Our next review is part one of our Ninjago Legacy wave review, and today we're looking at 71735 Tournament of Elements and 71742 Overlord Dragon. We were sent this by LEGO but our view is unbiased and we aim to provide a unique review from the perspective of a MOC builder and fan of building techniques.
Firstly, the Tournament of Elements. Out of the current Ninjago Legacy wave, this set seems to provide the most “fun” to the consumer. The array of colors in the minifigures and the color contrast in the main structure make the set *pop.* For both the diehard Ninjago fan or someone looking for unique minifigures at a low price, this is a definite buy.
Our ratings are as follows:
Building Techniques 12/20 – Compared to other LEGO and Ninjago sets, this build lacks heavily in unique building techniques. It mainly utilizes standard brick-onto-brick techniques, only integrating basic techniques like SNOT and clips here and there. This is not a set for someone interested in groundbreaking techniques.
Part selection 19/20 – For such a small set, it provides a surprisingly good amount of unique and rare parts, even having some exclusive or new parts for 2021. The other parts are on a relatively limited color palette, meaning that this would be a good set to purchase multiple of to build a larger MOC or collection.
Creativity 15/20 – Similar to the set’s building techniques, it is not extremely creative in how it presents itself. However, it presents many opportunities to be creative in interacting with it. It is definitely a perfect playset for a younger builder (6+ as recommended by LEGO), but could also serve as a nice starting point for a MOC.
Value for money 18/20 – For price per part, it sits right around average, at $0.10/€0.10/£0.10 a piece. The minifigures boost this set’s value, as you get seven, and most sets at this price point have only two or three. Both the assortment of pieces and minifigures provide rarity and standard parts in good quantities, making it worth a buy.
Accuracy 18/20 – The fourth season of Ninjago was subtitled “Tournament of Elements,” so it appears that this set’s goal is to summarize the overall plot and characters from the show. Looking at the original Dojo Showdown set (no. 70756), this one boasts a more-contrasting color palette as well as more minifigures.
Overall, 82/100
Next up, the Overlord Dragon. Rarity & novelty are the main draws for this set. Both the new head molds and never-before-seen character are surely to excite, although it's rather difficult displayability does pose a problem for those wanting to display it. A definite buy for a Ninjago fan, but likely not so much for anyone else.
Our ratings are as follows:
Building Techniques 18/20 – The entire build for this set is contained in the Overlord Dragon, which in and of itself is a technical feat. The torso is built mostly with SNOT techniques, and as the build extends from it the focus shifts to technic-based techniques. As a bonus, clutch is extremely tight, making connections rather sturdy.
Part selection 16/20 – The small nature of this set does detract from the possible new parts that could be in it. There are a few recolorings, but the real gem is the new head molds for the dragon, which make their debut in this set. These parts are not niche, so could be repurposed into many-a-MOC and will likely be highly sought after.
Creativity 16/20 – The idea of this set is not creative at all – it is a large dragon with a few minifigures. But the way it has been executed is rather intriguing. The build is dynamic, colorful, and animated, making it another fun playset. A downside is its displayability: its legs do not like to support the body when leaning forward.
Value for money 16/20 – For price per part, it sits much below average, at $0.08/€0.08/£0.07 a piece. The two semi-rare minifigures add some value to the set, although much of its value can be derived from the new head molds. For a play piece, it is very valuable. As a display, not so much. The lack of a 10th anniversary minifigure is a downside.
Accuracy 19/20 – The Overlord Dragon has never appeared in LEGO before, so even if the set was not as accurate to the television series as possible, the novelty of the set makes it rather valuable. Because of its size, the Overlord Dragon is perfect to re-enact scenes from the Ninjago television series!
Overall 85/100
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