Ninjago 2014

[PenPlays]

Wow... probably another $200 YTC didn't need to spend. The things people do to be first at having something.

[Mandate]

...would you rather someone buy them and we see nothing of them again until the sets come out?

EDIT: Cole, Jay, and Kai are now up on eBay... http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.Xninjago+2014&_nkw=ninjago+2014&_sacat=0&_from=R40

Edited October 20, 2013 by JayWalker

[Clone OPatra]

Hmm, just going from that Cyrus Borg figure, it looks like the theory that Wu is corrupted and turned into a semi-robot is a good one. Cyrus looks to be a good guy with robot attachments that turn him evil, while there are also the full robots like General Cryptor.

Lloyd seems to be a fairly pissed-off guy what with the one angry face. That fits with the other Ninja faces though. They aren't the happiest bunch of minifigs.

[Mandate]

Well, considering how "Borg" is usually associated with making someone into a cyborg, yeah... Anyway, if you read the set descriptions (or at least, last time I checked anyway) you'll see that Cyrus being corrupted by technology is part of the plot.

[PenPlays]

...would you rather someone buy them and we see nothing of them again until the sets come out?

I really wouldn't mind that at all actually. I want to be surprised when I get a hold on a new set, and getting the minifigs revealed early spoils some of the fun for me. I guess I'm one of the proud of the few people who are content with just set images.

[CM4Sci]

Wow... probably another $200 YTC didn't need to spend. The things people do to be first at having something.

Jesus, I'm so tired of them. They have the Nightwing figure too. The Brick Show isn't this bad.

-Sci

[bekindsorewind]

Jesus, I'm so tired of them. They have the Nightwing figure too. The Brick Show isn't this bad.

-Sci

Brick Show is awful for their own reasons. They also said they tried to get General Cryptor when he first appeared, so they aren't totally innocent on this.

[Mandate]

TBS and YTC are both awful, YTC as far as I've seen just for buying everything in sight. Penkid11, don't like it, don't watch it . Brick Show is just horribly ridiculous.

Back on-topic, the Minifigs look awesome.

[Aethersprite]

Well, while I'm not a fan of TBS and YCF, it's their own money. Let them spend it. We're the ones that benefit in the end, after all.

Also, JayWalker, instead of double posting all the time, you can always edit your previous post.

Back on topic, Cryptor and Lloyd both look great. Cyrus just looks a bit off to me for some reason.

[Mandate]

I am aware of the post edit feature, but that doesn't gain any attention at all. When you edit the post, the system does not declare it and thus because there is "no new post," no-one will check the topic for a while and thus no one will find out.

[bekindsorewind]

Well, while I'm not a fan of TBS and YCF, it's their own money. Let them spend it. We're the ones that benefit in the end, after all.

How do we really benefit? They just show us the same thing we see in the pictures followed by awkward jump cuts and a remark like "It's dope."

Also, General Cryptor is popping up a lot on eBay. A shame whoever bought him for 53 dollars. (YCF)

[Aethersprite]

How do we really benefit? They just show us the same thing we see in the pictures followed by awkward jump cuts and a remark like "It's dope."

Also, General Cryptor is popping up a lot on eBay. A shame whoever bought him for 53 dollars. (YCF)

The fact that we get to see them in detail at all is a good enough benefit for me. I don't really bother with what they say.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Lockon Stratos

[Aanchir]

The fact that we get to see them in detail at all is a good enough benefit for me. I don't really bother with what they say.

I've always felt more or less the same way about video reviews. I almost never watch any video reviews with the sound on unless it's relevant (i.e. if the set has a sound brick).

Of course, there's some merit to talking during video reviews. There are some things, like the weight of the model, that a video without voiceovers can't easily tell you. But at the same time, from my experience, most talking during video reviews strikes me as a mere distraction from what's actually happening on-camera.

I don't hold this against video reviewers, though. There are almost certainly a lot of people on sites like YouTube who DO like their reviews to have commentary, and want to know what the reviewer thinks of the set or figure. And I can't say I haven't warmed up to the Brick Show after I was able to pick up two of this year's Legends of Chima constraction sets from them at Brickfair at less than 50% of their shelf price. They've found a comfortable niche, and we shouldn't fault them for that just because their style doesn't appeal to us.

My favorite video reviewer might be Artifex Creations. He uses a lot of cool video techniques, including amazing time-lapse builds and wonderful 360-degree turnarounds of sets and minifigures. And most of the reviews are kept mostly hands-free, so no fumbling attempts to indicate certain details that slow down the actual video.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Aanchir

[ToaJaller78]

Dude, I Hate YCF. Still, It's nice to know someone found these.

[bekindsorewind]

They've found a comfortable niche, and we shouldn't fault them for that just because their style doesn't appeal to us.

I don't know about style, but very sloppy editing, constantly getting facts or not really caring to look up facts, and butchering of the English language ("Combinate" instead of "combine") isn't exactly my preferred style of public speaking/reviewing coming from said reviewer self-proclaiming themselves a brick expert.

But to each his own.

Also, I can't exactly tell, is Evil Wu's headpiece a new color or the one from the LR train?

Edited October 22, 2013 by bekindsorewind

[Mandate]

Wu's hat is (and has always been) the bamboo hat introduced in the 2011 waves of NINJAGO, so no, it is not from the LR train. Nor is the bamboo hat in the LR train.

[Clone OPatra]

Wu's hat is (and has always been) the bamboo hat introduced in the 2011 waves of NINJAGO, so no, it is not from the LR train. Nor is the bamboo hat in the LR train.

The hat is on the front of the LR train. I believe the question is if it's in a new color on Wu, or if it's the same color as it appears on the train (which I think was the dark metallic color?).

[Mandate]

Oh, I was only looking at the Minifigs. I guess that would be the case then

[Aanchir]

The hat is on the front of the LR train. I believe the question is if it's in a new color on Wu, or if it's the same color as it appears on the train (which I think was the dark metallic color?).

The color is called 315 Silver Metallic. It replaced 131 Silver between 2010 and 2011. Bricklink calls it Flat Silver, though they also call certain Silver parts Flat Silver. It should not be confused with 316 Titanium Metallic or its predecessor 148 Dark Grey Metallic, both of which Bricklink calls Pearl Dark Grey.

And yes, I'm pretty sure Evil Wu's hat is that same color.

[Mandate]

Good grief there's a lot of dark metallic colors in sets now.

[just2good]

How do you make a small set worse? Make it $12! I found better pictures of the Hover Hunter and Ninjacopter set on Kmart. Oh, and the Ninjacopter set is $60.

Here's the front of the Hover Hunter:

So yeah, I'm not going to post the alt pictures here, but just follow those links and there's tons of different pictures of the Ninjacopter and Hover Hunter sets. I'm ticked at the prices.

Edited October 26, 2013 by just2good

[CM4Sci]

$60... hmm

EDIT: Just noticed, but if you look at the golden spinner rings, there's a missile launcher in them. And on them, there's a new golden piece.

Thanks for the pics!

-Sci

Edited October 26, 2013 by CM4S

[just2good]

Thanks for the pics!

-Sci

My pleasure!

Here's the description for the Hover Hunter:

Help Cole to protect the Techno-Blade and evade the Nindroid Hover Hunter with spinning saw blade, 2 flick missiles and jet engines.

The evil Nindroid is chasing down Ninja Cole in the fearsome Hover Hunter, featuring a computer dashboard, claw clamps and an adjustable spike seatbelt. With the Nindroid in the pilot’s seat driving at top speed to make the front saw blade spin and rip up the streets, Cole is in great danger. Help Cole dodge the Hover Hunter’s flick missiles and don’t let the Nindroids grab his valuable Techno-Blade. Includes 2 minifigures with weapons: Cole and Nindroid.

• Includes 2 minifigures with weapons: Cole and Nindroid
  
• Features Nindroid pilot cockpit with claw clamps, adjustable spike seatbelt and hi-tech dashboard plus front attack spinning saw blade, 2 laser flick missiles, translucent thruster engine, twin jet engines and saw blade motifs
  
• Weapons include exclusive translucent green Techno-Blade for Cole and 2 attack blades for Nindroid
  
• Fire the Hover Hunter’s flick missiles
  
• Speed ahead and make that huge saw blade spin
  
• Fend off Nindroid attacks with Cole’s Techno-Blade
  
• Measures over 1” (4cm) high, 5” (13cm) long and 2” (7cm) wide
  
• Recommended ages: 7 - 14 years
  

And the Ninjacopter:

Fly into battle with the NinjaCopter with rotating flick missiles and shooting cannons, Nindroid jet fighter and glider with 4 minifigures.

A thrilling battle is raging above New Ninjago City as the conflict for the Techno-Blades reaches new heights! Battle-scarred Zane, with his half-robot/half-Ninja face, and Pixal must work together in the NinjaCopter to outwit the attacking Nindroids. Spin the propellers and rear jet engines to soar into action. Fire the front flick missiles and rotating shooting cannons, taking care to evade the spinning saw blades of the Nindroid jet fighter. And beware – at any moment the Nindroid may launch the attack glider to double the aerial assault! Includes 4 minifigures with weapons: Zane, Pixal and 2 Nindroids.

• Includes 4 minifigures with weapons: Zane, Pixal and 2 Nindroids
  
• Zane minifigure, with half-robot/half-Ninja face, is exclusive to this set
  
• NinjaCopter features hi-tech cockpit, rotating propellers for take-off and flight mode, rotating rear jet engines, air-intake engines, adjustable landing flaps, front flick missiles, front lasers, rotating shooting cannons, prison cell, gold elements and top flick missiles
  
• Nindroid jet fighter features adjustable cockpit, spinning saw blades and a detachable glider
  
• Weapons include translucent blue Techno-Blade for Zane, Nindroid battle saw blades and Pixal’s spike blade
  
• Also includes Zane’s falcon, new and exclusive to this set
  
• Spin the propellers and soar skywards
  
• Fire the front flick missiles and rotating shooting cannons
  
• Capture a Nindroid in the prison cell
  
• Clip the Nindroid onto the detachable glider to double the Nindroid’s aerial threat
  
• NinjaCopter measures over 3” (9cm) high, 14” (37cm) long) and 6” (16cm) wide
  
• Nindroid jet fighter measures over 1” (3cm) high, 4” (11cm) long) and 4” (12cm) wide
  
• Recommended ages: 8 - 14 years
  

[Aanchir]

Good grief there's a lot of dark metallic colors in sets now.

Not really. The only three "pearl" colors in sets nowadays are 297 Warm Gold, 315 Silver Metallic, and 316 Titanium Metallic. Any others have been discontinued at various points over the years. So while the full history of pearl colors is fairly complicated, it's relatively easy to identify the pearl colors in a modern-day set.

Anyway, the NinjaCopter pics are a godsend because I promised someone on deviantART that I'd link them to better pics of Pixal once those became available. She's quite an attractive minifigure, though the set description doesn't tell us anything we couldn't already tell from the pics.

The solution the designers came up with for how Zane can hold his falcon is effective, if a bit bizarre. Also pretty cool that the Nindroid hang glider in that set can clip to the back of the other Nindroid vehicle. Something I noticed the other day that I find a bit bizarre... the minifigure identified on the package as "General Cryptor" is identical to the figures identified as generic Nindroids on other sets like 70723. Don't tell me that the designers can't differentiate between characters THEY created... To be fair, though, I made the same mistake when we saw the first batch of pictures on the K-Mart site.

I wonder what else we might see those gold parts on the sides of the launchers used for. I'm thinking either Hero Factory or Legends of Chima. Maybe even both.

The Hover Hunter looks a lot better now that we can see it from the front. I had figured its body and wings were solid, but the gap above the saw blade gives it a little bit more style. It's interesting that the saw blade is mounted from below, not above. Also, using those blades as a sort of a rollcage is brilliant and makes those clip pieces on the back make a lot more sense. It does seem awfully expensive for its piece count, but I guess the number of large pieces might play a role there.

[Shakar]

I am SURE at least one HF set uses those pieces. They look like they could make for some great shoulder armour.

And I quite like Pixal. Do we know anything about her? ​