Set Review: 70123 Lion Legend Beast
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2014 at 8:59pm by Andrew, BZPower News Manager
To help kick off Chima Month, today we're taking a look at one of the Legend Beasts from this year. 70123 Lion Legend Beast will probably be one of the more popular sets, and I know I've seen it sold out at at least one LEGO store. If you're interested to learn more about this set, as well as see how you can win a free copy, go watch and read the review!
Presentation
From the design of the box to the instruction manual, these are the first things you see before building the set.
The box is outlined is a bright lime green that helps make it stand out on the shelf. The lion, ridden by Laval, takes up most of the space, along with the Legends of Chima logo. The back shows an animated version of the Legend Beast and the four other sets that are available. It's certainly a package that you won't miss while walking down your toy aisle.
Building
Half the fun is had building the set. How fun is it to build and how easy or challenging is it?
With 120 pieces, the build isn't too complex. The fact that the limbs are mirrors of each other simplifies the process further. There is a good bit of SNOT detailing on the head, but aside from that it's basic studs-up building. Some of the stickers are kind of annoying, as they need to be applied carefully so they match up next to each other, and I'm not sure the ones on the back really add anything to the model. I did have fun building it for the most part though.
Set Design
Now that the set is complete, we can critique how it looks from every angle. New or interesting pieces can also be examined here.
This set comes with a lot of the new ball joints, and that's awesome. There's also some cool 2x2 curved slopes, one of which is printed with the lion's eyes. There's a new(er) tooth piece too that's nice. Overall there's a lot of light tan with grey, black, and dark tan highlights. There's quite a few curved slopes too which I'm sure some will appreciate.
I'm going to start here with my biggest gripe - there's an exposed grey stud on each side of the lion's face that would have looked much better covered with a light tan 1x1 tile. Aside from that, they do a great job capturing the look of a lion, and the curved slopes make for a nice, organic appearance. The grey on the shoulders is supposed to be armor I think, and its presence makes the grey on the lower limbs okay. The mane makes good use of light and dark brown to give it some variation and texture.
The set also comes with a single minifig - Laval. He's got some great printing on his torso, waist, legs, and back; I especially like how well the belt printing lines up. Underneath the head 'helmet,' he has a double-printed head with a smirk on one side and a grin on the other. I'm not sure if the torso or face are unique to this set, but regardless it's a cool fig.
Playability
The other half of the fun is in playing with the set. How well does the set function and is it enjoyable to play with?
The lion has twelve points of articulation, which allows for quite a variety of poses. The new new ball joints have a good deal of friction which allows him to hold those positions well. There's a lot of fun to be had just playing around with him trying to emulate real feline poses.
More fun can be had when Laval hops on the back of the lion. If you have any of the other Legend Beasts, like the crocodile, for instance, your play value at least doubles. Sure Laval and Cragger are supposed to be friends now, but what's a little roughhousing between buddies?
Final Thoughts
Once it's all said and done, how does the set stack up? Should I get it?
Pros
What's to like?
- Tons of new ball joints!
- Good variety of tan pieces
- Design captures the look of a lion
- Lots of play value
Cons
What's not to like?
- Exposed grey stud on face
- Some stickers not really necessary
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Overall, I really like how this set came together. It's got some great parts, and at only $10 for 120 of them, presents you with a good value too. On top of that, you get one of the main characters of the series. It all makes for a compelling package, and definitely has my recommendation.
I hope you enjoyed our first Chima Month review. If you're interested in winning a copy of this set, scroll back up and make sure you watch the video. As usual, any questions and comments can go in the Talkback thread on the forums. Chima Month is just kicking off, so make sure to tune back in to BZPower for more Legends of Chima sets, news, and more!
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