So what is the deal with Master Builder Academy sets?
They seem super pricey given the size of them.
There is a lot more to an MBA kit than the bricks themselves. Originally the program was set up more like a subscription service, where you bought an initial set than then qualified you to receive additional supplementary kits in the mail, every two months, at no extra cost. it was broken down like this:
L=Level; S=Set
L1S1 Space Designer (178pcs, book, minifig, building tray); $30 ; standalone entry point to MBA
L1S2 Microbuild Designer (155pcs, book); part of $70 subscription for S2-S6
L1S3 Robot Designer (222pcs, book); part of $70 subscription for S2-S6
L2S4 Flight Designer (150pcs, book, minifig); part of $70 subscription for S2-S6
L2S5 Creature Designer (232 pcs, book); part of $70 subscription for S2-S6
L2S6 Auto Designer (188 pcs, book); part of $70 subscription for S2-S6
So under the original distribution, you got 947pcs + 5 books for $70.
Level 3 contained 3 sets and was its own self-contained subscription:
L3S7 The Lost Village (229pcs, book, minifig, building tray); $60
L3S8 The Forbidden Bridge (220pcs, book); part of $60 subscription for S7-S9
L3S9 The Dark Lair (183pcs, book); part of $60 subscription for S7-S9
Thus Level 3 was 632pcs + 3 books for $60.
The books themselves are softcover, around 80 to 100 pages each, with good quality glossy paper, forwards written by LEGO designers (such as Jamie Berard), a bit of history, design, techniques and 3 builds step-by-step.
The MBA website is an extension of the kits, and features a to-do list for each kit, in order to earn badges on the site, and eventually a printable diploma. Also there are design challenges, galleries where kids post their creations and comment on builds, and unlockable videos and additional design instructions for their kits.
I know I'm sounding like a salesman here, but there is a lot more to MBA than at first blush. Just know that it is primarily designed for kids, which was the initial reason I purchased it (for my son). However the quirk of these kits (especially Level 3 and presumably Level 4) have got me hooked.
The downside is that TLG changed the distribution plan, so now you just buy Kit 1, Kits 2&3, and Kits 4-6 as three separate packages, at an inflated cost ($160 instead of the $100 I paid for Sets 1 to 6). Sets 7-9 aren't even available right now, so I'm not sure if they are going to be re-introduced when Level 4 released in July. I'm not even sure if Level 4 will go back to the old subscription model or not.
.
