How long does it take to build a 500+ piece Assassin’s Creed pirate ship? We find out in What’s in the Box? episode 2
Mini arcade machines, Star Wars mood lights and Mass effect cars are also inside!
Do you want to watch a fully-grown man struggle to build a Mega Blocks set? Of course you do. It’s also totally ok to laugh at him (me) as well. I’m not great at construction, I’ve dealt with my demons. But I let the GR team film me trying to do it anyway for our weekly What’s in the Box? Show. You're welcome.
Each week I’ll showcase three or four of the most sought-after and downright strange bits of gaming, movie, and TV merchandise available to help you decide if it’s worth your hard-earned cash. Episode 2 features Star Wars Mood Lights, an arcade machine with hot dogs that kill, a 500+ piece Assassin’s Creed Mega Blocks Set, and a high-end Mass Effect App Controlled vehicle. Watch the video above to see them all in action and, if you enjoy it, head over to Episode 1 to watch me eat one-year-old Sonic cereal…
Read more: Find out what Sonic's Gold Rings ACTUALLY taste like in the first episode of What's in the Box?
Star Wars Death Star Mood Light
So this one is for all Star Wars geeks out there who are scared of the dark… oh wait, just me? That’s embarrassing. This mood light makes a great addition to any bedroom or geek cave, and its one meter Micro USB cable allows you to put it wherever you please (as long that’s not more than a meter away from a USB port). You can turn it on and off by simply pushing down on the top of the Death Star with little force, meaning no more panicking for the on switch at midnight when you hear a Wookie. Just me again? Great.
Buy it US: $15.00 from Amazon
Buy it UK: £15.00 from Amazon
Burger Time Retro Arcade Machine
Burger Time was a popular arcade game from the early '80s which was also ported to the NES. Put simply, you’re a chef called Peter Pepper (I’m assuming his wife is called Sally Salt) who fights off evil ingredients such as peppers, eggs, and the classic hot dogs. The arcade machine itself is well-built and has, responsive, easy to use buttons with a removable joystick. The screen is impressively bright for such a small piece of kit and the battery will allow you to make burgers for hours. If you’re addicted to retro arcade games and fast-food, this could be the ultimate gift for you.
Buy It US: $29.99 from MyArcadeGaming.com
Buy It UK: £21.50 from MyArcadeGaming.com
Assassin’s Creed Mega Blocks Gunboat Takeover
Mega Blocks have a wide number of sets based on video games, but nothing quite like this giant ship from Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag. This took me a good four hours to create, and the flaws in the manual didn’t really help. Seriously, it was the instructions that were wrong, not my ability to put the thing together. But nonetheless the final result is incredible, and is one of the biggest models I have ever put together. There’s lots of great detailing, notable characters AND real canvas sails!
Buy It US: $39.99 from Amazon
Buy It UK: £36.99 from Amazon
Mass Effect Andromeda App-Controlled Vehicle
RC Cars with four wheels are so '90s, so how about ones with six wheels? This thing is an App Controlled replica Mass Effect: Andromeda NR1, and it boasts some pretty awesome features. Once you get past the stunning unboxing experience you’ll be greeted with this oversized vehicle that can be controlled via your phone, so no need for an extra remote control here. Its durable suspension and built-in camera means you can even drive it around while ramming it into people's feet. The camera is pretty much live but the sensitive controls take some getting use to. Once you’ve mastered it, though, you’ll be ready to really kick up some space trails in no time.
Buy It US: $108.99 on Amazon
Buy It UK: £160.00 on Amazon
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Brandon is a former video producer for GamesRadar, and now quite the entrepreneur running multiple start-ups. He is the founder of RetroDodo and now spends a lot of his time running Click Hill, a company dedicated to building niche, passionate, highly engaged communities.