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WhiteFang

REVIEW: 70165 Ultra Agents Mission HQ

On a scale of 1 to 5  

36 members have voted

  1. 1. How do you rate this set?

    • 1 - Poor
    • 2 - Below Average
    • 3 - Average
    • 4 - Above Average
    • 5 - Outstanding
  2. 2. Between these two sets, which set do you like the most?

    • 8635 Mobile Command Center (2008)
    • 70165 Ultra Agents Mission HQ (2014)


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Hello everyone,

I am excited to share with you my new review for the LEGO Ultra Agents Theme. Ultra Agents are part of a fun filled action packed adventure. I have not done any Agents reviews before and it has always been my wish to do such a reviewing project. By now, you should be aware that the LEGO Agents Theme is solely conceptualised and developed by The LEGO Group (TLG). It first appeared in 2002 and was available till 2005 under LEGO Alpha Team. From 2008 to 2009, it evolved into a full fledged LEGO Agents Theme before it took a hiatus and came back full swing and was re-modeled as the new ongoing LEGO Ultra Agents from 2014 to 2015. For this review, we will be looking at this exciting vehicular truck trailer known as the 70165 Ultra Agents Mission HQ.

Name: 70165 Ultra Agents Mission HQ

Theme: LEGO System / Agents / Ultra Agents

Year: 2014

Pieces: 1060

Minifigs: 5 minifigures

Price: USD $99.99, GBP 79.99, EURO 99.99, SGD $179.90

Resources: Brickset, BrickLink

Stop Terabyte stealing top-secret plans from Mission HQ!

Emergency! Evil cybernetic hacker Terabyte is attacking the Ultra Agents’ mobile Mission HQ on a mission to disable Astor City’s entire communication network. Drive the high-tech truck in undercover mode and fire the automatic missile shooters to fend him off. Launch the hidden flyer to spy for enemies from above. Push the lever to detach the driver’s cabin and open up the rear of the truck to reveal the inside of the awesome HQ. Plug in the laptop containing the top-secret mission plans in the briefing room and view them on the big screen. Analyze clues and carry out tests in the lab with Professor Christina Hydron. Strap on a jetpack and attach the extendable robot arm to prepare Agent Phoenix for lift-off. Stop Terabyte escaping with the laptop containing all the Ultra Agents’ secret files while his hi-tech mech tries to destroy the communications system by firing hacking bombs at the satellite dish. Launch the buggy down the ramp and fire the stud shooters to defend the Ultra Agents HQ. You must capture this criminal nerd in the high-tech prison cell before he can cause any more damage! Includes 5 minifigures with accessories: Terabyte, Agent Solomon Blaze, Agent Caila Phoenix, Agent Curtis Bolt and Professor Christina Hydron.

• Includes 5 minifigures with accessories: Terabyte, Agent Solomon Blaze, Agent Caila Phoenix, Agent Curtis Bolt and Professor Christina Hydron

• Ultra Agents Mission HQ in undercover mode features a lever-operated detachable driver’s cabin, opening cockpit, translucent blue energy wheels, dual automatic spring-loaded shooters and a detachable hidden flyer

• Ultra Agents Mission HQ in open HQ mode features a fold-out side for easy play and a briefing room with two slide-out seats, giant screen, laptop and plug-in slot for laptop, computer area with satellite dish, laboratory area with extendable robot arm, jetpack, computer and microscope, ladder, 2 stud shooters, buggy with 2 flick missiles and a removable prison cell

• Terabyte’s mech features a cockpit with mind-control plug-in tubes, a huge spinning grabbing claw, hacking bomb ball shooter, sensors and a detachable surveillance drone with dual cannons

• Weapons include 2 stud shooters and a cyber hacking blaster

• Accessories include Agent Curtis Bolt’s helmet, Terabyte’s toxic headguard and a walkie-talkie

• Fire the automatic missile shooters to repel Terabyte’s attacks

• Press the lever to smoothly detach the rear of the truck

• Open up the side to reveal the agents’ awesome hi-tech HQ

• Stop Terabyte stealing the laptop containing the top-secret plans

• Unleash the hidden flyer and launch the buggy down the ramp

• Defend against the Terabyte mech’s hacking bomb attacks with the stud shooters

• Capture Terabyte in the prison and save the metropolis!

• Download the free LEGO® Ultra Agents app for the ultimate digital experience where you become the agent!

• Accomplish challenging missions, create your own graphic novel and search for hidden clues

• Terabyte’s mech measures over 4” (11cm) high, 3” (10cm) long and 5” (15cm) wide

An original box image of the 70165 Ultra Agents Mission HQ

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Back view of the original box image of the 70165 Ultra Agents Mission HQ

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Different side view of the original box image (1)

Different side view of the original box image (2)

Different side view of the original box image (3)

This is the elusive Ultra Agents Mission Headquarters

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I was elated to own and build this set even though it took me quite a while to finish building, i.e. approximately three to four hours worth of non-stop building. This is the largest set of the LEGO Ultra Agents Theme in 2014. I am fond of the black and transparent blue glass combination which is kind of suitable for covert operations. Well, I was quite attracted to the design of this set as it reminded me of the 1980s M.A.S.K cartoon.

The 70165 Ultra Agents Mission HQ is the second similar release of a vehicular truck trailer and is also based on the first 8635 Mobile Command Centre. Between the two sets with different primary colour schemes, both have their own unique capabilities of dealing with different threats such as Dr Inferno and Terabyte and yet they have similar functions such as hi-tech prison cell, small launch vehicles and defending mechanisms. You may notice that the 70165 Ultra Agents Mission HQ has evolved into a much hi-tech operating environment as they are now dealing with more dangerous and sophisticated villains.

The content of the sealed box

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The sealed box comes with seven mint packs and eight black tires. The seven mint packs are numbered and printed from one to seven, a dreaded sticker sheet and two instruction manuals to guide the builder to build up the set. The instruction manuals are packaged in a sealed plastic together with the dreaded sticker sheet and paper cardboard to support the manuals from being crumpled so easily.

After building the set, these are the remaining generous spare parts which are spread across the packs. You can view the spare parts for packet 1 including an orange brick separator, packet 2, packet 3, packet 4, packet 5, 6 and packet 7. This set also encourage the builders to download the free LEGO Ultra Agents application for the ultimate digital experience, i.e. you can use the official set to interact with the application by enable yourself to become the agent for added value fun. To be honest, I haven't messed around with the application but I heard it somehow could tell or construct a story plot of some kind. :look:

The full minifigures range in this action packed set

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In the next few sections below, we will look at LEGO minifigures that come with this set. You will get five minifigures with individual character personality and one of which is the main villain of this set. Before I show you the minifigures in greater details, you may take a quick glance to view the back view of the full minifigures range in this action packed set. Do note, these minifigures are placed in different allocated packs.

Terabyte, Agent Curtis Bolt and Agent Caila Phoenix

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Upon opening the first packet, I was actually sorting out the minfigures parts and to my surprise I am able to assemble three minifigures at one go. The minifigures are Terabyte, Agent Curtis Bolt and Agent Calla Phoenix respectively. The sole villain in this set is known as Terabyte. He is a highly intelligent computer savvy person whom has gone down the wrong path and is very capable of hacking and causing chaos to the city’s computer systems. He wears a black jacket with neon similar lime green tee-shirt which features a computer virus illustration at the front, while the back reveal wordings like "BAD 2 THE CODE". A mixed message which can be seen from their back view of these three minifigures. Through his side view, Terabyte wears a sophisticated looking headgear equipped with a cyber hacking blaster that contain a printed keyboard tile at the side. It appears that it has some sort of destructive function that could modify the source code at his whim.

The first character of the good side which we are introducing is Agent Curtis Bolt. He is the de facto technological inventor in the Ultra Agents Team. He is clever and tech-savvy. If any of the agents' equipment or devices is broken, he can rectify and fix it and even probably add in a couple more value added features into it. Although Agent Bolt appears in other sets like the 70163 Toxikita's Toxic Meltdown and 70168 Drillex Diamond Job, his outfit in this set is unique. He is donned in the black suit attire and is equipped with a high zoom calibrate goggles.

The second character from the good side which we have is the femme fatale Agent Caila Phoenix in the typical Series 1 Nurse hairstyle in a much striking appearance. She is a martial art combatant and a demolitions expert. Her flair for both combined with a fiery temper has made her a valuable asset in the team configuration, well 'most' of the time. Similar to Agent Curtis Bolt above, she only appears once in this particular attire. Other than this set, Agent Caila Phoenix is also seen in 70164 Hurricane Heist and 70170 UltraCopter vs. AntiMatter. In this set, we see her in action with the jetpack. It looks easy to operate as what she has prepared and willing to demostrate in this jetpack even though I am not sure of its operating stability upon activation.

Agent Solomon Blaze

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The next character which we are getting from the third packet, is the Ultra Agents' leader, Agent Solomon Blaze. He has a very interesting background. His name sounds familiar and I found out that he has actually appeared in the Galaxy Squad and he is the leader of the Blue Squad (as seen in the left side of the picture). As you have seen in both pictures, Agent Solomon Blaze is much younger when he was leading the Blue Squad and that happened during the space futuristic era and I thought this current set happened in a time where Galaxy Squad had not exist yet. Instead, this Agent Solomon Blaze who is much older and wiser now, make the whole story plot appears that it happened right after Galaxy Squad era and now he is in the hi-technology metropolitan Astor City environment. Not sure if it is intentional but I thought this is an interesting fact to know. Under LEGO.com, his short bio only mentioned, "The former pilot and wing commander Solomon Blaze, was cherry-picked to head the Ultra Agents. His unfaltering determination inspires courage on the ground as it did in the air. After all, leadership is leadership." Like the rest of the minifigures, he also appeared with dual emotion. Unlike the other agents, Agent Solomon Blaze appeared in the same outfit and design in another two sets and they are 70162 Infearno Interception and 70170 UltraCopter vs. AntiMatter.

Professor Christina Hydron

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Let's bring you to the last of the minifigures which is also coincidentally found in the last packet and is none other than Professor Christina Hydron. She is the only exclusive minifigure in this biggest set of the LEGO Ultra Agents 2014. Professor Christina Hydron render back-end support with her core competency in laboratory analysis and deducing clues given by the agents during field operations. Her job in the laboratory enables the agents to solve important cases by following up on leads resulting in major breakthroughs. Although she will be wearing safety goggles most of the time, but from time to time, she does remove it off as you can see almost all of her facial features.

The entire building content for Packet 1

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The completed built for Packet 1

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The completed built for Packet 1 includes the three minifigures mentioned earlier, Terabyte’s mech and hidden flyer which are meant to be a form of appetizer before beginning the actual built of the starry set. The Ultra Agents have created the autonomous hidden flyer to provide tracking of targets remotely such as this positive demostration. The hidden flyer is equipped with dual cannons and does not allow any passenger to take position from the inside.

In the later section of the review, we will see the location of where the hidden flyer is kept. Now let's look at the main focus of this packet which contains the various playabilities that the yet-to-built mech can provide.

The completed built of Terabyte's mech

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The finished mech is controlled by Terabyte. I suspect it is autonomous to some extent since he is a genius hacker and probably set it to automatic mode from his mech's control panel if required. Both mechanical arms are designed to be equipped with nasty features that could really harm the Ultra Agents.

The left arm contains a huge metal looking spinning claw by turning the small rod. It is able to grab any agents that obstructs him. While the right arm contains a destructive hacking bomb ball shooter. You are able to shoot and release the hacking bomb ball by activating in such a manner. The back of the mech reveals the ability to deploy a detachable surveillance drone.

Agent Curtis Bolt is trying to take down Terabyte

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The entire building content for Packet 2

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The completed built for Packet 2

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The completed built for this packet shows the finished foundation base of the truck driver's cabin. It encompasses various bricks and technic parts to form its base and dimensions.

The entire building content for Packet 3

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The completed built for Packet 3

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This packet and the earlier packet combined to complete the construction of the stunning truck driver's cabin. The overall anesthetics design is very appealing due to the appropriate usage of black bricks and transparent blue parts on the cabin , wheels and headlight together, as seen in the front view, bottom view and side view.

The driver's cabin also contains some good playable features. By opening up the rooftop of the driver's cabin, you can place the driver to control the movement of the entire vehicle. In this case, Agent Solomon Blaze is the suitable candidate. The newly reactive missile shooters are integrated with the design and it can be launched at the front of the truck driver's cabin by moving the shooting mechanism to launch both missiles simultaneously.

The back of the driver's cabin reveal the actual placement of the hidden flyer. It can be easily launched by pulling it upwards and off it goes to hunt for the target. For your information, the hidden flyer wings can be adjusted.

The entire building content for Packet 4

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The completed built for Packet 4

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The finished built from the fourth packet reveals the foundation of the Ultra Agents Mission HQ truck trailer. It forms the base of the headquarters and some of the essential facilities is also being added on.

The entire building content for Packet 5

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The entire building content for Packet 6

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The completed built for Packet 5 and 6

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Both packet 5 and 6 focus on the building of the sides of truck trailer to form the entire truck trailer mainframe. Each packet form one side of the trailer side and by flipping to the other side, it reveals the exterior side of the truck trailer. The corners of the exterior side enables the flaps to adjust and enclose itself partially.

Putting both sides of the trailer exterior together

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The entire building content for Packet 7

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The completed built for Packet 7

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By putting in the last touch in this final packet, voila! You will be appreciative of the complete functional working Mission Headquarters for the Ultra Agents to carry out their operatives through the usage of the laboratory, prison cell and mini buggy. All of these are shown in greater details below.

Take a moment and close up all of the action in the Mission HQ. Just admire the fine design of the completed built of the truck trailer. Through various vantage points, the truck trailer can be seen in greater details from the top view which includes the satellite dish, bottom view which includes the trailer stopper, front view and back view. After opening the back doors, you can take a quick glimpse inside and you will see it is pretty packed to the brim. Alternatively, you can also open the top cover to reveal the aerial view of the inside of the truck trailer being in stasis mode.

As mentioned, some of the key playabilities in this set include the quick deployment of the buggy with just a simple push. The Mission HQ contains a jetpack hoist to alleviate the suit up process. The computer laboratory is an useful place for the Professor Christina Hydron to work and analyse the critical clues. The computer mainframe is the crucial equipment which is supported by the satellite dish. The agent will upload the mission briefing materials onto the laptop and assigned agents will be sitting down in the briefing area to view the large screen which contains the mission brief. Last but not least, when the mission is successful, you will see the deserving villain being locked up in the prison cell.

The completed built of the entire 70165 Ultra Agents Mission HQ

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There is a huge mech blocking in the front

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Let's distract Terabyte

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Terabyte is on the loose

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The full action packed transformation set up

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To conclude, I like the design of this set and I applaud the designer for being able to integrate the great playing features into the trailer. When I opened it up, I had the feeling of opening up a pop-up book. I like the cool colour scheme which makes the whole Ultra Agents look so united under their corporate colour. More importantly, it is fun to play this set on its own without owning other sets in this theme to enhance the experience. However, I have not built my 8635 Mobile Command Centre but I will love to put them side by side in the future. Not sure which will fare well and this is why I am seeking Eurobricks Community on their preference between both sets. All in all, I have a positive experience building and playing with the flagship set of the Ultra Agents 2014.

Summary review

Playability: 8/10 (Plentiful fun playing features which could integrate with your own story plot.)

Design: 8/10 (Excellent design work and choice of colour scheme to represent the secret operating mobile headquarters.)

Price: 8/10 (Price is a bit high but still cheaper than LEGO licensed sets.)

Overall: 8/10 (Get this set if you are a huge fan of LEGO Action Themes and fan of transforming truck trailer.)

I gave it a "4" based on my Review Score Card. :wink: What about you?

I hope every one of you enjoyed reading this simple review of mine. Comments and Criticisms are welcomed.

Pictures can be found in My Flickr.

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Dear Eurobricks Community,

I would like to share with all of you on my latest new review on the Ultra Agents Theme. Feel free to leave your thought and I hope you will enjoy reading it. Thanks.

WhiteFang

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I really enjoyed this set, although it helped that I got it for £45 new & delivered. At that price it really is killer, with some interesting repurposeable figs and a generally engaging design.

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I think this is a great set, the whole Ultra Agents theme is excellent, but this is the best one. Even though I voted for this one, the 8635 set was a huge step forward for Lego and more iconic - for me it's the one set I would choose that really marked the start of a huge improvement in sets and theme development.

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WhiteFang,

Thanks for this great review. I wish I could return in time ... this is really the set that I would have loved when I was 10 years old.

I did however vote for the Mobile Command Center (2008) to be a better set... but this is just due to its color scheme as I really like Dark Blue.

I would love to see some future reviews of the new Ultra Agents sets, especially from a top reviewer as you!

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I'm divided about this set. On its own, it's certainly a fantastic set... but because of its subject matter and theme, it's hard not to compare it to 8635 Mobile Command Center. And while this may have a sturdier and more aesthetically pleasing build, the Mobile Command Center is exceptionally hard to match in terms of content. This set includes an ATV, small plane, command station with screen, crane and prison cell. That's cool and all, but the classic set had all that plus another ATV, a boat, a jet-ski, and many, many more hidden weapons. Plus, even some of the features that were carried over are more aesthetically interesting but less functionally so. The Minority Report-style computer screen may look much more modern than the classic Command Center's somewhat dated projector, but a projector makes for a much more novel function than a simple stickered computer screen. The glowy prison pod in this set looks cool, but lacks the functionality of the classic prison cell, which allowed the back wall to be removed to break Dr. Inferno out of captivity (not to mention that the new one somewhat oddly folds up sideways when the truck body is closed, which can't be comfortable for the captive Terabyte).

Most of this is probably nostalgia talking—I'm not normally one to look at past themes through rose-tinted glasses, but the classic Agents theme was perhaps my favorite Lego theme of all time, and the Mobile Command Center was one of the standout sets of the theme. I'm sure this set is just as amazing for new fans as the classic Mobile Command Center was for me, but for me this new set might never quite scratch that itch.

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Thanks guys for your thoughts and comments. :sweet:

I really enjoyed this set, although it helped that I got it for £45 new & delivered. At that price it really is killer, with some interesting repurposeable figs and a generally engaging design.

Certainly for that pricing in UK, it is definitely a good deal.

I'm divided about this set. On its own, it's certainly a fantastic set... but because of its subject matter and theme, it's hard not to compare it to 8635 Mobile Command Center. And while this may have a sturdier and more aesthetically pleasing build, the Mobile Command Center is exceptionally hard to match in terms of content. This set includes an ATV, small plane, command station with screen, crane and prison cell. That's cool and all, but the classic set had all that plus another ATV, a boat, a jet-ski, and many, many more hidden weapons. Plus, even some of the features that were carried over are more aesthetically interesting but less functionally so. The Minority Report-style computer screen may look much more modern than the classic Command Center's somewhat dated projector, but a projector makes for a much more novel function than a simple stickered computer screen. The glowy prison pod in this set looks cool, but lacks the functionality of the classic prison cell, which allowed the back wall to be removed to break Dr. Inferno out of captivity (not to mention that the new one somewhat oddly folds up sideways when the truck body is closed, which can't be comfortable for the captive Terabyte).

Most of this is probably nostalgia talking—I'm not normally one to look at past themes through rose-tinted glasses, but the classic Agents theme was perhaps my favorite Lego theme of all time, and the Mobile Command Center was one of the standout sets of the theme. I'm sure this set is just as amazing for new fans as the classic Mobile Command Center was for me, but for me this new set might never quite scratch that itch.

Lyichir, it is interesting to hear your take between the both sets. I have both of this but just that I have not built to compare. You are right. The 8635 Mobile Command Center is a classic take to this ultimate transformation of vehicle to a base. I could said both have their own individual appeals. Well, I am now urging to look for my mint box and build it up, just to experience the actual fun and differences.

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I love the original Agents line, and find its color scheme a little more fun. I think the original Agents Mobile HQ is the better set, but I am glad that this set is a cabable and competent successor. This set is fantastic, and packs the play features in! It also features a great vehicle-mode without getting too similar to the build of the original Agents HQ. I have them parked near one another, and was indeed considering rebuilding this set in the original Agents color scheme, but it turns out that those Technic panels in Dark Blue are pretty costly.

Also, I enjoy that this set comes with a mech for Terrabyte to stop around in, rather than GoldTooth's minijet from the 2008 set.

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I really like the Ultra Agents theme, and this set has a great retro feel of the old MASK toys and similar playsets of that era. Full of play functions and would also look nice on display.

My only gripe would be I feel that 5 figs is a bit short for a set of this size and price. Another 2, even if they were generic 'robot baddies' would really tip this into the 'outstanding' category for me.

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I really like the Ultra Agents theme, and this set has a great retro feel of the old MASK toys and similar playsets of that era. Full of play functions and would also look nice on display.

My only gripe would be I feel that 5 figs is a bit short for a set of this size and price. Another 2, even if they were generic 'robot baddies' would really tip this into the 'outstanding' category for me.

I'm also a bit disappointed by the low fig count, less because of the value of the set and more because it connects to another way I preferred the original Agents theme. The classic theme is what I'd consider maybe the most triumphant example of "sets telling a story". With that in mind, the Mobile Command Center's larger number of figs offered much more storytelling potential. There were enough seats for all four Agents to be hard at work, and enough vehicles for all four to leave the truck for missions, and the story didn't "end" when Dr. Inferno was captured—rather, the set also included Gold Tooth and Spy Clops so that they could break him out of prison! This set includes the same number of agents as the classic set, but only half as many small vehicles for them to use. And even with a giant mech, Terabyte is just one villain, and once the threat he presents is neutralized there aren't many other play scenarios offered by this set alone.

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