Review: 71736 Boulder Blaster
Posted by CapnRex101,Countless fun and creative vehicles are available within the NINJAGO range, memorably including 70747 Boulder Blaster which makes outstanding use of spring-loaded shooters. This function was perfectly integrated, enabling eight launchers to unleash their missiles in rapid succession.
71736 Boulder Blaster includes the same superb function and visual features, although the fuselage appears considerably larger on the new vehicle. The external detail has also been improved and several marvellous minifigures are provided. However, I am not certain whether these will justify the price of £34.99 or $39.99.
Minifigures
The popular Tournament of Elements range was launched during 2015 and these minifigures exhibit impressive changes from their past counterparts. Cole includes his updated hair piece from The LEGO NINJAGO Movie and the decoration across the torso and legs has been much improved, displaying superior detail. However, essential features have remained intact, including text on the robe, a sash tied around the character's waist and missing sleeves.
Lloyd Garmadon features similar alterations, improving upon the previous minifigure while maintaining sufficient consistency to ensure that this figure remains recognisable. The colour combination of green and dark green represents a particular enhancement and I love the gold highlights too. Moreover, the Ninjargon lettering looks perfect and reads 'Master' to reflect the Elemental Master status of each ninja.
Unfortunately, these double-sided heads have now remained in use since 2017. New designs would certainly be welcome in the near future, although these do convey suitable emotion for both ninja. Lloyd wields his standard pearl silver dao while Cole is unarmed in the instruction manual, although the Boulder Blaster includes several golden katana which may be removed.
Eyezor also returns from The Tournament of Elements, where this villain aided Chen in his attempts to harvest Elemental Power for himself. His characteristic mohawk, missing eye and snake tattoo each remain on the modern minifigure and the leather jacket also appears familiar, featuring various straps with an intricate Anacondrai symbol on the reverse.
However, the original purple legs with dark red accents have been replaced with the opposite here. These dark red legs with purple highlights look great in my opinion and I love the spikes which decorate the feet, again returning from the 2015 minifigure. Eyezor features a bone axe that suits the character, although I wish another Anacondrai cultist had been included because this minifigure is also found in 71735 Tournament of Elements.
Pearl gold minifigures are available in several new NINJAGO sets, celebrating the tenth anniversary of the popular theme. Kai Legacy appears here and matches the other ninja, featuring similar golden robes with superb details to demonstrate his associated Elemental Power and colour. The sash around his waist looks particularly effective and similar details adorn the other golden ninja.
The heroes have included several different head wraps, or none, throughout the history of NINJAGO and such variation is reflected by the six Legacy minifigures. Kai wears the most traditional of these garments which was introduced during 2019 but closely resembles parts from the earliest NINJAGO minifigures. Perhaps the original head wrap element could have returned, following its recent appearance in 71708 Gamer's Market.
Legacy minifigures are accompanied by curved display bases, featuring a lovely printed tile which commemorates ten years of NINJAGO. The predominant black colour ensures that the minifigure stands out and I like the red 1x1 round plates integrated alongside Kai, reflecting his association with the Elemental Power of Fire.
The Completed Model
Tournament of Elements sets routinely contained small structures to complement the primary subject, featuring consistent Anacondrai architecture. 70747 Boulder Blaster was accordingly accompanied by a collapsible pillar, although that has been replaced with something more substantial here. This prison maintains the essential design features of Anacondrai structures, notably including purple highlights and decorative teeth.
Striking the circular symbol immediately above the cell will release the door, causing it to drop open. This function works nicely, although the Boulder Blaster's weapon seems more suited to completely demolishing structures than targeting specific features. In that case, I would fear for the inhabitant of the prison! Nevertheless, I like the simple interior that includes alternating light bluish grey clips and 1x1 round plates.
The reverse displays limited detail, unfortunately. The plants at the base look good but they were also intended to be visible primarily from the front. However, I think this can be excused because the prison cell is relatively large for a supporting model and certain compromises are often necessary in such instances, especially when attention has evidently been focused upon the front.
NINJAGO features many unusual vehicles but I think the Boulder Blaster is among the most extraordinary, featuring an unconventional wing configuration. The largest wings are situated towards the back while two smaller aerofoils flank the cockpit, creating a distinctive profile shape. This remains predominantly unchanged from 70747 Boulder Blaster, although the new model appears substantially bulkier than its predecessor.
Despite its unusual wing configuration, the most obvious distinguishing feature of the Boulder Blaster is definitely the launcher assembly which is mounted at the front. The design of these eight spring-loaded shooters has remained almost unchanged from 2015, even including the same 1x2 grille slopes but with updated colours. The pearl gold wheel behind the launchers seems identical too, although this has been enlarged for the modern set.
Arranging the spring-loaded shooters like this somewhat resembles a traditional radial engine, albeit lacking a propeller, which seems fairly appropriate. The trans-orange ammunition stands out against the grey launchers and I like the golden elements at the centre, complementing the aforementioned wheel hub that connects this weapon with the fuselage.
Furthermore, the transition between that wheel and the fuselage is cleverly softened using a rubber hose which is bent into an ideal shape. Each missile is launched by rotating the black gears fixed beside the cockpit, causing the launcher assembly to turn. As they rotate past the light bluish grey wheel that is visible below the fuselage, the missiles are activated. This wheel was originally located on top so I appreciate this alteration.
However, the mechanism seems surprisingly stiff and I have found it quite difficult to launch the missiles in rapid succession with any consistency. Hopefully this will improve as continued use loosens the Technic gears slightly. While the primary function leaves something to be desired, the new cockpit canopy which has been designed for the Boulder Blaster looks magnificent. I love the golden accents and the moulded decoration is remarkable.
The interior appears bland by comparison, although I love the dark bluish grey shield which forms the backrest. A printed control panel is also included and the minifigure occupant need not lean backwards as far as the backrest suggests. Pearl gold katana are clipped around the cockpit, potentially for Cole's use on the ground or simply for decoration.
70747 Boulder Blaster was among the first recent models of this scale to incorporate a hand grip, although many others have followed. That important feature is retained here, comprising Technic pieces which feel absolutely rigid. Unfortunately, the distance between the handle and the missile activator is too large for single-handed use. That is not necessarily problematic but other sets, such as 70839 The Rexcelsior!, have allowed use with one hand.
Another important upgrade over the original Boulder Blaster relates to its wings, which seem much more detailed on this occasion. The golden blades on the wing tips appear particularly appealing and I love the shallow curvature of the wings, loosely replicating authentic aerofoil shapes. These elements are decorated with large stickers and one displays Ninjargon letters meaning 'FLOE', presumably denoting the initials of a designer.
Stickers are applied on the vertical stabiliser and immediately behind the cockpit as well. The latter section looks fantastic, making wonderful use of the 4x3 rock texture element which was introduced with the previous range of NINJAGO sets. A circular frame on the canopy becomes visible when viewing the model from this angle. This would be perfect for vehicles with a rear-facing gunner, although there is no space for a gunner here.
Overall
The powerful Boulder Blaster is among the most recognisable vehicles from NINJAGO in my opinion, due primarily to its distinctive wing configuration and resulting shape. I have therefore been looking forward to the release of this Legacy model and I am pleased with 71736 Boulder Blaster, especially concerning its appearance. The new design includes far superior detail over 70747 Boulder Blaster and the canopy looks magnificent.
However, the vital shooting function seems disappointing. The mechanism does not work as smoothly as I had hoped and I would rather the shooting function was activated nearer to the handgrip. On that basis, I think the play value is surprisingly limited but the vehicle looks good on display and the price of £34.99 or $39.99 represents fair value, as usual for NINJAGO.
This set was provided for review by The LEGO Group but the review represents an expression of my own opinions.
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25 comments on this article
As someone who only dips their toe into Ninjago occasionally, do you recommend picking up this BB or going after the original to a person who has neither?
That front is freakishly huge!
It clearly appears (!?) that the new canopy is not clear but milky.
Although the 2K part per se looks nice I prefer the old version.
"However, the mechanism seems surprisingly stiff and I have found it quite difficult to launch the missiles in rapid succession with any consistency. Hopefully this will improve as continued use loosens the Technic gears slightly."
Ah, there's a problem with the use of gears 32270 and 32269 - the teeth on 32269 have cuboid blocks on them, which are fractionally too thick. It's only out by about the width of a hair. When 32269 is paired with any other gear, it doesn't make any difference. But when 32269 is placed with 32270, they tend to jam together and stick. As you turn the gear, it's like it snaps from tooth to tooth.
I encountered this problem last year when building the Technic Bugatti Chiron. By about Step 60 there were two such pairings in quick succession. The first pairing would barely turn, when I added the second pairing the gear chain became so stiff it wouldn't turn at all. I had a huge challenge finding "old-style" versions of 32269 (with a different shaped axle hole) where the teeth were slightly thinner, but it was worth it - the Bugatti gearbox now runs like a dream.
I bought 70747 on clearance just because I thought the front shooter mechanism was cool, but like this reviewer, thought it was a disappointment. It went into my parts collection. The price per part is better on this one seeing as the older one was 236 parts for $30 and this is 449 for $40.
Cute remake.
@blogzilly said:
"As someone who only dips their toe into Ninjago occasionally, do you recommend picking up this BB or going after the original to a person who has neither?"
I suggest going for this one. It’s pretty much the same vehicle, and the only major difference is the mini figures are a bit more modernized. Unless you really love the show or are nostalgic, this is much more convenient.
Good review!
Personally I'm glad that all of the gold ninja have opted for newer headgear instead of the classic one. While it was neat to get the classic headgear again for the cameo of pink Zane from season 2 last year... it looks incredibly dated compared to newer accessories. The fact that all of the headgear pieces used for the gold ninja so far are dual-molded also allows the ninja's "main" colors to be preserved even with gold dominating the color scheme.
The new windscreen for this set looks too specific to have been developed primarily for this model, so I expect to see it used more in the summer sets (which are rumored to have an underwater theme).
As for the set itself, it's definitely a visual upgrade, though I'm disappointed that the function seems a little wonky. Hopefully it's either an isolated issue or one that can be easily fixed.
Those 1x2 grilled slopes you're referring to, I prefer to call them grilled cheese :D
Totally agree with the head wrap comment: it would have been cool if it was the classic old 'samurai' era head gear.
I kind of hate that new one, to my eyes it looks cheap for some reason.
@Snaz said:
"Those 1x2 grilled slopes you're referring to, I prefer to call them grilled cheese :D"
They sure will be after those blasters fire...
I personally think that this is way better than the original, the only slight letdown being the firing function, which I won't use that much anyway.
As always, great review Cap'n!
I have the older version of this & the firing mechanism is fast & smooth.
I prefer the newer look though
With that monster faux-radial engine in the nose, that looks like something out of Crimson Skies. Therefore, it is awesome.
It looks aerodynamically unsound.
Currently the 20-tooth gear is driving the 12-tooth gear which makes the shooting fast, but requires more torque which makes it feel stiff. Would switching the two sets of gears make it easier to operate despite being slower?
AMazing redesign.
I still hate Eyezor redesign :)
I'm a bit torn. On the one hand I prefer the smoother shooting action on the old one. On the other hand I like the updated look of the new one. Fair value both.
The one thing I really dislike though is that new transparent material. It looks horrible on any set. Especially as it looks exactly like the material you got on Chinese knock-off sets of old. The old material was so beautifully transparent, crystal-clear. The new one looks so cheap.
@TomKazutara said:
"It is a such shame how much the new transparent plastic ruins the look of the cockpit window."
It's not "transparent", it's translucent.
@PixelTheDragon said:
" @blogzilly said:
"As someone who only dips their toe into Ninjago occasionally, do you recommend picking up this BB or going after the original to a person who has neither?"
I suggest going for this one. It’s pretty much the same vehicle, and the only major difference is the mini figures are a bit more modernized. Unless you really love the show or are nostalgic, this is much more convenient."
Thanks
Is there a specific reason for the new “clearish” cockpit material?
Just picked this up to help reach the $85 threshold for the classic car GWP, review confirms my choice. Thanks for taking a closer look and bolstering the hype while I wait through the inevitable shipping delays.
@B_Space_Man said:
"Is there a specific reason for the new “clearish” cockpit material?"
A lot of transparent Lego parts (not sure if all of them) have transitioned from being made of polycarbonate to being made of MABS (an ABS formulation that has material properties more similar to the opaque ABS plastic used for most non-transparent parts). This has multiple advantages. Presently, the biggest advantage is that MABS parts no longer bind together the way polycarbonate parts did (making certain connections like a clear lightsaber blade in a clear 1x1 cone challenging to separate). In the long term, it may be easier to transition MABS to being produced from renewable sources instead of fossil fuels than it would be for polycarbonate.
The other side of the coin is that MABS is slightly less transparent than polycarbonate. Personally I think the advantages greatly outweigh that disadvantage, but obviously people's tastes are going to differ.
@iriz said:
" @TomKazutara said:
"It is a such shame how much the new transparent plastic ruins the look of the cockpit window."
It's not "transparent", it's translucent."
I'm not sure if something's being lost in translation here, but this seems like a severe exaggeration. A good rule of thumb is that if you can describe an object or material as "clear" or "see-through", then it's transparent, not translucent. The word "translucent" would more typically apply to materials like frosted glass — even if light can still noticeably pass through, there's significant distortion, to the point that you'd be unable to accurately trace the edges of objects on the opposite side.
Some actual examples of translucent LEGO parts are ones molded in the color Nature/"Milky White" ( https://flic.kr/p/oxHpUX ), or the marbled fire or ice motifs on certain Bionicle weapons like https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=64266pb01 and https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=64297pb01
By comparison, even clear LEGO pieces from the 1970s like https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=x453 or https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=21 could safely be described as "transparent", despite being MUCH hazier than any current or recent LEGO windscreens, you can still see details like studs through them with relative clarity. If these parts were in a translucent material, those sorts of details would be reduced to vague light-colored and dark-colored splotches.
Likewise, take a look at this full-size version of one of the images from @benbacardi 's review of 60292 Town Centre: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50732524862_4e04068643_o.jpg
Not only are details inside the windows like studs or the edges of bricks still crisp enough that you could trace out their outlines with a pencil, but it's even crisp enough that the "LEGO" text on some of the floor studs remains legible!
Is it just me that sees only grey and definitely not dark blueish grey. Being serious here. I’d be interested to know if I’m a bit colourblind.