Opening Thoughts

Hello Brickset! It's been a while. I've returned to review the newest addition to the Ninjago City line of sets, the Markets.

To start, I was ecstatic at the thought of another one, which certainly did not disappoint.

Build Experience

It took me several hours and the span of three days to finish this build, and the entire time I was completely engaged. Unlike the Colosseum (which I reviewed a long time ago), these Ninjago City builds do not feel repetitive at all. Rather, they constantly use inventive build techniques which differentiate the builds a lot. I was never bored there were many surprises in the build. If you are a fan of great builds and interesting techniques, this is a must-buy for you.

Model

The gardens are built on two 32x32 baseplates, making this a very wide set.

Starting with the bottom levels, I adore two buildings to the left, which incorporate rooms that slide out, making it easy to place minifigures inside and then slide them back in. It's a unique use of space which allows for playability and accessibility. I also like the blacksmith's shop, which, while small, includes all the crucial elements of a typical Ninjago blacksmith's shop. The apartment above is cramped and difficult to reach, but very cosy and cute. The plaza at the centre of the set allows for a lot of space for minifigures. There is so much possibility for stories and role plays to be done here. The large and mostly empty space lends itself to the imagination. I particularly like the bridge and the reference to Creatures, Beasts, & Beyond, a very obscure reference.

Additionally, there is a zone for the tram to come in, which has very cleverly built accessibility ramps for characters with wheelchairs. I appreciate this set's goal to incorporate accessible areas for disabled characters. The landing zone looks spectacular, and I enjoy the use of the pillars and the creative build for the railing. Behind the landing zone, we see Chamille's ship. This is a confusing addition because Chamille is not known to have a shop in the TV show, but I adore the use of aqua blue. The room above is cramped but still has enough space to make for a believable bed space.

The iconic Ninjago city walkway returns, this time with even more unique advertisements on the railings. I appreciate the area that lifts to allow the tram to pass through. Speaking of the tram, it has a beautiful landing station on the second floor, which uses some incredible techniques which look incredibly realistic. I'm not too fond of the cherry blossom, which isn't as well constructed as previous ones and also feels repetitive. The tram itself is built quite well and has a decent amount of space inside, even if its path is short.

The Borg Store behind the landing zone is small, but looks magnificent and has enough elements to be believable. I also appreciate the lifts interspersed throughout this area to allow characters on wheelchairs to access them.

The walkway expands on its way to the other side, which is wonderful as it allows for many characters to fit on it and interact. Laughy's Karaoke Club is an amazing edition, given its continued appearances in the show. It is just perfect, including all the major elements and a lot of fun details, all crammed into a small space. The sushi place and the restroom are quite superfluous, but add to the realism of the city. They are incredibly difficult to access, which was a major disappointment. Additionally, the toilet feature, while disgusting, is a lot of fun.

This build is just spectacular, with great measures taken to make it seem realistic and also accessible. The colours here shine and complement each other, possibly more than on the other sets of this line. The water tiles also look beautiful and the building techniques and play features here are on another level. I'm sure major fans of the show and of LEGO will have a great time pointing out Easter eggs, something which I myself have been doing.

Minifigures

I'll go through most of these quite fast, since there are many to cover.

Firstly, the new variants of Nya and Lloyd look alright, but they're not the most poseable. I still appreciate the bright colours. Detective Zane is simply delightful, but Blacksmith Kai is exceptionally disappointing. He reuses prints and doesn't feel unique at all. The other two ninja are represented as nanofigs, which have appropriate printing and make me want to get the other ninja in this form.

Arin looks great, and so does Sora, both introducing new designs and unique ideas to Ninjago. I adore the use of arm printing for Sora, which makes this design seem high-quality. Miss Demeanor looks accurate and is a great inclusion, however, Houndog Mcbrag seems to be lacking some dual-moulding for his boots.

Chamille is the most desirable minifigure from this set, being the last elemental master needed to complete the Tournament of Elements. She looks quite accurate as well, with a few minor changes to her design. Cyrus Borg is also a much-needed figure, and he also look spectacular.

I quite like this new variant of Dareth, and I also appreciate the inclusion of Blazey H. Speed (formerly known as Racer 7). Gayle Gossip and Vinny are welcome additions as well, and it is surprising that this is our first time getting them in minifigure form. The civilians also look great, and the new torsos for the sushi chef, Borg store employee, and tea shop vendor are nice references to the Ninjago show. The rest of the civilians look fitting for their environment as well.

Value

At $370, this set is a bit larger than the Gardens. It is twice as wide, and while not as dense, still makes up for it in play value and in its great scale. The price-per-part ratio is spectacular, and so is the size for a product of this price. The build feels like a premium product, and the sheer range of new minifigures and parts make this set certainly worth the price.

Pros

• Stunning build
• Exclusive and desirable minifigures
• Appropriate price
• Lots of play value
• Significant architectural advances
• Captivating display piece

Cons

• Expensive (albeit well-priced)
• Some loose elements
• String elements may be difficult to tie

Overall

It is a challenge to express the beauty and the grandeur of a build such as this. It's an eye-catching and splendid display piece, with references and play features that make this a worthwhile addition to your Ninjago City, while also being able to stand on its own. I recommend this to almost all LEGO fans if it is inside your budget. It is surely worth picking up.

- Spruce