LEGO Clash of the Heroes Review

This set is a must have for any Batman fan for one reason above all others: the Batman Minifigure. But, let’s take a look at the rest of the set too, just for kicks.

Set Summary

Name: Clash of the Heroes
Set #: 76044
Cost: $15.99 CDN
Brick Count: 92
Minifigure Count: 2
Manuals: 1 (35 pages)
Release Date: January 2, 2016

Summary Review: 68%

Value: 70% (Ok, but not great value at $0.17 per brick.)
Build: 60% (Nice piece selection, ok design, but weak play features.)
Minifigures: 93% (Great brick:Minifig ratio, and Batman rocks!)
Entertainment: 50% (really short build for the cost, but it is still kind of fun.)

Review

VALUE: 70%
With only 92 bricks, and a price tag of $15.99 here in Canada, this set clocks in at $0.17 per brick. That is not a great value, but it is not terrible either. At full price, you are paying above the current average for each piece. If you wait for a sale of at least 20%, then you can get this set for the current theme average of $0.14 per brick. This set gets a score of 3.5/5 at full price.

BUILD: 60%
The build for this set is ok, but nothing special. For me, it is not a stand alone set. They have tried to incorporate some play features to give the set a little more substance, but generally they fall a little short in my opinion. I like the inclusion of the kryptonite case, the overall rooftop look of the set, and that the base is one of those grate pieces. But, there is this rail piece with two gun-like barrels attached (made from light saber handles) that could have been designed better. It is meant to be loose so that Superman can knock it off in play, but the gun-like look and the antennas don’t serve any purpose. It is also right in front of the stairs leading up to the platform, which doesn’t make sense.

There is also a peg mounted on the back that acts as a sort-of launcher for Batman. You place the Minifig in front of the peg, then flick the peg, and Batman is supposed to launch forwards. The Minifigure doesn’t fly very far, making this a fairly weak play feature.

Then there is the Bat-signal. I like the inclusion of this in the set. It helps to tie the set into the movie. I wish they would have just left it at that, instead they turned it into another weak play feature. The Bat-signal is a missile, and one that falls apart easily at that.

Overall, I like the kryptonite, the pieces included, the general look, and the Bat-signal. I don’t like the weird gun/rail/antenna set up, the weak firing mechanisms that launch Batman and the Bat-signal. I give the build for this set 6/10.

MINIFIGURES: 93%
With 92 bricks and 2 Minifigs, you are getting a brick to Minifigure ratio of 46:1. That is a great ratio, which earns this set 5/5. The Minifigures themselves are also pretty good. Let’s start with Superman. He comes with a new hairpiece not seen on older versions of the character. He also has a double-sided face, with one side sporting a smile, and the other with a grimace and angry laser eyes. His torso is dark blue with front and back print resembling the costume worn in the movie. There is no printing on his legs I suppose one could argue that the kryptonite crystal is his accessory… I will give him that point anyway, simply because Batman has so many accessories already. Overall, Superman gets 7/10.

LEGO Superman with angry laser eyes.

LEGO Superman, front view.

LEGO Superman, rear view.

Batman is really the reason to acquire this set. His whole costume has a metallic, armoured look to it that resembles the battle suit he wears in the movie to confront Superman. He has a double sided face, one side is neutral and the other is scowling. His head is also glow in the dark. So, with his helmet on, his eyes appear to glow like they did in the movie. Batman has an armour piece to cover his torso, and you can clip his Batarang and grapping hook accessories to it. He also comes with a buildable, stud-launching bazooka. The bazooka is a little flimsy, but it looks neat. Finally, Batman has printing on the front and back of his torso, and on the front of his legs. This print pattern is amazing. It is my favorite on any Batman so far. Batman gets a full 10/10.

LEGO Batman, armoured front view.

LEGO Batman, armoured rear view.

LEGO Batman, unarmoured front view.

LEGO Batman, unarmoured rear view.

Batman and Superman earn a combined Minifig design score of 85%. When coupled with the brick-to-Minifigure ratio score, the overall grade goes up to 93%.

ENTERTAINMENT: 50%
This is a super short build, having only taken me 15 minutes. That means that each minute of build time cost $1.07. Sadly, that is an extremely poor value, and earns a score of 1/5. In terms of my feelings for the set itself, like I mentioned before, it is not a stand alone set. You can’t just pop it into your LEGO city as is, and the play features are not that great. With that said, I will still incorporate it into one of my upcoming building designs. It will make a nice rooftop addition to my police station with a little modification. I give it 4/5 for likeability. This and its build-time rating give it an overall grade of 50% for entertainment.

Overall: 68%

As a set by itself, Clash of the Heroes is a little weak. There is not much to it. As an add-on to other building projects, it has some nice details (like the Bat-signal and the grate-like base piece). This set is a great way to get Superman and Batman at relatively low cost. Batman is also reason enough to buy this set in my opinion. This set is the only one that has the armoured variant from the movie, and he does not disappoint. So, if you are a fan of Batman and Minifigures, then I recommend this set highly for just that Minifig alone.

Until next time,

-T.N.B.