Summary

I bought this kit as it was the final set needed to complete my collection of the first wave of Lego Ninjago Movie sets - and I hope to collect the complete range of sets one day. I got the other Ninjago Movie vehicles in the first series first because of two things: price and looks. Also, not too many stores in the Netherlands stock this kit, and if they do it is overpriced (well over 90 euros).

Overall the kit is a nice depiction of a rather unusual vehicle, and a nice representation of the original in the movie. There is a lot of technic construction used in this build, but overall that is covered quite nicely.

The build was fun, and the end result looks nice, and positively surprised me. There are some clever techniques used (mostly in the construction of the cockpit as well as the creation of the structural core of the vehicle).

Building experience

Building this vehicle is not too difficult, though there is quite a bit of Technic construction involved. There are a few steps in the early part of the construction (when the core of the vehicle is constructed) where one needs to pay attention, and construction might get tricky. Most 8 to 9 year olds should be able to build this vehicle, though they might need some help in a few steps. They also might needs some help with the stickers - of which there are some 20+ or so - as is the norm for Ninjago Movie sets. Especially the stickers on the side-wall of the cock-pit are tricky, as they need to be lined up properly. As usual, Windex and patience go a long way there. Overall, building this vehicle should make for one to two hours of building fun.

The 'ice cooler' is basically constructed with four massive transblue pieces, and - unfortunately - tends to become dislodged during construction when handling the vehicle. Building the tracks (62 pieces in total) is quite tedious as well.

What was nice to see was how suddenly the shape and looks of the vehicle appeared, where - while building the core - things looked to come out quite ugly (technic, brightly coloured pieces visibile), shapeless, and wrong dimensions. Only with the addition of the cockpit the vehicle started to have the looks one would expect.

Minifigures

The minfigures, IMHO do not stand out too much. Angler, Torben and Patty are unique (though the latter two have similar looks to some of the other Ninjago minifigs) but Torben and Patty do not feel truly special. The minifig of Zane can be found in four other sets.Of all the minifigures, I like Angler the most (the angler fish helmet being a soft rubber mould). Torben and Patty have a scared expression on their face. Only Zane has a double face print (smile and a grimace).

The build

The final vehicle is stocky and quite bulky. It looks somewhat inspired by a bug, with the freezer tanks being the body, covered by white wings, the cockpit being the head, and the ice gun being some kind of claw.

The final vehicle rides quite smoothly, and feels quite solid. Most of the technic core and construction that holds the vehicle together is covered up nicely. That said, from the rear it looks quite skeletal, and more could have been covered up. It leaves enough room for improvement by individual builders; the front and sides of the vehicle are the ones to look at.

The designer has done a nice job though with all the odd angles of the vehicle. The cockpit is a nice example, also with the bottom to bottom construction of the top and bottom, connected by SNOT-techniques, and attached by technic pins to the body. He has done the same with the massive wings covering the top. Similarly design of the attachment of the gun and the gun itself is quite clever. So is the design of the rims for the massive track idler wheel. The ice-mixer design is clever as well, including an actual working mixer (driven by the tracks).

The stickers are IMHO a useful addition as well, and actually add to the looks of the vehicle.

Play vs display

Due to its unusual shape and size the Ice Tank does make for a nice display model (and I will use it as such), and can be quite an eye-catcher. It also makes for a nice play model, being quite stocky, sturdy and not too large to handle. The tracks ride quite smoothly as well. The one issue could be the 'ice mixer' coming loose from the body, as it is attached to the main body only by the studs on top. The claw with the stud-shooting gun is attached quite solidly, although it flexes a bit. Studs are shot by rotating a cog at the back of the claw. Unfortunately Zane cannot be fixed into the cock-pit (unless grabbing one of the steering levers, though trying to clip his hands on might end up in a leaver being launched into the air). It is IMHO not the most 'playable' of the Ninjago Movie Ninja vehicles, but is still quite a nice play set.

The verdict

Overall, the my opinion of this set is quite positive, yet it still leaves me somewhat conflicted. The price per part value is good, yet somehow does not give me the same 'bang for buck' and 'wow' feeling as some of the other sets (like the Mech Dragon) in this series; this says as much about this vehicle as it says about the high quality of the Ninjago Movie Series, and their extremely good price per part ratio.

What to me it lacks in looks, it makes up for in interesting construction techniques (though most of that is no longer visible on the completed vehicle.

Overall this is still a good set. I think it suffers a bit from the price point: it is the most expensive Ninja vehicle in the series, and now has to compete with Cole's mech. If you like the looks, or want to complete your Ninjago Movie Ninja vehicle collection, do not hesitate to get it - especially if you can find it on a discount somewhere.

The Lego Ninjago Movie gave each Ninja a vehicle which was a great idea. Zane’s tank wasn’t my first choice due to the price, which I felt was too high. It also lacked a transformative feature which Cole’s and Lloyd’s vehicles have, leaving me disappointed, as I feel this could easily have been added.

The Minifigures

Zane: The decision to go with a primarily white colour scheme (and not black with white highlights) sets him apart from the other Ninjas but I find it suits him. The Lego Ninjago Movie introduced a new style of hood and its my favourite to date. The two part design allows the bottom half of his hood to fit between the torso and head creating a snug fit, while the upper half of the hood fits on top and locks it in place. His concentrating expression looks great, but the huge smile on the other side doesn’t appeal to me. His torso print is linear and detailed, suiting his character. His belt has silver highlights, and on the back you can see an interesting symbol. His legs are well detailed, but basic. He comes with a bow and quiver.

Angler: Angler’s head piece makes him one of the most interesting members of the shark army. The slightly rubbery sand blue piece represents an angler fish, and captures the look well. It’s sculpted to show fins at the back and its eyes, mouth, and lure are printed. His face is glaring, and he has thick eyebrows and a moustache. He comes with a fantastic gun metal grey shoulder plate/air tank with a print indicating that it’s almost out of battery. He has a grey torso with sand blue arms and an appropriate torso print and a leg print showing knee pads. He wields a large curved fish spike.

Shark Army Thug: The unnamed thug included in this set wears an orange knitted cap. His stubbled face sports an eye patch and wears a menacing expression. The torso is similar to Angler’s and his legs have sand blue printing on them. His accessory is a small fish spike.

Patty Keys: The hair piece used for Patty Keys is quite uncommon and looks good. Her terrified expression is appropriate but I would like to have had an alternate one showing relief as well. Her dark blue torso is printed well on both sides. The gun metal grey legs are only printed on the front making them look unfinished. Dual moulding could have solved this problem by continuing the blue that’s printed on the front, all around the back and sides as well.

Torben: The tan coloured hat piece used for Torben is the one created specifically for the Ninjago Movie. He’s got a scared expression and a lot of facial hair. Sadly, this type of hat piece prevents him having an alternate expression. The sand blue torso looks great. Like Patty Keys, his legs print is fantastic right down to his printed sandals but it doesn’t continue around the sides or back, and once again, dual moulding could have fixed it.

The Set

The cockpit section curves nicely, and has six stickers detailing it. Two clear canopy pieces, one on the top, and the other underneath, give access to the minifigure. While attractive looking I find the design annoying, as the figure isn’t attached with any studs and therefore moves about too easily. Three stickers make up the display panel. A cheat wheel underneath the cockpit gives traction to the giant tank treads which are very striking. The cheat wheel connects to both treads, so even on a hard surface where the tank treads wouldn’t usually grip; the tire grips, allowing them to turn. There’s quite a large unsightly gap between the treads, the cockpit, and the fins, which does detract from the overall look of the set. Two mudguards around the back help cover up the gaps there. Another striking feature of the tank is the huge ice churner at the back, which also connects to the wheel, rattling 1x1 cones around to represent ice being made. The fins attached to the top of the vehicle are angled nicely using ball joints and complete the bizarre look of the tank. To me the set resembles an insect, the ice maker representing the abdomen; and the fins look like the wings. A six stud shooter is attached to the left of the model which adds playability but can’t be articulated.

This is definitely one of my favourite Lego tanks and a very striking display piece but quite a few areas could be improved. The whole set lacks any transformative feature, perhaps the “wings” could fold out to have hidden weapons, or a smaller vehicle could detach from the main tank. With that in mind, I find this a fun set but not the best the Lego Ninjago Movie range has to offer. $160 aud is a lot of money for 914 pieces, so I wouldn’t buy it unless you found it on sale.