Monkie Kid

Monkey King Warrior Mech

A gold-plated giant from the launch of Monkie Kid, and it still turns heads.

Brick Rated Score

4.3/5

Set 80012 · 2020

Pieces1,635

Minifigs6

Year2020

Set number80012

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The verdict

The color scheme is what got me first.

Metallic gold, deep red, and dark grey stacked into a mech that stands about 40cm tall and genuinely commands a shelf. It launched the whole Monkie Kid theme back in 2020, and even now it holds up as one of the best mech builds LEGO has put out. The one honest catch is the legs, which look the part but barely move, so if you wanted dynamic action poses you'll feel that limit.

Best for: mech fans and anyone drawn to that gold-and-red display look

The full review

What it is

Some sets earn their spot on a shelf through quiet detail, and some just walk in and take it. The Monkey King Warrior Mech is firmly in the second camp. This is the set that opened the Monkie Kid theme in 2020, LEGO's Chinese line loosely spun out of Journey to the West, and it came out swinging with a mech that stands roughly 40cm tall in metallic gold, red, and dark grey. You get 1,635 pieces, six minifigures, and a few side builds thrown in, so there's a proper afternoon of building here, not just one big figure and a bag of leftovers. The mech itself is the headline, and it's the kind of thing that makes people stop and ask what it is when they spot it in a room.

The catch

Now for the honest part of the story, because every big figure has one. The arms and shoulders on this mech are genuinely great, wide range, satisfying poses, easily holds a minifigure in the cockpit. The legs are where it falls down, almost literally. There are no knee joints and the feet barely pivot, so you can pose a triumphant stance but not a stride or a kick, and reviewers noticed that gap right away. The wide stance helps it stand, but the combination of a broad base and a heavy gold torso means it can feel a bit tippy when you're moving it around. And at its launch price of 149.99 dollars, the value works out to fair rather than a steal. You're paying a little for the theme and all that metallic gold, not just the raw brick count.

Who it's for

So who should grab this one. If you love mechs, or you're pulled in by that gold-and-red display look, this is an easy yes and it looks far more expensive than it is once it's built. Fans of the Monkie Kid show will love the Monkey King and MK figures and the whole scene it sets up. If you're chasing perfect articulation and want a mech you can march across a desk in dramatic action poses, this isn't quite that, and you'll bump into the leg limits fast. The set retired at the end of 2022, so it's off shelves now and prices on the aftermarket have crept up, which is worth knowing if you've had your eye on it. For most people who like the look, I think you'll be really happy you brought it home.

The parts story

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

The build splits into a few distinct chunks, which keeps the pace lively across all 1,635 pieces. You start with the smaller side builds, Pigsy's noodle store with its little interior of a bed and a stove, a Bull Clone mech, and the Monkey King perched on a cloud that sits on a clear round dish. Then you get into the main event. The mech goes up torso first, and the internal framework is solid Technic-flavored building with plenty of clever connections holding those big gold panels in place. The arms are the most fun section, with the joints that give you all that shoulder movement, and the whole thing comes together into something that feels sturdier than it looks, even if the legs stay static.

For parts people, this set is a gold mine, and I mean that almost literally. It packs over 100 metallic gold elements, which at release was the most of any LEGO set ever made, and five of those gold pieces were exclusive to this set. Familiar shapes like bananas and 2x2 macaroni tiles show up here in the rarer metallic finish rather than the usual pearl gold. There's also a new longer lightsaber-style bar mold created for the Monkey King's staff, which appears in gold and again in dark bluish grey, plus a handful of brand new curved and angled bricks that debuted here. If you build your own creations, that pile of gold is genuinely useful, and it's a big part of why the set has held its value since retiring.

Fun facts

01At launch this set held the record for the most metallic gold elements of any LEGO set, with over 100 gold pieces.
02It was one of the sets that kicked off the Monkie Kid theme in 2020, LEGO's line inspired by the classic Chinese tale Journey to the West.
03A brand new longer bar mold was created for the Monkey King's extendable staff, and it can transform into a shorter version that clips into the mech's hand.
04The set retired at the end of 2022 after roughly two and a half years, and its value on the secondary market has climbed above the original price.