Underwater Journey (30562) Review

In January 2022, the LEGO® Group offered a gift-with-purchase (GWP) alongside $50 worth of Monkie Kid or Ninjago sets. The GWP consisted of a polybag called Monkie Kid’s Underwater Journey (30562). While the promotion has been over for a while, the polybag has popped up at other retail sources. Plus, I liked the look of this set from the get-go. The Monkie Kid theme offers a number of interesting builds. Despite being small, Underwater Journey is no exception to that. Consequently, this week’s review takes a closer look at the polybag.

UNDERWATER JOURNEY SUMMARY

• NAME: Monkie Kid’s Underwater Journey
• SET #: 30562
• THEME: Monkie Kid
• COST: $4.99 CAD
• BRICK COUNT: 57
• MINIFIGURES: 1 + 2 skeletons
• RELEASE DATE: January 10, 2022

UNDERWATER JOURNEY QUICK REVIEW

• VALUE: 100% (Great value considering a CMF minifig costs the same.)
• BUILD: 100% (A lot of presence for such a small set.)
• MINIFIGURES: 98% (Great minifig count, lots of fun accessories.)
• ENTERTAINMENT: 90% (Nice but limited in terms of play and display.)
• OVERALL SCORE: 97% (Excellent little set.)

UNDERWATER JOURNEY REVIEW

VALUE: 100%

I got Underwater Journey for free with purchases I intended to make anyway. However, you can also find the set for $4.99 CAD at other retailers. Considering you can buy a CMF series minifig for the same price minus all the bricks, this set already represents a good value. In terms of Monkie Kid sets, it is one of the best cost-per-brick scores I have ever seen, coming in at $0.088/brick. Compared to LEGO® sets in general, the value is also excellent. I rate the cost-per-brick at 99%.

As with any polybag, the build time is rather short. I assembled this set in about six minutes. Consequently, the cost-per-minute of build time for Underwater Adventure is $0.83. Comparatively, the average cost-per-minute for the Monkie Kid theme is $0.76, while for LEGO® sets in general it is $0.84. So, you get a fairly average amount of build time for LEGO® in general, but it’s a little on the low side for Monkie Kid. I suppose it all depends on what you compare too. Remember, polybags cost the same amount as a CMF Minifigure, and you get three in this bag, plus some great bricks. As such, I will not rate this set on build time this round.

BUILD: 100%

There isn’t much to assemble with Underwater Journey. However, what you get looks great. I have never built an underwater MOC before, but the small coral arrangement in this set gives some nice pointers as to how. You get three pieces of large coral and two vine elements (Tail Ø32 in dark green). Interestingly, they really fill out the scene. Additionally, 1×1 flowers in vibrant coral add a splash of color. For such a small build, it really has a lot of presence.

In addition to the mini reef scene, you assemble a small underwater scooter. It is a cute little assembly that goes well with the overall theme of the set. Often times, side builds detract detail from other areas of a build, sometimes even feeling forced. Not so in this case. This is a fun build despite being small and short. I cannot think of anything I don’t really like about it.

MINIFIGURES: 98%

Underwater Journey (30562) includes one proper Minifigure and two skeletons. The skeletons feature the same mobility as a Minifigure, so I will count them as such. Instead of printing, they obviously feature specially molded, skeletal parts. I think that makes up for a lack of printing. As for Monkie Kid, I am never disappointed with this character. He features wonderful detailing with a double-sided face, front and back torso printing, arm printing, and leg printing. This one has a new utility belt slung diagonally across his torso. I think this particular variant is currently unique to this polybag. In terms of accessories, you also acquire a lot. Monkie Kid has a rebreather and flippers. You also get a treasure chest with four gold bullion, two crabs, and two scimitars. Perhaps I would like the offering more if the skeletons had some more accessories to give them a bit more character.

With that said, three minifigs in a 57-piece kit is an amazing character count. You get 19 bricks/fig, which is almost unheard of. Taking this and the character design into consideration, I rate the Minifigure score at 98% for Monkie Kid’s Underwater Journey.

ENTERTAINMENT: 90%

As a standalone set, Underwater Journey is a little limited. Don’t get me wrong, it looks great, and it is fun. However, being so small, the set is not a lot to play with or display. I can see someone building a larger reef around this. However, even the Monkie Kid theme offers nothing to compliment this build. It is a standalone set with no other similar kits to bolster it. Personally, I do not have a lot of coral elements in my collection to build on this even if I wanted to. So, because of its limited display, play, and expansion potential, I rate the entertainment value at 90%. Some people with more underwater style elements in their collection might get more of a kick out of this.

OVERALL SCORE: 97%

Monkie Kid’s Underwater Journey (30562) is an excellent little set. Despite being small, it looks wonderful and has a real shelf presence. You also get a lot of characters and accessories for the price. For a polybag, I find this one quite impressive. My complaints about it are minor. I do wish the skeletons had more accessories to hint more of a story. Also, I wish the Monkie Kid theme offered a larger set to compliment and give this kit more play value. Overall, I like it a lot and I think it is worth the purchase. What do you think? Feel free to comment below or reach out on social media.

Until next time,

-Tom

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