| | I love Lego for the models and building more than the figures but the release of the ninja turtles series is one case where the cool little representation of some very unique characters is one instance where the figures were a definite incentive for me to buy. Luckily the 79100 set let’s me have my cake and eat it too with some cool figures PLUS a pretty nifty sci-fi related construction.
The 79100 Kraang Lab Escape is a 90 piece assembly of parts that amounts to a laserbeam laboratory holding cell and a small spidery walking transport.
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| | Starting off with the holding cell, the construction is chiefly a transparent half cylinder with trans-green posts representing laser beams to keep the prisoner in place. The base of the cell has a control panel, switch and holding clips for accessories. The base of the cell is hinged with the back half of the base hanging out the back so you can tap it with your finger making the cylinder pop off for easy escape (not sure how the prisoner is supposed to make that cylinder pop off unless he’s a Jedi with telekinetic powers but it’s a simple-yet-effective construction).
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| | The more interesting construction in this set is the spider-legged transport with a very small piloting area enclosed by a bubble (come on, what’s a cool sci-fi contraption without a bubble canopy??). Unfortunately this piloting area won’t fit anything other than Kraang (who is a body-less tentacled-brain monster) but that might just add to the attraction. The transport features two flick missiles and has the added feature of the bubble base detaching from the spider legs as a separate unit. There are a couple of wee rockets mounted on the back of the base so the bubble could make a quick escape.
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| | Figures include Kraang (a rubbery tentacled piece that fits over a pink head-sized element), Foot ninja figure (good body print) and Michaelangelo (again, pretty good body print with the nice accessory of a turtle shell that fits snug on his back like a backpack). Accessories include Mike’s nunchucks, a chain mace and a pizza (you gotta love these pizza elements!).
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| | Construction on all of the models is solid and makes very good use of the pieces included. A very early stage of the bubble-base reminded me of a mini Star Trek space craft. Some weak points to the set include the way the nunchucks (nunchaku for you purists) came together, I didn’t like the way small bits of tubes were used for the handles and the chain seemed overly long. This is a minor complaint but I think a one-piece part for the nunchucks (like the chain mace) would have worked a little better.
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| | Overall I’m impressed with this particular set. For not too many bucks, it would make the perfect standalone set to take on a long car ride (but there aren’t too many parts for coming up with your own designs if this is the only set you’ve got).
Buyers will want to be VERY wary of the price they pay. At lego.com you can pick it up for about 13 dollars, but there’s a bully giraffe (toy store) on the playground that will make you pay $18!
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