First, let's start with the Building Experience

I'm reviewing this set well after I've built it, but I can recall plenty from this experience. Overall, it's a not bad time, with the set coming together fairly quickly. There are some annoying points, such as joining the tread linkages, but outside of that, there truly is no tedious spot anywhere on the build. The most interesting part of the build lies in the construction of the various mechanisms/play features. I won't spoil it for those who wish to purchase this excellent set (though spoiling is easy, just look up the instructions online), there are multipurpose things hidden where you won't expect, the classic drawbridge, and surprising compatibility with the side-builds. Speaking of the side builds, you get a flying crossbow that's a mini version of a another set, a basic big wheeled motorcycle, and a little flying bad guy vehicle. The bad guy vehicle presents a nice enough challenge for the other side-builds, though it's obviously outclassed by the beast of a tank castle.

Parts - mostly colours

To my knowledge, the big pieces that make up the turrets, the special weapon/armour moulds, maybe the holographic displays, and the front 1-piece arch (excluding the 1x1 pyramids that originated from the theme) are th only unique/new pieces, and honestly, most don't have that much utility. Where the Nexo Knights theme as a whole shines in the part department besides the minifigure accessories, is in the recolors, most prominently in the trans-neon orange department. This thus carries over into the Fortrex, making its biggest piece standout something like the big holograph panels. That or Chef Eclair's, a squire bot who cooks for the knights, body, as I can see that being potentially useful in MOCs.

Playibility - one of the best sets for this. Ever.

The title of this subsection accurately sums up my feelings about the playability of the Fortrex. In general, Nexo Knights sets have some of the most diverse and densly packed play features of any Lego line, easily rivalling Ninjago, Stuntz, Creator, Monkie Kid, Star Wars, you name them. Whether it's Clay's Rumble Blade, Jestro's Volcano Castle, or even later with Jestro's Rolling Headquarters, you're guaranteed a fun time with the Nexo Knight line (only augmented by the AR app, if it's still supported that is...). Now, for the build this is getting into build spoilers, so skip this next chunk if you want everything this mighty castle can do be a surprise. 1, 2, 3. For starters, the obvious tread rolling function, necessary to the absurd yet fantastic concept of 'what if a futuristic castle was also a tank?'. Rubber inserts, a potentially tedious part of the build (though I found them to not be at all, mostly because there wasn't as many compared to the tread linkages), are necessary, as the treads themselves would not have enough friction to roll properly on smooth surfaces and honestly, they still don't roll great on smooth places. Things like floor will work just fine, just don't expect it to clack along when moving it across a smooth, polished stone countertop. Besides this, the other transformation feature enables the back to open apart. It's held together pretty securely by clips, though a clever way to open it with the least amount of breaking and work lies in a little knob at the back. There are stickers with arrows pointing opposite directions next to it, making its use fairly obvious, though still unobtrusive as it blends in. It works by turning a pole that will matter later, and as it does bumps a blunt arrowhead shaped technic piece into a secure part of the Fortrex, eventually forcing it apart. Here another part comes into play, as you are able to connect 70324, Merlock's Library 2.0 to the open walls, resulting in a larger castle. I personally don't have it, though part of it feels unimpressive due to the wall's low height compared to the Fortrex's walls. Only the turret really fits in, though the option is a nice bonus. Now, moving on to more obvious things, such as the large 6-stud shooters slapped on the frontal turrets. Though unable to move, turning them provides a nice covering fire for your minifigures! Lowering the drawbridge has several things happening at once. 1, the drawbridge lowers, revealing the interior and mostly empty front section. That is with good reason however, as you can both slot the bike to roll out automatically when the bridge is lowered on the chain connection points, as well as raising the crossbow thing up to face enemies! You can choose to then either leave the crossbow there, were it can aim slightly down at the corners, or move it forward on a 1x2 plate with a bar close ahead. The back has simulated shooters, in the form of a cone 1x1 brick and a booster piece, with each back turret having a connected pair. You can move them side to side and change the shooters from horizontal to vertical in how they shoot, and can even simulate the minifigures doing this from inside the turrets with a control thingy inside them! Furthermore, the bar with the knob for twisting the back open comes back in perhaps the most unexpected way. It runs through the entire castle, only to meet up with a disk launcher hidden under the drawbridge! Pushing the knob, even when closed up, activates the disk launcher, shooting off a 2x2 rounded tile with printing. The bad guy mini build also sports a sick launcher with back activator, the crossbow and enormous yet excellent technic cannon, and even the drawbridge comes with 2 stud shooters! The last play feature where you can move things would be when the back is opened up, moving the pedestal of Merlock 2.0 forward and backwards pushes a tile that in turn opens up the seats of the round table to more easily slot the knights in. Besides from straight actions, there is much you can do with the minifigures, as there is a jail cel in the front right turret, Nexo shields, a small cooking station, and a removable training dummy accompanied by a target. While the cooking station, shields, training equipment and the round table, the back can feel crowded when the castle is closed up, yet it feels almost too spacious when opened up. Each thing is easily removable to take wherever you please, and there are countless spots to place the knights, ranging from the top of the turrets, to inside them, to the parapets, or ground floor.

Value for money - excellent, especially by today's standards, though brand new after market ones now hurt

For all this, especially today, you'd expect something ludicrous like $150, something AT-TE style. Nope. A flat $100 for a large set stuffed with more than enough to endlessly entertain. A true steal and well worth it, much like today's Galaxy Explorer (which I have yet to get). Now, if we're talking about the cost today though, things get a bit dicer. Like many sets (one of the few exceptions I've found would be Action Battle Echo Base) that have been retired, the price for a brand new one in the box is simply not worth it. If you want the full package though, not just the Fortrex, I recommend scourging the Internet for a good deal, or buying it used though not in unreasonable condition, just like how I bought mine and the Evil Mobile, squeaky clean and complete, just the bricks are old and creaky, though no, not really to shatter yet. If you can get it at the original price with everything, excellent choice. If not, then it's Nexo Knights, from what I can tell it's not super beloved, a good deal will pop up eventually.

Verdict - Lego play perfection, even AFOLs can't help to love it

What more remains to say about this phenomenal set? Not only was it a fantastic deal (today that deal is harder to find, but still doable), it was a creative concept, which Lego is supposed to be (like in the new DREAMZzz) executed to perfection, stuffed with play features to the wazoo. Not only that, it's not like it was bad to look at from any angles by any means either! Featuring a generous selection of great minifigures with a stand out being the unique Axl (really Lego, use his style on figures that need it, like maybe Reinhardt, even if Lego is never making OW sets again. Sniff.), an exclusive Book of Evil, 3 mini figures in the forms of Chef Eclair and the 2 Squirrers, 3 side builds, interestingly coloured parts, and at least in the past AR compatibility, the Fortrex really came with the full package, embodying what Lego was supposed to be in every regard. A true set for the ages, even if the show died with its most interesting season and thus the set line, the Fortrex stands tall amongst a world stuffed with countless Lego play sets, forever known as the best of Nexo Knights.

Awesome set!! But i did think it would have a little more room inside but apart from that, this is the best Nexo Knights set yet!! Also i love the fact that you can add the Merlok's Library 2.0 to the Fortrex to make a full blown castle!

Box/Instructions

The box is your standard large box for sets over £70 and the instructions are just one book which i love because it has a proper spine and everything!

Parts

it has a lot of parts that i like like the new scurrier body pieces, Ash Attacker's head, the new turret piece and i love that fact that Lego has introduced the new rubber technic pieces to go in the track.

Minifigures

the figures are really cool and i've been really been looking forward to see how they built Axl because he is a different shape of figure. I do think they could have had a few more mini-fig's though.

The build

It was a really fulfilling build although it did take me about 2 hours to build. although (i'm gonna have to moan again but) i did think that the little plane you get looks quite unfinished but it's ok.

The completed model

It looks awesome! i do like set set ups and with the rest of the sets it looks awesome!

Overall opinion

i love this set. even though it looks unfinished in some places the good things make me overlook them. if your thinking about buying it then i would really recommend it!