Review: 2257 Spinjitzu Starter Set

[captain crossbricks]

Aye Curumba! 25$ for just 2 minifigs some cards and 4 bricks?

The minfigures look good but thats way to pricey!

Thanks for the review though Tin7

[-obelix-]

Looking at those sets now, and thinking back on how I was so happy when I first saw Ninjas returning, makes me kind of sad for the lack of any real value in them (apart from the minifigs)...

Thanks for the review, it was very helpful! I'll probably get just the two, smallest, sets.

[Sirens-of-Titan]

First off, great review tin_7, thank you for sacrificing your cash to discover just what is under the hood of these spinner packs. I have mixed feeling about this, on the one hand I, like yourself, usually get sets as part packs and for mini-figures and accessories, but it seems a bit drastic to pay upwards of 10$ per figure. Now the ninja looks great, and the skeleton is pretty decent, so hmm I may bricklink a few accessories and figures, but I have no use for the cards, fancy packaging and spinner bases. i hope this does sell well to kids though, if it does they'll keep up the regular sets as well, and that's where most AFOL's will be spending anyways

[Delta 38]

Yay, there is a grey katana in this set! I'll definitely get it now.

It's too bad about the plastic, though. Is it the whole skeleton (minus head)?

[vexorian]

So, 25 Cad for two minifigs and TLG still had to use Chinese plastic?

The price for this thing is just too high, I am not sure TLG are in their sane mind with this. Considering how ninjago is a new thing and all this aggressive pricing will just ensure children stick to one of the 40 alternatives instead of trying them. I can already picture these sets 80% off in the future.

I am also disappointed by the skeleton's arms and how the legs are a single piece.

It is also terrible that the mechanism (or lack of) is so poor. Specially considering all that LEGO needed to use was one of the racers pull back pieces and some technic gears :(

I hope the sets turn out better.

Edited December 24, 2010 by vexorian

[Brickus]

Thank you for a closer look at this set, I'm probably not going to get this theme.

[Hourman]

The Skellie (or Frakjaw as TLG calls him) is awesome too; he's got great new legs, and the armor is exquisite, as is the head print; however, the arms suck, as they are fixed at an angle...

I guess the skeleton arms are fixed at an angle to maintain balance in the game. If they had used regular skeleton arms, the skeleton would have had a little advantage over the standard minifigure since the distance between the figure armpit to the weapon would be a little higher than normal.

[Arigomi]

Thanks for the great scans of the cards. They certainly came up with some goofy game mechanics.

It's interesting to see that there is a clip on the back side of the ninja hood so that they can carry a weapon on their back.

[The Mugbearer]

Interesting game rules. I guess, someone will build spinning mechanism, if TLC won't make such. =)

[Bobskink]

I wanted to buy this set for the parts, for the blue ninja and for the typical chinese hat, but that last one is not included, even if it's pictures on the front card. Kinda strange, because Lego is always very accurate on the contents showing on the box/blister.

[blueShinyApple]

but trying to spin that huge top with your fingers is going to be pretty damn awkward.

No, it's really not. it's pretty easy, and it spins for a good while when you know how to do it.

[brciktw]

COOL!I hope the sets turn out better.

[AndersI]

My daughter (11) entered the form at www.lego.com to be a 'test pilot' (sometime in November?). As LEGO looked for boys, she entered the motivation "Because I am a girl!!!". On the 23:rd of December a large letter from LEGO was found in our mailbox...

The game is OK, but very repetitive. The ninja is easy to spin by holding it's head(gear), the skeleton is more difficult to spin like that. We haven't tried the way depicted in the instructions, but that should probably not be too difficult, we just started to play without looking too much at the instructions.

The skeleton minifig is a bit mutilated by having 'shoes' to make it sit tight in the spinning top, otherwise it looks exactly like other (new) skeletons, i.e only one degree of freedom in the shoulder joint.

[den7]

Thanks for the review. Also saw in the shop today.

The Starter set with Blue Ninja costs AUD29.

And the individual set e.g. Red/White/Black Ninja costs AUD16. Never thought about this until I saw the price.

Wanted to get at least the Ninjas though, but way too expensive.

[indyman09]

Thank you very much for that great review. Now I read this, I'm absolutely sure that I'm not going to buy any of this NinjaGo game sets.

[xyxstradus]

To be honest I only wanted to buy a set to collect the figs, but after seeing the leg joint, I can tell its the same quality as the collectible minifigs and not of the regular figures from normal sets. I may skip this theme altogether, or simply wait until it inevitably goes on clearance :P

[horizon]

What the... is going on what the chinese plastic?? Aren't you all being a bit to negative?

I see no difference in the set we have compared to old(?) Lego.

The game is fun. My son (almost 4) and daughter (almost 7) can spin them with ease and both understand how the cards are used.

The spinning works great. The weapons are cool. Great funn.

Yes, it is on the pricey side but all Lego is in my opinion. (With the 'high-profile names' like Toy Story being the worst).