The Indigo Islanders were the stars of The Return of the Classic Pirates Contest, with Islander themed entries scoring first place in both the Main Building Category and Mini Set Building Category.
Danny_Boy4 claimed the grand prize in the Main Building Category with his “6278/6292 Enchanted Island Remake“, revitalising the classic Islander set in the style of 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay and 10320 Eldorado Fortress.
His creation enhances the original design without resorting to an excessively high part count, so it’s hardly surprising this entry received immense popularity during contest. Yer no doubt eager to glimpse more of this creation, so keep reading to observe this build in all its glory…
The Enchanted Island
First let us take a closer look at the updated design…
A treasure chest out in the open…not like that attracts pirates or anything
As with most modern remakes the base plate has been replaced with a brick built base
Even the entrance to the old treasure cave receives a floral upgrade
This Islander Moai is a lot heftier
The Islanders have finally captured Ironhook… again…
Danny_Boy4 writes:
For this contest I wanted to make something unique, LEGO already reintroduced Pirates with 21322 and now Imperial Guards with 10320 so we needed a 3rd faction. The Islanders, and what better set to remake than 6278/6292 Enchanted Island. This set has 1398 parts 8 minifigures (7 of them have new exclusive prints). I tried to keep as much of the original while using new parts and techniques.
The Minifigures
As with any remake, updating the minifigures is essential! Danny_Boy4 has made effective use of the head, torso and leg prints the various LEGO Minifigure Series have offered us.
King Kahuka has more wives in this version… Enchanted Island has become a little more enchanting…
How the crew looks after they have finished their job…
The Islander warriors literally have eyes in the back of the their heads!
Sea Craft
For added playability the original Enchanted Island set also includes some light sailing vessels which Danny Boy has also suitably updated.
Ironhook seems to have acquired a parrot in this incarnation of the set
“I must reach the island faster than that dastardly Pirate!” — An Islander
The Original Enchanted Island
6278 Enchanted Island was released in 1994 with a retail price of US$66 in the United States. That would equate to around $135 today when adjusted for inflation…
If you want to get your mitts on a Mint In Sealed Box copy, it’ll set you back well more than US$1,000 on markets like eBay…
Here be the original 6278 Enchanted Island
Enchanted Island was the centerpiece of the Indigo Islander sub theme, and the first set to include both the raised and flat river base plates. Like other sets in that sub theme, it was among the first to include a crocodile (or is that an alligator?), canoe, striped animal hide tile and translucent orange flame piece.
The minifigures also boasted new innovations such as printed leg pieces for the floral loin clothes and hair pieces which allowed accessories like horns or Ikaika to be clipped on. While the Islanders lacked a flag, a decorative motif resembling King Kahuka’s mask appeared on their shields and sails.
Just slap some new art on the box and sell this set some more!
The original Enchanted Island design was rereleased in 2002 under the set number 6292 with updated box art, along with two other pirate themed sets, 6290 Red Beard Runner and 6291 Armada Flagship.
Return of the Classic Pirates Contest?
If yer seeking 2024’s contest, read The Infamous Steve Contest .
The Return of the Classic Pirates Contest was the first building major contest hosted by Eurobricks and Classic-Pirates.com since 2013. Running between June and September, 2023, entrants were inspired to develop new LEGO set concepts, or modernizing classic sets in the style of the classic 80s and 90s sets, or post-2020 modern sets like 21322 Pirates of Barracuda Bay.
The contest offered two categories; a Main Building Category and a Mini Set Category.
First place winner of the Main Building Category won an Eldorado Fortress worth 215€
There were three prizes offered for Main Building Category;
- 10320 Eldorado Fortress for first place,
- a set to the value of 70€ for second place,
- and a set to the value of 35€ for third place.
“King Kahuka’s Outrigger Boat” by Kritch, first place winner of the Mini Set Category, won a set to the value of 35€.
At the time of publishing, The Infamous Steve Contest recently commenced, so prospective Entrants may postulate whether Steve encountered any Indigo Islanders during his enthralling adventures… and then execute these postulations in brick form.
About the Builder…
Danny_Boy4 is somewhat of a competition junkie at Eurobricks, aspiring to enter an all manner of building contests hosted by forum, but it wasn’t until the Return of the Classic Pirate Contest that he made his debut in the LEGO Pirates Forum. Given that he specializes in building Star Wars and Classic Space MOCs, it makes his foray into Islanders even more impressive with Enchanted Island! If you are interested to admire more of his creations check out his Mecabricks profile for all of the latest updates!
What Do Yer Think?
The Return of Classic Pirates Contest received many fantastic submissions from talented builders; do you think 6278/6292 Enchanted Island Remake was worthy of first place? Or were there other entries that should have claimed the top prize?
And will Steve encounter the Islanders during The Infamous Steve Contest?
Would you buy this Enchanted Island if it were officially released as a LEGO set?
Has Danny_Boy4 succeeded at bringing Enchanted Island into the 2020s? Many certainly think so, but perhaps you disagree.. If so, how could this version be improved upon? Or would you approach it completely differently?
Head over to the LEGO Pirates Forum or Classic Pirates Facebook Group and tell us what yer think!
