VenVoi Posted January 2, 2011 (edited) Hi all! I've never done a review here nor is this real LEGO, but I thought these were a cool find and I'd like to share them with you. I'll be doing semi-reviews of two of the Batman sets from the TRiO building system. I apologize in advance for any poor images, the bad backdrop, and if this is in the wrong section. I've been after the LEGO Batman sets for a while after missing out on them in 2006-2008. However, as many of you know, the prices have skyrocketed on eBay and I could only afford to get some of my favorite Minifigures from the line. Then a few weeks before Christmas I was walking through the Lego aisle in TRU and a display filled with these sets caught my eye. Out of curiosity (and the want for lower prices-TRU raises the prices on these too) I went to Target and they had the sets as well. I picked up Mr. Freeze to save for Christmas, but he got me hooked! In case these sets might interest anyone else, here's a good, unbiased(I hope) look at these two sets. The Sets Joker-bot Price: $17.99 USD/13.45 EUR* Figures: 1 Pieces: 60 Released: Fall 2010 Batman & The Riddler Price: $6.99 USD/5.22 EUR Figures: 2 Pieces: 5 Released: Winter 2010 The Boxes As you can see, the two boxes are very different. The Joker's box is roughly the size of a $20 LEGO and slightly deeper, showing the main model and a cartoon version of The Joker, along with the TRiO and Fisher-Price logos. The Joker was also packaged like an action figure (plastic bubble glued to cardback) in the lower left corner. Batman & The Riddler's box is slightly taller and skinnier than a $6.99 LEGO. It is simply a window box with a cardboard backing on the inside. This comes in handy for inspecting the paint apps on the figures, which I'll get to later. The back of the boxes both show the rest of the TRiO DC Super Friends line, with Batman & Riddler's box also featuring the smaller wave 2. The Figures These figures are neatly stylized. Their details are also remarkably nice for toys geared at very young children. I like how they included Batman's muscles on his body print. He also features a cloth cape. Their only faults are the paint apps and their near lack of articulation. The former is only a slight problem, as I've only seem one or two figures with messy body paint apps. The latter is not a major problem, but the arms are the only articulated parts of these figures. However, they also feature the amazing ability to hold LEGO Minifigure accessories and weapons! Personally, this is my favorite part of the figures since they come with no weapons of their own (another downside ). The TRiO figures are also somewhat in scale with LEGO Minifigures. While most can't be used side-by-side, some characters from the TRiO line, such as Mr. Freeze and heavy duty/flight suit Batman could probably be used with Minifigures, as they are bulky characters to begin with. Now I'm going to talk about aspects of each set individually for the sake of organization. The Joker-bot The Build The instructions included with the Joker-bot are quite similar to those of LEGO sets, showing step-by-step processes for the mech and having pictures of 3 inspirational models in the back, the latter being something I found pretty neat. The actual build is very simple, but somewhat interesting. The cubed blocks snap together very easily and are pretty sturdy, but the tubes/rods require a fair amount of force to get them into the cubes. I can imagine that part of the build requiring parental assistance. My only other gripe is that the legs can't be moved, but as I mostly just display my sets this isn't a real problem. The set also comes with several extra pieces intended for use in building the other three models: an extra nozzle, a normal black cube, two purple double-sided slope pieces(I modified the back of my mech with one of them), a claw, a silver rod, and a purple rotating piece (intended for use with the Jokercopter alternate model). I made a laughing gas turrent out of the pieces seen above. Playability The Joker-bot is a cool vehicle for the Clown Prince of Crime. Like the figures, it is also limited in the poseability area. However, both of the arms can be moved up/down and side to side at the elbow. The left arm features a laughing gas cannon and the right arm features a giant hammer that'll come in handy for squashing Bats. While not entire visible in this picture, the front of the cockpit also features a maniacal grin; very fitting for Joker. Another neat play feature of the Joker-bot is the hidden TV screen that can be flipped down from under the mech's "jaw." It reminds me a lot of how Joker would communicate with Batman in the Arkham Aslyum game, if anyone's familiar with it. This is also a detailed piece, as it features the "fuzzy lines" you see on some TV screens. Joker also fits snugly into the cockpit of his mech, though it takes a slight bit of force to get him all the way in. It should also be noted that Minifigures can sit in TRiO cockpits. I also like the decals on the side of the cockpit that appear to be a nod to "Mr. J!" Another plus in the TRiO line is that while they use stickers instead of prints on the pieces, all stickers are pre-applied. The workers/machines that apply these stickers do a great job at it too. Batman & The Riddler The Build Obviously very simple; no instructions were included. Just snap the Bat-signal together and you're done! Playability What you see is what you get here. There are no real "play" functions in this set except for the figures themselves. However, the Bat-signal is a very nice touch, something I don't think was even made in the LEGO line. The random green block included could also be used as a "throne" for The Riddler, I suppose. It should also be noted that for some reason DC wanted a copyright symbol printed on the back right leg of every figure. While an annoyance, this can be overlooked for the most part. Closing Remarks You really have to see these sets in person to make a final judgement, but I would reccommend them to any LEGO Batman fan. If they aren't quite your style, they would also be a great way to introduce kids to the concept of building toys. Just watch out for those rod pieces. I also own the Mr. Freeze vehicle, Robin's Jet, and The Penguin's Umbrella Cannon, so please let me know if you have any questions on these sets or the TRiO DC line in general. *NOTE: If you're considering getting any of these sets, looking in Target or Wal-Mart is a good idea. My local Wal-Mart has the whole DC line 50% off with their after Christmas sale, along with a lot of LEGOs. Also, so far I've only seen the Batman/Riddler set at TRU. Once again, if there are any questions, comments, or concerns I'm happy to answer them. Thanks for your time! -Venvoi Edited January 2, 2011 by VenVoi Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prateek Posted January 2, 2011 Thanks for the review, but I don't see how this is at all related to Lego, besides the figs' ability to hold weapons. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VenVoi Posted January 2, 2011 (edited) Thanks for the review, but I don't see how this is at all related to Lego, besides the figs' ability to hold weapons. It isn't. I just thought since they were similar in essence and many users here like Lego Batman, it might interest some. It's why I chose what I perceived as the "off topic" subforum to place it in. Edited January 2, 2011 by VenVoi Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
simonjedi Posted January 2, 2011 This has to be the oddest licence for a company i've ever seen. I don't think many 4 year olds have heard of batman. Thanks for the review however. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
