Each set's components will be scaled from 1 to 10 in the following areas. Remember these are my opinions, and I am not paid in any way to endorse any particular set. I just give my own personal, honest opinions.
Scores for Builds: Aesthetics, Playability, Build Enjoyment. Articulation if it applies.
Scores for Minifigures: Aesthetics, Rank (Scale of Minifigures in the Set, the Lower the Better).
Scores for Mixels and Legend Beasts. Aesthetics, Playability, Build Enjoyment, Pose-ability.
Overall: Do I Recommend the Set (Yes or No and Why), Aesthetics, Playability.
Series 1
    | Infernite Tribe
41500 Flain A member of the fiery Infernite Tribe, Flain is the most intelligent. He is so smart in fact that when he thinks too hard, his brain begins to over heat and catch on fire, explaining the fire coming from his head. Flain is probably my second favorite Infernite just because I love his over-sized flaming head. Other wise there is not much to say, he's pretty small with only feet not legs and one segment of his arms. Scores: Aesthetics 7, Playability 5, Build Enjoyment 6, Pose-ability 6. 41501 Vulk A member of the fiery Infernite Tribe, Vulk while not the smartest is definitely the strongest and his hands can get hot enough to melt tunnels through solid stone, which makes for a perfect getaway. Zorch is one of few Mixels with large hands and not just clips for hands and he also has ball joints for shoulders. Also like Zorch he has eyebrows which are pretty cool, but they don't move like Zorch's. He also can open his mouth to reveal a clear red tongue. Though besides the eyebrows and tongue I don't care for his looks to much. Scores: Aesthetics 5, Playability 6, Build Enjoyment 5, Pose-ability 7. 41502 Zorch A member of the fiery Infernite Tribe, Zorch, with the help of the flames shooting from his backside, is the fastest Infernite. Watch out on burrito night though. Looks-wise Zorch is my favorite, because of his flaming rear, and he also has a unibrow which is made from a black handle piece which can move and give him a variety of expressions. He has an actual leg piece having both ankles and hips, but his thin feet mean that he cant really balance on one that well with out turning it a bit. Scores: Aesthetics 7, Playability 7, Build Enjoyment 6, Pose-ability 6. MAX When the three Mixels of a tribe work together to combine into one, they become their tribe's MAX, a super powerful creature with all three of the individual Mixels powers. The Infernite's MAX has the intelligence of Flain, Vulk's super hot and strong hands, and Zorch's speed. It also has the added ability of flaming breath. This MAX is pretty cool and unlike what I expected fits very well in the scale of the other Mixels, not being taller than Seismo which is to my knowledge the tallest Series 1 Mixel. I expected it to be much bigger, but he looks good with other Mixels. I also lover the flame breath and that all three Infernites can be seen in it, with the flaming head, flaming rear end and having Vulk's flaming hands while still looking unique. Scores: Aesthetics 7, Playability 6, Build Enjoyment 6, Pose-ability 7. 41501 Nixel Packaged in one Mixel of each tribe is a Nixel. The Nixels are evil creatures that want to do naught more then to destroy all that the Mixels make, even when they Mix. When Mixels Mix often a Nixel will try to mess up the process making a Murp, which is a strange and uncontrollable creature. Included in the Vulk set was a Nixel. I like this Nixel better than the Cragster Nixel because the arms are turnable so that it can hold things and move them better. Besides that the Nixels are just little bonuses that are nice, but not necessary. but it is nice that they don't raise the price of the Mixel.  |
Started in 2011 Ninjago replaces earlier ninja themes with a novel concept, Spinjitsu. Which in universe is a technique that turns the user into a tornado of energy, but in real life lead to a Beylade-esque top fighting game where players spin tops with minifigures that have weapons on them, called Spinners, and whoever stopped the other player's top first won. Unfortunately in 2012 The Legends of Chima was released with another real world game, Speedorz and Spinjitsu Spinners have stopped being made.
  | 70500 Kai's Fire Mech
Minifigures (Variant Name): Kai (Elemental Robes): After the rise of the Stone Army and the destruction of the Golden Weapons the Ninja were given the new kimono-styled Elemental Robes and the Elemental Blades in order to better utilize their elemental powers. I don't really like Kai's Kimono robes as much as his ZX Robes. This figure's okay but not really special. His accessory is the Elemental Blade of Fire which can be turned into a sword for his mech. Scores: Aesthetics 6 Rank 2. Stone Scout: The Stone Army was created by the Overlord from an unbreakable material making them completely indestructible. The scouts are smaller more agile versions armed with a crossbow and quiver and wear a red hat that resembles a straw hat. I really like his torso printing, I think it makes the lack of leg printing not to bothersome. His accessories are a gray crossbow and a red quiver. Scores: Aesthetics 6, Rank 1.Kai's Fire Mech: The main build of the set. While on the Island of Darkness Nya created this Mech for her older brother. It was shown to be very agile, as it could scale cliffs unclimbable by the powerless ninja. I like the Mech itself as I really enjoy mechs, but this one wasn't the most interesting to build. Also I like things to be either very symmetrical or very asymmetrical this only has the hands as asymmetrical. Scores: Aesthetics 5, Playability 7, Build Enjoyment 6. |
       | 70722 OverBorg Attack
Minifigures (Variant Name): Lloyd (Techno Robes): The newest, at this time, version of the Green Ultimate Spinjitsu Master. He looks very good and he is the only Techno Robe Ninja with the armor with space for two katana. His accessories are two gold katana. Scores: Aesthetics 6, Rank 2. OverBorg/Cyrus Borg: Cyrus Borg is a brilliant, if at times bumbling, inventor who saw the destruction of Ninjago city as an opportunity to upgrade it. Despite these things he is still a very good man who risks his life to get the Ninja the Techno Blades, which are the only way to stop the Overlord. Tragically though the Overlord turned the once kind man into a cyborg to make him unwaveringly loyal. The Minifigure looks really good especially since he has a two-sided head, which only Lloyd and Nya have ever had in the Ninjago theme, one side is the an angry OverBorg expression and the other is his good Cyrus Borg form so with the addition of a black Obi-Wan Kenobi hair piece, which is not included but it is his hair in the show, you can make him into Cyrus Borg again. Scores: Aesthetics 7, Rank 1.Cyrus Borg's Legs: Crippled since birth Cyrus Borg would later invent a robotic spider-like chair for mobility. The Overlord would later modify it for the OverBorg's use to include two arms with weapons, a metal katana and a chainsaw with a laser axe head. I like this thing a lot since I really like robotic spiders. Scores: Aesthetics 8, Playability 7, Build Enjoyment 7. OverBorg's Tank Bike: Scores: The main build of the set. Not much is known about this vehicle yet as it has yet to be seen on the show, but we can tell that it is made for the OverBorg as his 'legs' clip on. I like it's beefed up motorcycle look with the tank tread and the absurd amount of blades on it. It has one main play feature, the side buzz saws can spin as the vehicle moves, but I personally rarely can get them to work properly. Aesthetics 7-8, Playability 7, Build Enjoyment 7. Lloyd's Blade Cycle: The Green Ninja's first vehicle, but it has also yet to be seen on the show. A small build of a green and gold motorcycle. It really fits well with Lloyd's appearance and it looks pretty good for such a small thing, but besides the wheels spinning it does nothing else so that disappoints a little for Lloyd's first vehicle. Scores: Aesthetics 8, Playability 6, Build Enjoyment 5. Micro Builds: Scores: A small green trash can and a ramp next to a fire hydrant. I don't like this part only because it has no place, it's unneeded I don't feel like excluding it would ruin the set or even degrade from it. It looks okay though and from a child's view I think the inclusion of a ramp would be nice. Also the fire hydrant comes off really easily, if they had put it on a 2X2 plate with one middle stud it would probably stay on better. Aesthetics 5, Playability 4, Build Enjoyment 2. Overall: Do I Recommend the Set Yes, it has a great price, Lloyd's first vehicle and if you don't get it buy the OverBorg and his chair online or something, I love them both, Aesthetics 8, Playability 7. |
      | 70723 Thunder Raider
Minifigures (Variant Name): Jay (Techno Robes): The newest, at this time, version of the Blue Ninja of Lightning. He looks pretty good except that like all other Techno Robe Ninja he has no leg printing. He is so far exclusive to this set in this variant. I have never seen his hair piece in that color before so it seems at least rare if not exclusive to him. His accessory is his yellow Techno Blade with a gold chainsaw as a handle, a bit excessive. Scores: Aesthetics 6, Rank 2. Cole (Techno Robes): The newest version of the Black Ninja of Earth, he has very simple torso printing, but he has no printing on his legs which disappoints compared to some of the previous Ninja outfits. He comes with no accessories and he is not exclusive to this set in this variant. His is still my favorite minifig in this set. Scores: Aesthetics 6, Rank 1. Nindroid Warrior: A faceless drone copied from Zane's design. This nindroid wears a ninja wrap with a mechanical eye cover. This minifigure is the most common of this set's wave. I like the look especially with the one titanium metal arm. Accessories are two twin laser swords that attach to it't turret to act as guns. Scores: Aesthetics 6, Rank 3. Jay's Thunder Raider: Originally one of several off-roader-like drones made by Borg Industries to protect New Ninjago City, this particular example was hacked by Jay's Techno Blade to become his Thunder Raider. The main build, the mostly blue off-roader has space in the cockpit for one minifigure and has tank treads as front wheels and absurdly large back wheels. There is one main play feature, the cockpit slides up and opens the sides to reveal six blaster/rocket launchers, none of which are flick missiles though. Over all I like the Thunder Raider to display in its opened state or to display combined with Cole's Earth Mech. Scores: Aesthetics (Closed) 5-6 (Opened) 7, Playability (Closed) 4 (Opened) 7, Build Enjoyment 7 Cole's Earth Mech: Originally one of several humanoid drones made by Borg Industries to protect New Ninjago City, this particular example was hacked by Cole's Techno Blade to become his Earth Mech. The second largest build. I like this build the most, because I am a sucker for mechs although the Earth Mech is pretty small for my tastes. It has no real play features, but does have really good articulation to make up for it. I don't like the fact that the legs and arms are complete copies of the other, because I like some asymmetry, but they are literally the same just that the legs have different stickers. Scores: Aesthetics 9, Playability 8, Build Enjoyment 6, Articulation 9. Nindroid Turret: A small turret manned by a single Nindroid. It's two guns can be removed an used as twin double-bladed laser swords. A simple micro-build of a laser turret. The guns are, as I said removable, to become weapons of their own. The turret sports no handle for the Nindroid, but does have two clips, one for placing Jay's yellow Techno Blade. Not too special, really just an excuse for an enemy which I'm fine with since I'm sure it doesn't increase the price too much. It would be if the tacked on enemy build was big and ugly that I would like it less. Scores: Aesthetics 5, Playability 2, Build Enjoyment 2. Thunder
Raider and Earth Mech Combined: When Cole's Earth Mech is attached to the back
of Jay's Thunder Raider the Mech's weapons and rocket boosted feet upgrade the
Raider to increase its speed and deadliness. The main feature of the set. The
Earth Mech has two pins which attach to the back of the Thunder Raider with the
Mech's arms turning around to shoot and the show reveals that the feet work as
rocket boosters to speed up the Thunder Raider tremendously. I really like this
look except that the gun on the Raider can't be held open as the cockpit can't
slide back to open them with the Mech in the way. I think this is the best way
to display the set.
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