The LEGO® Group recently announced the upcoming wave of Marvel Superheroes sets. As luck would have it, they also offered me the full selection ahead of the January 1, 2021 release. Today, I have the pleasure of offering a pre-release review of the Captain America Mech Armor (76168) set. My initial thought on seeing this set was that it is a cheap way to get a great looking Minifigure. While I already have Captain America, mine has a printed cowl with a visible stud on top of his head. This one has a helmet that looks amazing. Now, for fun, we get to see what the rest of the set is like too 😉
NOTE: The LEGO® Group provided this set for review. However, the provision of products does not guarantee a favorable review. I will use my usual rating system (click here to learn more) and provide my honest opinion.
CAPTAIN AMERICA MECH ARMOR SUMMARY
- NAME: Captain America Mech Armor
- SET #: 76168
- THEME: Marvel Superheroes
- COST: $13.99 CAD
- BRICK COUNT: 121
- MINIFIGURES: 1
- RELEASE DATE: January 1, 2021
CAPTAIN AMERICA MECH ARMOR QUICK REVIEW
- VALUE: 90% (Good value-per-brick, and excellent amount of build time for the price.)
- BUILD: 90% (Fun and well articulated design.)
- MINIFIGURES: 83% (Nice Minifigure and a good brick-to-fig ratio.)
- ENTERTAINMENT: 90% (Great for kids, fun for adult superhero fans.)
- OVERALL SCORE: 88%
CAPTAIN AMERICA MECH ARMOR REVIEW
VALUE: 90%
This mech kit costs $13.99 in Canada. Additionally, the set contains 121 pieces. As such, the cost-per-brick is $0.116. Comparatively, my average cost-per-brick is $0.14. Therefore, this set represents a better than average value. In fact, the cost-per-brick is particularly good. I rate it at 88%.
Captain America Mech Armor took me 23 minutes to build. At full price, the cost-per-minute of build time is $0.61. By comparison, my average is $0.83/minute. Therefore, once again, this set is a good value. I rate it at 91% in this category. Averaging this score with the value-per-brick rating gives an overall value grade of 90%.
BUILD: 90%
The only build in this kit is Captain America’s mech armor. The design is reminiscent of Mr. Freeze’s armor from Mr. Freeze Ice Attack, though overall it is more robust. An earlier wave of these Marvel Comics mechs already exists, but I have not reviewed them for comparison. I like that this set has printed bricks and no stickers. Additionally, I like that you can place the large shield on the mech’s back or in its hand. Finally, the multiple points of articulation allow the mech to pose in a variety of positions. This is a fun design for play. My only dislike is the design of the feet. The Mr. Freeze mech had more proportional feet and still maintained the ability to balance. I rate Captain America Mech Armor at 9/10 (90%) in this category.
MINIFIGURES: 83%
This is a small set. Consequently, it contains only one Minifigure. However, it is a nice Minifigure. Captain America sports an awesome helmet. Additionally, he features a double-sided face and dual torso printing. Unfortunately, he does not have any leg printing. In terms of accessories, the set only comes with a shield. I rate the character design at 12/15 (80%). However, the brick-to-fig ratio is also good at 121:1. Comparatively, my average ratio is 144:1. I rate that at 86%. Averaging these two Minifigure scores gives an overall grade of 83% in the category.
ENTERTAINMENT: 90%
This mech is more of a play item than a collector’s piece. I can see kids having a lot of fun with this set. Consequently, I rate the KFOL score at 100%. Superheroes were beyond important in my childhood play, and I would have loved this as a kid. However, for adults the set’s main appeal is the Captain America Minifigure. I do not have use for the mech, but I love the Minifigure. This is a cheap way to get a great Captain America. With that said, I did not dislike this set all. I enjoyed the build experience and I had fun posing the build for photographs. Consequently, I rate the AFOL score at 80%. Averaging the KFOL and AFOL scores gives an overall entertainment grade of 90%.
OVERALL SCORE: 88%
For a small set, Captain America Mech Armor has a lot to offer. However, it is a niche interest set. Kids and superhero fans will get a treat. The mech is a fun build that features multiple points of articulation. This makes for great play and photography opportunities. Additionally, the set is cheap while simultaneously providing a good value. The only major point pulling down the score is the lack of Minifigure accessories and printing. While still an amazing Minifigure, Captain America has no leg or arm printing. He also only comes with a shield. More accessories and printing could have secured a higher overall score. Otherwise, I like this set. How do you feel about it? Comment below or reach out on social media.
Until next time,
-Tom
Want to support True North Bricks?
If you like the content at True North Bricks, please follow on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter for regular updates. Additionally, you can support True North Bricks by making your LEGO® (and other) purchases using the links in the menu to the right. These affiliate links earn me a little commission at no extra cost to you, thus helping to manage the cost of running this blog. Thanks for your support!
