Review: 70618 Destiny's Bounty
Posted by CapnRex101,
The LEGO NINJAGO Movie range seems to have captured the attention of almost everyone, even those who have expressed little previous interest in NINJAGO. 70618 Destiny's Bounty is perhaps the foremost motivating factor for this trend as more fantastical aspects of the theme have been omitted in favour of realistic design features and an exceptional level of detail which is in evidence throughout the entire model.
Furthermore, the set contains 2295 pieces and is priced at just £109.99 or $159.99 so appears to offer tremendous value for money! Most of The LEGO NINJAGO Movie sets are similarly reasonably priced but this is a particularly good example. I therefore have very high expectations for the set and it could prove to be one of the best of 2017, although there is a great deal of competition for such an accolade this year.
Minifigures
While the ninja don fresh attire with each new wave of NINJAGO sets, Master Wu has worn a similar outfit since the theme began in 2011. His conical hat features some attractive texturing which contrasts with the smooth surface of the white beard. The head is printed with additional facial hair and a kindly expression that seems entirely appropriate given the absence of conflict in this set.
Wu's white robe is simply decorated with a grey trim on the front and a red symbol on the back. This also appears on the ninja and on one of the ship's sails, clearly denoting that the Destiny's Bounty belongs to Wu. A fabric component is wrapped around the legs and this is printed to match the torso so looks superb. A pair of sandals adorn the feet and a 6L bar, representing a bo staff, completes the figure.
This set includes all six ninja, each of whom wears a distinctive shinobi shozoku which reflects their skills and elemental colour. Kai sports a vivid red robe which features some golden decoration along with a black lining. The dark red diamonds printed on the legs look marvellous and I love the new head wrap elements which fit together seamlessly, covering smiling and angry facial expressions as well as some scarring around the left eye.
Cole is dressed in a looser robe, revealing some muscle definition around the neck and leaving his arms entirely exposed. This feels appropriate given that Cole is traditionally the strongest of the group and the black, dark brown and metallic gold colour scheme looks splendid, reflecting Cole's element of Earth. Bands are printed on each wrist to distinguish this figure from that found in a couple of the smaller sets but his head, featuring bushy eyebrows, a smile and a grimace, is identical across the range.
Jay is instantly identifiable by the freckles printed on his face. He wears a dark blue robe with blue accents and a dark bluish grey strap, presumably intended for storing some equipment, runs across both sides of the torso. I like the orange bands around his knees and the fabric visible around his neck is the same colour, as is the insignia found on his back. I was initially concerned that this additional colour would overwhelm the earthier dark blue when images were revealed but in fact the two tones look great together.
The white robe worn by Zane is perhaps the most distinctive of all the ninja, not only due to the colour but also its exceptionally neat shape which contrasts with the scruffier designs of the other ninja. This reflects Zane's robotic identity and personality, revealed by the bright blue eyes and angular eyebrows printed on both sides of the head. Black and white designs dominate the figure as one would expect of the ice ninja and I love the little ice crystal icon printed on the band around Zane's head.
Nya is the water ninja and her attire has altered quite significantly during the course of the animated series, beginning with dark red and black before transitioning to a pale blue and dark red design. This has been updated once again for The LEGO NINJAGO Movie and she now sports a pearl dark grey outfit with silver lining and some very subtle light blue decoration. It looks brilliant and the figure also includes metallic silver elbow armour along with a fabric element around the waist which is printed to resemble metal faulds.
The last of the ninja is Lloyd, who wears a black shinobi shozoku featuring green accents. This colour combination looks great and I love the subtle armour weave which is printed on both sides of the torso and the arms. Lloyd's robe includes some pearl gold details on the front, matching those seen on a couple of the other ninja, while the back features Master Wu's floral symbol. The eyes are green to distinguish Lloyd as the Green Ninja and his head includes a smile on one side and a determined grimace on the other.
It was established in The LEGO Movie that human artefacts sometimes find their way into the world of LEGO and this is reflected in The LEGO NINJAGO Movie as a simple laser pointer becomes the ultimate weapon in the hands of a minifigure! Here it is held by Lloyd and includes a trans-red 4L bar to represent the laser beam as well as a chain and a dark bluish grey life ring which form a key chain. It is about the right size for a human and looks quite realistic but is also able to interact perfectly with a minifigure, as shown below.
The six ninja are each equipped with their own unique weapons. Zane wields a black bow while Kai uses two swords, Jay is armed with a flail and Cole carries an enormous hammer. A black tassel is fitted to the end of Nya's spear and a pearl gold component also appears on the pommel of Lloyd's dao, both of which looks great. Such varied weaponry is ideal for displaying the entire team together.
The Completed Model
Destiny's Bounty measures over 55cm in length so is among the largest LEGO ships ever released, surpassed only by 10210 Imperial Flagship and 71042 Silent Mary. However, this model feels as large as those as it does not include a bowsprit and the space onboard has been used far more efficiently so incorporates many more subtle details. It looks absolutely brilliant on display and its distinctive Asian styling really sets it apart from other models, almost all of which have been based on European ships of the line.
Twin figureheads adorn the bow of the ship. These are designed to resemble dragons and they look brilliant, featuring an attractive colour scheme of dark and bright red along with some pearl gold decoration. I love the bananas which form the eyelids and white ice cream swirls represent the eyes very effectively. The mouths can be opened on hinges to present a more fearsome visage and you can also adjust the angles of the horns and the tendrils on either side of the snout.
The area between the dragon heads is open so you can post a lookout or approach the edge of a dock and disembark. This entire section is mounted on hinges in order to discourage picking up the ship from beneath the figureheads as the structure of the hull is stronger. Such practical considerations are vital but the hinged deck panel could also serve as a play feature as it is reminiscent of the Roman corvus. These boarding devices descended onto the deck of an opposing ship to deliver troops and the Destiny's Bounty could perform a similar manoeuvre, although I doubt that this was intended.
LEGO ships are traditionally constructed around large hull components which ensure absolute stability. This vessel is almost entirely devoid of such pieces and the base of the hull is built using Technic bricks connected using pins. I was slightly concerned that this would compromise the rigidity of the hull during the early stages of construction but the final model is perfectly strong and this technique has allowed the designer to include rows of exposed studs resembling rivets.
Cylindrical fenders hang from the sides of the Destiny's Bounty, protecting it from collisions. These are a fairly mundane detail but present a pleasing contrast with the dark brown of the hull and I especially like the pearl gold ring around the top of each fender buoy. The rudder is set at a very slight angle on a ball joint. It looks great but is fixed in place and therefore cannot move laterally as one might expect which is a bit of a shame.
The deck pitches downwards from the bow of the ship so a few slopes and angled tiles are used among the plates that form most of the deck. They look superb but also conceal some hidden weapons stored beneath the panels, making the most effective use of every available space. A wooden windlass in the centre of the deck allows you to lower the anchors via chains on either side of the model. This works perfectly and does not interfere with the deck space at all, due in part to the ship's wide beam.
A dark bluish grey grille represents the access hatch for the interior. It looks brilliant and is cleverly set into the deck using bricks with studs on the side but does not actually open. I think this is a worthy compromise given its realistic design but a functional hatch would have been very welcome. The area around the grate is furnished with plants and crates full of accessories, many of which are devoted to fishing. There is also an attractive string of lanterns and stickered flags suspended between the masts.
Opening some of the crates at the base of the mainmast reveals a red beverage can and two trading cards depicted using stickers on 1x2 tiles. These designs match the Sensei Wu and NRG Kai character cards included with the early NINJAGO spinners which is a delightful reference! There are many more references to previous NINJAGO sets and events in the animated series to be found inside the Destiny's Bounty and these will be discussed later.
The vessel features three fabric sails so matches the configuration of many real junk rigs. I like the shape of the sails and the unique decorations, printed on only one side, look splendid, with Wu's insignia on the aft sail and a red dragon crossing between the fore and main sails. They are also printed with some shadows representing the battens that support the sails on a junk, although this model only features the yard and the boom at the top and bottom. The sails are smaller than they would be on a real vessel but this does not bother me as larger sails might risk obstructing access to the deck and the interior.
Substantial bulwarks run the entire length of the ship and are attached using ball joints at either end as well as hinged panels in the centre. This presents a very unusual profile but they look brilliant, curving to follow the shape of the deck at both the bow and the stern. The dark red and reddish brown colour scheme is delightful and I like the pearl silver 1x1 round plates which depict bolts. It is also worth noting that this set includes the decorative structures beneath the aftcastle which have appeared on every rendition of the Destiny's Bounty.
I think many ships look most impressive when viewed from astern and the Destiny's Bounty does not disappoint in that regard, although it looks fantastic from every angle! A pair of stickers show the name of the ship in both the Roman and NINJAGO scripts and a large telescope is fitted in the centre. This rotates and you can stand a minifigure on the balcony despite the lack of a door to access it. Two lanterns and a large flag featuring the word 'DOJO' are suspended from the top deck, the latter of which looks somewhat strange to me as the light bluish grey frame does not match the rest of the model.
However, the tan shutters which form a bamboo roof look absolutely marvellous and I am sure these elements, appearing in tan for the first time, will prove very useful for other creations. Some more plants are growing in window boxes around the top deck and the helm is located in front of the roofed area. It is therefore very easy to stand a minifigure at the wheel so they can steer the Destiny's Bounty.
The curved roof is clipped in place securely at the top but is not attached along the bottom edge, allowing you to roll the roof up and access the interior. There is only room for a couple of minifigures in here as most of the space is dedicated to structural elements but you will find a navigation table with a dark bluish grey sextant and a 2x2 printed map which also appears in 70608 Master Falls. A printed compass is placed in front of the helm.
You can remove the top deck to access the dojo area inside. The removable decks are not secured using studs but slot into grooves so will remain very stable even if the ship is pitching wildly in rough seas. The interior of the model is as detailed as the exterior and the dojo is furnished with a training dummy, a barrel full of weapons, a couple of lanterns and two katana placed in a sheath on the wall.
The training room also includes a printed scroll which is fitted vertically just as in 70606 Spinjitzu Training. I imagine that set is intended to depict this area of the Destiny's Bounty, suggesting that the characters will spend a great deal of time here in the film. I am glad that The LEGO NINJAGO Movie is represented at such a broad range of price points but purchasing this set leaves the smaller one almost entirely redundant which is unfortunate. Nevertheless, the dojo looks superb on the whole and the exposed studs on the floor allow you to pose figures inside as though they are preparing for battle.
The lower deck houses Wu's living quarters and are accessed via a ladder towards the front of the model. These rooms are fully furnished with everything a minifigure might need including a sink, a toilet and even a roll of toilet paper represented by a white 1x1 round brick! The plumbing consists of dark bluish grey and pearl gold elements which fit with the traditional atmosphere of the Destiny's Bounty and I like the lights mounted on the walls too.
The opposite wall is decorated with a selection of artefacts from some of Wu's past adventures in NINJAGO: Masters of Spinjitzu, although the film takes place in a separate universe. These include an Aeroblade from the Possession season of the animated series, a Vermillion cuirass from The Hands of Time storyline and two golden shuriken, perhaps representing the Shuriken of Ice from the very first season.
More weapons are mounted on the wall in Wu's bedroom. The white hilt of a Djinn Blade, originating in the Skybound season, is placed alongside two golden sai and a black scimitar, the latter of which relates to The Final Battle as the Stone Warriors often seemed to favour heavier swords. The helmet situated behind the bed belongs to an Anacondrai warrior from the Tournament of Elements and a love letter to Misako is also found in the corner.
The other side of the room includes yet more references to the television series including Garmadon's helmet and a photo of the five male ninja from before Nya joined the team. These details are wonderful but my favourite aspect of the interior is undoubtedly the bed. Beds have appeared in many LEGO sets but this one is unique as you can pull back the dark orange duvet and place a minifigure inside before closing it again. The mechanism works perfectly and I think Wu looks brilliant tucked in bed, still wearing his hat even when asleep!
Overall
70618 Destiny's Bounty is nothing short of spectacular. The level of detail throughout the model is absolutely tremendous and it includes an impressive interior so there is plenty to be discovered both inside and out. There are few play features included but the entire vessel is designed for interaction with the minifigures and it therefore offers considerable play value, as well as an exceptional outward appearance which is perfect for display.
I do have a couple of criticisms, although these are very minor and are easily excused in my opinion. Some of the lanterns around the edges of the deck are slightly fragile and the white flag hanging from the rear looks out of place to me, contrasting with the traditional design of the rest of the Destiny's Bounty. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this set, whether or not you have any previous experience with NINJAGO. £109.99 or $159.99 seems like a great price and it is probably worth that for the parts alone. This is truly one of the best sets in my collection and I am confident that you will be similarly delighted with it!
I hope you have found this review informative. Let us know by liking this article and share your thoughts on the set in the comments below.
This set was provided for review by The LEGO Group but the review is an expression of my own opinions.
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73 comments on this article
Great review! I am really wanting this now.
This is just an awesome ship. Wondering what it looks like compared to Silent Mary, Imperial Flagship and Queen Anne's Revenge? And I'm getting this as quick as possible.
I just bought this for 10% off NL/BE RRP (153 euro).
The ninjago movie doesn't interest me at all and I do not own any regular ninjago sets.
It's the aesthetics of this model that won me over.
The ship looks stunning and IMO the designers did a marvelous job on this one.
Will start building when I have more time.
I own 3 ninjago sets and none of them compare to this, it's awesome I love how so many little pieces make up the dragon heads at the front,
The lego team who took time designing this and creating a set from it deserve a medal.
Never been interested in Ninjago and now I've ordered this set and Ninjago City. Both sets look awesome imo!
Loving this set - about a third of the way through the build, and I have to say I like this better than any other boat to-date!
Excellent review!!
This is the best Bounty by far. I need this one.
I managed to get one of these for £90 with a £20 toysrus sticker voucher promo. Well worth the RRP, at a discount I just couldn't leave it there!
My favorite after Ninjago City and Ninjago City Chase.
Built this last week. Agree it is a great set. My son is into ninjago mainly but I have now brought this and Ninjago city for myself as the detail is great.
This looks amazingly gorgeous. Can't wait to grab it on a sale.
I've got a couple of Ninjago sets, not many. I don't follow the show but some of the designs I've liked a lot. I have one of the previous DBs. This and many of the other TLNM sets have such amazing design and startling low prices I'm confident I'll collect most if not all of the theme and build a lot of it too. This set is a builder for sure.
I feel like this set should have come with a small enemy vehicle and at least one enemy minifigure.
Just to enhance the play value a little bit more.
This looks terrific. I don't collect Ninjago or ships, but I might have to make an exception in this case.
Can't see them selling many in NZ, regardless of how good the set is (which it is!), since they've decided that we should pay 50% more than the UK price.
Yeah. FIFTY per cent more. Certainly not "tremendous value for money" in *this* market.....
This looks like a fantastic set, and I think if it were released any other year it would be the best set of they year, but there are already so many fantastic sets this year!
This looks like it's worth buying. Thanks for the review!
As long as a set is gifted, a review cant be correct. If someone GIVES me something i will like everything about it, but when i have to pay for it i would be more critical...
Great looking ship, a lot of details and even I am not ninjago fan will get it once it get discounted.
Btw that sensei bed is strange, when I saw picture I thought it is huge spoiler as it seemed me to be casket and that brown colour should represent shining high finish of wood :)
Great review! Cannot wait to get the set - hopefully with birthday money next month.
@tomenadi If we're mentioning it, then I don't think we'd be lying about our reviews being representative of our own opinions or not. I think you guys know us enough by now to trust that. :-)
Plus, it's not like we haven't given negative reviews to sets provided to us by LEGO before (*coughassaultonhothcough*).
Saw this in the lego shop yesterday and it looks amazing. So many good sets. So many choices
LEGO shipbuilding at its best!!! Now off to gather money to buy this Ninjago Ship and the Old Fishing Store. I would hate it if I had to choose between the two of them...
NZ: 50% more expensive.
HA! In Denmark (you know, LEGO is Danish) it's 69% more expensive (with a world-beating 25% VAT) priced corresponding to £186.
In Denmark this set is priced same as 10257 Carousel which means that 70618 "should" cost £160 in the UK.
Compensating for the included 20% UK VAT it's 35% more expensive in the US.
Welp, collecting all the Destiny's Bountys just got a lot more expensive. This is such an awesome set. I wish Lego would release more Asian themed stuff like this. The rest of Ninjago doesn't really count, besides the location based sets.
@tomenadi - That simply is not correct. All of the Brickset contributors, as well as those who write reviews for any fan website, are LEGO fans and have each purchased hundreds or even thousands of LEGO products. We therefore have a good understanding of the representative value of a set and can apply our previous experience even in cases where we did not actually purchase the set ourselves.
On the basis of your logic it would be impossible to provide a balanced review if we bought a set at a discount or even by purchasing a product in the UK or the US where sets often cost less than they do in many other countries.
Furthermore, from a purely practical perspective we would be unable to review so many sets or provide early reviews in some cases if we did not receive a small proportion of the sets we review from LEGO. I should also emphasise that we purchase the vast majority ourselves, as any of the staff in my local LEGO store would be able to verify!
Finally, perhaps most importantly of all, to publish a review which did not reflect our opinion would be disingenuous and that would not be true to the nature of the author or to Brickset as a whole. We have great respect for our readers and to publish a false review would not match the high editorial standard that we aim to maintain.
@tomenadi: Umm, I'd argue the exact opposite. Most reviewers aren't too anxious to pay for sets that they don't already like for one reason or another, so if all reviewers had to pay for their own sets then you'd hardly ever see a negative review of ANY set. Plus some reviewers would go out of their way to justify those purchases to themselves so might not want to admit any disappointments they had. On the other hand, a free set with no strings attached lets a qualified reviewer make and share their own decisions about the set without any kind of guilt for being honest about its downsides or reluctance to review sets they aren't excited about in the first place.
Anyway, great review! I bought and built this set during BrickFair Virginia and really love it! It's kind of a shame it doesn't have a flight/transformation feature like the previous versions of Destiny's Bounty, but it's definitely an extremely elegant vessel that feels very well-suited to the world of Ninjago. I love the amount of interior and exterior detail, as well as the amount of peaceful role-play possibilities. It's neat that it includes the whole ninja team, too, even though the lack of any baddies at all is surprising. Unless the ninja catching those fish is their way of attacking the Shark Army by proxy! XD
Having built the set, I was also really impressed with the sheer heft of it. You definitely get the sense that it offers a good value in bricks. Worth noting that according to BrickLink, it's actually a heavier set than the Imperial Flagship was! So the amazing number of pieces definitely isn't just "padding" as some people often suspect of sets with lots of small details.
I would definitely recommend this set to any Ninjago fan or any fan of LEGO ships! In fact, I can't think of a lot of people I wouldn't recommend it to, except for very young and inexperienced builders, since it easily earns its 9–14 age range. But younger Ninjago fans could definitely enjoy it, they just might need some building help if they're not already building sets at this level.
I wish LEGO would put this much care into their regular Ninjago sets.
Planning on getting it soon.
I feel like if I paid for a plane ticket to England, bought this over there and came back the next day, I'd still be paying less than if I paid Australian RRP...
Really good review thanks. I don't know anything about Ninjago, but I will now probably have to get this and see the film to find out what it is all about!
to iriz:
at least you have some good excuse why to travel around EU and apply for VAT refunds :)
I've just completed this set and it's fantastic - the BIG plus for me is that with a few minifigure and detail swaps, the ship could fit seamlessly into the 'Ninja' sets I still have from the 90s - with all the skeleton motorbikes and mechs, I've had to wait all this time for a really authentic Ninja set (barring perhaps the other Direct to Consumer Ninjago Temple) that feels like it'd be good in a Ninja 'Castle' setting and this certainly fitted the bill.
Plus, who couldn't find the fact that you can tuck up Wu in bed adorable? :)
@The Rancor - I think you're right on with the detail on being able to tuck Wu into bed. I'm actually stunned that I haven't seen that detail in a Friends or Elves set.
^^ True that, especially with the delightful expression on his face! He's living the dream!
Fantastic ship! Looks great to build and display. The story details in the captain's quarters, the dragon figurehead details, just magnificent.
Must get for me.
Just got this recently. What a great set!
This looks fantastic!! Haven't been keeping up with Ninjago but this is a must.
This is beautiful. This set and the NINJAGO City one. Top sets of the year. I'm a LEGO Star Wars fan but all i got to say is, move over MF. MF? What's dat? Lol.
i can not wait to add a crap ton of those pearl gold BANANA'S
to my collection, Bricklink here i come......
and some Black & pearl gold Tassel's & 2x2 cut corner piece & some of those new swords & pearl gold plant stem's & some sweet new reddish brown double scabbard's & some tan garage door pieces & a few trans red minifig heads & a few of that super sweet 2x3 printed tile.......
but it really is all about the pearl gold BANANA'S, BANANA'S, BANANA'S & MORE BANANA'S......
Apparently the sails are only printed on one side, again. This doesn't look nice, a clear disappointment.
@Dude45 EDIT: Nevermind, you're right. That is disappointing - why wasn't it mentioned in the review?
@Dude45: can you rotate the mast? If positive, i do think it's ok.
@CapnRex101: nice and dangerous review as you have forced me to order it :)
I'd say this set, Ninjago City, Arkham Asylum, and the Assembly Square are 4 of the best sets this year.
@Dude45 Sails are pretty thin and you can see the prints on the back side almost as good as on the front side. Not a problem at all for me. This ship is really enjoyable to build and look beautiful. This is really worth getting it even if you are not a Ninjago fan.
@Block-n-Roll I bought it from Toyco when it was on sale with 25% off. Price was then not that far from regular £ price (~225NZD).
So it's £109.99 is it? A current conversion that'd translate as about $AU180... how the $Q@@$ does it get to be $AU260 here in Australia?
Finally a ship where I don't have to buy extra cannons and ammo to complete the armament of the ship. Its always irked me that ships are never fully stocked
@Scrubs : I usually wait until Toyco have one of their 30-40% off one-day-only sales before I buy the more crazily-priced sets. Generally 25% off at any of the local outlets is enough to compensate for our normal *ahem* "market enhancement". (e.g. I got two of 76057 Spider-Man Ultimate Bridge Battle at 40% off, just so I could join them together as the basis for a full-span structure.)
Unfortunately, those sales are few and far between, and when they *do* come along it's amazing how Toyco coincidentally get hit by a virulent outbreak of "Outofstockitis" on the popular/expensive sets! Plus, of course, there's the thorny issue of NZ not getting some sets at all through normal retail outlets - the Disney Castle being one of the larger examples.
Sometimes I wonder whether I should just move to the UK and be done with it. All for the sake of plastic bricks....
I have no interest in Ninjago, but wow what a beautiful looking set
But the pricing in Australia is simply awful, and the mystery of Lego pricing between nations continues to baffle me.
My daughter is interested in Friends and Disney Princess, both seem very reasonably priced in Australia, pricing between UK and Australia for these sets whilst not exactly are relatively in line with exchange rate (and for the most part disposable income). Perhaps concerned about the female market in Australia.
Whereas with the more typical male themes, perhaps they think their market share is healthy and thus more willing to gouge those fans?
I really wish I had the money for this set! It's so awesome! Thanks for the review.
Great review.
Ninjago is not a theme I purchase, however, I have made two exceptions to my purchasing pattern, the Ninjago Temple of Airjitzu and now Destiny's Bounty - both of which are exceptional sets.
@Dude45: Has LEGO ever actually printed cloth sails on both sides? I'm pretty sure I've only seen plastic film sails printed on both sides, which probably would have gotten their own share of complaints.
How does this compare size-wise to the maersk ships?
Ninjago does not interest me at all, still Lego has already managed to sell three sets to me - Ninjago City, Temple of Airjitzu and this sweet ship... Guess I am not alone :)
The number of comments like "I'm not interested in Ninjago but I'm gonna get this set" have been increasing a lot lately...
This ship looks very well designed, it managed to capture the element of traditional Chinese ship, with detailed interior. Well done.
Has anyone done a picture yet of all three versions together for scale?
Thanks for the review. I agree that the ship looks very nice. I think it might be one of the best if not the best ship Lego has made. It's also very interesting that Lego decided to go with an Asian style rather than a European style for the Lego Ninjago Movie sets.
So it's £109.99 in the UK which translates to €121 so from where do they get the Finnish price of €189.95`?
@pmcguire: Probably wherever they got the Danish price of DKK 1499.00 (£184.60/€201.52). Pretty much all LEGO sets tend to have the highest prices in Australia, New Zealand, and Scandinavia. I can't pretend to know all the reasons, but it's been that way for years so shouldn't really be surprising. It's definitely not as simple as just converting one currency to another, and I guess whatever formula they use to decide on those prices is working out for them.
I bought this as quickly as I could and it's an amazing set! Incredible detailing and excellent design! I highly recommend!
@Aanchir : It's apparent that their pricing formula involves a lot of random numbers, since there's no concsistency in the difference between markets. For example, here's a smattering of comparisons between New Zealand set prices and the Australia, UK and US prices :-
70618 Destiny's Bounty : 7% more than Aus, 55% more than UK, 37% more than US.
10258 London Bus : 1% more than Aus, 13% more than UK, 15% more than US.
10257 Carousel : 8% more than Aus, 23% more than UK, 27% more than US.
70620 Ninjago City : 10% more than Aus, 30% more than UK, 45% more than US.
21309 NASA Apollo Saturn V : 8% more than Aus, 3% more than UK, 20% more than US.
71040 The Disney Castle : 10% more than Aus, 13% more than UK, 25% more than US.
You see what I mean? There's absolutely no consistent pricing policy. If the difference came down to regional taxes, shipping, exchange rates and the like - as LEGO's Copy-And-Paste-Lying-To-Pissed-Off-Price-Gouged-Customers Department claims - then it would show reasonably similar differences across all sets.
To add further insult, LEGO have obviously exercised some market leverage over the likes of Amazon to prevent us from buying in a free market economy. We *used* to be able to buy LEGO through Amazon UK/US, but now we can't (and haven't been able to for a year or more). All part of TLG's regional price-fixing strategy that uses ludicrously high prices in some markets to subsidise the low prices in others. Blatantly illegal practice and yet they're being allowed to get away with it. Are they really such a powerful organisation that they can trample over international trade laws without anyone saying "Hang on a mo. This ain't right..."?
You can only applaud the likes of Lepin for stepping in and addressing the imbalance. As Lepin's (and other clone brands) quality increases, so LEGO are going to find it harder to excuse their profiteering. So are they simply seizing the opportunity to screw us for every bit of cash they can now, before their market crashes in a storm of litigation and quality clones? I suspect so....
This is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I love it!
^^ regarding the cost I think a pretty likely approach that TLG takes to influence their price points will involve two main steps:
1 - what is the purchasing power parity in the country? Let's say the average job in a steady market pays 100 units a month, However, in another country the average job pays less at 75 units a month. Put simply, the second country has less disposable income - hence the Lego price is lower to help it compete in that market. The countries that Aanchir pointed out generally have higher pay careers hence higher Lego cost
2 - the 'random' prices - someone in marketing will need to decide which price points appeal most universally to a market, but TLG almost always go for the ?9.99 point in any Western currency above anything that's about £80 in value. Many more market insights and analytics will come into play though to push appeal.
I'm just glad the Destiny's Bounty looks to be good value in any currency - but even if it seems like it's not, the parts, build, play and display value are really very hard to rival!
...and I'm not likely to applaud Lepin any time soon - competition, OK - direct product cloning, definitely not OK.
^I think that it is not about purchasing power. For example, here in Czech Republic (for example about 5 times lower average wages than in Danmark) is one of smallest purchasing power in EU and what is price of this set: about 185 euro... Fortunately this not apply to all Lego sets and themes, and it can be purchased from other retailers with discounts.
The beast has just arrived :)
@KostkovyJan: strange is, you can get it much cheeper (- 45 EUR) from local retailers than from shop.lego.com...
Exactly the opposite from D2C sets.
@block-n-roll: Some of it probably comes down to how much people are willing and able to pay. On a cultural level, people in some countries tend to spend more on toys and other luxuries than people in other countries. And of course, differences in supply and demand can vary from one product to the next, so LEGO might raise the price on a particular product in a country where they expect that product to be in higher demand. The idea that LEGO pricing variations must be either perfectly consistent across themes or wholly arbitrary is overly simplistic.
Does this ship really float?
@gunther.schnitzel: Definitely not. It's not watertight and far too heavy. In general the only Lego boats that float are those with single-piece hulls specifically designed for that purpose.
I was very angry about the price of 169€ in Austria, but today I bought it from Amazon.co.uk at a price of 107€ including the delivery to Austria. Maybe that can be from interest for other Lego enthusiasts who would like to get that set for a reasonable price.
This set is already tremendous value for money at £109.99 but I've just got mine on amazon for £99.99 making it even better value with free next day delivery on prime!!!
@mbenedik the price across Euro countries is EUR 169.99. The UK GBP price is the anomaly, not the Austrian price.
We can rant about the prices but undoubtedly this is one of the two best ships that you could get this year. Another review said Destiny's Bounty looked like Nine Snake Kuja Pirate Ship from anime One Piece and I can't help thinking Lego designer might have borrowed the design. Read here: https://brickscrunch.wordpress.com/2017/08/30/lego-70618-the-ninjago-movie-destinys-bounty-review/