LEGO reveals 70620 Ninjago City, the massive modular Ninjago Movie set!

June 22, 2017 | 112

Earlier today, LEGO unveiled their flagship Ninjago Movie Set, 70620 Ninjago City, a gargantuan 4,827 piece multi-level model that’s absolutely breathtaking.

The Ninjago City set depicts a sizeable chunk of the sprawling metropolis showed off in the movie trailer. The release date for 70620 Ninjago City is 1 September 2017, with a VIP release in mid-August very likely. 

Ninjago City is priced at:

• LEGO 70620 Ninjago City – US$299.99 [US product page]
• LEGO 70620 Ninjago City – £259.99 [UK product page]
• LEGO 70620 Ninjago City – AU$499.99 [AU product page]

At first glance, the price is a a little shocking – qualifying as the most expensive Ninjago set ever, but as you’re getting almost 5,000 pieces, I’d hazard to say this set represents exceptional value for the price. Oh, this also makes this the 3rd largest LEGO set ever by piece count, just behind the UCS Millennium Falcon and Taj Mahal.

On to the set itself, it’s safe to say that I’m in love. It’s quite possibly the most beautiful set designed by LEGO and I’m going to say that this will take the cake as the best LEGO set released this year.

I really love the gorgeous blend of traditional and modern Japanese architectural influences on the multi-level structure. It gives off a very neo-Tokyo vibe and is absolutely bursting with vibrancy and character.

I’m going to call this set for what it is – it’s a Ninjago-themed modular even though non of the marketing materials explicitly mentioned it. It’s got all the key elements of a modular building from the footprint of the baseplate, the multi-model design and detailed designs both on the exterior and interior.

It’s definitely going to be compatible with an existing modular street set-up, as evidenced by the slots you see above which allows Ninjago City to connect to with other modulars.

The first level of Ninjago City features a traditional fish market, house, a bridge over a stream, and a fishing boat. There are plenty of intricate details such as bridge, sewer outlet, stream with translucent-blue and translucent-green water elements, sliding elevator with room for a minifigure, traditional fish market with fish and crab elements, house with dining room and bedroom with sliding screen doors and foldout ‘solar panels’, Sweep the maintenance robot’s service station with assorted tool elements, and a taxi stand with telephone element.

The second level of the model is  a modern fashion store with 2 mannequins and assorted NINJAGO® product elements, a construction site with a bonsai tree, a comic book store with brick-built sign, cashier desk, comic book stand with assorted elements including collectible NINJAGO training cards, a crab restaurant with brick-built crab entrance sign and oven with ‘crab-grilling’ function, a cash-dispensing ATM, 15 bank note elements (ATM can dispense up to 13), and a movie poster display stand with 4 interchangeable movie poster elements.

The third level features a radio tower, modern rooftop sushi bar with sushi conveyor belt function and brick-built food, bathroom with sliding door, and brick-built puffer fish and squid sculptures, Lloyd Garmadon and Misako’s apartment with an opening window, bunk bed, kitchen unit and attic space for the Green Ninja Suit minifigure.

Any good city scene should be bursting with life and Ninjago City doesn’t disappoint with a whopping 16 minifigures included in the set:

Jay, Kai and Lloyd Garmadon (each with new-for-August-2017 high school outfit decoration), Green Ninja Suit, Misako, Jamanakai Villager, Sally, Ivy Walker, Konrad, Severin Black, Tommy, Guy, Juno, Mother Doomsday, Shark Army Gunner and Officer Noonan, plus Sweep the maintenance robot.

I’m pretty speechless. Half because I know I’ll be $500 poorer in September, but mostly because I’m incredibly excited about 70620 Ninjago City. Kudos to the LEGO Design Team for managing to surprise Modular Fans by sneaking in this pseudo-modular into the LEGO Ninjago Movie theme. 

I also think it’s really funny that this dwarfs the Assembly Square’s piece count, which was released to celebrate a decade of Modular Buildings.

What are your thoughts on the set? Do you think it qualifies to be considered a Modular Building? Let me know in the comments section!