Quick Hits: Series 1 is Back and Ninjago Gets Re-upped

A couple of quick news items this morning...

Reports are surfacing over various sites that the Build a Minifig bins at US LEGO Stores are now getting Series 1 Collectible Minifigure parts. This shouldn't be a terrible surprise as the LEGO Store calendars declaired this was coming. The only questions that really remains is which parts will be available. The same pic taken by JAYMATIK seems to be up on the sites currently reporting. It shows The Forestman, The Clown, and a couple of Mermaids (not Series 1 I know). The stories also state that parts for the Cheerleader and Magician are making an appearance. If the Zombie parts ever surfaced, that would really be a coup! Build a Minifig prices are three minifigures for $9.99 USD.

The second item of interest is that Cartoon Network has picked up Ninjago - Masters of Spinjitzu for renewal. Likely to appear in late 2011, this will be a series and not just a three or four episodes. This is both a first for LEGO and evidence that the Ninjago sets will be around for some time. This isn't a terrible surprise for me as the Ninjago Minifigure Guides are still one of the most visited portions of the site. You can read more about this story at Toy News.

That's all for now. More as it happens...

UPDATE: I kid you not, here is the brief on the new Ninjago series released by Cartoon Network:
After a time of peace in Ninjago, our four Ninja heroes are about to face a new dangerous enemy. Lloyd Garmadon, son of their archenemy Lord Garmadon, has unleashed a new evil with unique powers. Soon all his ambition to follow in his father's footsteps has put all of Ninjago in jeopardy.

I  can't wait to see the Lloyd Garmadon minifigure...

New Pics of LEGO Alien Conquest and Ninjago Spinners

Just as I suspected...website Mikado Spieleland also has new hi-res images of LEGO Alien Conquest as well. We get a good look at that new gun design and nice close ups on the minifigures.

I was also able to confirm that the new Ninjago spinner sets have pics up too. Although the pictures aren't quite as good, you do get a sense of what the new Sensei Wu, Kruncha, and Wyplash will look like.

You can see more of Alien Conquest and Ninjago on Mikado Spieleland.

LEGO Ninjago Skeleton Chopper at TRU (US)

Apples writes in to say that the LEGO Ninjago polybag set Skeleton Chopper (30081) has made an appearance at ToysRUs in the US. If you recall back to the beginning of February, Brickset discovered four of these Ninjago promotional sets. I believe Target and ToysRUs have been the only stores to feature these Ninjago polybags, to date.

Apples also noted that the Cole DX spinners were in store as well, so it may only be a matter of time before all the new spinner sets are in.

(Picture via Brickset)

New Ninjago Spinner Sets at ToysRUs

Toys N Bricks is reporting that the newer Ninjago spinners are showing up at ToysRUs stores in the US. 

Cole DX and Zane DX have been seen so far, but the Nuckal and Nya spinners shouldn't be far behind. Do be aware that the spinner minifigures appear to manufactured differently from those that come with the main sets (take that for what you will). Skeleton spinners, like Nuckal, also have a different arm configuration so the figure can hold weapons out to the side. If these details aren't a concern, this is a less expensive way to add these figures to your collection.

There are several TRU LEGO deals this week with free sets and price off deals. ToysRUs has also lowered their threshold for free shipping from $100 down to $75. You can see all the details at Toys N Bricks, or you can go straight to ToysRUs.com.

LEGO Ninjago Minifigures - Cole DX

Cole DX is currently only in Ninjago set Battle Arena (2520).

The normal version of Cole will be covered separately.

Minifigure Parts and Accessories

Cole DX is composed of four parts - a head wrap, head, torso, and legs.

The head wrap is a back variant of part x54, which is a new color for this part. There is a clip on the back of the wrap to hold weapons or other items.

The head is a new pattern with a stern look and bushy eyebrows. This is the same as the normal (non DX) version of Cole. It is not printed on both sides.

The entire torso assembly is black and features a new torso print. Cole DX's design is a dragon breathing rock. On the back there is a lion symbol with Cole's name spelled out along the bottom.

The legs have print on them which is nice. It is a simple tied on rope belt.

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this figure is moderate to high. Ninjas need very little customizaion to fit into any Japanese clan. With the new torso print it could also easily be a leader or some other new rank of ninja.

The Big Draw
It's a ninja! There really aren't really any new parts here with this specific one but ninjas are always sought after and a new one is always ready to join the party.

LEGO Bio
Leader of Sensei Wu's team, the Ninja of Earth has his feet on the ground. He knows when to give orders and when to hang back and let his teammates rely on their instincts. The others all respect him and follow his lead, knowing that Cole has a plan for everything.

(Back to the LEGO Ninjago Minfigure Guide)

Written by Leper

A big thanks to Pedro for setting us up with this figure.

New Ninjago Sets on the Horizon

The most recent LEGO Club magazine had a page highlighting four new Ninjago spinner sets for Cole DX (2170), Zane DX (2171), Nuckal (2173), and Nya (2172). Some of these figures haven't been available outside of pricey sets to date. It is important to note, however, that the minifigures that come with the spinners are different. In appearance they are all the same, but they have characteristics that suggest they may be made in China. The skeletons also have a different style of arm to allow them to hold weapons out to the side while spinning.

In additional to these new spinner sets, yellowcastle from Brickset has found a new Ninjago polybag at his local Target store. Polybag 30083 is titled 'Dragon Flight' and features Kai and a small brick built dragon. This and other seasonal LEGO polybags can be found in the Easter section of Target stores. The price is listed as $3.99 USD. You can see more at Brickset.

LEGO Ninjago Minifigures - Jay DX

Jay DX is currently exclusive to Ninjago set Skeleton Bowling (2519).

The normal version of Jay will be covered separately.

Minifigure Parts and Accessories

Jay DX is composed of four parts - a head wrap, head, torso, and legs.

The head wrap is a blue variant of part x54, which is a new color for this part. There is a clip on the back of the wrap to hold weapons or other items.

The head is a new pattern with a stern look and an eyebrow with a small section cut from it. The head does not feature dual-sided print. This is the exact same print that appears on the normal (non DX) version of Jay.

The torso and arms are blue with black hands. The torso features a new ninja gi print. There is a gold print dragon on the front breathing lightning. On the back of the torso there is a lion symbol with Jay's name spelled out along the bottom.

The hips and legs are blue with a darker blue belt print which starts on the hips and extends down to the legs.

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this figure is moderate to high. Armies of ninja warriors are always fun.

The Big Draw
The new head and torso prints are the likely draws here. The blue head wrap will also be desirable since it's a new color for this part

LEGO Bio
As fast as the Lightning he wields as a ninja, Jay is known for his sense of humor. He's always able to lighten the mood with a joke, even in the middle of a fight. Sometimes it might seem he is never serious, but he is dedicated to his job. In battle, Jay is the one you want on your side.

(Back to the LEGO Ninjago Minfigure Guide)

Written by Leper

A big thanks to Pedro for setting us up with this figure.

Gizmodo Delivers the Hi-Res Goods for 2011 LEGO

Gizmodo ran an article last night that featured tons of big, hi-res images of all the 2011 LEGO playthemes announced to date. This includes Star Wars, Ninjago, Alien Conquest, City, Kingdoms, Pirates of the Caribbean...the list goes on an on. LEGO Harry Potter seems to be the one missing piece.

Becuase the hi-res images are so big, you get great shots of all the minifigures. You can find the article at the Gizmodo website.

A big thanks to the folks at The Brick Blog who pointed me in the right direction.

New Ninjago at American International Toy Fair

I'll not post the image as it appears to have a 'confidential' watermark, but we seem to have more details on new Ninjago minifigures from the American International Toy Fair.

Picture are appearing around the net of two new skeletons, Kruncha and Wyplash, as well as a second version of Sensei Wu (DX version perhaps?). 

The skeletons are of the large head variety with Wyplash sporting a conical hat and Kruncha with a samurai style helmet. They both appear to have a new armor style as well.

The new Fire Temple set has a gold 'sword of fire' that is a new part mold. This piece did not appear in the first wave of sets, but looks fantastic with a dragon head hilt. The dragon screens from this set are phenomenal as well.

Finally, the dragons in these sets are quite nice! My favorite to date being the Earth Dragon.

My sincerest thanks to all the sites, like FBTB.net, who have not only taken the time to shoot and upload all of these pictures, but have likely sacrificed the time they could be spending on the showcase floor. I think if I was in their shoes, the temptation to run around and check all the other vendors would be too much for me. I can't wait to see all the pics from New York over the coming days.

LEGO Ninjago On Sale at Amazon.com (US)

Apples wrote to let me know that LEGO Ninjago set, Garmadon's Dark Fortress, is on sale at Amazon.com for $55 USD (~21% off the list price). This could be a 'flash sale', where the price goes up at some point in the near future, so don't delay. You can see all the figures that come with this set in our LEGO Ninjago Minifigure guides.

Toys N Bricks is also reporting other sales on a few select Toy Story and Star Wars sets, including the Western Train Chase, Palpatine's Shuttle, Slave I, and the ARC-170. You can see more at Toys N Bricks.

LEGO Series 5 Collectible Figs and More

Only hours after rumors of the Series 5 Collectible Minifigures surfaced, we now have a picture from the Nurnburg International Toy Fair. So it would seem that 'woman with briefcase' is 'woman with boombox' and the red and blue mystery figs are a lumberjack and a male snowboarder, respectively.

A big thanks to Toys N Bricks for posting the link to the website Spieletest. Here's further proof for you future bloggers to always dig when sites are linked. There are several videos in the link to Spieletest above that showcase set shots for new Ninjago, Star Wars, and Alien Conquest. There are also pics below the videos which show the new Kingdoms sets.

I've linked two of the videos below. The first you must watch as it has pics of Series 4 and 5 plus all the Alien Conquest figures. The second video is a showcase of the new Ninjago sets and figures. Enjoy!

LEGO Ninjago Guides Upgraded

I've just 'upgraded' the LEGO Ninjago guide entries for Krazi, Frackjaw, and Zane. The pictures are now of the figures we had in hand with 360 views and head shots.

Only two more entries to go before we have all minifigs from the series to date.

On a separate but related note, I did find out that the skeleton arms differ between those figures that appear in regular sets as opposed to spinners. There is no 'twist' to the hand clip so the hands open to the side. This is likely done to allow the spinner skeletons to hold weapons out instead of up and down. The angle of the arm bend is also closer to 90 degrees. Just something to consider when looking to buy the skeleton figures.

You can see the updated guides here.

New Ninjago Promo Sets Sighted

Brickset managed to find four new Ninjago promotional sets in the instructions area of LEGO.com. The sets are Ninja Glider (30080), Skeleton Chopper (30081), Ninja Training (30082), and Dragon Fight (30083). A nice way to pick up Zane, Jay, and Frackjaw at a reasonable price point. Also, how can you go wrong with a glider made of golden orc swords!

You can see all the pics of the promo sets at Brickset.

LEGO Ninjago Minifigures - Zane DX

Zane DX is exclusive to Ninjago set Ice Dragon Attack (2260). The regular versions of the ninjas are covered separately.

Minifigure Parts and Accessories
Zane DX is composed of four parts, a white head wrap, head, torso, and legs.

The head wrap is a white variant of part x54 which was last seen in this color in the Vintage Minifigure Collection Vol. 5 (852769). There is a clip on the back of the wrap to hold weapons or other items.

The head is a new pattern with a stern look.

The torso features a new ninja gi print. There is a gold print dragon on the front breathing ice. On the back of the torso there is a spiky lion symbol with Zane's name spelled out along the bottom.

The hips and legs are white with a belt print which starts on the hips and extends down to the legs. The tail of the dragon from the torso also extends down to the legs.

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this figure is moderate to high. Ninjas need very little customization to fit into any Japanese clan. With the new torso print it could also easily be a leader or some other different type of rank ninja.

The Big Draw
It's a ninja! There really aren't any new parts here but ninjas are always sought after and a new one is always ready to join the party. The dragon print is also likely to be a sought after variant.

LEGO Bio
Cold and brilliant Ninja of Ice, Zane has remarkable endurance as well as resistance to cold. Although he is a valued member of the team, his lack of a sense of humor and strange manner sometimes makes the other ninja unsure of him. But in a fight, he is as brave as they come and has saved the day more than once.

(Back to the LEGO Ninjago Minfigure Guide)

Written by Leper

Ask the Duck: LEGO Ninjago Armor Compatability

Roughly a week or so ago, Akunthita of The Brick Blogger wrote to ask me if the Ninjago skeleton armor was compatable with regular minifigures. Although minifigure versions of the Mythbusters were unavailable for this post, I asked Kai to take a break from his Spinjitzu training to help us answer this question...

As you can see from the 360 shot above* the armor does indeed work with regular minifigures. The Ninjago skeleton torsos also accommodate most minifigure body gear as well, due to the design of the spinal ridge**.

So there you have it Akunthita, hopefully this was helpful!

I am more than happy to answer any minifigure related questions you might have. I may not always have the answer, and I can't entertain all questions, but I'll do my best. If you have a question you can contact me a uglyduck.bricklink@gmail.com.

*Yes, I know it's a 270 degree shot. Just flip the side pic in your mind if it helps you sleep...

**Yes, it would have been helpful to have a second pic showing normal body gear on a Ninjago skeleton...(sigh)

LEGO Ninjago Minifigures - Frackjaw

Frackjaw is exclusive to two Ninjago sets, Spinjitzu Starter Set (2257) and Turbo Shredder (2263).

Minifigure Parts and Accessories

Conical Hat (Top View)

Frackjaw is composed of seven parts - head, torso, armor, two arms, and two legs. He also comes with one of the new conical asian hats if you buy the Turbo Shredder set.

The head is white with a new skull print and red eyes. There are metal patches on the top part of his skull "patching up" cracks. The head does not feature dual-sided print.

The torso is new featuring angled ribs and connections for the arms and legs. There's also a spine that juts out in back that allows standard LEGO body wear to fit the figure. This was not a feature on previous skeleton torsos. There are black holes on the minifigs 'collar bone' and on the hips, which are attached to the torso, there is a red printed loin cloth.

The armor is a new part in black. There's a metal print on the front which resembles armor plating with a red skull symbol at the bottom. There are also three red spikes along each side of the top of the armor near the arms. This armor will fit a normal minifig.

The arms are a new part. They have clips on either end to attach to the torso and to allow the figure to hold a weapon securely. The clips are at a 90 degree twist to one another. This type of bent arm design has not been featured on skeleton figures previously.

The legs are also a new part. Although they clip onto the torso in a similar fashion as past skeleton figs, there are 'boots' at the bottom resembling a standard minifigure 'foot'. This was likely done to allow the figure to fit into the Ninjago spinner. This will be great for heavily armored deceased custom minifigs.

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this figure is moderate to high. Armies of skeleton warriors are always a good enemy for almost any genre and with all these new parts it would be a great add to any LEGO collection.

The Big Draw
All of the new parts on this minifig with additional play features over previous skeleton figures. The torsos accommodate standard LEGO body gear, which opens the door for lots of custom options.

Card Details
Frackjaw – Skeleton of Fire
"I’m hazardous to your health, so why don’t we play?"

Spinjitzu Power:
Fire SP: 400
Lightning SP: 300
Earth SP: 300
Ice SP: 0

(Back to the LEGO Ninjago Minfigure Guide)

Picture via ToyWiz
Written by Leper

LEGO Ninjago Minifigures - Zane (Non DX)

Zane  is currently only in two Ninjago sets including Zane Spinner Set (2113) and Spinjitzu Dojo (2504).

The 'DX' version of Zane will be covered separately.

Minifigure Parts and Accessories

Zane is composed of four parts, a white head wrap, head, white torso with a brown rope and gold medallion print, and white legs with a grey belt pattern.

The head wrap is a white variant of part x54 which was last seen in this color in the Vintage Minifigure Collection Vol. 5 (852769). There is a clip on the back of the wrap to hold weapons or other items.

The head is a new pattern with a stern look.

The entire torso assembly is white and features a new torso print. Zane's design is similar to the original ninja torsos but features a gold medallion with ropes 'holding it on'.

The legs have print on them which is nice. It is a simple grey tied on rope belt.Cole is composed of four parts, a head wrap, head, torso with a brown rope and gold medallion print, and black legs with a belt pattern.

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this figure is moderate to high. Ninjas need very little customization to fit into any Japanese clan. With the new torso print it could also easily be a leader or some other different type of rank ninja.

The Big Draw
It's a ninja! There really aren't really any new parts here with this specific one but ninjas are always sought after and a new one is always ready to join the party.

LEGO Bio
Cold and brilliant Ninja of Ice, Zane has remarkable endurance as well as resistance to cold. Although he is a valued member of the team, his lack of a sense of humor and strange manner sometimes makes the other ninja unsure of him. But in a fight, he is as brave as they come and has saved the day more than once.

Card Details
Zane – Ninja of Ice
"Are you ready for me to crush you like an avalanche?"

Spinjitzu Power:
Fire SP: 0
Lightning SP: 300
Earth SP: 300
Ice SP: 400

(Back to the LEGO Ninjago Minfigure Guide)

Pictures via ToyWiz and BrickLink
Written by Leper

LEGO Ninjago Minifigures - Samukai

Samukai is exclusive to the Ninjago set Garmadon's Dark Fortress (2505) .

Minifigure Parts and Accessories
Samukai is composed of nine parts - upper jaw, lower jaw/upper torso, lower torso, four arms, and two legs.

The head is composed of an upper jaw that is clipped onto a larger lower jaw/upper torso combo. The mouth is then hinged with a rather large 'bite' (*chomp*). The 'armor' on Samukai is part of the mold and not a separate part. There are also two connections points for the arms.  The upper torso attaches to the lower via the head post.

The lower torso is new featuring angled ribs and connections for the arms and legs. There's also a spine that juts out in back that allows standard LEGO body wear to fit the figure. This was not a feature on previous skeleton torsos. There are black holes on the minifigs "collar bone" and on the hips, which are attached to the torso, there is a red printed loin cloth. There are also two additional connection points for arms, bringing the total number of arms for Samukai to four.

The arms are a new part. They have clips on either end to attach to the torso and to allow the figure to hold a weapon securely. The clips are at a 90 degree twist to one another. This type of bent arm design has not been featured on skeleton figures previously.

The legs are also a new part. Although they clip onto the torso in a similar fashion as past skeleton figs, there are 'boots' at the bottom resembling a standard minifigure 'foot'. This was likely done to allow the figure to fit into the Ninjago spinner. This will be great for heavily-armored, deceased custom minifigs.

Army Building Potential
The ABP for this figure is low to moderate, primarily due to the price point of the current set Samukai comes in.

The Big Draw
This is the best minifig to date in the entire Ninjago line. The entire figure will be a great addition to any collection!

(Back to the LEGO Ninjago Minfigure Guide)

Sales and Deals Countdown

A few details on some deals that are coming to an end very soon...

First up we have the exclusive Sensei Wu key chain from LEGO.com on orders over $75 USD/CAN or 50 GBP. To date this is the only way to get this Spinjitzu master as a key chain. Offer ends at the end of the month. I never confirmed if the key chain was automatically added to the order, or if you needed a code (it doesn't indicate that you do at LEGO.com). Please make certain it's added before you checkout. (US| Canada| UK)

Speaking of deals ending on January 31st, the 10% voucher/coupon code for FireStar Toys is set to expire. FireStar Toys has a wide variety of LEGO minifigures and custom accessories, so much in fact that you can mix and match products from different custom houses without all those extra shipping charges. Did you like the BrickTW items featured in today's review? Firestar doesn't yet carry those items, but do have many of the 2010 product line available. Just use voucher/coupon code 'KV882256' at checkout to get your discount at FireStar Toys today.

The last sale comes to us from Toys N Bricks. It seems those $3 LEGO sets have been further marked down to $1! I personally checked out a local K-Mart, but no luck. Hey, with $1 LEGO sets, it's worth taking a look.

That's all for now. Happy bargain hunting!

LEGO Ninjago Minfigures - Nya

Nya is exclusive to the Ninjago set Garmadon's Dark Fortress (2505).

Minifigure Parts and Accessories

Nya is composed of four parts - hair piece, head, torso, and legs.

The hair is part 62711, a bob hair cut in black.

The head is yellow with a new, dual-sided female print. One side shows Nya without a mask, while the alternate side has a red mask over her mouth.

The torso is red with yellow arms and hands. The torso print resembles Asian female clothing with a sash tied at the waist. There are also fire bird/phoenix designs in gold repeating down the left side of the torso and continuing down to the legs. There is no print on the back of the torso.

The hips and legs are red with the clothing design continuing down the figure. There is only print on the front of the legs.

Army Building Potential

The ABP for this figure is low. I don't see this figure being sought in multiples like the ninjas or skeletons. Plus the price point of the set she currently comes in is high.

The Big Draw

The dual sided head and torso/leg prints are the draw here. Some distinctive designs that can be put to lots of new uses.

(Back to the LEGO Ninjago Minfigure Guide)