So let's get to it!
It isn't that hard to infer that the Spikels are based on spikes, since it's pretty much in the name. Also, the color tan. There's a lot of tan bricks here. Literally. The average piece count for this set is 70 bricks, which isn't bad considering they sell for $4.99 a figure, just like every other Mixel. I suppose the down side to this high brick count is there are a lot of spikes, or horns, but as evidenced by these builds, they can be used in a variety of ways.
Footi
At first glance, I didn't think there would be much to get excited about with this Mixel. But as I continued to play with him, and pose him, I realized how great the build actually is.
My only real gripe was that the arms are a bit short, but due to their placement (above and to the front of his legs), I realized they actually help accentuate the legs on this figure, which are definitely the star of the show. Footi's legs consist of three ball-joints, allowing him to move at the hips, knees, and ankles. And because his arms are small and compact, they can easily be moved out of the way, allowing his legs to move and be bent almost completely around the body. Speaking of the body, Footi isn't that top heavy, which helps him stand upright in a wide variety of poses. The claws on his feet also help balance the figure.
Footi's mouth is held together by a hinge joist, giving it the ability to open at a full 90 degrees, as you can see in the picture above. This, along with the ease of changing his eye placement, allows for a lot of personality to shine through the figure.
Scorpi
If Glurt was the cute one of the last bunch, then Scorpi definitely takes the cake this time around. His big eyes, combined with his head's ability to turn 360 degrees, definitely add to his cute-as-a-button factor.
Scorpi's body is very compact in design, and pretty sturdy. He has small legs, which lend to his appearance of a scorpion (hence the name), but the real star of the show is his tail. It's not quite as poseable as Footi's legs, but it still has a lot of mobility. It's designed pretty well, and I love the use of Lego teeth as the stinger. And with a bit of trying, I was able to get Scorpi to balance on his tail, which would work even better on a base plate instead of a table.
Hoogi
Lastly, we have Hoogi, which is by far my favorite of the Spikels due to the variety of poses I can put him in.
Like Scorpi, Hoogi has a compact body design, with short, stubby legs that help balance the figure, which is necessary because of his long arms. And I absolutely love his arms. Technically, each arm has five points or articulation; the shoulder, the wrist, and each of his three fingers. which allows for a wide range of poses, especially once I realized that his long arms will let you place him in a handstand position. The arms really go a long way in adding personality to the figure, since his face/body is pretty basic.
Hoogi also comes with the Nixel of this set. Nothing new here, and at this point, I doubt Lego will be adding any new Nixel designs to the sets.
The Verdict
Of the two sets I've reviewed, the Spikels are my favorites, and honestly, they might be my favorites compared to all three series. There's just a lot of playability here. Scorpi may be the weakest of the three in terms of movement, but his rotating head and tail make up for a lack of proper arms and legs. Footi is a great figure, and may even be the best of this set from an impartial stand point, but my standout is Hoogi on account of his arms.
From a monetary standpoint, the Spikels are absoluely worth the $15 dollars you'll be spending on this set.
See you next week with my review of the Wiztastics!
No comments:
Post a Comment