Hey guys! It’s VaderFan2187 here, and today I will be looking at 10 great LEGO Ninjago sets! The Ninjago theme was first released in 2011 alongside several pilot episodes of the LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu TV series. It was supposed to run until 2013, but the show’s unforeseen popularity caused the season to be renewed in 2014 and it has continued ever since. It is currently approaching its tenth season, and it even has its own LEGO Movie!
Today I’ll be looking at 10 different categories and choosing what I believe to be the best LEGO Ninjago set for each category. Let’s jump in!
The Top 10 Best LEGO Ninjago Sets
VaderFan2187’s Favorite – 70618 Destiny’s Bounty
About the set
This set is one of the larger LEGO Ninjago sets released, with 2295 pieces and 7 minifigures. It was released as part of the first LEGO Ninjago Movie set wave in 2017. The seven minifigures included are the protagonists of the LEGO Ninjago Movie (and the TV series as a whole) – the ninjas Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, Nya, and Lloyd, along with their teacher, Sensei Wu. All six ninja wear their normal LEGO Ninjago Movie garb (with their masks on) and none of them are exclusive. Master Wu wears the same outfit that he wears in the other Ninjago Movie sets, but he does have a new face print.
The build in the set is a reimagined version of the iconic Ninjago ship, the Destiny’s Bounty. The ship was completely changed for the LEGO Ninjago Movie, and is now just a normal “junk” ship. It measures over 21 inches long, 17 inches tall, and 6 inches wide. The set is suggested for ages 9-14 as it has a slightly difficult build with lots of little details, though I believe anyone above the age of 14 would be able to appreciate this set.
Why We like it
There are many reasons to love this set. First, the minifigure selection is great – fans of the Ninjago franchise will be very pleased to get all six ninja in their regular garb all in one set. Master Wu is also a nice addition. The minifigure selection just feels very complete, and you can have all the ninja hanging out with their Sensei, going on adventures around your house. The only missing character is arguably Lord Garmadon, but you don’t need him if you would rather have peaceful explorations and adventures instead of a big battle.
The build in the set is also one of the best LEGO builds – ever! It is simply phenomenal. It is a very large build, yet completely covered with lots of little details (hence the high piece count). The deck of the ship is large, but has many features like little boxes of tea leaves, crates with little Ninjago trading card easter eggs stored inside, fold-open weapons storage, and a rotating anchor deployment play feature. There’s also lots of space to pose your minifigures and play with them on the open-air deck, plus a boarding ramp in between the two dragon heads at the front.
That’s not all, though, as the ship has partially modular sections. A large portion of the deck can be removed, along with the taller rear sections of the ship. The interior has even more details like a bedroom for Master Wu, a training dojo, and a bathroom! The bedroom has a new bed design that allows you to place a minifigure under the blanket, the dojo has lots of weapons and space to battle, and the bathroom manages to incorporate modern bathroom details in the old, traditional style of the overall ship. There are also several Easter Eggs from previous Ninjago TV seasons in the set, like an Anacondrai helmet (Season 4), a Djinn blade (Season 6), the Shurikens of Ice (Pilot Season – Season 2), and an Aeroblade (Season 5).
Final Thoughts
On the whole, this is one of the best LEGO Ninjago sets for young and old LEGO fans alike. The build is an amazingly detailed ship with lots of space on the ship for minifigure play and display. The seven minifigures included are also good to get, and the price seems very reasonable relative to the size and detail of the build. For a more in-depth look at the set, you can check out my review.
70651 Throne Room Showdown
About the set
This is a 221-piece set that was released as part of the LEGO Ninjago: Hunted subtheme. It was released in 2018. There are five minifigures included in the set – Harumi, Lloyd Garmadon, Nya, Samurai X, and Skylor. Harumi sports her full evil look, with long white hair and angry expressions, plus a dark outfit and a red katana. Lloyd wears a green outfit that has many utility belts printed on it. He has his tan hairpiece, silver sword, and a double-sided head. Nya wears her gunmetal grey outfit and has her ninja cowl on, along with a long spear for battle. Samurai X sports the new white, gold, and dark blue outfit, with samurai battle armor, dual katana, and a double-sided head print underneath that reveals her true identity – P.I.X.A.L.! Skylor has bright red hair, a double-sided head, a shoulder armor piece, a yellow colored-outfit, and a red utility belt. She is armed with dual katana and two shurikens (or ninja stars).
The build in the set is Harumi’s throne room, based on the scene where she and Lord Garmadon take over Ninjago. It has a throne in the middle which is pretty elaborate, and has a hidden feature which stores the key to the jail cell. To the right of the throne is a jail cell for Lloyd, with four bars that hinge forward to release him. To the left there is a smashable balcony piece and a security camera. The build measures 28 cm wide, 10 cm high, and 10 cm deep.
Why We like it
One particular aspect that the set excels at is its minifigure selection. The inclusion of five minifigures in a set of this size is pretty uncommon, and the best part is that none of them are filler! All of them are named main characters with big roles in the LEGO Ninjago TV show, and one of them is even exclusive! On that basis, I think it makes this set a worthy purchase, especially since kids and adults alike will enjoy collecting and/or playing with these five great minifigures.
Final Thoughts
On the whole, I think this set is strong mainly due to its minifigure selection, and basically that. Being a small set, its build doesn’t really excel, but the minifigures included are all really great. As such, it is a good little set to purchase if you want to get a large selection of LEGO Ninjago minifigures.
70593 The Green NRG Dragon
About the set
This set was released in the summer of 2016 alongside the Day of the Departed wave, though it was officially part of the LEGO Ninjago Skybound season. It has 567 pieces. There are five minifigures included: Lloyd, Cole, Cyren, Doubloon, and Bucko. Lloyd has his mask neck attachment and has his blonde hairpiece, along with a golden staff as a weapon. Cole also has his hairpiece and lower mask, but features sand green skin as this was his ghost form. He sports a black outfit and wields a golden katana. Doubloon wears a samurai helmet and has dark green shoulder armor. He has his double-sided mask and wields a Djinn blade, which has trapped Kai (thanks to a printed 1×1 round tile). Cyren and Bucko wear similar pirate-themed outfits, and both wield different versions of pirate swords.
There are several builds in the set, but the main one is Lloyd’s NRG Dragon. The dragon is supposed to be made from Lloyd’s elemental power, and has a green and black color scheme. It has a brick-built head which I think looks amazing – probably the best LEGO Ninjago dragon head if you ask me. The build also looks great, with features like golden chest detail, bigfig arms for added muscular definition, and a pair of poseable legs. There’s a saddle for Lloyd with golden reigns and a lantern, along with a ball-jointed tail at the back of the dragon. The dragon’s wings are made from a cloth/vinyl-like piece with prints on both sides. These wings are poseable thanks to ball joints and look very grand indeed.
There are also two side-builds in the set. One of them is a catapult for the Sky Pirates. It has rolling wheels, a cow skull piece, and a working catapult which fires 2×2 round bricks. The other build is a simple Sky Pirate lookout tower. There’s a small tower with space for one minifigure, a pirate flag, and a little space for storing treasure.
Why We Like It
This set is a pretty great set overall – it’s one of my Top 20 LEGO Ninjago sets of all time. The build of the Green NRG Dragon is just really awesome to me – I love all the details, from the majestic wings and brick-built head to the beautiful overall design. The green and black color scheme with the gold highlights works very well too.
Furthermore, the minifigure selection is not bad – you get two of the ninja and their hairpieces, along with three baddies to battle against. You get a large, beautiful dragon, five good minifigures, and a couple of decently sized side builds to boot!
Final Thoughts
Overall, I think this is a great set that is definitely worth picking up if you can still get it. Kids and adults alike will be delighted by the dragon. Furthermore, younger fans can enjoy flying the dragon around and fighting with the evil Sky Pirates (with their catapult and tower), while older fans will be able to display a beautiful, majestic green dragon. Furthermore, this set has good minifigures and is also fairly priced, making for a great, well-rounded set that deserves to be purchased!
70595 Ultra Stealth Raider
About the set
This set was released in 2016, as part of the LEGO Ninjago: Day of the Departed wave. It contains 1093 pieces and 7 minifigures. The seven minifigures are Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, Master Chen, Eyezorai, and Sensei Yang. Kai, Jay, Cole, and Zane all wear their 2016 Day of the Departed outfits, and it’s cool to get all four original ninja in one set. Chen is the same minifigure from 2015, but still looks good, with a very grand headgear piece. Eyezorai is alright, but it’s nice to get another Anacondrai warrior. Sensei Yang is not exclusive but still looks great, with a sand green and white ghostly color scheme, dual-molded ghostly legs, plus a lantern and an Aeroblade.
The main build of the set is the Ultra Stealth Raider, an update to the 2012 vehicle the Ultra Sonic Raider. While that previous vehicle could only hold two ninjas (which was very disappointing for a large team vehicle), this one actually has six seats, meaning it can fit all six ninja minifigures! The vehicle has four wheels and two treads, with a pretty unique design that looks great. The main feature of the set is its ability to transform: the top segment can be lifted off to form a two seater jet, the treads on either side can split off to form a pair of tread bikes, and the central portion can be reconfigured to turn into a large two-seater bike. There are other features too, like spring-loaded shooters, rapid stud shooters, and a transforming wing feature on the jet, making for a great main build that is lots of fun. The Ultra Stealth Raider measures about 38cm long and 34 cm wide, so is an impressive sight in any LEGO fan’s collection.
There is also a side build in the set, the Chenosaurus. It’s basically a Master Chen version of a dinosaur. It has poseable legs, small arms built from chainsaws, and a brick-built head that looks quite cool. Chen gets a big throne smack in the middle, along with a pair of spring-loaded shooters with crossbows on top for ammo. The Chenosaurus stands at 17cm tall and 12 cm wide, proving to be a decently sized opponent to the Ultra Stealth Raider.
Why We Like It
This is honestly one of my favorite LEGO Ninjago sets of all time. The build is fantastic and is a great homage to one of the iconic earlier LEGO Ninjago vehicles from 2012. Furthermore, it looks exceptional and plays really well – in fact, playability is probably this set’s strongest aspect! The main ability to split into several vehicles is a great play feature that I am sure most LEGO fans, especially those in the younger target audience, would appreciate. Even better, it fits all six ninja! As this is the team vehicle, that is how it should be and was one of the shortcomings of the 2012 Ultra Sonic Raider set.
The minifigures in the set are quite a good selection too. The inclusion of the four original ninja in their regular garb are sure to delight new and old LEGO Ninjago fans alike, and all their 2016 suits look fantastic. Master Chen and Eyezorai are decent additions too, and Master Chen’s Jade blade weapon looks quite awesome! Finally, the main antagonist of the Day of the Departed special, Sensei Yang, is another great minifigure. I love his ghostly color scheme, with a phenomenal dual-molded ghost leg piece. The lantern on his back and his ghostly Aeroblade weapon are good additions too.
Finally, this set comes with a lot of bang for your buck. With one huge vehicle that splits into four for better play, seven minifigures, and a large sidebuild that is poseable and has good play features, there is a lot of value for your money in this set!
Final Thoughts
Overall, this is a really great LEGO Ninjago set that I would recommend picking up. The Ultra Stealth Raider is an upgraded version of an iconic LEGO Ninjago vehicle, and it looks phenomenal. Not only does it look amazing, it also plays really well; in fact, playability might be its strongest aspect. Younger LEGO fans will be delighted by the splitting vehicles, the rolling wheels/treads, the firing missiles, and the rapid stud shooters, along with Master Chen’s Chenosaurus. Older LEGO fans will also be able to display this iconic LEGO Ninjago vehicle in their LEGO Ninjago collection with pride. On the whole, I think this is a fabulous set and I would definitely recommend that you pick it up if you can.
Best Set For Kids – 70747 Boulder Blaster
About the set
This is a LEGO Ninjago set that was released in 2015 as part of the Tournament of Elements wave (based on Season 4 of the Ninjago TV series). It contains 236 pieces and 3 minifigures.
The first minifigure in the set is Cole. He wears his black Tournament of Elements suit which is pretty nostalgic to me as 2015 was the year I started liking Ninjago. It has a printed old-style cowl and a predominantly black color scheme, with some brown and gold highlights. The second minifigure is Zugu, one of the Anacondrai warrior commanders. He wears a tan Anacondrai helmet and a dark red Anacondrai shoulder armor. He has a tattooed chest, purple pants, and an Anacondrai sword. The final minifigure is Sleven. He has a similar design to that of Zugu but he does not have a shoulder armor piece and has a simpler dagger.
The build in the set is the eponymous Boulder Blaster. It measures 28cm long from tip to tip and is a fighter jet for Cole to use. It has a black, brown, and gold color scheme which not only looks earthy, but matches Cole’s ninja outfit. Also, it has features like an opening cockpit with room for one minifigure, poseable flaps, and piping detail, but its main play feature is the most impressive one. There’s a Technic handle at a 90º angle that allows it to be held like a gun, and there are a couple of gears on the side of the ship that you can turn. When you turn the gears, they rotate the front of the ship around, firing a total of 8 spring-loaded shooters in succession, revolver style! If you turn it fast enough, they fire pretty far, fast, and in quick succession which is really great fun!
There is a small side build in the set, an Anacondrai outpost. There’s not much too it but it has a pillar which you can use as target practice, since it splits apart upon impact.
Why We Like It
Okay, I know this is a little bit of a weird choice, but hear me out. Unlike many AFOLs, what most young LEGO fans like to do with their LEGO sets is – play with them. In that sense, this set is perfect for playability. It’s a small-ish set that’s not too difficult for younger fans to build by themselves or with parents, and while the play feature is simple it is a lot of fun. Who doesn’t like running around the house shooting pew pew lasers out of their new LEGO set? Furthermore, the included Technic handle is a great bonus addition that helps with the swooshability of the craft.
Furthermore, the price of this set is not too expensive and the builds are appropriately sized in relation to the price, meaning parents likely won’t feel like they got cheated of their money.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this set is a fun little quality set for younger LEGO fans. Kids will delight in being able to swoosh the Boulder Blaster around and fire the spring-loaded shooters at targets (don’t aim at your siblings though!) The three minifigures included are also pretty good, though it would have been better for play if Cole had an accessory that he could use to battle the Anacondrai warriors.
Not a bad set at all, and if you can pick this up for your child or for a younger LEGO-loving friend, I would recommend this set.
Best Set for Adults – 70751 Temple of Airjitzu
About the set
This set was also released in 2015, as a large Direct to Consumer set from LEGO. It was a very significant set, as it was the largest LEGO Ninjago set for a few years before being replaced by 70620 Ninjago City. It had 2028 pieces, 13 minifigures.
The thirteen minifigures in the set are Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, Lloyd, Nya, Master Wu, Misako, Dareth, Jesper, Claire, and the Postman, plus a statue of Sensei Yang. The six original ninja (Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, Lloyd, and Nya) all wear their same outfits from the Possession season, though Nya wears her dark red and blue suit and not the black Deepstone outfit like the other five ninja. Master Wu has an exclusive outfit, with tan and golden printed robes. He has his flowing white beard and a golden conical hat. Misako is an exclusive figure, which is surprising as she is a fairly important character in the Ninjago saga. She has grey hair, a printed face, and a tan/sand green outfit. Dareth is an exclusive variant, but this version is a little bit less accurate to the show compared to the 2014 version. He has new torso and face prints but his legs are unprinted. Jesper, Claire, and the Postman are all regular Ninjago civilians and look alright, and they would fit into any normal LEGO City display. Finally, the statue of Sensei Yang is just a plain grey, unprinted figure.
The build of the set is a portion of the old Ninjago City. It has the Temple of Airjitzu, a blacksmith shop, a smuggler’s market, and a bridge. The entire village measures more than 42 cm high, 52 cm wide, and 35 cm deep, making for an impressive display. The Temple of Airjitzu itself has a red and black Japanese style building design that looks great. It has clear windows and four levels (plus an attic) to the interior. The attic has a box labeled “Cole’s stuff”, and below that is the top floor, Misako’s personal office. Her office has a bookshelf, a stickered floor, and a painting that she is working on. The level below that is a training dojo for the ninja, with various weapons like katanas and a bow, along with a scratched-up training dummy. There’s another stickered floor tile piece and a fair bit of open floor space for the ninja to train. Below that is the living room, with beautiful printed windows and a sand blue patterned floor design. There’s a dark blue table in the middle with a teapot, a bowl, and a loaf of bread for any of the Ninjago characters to eat. Finally, the lowest floor has arguably the coolest feature in the set – a shadow theatre, used for entertainment throughout history in many cultures. Rotating a crank on the back of the building will turn on a light brick, casting rotating shadows of tiny minifigures and flames onto a translucent canvas for minifigures to watch and be entertained. It’s an innovative feature that hasn’t been done in any other LEGO sets at the time of writing, and is pretty cool in my opinion! Turn the Temple of Airjitzu around, and there are a pair of curved stone steps which lead up to the reception area – these are brick-built and look great. There’s also a golden fountain in the middle with the statue of Sensei Yang.
The other two buildings are the Smuggler’s market and the Blacksmith shop. The Smuggler’s market has a sand green design along with a very aesthetically pleasing, curved black roof (made from garage door pieces). The walls are sand green in color, along with some very nice golden details on the front. Inside, there are a couple of crates with apples and fish pieces inside for minifigures to purchase. There are also a couple of hidden treasure chests on top, plus a couple of chickens roaming the area. The Blacksmith shop, on the other hand, has a blue and brown design reminiscent of older LEGO blacksmith shops from Castle themes. It’s a nice homage to older LEGO sets and looks really good too. There’s a stickered entrance door and a double-storey design. The lower storey has a forge and an anvil – both of which are brick-built – for someone like Kai to do some blacksmithing. There are also some weapons included. The upper storey is pretty small and kinda cramp, but a couple of minifigures can still be placed inside. Finally, there is an oriental-styled red bridge connecting the blacksmith shop and the smuggler’s market. It has a curved red design which looks good, plus a couple of stone dragon statues on either side.
There’s also a little fireworks cart included. It has wheels and handles that can be pulled along by minifigures. The cart is built from a rapid stud shooter, and when you turn it, it fires off red, blue, and yellow studs vertically, mimicking a firework.
Why We Like It
Okay, there are a LOT of things to like about this set which I think make it the best LEGO Ninjago set for adults. The builds in the set are simply phenomenal, making for one of the most detailed LEGO Ninjago sets. The contrasting building designs are very aesthetically pleasing, and I simply LOVE the oriental design of the main Temple of Airjitzu itself. Furthermore, the thirteen minifigures included are all good, and it’s nice to get the important Ninjago characters in one fell swoop.
What makes this set good for adults? Well, the builds are pretty advanced, and while younger fans might be able to build it I think it will be a fairer challenge for older LEGO fans. Also, the playability of this set is good, but it’s not a super strong suit. Rather, it has three buildings and a bridge that look simply phenomenal on display, plus lots of great little details in the buildings that are good for posing minifigures. As many older LEGO fans do not have time to play with their LEGO sets and instead choose to display them, this set will be a good match for them.
Final Thoughts
On the whole, this is a very strong LEGO Ninjago set that would fit great into your LEGO collection. The builds of the set are remarkably detailed, and are amazing for displaying. It would easily be one of the stars of any LEGO fan’s collection. The set is suitably fun to build for older fans, and has lots of details and space to pose minifigures for display. Furthermore, the inclusion of 13 minifigures really helps to populate the scene and bring the village to life.
As the third-biggest LEGO Ninjago set of all time, this is an iconic LEGO Ninjago set with many attractive aspects, and it definitely deserves a spot in any Adult Fan of LEGO’s collection.
Best For Expert Builders – 70620 Ninjago City
About the set
70620 Ninjago City is currently the largest LEGO Ninjago set and the fifth largest LEGO set of all time! It has a whopping 4867 pieces and 17 minifigures. The seventeen minifigures in the set are Jay (ninja outfit), Kai (casual clothes), Lloyd (casual clothes), the Green Ninja outfit, Misako, Sweep the Robot, Ivy Walker, Konrad, a Jamanakai Villager, Sally, Severin Black, Mother Doomsday, Guy, Juno, Tommy, Officer Noonan, and a Shark Army Thug. There are also a pair of mannequins in one of the rooms.
Jay is the first figure, and he is not exclusive, wearing the same dark blue outfit that he sports in some of the other LEGO Ninjago Movie sets. Kai wears his exclusive red civilian outfit that does not appear in any other sets. He has his regular head and spiky hairpiece. Lloyd is not exclusive, with his dark green hoodie and tan hairpiece. The Green Ninja ninja outfit is included for Lloyd if he needs a quick change, but by default it has a clear headpiece to show that it is not being worn. Misako, Lloyd’s mom, is exclusive to this set but the only exclusive part of her is her head print. She has her new orange hairpiece, a smiling head print, and a printed green jacket. Sweep the Robot is a brick-built robot cleaner that looks cute – he even wears a conical hat! Ivy Walker is supposed to be Jay’s sister (as they share the same surname). She has long brown hair and a white oriental outfit that looks fantastic. Konrad and the Jamanakai Villager wear similar dark tan and blue outfits matching the villagers of Ninjago City, and they act as background characters in the wonderful world of Ninjago. Sally is a young girl with short minifigure legs, brown hair, and dark blue robes. Severin Black is the crab chef who moonlights as the sushi chef. He has a dark red and brown outfit, a white sailor hat, and a printed moustache. Mother Doomsday works at the comic book store and has a vast knowledge of comics. He has a brown ponytail, a printed beard, and a sand blue shirt which says “Galidor” – a reference to an infamous old LEGO theme. Guy and Juno are both generic citizens of Ninjago City, but they wear more modern clothing – Guy even has a new printed pink torso. Tommy is a young LEGO Ninjago fan based on one of the TV show creator’s sons. He has a cute face print and a printed shirt with the Green Ninja design on it. Officer Noonan is one of Ninjago City’s police officers. She wears a police cap and has the Super Secret Police uniform, plus some printed sunglasses. The Shark Army Thug is the last minifigure in the set, and is the only bad guy. He wears a generic Shark Army outfit and has a knitted cap plus a fish weapon. As for the mannequins in the shop, they have unprinted heads, but they wear white ninja training gi printed on their torso and legs. They also have orange scarf elements.
The build in the set is a gigantic, multi-storey build of Ninjago City. This was designed alongside the locations in the LEGO Ninjago Movie, and thus is packed full of accurate details and fun easter eggs. It measures 31 cm wide, 42 cm deep, and a whopping 63 cm tall! It’s designed like a modular building, with individual buildings that can be separated for easier transport and play. Ninjago City is divided into three segments: The Old World, the Street, and the High Rise. On the back of the set, there’s a small elevator that actually works, transporting minifigures from level to level. The elevator is a small 4×4-sized platform that can fit one figure. It connects to the build via a geared mechanism, and you can simply lift it up and down by hand.
The Old World represents the older, more village-like heritage of Ninjago City. It features several buildings, including: a fish market, a tea house, a civilian’s home, and a charging room for Sweep the Robot. There’s a stone pathway with an arch bridge that has room for a boat to pass underneath. There are also lots of leaves and water elements throughout to give it a very nature-like design.
The elevator can take a minifigure up to the next level – the Street. This area is much more modernised, and actually has two sets of bulidings stacked on top of each other. There’s a corridor running along the outside, with lots of stickered colorful advertisements to catch minifigure eyes. The first building in the middle is a crab restaurant, with a red and brown design. There’s a brick-built crab model outside, seats for customers inside, and a working grill which swaps an uncooked crab for a grilled one. To the left of the crab restaurant is a wall with stickered posters – four are included and you can swap them out for whichever want you fancy. On the right of the crab restaurant is a working ATM machine (which dispenses 13 printed money tiles) and Mother Doomsday’s Comic Book Store. The Comic Book store has lots of fun details and easter eggs to Ninjago’s history and other LEGO themes too.
Above the crab restaurant is a clothing and accessory retail shop, also accessible via the elevator. It has a bright blue design and large glass panels which make it feel pretty airy, and inside the shop there are lots of minifigure accessories like hats, phones, and skateboards, plus the two minifigure mannequins. On the left of the retail shop is an artistic window design with the elevator behind it, and on the right of the retail shop is an incomplete building that has been abandoned. There are some boards over the windows, and a large brick-built cherry blossom has grown through the window.
Finally, the High Rise forms the top section of the build. It has an open-air sushi restaurant, with multiple tables and a working conveyor belt. A sand green cylindrical tower rises above the sushi restaurant to help make the build look more interesting. There’s a large brick-built hole in the center of the tower which looks great, plus a few different types of antennae to designate it as a TV tower. The lower level of the tower has a small public bathroom for minifigures to use – this can be accessed from the sushi restaurant via steps. Lloyd and Misako’s house is on the right side of the High Rise. It’s a small yellow house with golden windows, a set of bunkbeds, and a space to store the Green Ninja outfit in the roof. There are also some colorful signs and brick-built animal mascots attached to the sides of the build.
Finally, there’s a small little fishing boat included. It has a rudimentary brown and tan color scheme, along with a printed solar panel tile.
Why We Like It
This set is literally the biggest LEGO Ninjago set of all time, and, in my opinion, is one of the best. Firstly, it’s a humongous build that will likely be the centerpiece of most LEGO collections, due to its large size and phenomenal detail.
All the builds in this set are also super detailed as well, which is another really really strong point for the set. Almost every room is jam-packed with details, from stickered TVs with “Good Morning Ninjago” designs to brick-built toilet paper and air freshener builds in the public bathroom. There are also lots of easter eggs to various elements from Ninjago’s past, such as the stickered Shadow of Ronin advertisement board (referencing an old LEGO Ninjago video game).
The set is also unique in the sense that a build at this scale has never really been done before. Sure, there are LEGO sets that have more pieces than this, but no other LEGO set has fit a whole freaking LEGO city into a set of this size – with 11 buildings and a bunch of other open-air spaces, the scale of this set is simply amazing and unmatched. Due to its massive size and wide variety of places for minifigures to visit, the set is also great for playability, as you can take minifigures from place to place to visit the different locations.
So why is this set good in particular for expert builders? Well, simply because this set is absolutely huge and is definitely a huge task for any LEGO builder – albeit an enjoyable task. There’s also lots of little brick-built details throughout, along with a higher build quality and difficulty in general that is probably better suited to more experienced fans of LEGO. Newer LEGO fans can definitely enjoy it, but the task of building it might prove a little bit challenging.
I think the only flaw of this set relates to its minifigure selection. Yes, there are a lot of figures included and several of them are pretty cool, but I think it was a miss for a set of this size to not include all six ninja, and some of the generic citizens included are relatively boring.
Final Thoughts
On the whole, this set is one of the best LEGO Ninjago sets of all time! The build is freaking amazing, possessing a humongous overall size and scope but still packed full of little details in every room. The minifigure selection could have been better but it still comes with lots of minifigures to populate the set, and ultimately the gargantuan, ultra-detailed set is what you’re really looking for when you buy this set.
This is, without doubt, a phenomenal set that will be iconic for years to come. Get it while you can! You won’t regret it.
Best for Minifigures – 70670 Monastery of Spinjitzu
About the set
This set was released as part of the latest LEGO Ninjago wave (at the time of writing) – Ninjago: Legacy. The Ninjago Legacy subtheme is a theme of redesigned old LEGO Ninjago sets and locations, though it also partially ties in with the Ninjago: March of the Oni 4-episode special. This set has 1070 pieces and 8 minifigures.
The eight minifigures in the set are Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, Lloyd, Nya, Sensei Wu, and a Skulkin Warrior. The six ninja all have their Season 10 outfits, with a new mask mold that I think looks good. Kai has the Sword of Fire, Jay has the Nunchucks of Lightning, Cole has the Scythe of Quakes, Zane has the Shurikens of Ice, Lloyd has a golden katana, and Nya has a silver spear. They also have new printed torsos to show their latest ninja gi. Master Wu wears black and white robes reminiscent of his Season 1 appearance, which is an awesome nostalgic touch to the figure. Finally, the Skulkin Warrior has a simple skeleton figure design with a new molded head, a tan conical hat, and a silver dagger.
The build in the set is the eponymous Monastery of Spinjitzu. It has a red, white, and gold oriental design which looks great and is faithful to the in-universe monastery design. The build comes in two main sections – the front half which forms the gate, and the rear half which has the main interior of the Monastery. The front half of the Monastery has an opening red gate with golden details on the front. It can be opened inwards and you can use it to recreate scenes from March of the Oni, as this location was present in those show episodes. There are black roof segments which complement the color scheme well, and on the inside of the front half there are several stickered panels depicting murals. These murals show iconic battles from past Ninjago seasons and are a great nostalgic touch.
The back half of the Monastery of Spinjitzu is larger in size. It has a taller tower in the center and has angled black panels for its roof, which looks good. There’s a table with a white teapot and teacups for Master Wu, with some slide-out stairs and a hidden knife trap in front. To the right is a stand that holds the Nunchucks of Lightning, and there is a hidden trap which launches a golden chicken. The left side of the build has a rotating wall panel and a spinning sword gear mechanism.
The set also includes two sidebuilds. One of them is a fruit training stand, presumably inspired by the Fruit Ninja phone game. There are two fruits mounted on the build and you can hit it with a minifigure weapon to launch the fruits. There’s also a spinning training dummy with silver weapons that the ninja can practice their battle skills against.
Why We Like It
The reason I like this set is its strong minifigure selection, which is fitting considering it’s in the “best LEGO Ninjago set for minifigures” category. It’s really awesome to be able to get all six of the ninja in one set. Even better, they all have their Season 10 outfits with the nice new dual-molded cowl mold which will please LEGO fans. Not only that, but the set comes with Master Wu in his classic outfit as well, which is another great addition as it’s great to get the ninjas’ mentor. The Skulkin warrior included isn’t much but it does provide an opposing force I guess.
Final Thoughts
On the whole, I think this set is good and well worth picking up, even for the minifigures alone. The inclusion of the six ninja (Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, Lloyd, Nya) along with their mentor Wu is great to get in an mid-priced set, and the Skulkin warrior is alright too. The build of the set also looks really great, with a very nice oriental color scheme that has lots of clever interior details, play features, and brick-built designs. I think this set is a worthwhile purchase for any LEGO Ninjago fan.
Others We Really Like (1) – 70655 Dragon Pit
About the set
This set was released in the summer of 2018 – not too long ago – as part of the LEGO Ninjago: Hunted subtheme. It is based on the story when the four original ninja (plus Wu) are sent to the Realm of Oni and Dragons in order to defeat the evil Harumi and Garmadon. This set was the largest set from that subtheme, with 1660 pieces. It contains 9 minifigures.
The nine minifigures in the set are Kai, Jay, Cole, Zane, the Golden Dragon Master, the Iron Baron, Arkade, Chew Toy, and Heavy Metal. Kai, Jay, Cole, and Zane are wearing modified versions of their Sons of Garmadon outfits. Their outfits have been damaged when they travelled between realms, and they have some additional pouches and straps printed on to match the Mad Max-like desert theme. Kai gets two katanas, Jay gets a chained weapon called a kusarigama, Cole has a hammer, and Zane has a bow and arrow. The Golden Dragon Master now sports the full Golden Dragon Armor, with the special golden helmet, breastplate, Dragonbone sword, shield, and under-armor components. His head has a double-sided expression, and he has a stickered flag on his back to complete his battle-ready look. The Iron Baron is the main villain in the Realm of Oni and Dragons. He has a big black top hat, an evil printed expression, a peg leg, a cyborg hand, and a big staff. Chew Toy and Arkade are two of the Oni Realm characters. They wear similarly styled outfits, but Arkade has a welder’s helmet and a printed torso with jackpot design, while Chew Toy has a shield and chicken drumstick for feeding the dragon. Finally, Heavy Metal has a wide-brimmed hat, a huge neck armor piece, and a Vengestone Chain Rifle.
The builds in the set are the Earth Dragon and the huge arena. The Earth Dragon itself has a sand green and grey color scheme, fitting its earthy tone. It has poseable legs, jagged ball-jointed wings, and a ball jointed tail with spikes (resembling a stegosaurus). It also has printed eyes and a poseable jaw with sharp chomping teeth. There’s a space on the back of the Earth Dragon for a minifigure to sit on after it has been tamed.
The main build is the viewing arena, where the Dragon Hunters watch their prisoners battle against the dragons. It seems inspired by the Geonosian arena from Star Wars, with a partially rounded design. Unlike a lot of recent LEGO playsets, the Dragon Hunter arena actually has a lot of depth, which is a welcome surprise as it provides better playability and more space to pose minifigures. There are two remotely activated barred gates that open very smoothly when you turn a knob on the side of the build. There’s a throne for the Iron Baron – a white brick-built dragon skull – and a large shelter overlooking the arena with space to place minifigures. To the left of the main gate, there’s a prison cell area. You can place a minifigure inside to capture them, then turn a knob to open a trapdoor and send the figure falling into the arena below. On the right of the gate is a watchtower. It is taller than the jail cell, and at the top there are a pair of flick-fire missiles that can be fired off together. There’s a space for a minifigure to stand and look out (complete with viewing telescope), and below the watchtower area is a forge. The forge has an anvil and several already-made minifigure weapons.
Why We Like It
Why do I like this set? Well, in my opinion, this is the ideal LEGO playset. The large arena playset build is at a good size and is an impressive sight, but it also has a lot of depth which is not only good for posing figures, but also makes the build look more realistic and complete. Furthermore, I like how the design of the playset suggests part of the arena’s wall, allowing the owner of the set to imagine the actual overall size of the arena.
The inclusion of the dragon is good for play, as it gives the ninja a common target to battle against. The ability to seat a minifigure on the dragon is a nice inclusion too, as it allows the ninja to tame the dragon and then use it against the Dragon Hunters (kind of like Anakin with the reek in Star Wars Episode II).
The minifigure in the selection is also really great – both for minifigure collectors and playability. The inclusion of all four original ninja in their new suits AND the Golden Dragon Master in his full golden glory is really awesome, and the inclusion of four Dragon Hunters is good for battling as well.
Final Thoughts
On the whole, this is one of my favorite LEGO Ninjago playsets. The builds, minifigure selection, playability, and price are all good – what’s not to like? I think this set will be a good LEGO set to pickup for any LEGO Ninjago fan.
Others We Really Like (2) – 70736 Attack of the Morro Dragon
About the set
This set was released in the summer of 2015 as part of the Possession subtheme (which, incidentally, is also my favorite LEGO Ninjago season). It had 658 pieces and six minifigures.
The six minifigures in the set are Jay, Kai, the Possessed Green Ninja, Chain Master Wrayth, Yokai, and Cowler. Jay and Kai are wearing their Possession outfits. These ninja gi are made from Deepstone, and thus are dominantly black (with red or blue highlights). Both of them have katanas sheathed on their back and are armed with Aeroblades – ghost-defeating weapons. The Possessed Green Ninja is supposed to represent when Morro possessed Lloyd. He has a ghostly black and green color scheme, with tattered robes, pale green skin, and a black staff. Chain Master Wrayth is one of the ghost masters. He has tattered ghost ninja robes, a translucent ghost leg piece, and a chain weapon with a ghost blade at the end. Finally, Yokai and Cowler are two generic ghost warriors. They have translucent legs, ghostly swords, and translucent heads. Both of them have scabbards to fit their dual katana, along with sharp staffs. Cowler has a conical hat, while Yokai has a ghost ninja cowl. There are also a pair of Skreemers included – these are small ghost pieces that fit over a minifigure’s head to “possess” them.
The builds in the set are the Morro Dragon and the Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master. The Morro Dragon is a huge ghostly dragon, measuring 27 cm wide and 53 cm long. It has a beautiful ghostly color scheme, with a great balance of black, dark blue, lime green, and translucent green that gives it an almost glowing effect (it does not actually glow in the dark though). It has two large printed wings that look really great, poseable legs, piercing red eyes, ghostly translucent reins, and an opening jaw. The Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master is a smaller side build, with a white design. There are stairs, an ornamental gate, glow-in-the-dark lanterns, a weapons rack, and the important Realm Crystal (represented by a translucent blue diamond piece). There are also two hoverboards included for the ninja. The hoverboards have golden katana and are color coded based on the ninja’s color (black + red or blue). Kai and Jay can be placed on their respective hoverboards and they look pretty good.
Why We Like It
Why do I like this set? Well, I think this is a great set overall, for many reasons. Firstly, the builds – honestly, the Morro Dragon is freaking phenomenal. The dark blue and light fluorescent green color scheme creates a fabulous ghostly effect that looks amazing, even though it doesn’t actually glow. The head of the dragon is fully brick-built, and while that normally doesn’t turn out too well in LEGO, it looks fantastic here. It has sharp horns all over and two small bright red eyes which just add to the creepiness! I also like the wavy light green lies which ebb and flow along the sides of the dragon’s body. The two printed vinyl wings look amazing, as do the translucent lime green highlights throughout the body for added ghostly effect. The Tomb of the First Spinjitzu Master and the two color-coordinated hoverboards for the ninja protagonists are nice inclusions too.
The minifigures included are also pretty good too. Kai and Jay in their deepstone outfits are not exclusive but I personally really like the black ninja outfits and it’s great to get two of the original ninja in the Season 5 outfits. The Possessed Green Ninja (aka Morro possessing Lloyd) is also a fantastic minifigure who only appears in one other (larger) set. He has a black and green tattered design, along with a big black staff that has a large black horn. Finally, the other three ghost warriors and the two Skreemers included round out the pretty good minifigure selection.
On the whole, this set is really just a fantastic, well-rounded LEGO Ninjago set. The dragon and side builds are amazing to look at and fun to play with, and the dragon itself looks spectacular with a fabulous ghostly color scheme! The minifigures are also good, especially for play, and the price is very reasonable considering the size of the finished model. What’s not to like? I don’t think this set is on store shelves any more but if you chance upon it or want to buy it from Bricklink, I would advise you to go ahead.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this is one of my favorite LEGO Ninjago sets of all time. 70736 Attack of the Morro Dragon has a good minifigure selection and a fabulous brick-built dragon set design that will stand out in any LEGO Ninjago fan collection. The awesome dragon and battle-ready minifigures will not disappoint you, and if you are a Ninjago fan I would definitely advise you to pick it up if you can. A phenomenal set overall.
Summary
In summary, the LEGO Ninjago theme is truly a great LEGO theme, and its wide popularity is well deserved. The 8-year-old theme has blessed us with countless amazing sets, with many sets that excel in certain aspects. Sets like 70651 Throne Room Showdown and 70747 Boulder Blaster are great for children or those on a lower budget, while larger sets like 70618 Destiny’s Bounty, 70751 Temple of Airjitzu, and 70620 NINJAGO City will blow the minds of LEGO fans and non-LEGO fans alike with their massive size and detail. Other sets in-between like 70736 Attack of the Morro Dragon, 70670 Monastery of Spinjitzu, and 70595 Ultra Stealth Raider also provide great minifigures, playability, and displayable models. The LEGO Ninjago theme may have had some ups and downs in its history, but it has had countless gems in its lineup that would be a huge shame to miss.
But that’s all I’ve got for today! I hope you enjoyed this countdown of the Top 10 LEGO Ninjago sets. Bear in mind these are my picks, and yours will likely differ. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! I’m keen to hear what you guys pick.
Thank you very much for reading! I’m VaderFan2187, and I’ll see you next time on BrickPals.com!