Name: Magma Mech

Set: 8189

Theme: Power Miners

Year: 2010

Pieces: 183

Minifigs: 2

Price: USD 19.99

Hello there. I picked this set up during the Black Friday sale at the Lego store, and since there was no review of this set here yet, I thought I'd make one. Let's start with the box. On the side it has ads for the Lego Club and the Clutch Powers DVD movie, and unlike last year's PM sets, it has the number of the vehicle on it in large, lava-colored numbers.

The back shows some of the play features and a close-up of the sweet new helmet.

Inside the box you will find 3 bags, 1 loose cable, 1 instruction booklet, and 1 sticker sheet. Unlike previews PM stickers, these don't glow in the dark.

This set is a treasure trove of extra-ordinary pieces! Here are all the new pieces in this set: One of those old wedged pieces and mudflaps in lime green, the smooth dome piece in trans blue, the big drill piece in blue, a new 4x4 round brick which doesn't have Technic holes and fits onto the new turntable piece, a dark bley 2x2 jumper plate, lime 1x3 and bley 2x4 tiles, the new 1x1brick with a stud on the side, and best of all - metallic silver tread links! This is one piece that would be great to have in large numbers!

The figs in this set are excellent as well! Both the rock monster and the miner with a metal plate on his head are evolved versions of their former selfs. Firax has black body parts instead of dark bley ones and a transparent, flaming head. Metal Plate Guy has a shiny new outfit and armor.

The miner without the armor:

And finally, here is the mech itself:

You can extract the claw arm by pulling the blue trigger underneath it. Here it is in mid-motion:

And this is it fully extended. It moves very smoothly and can be retracted easily by pulling the trigger back again. However, it falls almost 90 degrees while extending.

The cockpit is brick-built and can be opened.

Left-over pieces:

Bonus:

The Magma Mech compared with the Mine Mech:

Firax screamed in agony and pain as the Magma Mech forcefully grabbed him and started spraying him with ice-cold water...

When all else fails, the big, heavy feet of the Magma Mech don't!

Hi-res pics here on Flickr.

Final thoughts:

Build: 8/10 Even though it was nothing too challenging, it had little repetitiveness and was enjoyable.

Design: 9/10 The new color scheme works well and is easier on the eyes than the bright lime/orange combination. I just love that V-shaped cockpit front and it was nice to see a brick-built cockpit instead of the usual one-piece one. The overall shape looks good too. When you try to move the arms, the whole cockpit bends a little, and some of the parts on the mech tend to fall off if you're not careful, so it could have been designed a little more stable, but it's fine as it is.

Playability: 5/10 Although the Extend-O-Claw is a neat feature, you can't really do anything with except knock Firax over. The water cannon spins, but there's nothing to spin it with. It would have been nice to have a knob like on the Mine Mech to easily spin it with from behind. But the worst part is that the legs barely move except on the hip. Due to the engine pieces behind the legs and the mudflaps around the ankles, the feet can barely bend. And the knees don't move at all. But the claw mechanism works well, the cockpit opens, and it's somewhat posable.

Parts: 10/10 Lots of new parts and awesome minifigs! What could you want more?

Overall: 8/10 While the mech isn't perfect, it's still a neat set, and an awesome parts pack! The things that bother you can be easily fixed by simple mods. I'd prefer this set over two Fire Blasters any day.

Edited November 29, 200915 yr by WhiteFang
Indexed

Awesome set and great review Just one question were any other power miners sets there?

I'm not as impressed much with the mech but I do really like the miner and monster.

Monster name is Firax not Firox.

Really nice review, can't wait to buy this one- it's looks great

, and pieces are

I'm liking the set. I could see some mods to do on it though.

Thanks for the review Oky Wan!

The set looks like the Mine Mech's dad.

The use of the metallic silver treads as the side of the cockpit is very interesting! I also love the SNOT work on the feet.

I'm not going to buy this (I wasn't going to anyways before seeing your review), but it's always good to see what a set is like.

EDIT: By the way, which type of trans-light blue fire piece did you get? The old one or the new one?

Edited November 29, 200915 yr by ILikePi

Monster name is Firax not Firox.

Really nice review, can't wait to buy this one- it's looks great

, and pieces are

Actually if you zoom in on the box it says firox

Actually if you zoom in on the box it says firox

No, it says Firax. The "a" on top of the box looks like an "o" from far away.

When all else fails, the big, heavy feet of the Magma Mech don't!

GI Joe much? Great review Oky! This is a fantastic set I just love those minifigs. I mean who could resist that awesome armor and helmet?

Great review i miht get this set if there arnt atlantis sets at tru!

19.99 USD means that the price would be an horrible 26.99 in canada witch is 7 bucks more than most of the exoforce mechs .

I'm liking the set. I could see some mods to do on it though.

modding it would be the only reason why i would buy one of these , the set itself is pretty meh.

Thanks for the review Oky Wan Kenobi .

No, it says Firax. The "a" on top of the box looks like an "o" from far away.

Finally the truth revealed!

I love those new 2x2 jumper pieces!

...Oh, great review by the way!

Great review Oky Wan !

This machine looks like it's from an 80's sci fi cartoon, when I first saw it I thought of 'The Day The Earth Stood Still' from the 1950's (not the recent one), only to then realise that the dome is a storage tank not a head of some giant robot battle machine. It's designed for kids to pose in a battle ground of sorts and play with it like a Transformer toy.

Great review Oky!

This looks like a really nice set!

As Pi said He looks like Mine Mech's dad

Great job Oky!

CommanderFox

wow the new power miner sets look terrific nice review 5*****

Nice review. I'm slowly starting to get used to the lime-blue combination. At least on this one it looks pretty good. And all the chrome accent really look good.

Great review and I like that new minifig, the visor looks similar to the old Ice Planet piece.

i hope somebody buys these bulk and sells pieces on bricklink for cheap so i can make an awesome silver tank with those treads! that thing would look epic....

Edited November 29, 200915 yr by andy0002

YAY FOR 1X3 TILES!!!!

Is this the first we've seen of them? I'm gonna have to buy a few of these sets.... I'll be parting them out, but I'm keeping those treads. Between those and the new helmet armor, I can make a nice faction for my post apoc stuff.

Great review! You made me like this set. Before, just looking at the official pics, I thought, meh, but after this review, I'm starting to like this set

Thank you very much for the review!

I am not a Power Miners fan, and I mainly stick with BIONICLE, but this review has made me consider getting this set.

It's a drastic change from the previous Power Miners sets, that's a fact. The color scheme is going to take some getting used to, but I'm impressed with Firax and the claw arm.

Also, treads are WANT.

-Mesonak

Edited November 30, 200915 yr by Mesonak

I just want the minifig, I hope they come out with a cheaper set, with that complete minifig... its got to be the coolest official fig ever! EDIT wait 20 bones, thats a lot better than I thought.... bought!

Edited November 30, 200915 yr by Rayskull

Seems like 1x3 tiles are becoming more and more available.

I'm not a powerminers fan, but that arm mechanism is really cool.

uh i just noticed the frontpAGE uses the word "badass", but when i type here it changes. just wanted to point that out.

megablocks megablocks megablocks

^see?

Edited December 1, 200915 yr by knuclear200x