T. rex Breakout (76956) Review

This is one of my most anticipated builds of 2022. The moment I saw it, this set made my wish list. Many of you know, I am a huge fan of Jurassic Park. I collect Jurassic World sets for all the amazing dinosaur figurines. Consequently, I was thrilled when the LEGO® Group offered me several new sets from the upcoming Jurassic World: Dominion line-up. Along with them, we get the third Jurassic Park tie-in. You might recall, we saw Velociraptor Chase in 2018 and T. rex Rampage in 2019. This year, the LEGO® Group treats us to T. rex Breakout (76956). This is bound to be a fan favorite since we finally see the much-desired Ford Explorer in brick form.

NOTE: The LEGO® Group provided this set for review. However, the provision of products does not guarantee a favorable review. True North Bricks’ usual rating system applies (click here for more information).

T. REX BREAKOUT SUMMARY

• NAME: T. rex Breakout
• SET #: 76956
• THEME: Jurassic World
• COST: $129.99 CAD
• BRICK COUNT: 1212
• MINIFIGURES: 4
• RELEASE DATE: April 17, 2022

T. REX BREAKOUT QUICK REVIEW

• VALUE: 96% (Excellent cost-per-brick and build time.)
• BUILD: 80% (Lots to like about this build, but a few contentious issues too.)
• MINIFIGURES: 60% (Needs novel characters, and more minifigs.)
• ENTERTAINMENT: 90% (It’s not the set of my dreams, but as I JP fan, I like it.)
• OVERALL SCORE: 82% (Good set.)

T. REX BREAKOUT REVIEW

VALUE: 96%

T. rex Breakout costs $129.99 in Canada and consists of 1212 pieces. Consequently, the cost-per-brick is $0.11.  For the Jurassic World theme, that is excellent. Over the years, the average cost-per-brick for Jurassic World sets I’ve acquired has been $0.16. Even compared to LEGO® sets in general, it is quite good. The True North Bricks average is currently $0.138. I rate the cost-per-brick at 95%.

In terms of build time, I got three hours and 41 minutes. Therefore, at full price, you are looking at $0.59/minute of build time. Once again, that is great. You get a lot of build time for the price. Comparatively, our average cost-per-minute for Jurassic World is $0.87, while for LEGO® in general it sits at $0.84. As such, I rate the build time value at 96%. Overall, that places the total value score at 96% as well.

BUILD: 80%

Let’s get the ugly out of the way first. I do not like the brick-built T. rex. I didn’t when I first saw the box art. However, I tried to keep an open mind until I built it. After building it, I feel the same. While angled the right way, it can look good. But most of the time, it looks a little derpy. Designers tried to miniaturize the T. rex from T. rex Rampage, and it falls short for me. I especially do not like the feet. They are too big for the body and not realistically positioned. However, after assembling the whole set, I see why designers chose the brick-built version as opposed to a figurine. You can position this one stepping on the crushed Explorer. That creates a movie realistic scene. I still wish this set came with a figurine T. rex though.

I wish this set had a figurine T. rex instead of a brick-built one.

The most anticipated part of this set is likely the Ford Explorer. Fans have been asking for this for a long time. I know I wanted one enough to build my own custom version. It is fun to finally get a real one. The car is six studs wide, but still fits two Minifigures side-by-side. I have seen the technique used for that before, but I quite like it. Interestingly, this set also includes new tires. At least, I have not seen them before. The rim and tire are all one piece. There is no rubber tire. The sides of the car are very open though. I wish there was a little more there in terms of windows or paneling there.

The scene is wonderful. I really like the technique used on the fence. It is simple, but it achieved the look very well. The flipped over car is great too. The build also incorporates several Easter eggs.  Though many of the details are stickers, you get a printed LEGO® Jurassic Park tile and another with an Ian Malcolm quote. The foliage behind the fence is a little sparse, but I do like the terrain work. In the end, the build cuts some corners in terms of details. I would gladly have paid $150 for this, maybe even $200 for a more detailed Ford Explorer and denser foliage. In short, I like this build, but it doesn’t amaze me like T. rex Rampage did. I rate the build at 80%.

MINIFIGURES: 60%

T. rex Breakout includes minifigs of Alan Grant, Ian Malcolm, Lex Murphy, and Tim Murphy. The former two come with rain print torso designs, while the latter two have mud splashing. Ultimately, we have seen all of these characters before in previous sets, but at least the printing makes them a little unique. The torsos are all front and back printed, and all characters have double sided faces except Grant. None of the Minifigures have any leg printing. Additionally, Lex and Tim feature the stumpy, non-moving legs I really don’t like. A scene like this needs full poseability. Finally, most of the accessories are brick-built, but you do get alternate hair for Grant and a set of night vision goggles.

Sadly, this set lacks a Minifigure of Donald Gennaro, and it needs one. Four minifigs in a 1212-piece kit gives a terrible brick-to-fig ratio. 303 bricks-per-fig to be precise. Comparatively, our Jurassic World average is 142 bricks/fig, while LEGO® themes in general average 170 bricks/fig. Based on our usual rating system, that earns 49%. Gennaro was a key character in this scene. Including him running away, or even better, including the bathroom hut would have been amazing. Just one more character makes the ratio passable. Additionally, Gennaro would add previously unseen Minifigure to the kit, increasing appeal.

Ultimately, the Minifigures are nice. However, one new one would make the collection better. It’s great that these feature new designs though. I rate the character designs at 70%, and the ratio score at 49%. Averaging those gives an overall Minifigure rating of 60%. Replacing the brick-built T. rex with a figurine would improve the score too.

ENTERTAINMENT: 90%

I am a huge Jurassic Park fan. I have probably said that more than a few times on this blog. Regardless of price, this set would have made it into my collection. I am thrilled the LEGO® Group finally tackled the iconic Ford Explorer. Do I wish it was a little different? Sure. But I still love it. I will display this set for sure (even if I place a T. rex figurine in it). In the end, it is not quite the set I dreamed of, but I still think Jurassic Park fans will enjoy it. Additionally, despite being a display piece, there is play value to it. Who doesn’t want to replay such an amazing scene? Plus, you get the instructions to build a Ford Explorer! As a Jurassic Park fan, I rate the entertainment score for this set at 90%.

OVERALL SCORE: 82%

T. rex Breakout (76956) is a fun set, especially for Jurassic Park fans. Is it the dream JP set I’ve been waiting for? Not quite. I would happily pay extra for a more detailed version of this set. The value is excellent as is, but I do wish the car was a bit more detailed, that there was a Gennaro minifig (and maybe bathroom), and a figurine T. rex. In the end, I think T. rex Breakout is good, but not great. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below or reach out on social media.

Until next time,

-Tom

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