Licensed themes mean paying a premium.
One reason I didn't touch Harry Potter sets until two years into this hobby is the premium in price. Granted, I've bought Star Wars, which is also a licensed theme and therefore pricey. But I get much more out of Star Wars sets and minifigures than Harry Potter ones.
Lego just launched an Animal Crossing line this year. Like with Harry Potter, I thought the sets were expensive given their small sizes.
But it's Animal Crossing! And there's Isabelle, your ever-supportive office lady!
My husband is an Isabelle fan, and he was keen on 77049 Isabelle's House Visit. Since he offered to chip in half, I was willing to buy the set.
As co-owner, he requested that I never sell it. I was alright with that. Animal Crossing has a place in our history, after all. At the start of Covid lockdowns, Animal Crossing: New Horizons went viral and both of us played it alongside thousands of other home-bound folks. We were deeply hooked.
While I'm not stoked on the color scheme of Fauna's house, I do like how everything else looks.
The front door is reminiscent of old Fabuland sets, which I dreamed of having as a kid.
There's a tiny vegetable patch and red mailbox in the front. Ahhh, so wholesome.
Even as an adult I feel there's something cozy about seeing a Lego letter in a Lego mailbox.
The garden workshop is my favorite segment. I've always loved how the workbench looks in the ACNH game, so I'm glad it was included here.
Other fun elements of the game are evoked by accurately printed tiles: the acorn-print DIY recipe, the purple fossil, and star-shaped hole indicating a buried item.
Also, look at that chonky tree! Not only is it insanely cute; it also contains a hollow space with a Bell (the game's currency).
The balloon-borne present also hides a goodie: a paintbrush and palette.
Of course, we must have a look at the house interior too. There's lots of space for an adult's hands to maneuver furniture and minifigs around.
The instruction manual shows three suggestions of how to rearrange the furniture. I like this configuration best.
The bed quilt is rather sweet. I also like the mini kitchen and tea things. There's a wall poster of K.K. the musician, which was a thoughtful inclusion.
The only thing I'm not keen on is the smartphone. (Yeah, I have a love-hate relationship with smartphones.) But I can't argue against its inclusion; the phone is an integral tool in ACNH.
Wait, these guys aren't from Animal Crossing! Indeed, it's a tiny Mario set (71428 Yoshi's Eggcellent Forest Expansion) that fits perfectly next to Isabelle's House Visit because of the similarly chonky tree and green platforms. I bought this around the same time, to celebrate my second pregnancy. And no, the Psyduck isn't Lego; he's just a fun addition to the scene.
I don't think I'll be buying more Animal Crossing sets, at least not from the current line-up. That's because of the price. (This one costs USD 40). As well-done as the minifigures are, I'd rather spend my Bells on sets that give more parts per dollar.
So, while my husband and I are Animal Crossing fans, I'm content with having Isabelle's House Visit as the sole representative of our shared fondness.