LEGO® Star Wars review: 75329 Death Star Trench Run, 75330 Dagobah Jedi Training & 75339 Death Star Trash Compactor

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

Today I’m taking a look at a new line of sets labelled as the ‘LEGO® STAR WARS Diorama Collection’. As you might guess from the name, each consists of a diorama depicting an iconic scene from the Star Wars movies. The 3 sets are:

• 75330 Dagobah Jedi Training Diorama from The Empire Strikes Back, with 1,000 parts (I love that round number!), RRP 119.99 AUD / 109.99 CAD / 79.99 EUR/ 69.99 GBD / 79.99 US.
• 75339 Death Star Trash Compactor Diorama from A New Hope, with 802 parts, RRP 149.99 AUD / 119.99 CAD / 89.99 EUR / 79.99 GBD / 89.99 USD.
  
• 75329 Death Star Trench Run from A New Hope, with 665 parts, RRP 89.99 AUD / 79.99 CAD / 59.99 EUR/ 54.99 GBD / 59.99 USD.

They are available from 26 April 2022 and you can pre-order now – please consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'.

The LEGO Star Wars team on development of the dioramas

First, some background from the designers themselves. I was invited to sit in on a roundtable with the LEGO Star Wars team, where we received background information on the new sets. 

©2022 The LEGO Group

The sets are targeted at the adult audience, especially Star Wars fans for whom the UCS sets are a step too far to build... so far. This means the sets are less suited to being played with. Those two considerations did open up extra options for the designers, however. For instance, they had more freedom in choosing which elements to use. In general, designers try to prevent using similar elements in the same bag to avoid confusion, like 1x3 and 1x4 plates in the same colour. It can be frustrating as a child to keep going back and correcting mistakes. Without this limitation, the designers can use more parts. This is apparent, for instance, in the Trench Run set, which features 98 different Light Bluish Grey elements. 

Another possibility is to add more repetitive steps, with the prime example being the Dagobah Jedi Training set where 177 1x1 tiles are added in a single step. The designers mentioned they found it more difficult to design a set for children, as it both has to look great, but also be able to handle play.

©2022 The LEGO Group

Despite being a display set, there are still some hidden features. In the back of the Trash Compactor we find R2-D2 and C-3PO trying to open the door. In the back of Dagobah Jedi Training we get a peek into Yoda’s hut.

The design process took some years. A lot of time was spent on laying the ground floor, literally: t he designers wanted to find the ideal footprint, creating enough room to display the scene in full, but staying small enough to fit onto most display shelves. They settled on a standard depth of 20 modules for all sets, with varying width depending on the scene. The sets are not bound by a single unifying scale, but instead use whatever scale is suitable for the specific scene. The Trench Run is not to minifig scale like the other two, because using minifig scale fighters would have made the set way too big.

©2022 The LEGO Group

The scenes were chosen based on research into the most popular Star Wars scenes, and include quotes on printed tiles (no sticker sheets are to be found in these sets!) at the front. They tested several quotes to find the ones that instantly make the scenes pop up in your mind.

For those wondering: the designers mentioned the 75296 Darth Vader Meditation Room from 2021 is not part of the series, and also was not released as a tester. They were however happy with the positive response, confirming there is a market for these types of sets. The 76956 T. rex Breakout, released in the same month as the Diorama Collection, was also developed separately.

New elements in the LEGO Star Wars Diorama sets

For 3 sets, the list of new elements is pretty short, but there are some interesting finds. First up: there are no new moulds. I’ll talk about the minifig parts in the set review section.

The Dagobah Jedi Training gives us 3 recolours in Brick Yellow/ Tan:

• 2 x 65617 Brick Round Corner 3 x 3 x 1 with Bottom Cut Outs [No Studs] [1/4 Arch] in Brick Yellow/ Tan (6397560 | 65617)
• 2 x 49097 Wheel Arch, Mudguard 2 x 3 x 1 1/3 in Brick Yellow/ Tan (6397562 | 49097)
• 4 x 68568 Plate Round Corner 3 x 3 with 2 x 2 Round Cutout in Brick Yellow/ Tan (6397561 | 68568)

Other recolours:

• 16 x 99206 Plate Special 2 x 2 x 0.667 with Two Studs On Side and Two Raised in Dark Stone Grey / Dark Bluish Grey (6352694 | 99206). I was surprised to find this element was new. Looks like such a logical colour for the part. Found in 75339 Death Star Trash Compactor.
• 1 x 30094 Plate Special 2 x 2 with Bar Frame Square in Medium Stone Grey/ Light Bluish Gray (6392268 | 30094) found in 75329 Death Star Trench Run. This has appeared in the old Light Grey before.

I really love that there are no sticker sheets to be found in the 3 sets. This means we get more new prints:

• Tile 2 x 4 with ‘LEGO STAR WARS’ (6388259) is found in all 3 sets.
• Tile Round 1 x 1 with R2-D2 Head print is used for the X-Wing in 75329 in Medium Stone Grey/ Light Bluish Gray (6388258).
• Tile 2 x 2 Inverted with Control Panel print is used in 75339  in Medium Stone Grey/ Light Bluish Gray (6399945).
• Tile 1 x 3 with Dark Red Rectangles is used in 75330 in White (6388267)

And then there are the 3 tiles 2 x 6 with quotes:

• “Do. or do not. There is no try.” - YODA. Found in 75330 in Black (6399940)
• “One thing’s for sure. We’re all gonna be a lot thinner!” - HAN SOLO. Found in 75339 in Black (6339215)
• “The Force is strong with this one.” - DARTH VADER. Found in 75329 in Black (6388260)

• 67810 Brick Curved 2 x 2 x 1 1/3 with Curved Top - Corner in Reddish Brown (6316450 | 67810) is found 1x in 75330 and 75339. Previously, it has only been in 2 other sets.
• 42862 Wedge Sloped 45° 3 x 3 Left in Medium Stone Grey/ Light Bluish Gray (6315579 | 42862) and 48165 Wedge Sloped 45° 3 x 3 Right in Medium Stone Grey/ Light Bluish Gray (6315580 | 48165) are found 1x in 75329. They can be found in 3 other sets.
• 1 x 30362 Leg Mechanical - Droid with Technic Pin in Medium Stone Grey/ Light Bluish Gray (6395505 | 51067) is found in 75339. The element has only appeared in 75420 Major Bonreg’s TIE Fighter before.
• 1 x 24482 Weapon Spear Tip with Fins in Brick Yellow/ Tan (6269968 | 24482), found in 75330, has been seen in 2 sets.
• 6 x 78666 Brick Curved 2 x 1 with Inverted Cutout in Brick Yellow/ Tan (6383295 | 78666) is found in 75330, and was introduced this year in 43198 Anna’s Castle Courtyard.
• 1 x 6060 Brick Arch 1 x 6 x 3 1/3 Curved Top in Medium Stone Grey/ Light Bluish Gray (6286503 | 30935), found in 75339, has appeared in 2 other Star Wars sets prior.
• 1 x 6060 Brick Arch 1 x 6 x 3 1/3 Curved Top in Dark Brown (6266292 | 30935), found in 75330, has appeared in 2 Jurassic Park/World sets before.
• 4 x 68211 Bar 1L with 3 Sprouts/Prongs in Brick Yellow/ Tan (6324176 | 68211), found in 75330. It appeared in 3 sets before.
• 4 x 24246 Tile 1 x 1 Half Circle in Reddish Brown (6328180 | 35399), found in 75339, has been in 3 other sets.
• 3 x 98138pr0253 Tile Round 1 x 1 with Dark Bluish Grey Cockpit print in Transparent/ Trans-Clear (6359850 | 79836), found in 75329, was introduced last year in 75315 Imperial Light Cruiser.
• 1 x 65138 Dish 4 x 4 with 4 Studs in Brick Yellow/ Tan (6377846 | 65138), found in 75330, was introduced this year in 41709 Vacation Beach House.
• 3 x 30357 Plate Round Corner 3 x 3 in Sand Yellow/ Dark Tan (6368432 | 30357), found in 75330, was introduced this year in 75326 Boba Fett’s Throne Room.

Building set 75330 Dagobah Jedi Training

The first Star Wars movie I saw myself was The Empire Strikes Back – I came in halfway through while flipping through channels, at the moment where Ben tells Luke to go to Dagobah. So it makes sense that I build this set first.

Let’s take a look at the figures first, where we find a nice surprise.

• Although his torso did get a new Element ID (6399690), Yoda seems to be the same as the figure found in 75208 Yoda’s Hut. I don’t have that figure myself, so I have to go by online photos only. 
• Luke Skywalker also looks similar to his version from 75208 Yoda’s Hut, but all parts are updated. He receives a new head (6388261), with on one side an angry-looking face on the one, and a concentrated face on the other side. His torso (6399659) and legs (6388263) are an updated, more detailed version of the 75208 figure.
• The biggest update is found on R2-D2: for the first time, he appears with a printed back side! His body (6388266) features the mud stains caused by the mysterious swamp monster, as does his new dome-piece (6388265). 

The design team explained why this long-requested feature was added: 

“We have requested this for a long time, but for every set we make, there is limited room for special requests. For these diorama sets, we wanted to bring something new and special, and we finally had room to get the request fulfilled.”

I built all bases first, to get a comparison on the size. In the back of the above picture are the Trench Run and Death Star Trash Compactor bases, both 26 modules wide. Dagobah Jedi Training , at 34 modules, is the widest base.

The base for the swamp starts off with a layer of various colours of plate, creating a pattern once the trans-green tiles are placed on top. Placing the tiles is no small task, as any fan of LEGO Architecture or LEGO Art will attest. Of course, this begs the question: why go for 1x1 tiles? Couldn't the designers use other sizes of tile? 

“We tested a lot of different patterns. The 1x1 tiles looked the best, despite them being a pain to build. Larger tiles gave more of a 'floor look' rather than water. The 1x1 tiles also give a nice 'LEGO grid' feeling.”

This is one of those things the designers couldn’t do in a ‘normal’ Star Wars playset. Seeing how close to the brink this is for me, imagine your 7-year-old trying to build this! But despite being a pain, the result looks very good.

When the ground floor is finished, it’s time for Yoda’s hut. The hut is a complex structure, with a lot of different curved parts. This is another example of how this set is meant for adults: a lot of tan parts are mixed in one bag. You need to be careful to make sure you pick the right one. 

The hut is covered with a swamp tree. The final touch are some smaller plants, and of course the half-sunken X-Wing. In the image above we see: 

• The 2L bar is inserted into a round brick. The hole in the bar allows for the attachment of a plume, creating a smoking chimney.
• The curves in front are raised a bit, resting on the bare studs of the ground.
• In the back, we can see the interior of the hut. I found out that Yoda’s large ears prevent him from lying on the bed. The entrance is also pretty small to get your fingers in to place him. Again: this is not a playset. Notice his lightsaber hidden above.
• Wheel arches are used to create the semicircular windows in the hut.
• The sloped front of the roof is created using a hinge brick.
• This trail of raised tiles in the water might be the trail of an underwater creature. Watch out R2!
• Luke is doing a handstand using a round tile w/ pin (20482), attached to an upside down plate round w/ stud and bar on underside (79194).
• Speaking of the 79194: this is an updated version of the 25893, introduced last year. The change involves the space between the bar and the underside of the plate. The new larger space provides attached clips with a wider angle, and as shown in the comparison photo, the part fits better in the LEGO System.

Building set 75339 Death Star Trash Compactor

There are 6 minifigs in this set, again with some nice surprises.

• First we have Han Solo and Luke Skywalker in stormtrooper outfits. Both the torso (6400101) and the legs (6400106) are a new print. “There are always worries that people won’t like new army-building figs," the designers pointed out, "but we also wanted to update and improve the figure.” 
• This is the first Luke Skywalker fig from a New Hope set with Dark Tan hair. “This was not a deliberate change. We just looked at the movie and picked the colour that fitted best with the scene.”
• Leia has appeared in this form before in 2019, in 75229 Death Star Escape.
• Chewbacca has been used multiple times since 2015.
• C-3PO receives a new torso (6396913) and a new leg print (6388269). This is only the second time that C-3PO has printed arms. The only previous version was in 2015 in polybag 5002948 with a dark red arm. The designers explain: “We wanted to add something extra to the set, and the arm print was a great way of doing that. The decision to use arm prints is a case-by-case process, so it’s not sure if the part will show up in other sets.” As far as I can see, the legs are the first for C-3PO to have printed toes. 
• R2-D2 comes with a new dome (6290309) and body (6339214). Like in 75330 Dagobah Jedi Training, the body has a back print. I was wondering if, aside from the mud stains, the decorations would be the same for the 2 astromechs, as they are designed in the same series at the same time. There are some small differences to spot though.

Again, we start off with the base. Like in the swamp, a lot of transparent 1x1 tiles are used here to simulate the dirty water. In the centre, the first pieces of trash are added. It’s hard to spot on the photos, but in the front and back is a row of brick special 1 x 4 with groove (2653), which are used to hold the sliding side walls. The back wall is made out of one large section that is connected with some stud connections, with 2 axles securing it in place. Unfortunately, the door can’t open.

The 2 side walls are next. There is a lot of trash connected to the walls in a zigzag pattern. When the walls close in, the zigzag patterns fit together creating one big pile of trash. The designer explains: 

“In live theatre, the stage designers use multiple layers of waves, creating a sea. We’ve used the same principle to create a chaotic looking mess, while allowing the walls to close in without anything getting jammed.”

Building set 75329 Death Star Trench Run

There are no minifigs in this set, but we do get a big load of grey parts. Yes, I piled up most of the set’s contents for this photo (leaving out the base), meaning finding the needed parts a lot harder, but I like a challenge. 

The width of the base was tricky for the designers to establish. Of course, a longer trench would be great, but it would also have some drawbacks. 

“You can easily make the trench 3 metres wide. We decided on this width because this was the ideal size to display everything we wanted in the diorama. Making it bigger would set the ships further apart, changing the conversation. But feel free to buy multiple copies and connect them!”

The best way to describe this build is 'greebling galore' – a lot of small, random details are added. 

Like with the trash compactor, the back wall is secured with 2 axles.

It might just be because of the used minifig head, but the little section in the top left looks like a figure to me. Coincidence? Or some sort of Easter egg?

With the background ready, we can add the microscale ships, which we’ve seen a lot of in the last 20 years!

“It was a big challenge to design another microscale x-wing and make it new and fresh. But with the constant stream of new elements, we can keep trying to come up with new designs.”

The X-Wing’s wings are connected to the body using 4x plate 1 x 1 round with bar (32828), with the wings clipped to the middle of the bars, and the back section using a bar-in-hole connection. I love the new print for R2-D2’s head. It’s a great little detail, completing the X-Wing. The TIE-fighters are a little more simple, but look good as well.

Conclusion

I’ll start with the series itself. I really love the concept, and woouldn’t mind seeing more sets in the future. Time will tell. The sizes seem ideal for displaying, unlike some of the UCS models that demand a lot more room. No stickers is always a good thing, and I think the tiles with quotes might trigger the start of another collection for me. They are a great addition to finish off the set.

I’ve seen a lot of comments saying the price is too high. I’ve taken a look at a number of LEGO Star Wars sets currently in production, to get a comparison. Standard playsets range around 10-14 cents per part (in €). Sets meant for display range from 7.4 (Baby Yoda) to 10.5 cents per part. The Trench Run comes to 9 cents per part, the Dagobah Jedi Training is 8 cents per part, and the Trash Compactor is the highest at 11.2 cents per part. So 2 of the sets are nicely within range, with the 75339 Trash Compactor being the most expensive. This could in part be explained by the 6 minifigs, but I don’t have enough insight into the factors that determine the price to be sure.

Onto the sets themselves.

The 75330 Dagobah Jedi Training is my favourite of the three, partly because it has the most colours. Yes, adding all the 1x1 tiles is a pain, but the result is great. The colours make the diorama pop more than the other 2 sets. A new Luke and R2 are always welcome.

The 75339 Death Star Trash Compactor has the least attractive colour scheme for me, but what can you expect from trash? The sliding walls are a great addition to a set that otherwise would be a 'meh' for me. The sliding function works smoothly, and seeing all the trash getting compacted without jamming feels great. I get the idea of adding a surprise in the back, but it does feel like a waste of 2 great figures.

The 75329 Death Star Trench Run is a great looking set, but the build involves too much seemingly random greebling. I didn’t really have the feeling I was building something, but rather putting random parts together. The majority of the parts having the same colour didn’t do it much good. The fighters are an exception to this, but they are too small to keep me engaged long. This set is for me all about the display value, which is great.

From a New Elementary standpoint, there are some nice elements to be found. Collectors of minifigs will get 6 new figures. The new Tan recolours are useful, as is the new Dark Bluish Gray SNOT plate. Otherwise, most parts are pretty standard.

If you want a nice-looking display piece, these sets are great. There are some issues, and many percieve the cost as high, but I think it’s up to you to decide if those are a deal-breaker or not. I hope my review has helped, and if you decide to buy after 26 April 2022 or to pre-order now, please consider using our affiliate links, New Elementary may get a commission: UK LEGO Shop | USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop, for other countries 'Change Region'.

READ MORE: LEGO Marvel 76156 Rise Of The Domo reviewed, and MOCs by Caz Mockett

Help New Elementary keep publishing articles like this. Become a Patron!

Massive thanks go to our 'Vibrant Coral' patrons: Chuck Hagenbuch, Joe Fontana, Elspeth De Montes, Megan Lum, Markus Rollbühler, Mevits Bricks, Baixo LMmodels, Andy Price, Anthony Wright, London AFOLs, Gerald Lasser, Big B Bricks, Dave Schefcik, David and Breda Fennell, Huw Millington, Antonio Serra, Beyond the Brick, Sue Ann Barber & Trevor Clark, and Kevin Gascoigne. Vale Iain Adams, a great supporter of New Elementary.

LEGO® Shop at Home
USA: Save up to 30%. See what's on sale!
UK: Free delivery when you spend £50 or more at LEGO!
Australia: Discover the latest promotions and offers on LEGO.com

All text and images are © New Elementary unless otherwise attributed.