star Wars sets as part of a larger display.

That’s the crux, though: this is a display set, not a playset, despite the recommended age of 10 and up. Younger builders might be disappointed with the lack of play features here. For adults looking for a piece to proudly show off on a shelf, it’s hard to find fault. And the inclusion of the only current Yoda minifigure is surely to be an interesting prospect for minifig collectors. 

However, a recent price hike in Europe means that Lego Star Wars Yoda now has a RRP of £104.99 instead of £89.99. That’s a steep increase of 17% that we’re just not sure is fully justified. The price remains unchanged in North America, where it retails for $99.99.

What other Lego Star Wars sets can you buy?

Being one of the oldest Lego Star Wars sets available, many others have come (and gone) since Lego Star Wars Yoda first released. An obvious companion piece would be Lego Star Wars The Child, a set built in a very similar fashion to Yoda. If you like the idea of having more Star Wars characters on display, Lego’s helmet range could be a good place to look – the brand-new Luke Skywalker (Red Five) Helmet would be a great piece to accompany Yoda.

And, of course, there’s a huge range of Lego spaceships to consider. The most iconic has to be the Millennium Falcon. While a huge $800/£700 version is available, you don’t have to break the bank as there are more budget-friendly (and display-friendly) options available. Alternatively, you can also opt for the cheaper, yet still iconic, X-Wing or TIE Fighter.