Set Review - Toys'R'Us Geoffrey Giraffe 40077

Geoffrey was an accident.  Back around Cyber Monday, Toys'R'Us was running a deal that was too good to pass up, even with the usual headaches that you get from shopping there.  They had just stocked the floor with the new Hobbit sets at MSRP and were offering BOGOH (Buy One Get One Halfoff) on just about every doggone set.  I made my purchase online using Ebates (thereby saving another 5%).  Of the half dozen TRU locations around me, only one store had the Mirkwood Elf Army in stock.  I e-purchased 6 sets at that store and then drove down to get it.

For starters, the self-serve kiosk to pick up your pre-paid merchandise is at the back of the store.  I waited in line at customer service where after 5 minutes I was told I was in the wrong place.  "You need to be back there".  So I went 'back there' and scanned the printout I brought with me.  Nothing doing.  Apparently I'm using the wrong brand of printer as it wouldn't scan.  I called customer service and after three automated requests some guy came sauntering over like he got paid by the minute.  I gave him my receipt and he returned a few minutes later with a large bag of sets.  Pain in the Orc but case closed.

Except then I browsed.

I was surprised at some of the prices at TRU.  Many were higher than MSRP but the amount AT MSRP was shocking.  I seriously considered buying more stuff as their BOGOH was good in store but my LEGO budget was already pretty red.  I did see a TRU exclusive that I'm sure will never be elsewhere (except the secondary market), Geoffrey the Giraffe.

And so, dear reader, thank you for sticking with me through my TRU trauma.  As for the set itself, it's a winner.  Other than it's creepy looking.  At what point on the neck of a giraffe does a bust end?  And why are his eyes so buggy?  I suppose he was extra scared in his last seconds.  But a buggy eyed giraffe bust mounted on a large green tile is sure to delight the kiddies.  "Mama, I think he just winked at me."  Not much of any other way to get the eyes right with a 1x1 round plate on a 2x2 dish unless you enlarge the build itself.

Giraffe in the headlights

Got his tail, too...

But the orange and yellow color massing is good.  And the parts count is good too.  Many parts have duplicates and more.  Out of 90+5 pieces there are 32 unique elements.  I'm not sure if anyone tracks that metric, unique elements per set (Caperberry?).  Maybe someone could write an app for that.  Regardless, $4.99 for 95 pieces is like 5c each.  What's gotten into TRU?

For yellow and orange pieces (mostly yellow) this is a cheap parts pack.  The green 8x8 round tile alone is almost worth the price of admission.  As is, of course, the creepy factor.