Certainly, when it came out, I was not a fan. I'm still not, really, although it's fair to note that I never managed to get my hands on any of the third year (2006), and I certainly acknowledge that the theme improved, and that it suffered unfairly from being the first new Castle theme in new grey--a double handicap if you consider the importance that grey brick has to a Castle builder.
One of the biggest complaints about KK2 is that it featured the most ridiculously coloured knights: solid red, solid green--and the archetypal evils of solid purple and solid baby blue.
However, I was looking at some figs standing on my bookcase today, and I was reminded of what an awesome colour light blue LEGO is--and reminded also that in the right context, any LEGO piece is useful. Perhaps KK2 wasn't the right context for Jayko and his troopers, but I feel like I've put some of his chess set to good purpose by making them conquistadors. They'd look just fine next to my Imperial Armada figs, don't you think?
I've always had mixed feelings about KK2 (even now). As you mentioned, they were the first Castle theme to use the new grey, and I was at a stage in my collection at that time where that color change kinda hurt. I wasn't a fan of the set designs, either, nor did I have much of an idea what I was going to do with monkey heraldry. But echoing you, I have also learned that any piece in the right context can be quite useful; and I have actually really enjoyed the variety of armor colors now available to me in my collection, as well as the many other different types of pieces, thanks to KK2. In hindsight, I don't think I would change that period of Castle history.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I'd go so far as to say that I'd change *nothing* about that period... but I don't think the use of purple and light blue is what I'd target. I'd rather go after the abundance of Technic bits, juniorised pieces, and the plethora of catapults.
ReplyDeleteHaha, Yes, the catapults.... I'm glad LEGO isn't mounting them on horses these days. :-P
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