“These LEGO sets are for kids. They’re not meant for me. These LEGO sets are for kids. They’re not meant for me.” I’ve started repeating those words almost like a manta when looking at the 2014 LEGO Star Wars Microfighters sets, because otherwise I cannot mentally cope with what are certainly the weirdest LEGO Star Wars sets that LEGO has come up with yet. Due out in stores in Winter 2014–it’s LEGO Star Wars Microfighters Series 1!

When I first learned during the summer that LEGO was replacing the less-than-popular LEGO Star Wars Planets Series sets with Microfighters, I was admittedly a little bit freaked out. Cutesy, chibi-fied LEGO Star Wars vehicles with minifigures sitting outside the tiny vehicles and piloting them? I was convinced nobody was going to want these sets. I was wrong.

To my total shock, there are loads of fans who are absolutely in love with this adorable new approach to LEGO Star Wars set, and who really excited for the 2014 LEGO Star Wars Microfighters Series 1 to hit stores this winter. I am not yet sold on this concept–the idea of Han Solo sitting on the outside of the Microfighters Milennium Falcon seems a bit too random and bizarre to me–but I’ll take a wait-and-see approach to the LEGO Microfighters series and see if it grows on me when these hit stores in a few weeks.

2014 LEGO 75030 Milennium Falcon Star Wars Microfighters Set with Han Solo Minifigure

2014 LEGO Star Wars Microfighters Clone Turbo Tank 75028 with Clone Trooper Minifigure

I think the LEGO 75028 Star Wars Microfighters Turbo Tank is one of the better thought-out and implemented sets from this January 2014 wave. Kids always want more plain LEGO Clone Trooper minifigures, and there aren’t any included in the LEGO 2014 Star Wars Battle Packs, so this will be the best place to get them next year. In addition, the Clone Turbo Tank actually lends itself very well to being put into the Microfighters style. Of the six Microfighters LEGO Star Wars 2014 sets, the Turbo Tank 75028 is the only one that I would say looks cool.

LEGO 2014 Star Wars Micro Fighters TIE Interceptor 75031 Set with TIE Pilot Minifigure

Oh no! LEGO, what have you done to my favorite ship in the Star Wars universe?! Seriously–I hate this take on the LEGO TIE Interceptor. The TIE Interceptor is ordinarily the sleekest and most deadly-looking Imperial ship. Now it looks like a ball with some stubby little sticks stuck on it. I can see why LEGO figured this would be an easier ship to execute than a regular Microfighters TIE Fighter, but this design does not work for me at all.

LEGO Star Wars 2014 AAT 75029 with Pilot Battle Droid Minifigure Microfighters Set

This LEGO Star Wars Microfighters AAT 75029 is going to warm shelves like nobody’s business. AAT’s never sell well, LEGO Battle Droids minifigures are a poor incentive to buy, and the Pilot Battle Droids get less screen time than any of the Battle Droid iterations. The LEGO AAT’s design just doesn’t lend itself to being cute (in my opinion), even in the Microfighters style.

2014 LEGO Star Wars Microfighters X-Wing Fighter 75032 with X-Wing Pilot Minifigure

The LEGO Star Wars X-Wing Microfighters set is probably the cutest and best of the initial six sets released in the Microfighters line. I would have absolutely preferred that cool black-and-white domed Astromech Droid be a full minifigure instead of the generic X-Wing Pilot minifigure we’re getting with the set, but this chibi X-Wing Fighter 75032 is just too sweet. This is one of the sets from this wave I’m most likely to give a try.

2014 LEGO Star Wars Microfighters Star Destroyer 75033 with Imperial Crew Minifigure

Finally, we’ve got the LEGO Star Wars 2014 Microfighters Star Destroyer. This is another set that doesn’t appeal to me at all–I don’t like the shape of the Star Destroyer, never mind the proportions. I’ll be buying at least a couple of this set next year, though, as I am totally into that awesome LEGO Imperial Crew minifigure! That’s the one and only LEGO Star Wars Microfighters minifigure that seems worth $10 to me for army-building purposes.

All six LEGO Star Wars Microfighters Wave 1 sets should be available by January 2013. Keep watching Amazon if you want these LEGO Microfighters sets before Christmas–I’d be willing to bet they’ll turn up before the holidays, despite an official release date next year. No word yet on the MSRP for these little sets, but they’ll almost certainly be in the vicinity of $10 each. I’ll post an update here and on the Bricks & Bloks Facebook Page once the new sets have been sighted at retail.

Now that we’ve seen beautiful, hi-res images of all six of the LEGO Star Wars Micro Fighters Series 1 sets (thanks to Hoth Bricks for first breaking the news on these), how do you feel about the new series, LEGO fans? Are these highly-stylized LEGO Star Wars sets too odd for you, or are these the cutesy LEGO Star Wars vehicles that you’ve been looking for?