Hello, my name is Trueblox, and today i will review set 70642 - Samurai X VS Killow.

Let's look at the box first:

The box shows an epic battle scene on the front cover with the robot and the motorcycle. The back shows you the functions of the set.

Now let's take a look at the minifigures:

Jay: He looks pretty neat. He has a double-sided face, one showing an angry face and the other showing a more "happy" face. he has a golden-spike-on-a-chain weapon (Sorry i don't know the name of it lol) and a sword holder which holds 2 swords.

Samurai X: Looks nice, the only slight annoyance is the jaw-like part from the helmet falls off sometimes when i try to take off the helmet. other than that she looks nice. She's got a double-sided face too, one showing a happy face with green eyes and an "angry" face with red eyes.

Killow: An amazing figure, he is a big-fig who can carry a brick-built backpack with 2 stud shooters, and come with a bat with a spike on it. He has a very spooky mask that hides a pretty funny small head (but with a creepy-ish face) for a huge body. He's my favorite figure in this set.

Now, lets look at the build:

The Robot: It looks very cool! i like the color of it, it reminds me of the old 2008 Agents sets. It has a hand with 2 stud shooters, which can hold a sword-like thing that rests on the back of the robot. The other hand comes with a saw.

The Motorcycle: Now that looks amazing! I love the saw in the front and the fold-out spikes from the back of the Motorcycle. It also has a little spot in the front to hold his bat. The only slight annoyiance for me is that the handles keep falling off i try to move it a bit. Other than that, it's perfect.

My overall opinion on this set:

I like it. It comes with some really cool builds and minifigures. I recommend this set for Ninjago fans. (And for Robot/Mech fans, too.)

Killow VS Samurai X was the only Sons of Garmadon set that I held off on getting, and even now my thoughts on this one vary. For $50, it's not horrible. The two main builds are both interesting and different in their own unique ways, and the minifigure selection is fantastic.

Killow's bike, a very large bigfig-scaled vehicle, is a very good build and probably my favorite of all the different bikes we got this year. Getting Killow onto the bike is very easy, and the concept is great. This set had a good amount of stickers, and while I normally don't like stickers, they look really cool here, especially on the bike. It rides well, and the color scheme is awesome.

The Samurai X Mech, however, did not live up to the hype for me like Killow's bike did. It's a decent mech, and it looks great on my shelf, but the legs are built too narrow in places that it's not strong enough to balance the mech and help it stand up in most positions. The color scheme is really good with the dark blue and white, but there is some out of place brown on the back of the mech that really throws it all off. The play features are all good, but I just wish the legs were a bit bulkier or at least built well enough to balance the mech.

Jay is exclusive to this set in his Season 8 suit, with a very nice blend of styles from the TV series and movie. It's a nice return to the bright blue for the first time in a while, and overall he just has a great design. His weapon is a golden flail similar to his wooden one from the movie.

Samurai X is the only figure in this set who's not exclusive, although she was at the time this set first released. She was, of course, later released in the Throne Room Showdown set, but I'd say this is the coolest way to get her. While I still prefer her Hands of Time design, her Season 8 armor tries on a different color scheme and gives us a new face print for the character. Her weapons are a pair of twin golden katanas.

Killow is definitely the star of this set, debuting as the second Ninjago bigfig ever. Easily one of the best Ninjago figures this year in printing and detail, Killow is a very interesting figure. Unlike other bigfigs, he has a minifigure head and a simple black bike helmet that you can attach the Mask of Deception to. Speaking of which, this is the only set besides the Temple of Resurrection that includes the Mask of Deception. Killow has a large club, and a strange large pack that you can attach to his back. It's cool, but very unorthodox.

Finally, the price. Here in the US, this set retails for $50. That's not bad or unfair, since it does have over 500 parts. The main reason I feel like this should be cheaper is that the Ninja Nightcrawler, which has only a few several less parts, is only $40. I understand that this may be because of the bigfig included, but still.

Either way, this is a great set and probably one of the best in the wave, just not the best priced.

Summary

Again a set that pleasantly surprised me - better and more fun than I expected, and one of those that truly does look better in real life than in images. Killow is awesome, the Samurai-X mech looks better than expected and the Oni-bike is simply ridiculous (and big). Building the whole thing was also more fun than expected, to be honest. The mech and the bike seem quite well matched as opponents in a scenario. The overall price is quite high, but understandable when looking at the component parts: Big Fig, massive wheel, technic panels, spinner disc to name a few examples. Overall, a good set, and worthy of consideration - especially at this time of the year - as some of the Sons Of Garmadon Ninjago sets are being phased out.

Build experience

Overall, I spend a little over 90 minutes building this set - which includes taking my time for the stickers.

First to be built areKillow's backpack and club. These are simple builds, with some nice pieces (the purple 1x2-1high 'step slope' piece for one). Even the 'off-colour' pieces fit the overall colour scheme of the bike. In general I think the purple pieces might actually be quite rare.

Next up is the torso for the Samurai-X mech. The build is nice, and what off-colour pieces there are, are nicely covered up. There are quite a few stickers, nicely printed, but with - seemingly - the Samurai-X logo sticker being marginally off center. Take care applying all the stickers, as they are in highly visible places and can enhance the looks of the mech a lot. Again, there are no ugly off colour pieces visible. The construction of the mech IMHO saw no truly remarkable, especially of one has built Lego Mechs recently. Arguably the most special construction was that of the lower legs.

Killow's bike is the final build. The steps are logical and easy to follow. Again, the off-colour pieces are well hidden on the inside. Building the bike is quite easy, and a mix of Technic and regular pieces. Again, there are some highly visible stickers to apply, but IMHO they add significantly to the overall looks of the bike. The construction of the front section of the bike is he most interesting part of the build.

The minifigures

Cole is the only 'Wu-Cru' ninja included in this set, and a unique minifig. He wears a two piece cowl (bottom piece also blue), carries two katana and a flail like weapon. His torso and leg print his highly detailed, and overall I like the design. He also wearss a one-side shoulder armour piece, which serves as a sheath to his two katanas. He has two face prints, one angri, and one smirking.

Samurai-X is found in this set, and in the Throne Room (set 70651). the torso print on the front and back is very detailed and colourful, as is the prints on the legs. It conforms nicely t the face print. The helmet is also a nice piece, though somewhat delicate. The lower face-mask comes of easily. Samurai-X is armed with two gold katanas, which can be attached to the mech when Samurai-X operates it.

Killow is clearly the start of this set, and - purely subjectively of course - IMHO is the best BigFig yet, and it is not even close. I love the printing. The designs for the printed masks on his left arm and the jacket are awesome, and everything is very well executed. The face-print (on a regular sized minifig head) is good, but without the mask Killow looks almost comical. With the mask he looks great!

The build

The Samurai-X Mech is - compared to quite a few other mechs - rather small and flimsy looking. The stickers add to its looks. I am not a fan of its weapons. The disk looks rather odd, IMHO, and the dual-sword thing IMHO looks much better sheathed than in the mech's left hand. It handles quite well, though posability is limited. The stickers IMHO enhance its looks greatly. The mech looks MUCH better if Samurai-X is operating it, and installing him/her in the mech is quite easy.

What the mech IMHO lacks in looks, is more than made up for by the Killow's Oni-Chopper. It is big, sturdy, and fits the agressive and menacing character of Killow perfectly. The colour scheme fits that of the S.O.G. generally. Again, the stickers do add something to the overall look. The Technic core is well integrated, and quite well covered up by normal bricks. The two skate boards are a nice touch. I can only say that the designer has done a very good job here. Killow's club can be stored away properly, and his stand on the bike (especially when holding the steering handles) is quite stable. The bike itself is quite stable as well, due to the massive rear tire. If there is one thing to nit pick about, it would be the end of the tail-bars holding the rear tires. That (maybe) could have been finished off a bit better.

Play vs display

This is one of those sets that can be both a play and a display set - though I would lean towards the play side, personally. Good and bad guys are included, each with interesting weaponry and tools. The mech is big enough to be easily handled, while the bike is not too big. The one minus I have is that the bike cannot be operated by holding Killow, as he will come off.

Killow's bike will definitely draw attention due to its outrageous design, especially if Killow is manning it. The mech will probably be less noticable.

The verdict

Overall, I think this is a good set, and arguably the most complete play set of all the S.O.G. sets. A good guy vs bad guy vehicle, two different vehicles (mech vs bike rather than two bikes), a nice irregular character (P.I.X.A.L.), a superb big fig... The one draw back is the price, at least at RRP. It is fairly expensive - though still acceptable. It is worth looking for discounts for this set, and if you like Ninjago, or simply outrageous vehicles, one should consider going for it.

Killow vs. Samurai X is the second largest set in the Ninjago Sons of Garmadon wave. It contains 556 pieces, and retails for $49.99 in the United States. I managed to pick this up at my local Target for $40, and I excited to share my thoughts with you on this set. Now, lets get into the review.

Box and Instructions

The front of the box depicts a battle scene, and it lists all the necessary information, like set number and piece count. The back of the box shows another battle, as well as the play features of the set. The box also shows that there are 3 Oni Masks to collect in the sets. Opening the box reveals four numbered bags, one instruction manual, and a sticker sheet. The first and second bags contain the pieces for Killow, Samurai X, and the Samurai X Mech, and the third and fourth bags contain the pieces for Jay and the Oni Chopper (Killow's Bike). The instruction manual has 128 pages. The last few pages contain images demonstrating the primary actions features of the set, as well as advertisements for the entire Sons of Garmadon wave, along with all six Spinjitzu Masters sets. The sticker sheet has 16 stickers, with one for Killow's backpack, 7 for the Samurai X Mech, and the rest for the Oni Chopper.

Parts

There are 556 total parts in this set. Some personal favorites for me are the red saw blade, which is only seen in two other sets, the large black blades, the large red wheel, and the purple skateboard wheels. I also appreciate the inclusion of a spinner crown in gold, which has not been seen in any Ninjago sets for a while.

Minifigures

There are two minifigs, Jay and Samurai X, and one bigfig, Killow, included in the set.

Jay has some good printing on his torso and legs, and his face is the new face from the Lego Ninjago Movie, with two expressions. He has a two piece head wrap, which is blue with a black headband. He also comes with an armor piece that can hold his two silver katanas. He is also armed with golden nunchuks. Overall, Jay is a good minifigure.

Samurai X has been updated from her previous appearance in Hands of Time, sporting a bit more white and red in her torso and leg printing. She has golden armor and a three piece helmet. Removing the helmet reveals her double sided face. One side is white with red and gold accent colors for the eyes, and the other side reveals her identity. It's Pixal! Pixal's face is white and purple, with green eyes and a silver mouth. She is equipped with two gold katanas. Overall, I believe that Samurai X is a superb minifig, and is definitely a highlight for me.

Killow is the second Ninjago bigfig created, and he is not lacking. His body piece has a black jacket with primarily orange printing, and the jacket is open to expose some of his chest and tattoos. The back of his torso has three Technic holes so that Killow can wear a backpack. The backpack has a Sons of Garmadon flag, a silver rocket booster thing, and two maneuverable stud shooters with red studs. His pants are black with gray skull kneepads molded in. The top of the body piece has a peg to attach a minifig head to it. This is done so that Killow can wear the Oni Mask of Deception. His arm and hand pieces are gray, and his left arm has a printed tattoo depicting Oni Masks. He is armed with a gray club.

The Build

The build was pretty good. I always enjoy building mechs, and the Samurai X Mech was no exception. I also found the Oni Chopper to be fairly unique, and I loved the way the hood and the front wheel were build. The overall build didn't completely blow me out of the water, but I was not disappointed either.

The Completed Model

The completed model consists of the Samurai X Mech and the Oni Chopper. Let's begin by examining the Samurai X Mech first.

The Samurai X Mech belongs to Samurai X, and it makes its first appearance in Ninjago Episode 79: Dead Man’s Squall. The mech looks really nice. It has a dark blue and white color scheme with gold highlights. There is a spot in the main body where Samurai X can be stood, and then she is protected with some armor. The armor has a transparent blue slope on top to represent controls. The build for the legs is identical, just mirrored. An important note is that in order to stand the mech straight up, you must angle the legs and feet away from each other a bit. It's not necessary, but I've found that it helps with stability and preventing the mech from falling. The left arm is equipped with a blaster cannon and a spinning blade, and the right arm has a three fingered hand with two stud shooters on top. Inside the hand is a brick with a Technic hole, which can be used to equip the "Samurai X blade". This gives the appearance of a crossbow in the mech's hand, which works well with the stud shooters. Unfortunately, the mech armor in the front prohibit the blade from being held forward and horizontal at the same time. You can do one or the other, but not both at the same time. On the back of the mech, there is a place to store the blade, as well as Samurai X's katanas. I personally like the Samurai X blade on the back rather than in the hand of the mech because it adds to the look of the mech. The mech also has shoulder armor on the top, which looks good. Overall, the Samurai X Mech is a good mech and a good build, but now it's time to move on to the Oni Chopper.

The Oni Chopper is Killow’s bike, and it makes it’s first appearance in Ninjago Episode 78: Snake Jaguar. The color scheme of this bike is black, purple, and red, all of which work well together. At the front, the wheel is not a wheel, but rather, a saw blade. I like this design, but the saw does not roll on hard surfaces, it just slides. The hood of the bike has a purple headlight and some nice sticker detailing. The hood can be lifted upward to reveal storage for Killow’s club. At the seat, there is plenty of room for Killow, but he must stand due to the fact that his legs do not bend. He has two handlebars to hold onto, but all you really need to do is place his hands over them. The back of the bike has a large red wheel, and the tire is flat, so no worries about the bike tipping over. Each side has a large exhaust pipe and a place to store a skateboard. These skateboards can be attached to Killow’s feet so he can roll around on his own. Each side of the bike also has a blade that can be swept out to hit the ninja or the Samurai X Mech. I really like that play feature because it is really simple but works well. Overall, the Oni Chopper is a really good build and has a nice unique look to it.

Accuracy

This portion of the review is dedicated to how accurate the set is to the vehicles they are based off of in the Ninjago tv series. The only real inaccuracy with the figures is that Killow has an orange belt in the tv show, but the bigfig in the set has a black one. The Samurai X Mech is fairly accurate to how it is portrayed in the show, however, the Lego model does not have any fingers on the right hand, and instead of a crossbow, the tv show mech has two large swords. The Oni Chopper is mostly accurate, but the backpack Killow wears is supposed to be attached to the bike. I wish that Lego had made it more accurate, but it probably isn't too hard to modify. I also think that attaching backpack is better for younger kids because it offers more playability.

Overall Opinion

Overall, this set is very nice. The minifigures in this set are really great and the build are both very good. The play features for the most part are really good, except for the samurai blade piece and the saw wheel. The set is mostly accurate to the show, but I wish Killow had the orange belt. The price of this set $50 for 556 pieces, which is really good, especially considering the inclusion of a bigfig. In conclusion, I feel that this is a great set. The Killow bigfig and the parts included are the best parts of this set. I also feel that the Samurai X minifig is really good. If you're into Ninjago, collect bigfigs, or just want some nice parts, this set is for you.

Thank you for taking the time to read my review of Ninjago 70642 Killow vs. Samurai X.