LEGO Ninjago Legacy 71738 Zane’s Titan Mech Battle [Review] | The Brothers Brick

The LEGO Ninjago theme has been round for ten years. Laborious to consider, proper? In that point, there have been a ton of cool and fascinating units, and LEGO has been bringing again a few of the finest of their Ninjago Legacy theme. We had the possibility to check out one of many January 2021 0fferings, Ninjago Legacy 71738 Zane’s Titan Mech Battle.  This set is accessible now from the LEGO Store On-line for US $59.99 | CAN $79.99 | UK £54.99.  The 840 elements span 4 unique minifigures and the Titian Mech. However is it a “battle” that may curiosity greater than die-hard followers? Learn on and see!

The LEGO Group offered The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for overview. Offering TBB with merchandise for overview ensures neither protection nor constructive opinions.

The field and contents

This set is an up to date tackle 2015’s  70737 Titan Mech Battle – a set that included two large robots battling it out. This Legacy version is concentrated solely on Zane’s ice mech, with the one “battle” obtainable being with a few severely outgunned evil minifigures. Once they had been updating the set title perhaps they need to have simply gone with “Zane’s Titan Ice Mech” – however I suppose the direct callback was vital to the branding.

Anyway, the field is fairly commonplace for Ninjago Legacy units, with a product shot of the set’s contents entrance and heart and a name out to the season they’re drawing inspiration from. There’s additionally a highlight on the included 10-year anniversary minifigure – a restricted version Golden Jay.

The again showcases the mech with a a lot much less immersive background, higher displaying the set contents. There are additionally three inset photographs from the mech’s look in Season 5, revealing that this Legacy model is a fairly hefty improve from the unique. The underside row of photographs reveals off the mech’s motion options (bendable knees, missile launchers, and spinning arm blade), dimensions (10.2″/21 cm tall), and a teaser for the total set of six Golden Ninjas that shall be launched this 12 months.

Contained in the field are six numbered half luggage and a bag containing the instruction booklet and sticker sheet.

The instruction ebook is perfect-bound and 128 pages lengthy. The sticker sheet has some good designs, and most photographs are mirrored/repeated. When not reviewing a set I have a tendency to go away off the stickers – however that is the uncommon mannequin the place I believe it appears finest with them utilized.

The elements

There are a variety of enjoyable elements in white and sand blue on this set, and I’ll name out some fascinating ones as we undergo the construct. There are a couple of highlights, although. First up is that this beehive in pearl darkish gray, a model new colour for that factor. The second is a printed 2×2 tile with the “Ninjago 10 Years” brand on it. It is a new half included with every of the “golden ninja” units to this point.

The Titan Mech has a weapon constructed into every arm, and each make use of fascinating elements.  The shuriken blade is showing for the primary time in pearl silver. In the meantime, the sword blade has solely appeared in gold as soon as earlier than, in 2019’s 70669 Ninjago Legacy Cole’s Earth Driller.

The construct

The Titan Mech building begins out with the torso. It’s a strong block of brick, with sturdy click on hinge joints for the legs and arms. The cockpit building appears good, and makes use of unusual sand-blue bar holder-with-clips within the controls for a little bit of ice theming.  There’s a lurking downside right here, although, that we’ll get to after we take a look at the play options.

The decrease legs mix the metallic beehives with clear light-blue minifigure heads to make thrusters. They’re largely hid behind white clip-flags, which is a disgrace as they appear fairly cool.

Most Ninjago mechs haven’t any knee articulation – counting on a strong construct to offer the energy essential to help the mannequin’s weight. The Titan Mech has a brand new resolution for that, utilizing Technic 3-ball steering arms to permit for a spread of movement.

The mech’s legs even have joints on the hips and ankles. There’s vary of movement right here, and most poses are very secure already. A few of the stickers have been utilized at this stage, on the white clip-flags that cowl the jet exhausts, and on the sand-blue curved plate on the higher thighs.

The arms have a satisfying “icy” jagged design, mirroring the torso styling. There’s a stunning quantity of open house within the higher arm; usually these mech designs are solidly cumbersome. Having some gaps within the white shaping provides to the “lethal snowflake” really feel. One other couple of stickers go on defend tiles on every higher arm.

As talked about earlier, every forearm has a distinct weapon constructed into it. The left arm has the spinning shuriken blade, whereas the fitting arm has the golden sword hooked up on the elbow. Every hand has three poseable fingers, matching the unique mech’s design.

The ultimate little bit of constructing is the mech’s head. The final three stickers are used so as to add some particulars, they usually mesh effectively with the golden bucket-handle used for the horns on the forehead. That minifigure spear gun appears good as an antenna, too.

The completed mannequin

The finished Titan Mech is a really strong piece of labor. It may be posed simply, and I didn’t have any issues with elements popping off. It balances effectively in a variety of battle-stances.

The Titan Mech additionally appears good from the rear. These gold ingots make for a lovely “backbone,” and there are extra skirt parts to maintain issues from feeling too breezy on the butt. Even the uncovered ball joints within the knees look good, including a contact of texture and mechanical detailing.

So far as play options go, there are two spring-loaded missile launchers on both facet of the mech’s head. They’re out of the way in which sufficient that they’re unlikely to go off by chance throughout regular play, which is sweet. You additionally get three transparent-blue projectiles, so whenever you inevitably lose one you’re nonetheless good to go. Underneath the mech’s head is the built-in cockpit space. It leaves the pilot a bit uncovered, however that’s not the largest downside.

The actual downside is simply placing Zane into the cockpit. In order for you him to carry the management sticks you just about must disassemble your complete entrance chest space to get him in. Even then, getting the levers into Zane’s palms after which again onto the connectors was such a trouble that I finally simply gave up.  This actually ought to have been designed as a “hinge open” play space, or they need to have gone with management surfaces that didn’t require the minifig to understand them.  Additionally, Zane received’t match in any respect if he has his sword backpack on. So, yeah, that is an space that would have used a bit extra love. I imply, take a look at how annoyed Zane appears!

One final little bit of play may be discovered with the clips on the mech’s rear skirt. These permit for surplus ninja weapons to be hooked up for later use. Or you may clip one thing else on there, I assume. I’m not your mother.

When in comparison with the latest 71720 Fire Stone Mech, the Titan Mech is an efficient match in dimension and form. They’ve comparable articulation, with the Titan Mech having the slight edge with these knee joints. The colours and styling are somewhat extra “Gundam” than “ninja” right here, however keep in mind that is based mostly on a Season 5 mech. Ninjago type has continued to evolve since then. And actually, “Gundam-like” is hardly a factor to complain about. This mech appears fairly candy to me.

I’m certain we’ll see much more Elemental Mechs sooner or later; I’m wanting ahead to a water model. Possibly with a boatload of clear blue parts…Hey, I can dream.

The minifigures

The minifigures are often a spotlight of any Ninjago set, and the Titan Mech doesn’t disappoint. We begin of with an unique Legacy model of Deepstone Zane. He has a brand new printing on the (dual-sided) torso and legs and an up to date cowl. His flat-top haircut can be included in a brand new pearl silver colour.

The “battle” hinted at within the set title comes down to those guys, new variations of the evil Ghoultar and Soul Archer. Each figures make use of latest purple elements, together with the cowl and embedded colour for the dual-molded vitality impact.

Underneath the equipment, although, each figures use an identical (however new!) elements. The twin-sided torso print and cranium face are up to date designs, and the dual-molding within the ghostly legs is new in purple.

The “gotta catch ’em all” minifigure for this set is the 10-year anniversary Golden Jay determine. We’ve seen his face earlier than, however the remainder of his outfit is unique to this set. (He does share a leg print with Golden Lloyd, although.)  He comes with a small brick-built stand with a printed 2×2 spherical tile with the anniversary brand on it. Jay’s thematic blue colour is mirrored within the 1×1 spherical plate, however in any other case, it’s the identical show stand construct shared by all of the gold ninjas.

Talking of the golden ninjas,  three extra make appearances within the January 2021 Ninjago Legacy wave: Kai (71736 Boulder Blaster), Cole (71737 X-1 Ninja Charger), and Lloyd (71735 Tournament of Elements).  (There’s a second, masked, model of Golden Lloyd in 71742 Overlord Dragon, too.)  The packaging reveals six golden ninjas, so presumably, nonetheless have Zane and Nya to look ahead to. There may be additionally a seventh “tremendous uncommon” Gold Ninja – a golden Grasp Wu within the upcoming Ninjago Backyard set.

Conclusion and advice

There’s rather a lot to get pleasure from with this set. At $60 US for 840 items, this set is available in at a wholesome seven cents per half. That’s ratio normally, and on this case, it additionally contains 4 unique minifigures. There’s vary of helpful and weird elements, and even the stickers are fairly nifty. The construct is enjoyable, with sufficient technical complexity to maintain issues fascinating.  On the draw back, the play options are somewhat minimal, and I’m nonetheless type of irked in regards to the cockpit design. However these are minor quibbles for an in any other case spectacular set.

Even with no actual “battle”, I believe there’s sufficient right here to be of curiosity to each the overall LEGO viewers in addition to the extra Ninjago-centric fan base. If mechs are your factor, and even in the event you’re simply right into a white-and-sand-blue elements pack, I recommend you give this one some consideration.

Ninjago Legacy 71738 Zane’s Titan Mech Battle is accessible now from the LEGO Store On-line for US $59.99 | CAN $79.99 | UK £54.99. It might even be obtainable through third-party sellers on Amazon and eBay.

The LEGO Group despatched The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for overview. Offering TBB with merchandise for overview ensures neither protection nor constructive opinions.

Take a look at our full gallery of photographs

Associated