Review: LEGO 71472 Izzie’s Narwhal Hot-Air Balloon

December 14, 2023 | 2

LEGO DreamZzz is back with a small wave of 5 sets coming in January 2024, and to preview some of them, I’ll be taking you through a quick review of 71472 Izzie’s Narwhal Hot-Air Balloon, a fun and whimsical build featuring Izzie, the spunky female protagonist of the LEGO DreamZzz series and theme.

At US$15.99, this is a small and accessible set and when it launches in January 2024, will become the second cheapest LEGO DreamZzz set, which bodes well for introducing fans to the theme as the very first wave that launched in August 2023 was dominated by pricey sets that didn’t feel like great value.

I’m glad that LEGO has not forgotten the lower end of the market, so let’s take a closer look at 71472 Izzie’s Narwhal Hot-Air Balloon to see if it’s any good!

Who is this set for? An even more affordable way to get into LEGO DreamZzz and get your hands on a whimsical Narshal and Izzie

Special thanks to LEGO for sending these sets over for this review.

71472 Izzie’s Narwhal Hot-Air Balloon Set Details

Set number: 71472
Set name: Izzie’s Narwhal Hot-Air Balloon
Pieces: 156
Retail Price: US$15.99 / AU$24.99 / £12.99 / €14.99 / CAD$19.99
Theme: DreamZzz
Release Date: 1 January 2024

71472 Izzie’s Narwhal Hot-Air Balloon is fairly small at only 156 pieces, and there are 3 numbered plastic bags in the box. You begin by building this very rounded and curvy Narwhal which is quite adorable.

In some ways, the Narwhal feels like it’ll belong in a Creator 3-in-1 set, and uses the large rounded corners for its bulbous shape.

For a small build, we get 2 printed eye tiles as decorations, and here’s a look from the side. The Narwhal makes great use of light blue leaves for its fins and has a very aesthetically pleasing silhouette.

A really fun interactive feature is for the Narwhal to open up its mouth, revealing some storage space inside. Perfect to hide Bunchu the Bunny in for safekeeping!

Like all DreamZzz set, after building the primary model (which remains unchanged throughout the build), you then hit a crossroads in the instructions manual where you’ll be able to “choose your own adventure” and build one of two of the Narwhal’s Dream forms.

71472 Izzie’s Narwhal Hot-Air Balloon Minifigures

Here’s a look at the Izzie minifigure, which is identical to the one in 71453 Izzie and Bunchu the Bunny but is one of the best new characters introduced. She has lavender shoulderpads, highly detailed prints on her torso and legs, and comes with a really cool dual-moulded sword which has a transparent blue blade.

Here’s a look at her back printing and alternate face where she has a big grin.

The highlight is of course getting Izzie’s translucent and pearlescent wig, which has a beautiful blue and purplish gradient to it. At US$15.99, this is currently the most affordable way to get an Izzie.

Here’s a look at the lone Grimspawn included in the set. It has trans-pink wings, and comes equipped with a lavender carrot, which has a claw attached to it.

Handy to steal Bunchu, which the Grimspawn are fond of doing.

71472 Izzie’s Narwhal Hot-Air Balloon Build and Alternate Models

There are 2 Dream forms available for the Narwhal, and they’re fairly basic. You won’t need to disassemble too much, and the 3rd bag of elements has everything inside for the build.

First up, we have the Chariot mode, which sees Izzie sitting in a wooden bucket and is pulled by the Narwhal like a chariot. This is a fairly straight forward build, and it kinda looks like she’s podracing.

The form that makes the most sense for me is the Hot Air Balloon mode, which is what the set is named after, so it does definitely feel like you’re being nudged to this one.

This Hot Air Balloon form is so much more fun, with the Narwhal acting as a hot air balloon, or just carrying the basket with Izzie in it.

The Hot Air Balloon is in pursuit of the Grimspawn. It makes sense that this is the “preferred” build as the Grimspawn has wings, and is likely flying through the sky to get away with Bunchu.

For comparisons, here’s a look at the Narwhal alongside 71453 Izzie and Bunchu the Bunny. I’m glad that both of Izzie’s sets have affordable options, and while the Narwhal is slightly cheaper than Bunchu the Bunny, it does have such a unique look to it to keep things interesting.

What I liked:

• Even more affordable introduction to DreamZzz concept
• For a small set, the Narwhal has plenty of display presence and play value
• Cheapest way to get Izzy with her uber cool wig
• No stickers

What I didn’t like: 

• Another grimspawn included would be fun
• Narwhal jaw is quite hard to keep open and closes shut easily
• Same Izzie minifigure

Final Thoughts

For those on a budget, 71472 Izzie’s Narwhal Hot-Air Balloon is an even more affordable entry-level set into LEGO DreamZzz.

The concept is executed fairly well here, and I like how simple both forms are to build, and break apart and rebuild, although it’s likely that most people will settle on the Hot Air Balloon Mode.

For a US$15.99 set, it has a lot going for it. It’s currently an even cheaper way to get your hands on the excellent Izzie, plus you get a really cute Narwhal build.

You don’t get to vary the alternate builds much, but that’s to be expected for a fairly cheap set like this, and this will be a fun pickup if you’re looking to get a quick and affordable LEGO DreamZzz fix.

If there’s a flaw, it’s that the mouth hinge is quite loose, so you either open its mouth extremely wide, or it gets shut. Some extra resistance and friction might’ve improved it as you can then control how big its mouth opens, but that’s a fairly minor inconvenience.

Build [4] – A fun and engaging build that’s reminiscent of Creator 3-in-1
Real Value [4] – Good value for the contents and it’s nice to see the size and prices of sets become smaller
Innovation [3] – Not too innovative but the techniques used for the Narwhal were fun
Coolness [3] – A really cute and unique looking model, and Izzie is still fantastic
Keepability [3] – This is really designed to be played with and something kids will enjoy, although the chariot or hot air balloon is likely to go missing or harvested for parts

Rating and score: 3/5 ★★★✰✰

71472 Izzie’s Narwhal Hot-Air Balloon will be available from LEGO.com and most toy stores from 1 January 2024 onwards.

What do you think of 71472 Izzie’s Narwhal Hot-Air Balloon? Are you happy there are more affordable DreamZzz options being made available?

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