SPOILERS FOR NINJAGO CRYSTALIZED EP 1-12

Opening Thoughts

This was one of the sets I was most anticipating of this wave. I wasn't going bananas for it, but it looked interesting, and I love when they spice up the vehicle selection for Ninjago, especially since this theme has been going on for almost 12 years now. The minifigures here were also attractive, so this one was sure to be one of my first purchases. The price, however, was a slight turn-off for me (though luckily I got a good deal for it). All that being said, let me explain my conflicting feelings on this set.

Build Experience

I built this only a few hours ago, so most of what I recall is fresh in my mind. I had a decent time assembling it, although a lot of the building was very brief, and I was never able to get immersed in the experience since I was building smaller things. Spoilers here, but Bag 1 is literally just Mr. F, Zane, and a tiny drone. I'd say I had a decent time, but it was tedious with all the stickers, most of which are applied in the first few bags.

Model

The model itself certainly has quite the presence. The colours are on point, especially the supple amount of gold that is used throughout the set and this entire wave. It's got a unique and striking appearance and makes for a great display piece. My only nitpick is the noticeable blue and yellow technic pieces which rear their ugly heads on some sections of this build (mainly the back).

The cockpit can hold two minifigures, which will most likely be Kai and Skylor. This is a very cute addition, as I've always wanted a Kailor vehicle and this absolutely fits the bill as they can both sit comfortably. The main play features here are you being able to raise the rear section of the raider, thus making it look more imposing. Additionally, you can extend the front wheels to make a more "tank-like" appearance. These two features look great but are messy in their execution. The front wheels tend to splay out while driving, which makes it difficult to roll this thing around as intended.

Two cannons are included on the sides, which look magnificent but don't add as much play value as I would want. A small drone can be popped out from the back, which looks like a last-minute addition but is appreciated nonetheless.

As a whole, this thing looks awesome, but the functions aren't as smooth as I'd like them to be. The raider is also surprisingly smaller than I expected, which says a lot about the value of the set.

Minifigures

Let's talk about Dragon Zane first. Wow wow wow wow wooow. I am at a loss for words. If you can, get your hands on this minifigure before it SKYROCKETS in price. The transparent pieces work so perfectly with the gold and give off this powerful elemental feel. No complaints here (do note that there are blue technic pins that connect the wings to the armour).

Mr. F is another exclusive minifigure. I personally love the samurai helmet used, and my only complaint is that we do not get a recoloured trans-pink visor. Honestly, it doesn't bother me, but I am only pointing it out to address show accuracy.

Skylor looks alright here, although her face print looks off and the lack of leg printing sort of bothers me. Kai looks good, but he's my least favourite of the golden ninja and I prefer his regular Crystalized suit.

The venge-soldiers look great as always, especially with the transparent pink elements. This minifigure lineup is near perfect.

Value

Here we go, let's talk about the price tag. Right off the bat, this is a terrible price. I'd give this set $70 maximum. $60 would be an appropriate price tag. The build is far too small to justify $90. I'd highly suggest you get a good offer on this if you're on a tight budget. There is a lot of play and display value here, but it just isn't quite enough to justify paying $90 and possibly a hundred due to the price increases that are coming into effect soon.

Pros.

• Near perfect minifigure selection (3 exclusives and one that can only be obtained by a much more expensive set)
• Unique features
• Attractive display piece
• Fits two minifigures

Cons

• Play features are a bit messy
• Completely extortionate price

Overall

I like this set, I really do. It does have some problems, but I appreciate its deviation from the status quo. Kai has been getting some sub-par vehicles lately, so I appreciate the return to form here. The price is bad, but I still feel this a good set that you shouldn't buy at fully price.

- Spruce