Ninjago

Heatwave Transforming Lava Dragon

A dragon with a real trick up its sleeve, wrapped around one weak vehicle build

Brick Rated Score

3.7/5

Set 71793 · 2023

Pieces479

Minifigs5

Year2023

Set number71793

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The verdict

Heatwave earns its name the moment you flip it upside down and watch it go from a calm standing pose into an attack stance that launches a little purple dragon power piece out of its chest.

That mechanism is genuinely clever and it's the reason to own this set. I just wish the rest of the build matched it, because the Imperium hovercraft that comes along for the ride is a flat, uninspired filler build next to a dragon this fun. Get it for the dragon and the minifigs, not for a well rounded building session.

Best for: Dragons Rising fans who want Wyldfyre and Lord Ras on their shelf and don't mind one weak side build

The full review

What it is

I'll be honest, I went into this one expecting another generic Ninjago dragon and came out actually impressed by the gimmick. Heatwave has two distinct stances, a lower defensive crouch and an upright battle mode you get to by flipping the whole thing over, and the battle mode launches a purple dragon power element out of its chest. It's a small mechanism but it's satisfying to trigger, and the dragon holds its shape and its personality in both poses instead of collapsing into a pile of angles the way some Ninjago dragons do.

The catch

Where it loses me a little is the second build in the box. The Imperium Claw Hunter's hovercraft is quick and simple almost to a fault, the kind of build that's over before you've settled into a rhythm, and it doesn't bring much visual interest to sit next to a dragon this characterful. There's also a fair bit of light bluish grey on Heatwave's head and body that reads a touch plain up close, especially on the face where you'd want more detail. At $54.99 for 479 pieces, that combination of a thin side build and a slightly bare head sculpt makes the price feel a notch higher than the set earns.

Who it's for

This is a pick-it-up-for-the-characters set more than a pick-it-up-for-the-build set. If you're following Dragons Rising and want Lord Ras or Wyldfyre on your shelf, or if your kid is deep into the show, this is a satisfying way in, especially now that it's retired and easier to find discounted. If you're mainly chasing a meaty, engineering-forward build, I'd point you toward one of the larger dragons in the line instead.

The parts story

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

The build splits into two very different experiences. The dragon goes together in logical sections, body first, then the transformation joints that let it flip between its two stances, and there's a nice moment partway through where you can already feel the mechanism working before the model is finished. The hovercraft, by contrast, is over almost as soon as it starts, more of a five minute palate cleanser than a real second build.

The minifigures are where the piece count earns its keep. Kai and Lloyd each come with two katanas, Wyldfyre has her signature fireball fist piece, and Lord Ras carries a golden hammer that's become one of the most requested pieces from the whole Dragons Rising wave. The set also includes four dragon power elements in different colors plus three dragon energy cores meant to be collected across other sets in the line, a nice touch if you're picking up more than one Dragons Rising set this year.

Fun facts

01Heatwave stands over 7 inches tall, 11.5 inches long and 6 inches wide when built, big enough to be a real shelf presence
02The set was released June 1, 2023 and officially retired December 31, 2024
03Lord Ras's golden hammer and minifig have been singled out by reviewers as favorites from the entire Dragons Rising range
04The dragon power elements and energy cores in this set are designed to be collected alongside other Ninjago Dragons Rising sets from the same wave