Ninjago

Boulder Blaster

A remixed rock plane with a rapid fire gimmick that actually earns its keep.

Brick Rated Score

4.0/5

Set 71736 · 2021

Pieces449

Minifigs4

Year2021

Set number71736

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The verdict

The twisting barrel on the front of this thing had me grinning like a kid the first time I spun it and watched all eight little missiles fly.

This is a 2021 do-over of the 2015 original, and it is tighter, more colorful, and just plain more fun to hold. I will be straight with you, the price per piece is steep for a set with no license to pay for, but the minifig lineup carries a lot of that weight. If you love Ninjago vehicles with a real trick up their sleeve, or you want that golden anniversary Kai, this one is worth chasing down now that it is gone from shelves.

Best for: Ninjago fans and minifig collectors chasing the 10th anniversary Golden Kai

The full review

What it is

This is a rock hauler turned gunship, and it is the kind of set that sells itself the moment you try the play feature. Twist the barrel and eight spring-loaded missiles rattle off in sequence, aimed at Eyezor or at the little prison tower included to free Lloyd. It is a small thing on paper but it is the kind of small thing that makes you feel like a kid again, and reviewers who tested it out loud said the same, comparing it to getting your first rapid fire toy gun.

The catch

Where this set asks more of you is the price. Thirty-nine ninety-nine for 449 pieces works out to nearly nine cents a piece, which is a lot for a set that has no movie license fees baked in. The firing mechanism also sits further forward on the model than feels natural, so working the dial while aiming takes a bit more fumbling than I would like. And structurally this is a rebuild of 2015's Cole's Boulder Blaster, so if you already own that one, you are mostly paying for the new color palette and the minifigures rather than a wholly new build.

Who it's for

I would point this one at anyone building out a Ninjago minifig collection, especially collectors after the golden 10th anniversary Kai, since that figure alone carries real aftermarket value now that the set is retired. If you just want a fun little flying vehicle to mess around with and do not care about completionism, it is still a good time, but I would grab it discounted rather than at full retail if you can.

The parts story

What the build is actually like, and the pieces worth knowing about.

Putting this together does not take long and is not going to challenge an experienced builder, which is fine, because the point of this set was always the finished model rather than a tricky build. The plane comes together in a handful of straightforward steps before you get to the fun part, clicking the rotating shooter barrel into place and loading up the eight spring-loaded flick missiles.

The real draw for parts nerds is the minifig wave, not the sprue. You get Cole, Lloyd, and Eyezor, each with at least one other appearance elsewhere, plus the standout of the set, a golden variant of Kai wearing a metallic gold-tone print to mark Ninjago's 10th anniversary, posed on a small printed commemorative plaque that ships nowhere else. That exclusive figure is the piece collectors specifically hunt this set down for, and it is a big part of why resale value climbed well past the original retail price after retirement.

Fun facts

01This set is a redesigned follow-up to 2015's 70747 Cole's Boulder Blaster, with a cleaner color scheme and updated shaping.
02The Golden Kai minifigure was made exclusively for this set to celebrate Ninjago's 10th anniversary and stands on a small printed plaque marking the milestone.
03The rotating front barrel fires all eight spring-loaded missiles in quick succession when twisted, described by reviewers as feeling like a kid's first rapid-fire toy gun.
04Boulder Blaster retired in December 2022 after just under two years on shelves and has since sold for around double its thirty-nine ninety-nine launch price.