Head-to-head
LEGO Icons The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr vs LEGO Icons PAC-MAN Arcade
Both built. Both reviewed. Here's how they actually compare on the things that matter.
Set #10333
LEGO Icons The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr
Sauron's tower. The Eye of Sauron. 5,471 pieces of pure Mordor. The dark counterpart to Rivendell — and the LOTR LEGO display that completes the franchise.
Set #10323
LEGO Icons PAC-MAN Arcade
Crank the side of the cabinet and Pac-Man runs the maze while the ghosts chase. The most playable LEGO Icons set ever shipped.
By the numbers
The spec sheet.
| Metric | LEGO Icons The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr | LEGO Icons PAC-MAN Arcade |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Pieces | 5,471WINS | 2,651 |
| MSRP | $459.99 | $269.99WINS |
| Price per piece | $0.08WINS | $0.10 |
| Verdict | Must buy | Must buy |
| Best for | Lord of the Rings fans, fantasy builders, and serious LEGO Icons collectors with substantial display space. | Retro arcade fans, kinetic-sculpture appreciators, and anyone who wants a LEGO set that does something. |
Pros & cons
What I actually noticed.
LEGO Icons The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr
Pros
- 5,471 pieces — dark counterpart to the [Rivendell (10316)](/reviews/rivendell)
- The Eye of Sauron at the top, with the iconic flame-tipped silhouette
- 10 minifigures including Sauron, the Witch-King, Mouth of Sauron
- Mt. Doom-adjacent base with lava flow detail
- Black Gate of Mordor sub-build at the base
Cons
- Tower height is 84cm — measure ceiling clearance
- $460 commitment matches a UCS Star Wars flagship
- Some sticker work on the Eye of Sauron
LEGO Icons PAC-MAN Arcade
Pros
- Hand-crank mechanism actually animates Pac-Man and the four ghosts through the maze
- Mini-Pac-Man micro figure on top of the cabinet (the meta moment)
- Iconic 1980 cabinet styling — yellow, black, marquee art, coin slot
- Best kinetic LEGO mechanism since the Typewriter
Cons
- Hand-crank is delicate — over-rotation can pop the chain mechanism
- Won't work as a static display piece for non-arcade fans
- Marquee printing is small and easy to misalign during the build
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Comparison generated from our individual reviews. Pros, cons, and ratings come from full hands-on builds — see each review for the complete take.