BIONICLE™ is the most unique LEGO® line ever to be produced. This is the first time that LEGO® has created an original story and based the design around it. It’s also the first time that they’ve gone full-field on licensed product to go with the actual toys. Cool as all that is, there’s not a lot there to impress your average 7-year old, which is the minimum suggested age for this line. Something that they will probably find a whole lot more exciting is the one major feature that has been left behind in all of the collectibility advertising. These guys are made to beat the tar out of each other.

When I was assembling my first TOA, I had a passing thought about how the mounting system for the MASKS was a bit unstable and any kid that played with them the way I would have at that age would be having to stop and put the MASK back on every five minutes. When I was finishing up my first TURAGA, I suddenly realized that the ‘faulty’ design of the MASKS must have been very intentional. All of the characters and creatures have some form of attack with which to knock off their enemies’ MASKS. The weapon designs are much less obtrusive than those of the THROWBOTS™, and more usable than those of the ROBORIDERS™. And all of this leaves me wanting to know just one thing. Why couldn’t they have come out with these guys twenty years ago? I would have had so much fun having TAHU beat up my action figures…