The Top 10 Best LEGO Mechs

1st November 2022

LEGO has been going mech mad lately, with dozens of new mechs released in the past few years. It's understandable why there have been so many, as these sets provide action figure like builds that kids love to play with. However, for adult collectors and LEGO fans they do little to inspire the imagination, and news of yet another one is met with groans and anguish. But you should not despair, as in this article we show that there have been some great mechs to come out, and there will likely be many more in the future. So without further ado, here is our list of the top ten.

10. Green Ninja Mech Dragon (70612)

While this isn't the type of set that first comes to mind when you think of mechs, but LEGO has named it as one so it was included in our review. It depicts Lloyd's impressive steed from the LEGO NINJAGO movie and was released in 2017. NINJAGO has produced a plethora of mechanical dragons, and this one is our favourite, primarily because it most looks like an actual dragon. The proportions, colour, and decoration give it a convincing reptilian look. The head design is particularly impressive, especially the jaw and golden horns. Besides looking fantastic, the dragon also has a high degree of articulation, which increases both its display value and playability.

9. Golden Mech (71702)

The Golden Mech was released in 2020 as part of NINJAGO's Legacy subtheme, which produced some brilliant models based on re-imagined classic sets from the theme. It's one of the smaller mechs on our list, coming in at 489 pieces and measuring 25cm in height. The design benefits from excellent mobility, with adjustable knees, shoulders, elbows, and fingers, meaning you can adapt the mech into a range of poses. The broad round disc used for its hat gives the model a Japanese samurai style look and reminds me of Raiden in Mortal Kombat. The aesthetic is also helped by the white and gold colour scheme, which is always going to be a winner.

8. Ninja Ultra Combo Mech (71765)

The Ninja Ultra Combo Mech was released in 2022 under the Core subtheme. It's more eccentric and lacks the polished look of other mechs because it's made up of four separate vehicles, which require minimal dismantling to form the full model. I'm always impressed with the ingenuity required to design a combo mech and it's also a feature that adds excellent playability.

The smaller vehicles are good enough to hold up on their own, and the same can be said for the finished mech. However, if you intend to display this set, there are certainly more refined mechs out there. We love the creativity of the Ninja Ultra Combo Mech and would love to see more such mechs from LEGO. For that reason, it makes our top ten list.

7. Monkey King Warrior Mech (80012)

Monkie Kid has produced some exceptional sets since its inception in 2020 and is a much-underrated theme in our opinion. The Monkey King Warrior Mech was among the first wave of sets, and it's probably the most striking from what is a very striking theme. You get the sense that Monkie Kid allowed the LEGO designers to break free of the creative shackles imposed by licensed sets, which gave us some very imaginative designs.

The mech is one of the tallest LEGO have made, being 33cm to the top of its head. It looks fantastic thanks to the numerous metallic gold pieces, which are a rarity as LEGO tends to favour pearl gold that lacks the same lustre. Like many mechs, the back of the Monkey King Warrior is its most unflattering angle, but this is neatly concealed with two gigantic cape pieces and the shimmering plastic skirt panels. This set would be vying for the top spot if it didn't suffer from limited mobility due to its rigid knees. It's also fairly fragile, so as a toy it doesn't rate very highly, but for someone who likes to primarily display their models, this is a must have set.

6. Quake Mech (70632)

The Quake Mech is one of LEGO's most unusual mechs. It's also one of the most substantial, as the set contains 1202 pieces, nearly all of which go towards constructing the mech. This one-wheeled behemoth depicts Cole's ride in the LEGO NINJAGO Movie and was released in 2017.

Looking at the design, you would be forgiven for having reservations about its stability. However, a rear kickstand, neatly concealed behind the wheel when viewed front on, keeps the mech balanced. Overall, there is a good range of motion in the arms and the large hands can be placed on the ground to act as a base, if you want to display the mech turning sharply to one side.

There are also some nice play features, such as the expanding shoulders that can be opened up to reveal more speakers, some of which are flick-fire missiles. The black, pearl gold, and yellow colour combo looks fantastic and reminds me of the classic Blacktron Space subtheme. The smooth surfaces also add some sleekness. For its uniqueness and visual appeal, this mech makes our top ten.

5. Nya's Samurai X MECH (71775)

Nya's Samurai X MECH is the newest on our list, being released in mid-2022. As the name suggests, it adopts Japanese styling, and pulls it off rather well. The blue colour is a welcome break from the paler look of many other NINJAGO mechs, and it works well with the wonderful black and gold combination on its legs, arms, and shoulders. It has a slender design than other mechs, which some will prefer, but we think the arms could have benefitted from some beefing up. The giant protruding red X on its chest and bulky shoulder pads also don't quite work, but these are minor quibbles.

It reaches 32cm in height, so looks down on most other mechs. We like the choice of weapon, with the twin gold swords looking very menacing. It has less articulation than Zane's Titan Mech Battle, which takes the flexibility crown, but overall it's a very good model to play with and put on your shelf.

4. Demon Bull King (80010)

The Demon Bull King is the rival mech to the Monkey King Warrior, and it provides a suitable matchup, being only a few centimetres shorter. The design looks very menacing and has some substantial buik, with over 1,000 pieces making up the mech. Unusually, there is generous use of pink and purple pieces, which work very well with the black and grey parts and gives this mech a truly unique look.

Our favourite design element is the light brick in the torso, which gives it an appropriate demonic appearance. The giant shoulder mounted shooters on each shoulder that can be filled with 1x1 trans orange rounds will deliver lots of fun when playing with the Bull King. The two main weapons, the flamethrower and fire axe, are also very impressive. While it's not the supplest mech, we can forgive this shortcoming as a necessary compromise for giving us a formidable build. It's also great to see a villainous mech that doesn't feel woefully underpowered.

3. Voltron (21311)

Voltron was released in 2018 under the Ideas theme and is based on the 80's US TV series, Voltron: Defender of the Universe. He's by far the biggest mech LEGO have made, being a colossal 45cm tall. Voltron is built by combining five mechanical lions that transform convincingly into one large model. This must have been posed a significant challenge to the LEGO designers, but they have pulled it off remarkably well. Only the central black lion needs to undergo some reconfiguration by detaching and reconnected its legs, but this isn't a lengthy process.

Voltron's combination of primary colours looks great and there are many shiny lacquered parts that add some fantastic decorative flourishes to the final model. A downside is that when fully assembled, Voltron has little mobility. The legs are static, with just his shoulders, elbows, wrists, and neck being able to move. This is hardly surprising given the scale of the mech, as LEGO had to choose stability over function. His feet are also not flush to the ground, but regardless of these shortcomings, this is a very impressively designed set that delivers great playability and visual appeal.

2. Lloyd's Titan Mech (70676)

Lloyd's Titan Mech was released in 2019 under NINJAGO's Secrets of the Forbidden Spinjitzu subtheme. It has a great samurai appearance and is a beautiful model. The colours are very well thought out and the torso and legs are particularly well shaped. The mech's stature (31cm tall) and winged backpack mean it looks exceptional when on display.

The level of flexibility is good, but not the best, with fixed knee joints limiting the positions it can get into. Like many mechs, the back of the model lets it down slightly as it looks a little messy, but those are our only real criticisms. A big plus point for this set's functionality as a toy, is its sturdiness, as you can engage the mech in thorough combat without fear of pieces popping off. However, the standout feature, is the detachable fanned backpiece, which becomes a flying craft that can be manned by Lloyd.

Overall, this set performs very strongly as a play set and a display piece and is perhaps the best looking mech out there. If it wasn't for the limited mobility, it would have taken the top spot.

1. Zane's Titan Mech Battle (71738)

Zane's Titan Mech Battle is the second set on this list from the NINJAGO's Legacy subtheme, which pays tribute to some of the theme's earlier sets. This one takes the Titan Mech Battle (70737) as its inspiration and is a notable improvement on the original. It is one of the larger NINJAGO mechs, standing 28cm tall. It's also one of the most attractive, closely resembling a Transformer in appearance.

What places it so high up our list, is its superb level of articulation. Little compromise has had to be made to achieve this mobility, as the model looks nicely bulked out and armoured, due to some clever engineering. The design is also perfectly balanced, meaning it can stand in a number of positions without fear of toppling over. Those wanting to battle with this mech will happily find that it's well armoured. It's a mech that's hard to fault and for that reason it's the best LEGO has ever made.

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