Review: 70616 Ice Tank
Posted by CapnRex101,The ninja have driven or flown many different kinds of vehicles during the six year history of the NINJAGO theme but 70616 Ice Tank depicts something brand new and wholly distinctive so I have been eager to build it. A large cylinder for mixing ice is situated towards the rear of the model and the shape of the armour which protects this particularly vulnerable area is delightfully unusual in relation to other sets.
However, the excellent value offered by The LEGO NINJAGO Movie range has been the subject of considerable praise and this set is less impressive in that regard. It contains 914 pieces and costs £79.99 or $79.99. That seems reasonable until it is compared with sets of a similar price such as 70617 Temple of the Ultimate Ultimate Weapon which includes over 1400 pieces. Nevertheless, the quality of the set may justify its higher price so I remain optimistic.
Minifigures
Zane wears a white shinobi shozoku which is fairly simple when compared with the rest of the ninja, although this suits Zane's robotic and precise personality. I love the neatly folded robe which almost uniquely follows straight and horizontal lines and the black and white colour scheme looks great, interrupted only by some equipment on Zane's belt. The word 'ICE' is embroidered in NINJAGO script on the trim and a symbol representing a snowflake adorns a band around the head wrap.
Removing the wrap reveals a double-sided head featuring a manic grin on one side and a frown on the other. Both sides are printed with a pair of piercing blue eyes and perfectly straight eyebrows, all of which seem entirely appropriate for a robot. Zane has traditionally wielded shuriken over the course of the animated television series but he now uses a black bow so wears a matching quiver filled with arrows on his back.
Citizens of NINJAGO are spread throughout The LEGO NINJAGO Movie range and this set includes two such characters. Torben wears a new tan coolie and a sand blue robe which is nicely printed across the torso and legs. I like the sandals on the feet but his head is not unique, also appearing on Shen-Li in 70607 NINJAGO City Chase, which seems a shame. Nevertheless, this is a decent figure, due in particular to the detailed hat.
Patty Keys is more interesting as this character first appeared in season one of NINJAGO: Masters of Spinjitzu. There she wore a more modern outfit and I think an update to that design would have been preferable to this traditional attire, particularly since the very same dark blue robe is worn by several other minifigures. The head and hair look good though and her face is very expressive, appearing frightened as one might expect when an army of undersea warriors is rampaging through your city!
This set includes two such warriors, the most notable of which is the Angler. This figure wears a sand blue helmet shaped like an anglerfish and made from rubber, just like the sand green version from the Collectable Minifigures. I like the printed eyes and teeth as well as the illicium hanging from between the eyes, although I imagine this is rather irritating during battle! Some pearl dark grey armour fits around the shoulders and features a battery icon presumably displaying the amount of oxygen remaining in the tank on the back of the figure.
The torso is printed with a sand blue shirt and light armour while the legs include dark bluish grey knee pads. Angler's moustachioed head is also used for Officer Toque in 70607 NINJAGO City Chase but this does not bother me too much as it is almost entirely covered by the helmet and looks appropriately stern for someone who has been thrust into a dangerous invasion wearing headgear shaped like an anglerfish. While I cannot speak from experience I expect I would be similarly displeased.
The final minifigure is a Shark Army Thug. This character is reasonably common, appearing in three other sets, but he wears a nicely detailed uniform. I like the sand blue shirt and the contrasting grey chest rig looks brilliant, matching the rest of Garmadon's army. The head includes some stubble and a brown eye patch which suggests that the thug has seen some previous action and he is armed with a fish-shaped dagger while the Angler wields a sword.
The Completed Model
The ninja pilot six enormous vehicles in The LEGO NINJAGO Movie, all of which have been scaled down for their respective sets. This is particularly noticeable where Zane's Ice Tank is concerned as the enormous tracks are very distinctive on the larger model and the designs which adorn the armour are not identical between the movie version and the set. Nevertheless, the model measures over 30cm in length so is quite substantial and certainly seems capable or rolling over rough terrain or obstacles.
The vehicle is controlled from a heavily armoured cockpit mounted at the front of the model. This section looks brilliant and the contrast between the white bodywork and trans-clear canopy is very satisfying. A couple of trans-medium blue elements are fitted on either side to represent ice and I like the stickered designs which match those on the armour towards the rear. The splashes of bright red are particularly attractive.
A second windscreen is fitted to the underside of the cockpit module, allowing Zane a broad field of vision. This configuration is reminiscent of the UT-60D from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story but also serves a practical purpose as the lower canopy can be hinged open to release the pilot straight onto the ground and into the fray. There are no studs on the seat but the minifigure can be properly secured by gripping the control yoke.
I think the tank looks superb when viewed from above but the Technic frame and a hidden wheel in the centre are clearly visible at lower angles like that shown below. A light bluish grey exhaust goes some way to disguise the exposed pin holes which I appreciate but this is still the weakest aspect of the set in my opinion. Omitting the wheel entirely might have been unwise as it does provide extra traction for the treads on smooth surfaces but I would rather the wheel had been set further back to conceal it within the chassis .
An enormous ice cannon is mounted on the other side of the vehicle. This features three prongs, each of which is decorated with a sticker, as well as a rotary stud shooter in the centre. The studs are fired by rotating a tan gear wheel but the support structure is fixed in place so you cannot adjust the aim which inhibits play. Having such a large weapon on one side without a similar weapon on the other looks slightly odd to me but this unusual configuration is perhaps fitting given the nature of The LEGO NINJAGO Movie.
Not only is Zane's Ice Tank heavily armed but it is also well protected with thick armour plating. The spearhead shape is very striking and I love how it has been constructed in three segments, with two pointed panels reminiscent of an Imperial Star Destroyer forming the sides alongside a square section in the centre. This structure is remarkably sturdy but a large gap has been left in the centre which is disappointing. However, I like the decorative patterns on the upper surfaces and the four banners look great.
A pair of large continuous tracks provide traction. These are the width of two track links in the movie but have been scaled back to one for this model. I think this design looks alright and the view from the side is particularly attractive, with an enormous wheel at the rear and a much smaller one at the front. The eight spokes are impressive and I like the two simulated suspension bogies in the centre, although they are actually fixed in place.
Turning the model upside down reveals a sturdy Technic structure underneath as well as the central wheel which ensures that the tracks turn even on smooth surfaces. Ideally the tracks themselves would be able to grip these surfaces but the tyre fulfills an important role, particularly since rolling the vehicle back and forth activates the stirrers inside the ice mixing tank and causes the ice, represented by 1x1 round bricks, to rattle around.
This function works reasonably effectively but the cylinder contains only six chunks of ice which almost disappear inside such a large structure. Furthermore, the absence of an ice slicking function seems like a missed opportunity to me as the tank is shown to leave a trail of ice in its wake on the packaging. Perhaps the drum could have released chunks of ice from between the rear wheels as it rotated, a little like the drum found in a few CITY sets such as 60018 Cement Mixer from 2013.
However, what the ice mixing tank lacks in functionality it makes up for in appearance. The four trans-light blue 5x10x6 conical panels look marvellous and I like the decorative details at the end, particularly since they incorporate eight of the rare 1x1 rounded plates with handle in white which have only previously appeared in 10257 Carousel.
Overall
The standard of The LEGO NINJAGO Movie sets is incredibly high and I think 70616 Ice Tank is slightly disappointing by comparison. It looks splendid on display but includes few play features and the price is not very enticing when sets of a similar size are taken into consideration. Both 70615 Fire Mech and 70617 Temple of the Ultimate Ultimate Weapon offer far better value, although the price of the tank is certainly not outrageous.
Nevertheless, this set does not stand out within the selection based on The LEGO NINJAGO Movie and I would recommend focusing your attention elsewhere. This seems a shame as the Ice Tank is fairly impressive but it lacks the detail which we have come to expect and the minifigure selection is not particularly notable given that many of the characters can be found in smaller sets or even the Collectable Minifigures series.
I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your thoughts on the set in the comments below.
This set was provided for review by The LEGO Group but the review is an expression of my own opinions.
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28 comments on this article
This is still the best of Zane's vehicles so far. Accept maybe The Tumbler.
Good review! One question though, are the white (partial) squares on the armour plating stickers?
EDIT: Never mind, I found a closer picture, they are stickers.
I still wish it was a bit bigger they scaled it down a lot!
My biggest problem with this set is the fact that the Fire Mech contains more pieces but is ten dollars less.
Nice review! I love the shape of this thing, but I don't like the tracks. Maybe it would look better as flying vehicle, like the Bat from the dark knight trilogy.
This is a cool set with a very unique look and a cool function in the form of the "blender" in the back, but there are a few aspects that feel a little underwhelming. Despite being massive, its only armament is a single six-shooter built into a larger cannon. While I'm sure that cannon is plenty threatening in the movie, but the six shooter doesn't necessarily have the kind of heft to really represent that, and moreover is a function we've seen many times before (heck, even Nya's Water Strider has one, in a much smaller set and in addition to additional weaponry, albeit non-functional). The cannon arm isn't articulated, either, meaning that it can't really aim at anything above or below the tank itself.
Nice model but crazy price!
Nice model with a striking colour scheme. I like it, but I don't think I will buy it. I might try and build something similar from my own parts. That conical piece will look the part on the UCS MF though! ;-)
Amaizing set, hope that people enjoy it.
A little off topic: I am LOVING the entire Ninjago movie line, but I'm concerned that it isn't selling well, and if it doesn't sell well LEGO may change their plans to release future waves. Any thoughts?
I actually think it makes perfect sense that the cannon is mounted on one side of the vehicle without something on the opposite end to balance it out. Symmetry is a feature commonly found in nature, and it suits Zane's robotic origins that his vehicle have a more asymmetrical design compared to those of the other ninjas.
^That is an interesting observation/hypothesis!
Yeah, this set is nowhere near as good as the Temple of the Ultimate Weapon. If I wanna get Zane, though, I would not get either; instead I would get Destiny's Bounty.
My guess is that this set costs more relative to other sets because its a retailer exclusive and the retailer with the exclusive may want a higher RRP so they can discount it in sales and still make more money.
Seems like if you poured about 30 more 1x1 light blue round bricks into the back it would be more impressive.
This thing looks so distinctively cool I kind of forgive the lack of play features, frankly, most of the sets are like that- focusing on little details or articulation over complex Technic functions. I'm not sure it works 100% of the time, but I think it does here. I also love the asymmetry of the cannon there, although it really needs to be able to moved around on a ball joint and not fixed in place...
For the same price ($160AUD) you could get a set with 500 more pieces (70617). For nearly the same piece count (900-950) you could pay $60AUD less (70615). No thanks.
I have really like the look of this set from the moment I first saw it. The Ice Tank reminds me of some of Gerry Anderson's models and this one could easily be SHADO Interceptor ground tank.
I particularly like the intricately detailed, angular armour plating. I will most likely use this as a foundation for a Mindstorms robot tank.
Great review.
Great design but unacceptable price!
Thanks for the nice review!
Could you maybe also start mentioning euro prices in the article? I only see the price mentioned in dollars and pounds, I'm wondering why you don't mention EU prices?
@TWP - Euro prices vary dramatically across the eurozone and listing them all would present some considerable formatting challenges. You can access the worldwide prices from the set details page.
I like this but on my wages I, ll only ever be able to get the polybag version, it looks like something Mr freeze might build to ice block the batmobile..
You could also argue that this tank could be used in a masters of the universe or thundercats set.... Make it happen lego/ Warner Bros.
Can someone tell me why it's scailed down a lot more ?
@CapnRex
Thanks for the reply! However, the set details page only mentions one euro price. And European prices do not vary at all for most EU countries and sets.
@TheLegoFan
That's because then it will cost a less and thus will become a lot more affordable. It makes them sell more products in the end.
@TWP - They certainly do vary a great deal. For instance, this set costs €79.99 in Germany, France and Italy, among others, but is €89.99 in Belgium and the Netherlands or even €99.95 in Finland. Many other examples are even more disparately priced.
It's very cool-looking - kind of reminds me of StarCom (and it's not the first Ninjago set to give me that feeling), but it does sound like they could've improved the functionality.
@TWP thankyou !
I really like this set, but the lack of articulation for the cannon and the exposed technic bits are rather disappointing.
I was expecting the cockpit to be articulated. The 'concrete mixer' could have a diaphragm between the upper and lower mixer cones with the upper mixer paddles inverted.
I really like the detailing that uses 1x1 coloured tiles.
This is a great build and people studying building techniques 'off the LEGO grid' should take a look at how this model has been put together. In several places the designer effectively used isosceles triangle geometry with ball and socket joints. Innovative.