3053 Emperor's Stronghold: A Ninja Review

[voltio]

Thanks to Whitefang's excellent Ninja review some days ago, I was inspired to review another Ninja set, the Emperor's Stronghold. Like him, I had to pay a premium price; however, I think you will agree that this set is definitely worth the $85 I spent.

The box is standard Ninja fare--excellent!

Here you see the interior flap.

This is the product description. Why in Spanish? No estoy seguro...

So, we start out building the minifigures. Included are the fairly uncommon young samurai and the Ninja Princess. She is quite expensive on BL, and you can see why.

L@@k that horse barding! Very finely printed.

Next are the accessories, which include a stretcher-like treasure-carrier and an odd flying apparatus. I like the trans-neon wings...very '90s.

Then we start building the stronghold. Of note is the rare brown baseplate, which I have not seen before.

A little later, the stone panels go on. These, like all parts in the set, are printed. No stickers.

As you can see, there is not much of an interior for the Emperor to defend. One could MOD in some details, though.

This is my one complaint: no shooting cannon for America! The instructions show a shooting cannon, but those were taboo in the USA due to regulations, I believe.

The finished product is excellent, no?

I especially like this old-school trapdoor. Look out...

Too late.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this set to all fans of older Lego and to those who merely seek something different. The minifigures and weapons are getting quite rare these days, and nothing quite like them is available anymore. Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your comments.

Playability: 7/10. Has fun grappling hooks and a zip line, plus ample ninjas to fight each other, but the lack of shooting cannon is unfortunate.

Minifigs: 10/10. The Ninja Princess is pure win, as is the samurai. The red ninjas are nice as well.

Value: 9/10 (based on original MSRP of $40): 328 parts is respectable, especially given that so many are "special," such as katanas, gold coins, and log bricks.

[WhiteFang]

The moment I came into this page, I was thinking to myself, am i "seeing" thing?

This is an excellent classic Ninja review! I love it very much. Voltio, thanks for the wonderful great review.

3053 Emperor Stronghold is one of my top 5 wanted sets which is out of production and very hard to find.

It is produced in limited quantity. I believe the price you really very worth it. I am still looking out for a best buy for a MISB set like this.

I agreed with Volito that for the high price and the little parts (328 pieces) is considered on a high side especially for a Ninja stronghold for the Emperor himself. But, you got it for $85, that is a bargain!!!

Will like to add on, that the horse barding is only produced in this set. You can't find it elsewhere. White Ninja is only available in two sets which is an impulse set and this. The printed stone tiles are great too. It look natural and of course no stickers. Although, I must admit that the size of the stronghold is rather small, but the mini-figs, special parts and the layout makes up everything.

This set is defintely a "Must" get for all Ninja fans out there whom missed it in 1998. I am one of them

Volito, you are one very lucky guy to own this set

And lastly, thanks for your kind comment above. I did not do much. All I was thinking, is to contribute something in Eurobricks especially for members whom are interested in the Ninja theme

[MagPiesRUs]

Thanks for the great review voltio

I've always loved looking at this set in the catalogue. It just looks so great. The colours really go together nicely, and I love the detail on the tower wall, from the logs to he cool shutter, and those printed stone slopes are just beautiful. The minifig selection is great too, I've always wanted one of the white Samurai, the torso and the horse barding are real things of beauty Not to mention the white and red ninjas, which sadly I have neither.

I'd call this the second best Ninja set, right after the Stone Bridge. It's a shame I only bought the smaller sets in this line, some of the bigger sets were truly wonderful

Thanks again, voltio

[Nikola Bathory]

voltio - a great review with a sense of humour! Thank you!

[hollisbrick]

Great reveiw! I love this set as wel as all the other Ninja sets and that sumuri torso!!!!! 90's was the best time forlego!!!!

[Asuka]

Thanks for that fine review, voltio!

That´s really a wonderful set with plain beautiful MFs and that horse barding looks marvelous too.

The fortification´s very well done too, in a neat color scheme, fairly detailed and also pretty playable.

[Fang-of-lego]

very nice set but sadly i was about 3 at the time it was sold *sight*

[SWMAN]

Wow. $85 is a bargain? I would probably pay $40 at the most for that set.

[Adam]

very nice set but sadly i was about 3 at the time it was sold *sight*

OK, I know it's not against any rules, but reviving dead threads is annoying to me at least. Anyway, it was a good review. And SWMAN, I do not thing $85 is exactly cheap !

[I Scream Clone]

Great Review, even from a couple of months back (must have missed it.

Looks like there were some pretty cool sets from the 90s.

OK, I know it's not against any rules, but reviving dead threads is annoying to me at least. Anyway, it was a good review. And SWMAN, I do not thing $85 is exactly cheap !

If you dont like old threads, why post on them! (besides commenting on the good review)

[Tom_castlefan]

A brilliant set deserves a brilliant review, and I think you did it justice.

I especially love the sloping walls, and the brown baseplates - I think they'd be very useful. However, I unfortunately never got this set

[Adam]

If you dont like old threads, why post on them! (besides commenting on the good review)

WHY? To show my anti-old thread reviving spirit, that's why! I give them young whipper-snappers that bring these threads back a talking to!

EDIT: Actually, I had no idea that this was only a couple of months old, yet still...

[WhiteFang]

OK, I know it's not against any rules, but reviving dead threads is annoying to me at least. Anyway, it was a good review. And SWMAN, I do not thing $85 is exactly cheap !

WHY? To show my anti-old thread reviving spirit, that's why! I give them young whipper-snappers that bring these threads back a talking to!

EDIT: Actually, I had no idea that this was only a couple of months old, yet still...

Hello Adam,

I hope you understand that it's alright to revive dead threads. Eurobricks have new members' registration almost everyday. It's not fair to them, if they can't comment on something which they really like or chance upon in these forums. If we are not allowed to comment on reviews that was done months or even years ago, I think the admins would have locked these threads long ago, to prevent reviving.

Furthermore, maybe new members or even old members whom had missed them earlier are able to provide interesting responses. In addition, some dead threads have hidden values too.

Edited June 25, 2008 by WhiteFang

[Adam]

Hello Adam,

I hope you understand that it's alright to revive dead threads. Eurobricks have new members' registration almost everyday. It's not fair to them, if they can't comment on something which they really like or chance upon in these forums. If we are not allowed to comment on reviews that was done months or even years ago, I think the admins would have locked these threads long ago, to prevent reviving.

Furthermore, maybe new members or even old members whom had missed them earlier are able to provide interesting responses. In addition, some dead threads have hidden values too.

Hello WhiteFang,

I would respond to your first comment, yes it is alright to revive dead threads. I see you do quite a bit, Mr. Dead Thread Reviver ! I know that they would have been locked, but it bugs me that I would be excited when I clicked on a thread and then get a let down when I see that's its one I viewed months, or years, ago. Also, I specifically mentioned that I know it isn't against any rules.

I also realize this, yet it still bugs me, and I "vent my anger" by saying so in a way that I hope is discreet. That thing about giving "Them young whipper-snappers a talking to" was simply a joke.

[Flatfoot Thompsen]

Nice review! That looks like an amazing set. I, sadly, missed out on the ninjas.

[Manta]

This is a great looking set. I, sadly, missed out on ninjas in my dark age, and I need ninjas!

[Wout]

Wow, I like that brown baseplate. Never seen before.

[Klaus-Dieter]

That's a very nice review, voltio!

I voted for Above Average:

This set has an absolutely amazing architecture! The minifigs are great - I especially like the emperor and his horse. Regrettably I don't own the set until now - but I plan to buy it in the future.

The only thing which I don't like that much is that it is very little (Come on, it's the emperor's stronghold and not a castle of someone unimportant!) - and I really miss a little throne room for the emperor.

Klaus-Dieter

Edited September 14, 2008 by Klaus-Dieter

[dj2005]

Has a lot of good pieces and it is nice to see printed walls (wish the new castle had printed instead of stickers). The design is well done and offers a sufficient amount of playability, the stronghold could use some bulking up. Overall, I vote above average and would've voted outstanding if the set included more bricks for a more sound structure.

[Bonaparte]

Nice review. I've missed this one when it was posted so I'm happy this one was revived. Ninja's is something I missed because of my dark ages. The concept doesn't excite me enough to buy these sets now on eBay. But it nice to be able to watch these sets via reviews like this one.

OK, I know it's not against any rules, but reviving dead threads is annoying to me at least.

I'm personally a big fan of reviving old threads. A relatively old community like EBs has an enormous hidden potential of fantastic threads. Seeing some of those resurface from time to time gives new (and old) members the opportunity to benefit from the work that was done in the past. But that's enough about the "reviving subject". If you want to discuss it more I suggest you make a thread about the subject in "Website and Forum".

[WhiteFang]

Nice review. I've missed this one when it was posted so I'm happy this one was revived. Ninja's is something I missed because of my dark ages. The concept doesn't excite me enough to buy these sets now on eBay. But it nice to be able to watch these sets via reviews like this one.

Yes, I am glad that this review is resurface once again. This is one of the sets that I really hope to own. It's too expensive to buy a MISB set, plus shipping and I have too many LEGO sets on my buying list. How can I afford to buy sets which is a decade back? However, I must admit that looking at reviews is one good alternative to admire it.

If you want to discuss it more I suggest you make a thread about the subject in "Website and Forum".

Actually, one of our members had created this topic few months ago, on that subject.

Link

[Mazin]

Is it possible for someone to upload some pictures again since this review is officialy INDEXED and it's rather sad that nobody cares about this topic?

[WhiteFang]

Is it possible for someone to upload some pictures again since this review is officialy INDEXED and it's rather sad that nobody cares about this topic?

The original topic creator, voltio has not login since last year. Unfortunately, it is a great pity that such a good old topic is no longer able to view the original images. I do not have those images, otherwise I could love to upload it. There are people who care for such older topics, but it is really sad that we can no longer able to view it further unless voltio is able to restore his images.

I will leave it to the History Moderators to decide if this topic is suitable to be remain indexed or to be removed.

Thank you for pointing out.

WhiteFang

[Mazin]

Can't moderators intervene to edit the original post and attach some pictures themselves?

Other way it's simply useless to keep it here as there's really no value and as there's more topics such as this one the only thing they do is occupying some space that we're gonna need sooner or later.

One can't discuss such topic since we don't really know what we're dealing with.

Maybe they could urge those topic creators to check their stuff more often, or leave copies of once posted pictures in a permanent picture holder.

Edited December 18, 2014 by Mazin