Ninjago

Kai's Golden Dragon Raider

A gold-drenched Ninjago wagon that lives and dies by its minifigures.

Brick Rated Score

3.7/5

Set 71773 · 2022

Pieces635

Minifigs7

Year2022

Set number71773

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The verdict

I came to this one for the vehicle and left completely won over by the figures instead.

Golden Dragon Zane, with all that translucent light-blue and gold layered together, is the piece I keep picking back up off the shelf. The car itself is a fun, slightly chaotic thing that folds from road mode into a walker, and I enjoyed building it, but at ninety dollars for 635 pieces I understand why people flinched. If you love the Crystalized arc or you collect Ninjago figures, this is an easy yes. If you only want the biggest brick-per-dollar build, look elsewhere.

Best for: Ninjago collectors chasing the exclusive Crystalized figures

The full review

What it is

This is Kai's Golden Dragon Raider, a 635-piece Ninjago set from the 2022 Crystalized season, and it is built around one very showy idea: a multi-terrain vehicle drenched in gold that can flip from a wheeled road mode into a creature-like walker by folding its back wheels under. There are cannons, spinning golden dragon blades, a cockpit for Kai, and honestly a slightly ridiculous silhouette that made me grin. The first time I folded it into walker mode I actually laughed, because it does move like something alive. It is a toy that knows it is a toy, and I mean that as a compliment.

The catch

Here is where I have to be straight with you. The price is the sticking point, and it was for reviewers too. Ninety dollars for a vehicle this size is a lot, and the build goes by quicker than the box would have you believe, roughly an hour to ninety minutes. The dragon wings on Zane's back are also more modest in the plastic than the packaging suggests, which is a small letdown if the art is what pulled you in. And the vehicle's busy, overloaded look genuinely divides people. I like the maximalism, but I know builders who found it cluttered rather than cool.

Who it's for

So who should get this. If you are a Ninjago fan, especially one following the Crystalized story, the value math changes completely, because the figures are the real reason to buy. Golden Kai, Golden Dragon Zane, Skylor, General Mister F, a Vengestone Brute and two Vengestone Warriors give you a whole showdown in one box, and a few of them are exclusive to this set. Kids in the target age range will adore the play features. If you are a pure engineering builder hunting for dense, clever construction per dollar, this is not your set, and I would point you toward something with more heft for the same spend.

The parts story

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

Building this is a light, breezy afternoon rather than a deep sit-down project. It is aimed at ages eight and up and it feels it, with big satisfying sections that come together fast and a couple of genuinely clever moments where the transformation linkage clicks into place. The disc shooters and the rotating golden blades add little mechanical rewards along the way, so it never felt like pure filler. Do not expect a technical brain-teaser, expect a fun, momentum-filled build that a younger fan can mostly manage alone.

The parts are where this set quietly earns its keep. Golden Dragon Zane is loaded with translucent light-blue and gold elements, dual-molded and layered so the whole figure catches light, and that gold-on-clear combination is the standout of the entire box for me. Skylor arrives with fresh dual-sided face and torso printing, and the gold pearl-toned elements scattered through the vehicle are lovely for anyone who parts sets out for custom builds. For a mid-size set you get a surprisingly rich spread of printed and specialty pieces, which softens the piece-count sting if you care about parts more than raw brick totals.

Fun facts

01The set comes from the 2022 Crystalized season of Ninjago and packs seven minifigures, a generous count for a 635-piece box.
02It was released in June 2022 and retired in July 2023, giving it a short shelf life of only about fourteen months.
03With an original RRP of 89.99 dollars, sealed copies now trade well above retail on the secondary market, a jump driven largely by those exclusive Crystalized figures.
04The vehicle folds from a wheeled road mode into a walker mode by tucking its rear wheels under, so it can 'move like a creature' as LEGO put it.