Set Review ➟ LEGO® 80034 Nezha’s Fire Ring
At LEGO’s stated 929 pieces for this set, it is not the smallest set in the Monkie Kid line that I’ve reviewed, but it definitely feels smaller than Pigsy’s Noodle Tank at 643 pieces or Pigsy’s Food truck at 808 pieces. The build feels quicker and that may be due to the set having multiple small builds as opposed to one large one.
As is usual for a Monkie Kid kit of this general size, it includes a thick instruction manual and plenty of stickers.
Assemblies
The set consists of three main assemblies: Evil Macaque’s flying ship, Nezha’s Fire Ring vehicle, and Bone Demon’s throne. There is also a small flying-stick-surfboard thing with mounted stud shooters that Monkie Kid rides.
The first build is Monkie Kid’s flyer. It’s a minimal build with 1x1 round tile shooters angled on either side. I don’t know how Monkie Kid would ever be able to hit anything with a projectile from an angled shooter located down by his feet, but an eight-year-old ought to be able to shoot an eye out in defiance of the instruction book, so it has that going for it. Also Monkie Kid is carrying a flaming gold toilet seat. I cannot fathom a more fearsome weapon. Well. Maybe if a scared skunk was riding it.
The second build is Evil Macaque’s ship. The build has design echoes of some ships from the Atlantis line. Other than the minifigures, it holds the only printed pieces in the set, those being two 2x2 round plates with center hole featuring a turbine design. The wings and tail of the ship are articulated and each wing features a stud shooter. In the air battle between the two flyers expect Evil Macaque to come out victorious. Unless, of course, Monkie Kid gets miraculously lucky and hits Evil Macaque with the flaming gold toilet seat. That thing’s got to be worth like 100 hit points, minimum.
The printed turbine disc and the stud shooter.
The third build is the focus of the set, Nezha’s Fire Ring. From the description “fire ring” one might expect it to be some obstacle in the Stuntz line. But, no, it’s a vehicle.
Like the two flyers, it is equipped with a pair of shooters. Unlike the others with their puny stud shooters, these shooters fire the long projectiles, so accuracy, destructive impact, and eye-putting-out potential are greater with this more advanced weapon. And the ring is adorned with fire. Lots and lots and lots of fire.
Note that the flames coming out of the 2x2 round bricks…those have bars fitted into axle holes. They fit, and they don’t appear to fall out, but they’re definitely loose in there and may have a tendency to spin. This almost made for quibble number four (see below) but given past experiences with hard transparent plastic bars stuck into holes and never coming out, this is not necessarily a bad thing here.
The design of the Fire Ring is clever. It uses two opposed sets of circular track as a single large wheel in which sits an elaborate car. The car has small wheels which ride along the inside rim of the large wheel and is held in place by gravity. This is a fun and different take on a vehicle and is a welcome change from another truck or car.
The last build is Bone Demon’s throne. Throne is probably not the best word to describe this structure, as it is plenty more than a throne. It has stairs up the front of it, a cell beneath that is accessed from the rear, and an arm with a working winch which holds a cage. The cage has a working door and will hold a minifigure. The piece is rife with decoration. As with the other builds, this one is also packed with play value.
Minifigures
LEGO says there are six minifigures in the set. If you count the skeleton, there are seven. The figures are Monkie Kid, Nezha, Monkey King, Evil Macaque, Savage (I guess this is another evil monkey), Bone Demon, and skeleton.
All figures have dual faces except skeleton and Savage. LEGO has managed to precisely print detail on the arms and the dual-molded headpiece for Monkie Kid. LEGO is at the point where they’re just showing off with their decoration skills. Bone demon has a glow-in-the-dark hair bone and an alternate bottom piece…the skirt can be swapped out for the ghost tail.
A couple quibbles. Or three. Or four. No, maybe I guess just three.
Quibble number one. Nezha’s fire powered chariot wheel roller skates or whatever the hell those things are. He only balances…stays upright…sort of…if the wheels balance on the flames protruding from the back. I tried to get him to stand more straight up by using his golden harpoon with burgee and tassel as a balance point. It did not go well. There was much face planting before finally finding a position that sort of worked. Also the wheels tend to go flat or otherwise out of true. The Fire Ring vehicle has no place to hold the foot-wheel pieces or the golden harpoon, so my best guess is those pieces are destined to be lost or sent to the mystical island of well-intentioned spares. Which is pretty much the same thing.
Who knew flames were balance points?
Must…not…face plant.
That tire has the wobbles again!
Quibble number two. Monkey King doesn’t fit into the cage. Not very well, anyway. The space between the top of the stud on the cage floor and the bottom of the top of the cage is less than the height of Monkey King. If the cage is pre-built, then fitting Monkey King in afterward is a challenge. The figure is too tall for the available space unless his feet are placed on the studs in the cage floor. And you can’t get the figure seated on the studs because it is too tall for the space. If you do get the figure seated on the studs, either sitting or standing, the figure’s feet interfere with the cage assembly and force the clips off the base ring. I had to disassemble the cage to get Monkey King into the cage for the photos.
Monkey King in the cage with his feet seated on the floor studs. There’s maybe about a millimeter of free space above his head.
Bottom of the cage assembled per instructions. Note the clips are securely seated around the bottom bar.
If Monkey King stands with feet on studs, then the corners of his feet push the clips off the bottom bar.
And we get the same offset gap if Monkey King is seated on studs.
Monkie King will fit in the cage if you spread his legs to shorten his height and just stick him in there in an unceremonious fashion…and that’s probably what the evil Bone Demon would do anyway. I guess.
Put Monkey King in a running position and you can get him in the cage.
Meh. Just fold him up and toss him in there any way you can.
You may need to get a little creative.
Quibble number three. The fire ring doesn’t turn on slick surfaces. It works just fine on carpet or paper or raw wood. Against a slick surface like a table or countertop it just skids along. Kids now have a valid argument for not cleaning the floor.
The Randolph T. Fielding Absolutely Administrivia Section
In a not surprising occurrence, but one which is of undoubtedly cataclysmic tribulation to the more anal retentive crowd, the review set shipped with one frosted and one clear purple wand which are parts of a single assembly.
The skeleton features the 60115 torso with the printing on the hips and the “round” arms with hands at 90 degrees to the shoulder connection…and out of a more recent mold with logo and numbers on the hand.
A cardboard box with number 6375189 contains two minifigure scarves.
The transparent orange bulb piece is a newer design. The bell portion of the bulb is now deeper with plastic and accordingly the inner side supports are shorter. The LEGO logo has moved from the end of the bar to inside the bell of the bulb.
Left: older bulb. Right: newer bulb.
Left: older bulb with logo on bar.
Right: newer bulb with logo in bell.
Logo positions compared.
The set uses a newer bar holder clip part number 44873. This clip has a magnificent dimple by the clip; the older design is flat at that spot. Both have holes on one side.
Left: older 11090 part. Right: newer 44873 part.
The bar with stud is part number 32828. Male hinge plates are part number 49716.
Pins included are the 4274 blue 1L pin with stud, 43093 blue 2L friction pin with axle, 11214 dark stone gray 3L friction pin with axle, 65304 pearl gold 3L friction pin with axle holder, 39888 tan 3L frictionless pin, 61332 2L black friction pin, and 42924 blue 3L friction pin. The robot arm is part number 49754.
Summary
This set is on fire! The relatively effortless assembly combined with several minifigures, unique design of the Fire Ring and variety of build components make for great play value. The exuberance of the Monkey Kid theme with its slightly over the top aesthetic is on full display yet again. Recommended.
Disclaimer
A fiery thanks to LEGO for providing the review set. No monkeys threw poo during the creation of this review.
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