Aesthetic 10. This is a beautiful hunk of plastic.
Building Experience 10. Fun, long-lasting and novel. Perfect.
Design 8. Some interesting choices. I don’t love how the Ninjago City Docks line up against the elevator, in part because that blocks one of the Ninjago City play functions. And while the river feature is nice looking, its actual layout is problematic for inclusion in a larger display (see displayability below). Extra points for the way that different levels actually connect.
Displayability 8. This is an excellent looking set, and it’s huge. The only drawback is trying to place it in a larger display, which is made awkward by the geometry of the Ninjago City river feature.
FOMO 10. This set will never be remade, so get it while the getting is good.
Minifigures 7. A large number of minifigures, with several interesting designs. An exclusive Mother Doomsday in a Galador shirt is definitely a plus. Nothing terribly exciting, though.
Parts 10. For both the sheer quantity of parts, plus a number of interesting parts, Ninjago City scores an easy 10.
Playability 8. The different levels detach, a la modular buildings, providing access to detailed interior spaces. Connections between the levels – elevator, stairs, ladders, etc. – are organic and complete. There are a few minor play functions, such as a dispensing ATM, but nothing very exciting. Once again, the sheer size of this set makes it an excellent play toy, with many things for minifigures to do.
Value at MSRP and at Current Resale 10. 4867 pieces for $300, combined with the fascinating build and enjoyable play toy, make this set extremely good value at MSRP, if you can afford the initial outlay. The set is currently available in LEGO stores and at LEGO.com, so there is no aftermarket, yet.
Je ne sais quoi 10. I love this set. It’s vaguely reminiscent of a location from the original Blade Runner, and that is high praise. If I did not own this set, I would very much want it.
TOTAL 91.
*This is our first published review. Ratings are subject to revision.
