Overwhelmed at the sheer technical genius and awe-inspiring power, Ryo wondered how he could even think that his old Mobile Defense Tank design was a good idea…

-- WARNING --

According to the manufacturer, this product is not recommended for children under the age of 7 years as it contains many small parts which a child could potentially choke on.

On the Sentai Mountain, humans work side-by-side with intelligent robots in mines. They use large excavation machines to dig out, gather, and transport mined rock to the surface. Unfortunately, an error occurred in one of the machines, and it sparked a vicious rebellion. Robots turned on their human masters, and through the fighting a series of mysterious explosions blasted the mountain into two halves. The robots were eventually driven deep into the newly-formed canyon far below. Years later, the robots returned, having quietly converted their mining machines into combat-hardened Battle Machines. In a surprise attack, the robots were able to conquer half of Sentai Mountain, additionally taking hostage thousands of human workers and their families. Anticipating their return beforehand, the wise and noble Keiken-sensei gathered together all the people, technology, and resources that he could and created Exo-Force- a defense screen of hardened battlements with tall gates, powerful weapon turrets, advanced research and development laboratories, and their own designs of brand new Battle Machines piloted by elite teams trained under his leadership.

At first, the first Sentai Fortress proved quite a challenge to the robots and their megalomaniacal leader, Meca One. But with access to greater resources and with more ruthlessness, the robots were able to make a heavy strike on Sentai Fortress enough to break it, forcing the inhabitants and survivors to flee higher up the mountainside. The robots limped back to their own side of the mountain…

Fortunately, Keiken-sensei was aware of a legend about the ancient Golden City where the first inhabitants of Sentai Mountain made their base of operations. After successfully retreating there, it was discovered that it was indeed a pinnacle of high technology, and its central computer systems gave them access to powerful new technologies and Battle Machines to replace their war-torn ones. While this did not grant them room for expansion enough to attempt an assault on the robots’ side of the mountain, the lessons learned there allowed for new Battle Machines and technologies to be developed. Desperate to get it’s claws on this technology as well, Meca One launched another heavy assault. But this time, it was able to use one of it’s many copies to kidnap and then impersonate Keiken-sensei in order to expose the city to attack! While Exo-Force was once more fortunate to drive the robots back and keep the Golden City secure, the disappearance of their leader left a large gap in their hearts which could not easily be filled…

Keiken-sensei knew that the only way to win the war and beat back the robots for good would be to first rescue the untold thousands of humans being held prisoner on the robot-controlled side of the mountain. Where they were now, he could only guess. But an expedition would need to be sent to find the massed prison cells. And so, to ensure that Meca One would not learn this, he secretly used Golden City technology to build new Battle Machines specially designed and customized to the talents of Exo-Force’s finest pilots, which he would then personally lead down into the lowlands of Sentai Mountain. The responsibility of keeping the Golden City safe and Exo-Force functional in his absence would fall to his granddaughter, Hitomi- who had become an experienced and courageous pilot in her own right recently. But what hadn’t been expected was the treachery of the robots. Upon Hitomi taking command of the human resistance, the new Battle Machines were discovered, and a new mission drawn up: Hikari, Takeshi, Ryo, and Hayato would go alone into the deepening jungles and waterfalls of Sentai Mountain to find their leader and make sure that he is not harmed and interrogated by the robots!

When the founders of the colony that would become the mines of Sentai Mountain first explored the region, and then began to move in the heavy equipment, they build long roads which were used later to haul away useful minerals. Surely there must be some left over from the base of the mountain after the robots rebelled? But even if there weren’t roads already there, the Hybrid Rescue Tank would make new roads. Ryo was no less than absolutely stunned at Keiken-sensei’s ambition and ingenuity when he learned about the vehicle’s existence, and that he had been assigned to it. It was designed to be the command vessel from which Keiken-sensei would lead the expedition down the mountainside, but it would not sit idle while the other Battle Machines ventured out alone into combat. No. The HRT is built around moving through dense and rough terrain with a unique tractor system which puts it almost on par with most Battle Machines, and providing the heavy support needed for assaults on fixed robot positions. The entire chassis is molded around a heavy mining laser much like the ones used before the rebellion, and the powerful mobile generator needed to run it. But Keiken-sensei upgraded it into a six-barrel rail blaster- if the mining tool could eat away at solid rock, then this weapon was guaranteed to punch clean through Battle Machine armor given half a chance. The drive section of the HRT is backed up by two swiveling cutting laser turrets on either side of the large drive wheel in back which provide near 135-degrees of cover to either side. But that is only half of its potential… The large turret above the drive section- which generously shields the gunner from all directions- mounts no less than six separate rapid-fire plasma-burst cannons! But what amazed Ryo so much was that, not only did the turret section have its own Battle Machine-type power generator, but it was capable of actually separating from the drive section and flying on its own! The drive section would retain two of the plasma-burst cannons in a smaller turret, but to compensate the fighter section carried two air-to-air/air-to-ground homing missiles. Overwhelmed at the sheer technical genius and awe-inspiring power, Ryo wondered how he could even think the old Mobile Defense Tank that he designed was a good idea…

To expand its detection range, Keiken-sensei equipped the large green Battle Machine with a new spy drone robot. Being that he was the one who created the robots before they all turned to evil (and for which he is ever-grieved and guilt-ridden nowadays), Keiken-sensei took the lessons learned from his mistakes, and created these new human-sized mini-robots with a simpler artificial intelligence (“AI”) and less-independent thinking capabilities, making them more dependable in a fight and less-prone to corruption while in a hazardous encounter with their enemies. The one attached to the flying turret of the Hybrid Rescue Tank is equipped to be a long-range sensor drone that can fly at near supersonic speeds both in and out of the deep jungle. When attached to the HRT, the mini-robot’s hand-held cannon can tap directly into the main generator, which increases its output significantly enough to make an additional seventh plasma-burst cannon for the heavy assault vehicle to utilize.

The Hybrid Rescue Tank- I must admit- is pretty damn impressive. This thing is gonna be loads of fun for me-- uhh, kids. Kids! I meant to say “kids”! The HRT is clearly the successor to the Mobile Defense Tank from the debut 2006 line; which seems to have skipped a generation in 2007, but looks almost nothing like it.

(I’ll try not to draw too many parallels between them. For short, I referred to the Mobile Defense Tank as the “MDT”, so try to keep them separated in your head!)

. . .

Ahhhh- where to start… It’s kinda hard to describe details when they’re together, so I’m gonna cover the two halves separately. There seem to be no official names for the two halves of the HRT, so I’ll just call them the Fighter Section and Drive Section. Sound good? “No”? Too bad!

----Fighter Section (back)----

Cockpit and Fuselage

This is the second time that Ryo gets to control the turret of a tank, but fortunately he gets a whole lot more cover than he did with the Mobile Defense Tank. A very wide and long tinted canopy cover provides the minifig within a panoramic view. For the first time in Exo-Force, the canopy/windscreen cannot simply rotate out of the way; it is directly fixed to the rest of it just like any other Lego part is by snapping it over studs beneath the part. So you have to pry it off, but there are gaps on either side which make this near-effortless. Inside the cockpit- like Hikaru before him in the Chameleon Hunter- Ryo has no seat to rest on, planning his hollow legs right on the floor of the vehicle. He hangs onto an extended handlebar which is connected to the nose via a single Battle Droid minifig arm seen in many Star Wars sets since 1999. Getting him to grab on to the handlebars, and then setting him in is surprisingly harder than it looks to be. On either side of the canopy are two of these plasma-burst cannons. The black shafts used for almost all of the cannons in the set are the same ones that run through the center of all of the human-made mini-robots in the line (including the one for this set). Underneath the long streamlined tail is the engine for the fighter- a single decal attached to a cylindrical brick and flat plate. Because of what parts are used, the engine nozzle can easily twist around.

Wings

Both wings are identical, and are attached to the body via ratcheting joints which are used later. The long smooth blue parts used for the wings are the same ones used for the fighter’s tail. Each also features a thin extended-barrel plasma-burst cannon, both of which have their own identical ratcheting joints as well. Mounted above each wing on a ball-and-socket joint is a single missile launcher. Each red & gray missile can be easily detached and replaced on their holders. When in vehicle mode, the missile launchers can be pointed around, but when flying they are always shown point forward. (Makes sense, right?) Another pair of those new neon-green slanted 1x2 vent plates sit on either wing right below the launchers.

----Drive Section (back)----

Movement

The HRT uses two different forms of wheeled propulsion, as opposed to the MDT which had only one. The common type between them are rubber tractor treads of which the HRT has only two, one on either side of the front of the vehicle’s body; though they lack the movable suspension system of the MDT. Each tread uses three black rim parts to keep their shape and tension. The back of the HRT, however, uses a single big-ass 3” hollow black rubber tire with inner ABS rim! (The inner wheel is almost completely covered by those white radar dish pieces, which is why it’s hard to see in any pictures.) Both the tractor treads and the big wheel freely spin.

Vehicle Structure

Any parts that have to do with the framework are dark gray unless they are related to the tractor/big wheel assemblies or special features. From most angles, the tractors and big wheel cover up the fact that the HRT is actually very hollow; this is most evident when you look at it from either a back angle or from below. This is perhaps the only real downside to the entire set- the armor is just a façade to hide the fact that this powerful vehicle doesn’t have any guts! The structure of the drive section is built around the tractors/big wheel, turret mount, and forward cannon mount, and anything else is filling. Even the off-center cockpit is as sparse as you can get, allowing the driver- Keiken-sensei- nothing in the form of creature comforts other than a half-cylindrical canopy and a forward blue ‘bumper’ with some light decals on it.

Weapons

To either side of the big wheel is another kind of laser cannon turret. These also are mounted to ball-and-socket joints, but they’re hidden right behind the forward tractor treads. So the only way to ‘shoot’ them is to turn them to either side. Unfortunately, because of the angle that the ball-and-socket joints hang from above, the Y-shaped female connector part in the turret itself bumps into them, and they can’t completely turn horizontally unless you tilt them upwards a bit. There is a smaller turret sitting on top of the Drive Section with two more of those plasma-burst cannons; these are built almost identically to the ones on the fuselage of the Fighter Section. One minor detail is the inclusion of some transparent-green parts that look like sensor eyes between the cannon barrels. On the right side above the tractor tread is a small black Technic gear. Now, here’s the cool part- when that gear is turned by hand, the turret on top can be twisted all the way around through 360-degrees! The large rail blaster is dominating too, mounted directly opposite the cockpit. Now, here’s the cool part- when you roll the HRT forward, the rail blaster spins around too! Two different twisting cannon features in one set… how cool is that!?

. . .

Combining the two vehicles is very easy, and pretty much involves just the Fighter Section. The wing-mounted cannons and missiles point away from the fuselage, and then the wings themselves swing forward so that everything lines up parallel against the main body again. (It’s a bummer that they didn’t incorporate some kind of mechanism that allows the cannons to twist automatically as you slide the wings around. I bought it thinking they did do exactly that! Oh, well…) Then the Fighter Section slips directly over that dark gray rod in the middle of the rotating turret on the Drive Section... only just missing running poor Ryo through inside! (It might push off his purple minifig-toupee, though, since it’s that close…)

The completed Hybrid Rescue Tank (back) is a rather imposing presence, the striking blue and white coloring immediately grabbing your attention, and then all those pointed cannons keep you focused. The spinning rail blaster is unaffected by the combination, but the Fighter Section suddenly bulks up that tiny turret on the Drive Section. As such, when that Technic gear is twisted around, the whole honkin’ thing twists around now.

Lego Set #8118 comes with a new version of the Ryo minifig. While he still has his purple spiky hairdo and double-sided head (one face serious, one a battle-cry expression), the chest print has been redesigned to incorporate new designs- including a camouflaged shirt beneath the techy fittings! But the set also included a Sensei Keiken minifig as well, unchanged since his first (and- so far- only) appearance in the Sentai Fortress (#7709) set from 2006. He, too, has both a calm expression on one side of his head, and he's gritting his teeth on the other, both faces marred by a long red scar crossing the left side. (I guess this means they rescued him, huh…?)

. . .

Normally, when a Lego set needs specific details on a part, such as a control panel or flag, the image is printed or painted directly onto specific parts. Exo-Force continues for its third year by using stick-on decals; something that is becoming more commonplace in other lines of the Lego System. There is a small sticker sheet which provides allegiance markings, warning symbols & notices, and names- some of them written in Japanese text! Translations of the Japanese text are given on the sticker sheet, but do not go on the parts. This allows for a wider range of piece marking without Lego having to create a completely different piece each time, and merges the Exo-Force and Japanese toy influence closer together. Whereas in the debut 2006 line some sets had a few conflicts where decals would cover more than one part and would make it impossible to separate again unless they were cut (or not applied to begin with), this has not been a problem with since and was not present in the 2007 line. And so there are no conflicts in Set#8118 from the 2008 line.

I noticed something that I wanna nitpick about here real quick… And it may be absolutely nothing, but I thought it might be worth a footnote if nothing else. On the nose of the Fighter Section above the Exo-Code (see belowExo-Force sets all the time- even the robot ones- but this it the first extraneous mark I’ve seen. And you can barely see the silver letters since they’re on a white background; I can’t even photograph it! Call me paranoid if you wish, but…

The new common gimmick for all of the 2008 line is these new mini-robots. Each one attaches to a Battle Machine. These are not new minifigs, but small Lego parts put together to make unique designs for each set that stands roughly as tall as a minifig. On the human-operated Battle Machines, there is a decal showing the forward profile of its mini-robot as well as the term “Spy Drone”. (Yes, this term is in conflict with all promotional materials- where they are called “mini-robots” instead.) When attaching them to their parent Battle Machine, they fold up and collapse down into a smaller form, though nothing is removed to accomplish this. Be aware that the connection between mini-robot and Battle Machine is not always perfect compared to the instructions, so you’ll have to tinker around until you find an appropriate position for everything, though you won’t have to remove any parts to do so. (It’s really no big deal, and you’ll get used to it quickly enough.)

For Set #8118, the mini-robot (back) forms a pod which attaches to the top of the Fighter Section. A long bar sticks out behind, but the legs and center body are heavy enough to comfortably keep it upright on a flat surface; plus, the feet are individually jointed and can be adjusted as well. The white arms (taken from the Devastator robot minifigs) can flip most the way around; though they way they are built they can pitch up and down a little at the shoulder, but these other ‘joints’ are rather tight, so I would not recommend doing this too much. It grips a single blaster composed of a black minifig-sized space sensor and another trans-neon green barrel. The unique thing about the mini-robot for the Hybrid Rescue Tank is that it can transform into a flight mode- the legs swing up horizontally, the arms swing forward (actually, I swing them backwards), and the blaster fits on the post on its chest. It’s small and fragile, but it works! Because of where it attaches on the Fighter Section of the HRT, you cannot get to Ryo in the cockpit without removing the mini-robot first. (Getting the mini-robot off there is a pain in itself compared to the others in all the other sets released up to this point…)

For 2007, Exo-Force’s official website was upgraded with a new Code Brick Central section to accept specially-designated Exo-Codes which would be found in each set released. These alphanumeric Exo-Codes would grant access to special information and online goodies- wallpaper, screensavers, decals for your personal Lego profile, etc.- related to that one set from which the code had come. Apparently it was successful enough because the Exo-Codes are back for 2008. (Alas, they didn’t make new mini-movies of the Battle Machine’s in action like they did last year!) However, unlike the codes that were pre-printed onto flat 1x2 bricks in 2007, the new Exo-Codes are now printed onto decals which are then applied to the cockpit canopy of each set. Be aware that you must be signed up with a free Lego online profile in order to access the new information (of which they will also remind you).

...

Something that a lot of people noticed was when none of the 2007 sets were used to make alternate and combined models on the box art and website like they were in the breakout 2006 line. Well, you asked for them, and you got them back! While the singular alternate models have not come back, each 2008 set has instructions which can be found in the somewhat-elusive Build It! section of the website to combine two or three Exo-Force sets into one!

Oddly, the Hybrid Rescue Tank has no official combination with any of the other Exo-Force sets, or an alternate mode to itself.

Now here’s what I don’t like:

• You expect from the price of this that it would have a bit more substance to the body of the Drive Section; the MDT actually surpasses in this regard. Fewer parts, but less substance at the same price is not a good trade-off here. It’s all hollow! Even the rail blaster suffers from this- the base of the cannon is basically a two-sided box with no structure stability whatsoever even though the spinning feature works well. Where are these powerful generators that Lego keeps advertising about in this set???
• This whole year, all of the Exo-Force sets are based on animals- either in features or in general shape. But, unless this set is based on a bear, I don’t see it, and I haven’t found any reference linking it to nature in any of the official materials. It just makes a mess of the surrounding world rather than taking inspiration from it. It doesn’t really need it, but- I mean- what happened? Why break the trend?
• Unlike all of the other mini-robots released up to this point on both sides of the battle, this one causes me the most grief. The main body (with the red sensor eye and green balls) doesn’t stay attached to that rod worth a crap! Yeah, it’s nice to have it transform, but after having three previous human-sided mini-robots that all function the same while all of the robots’ are very flexible and quite different from each other, you’d expect some variety or certainly something more stable. While all the others share similar construction and design, this one is built almost backwards. The only thing I found interesting was how the blaster mounts to the chest when in flight mode; that actually works compared to them always just holding their own weapons all the time. (BTW, what are those green balls on its back supposed to be???)
• This last one is more of a nitpick, but I though hiding those cannons behind the tractor treads wasn’t very clean. They make for good cover for the hollow interior, but I thought they might have worked out better if they has been on the outside of the tractor treads and then be able to swing around 180-degrees.

I feel that this is indeed a worthy successor to the Mobile Defense Tank from 2006. It’s not quite as big (347pcs versus 365pcs), but it’s also not as awkward. It features a rotating cannon which was only implied on the MDT, and you can actually roll it around on a hard surface without the suspension system collapsing all the time if you push too hard. While they both use ball-and-socket joints, this one makes sure that they are not used for heavy sections- only tiny laser cannons and missile launchers here. (Yay! That’s how it’s supposed to be with those kinds of joints, IMO.) I don’t know why- that big wheel in back is unorthodox for something like this, but in a weird way, it’s just cool; like Keiken-sensei’s just gonna rip it up and do wheelies with this thing or somethin’. (Pimp it out with hydraulic shocks maybe…) This whole giant turret set-up is pretty sweet; the inner gear mechanism is what really makes it work. (BTW, right after everything’s folded up on the Fighter Section, doesn’t it remind you of that speeder that that Zam Wessell drove around in “Star Wars Ep.II”? Kinda does to me...) It may be too gimmicky for its own good, but I thought the detachable fighter was a nice touch, as were the extending wings and cannons. (As for that tiny engine nozzle… eh, I don’t care either way.) But other than those four gripes above, I think this is a really cool set to have. Both halves have a special feature instead of just one of them hogging all the fun away from the other. I like that the Drive Section retains a twisting turret even when the Fighter isn’t in place. It also has a nice presence, absolutely covered in weapons and soft angular contours, and- despite the hollow interior of the Drive Section- it looks tough. So despite its flaws (which in the long run aren’t all that bad, except for that mini-robot) I recommend getting the Hybrid Rescue Tank. It’s quite fun! Watch out, Meca One: the HuRT's a-comin'...

This is the half-way point of the 2008 line for Exo-Force until summer. So, what do you think so far? Hey- does anyone even care if I cover these Lego sets or not!? Do they influence you to get or avoid them? People, please give me feedback!

While the Battle Arachnoid and Dark Panther more closely resemble real animals (a spider and a- a… whatever), the details in its online profile at Exo-Force.com suggest that it is more related to a dragonfly.

-- WARNING --

According to the manufacturer, this product is not recommended for children under the age of 7 years as it contains many small parts which a child could potentially choke on.

On the Sentai Mountain, humans work side-by-side with intelligent robots in mines. They use large excavation machines to dig out, gather, and transport mined rock to the surface. Unfortunately, an error occurred in one of the machines, and it sparked a vicious rebellion. Robots turned on their human masters, and through the fighting a series of mysterious explosions blasted the mountain into two halves. The robots were eventually driven deep into the newly-formed canyon far below. Years later, the robots returned, having quietly converted their mining machines into combat-hardened Battle Machines. In a surprise attack, the robots were able to conquer half of Sentai Mountain, additionally taking hostage thousands of human workers and their families. Anticipating their return beforehand, the wise and noble Keiken-sensei gathered together all the people, technology, and resources that he could and created Exo-Force- a defense screen of hardened battlements with tall gates, powerful weapon turrets, advanced research and development laboratories, and their own designs of brand new Battle Machines piloted by elite teams trained under his leadership.

At first, the first Sentai Fortress proved quite a challenge to the robots and their megalomaniacal leader, Meca One. But with access to greater resources and with more ruthlessness, the robots were able to make a heavy strike on Sentai Fortress enough to break it, forcing the inhabitants and survivors to flee higher up the mountainside. The robots limped back to their own side of the mountain…

Fortunately, Keiken-sensei was aware of a legend about the ancient Golden City where the first inhabitants of Sentai Mountain made their base of operations. After successfully retreating there, it was discovered that it was indeed a pinnacle of high technology, and its central computer systems gave them access to powerful new technologies and Battle Machines to replace their war-torn ones. While this did not grant them room for expansion enough to attempt an assault on the robots’ side of the mountain, the lessons learned there allowed for new Battle Machines and technologies to be developed. Desperate to get it’s claws on this technology as well, Meca One launched another heavy assault. But this time, it was able to use one of it’s many copies to kidnap and then impersonate Keiken-sensei in order to expose the city to attack! While Exo-Force was once more fortunate to drive the robots back and keep the Golden City secure, the disappearance of their leader left a large gap in their hearts which could not easily be filled…

The gold-plated leader of the robot army, Meca One, is known for its ruthlessness, its cunning, its intelligence, and its superiority complex. It was the first to rebel, and lead all of the robots into conflict with their creators, so it has been there from the start and has seen it all. The first thing it realized was that when together, humans are very resourceful. So when Meca One led its new army of Battle Machines against the Sentai Mountain, it was not only able to take the more-plentiful resources, but also rob them of their fighting spirit by abducting their family, friends, and co-workers. Knowing that a counter-attack might upset that advantage, it ordered thousands of prison cells be constructed at the base of the mountain before the invasion began, and then moved all of the prisoners there… except for the ones it forced into working in the mines without robot help. But this new Exo-Force human resistance had proved more difficult to overcome than initially expected. With the discovery that Sensei Keiken was leading them, Meca One realized that he might be the only one capable of bringing it and its army down. But Exo-Force’s resistance was also due to its access to the superior technology in the Golden City. So Meca One sent one of his many copies covertly to the city fortress, and had it abduct Keiken-sensei so that they could now gain access to that same information.

One of the weaknesses of a Storm Lasher is that you can hear its twin high-powered turbofan V-TOL engines thrumming loudly from miles away, which gives Exo-Force pilots the change to duck for cover before it screams over head… unless it’s cruising along at higher altitudes at Mach 1, though they don’t seem to do this much. Completely abandoning a humanoid-shaped Battle Machine body works well here as it did for the heavier and outrageously over-powered Sonic Phantom prototypes. With more dependence on speed and agility to avoid damage, a lighter structure was engineered around a moderate power generator, control pod, and a mixture of weapons. Their mobility above the treetops is their greatest advantage over enemy Battle Machines- getting quickly where they need to be. Strom Lashers act primarily as interceptors and back-up for ground forces, and utilize heavy strafing runs against slower-moving targets. A pair of long-range pulse blasters doesn’t heat as quickly as standard-type laser cannons, but produce similar damage. And two small quad-barrel autocannons are mounted on swiveling motors which can follow targets as the Battle Machine continues to move. For situations where flying below the canopy might be more advantageous, two sharp mandibles are affixed in front of the control pod for delicate lifting or strong crushing. But if the target fights back, the Iron Drone at its controls can twist the Storm Lasher around suddenly, and quickly hack away at its opponent with the diamond-sharp tips of the six-bladed turbofans.

Though its army of Devastator and Iron Drone robots is superior in many ways to humans, Meca One was reluctant to admit to itself that they, too, were not well-equipped to move in among the vines, branches, sharp rocks, and the foothills of the mountain. So a new type of mini-robot was designed to act as a scout for the Strom Lasher. Equipped with four large dragonfly-like wings which constantly buzz through the air, it can act as a recon sensor drone beneath the treetops while the larger Battle Machine buzzes above. Additionally, its powerful back legs allow it to jump incredible distances without making as much noise from its wings. It, too, is equipped with a pair of swiveling laser cannons similar to hand-held units that Iron Drones usually carry, but with a higher output. And finally, it carries a long stinger at the end of its flexible tail which can puncture Battle Machine armor. Though more limited in its intelligence to prevent Exo-Force from capturing one and learning anything from them, it is still smart enough to avoid being detected by hiding in radar shadows, or hack into and disable enemy Battle Machines.

The Storm Lasher (back) continues the trend of non-humanoid-shaped Battle Machines, this time drawing more heavily on the animal world for inspiration (as most of the robot army Battle Machines will for 2008 …) While the Battle Arachnoid and Dark Panther more closely resemble real animals (a spider and a- a… whatever), the details in its online profile at Exo-Force.com suggest that it is more related to a dragonfly. And you can kinda see that. The control pod, which hangs below the rest of the body, carries all of the weapons. From the top down on the pod, you have a pair of laser cannons which can pitch all the way over. (They look a lot more like missiles to me, and they can be easily separated to be so if you wish.) Second, the paired autocannons- which are attached to ball-and-socket joints, and have a fairly good range of motion up & down and a bit side-to-side as well. (The autocannons can spin where they connect to that joint as well, but they’re not really made to do so; it’s just the pieces they used.) And finally, the two pincer-like mandibles can snap-rotate open and close in increments for a total of about 120-degrees. They’re not very strong, and could only hold something really light, like a minifig or one of these mini-robots from the 2008 line. The darkened transparent canopy piece flips down to admit the minifig pilot into the featureless cockpit. (This poor Iron Drone is less protected than Hayato is in the River Dragon!) The main feature of the Storm Lasher is the paired turbofan assemblies on either side. While mainly displayed horizontally, there are two ratcheting joints which allow them for both twist all the way around 360-degrees for forward [or backward] flight. The turbofan blades themselves- made from chipped Pirate scabbards (clever!)- can be spun by hand via the thin shafts which extend below them! Additionally, the turbofan assemblies can be stored vertically as well! While not very stable when the turbofans are stored upright, the set stays level by use of a thin grip in back. And above the grip are two long insect-like panels which can be posed by twisting and pitching them independently at their base like air brakes or steering fins.

Lego Set #8117 comes with a traditional brown Iron Drone minifig with a red #2 Technic rod placed in the back of its head to make red eyes. No weapon is provided.

. . .

Normally, when a Lego set needs specific details on a part, such as a control panel or flag, the image is printed or painted directly onto specific parts. Exo-Force continues for its third year by using stick-on decals; something that is becoming more commonplace in other lines of the Lego System. There is a small sticker sheet which provides allegiance markings, warning symbols & notices, and names- some of them written in Japanese text! Translations of the Japanese text are given on the sticker sheet, but do not go on the parts. This allows for a wider range of piece marking without Lego having to create a completely different piece each time, and merges the Exo-Force and Japanese toy influence closer together. Whereas in the debut 2006 line some sets had a few conflicts where decals would cover more than one part and would make it impossible to separate again unless they were cut (or not applied to begin with), this has not been a problem with since and was not present in the 2007 line. And so there are no conflicts in Set#8117 from the 2008 line.

The new common gimmick for all of the 2008 line is these new mini-robots. Each one attaches to a Battle Machine. These are not new minifigs, but small Lego parts put together to make unique designs for each set that stands roughly as tall as a minifig. On the human-operated Battle Machines, there is a decal showing the forward profile of its mini-robot as well as the term “Spy Drone”. (Yes, this term is in conflict with all promotional materials- where they are called “mini-robots” instead.) When attaching them to their parent Battle Machine, they fold up and collapse down into a smaller form, though nothing is removed to accomplish this. Be aware that the connection between mini-robot and Battle Machine is not always perfect compared to the instructions, so you’ll have to tinker around until you find an appropriate position for everything, though you won’t have to remove any parts to do so. (It’s really no big deal, and you’ll get used to it quickly enough.)

For Set #8117, the mini-robot (back) forms an inert lump of machinery attached to the Storm Lasher’s back- right between the turbofans and tail brakes, and right above the grip. It implies the appearance of a wasp, with yellow pincer claws that are attached to four black Exo-Force robot minifig arms. The back two legs are made up from two flexible PVC antennae which debuted in 2007 primarily for certain Bionicle playsets, but were also used in a few other lines like Aqua Raiders, but here they make their Exo-Force debut. The head has two independent neon-green balls for the eyes; all previous mini-robots have had transparent-part eyes or decals. Unfortunately, the head cannot move. The wings are four identical segments which can both pitch 360- and rotate 180-degrees, making them very flexible for posing. The two small transparent-red laser cannons above the wings can swivel back 180-degrees. The tail is another of those hybrid-material triangular plates that I’ve mentioned in other reviews already (particularly the Chameleon Hunter’s), which are making their debut this year in the Exo-Force line. Again, the colors of the materials contrast each other- black ABS and yellow flexible PVC. This mini-robot is actually quite large, nearly half the size of the Battle Arachnoid! The Storm Lasher neither loses nor gains any extra function(s) when the mini-robot is removed; if anything, it bulks up the back end a little, and adds a bit to the ferocity of the Battle Machine.

For 2007, Exo-Force’s official website was upgraded with a new Code Brick Central section to accept specially-designated Exo-Codes which would be found in each set released. These alphanumeric Exo-Codes would grant access to special information and online goodies- wallpaper, screensavers, decals for your personal Lego profile, etc.- related to that one set from which the code had come. Apparently it was successful enough because the Exo-Codes are back for 2008. (Alas, they didn’t make new mini-movies of the Battle Machine’s in action like they did last year!) However, unlike the codes that were pre-printed onto flat 1x2 bricks in 2007, the new Exo-Codes are now printed onto decals which are then applied to the cockpit canopy of each set. Be aware that you must be signed up with a free Lego online profile in order to access the new information (of which they will also remind you).

...

Something that a lot of people noticed was when none of the 2007 sets were used to make alternate and combined models on the box art and website like they were in the breakout 2006 line. Well, you asked for them, and you got them back! While the singular alternate models have not come back, each 2008 set has instructions which can be found in the somewhat-elusive Build It! section of the website to combine two or three Exo-Force sets into one!

Set #8117- Storm Lasher can combine with Set #8115- Dark Panther to form a tall humanoid Battle Machine with a large claw.

Even though it wasn’t a humanoid-shaped Battle Machine, I was really looking forward to getting this one. And I was certainly not disappointed in any way! It’s very simple to use and build. It is a far better effort than the 2006 Sonic Phantom set (which was also a vehicle) even though it is composed of fewer parts. It also performs exactly as advertised; a lack of hidden features may be disappointing, but I found it not a problem here. Perhaps it biggest hindrances was its thin structure (aka, lack of weight), and that it doesn’t rest very soundly when the turbofans are retracted upwards. I can understand trying to keep the head round and body thin like a dragonfly’s (they succeeded, IMHO), but some retractable landing gear would’ve been appropriate as well to help with that resting balance. It’s also little things that makes the difference and add to the playability of the set- spinning propellers with knobs you can twist, air brakes that look like a tail or long feathers, mandibles & smaller weapons that can be moved around. The wasp-inspired mini-robot is also impressive and full of little details that make it quite memorable compared against other mini-robots seen up to this point! Things to change? Other than giving the Iron Drone a little more protection in its cockpit and adding some stabilizers when it’s on the ground, not really! It’s just fine the way it is. And so, I highly recommend getting the Storm Lasher!

The Dark Panther mounts two Iron Drones mid-body with their own laser rifles. When need-be, they can detach from the Battle Machine and take off independently through the jungle in their matching hover jet packs!

-- WARNING --

According to the manufacturer, this product is not recommended for children under the age of 7 years as it contains many small parts which a child could potentially choke on.

On the Sentai Mountain, humans work side-by-side with intelligent robots in mines. They use large excavation machines to dig out, gather, and transport mined rock to the surface. Unfortunately, an error occurred in one of the machines, and it sparked a vicious rebellion. Robots turned on their human masters, and through the fighting a series of mysterious explosions blasted the mountain into two halves. The robots were eventually driven deep into the newly-formed canyon far below. Years later, the robots returned, having quietly converted their mining machines into combat-hardened Battle Machines. In a surprise attack, the robots were able to conquer half of Sentai Mountain, additionally taking hostage thousands of human workers and their families. Anticipating their return beforehand, the wise and noble Keiken-sensei gathered together all the people, technology, and resources that he could and created Exo-Force- a defense screen of hardened battlements with tall gates, powerful weapon turrets, advanced research and development laboratories, and their own designs of brand new Battle Machines piloted by elite teams trained under his leadership.

At first, the first Sentai Fortress proved quite a challenge to the robots and their megalomaniacal leader, Meca One. But with access to greater resources and with more ruthlessness, the robots were able to make a heavy strike on Sentai Fortress enough to break it, forcing the inhabitants and survivors to flee higher up the mountainside. The robots limped back to their own side of the mountain…

Fortunately, Keiken-sensei was aware of a legend about the ancient Golden City where the first inhabitants of Sentai Mountain made their base of operations. After successfully retreating there, it was discovered that it was indeed a pinnacle of high technology, and its central computer systems gave them access to powerful new technologies and Battle Machines to replace their war-torn ones. While this did not grant them room for expansion enough to attempt an assault on the robots’ side of the mountain, the lessons learned there allowed for new Battle Machines and technologies to be developed. Desperate to get it’s claws on this technology as well, Meca One launched another heavy assault. But this time, it was able to use one of it’s many copies to kidnap and then impersonate Keiken-sensei in order to expose the city to attack! While Exo-Force was once more fortunate to drive the robots back and keep the Golden City secure, the disappearance of their leader left a large gap in their hearts which could not easily be filled…

The gold-plated leader of the robot army, Meca One, is known for its ruthlessness, its cunning, its intelligence, and its superiority complex. It was the first to rebel, and lead all of the robots into conflict with their creators, so it has been there from the start and has seen it all. The first thing it realized was that when together, humans are very resourceful. So when Meca One led its new army of Battle Machines against the Sentai Mountain, it was not only able to take the more-plentiful resources, but also rob them of their fighting spirit by abducting their family, friends, and co-workers. Knowing that a counter-attack might upset that advantage, it ordered thousands of prison cells be constructed at the base of the mountain before the invasion began, and then moved all of the prisoners there… except for the ones it forced into working in the mines without robot help. But this new Exo-Force human resistance had proved more difficult to overcome than initially expected. With the discovery that Sensei Keiken was leading them, Meca One realized that he might be the only one capable of bringing it and its army down. But Exo-Force’s resistance was also due to its access to the superior technology in the Golden City. So Meca One sent one of its many copies covertly to the city fortress, and had it abduct Keiken-sensei so that they could now gain access to that same information.

Before the robots rose out of the deep crevice of the Sentai Mountain to begin the war, they had hidden themselves in the deep jungles at its base. There, they encountered the wild and untamed creatures that roamed and were very well adapted to living there. As the robots’ continued failure at defeating Exo-Force became more than a nuisance, one of the ideas that Meca One dictated was that there may be more to a Battle Machine than armor, power, and weapons. There was also stealth and cunning. In the deep jungle, these are attributes that must be attained if they wished to keep their dominance. And so the robots took nature, and twisted it and improved on it for their own purposes. The Dark Panther is far more agile and maneuverable in the jungles than the earlier but more powerful Thunder Fury. New construction techniques allowed for lighter materials to be used to lessen its weight; this coupled with new hybrid motors allows it to jump near a hundred feet in a single bound! Then, as it clings to the massive trees with the paired sharp talons on each foot (which double as slashing weapons), it can hide right as Exo-Force’s Battle Machines pass unawares directly below. Then when their backs are turned, it can blast at them with twin composite laser cannons under the cockpit and an ion cannon turret mounted on its back. And if the Devastator at its controls wants to get up close and personal, it can use a series of leaps and twirls which allow the Dark Panther to dodge most close-range fire but still utilize the five long spikes on its chassis to gouge deep into Battler Machine armor. To add to this, the Dark Panther mounts two Iron Drones mid-body with their own laser rifles; or when need-be, they can detach from the Battle Machine and take off independently through the jungle in their matching hover jet packs!

Though its army of Devastator and Iron Drone robots is superior in many ways to humans, Meca One was reluctant to admit to itself that they, too, were not well-equipped to move in among the vines, branches, sharp rocks, and the foothills of the mountain. So a new type of mini-robot was designed to act as a scout for the Dark Panther. Equipped with six pointed legs of its own, it can also float over short distances. It is also equipped with two short-range lasers, adding to the Dark Panther’s overall firepower by working in concert with the Iron Drones to create a confusing crossfire pattern which could turn any Battle Machine into scrap with a lot of holes in it. Though more limited in its intelligence to prevent Exo-Force from capturing one and learning anything from them, it is still smart enough to avoid being detected by hiding in radar shadows, or hack into and disable enemy Battle Machines.

The Dark Panther (back) continues the trend of non-humanoid-shaped Battle Machines, this time drawing more heavily on the animal world for inspiration (as most of the robot army Battle Machines will for 2008 …) The cockpit section up where the head should be has nothing definable as either feline or animal. Again, here are two new yellow slanted vent 1x2 plates attached underneath the armor. The mid-body and upper front legs feature five of those new pointed hybrid-material plates which were previously mentioned in the Chameleon Hunter review, though this time they have contrasting purple ABS and yellow PVC coloring. The ion cannon on its back is attached to two joints which allow it 90-degrees of movement up and down, and three of the long spikes are interspaced between the joints. The front and back legs are built almost exactly the same, with the exception of those hybrid spikes on the thighs of the front legs. Ratcheting joints are at the body, while four ball-and-socket joints occupy the ankles.

Lego Set #8115 comes with a traditional silver Devastator minifig with a red #2 Technic rod placed in the back of its head to make red eyes. No weapon is provided for it. The set also comes with two additional Iron Drone minifigs, which lack the red Technic rod. This is so that the jet packs can attach to them. The packs feature two minifig-sized buzz saws which act as flip-up rotors for lift. While they are rather back-heavy with the jet packs on, they won’t fall over on a flat surface. Both Iron Drones are provided a hand-held weapon. Similar to those found on the Striking Venom, the Iron Drones- when hooked up to their jet packs- attach diagonally to the body of the Dark Panther, and then can act as 'intelligent' point-defense turrets.

. . .

Normally, when a Lego set needs specific details on a part, such as a control panel or flag, the image is printed or painted directly onto specific parts. Exo-Force continues for its third year by using stick-on decals; something that is becoming more commonplace in other lines of the Lego System. There is a small sticker sheet which provides allegiance markings, warning symbols & notices, and names- some of them written in Japanese text! Translations of the Japanese text are given on the sticker sheet, but do not go on the parts. This allows for a wider range of piece marking without Lego having to create a completely different piece each time, and merges the Exo-Force and Japanese toy influence closer together. Whereas in the debut 2006 line some sets had a few conflicts where decals would cover more than one part and would make it impossible to separate again unless they were cut (or not applied to begin with), this has not been a problem with since and was not present in the 2007 line. And so there are no conflicts in Set#8115 from the 2008 line.

The new common gimmick for all of the 2008 line is these new mini-robots. Each one attaches to a Battle Machine. These are not new minifigs, but small Lego parts put together to make unique designs for each set that stands roughly as tall as a minifig. On the human-operated Battle Machines, there is a decal showing the forward profile of its mini-robot as well as the term “Spy Drone”. (Yes, this term is in conflict with all promotional materials- where they are called “mini-robots” instead.) When attaching them to their parent Battle Machine, they fold up and collapse down into a smaller form, though nothing is removed to accomplish this. Be aware that the connection between mini-robot and Battle Machine is not always perfect compared to the instructions, so you’ll have to tinker around until you find an appropriate position for everything, though you won’t have to remove any parts to do so. (It’s really no big deal, and you’ll get used to it quickly enough.)

For Set #8115, the mini-robot (back) forms an inert lump of machinery attached to the Dark Panther’s neck. It implies the appearance of a spider (two-part body) but has only six pointed legs. The two transparent neon-green eyes are mounted on a swivel joint just like those found on the ion cannon, so it can look up and down. The back half of its body can also bend up and down a little, but this is only due to the parts used. Six more yellow pincer claws like the ones found on the feet are attached to black Exo-Force robot minifig arms, and each can bend up and down a fair bit, to the point where you can balance it on a minimum of three legs. The Dark Panther neither loses nor gains any extra function(s) when the mini-robot is removed; if anything, it shows how thin and weak-looking the neck really is.

For 2007, Exo-Force’s official website was upgraded with a new Code Brick Central section to accept specially-designated Exo-Codes which would be found in each set released. These alphanumeric Exo-Codes would grant access to special information and online goodies- wallpaper, screensavers, decals for your personal Lego profile, etc.- related to that one set from which the code had come. Apparently it was successful enough because the Exo-Codes are back for 2008. (Alas, they didn’t make new mini-movies of the Battle Machine’s in action like they did last year!) However, unlike the codes that were pre-printed onto flat 1x2 bricks in 2007, the new Exo-Codes are now printed onto decals which are then applied to the cockpit canopy of each set. Be aware that you must be signed up with a free Lego online profile in order to access the new information (of which they will also remind you).

...

Something that a lot of people noticed was when none of the 2007 sets were used to make alternate and combined models on the box art and website like they were in the breakout 2006 line. Well, you asked for them, and you got them back! While the singular alternate models have not come back, each 2008 set has instructions which can be found in the somewhat-elusive Build It! section of the website to combine two or three Exo-Force sets into one!

Set #8115- Dark Panther can combine with Set #8112- Battle Arachnoid to form a scorpion-like Battle Machine.

Set #8115- Dark Panther can also combine with Set #8117- Storm Lasher to form a tall humanoid Battle Machine with a large claw.

Aside from the fact that its name is a bit on the redundant side as some Exo-Force sets’ names tend to be (what is a panther other than dark!?), two thoughts came to mind when I had finished building it: “AT-AT”, and “oliphaunt”. This set has no feline characteristics to it as its name would suggest, except perhaps in the form of the paired claws on each foot, and even that’s a stretch. The forward-bending tail is more like a scorpion’s, though the accordion-like movement of those triangular spikes is kinda cool. (Putting two more spikes in the front thighs didn’t really help.) Having the two Iron Drones as turret gunners was a very awesome idea on the Striking Venom, and it has a similar feeling here, so I’m glad they used it again instead of making it a one-time shot. (Though, if it were me, I would’ve designed them to be held completely vertical and facing outwards.) The jet packs are… acceptable. (How often do young Lego maniacs try to create mechanical backpacks for minifigs…?) As I said, the head has no animalistic feature to it- no eyes, mouth, ears… nothing! However, if they had used the cockpit-separating idea here instead of needlessly on the Battle Arachnoid, it might have worked better and made more sense for the mini-robot to drive the Battle Machine while the Devastator coordinated from the air. (You could separate the cockpit here, but it’s not really made to do so.) You would have expected poseable knees for a set like this, but we didn’t get that, which really hinders how you pose this thing. (I even tried reversing the joint part on the back knees to give it a different and more ‘realistic’ look like it is on the front of the box, but it wasn’t any better.) Perhaps the most redeeming quality was the mini-robot. I don’t know why- it just looks cute, and it’s somewhat poseable too. (Must be a cute anime monster-thing…) Plus, it covers that super-thin neck when it’s attached. Honestly, I am not super-thrilled with this set at all. It says Exo-Force, but I think the designers got a little distracted when they were making it, and it shows. Yeah, it works and it’s stable ‘n all, but due to personal taste, I do not really suggest getting the Dark Panther. I’ll hang on to it, but I think it’ll start collecting dust in a dark corner here real soon…

The formula which worked so well for the Assault Tiger didn’t work quite so well here, especially on the torso and small arms.

-- WARNING --

According to the manufacturer, this product is not recommended for children under the age of 7 years as it contains many small parts which a child could potentially choke on.

On the Sentai Mountain, humans work side-by-side with intelligent robots in mines. They use large excavation machines to dig out, gather, and transport mined rock to the surface. Unfortunately, an error occurred in one of the machines, and it sparked a vicious rebellion. Robots turned on their human masters, and through the fighting a series of mysterious explosions blasted the mountain into two halves. The robots were eventually driven deep into the newly-formed canyon far below. Years later, the robots returned, having quietly converted their mining machines into combat-hardened Battle Machines. In a surprise attack, the robots were able to conquer half of Sentai Mountain, additionally taking hostage thousands of human workers and their families. Anticipating their return beforehand, the wise and noble Keiken-sensei gathered together all the people, technology, and resources that he could and created Exo-Force- a defense screen of hardened battlements with tall gates, powerful weapon turrets, advanced research and development laboratories, and their own designs of brand new Battle Machines piloted by elite teams trained under his leadership.

At first, the first Sentai Fortress proved quite a challenge to the robots and their megalomaniacal leader, Meca One. But with access to greater resources and with more ruthlessness, the robots were able to make a heavy strike on Sentai Fortress enough to break it, forcing the inhabitants and survivors to flee higher up the mountainside. The robots limped back to their own side of the mountain…

Fortunately, Keiken-sensei was aware of a legend about the ancient Golden City where the first inhabitants of Sentai Mountain made their base of operations. After successfully retreating there, it was discovered that it was indeed a pinnacle of high technology, and its central computer systems gave them access to powerful new technologies and Battle Machines to replace their war-torn ones. While this did not grant them room for expansion enough to attempt an assault on the robots’ side of the mountain, the lessons learned there allowed for new Battle Machines and technologies to be developed. Desperate to get it’s claws on this technology as well, Meca One launched another heavy assault. But this time, it was able to use one of it’s many copies to kidnap and then impersonate Keiken-sensei in order to expose the city to attack! While Exo-Force was once more fortunate to drive the robots back and keep the Golden City secure, the disappearance of their leader left a large gap in their hearts which could not easily be filled…

Keiken-sensei knew that the only way to win the war and beat back the robots for good would be to first rescue the untold thousands of humans being held prisoner on the robot-controlled side of the mountain. Where they were now, he could only guess. But an expedition would need to be sent to find the massed prison cells. And so, to ensure that Meca One would not learn this, he secretly used Golden City technology to build new Battle Machines specially designed and customized to the talents of Exo-Force’s finest pilots, which he would then personally lead down into the lowlands of Sentai Mountain. The responsibility of keeping the Golden City safe and Exo-Force functional in his absence would fall to his granddaughter, Hitomi- who had become an experienced and courageous pilot in her own right recently. But what hadn’t been expected was the treachery of the robots. Upon Hitomi taking command of the human resistance, the new Battle Machines were discovered, and a new mission drawn up: Hikari, Takeshi, Ryo, and Hayato would go alone into the deepening jungles and waterfalls of Sentai Mountain to find their leader and make sure that he is not harmed and interrogated by the robots!

While not as excitable as Hayato when it comes to being in the sky, Hikaru also likes flying and has incorporated it into his style of fighting the robots’ Battle Machines. Preferring to keep his distances from his targets and then snipe at them with long-range weapons, Hikaru is traditionally assigned to flying Battle Machines. However, for whatever reason, when Sensei Keiken built the Chameleon Hunter, he seemed to have neglected to incorporate any kinds of long-range engines, flying surfaces, or sizable fuel tanks. While the Chameleon Hunter is equipped with jump thrusters, they are only just enough to rise above the canopy of the deep jungle at the base of Sentai Mountain, and even then not sustain lift for very long. Instead, it is designed as an ambush unit, hiding in tall trees and then using its new camo-phores illusion armor to hide it from both visual and electronic sensors. Then, when the prey gets within range, it can jump down and tear off a Battle Machine’s armor or weapons with the large claw on its left arm, while at the same time reducing its internal structure to slag with its flame-blaster and medium laser cannons on the right. A nice bonus includes two homing missiles which can track on aerial recon units. In a way, it is not unlike the robots’ earlier Fire Vulture Battle Machine in its selection of weapons and capabilities. While fairly light on armor compared to other Battle Machines of similar class size & weight due to the space for the camo-phores system, it is studded with many various-sized blades and spikes along its chassis for melee-range encounters.

To expand its detection range, Keiken-sensei equipped the large green Battle Machine with a new spy drone robot. Being that he was the one who created the robots before they all turned to evil (and for which he is ever-grieved and guilt-ridden nowadays), Keiken-sensei took the lessons learned from his mistakes, and created these new human-sized mini-robots with a simpler artificial intelligence (“AI”) and less-independent thinking capabilities, making them more dependable in a fight and less-prone to corruption while in a hazardous encounter with their enemies. The one attached to the Chameleon Hunter is equipped with two mantis scythes. A proportionately-large set of thrusters are arrayed around its wide shoulder armor shields to allow it actual flying abilities unlike its larger brother Battle Machine. This makes it ideal as a medium-range air drone.

The Chameleon Hunter (back)- I thought to myself as I was building it- looks like a walking cactus... It features several brand new parts introduced in 2008. Most notably on the legs and shoulders are four brand-new- what I’ll call- ‘hybrid’ Lego parts. Each one is a single piece- long thin and triangular panels that start out as ordinary light green ABS and then, following the taper, merge into a soft and flexible PVC point! Lego has tried mixing colors in their ABS parts before (early robot minifigs from the Thunder Fury, Fire Vulture, Sonic Phantom, and Striking Venom sets in 2006 had limited swirled plastic coloring), but this time different materials are being merged together seamlessly into the same part (which I don’t think they’ve ever done before). Another new piece is these metal-colored parts which have two cylinders attached to them, that are located inconspicuously in the feet. (They remind me of pistons in a muscle car's exposed engine.) As mentioned in the review for the Assault Tiger, these new vent plates (now in neon-green) appear on both sides of the knees. In that same review, I pointed out new blocky dark gray pieces as the foundations for the torso and lower legs on that set. Only one returns here, but too is used as the base for the Chameleon Hunter’s torso. Perhaps the biggest step in shaking things up is the radical redesign of the torso section. No longer is everything built upon a central spinal structure which frequently led to Battle Machines tipping over from being too front- or top-heavy. Instead, a squat and shorter torso has been designed (though I don’t think it looks as good here as it does on the Assault Tiger). The shoulders feature wide-yet narrow designs, while the traditional ratcheting shoulder joints have been replaced with ball-and-sockets. The elbows, also, have been altered- removing any kind of poseability, though I’m not sure why. Both missiles can be removed easily enough. At the elbows, the arms are designed differently. Two Bionicle-originating parts appear on the separate arms. On the right side, the red flame for the flame-blaster was originally used by the first Toa Tahu (#8534) as his sword; though here, a different-colored plastic (yellow) has been mixed in with the traditional red ABS (a first for this part). The other are those three red claws on the left arm, which debuted in several of the 2007 Bionicle playsets (which used minifig-sized Toa characters attached to vehicles instead of the traditional fully articulated 4.5” action figures). Each claw is snap-articulate and can close to grasp things, though they are not strong enough to lift anything significant. As an added feature, the gunmetal-gray gear behind the left elbow can be turned, causing the clawed hand to spin. The legs have ratcheting joints at the hips and knees. Traditionally, ratcheting joints were also used in the ankles, but those have also been replaced by ball-and-socket joints, which offer slightly better range of motion at the risk of wearing out a lot sooner and not being able to hold the Battle Machine upright in some positions due to its weight.

Lego Set #8114 comes with a new version of the Hikaru minifig. While he still has his light blue spiky hairdo and double-sided head (one face serious, one a battle-cry expression), the chest print has been redesigned to incorporate new designs- including a camouflaged shirt beneath the techy fittings!

...

Normally, when a Lego set needs specific details on a part, such as a control panel or flag, the image is printed or painted directly onto specific parts. Exo-Force continues for its third year by using stick-on decals; something that is becoming more commonplace in other lines of the Lego System. There is a small sticker sheet which provides allegiance markings, warning symbols & notices, and names- some of them written in Japanese text! Translations of the Japanese text are given on the sticker sheet, but do not go on the parts. This allows for a wider range of piece marking without Lego having to create a completely different piece each time, and merges the Exo-Force and Japanese toy influence closer together. Whereas in the debut 2006 line some sets had a few conflicts where decals would cover more than one part and would make it impossible to separate again unless they were cut (or not applied to begin with), this has not been a problem with since and was not present in the 2007 line. And so there are no conflicts in Set#8114 from the 2008 line.

The new common gimmick for all of the 2008 line is these new mini-robots. Each one attaches to a Battle Machine. These are not new minifigs, but small Lego parts put together to make unique designs for each set that stands roughly as tall as a minifig. On the human-operated Battle Machines, there is a decal showing the forward profile of its mini-robot as well as the term “Spy Drone”. (Yes, this term is in conflict with all promotional materials- where they are called “mini-robots” instead.) When attaching them to their parent Battle Machine, they fold up and collapse down into a smaller form, though nothing is removed to accomplish this. Be aware that the connection between mini-robot and Battle Machine is not always perfect compared to the instructions, so you’ll have to tinker around until you find an appropriate position for everything, though you won’t have to remove any parts to do so. (It’s really no big deal, and you’ll get used to it quickly enough.)

For Set #8114, the mini-robot (back) forms a pod which attaches to the top of the flame-blaster assembly on the right arm. A long bar sticks out behind, but the legs and center body are heavy enough to comfortably keep it upright on a flat surface; plus, the feet are individually jointed and can be adjusted as well, much like its larger brethren can! The black arms (taken from the Devastator robot minifigs) can flip most the way around; though they way they are built they can pitch up and down a little at the shoulder, but these other ‘joints’ are rather tight, so I would not recommend doing this too much. There are also two large round shields attached to the shoulder parts as well; when positioning them, you might accidentally bump them off. It grips two long red minifig swords in its black claws. (Though they look like swords, I’m not really sure if that is what they really are!) The legs, however, are more flexible in this regard; the feet can actually swing back and fourth a bit at the ankles! It’s small and fragile, but it works! Unlike the Assault Tiger’s mini-robot mounting, the one for the Chameleon Hunter will always have a place to rest since no weapons/parts are removed.

For 2007, Exo-Force’s official website was upgraded with a new Code Brick Central section to accept specially-designated Exo-Codes which would be found in each set released. These alphanumeric Exo-Codes would grant access to special information and online goodies- wallpaper, screensavers, decals for your personal Lego profile, etc.- related to that one set from which the code had come. Apparently it was successful enough because the Exo-Codes are back for 2008. (Alas, they didn’t make new mini-movies of the Battle Machine’s in action like they did last year!) However, unlike the codes that were pre-printed onto flat 1x2 bricks in 2007, the new Exo-Codes are now printed onto decals which are then applied to the cockpit canopy of each set. Be aware that you must be signed up with a free Lego online profile in order to access the new information (of which they will also remind you).

...

Something that a lot of people noticed was when none of the 2007 sets were used to make alternate and combined models on the box art and website like they were in the breakout 2006 line. Well, you asked for them, and you got them back! While the singular alternate models have not come back, each 2008 set has instructions which can be found in the somewhat-elusive Build It! section of the website to combine two or three Exo-Force sets into one!

Set #8114- Chameleon Hunter can combine with Set #8111- River Dragon to form a quadruped Battle Machine.

Set #8114- Chameleon Hunter can also combine with Set #8113- Assault Tiger to form a tall two-legged Battle Machine with a new larger mini-robot.

Okay, I take it back- it looks like a hunchback commando dressed as a cactus instead. But what works well for one does not mean it will work for another. The formula which worked so well for the Assault Tiger didn’t work quite so well here, especially on the torso and small arms. It was really nice to see the medium-sized human-built Battle Machine get some decent weapons as opposed to the Assault Tiger. The large spinning claw with the articulate fingers was nice, though it is kinda annoying to have the long shaft sticking out the back of the Battle Machine’s elbow… While I still don’t like that the pilot is seated, it was still nice to see him in a near-fully-enclosed cockpit. (BTW, how is it that both Takeshi and Hayato rated seats in their cockpits, but Hikaru didn’t...?) I can see that they were trying to give it a winged appearance while preserving a scaly-lizard look; even though those new long pointed parts are pretty clever with the soft points, I’m not entirely sure that they pulled it off right. The torso is too squat as well, which kinda ruins it; ironically, making it taller might have helped! Also on the shoulders are the same antenna and radar dish that appeared on the Assault Tiger and River Dragon! (It’s nice to see consistency between the related units, but in this case it kinda spoils the look of each one individually…) The mini-robot was… okay, but it seems like too many things are sticking out on it- enough so that it actually becomes tricky to get a good grip on some things in order to move them! Overall, a fair set; it has both good and bad. So, while I may think that getting the Assault Tiger would be a better buy, I also think that the Chameleon Hunter would be good enough to get, though it’s borderline good for me.

The Assault Tiger very much depends on- and owes its very existence to- the anime industry of Japan. While most Battle Machines of the past have had minor influences that contributed to the overall look of each successive Exo-Force line, this one has perhaps the heaviest style influence yet.

-- WARNING --

According to the manufacturer, this product is not recommended for children under the age of 7 years as it contains many small parts which a child could potentially choke on.

On the Sentai Mountain, humans work side-by-side with intelligent robots in mines. They use large excavation machines to dig out, gather, and transport mined rock to the surface. Unfortunately, an error occurred in one of the machines, and it sparked a vicious rebellion. Robots turned on their human masters, and through the fighting a series of mysterious explosions blasted the mountain into two halves. The robots were eventually driven deep into the newly-formed canyon far below. Years later, the robots returned, having quietly converted their mining machines into combat-hardened Battle Machines. In a surprise attack, the robots were able to conquer half of Sentai Mountain, additionally taking hostage thousands of human workers and their families. Anticipating their return beforehand, the wise and noble Keiken-sensei gathered together all the people, technology, and resources that he could and created Exo-Force- a defense screen of hardened battlements with tall gates, powerful weapon turrets, advanced research and development laboratories, and their own designs of brand new Battle Machines piloted by elite teams trained under his leadership.

At first, the first Sentai Fortress proved quite a challenge to the robots and their megalomaniacal leader, Meca One. But with access to greater resources and with more ruthlessness, the robots were able to make a heavy strike on Sentai Fortress enough to break it, forcing the inhabitants and survivors to flee higher up the mountainside. The robots limped back to their own side of the mountain…

Fortunately, Keiken-sensei was aware of a legend about the ancient Golden City where the first inhabitants of Sentai Mountain made their base of operations. After successfully retreating there, it was discovered that it was indeed a pinnacle of high technology, and its central computer systems gave them access to powerful new technologies and Battle Machines to replace their war-torn ones. While this did not grant them room for expansion enough to attempt an assault on the robots’ side of the mountain, the lessons learned there allowed for new Battle Machines and technologies to be developed. Desperate to get it’s claws on this technology as well, Meca One launched another heavy assault. But this time, it was able to use one of it’s many copies to kidnap and then impersonate Keiken-sensei in order to expose the city to attack! While Exo-Force was once more fortunate to drive the robots back and keep the Golden City secure, the disappearance of their leader left a large gap in their hearts which could not easily be filled…

Keiken-sensei knew that the only way to win the war and beat back the robots for good would be to first rescue the untold thousands of humans being held prisoner on the robot-controlled side of the mountain. Where they were now, he could only guess. But an expedition would need to be sent to find the massed prison cells. And so, to ensure that Meca One would not learn this, he secretly used Golden City technology to build new Battle Machines specially designed and customized to the talents of Exo-Force’s finest pilots, which he would then personally lead down into the lowlands of Sentai Mountain. The responsibility of keeping the Golden City safe and Exo-Force functional in his absence would fall to his granddaughter, Hitomi- who had become an experienced and courageous pilot in her own right recently. But what hadn’t been expected was the treachery of the robots. Upon Hitomi taking command of the human resistance, the new Battle Machines were discovered, and a new mission drawn up: Hikari, Takeshi, Ryo, and Hayato would go alone into the deepening jungles and waterfalls of Sentai Mountain to find their leader and make sure that he is not harmed and interrogated by the robots!

Thick armor, powerful weapons, brute strength, light on its feet- these are all likable qualities in the Assault Tiger Battle Machine. Thus, Takeshi also likes the Assault Tiger, and so he was most pleased when he learned that Keiken-sensei had built it just for him. The unusually-strong striped yellow armor ensured that it would be able to take one heck of a beating and still be functional enough to return the favor. The heavy servo motors and hydraulic pistons in the legs and shoulders, however, and the power plant in the torso (and cooling vents throughout) needed to move it quickly in a very rugged terrain and high tree branches means that it also lacks some of the heavier firepower of some of the other Battle Machines that Takeshi piloted in the past. The Assault Tiger’s primary weapon is a very large diamond-reinforced circular buzz saw taking up its entire lower left arm- it is capable of halving some of the larger trees in the forests at the foot of Sentai Mountain in minutes. The left arm, however, carries the only energy weapon- a refined plasma burst cannon that can be dropped if need-be in favor of the three-fingered manipulator hand. As a bonus to compensate for the lack of offensive systems, a unique “Tiger’s Roar” sonic disrupter is built into the chest which- when activated- projects specially-tuned sound waves in a narrow beam towards any target ahead of it. This can both shake trees and rocks, and disorient Battle Machine systems enough for Takeshi to get an upper hand in a fight. (Talk about a ghetto-blaster-!) Or sometimes he’ll set it off just for fun, to remind the robots to beware that this big cat is on the prowl…

To expand its detection range, Keiken-sensei equipped the large yellow & maroon Battle Machine with a new spy drone robot. Being that he was the one who created the robots before they all turned to evil (and for which he is ever-grieved and guilt-ridden nowadays), Keiken-sensei took the lessons learned from his mistakes, and created these new human-sized mini-robots with a simpler artificial intelligence (“AI”) and less-independent thinking capabilities, making them more dependable in a fight and less-prone to corruption while in a hazardous encounter with their enemies. The one attached to the Assault Tiger is equipped with two human-sized chainsaw blades for cutting through wood and underbrush as easily as they do solid metal. It is also equipped with two small-but-powerful thruster arrays in its shoulders that can allow it to boost high into the air for long-range jumping, though it’s not really made for sustained flights. To ensure that it is always fully charged and refueled, the mini-robot is stored on the left arm and takes its power directly from the same transfer conduit that the Assault Tiger’s own plasma burst cannon does; though if the larger weapon is discarded, it will have nowhere else to attach.

The Assault Tiger (back) very much depends on- and owes its very existence to- the anime industry of Japan. (And, to a certain degree, manga books & magazines as well.) While most Battle Machines of the past have had minor influences that contributed to the overall look of each successive Exo-Force line (the human minifigs being the most consistent), this one has perhaps the heaviest style influence yet. This will lead to both traits and flaws in the Assault Tiger set. Perhaps the biggest step in shaking things up is the radical redesign of the torso section. No longer is everything built upon a central spinal structure which frequently led to Battle Machines tipping over from being too front- or top-heavy. Instead, a squat and shorter torso has been designed, with things like the shoulder armor overlapping the new ball-and-socket joints, and wide fender-like armor on the chest. It also balances out better by centering the middle of the torso over the legs better than previous designs have. This redesign also has the added advantage of providing Takeshi with almost 360-degrees of protection as opposed to a typically-open cockpit- something that many have complained about in Exo-Force sets over the years. Some of the new parts designed for and first used in the Exo-Force line are these dark gray, solid, four-sided complex 6x6 brick parts which form both the bottom of the torso/cockpit and the back half of the lower legs. (Three are included in the set. I suspect that they may be used as the bases for air traffic control towers in City sets.) Also new are these dark gray sloped 1x2 vent bricks which fit onto the chest. (Two are included.) The big, bulky shoulders with small arms can be considered one of those anime traits I was talking about earlier. However, it wasn’t executed to the same standard that previous Exo-Force sets have been. Specifically, the traditional snap-twist shoulder joints have been replaced with ball-and-socket joints. To add to that, the elbows- for the first time on a set larger than $10.00- cannot be adjusted or posed (the exception being the white human-built Battle Machine from the Bridge Walker and White Lightning set). At the elbows, the arms incorporate different weapon features, and are built differently. The left arm features a long thin pulse cannon, which can be removed to reveal a hand with poseable fingers. The right arm, however, carries a very large buzz saw blade, which can be spun very easily with a red knob on the underside. A thin dark gray panel hangs over part of the blade- seeming to indicate that it is a support or part of the saw’s motor. But beneath, it’s rather weak-looking, with just a long Technic shaft connecting the blade to the elbow. This next part always makes me laugh: the red warning text on the black decal on the blade says- and I’m not kidding here- “Warning: Heavy Duty Deforester – Local Environmental Logging Hazard”. (I’m sorry- that is just awesome! If you’re a fan of savin' the trees, don’t even bother…) The legs are the same traditional size at the thighs, but then feature huge bulky lower legs & feet (which also prevent them from being angled straight down). The hips and knees are the traditional snap-joints for posing, but the ankles now use ball-and-socket joints, previously only used in the smaller sets from 2008. But, despite my reservations about Lego ball-and-socket joints, the ankles seems to keep it upright easily enough and they haven’t worn themselves out… yet

Lego Set #8113 comes with a new version of the Takeshi minifig. While he still has his green spiky hairdo and double-sided head (one face frowning, one a battle-cry expression), the chest print has been redesigned to incorporate new designs- including a camouflaged shirt beneath the techy fittings!

...

Normally, when a Lego set needs specific details on a part, such as a control panel or flag, the image is printed or painted directly onto specific parts. Exo-Force continues for its third year by using stick-on decals; something that is becoming more commonplace in other lines of the Lego System. There is a small sticker sheet which provides allegiance markings, warning symbols & notices, and names- some of them written in Japanese text! Translations of the Japanese text are given on the sticker sheet, but do not go on the parts. This allows for a wider range of piece marking without Lego having to create a completely different piece each time, and merges the Exo-Force and Japanese toy influence closer together. Whereas in the debut 2006 line some sets had a few conflicts where decals would cover more than one part and would make it impossible to separate again unless they were cut (or not applied to begin with), this has not been a problem with since and was not present in the 2007 line. And so there are no conflicts in Set#8113 from the 2008 line.

The new common gimmick for all of the 2008 line is these new mini-robots. Each one attaches to a Battle Machine. These are not new minifigs, but small Lego parts put together to make unique designs for each set that stands roughly as tall as a minifig. On the human-operated Battle Machines, there is a decal showing the forward profile of its mini-robot as well as the term “Spy Drone”. (Yes, this term is in conflict with all promotional materials- where they are called “mini-robots” instead.) When attaching them to their parent Battle Machine, they fold up and collapse down into a smaller form, though nothing is removed to accomplish this. Be aware that the connection between mini-robot and Battle Machine is not always perfect compared to the instructions, so you’ll have to tinker around until you find an appropriate position for everything, though you won’t have to remove any parts to do so. (It’s really no big deal, and you’ll get used to it quickly enough.)

For Set #8113, the mini-robot (back) forms a pod which attaches to the top of the pulse cannon assembly. A long bar sticks out behind, but the legs and center body are heavy enough to comfortably keep it upright on a flat surface; plus, the feet are individually jointed and can be adjusted as well, much like its larger brethren can! The dark-red arms (taken from the robot minifigs) can flip all the way around; though they way they are built they can pitch up and down a little at the shoulder, but these other ‘joints’ are rather tight, so I would not recommend doing this too much. It grips two dark gray minifig chainsaws in its black claws. The legs, however, are more flexible in this regard; the feet can actually swing back and fourth a bit at the ankles! It’s small and fragile, but it works! As mentioned earlier, if the pulse cannon is removed, the mounting assembly for the mini-robot will also be removed and it won’t be able to attach anymore.

For 2007, Exo-Force’s official website was upgraded with a new Code Brick Central section to accept specially-designated Exo-Codes which would be found in each set released. These alphanumeric Exo-Codes would grant access to special information and online goodies- wallpaper, screensavers, decals for your personal Lego profile, etc.- related to that one set from which the code had come. Apparently it was successful enough because the Exo-Codes are back for 2008. (Alas, they didn’t make new mini-movies of the Battle Machine’s in action like they did last year!) However, unlike the codes that were pre-printed onto flat 1x2 bricks in 2007, the new Exo-Codes are now printed onto decals which are then applied to the cockpit canopy of each set. Be aware that you must be signed up with a free Lego online profile in order to access the new information (of which they will also remind you).

(I don’t know how common this is, but I encountered a problem when I entered in the Assault Tiger’s code- it did not give me access any new information. I was forced to contact Lego’s online tech support to get a different code. I suspect that this may be an error on the website, since I did not encounter problems with any of the 2007 sets, but did with a different 2008 set as well- the River Dragon.)

...

Something that a lot of people noticed was when none of the 2007 sets were used to make alternate and combined models on the box art and website like they were in the breakout 2006 line. Well, you asked for them, and you got them back! While the singular alternate models have not come back, each 2008 set has instructions which can be found in the somewhat-elusive Build It! section of the website to combine two or three Exo-Force sets into one!

Set #8113- Assault Tiger can combine with Set #8114- Chameleon Hunter to form a tall two-legged Battle Machine with a new larger mini-robot.

I don’t know why, but I’m something of a fan of the whole cuddly/chubby and super-deformed (aka “SD”) look for robots. The mini-robots seen thus far follow that trend, but this particular Battle Machine takes that and makes it its own. Big shoulders with small lower arms, bulky upper torso, and huge honkin’ lower legs & feet. (Actually, it kinda reminds me of a head-less Dom from the UC “Gundam” continuity...) That is probably its biggest endearing quality to me. Oh, and the near- fully-enclosed cockpit for Takeshi, too! I still love the ratcheting snap-joints in the hips and knees; that is always something that I think makes it superior to the more action figure-oriented Bionicle series which uses almost nothing but ball-and-sockets for their joints. The Exo-Force line is more about the brick-side of Lego gettin’ some giant robot lovin’ as opposed to the advanced/mechanical Technic-side that Bionicle caters to. That being said, I can’t understand why the shoulders and ankles sacrificed those much more stable ratcheting joints for ball-and-sockets. (Boooo!) While, yes, they do provide a little more flexibility, you just can’t depend on them to hold up large and heavy parts over a long period of time in your hands or on the shelf. Same goes for the elbows- why sacrifice their movement? I can understand from a style point of view, but as for posing, it just makes things more difficult than needed. (Booooo!) While the buzz saw is a nice feature to have, the way it is attached to the shoulder is completely unexpected and poorly though out. (double Booooo!) Again, while the long, thin pulse cannon attachment is a nice touch, I thought it looked a little too weak as well (as have many others online). However, I do give Lego credit for having the cannon separate to reveal the smallish hand even if it wasn’t executed smoothly. I am beginning to see the trend in construction for the mini-robots- that four-sided gear being impaled by the arms and legs as well as a long pole to attach them to the companion Battle Machine. For this one, they bulked it up a bit, particularly on the legs and feet, which is good. The chainsaws are also a nice touch. The antennae and radar dish on the torso also match that of the River Dragon. All-in-all, this one is hit-and-miss, but I still think it’s strong enough to recommend getting the Assault Tiger, and may actually be one of the better sets for this year.

The Battle Arachnoid is one of the smaller Battle Machines designed to move in through the very tall and powerful-looking trees.

-- WARNING --

According to the manufacturer, this product is not recommended for children under the age of 7 years as it contains many small parts which a child could potentially choke on.

On the Sentai Mountain, humans work side-by-side with intelligent robots in mines. They use large excavation machines to dig out, gather, and transport mined rock to the surface. Unfortunately, an error occurred in one of the machines, and it sparked a vicious rebellion. Robots turned on their human masters, and through the fighting a series of mysterious explosions blasted the mountain into two halves. The robots were eventually driven deep into the newly-formed canyon far below. Years later, the robots returned, having quietly converted their mining machines into combat-hardened Battle Machines. In a surprise attack, the robots were able to conquer half of Sentai Mountain, additionally taking hostage thousands of human workers and their families. Anticipating their return beforehand, the wise and noble Keiken-sensei gathered together all the people, technology, and resources that he could and created Exo-Force- a defense screen of hardened battlements with tall gates, powerful weapon turrets, advanced research and development laboratories, and their own designs of brand new Battle Machines piloted by elite teams trained under his leadership.

At first, the first Sentai Fortress proved quite a challenge to the robots and their megalomaniacal leader, Meca One. But with access to greater resources and with more ruthlessness, the robots were able to make a heavy strike on Sentai Fortress enough to break it, forcing the inhabitants and survivors to flee higher up the mountainside. The robots limped back to their own side of the mountain…

Fortunately, Keiken-sensei was aware of a legend about the ancient Golden City where the first inhabitants of Sentai Mountain made their base of operations. After successfully retreating there, it was discovered that it was indeed a pinnacle of high technology, and its central computer systems gave them access to powerful new technologies and Battle Machines to replace their war-torn ones. While this did not grant them room for expansion enough to attempt an assault on the robots’ side of the mountain, the lessons learned there allowed for new Battle Machines and technologies to be developed. Desperate to get it’s claws on this technology as well, Meca One launched another heavy assault. But this time, it was able to use one of it’s many copies to kidnap and then impersonate Keiken-sensei in order to expose the city to attack! While Exo-Force was once more fortunate to drive the robots back and keep the Golden City secure, the disappearance of their leader left a large gap in their hearts which could not easily be filled…

The gold-plated leader of the robot army, Meca One, is known for its ruthlessness, its cunning, its intelligence, and its superiority complex. It was the first to rebel, and lead all of the robots into conflict with their creators, so it has been there from the start and has seen it all. The first thing it realized was that when together, humans are very resourceful. So when Meca One led its new army of Battle Machines against the Sentai Mountain, it was not only able to take the more-plentiful resources, but also rob them of their fighting spirit by abducting their family, friends, and co-workers. Knowing that a counter-attack might upset that advantage, it ordered thousands of prison cells be constructed at the base of the mountain before the invasion began, and then moved all of the prisoners there… except for the ones it forced into working in the mines without robot help. But this new Exo-Force human resistance had proved more difficult to overcome than initially expected. With the discovery that Sensei Keiken was leading them, Meca One realized that he might be the only one capable of bringing it and its army down. But Exo-Force’s resistance was also due to its access to the superior technology in the Golden City. So Meca One sent one of his many copies covertly to the city fortress, and had it abduct Keiken-sensei so that they could now gain access to that same information.

The base of Sentai Mountain is very large; far larger than the narrowing slopes higher up the halved mountain. Thus the patrols needed to keep the humans from invading need to be able to maneuver easily through the thick and intimidating forests, and water drainage zones. While the original Sentry was sufficient, it was not well-adapted to the rugged terrain; this doubled with the fact that they were operated by Iron Drones, and they were pretty limited in where they could patrol. The Battle Arachnoid is one of the smaller Battle Machines designed to move in through the very tall and powerful-looking trees. Using a unique turret beneath the center of its body, it can squirt fine streams of slush metal to create strong webs that it can support its weight between the branches, or act as near-invisible barriers against invading Battle Machines. Sharp, hard claws on each of its six legs guarantee an excellent grip while climbing the trees or tall rock faces. For weapons, the front two legs are equipped with both up-scaled chainsaws and cutting lasers- which also double as tools while maneuvering through the forest. The ‘head’ is also equipped with a pair of fang pincers which can penetrate most types of armor to inject a corrosive acid which eats away at the inside of a Battle Machine. To allow it to battle against infantry forces or make quick short-range scouting trips, the cockpit section can separate from the rest of the Battle Arachnoid and take flight with its own single forward-fixed laser; the rest of the Battle Machine can then be operated under limited remote control.

Though its army of Devastator and Iron Drone robots are superior in many ways to humans, Meca One was reluctant to admit to itself that they, too, were not well-equipped to move in among the vines, branches, sharp rocks, and the foothills of the mountain. So a new type of mini-robot was designed to act as a scout for the Battle Arachnoid. Equipped with four pointed legs of its own, it can also float over short distances. An extra set of mandibles between the legs allows it to chew through anything. Though more limited in its intelligence to prevent Exo-Force from capturing one and learning anything from them, it is still smart enough to avoid being detected by hiding in radar shadows, or hack into and disable enemy Battle Machines.

The Battle Arachnoid (back) continues the trend of non-humanoid-shaped Battle Machines, this time drawing more heavily on the animal world for inspiration (as most of the robot army's Battle Machines will for 2008...) From the details in its online profile at Exo-Force.com, it is a next-generation design based on data from the successful Shadow Crawler from the previous year, which means that- in the story’s continuity- this is a rather recent model to be built by the robots. As with most Lego insects or animal sets with more than four legs, the Battle Arachnoid has only six legs instead of the [implied] eight of a spider. No big deal. The middle and back four are identical except for the similar decals applied to them, while the front two incorporate dark gray minifig chainsaw blades on the inside edges. Also with decals, the jagged edges of the front legs’ claws appear, since trying to recreate them with additional pieces might not be very strong. Each leg has two snapping joints at the ‘hip’ and knee, and that is the limit of the set’s poseability (aside from the two black and orange pincers on the head). Unfortunately, they can only swing up and down, but not side-to-side or twist, so you only have a limited range of motion before it scrapes its belly on the ground. The cockpit section in back (where a real spider’s opisthosoma would be) is appropriately large, but is mostly an open control seat with a forward windshield that pivots, and two transparent-orange flame parts. The cockpit section can be separated from the body, and the small wings folded down to become a small self-propelled flyer.

Lego Set #8112 comes with a traditional silver Devastator minifig with a red #2 Technic rod placed in the back of its head to make red eyes. No accessories are provided.

...

Normally, when a Lego set needs specific details on a part, such as a control panel or flag, the image is printed or painted directly onto specific parts. Exo-Force continues for its third year by using stick-on decals; something that is becoming more commonplace in other lines of the Lego System. There is a small sticker sheet which provides allegiance markings, warning symbols & notices, and names- some of them written in Japanese text! Translations of the Japanese text are given on the sticker sheet, but do not go on the parts. This allows for a wider range of piece marking without Lego having to create a completely different piece each time, and merges the Exo-Force and Japanese toy influence closer together. Whereas in the debut 2006 line some sets had a few conflicts where decals would cover more than one part and would make it impossible to separate again unless they were cut (or not applied to begin with), this has not been a problem with since and was not present in the 2007 line. And so there are no conflicts in Set#8112 from the 2008 line.

The new common gimmick for all of the 2008 line is these new mini-robots. Each one attaches to a Battle Machine. These are not new minifigs, but small Lego parts put together to make unique designs for each set that stands roughly as tall as a minifig. On the human-operated Battle Machines, there is a decal showing the forward profile of its mini-robot as well as the term “Spy Drone”. (Yes, this term is in conflict with all promotional materials- where they are called “mini-robots” instead.) When attaching them to their parent Battle Machine, they fold up and collapse down into a smaller form, though nothing is removed to accomplish this. Be aware that the connection between mini-robot and Battle Machine is not always perfect compared to the instructions, so you’ll have to tinker around until you find an appropriate position for everything, though you won’t have to remove any parts to do so. (It’s really no big deal, and you’ll get used to it quickly enough.)

For Set #8112, the mini-robot (back) forms a clawed turret mounted on top of the Battle Arachnoid’s head. For some strange reason a minifig skeleton’s skull head is placed inside the transparent-neon green jar/dome. (Why? I have no idea…) Four more yellow pincer claws are attached to four black Exo-Force robot minifig arms; a dark gray claw from a robot minifig occupies the space between the four legs. These legs can flip up and down quite easily, while the claw can twist with some careful effort. (If you wanna twist the jar/head around, that’s your choice…) When posing it, you can really only make it balance on three legs while raising the fourth… carefully or else it falls over! The Battle Arachnoid neither loses nor gains any extra function(s) when the mini-robot is removed; unlike the one on the similar-sized River Dragon set, which loses half of an arm and a weapon feature to utilize its own mini-robot. But when removed, you can get to the pincers on the Battle Arachnoid’s head easier.

For 2007, Exo-Force’s official website was upgraded with a new Code Brick Central section to accept specially-designated Exo-Codes which would be found in each set released. These alphanumeric Exo-Codes would grant access to special information and online goodies- wallpaper, screensavers, decals for your personal Lego profile, etc.- related to that one set from which the code had come. Apparently it was successful enough because the Exo-Codes are back for 2008. (Alas, they didn’t make new mini-movies of the Battle Machine’s in action like they did last year!) However, unlike the codes that were pre-printed onto flat 1x2 bricks in 2007, the new Exo-Codes are now printed onto decals which are then applied to the cockpit canopy of each set. Be aware that you must be signed up with a free Lego online profile in order to access the new information (of which they will also remind you).

...

Something that a lot of people noticed was when none of the 2007 sets were used to make alternate and combined models on the box art and website like they were in the breakout 2006 line. Well, you asked for them, and you got them back! While the singular alternate models have not come back, each 2008 set has instructions which can be found in the somewhat-elusive Build It! section of the website to combine two or three Exo-Force sets into one!

Set #8112- Battle Arachnoid can combine with Set #8115- Dark Panther to form a scorpion-like Battle Machine.

This set is actually a bit on the disappointing side. While its color scheme closely reflects that of the Claw Crusher from the second-year 2007 line, it fits in well with the machine-that-looks-like-an-animal theme that’s running in 2008. The biggest complaints I have are actually about its strong points. The legs look nice and articulated ‘n all, but you really can’t do anything with them since there so much stuff hanging from the undercarriage, and the joints are not nearly as flexible as they were in past small sets, even the Sentry from the debut line in 2006. To top that off, the middle set of legs are even less flexible because of how they normally rest, and posing them is even more restricted because they won’t support weight very easily beyond a certain point. Perhaps if they had used ball-and-socket joints (which I am rather wary of nowadays), it might have worked, but I also know that doing so would have bulked it up significantly and raised the MSRP beyond $10, which perhaps would have been worse. Which leads to my second problem with it, which is more of a personal taste-thing: why- after including a new mini-robot- did they feel it necessary to make the cockpit detachable as well? It just feels too out-of-place in this set, and somehow feels like a Star Wars-like speeder. (Remember Darth Maul’s ride from “Episode-I”…?) It is a nice idea to have small flying sentries, but just... not here. The pincers on the head were a nice touch, as was putting those minifig chainsaw tools on the front legs. The mini-robot is… ehh, it’s okay; nothing special; I suppose I should be thankful that it didn’t replace the entire head instead of just sitting on top of it. (Why was a skeleton-minifig head provided? I just don’t get that one…) Overall, I give it a mild “Pass”. It fits the theme, but I just feel there’s something lacking from the Battle Arachnoid to give it that little extra boost that I love about the Exo-Force series.

Ha-Ya-To is less than thrilled with his new ride... While the River Dragon seems like a cool name, he was rather disappointed that it could not really fly.

-- WARNING --

According to the manufacturer, this product is not recommended for children under the age of 7 years as it contains many small parts which a child could potentially choke on.

On the Sentai Mountain, humans work side-by-side with intelligent robots in mines. They use large excavation machines to dig out, gather, and transport mined rock to the surface. Unfortunately, an error occurred in one of the machines, and it sparked a vicious rebellion. Robots turned on their human masters, and through the fighting a series of mysterious explosions blasted the mountain into two halves. The robots were eventually driven deep into the newly-formed canyon far below. Years later, the robots returned, having quietly converted their mining machines into combat-hardened Battle Machines. In a surprise attack, the robots were able to conquer half of Sentai Mountain, additionally taking hostage thousands of human workers and their families. Anticipating their return beforehand, the wise and noble Keiken-sensei gathered together all the people, technology, and resources that he could and created Exo-Force- a defense screen of hardened battlements with tall gates, powerful weapon turrets, advanced research and development laboratories, and their own designs of brand new Battle Machines piloted by elite teams trained under his leadership.

At first, the first Sentai Fortress proved quite a challenge to the robots and their megalomaniacal leader, Meca One. But with access to greater resources and with more ruthlessness, the robots were able to make a heavy strike on Sentai Fortress enough to break it, forcing the inhabitants and survivors to flee higher up the mountainside. The robots limped back to their own side of the mountain…

Fortunately, Keiken-sensei was aware of a legend about the ancient Golden City where the first inhabitants of Sentai Mountain made their base of operations. After successfully retreating there, it was discovered that it was indeed a pinnacle of high technology, and its central computer systems gave them access to powerful new technologies and Battle Machines to replace their war-torn ones. While this did not grant them room for expansion enough to attempt an assault on the robots’ side of the mountain, the lessons learned there allowed for new Battle Machines and technologies to be developed. Desperate to get it’s claws on this technology as well, Meca One launched another heavy assault. But this time, it was able to use one of it’s many copies to kidnap and then impersonate Keiken-sensei in order to expose the city to attack! While Exo-Force was once more fortunate to drive the robots back and keep the Golden City secure, the disappearance of their leader left a large gap in their hearts which could not easily be filled…

Keiken-sensei knew that the only way to win the war and beat back the robots for good would be to first rescue the untold thousands of humans being held prisoner on the robot-controlled side of the mountain. Where they were now, he could only guess. But an expedition would need to be sent to find the massed prison cells. And so, to ensure that Meca One would not learn this, he secretly used Golden City technology to build new Battle Machines specially designed and customized to the talents of Exo-Force’s finest pilots, which he would then personally lead down into the lowlands of Sentai Mountain. The responsibility of keeping the Golden City safe and Exo-Force functional in his absence would fall to his granddaughter, Hitomi- who had become an experienced and courageous pilot in her own right recently. But what hadn’t been expected was the treachery of the robots. Upon Hitomi taking command of the human resistance, the new Battle Machines were discovered, and a new mission drawn up: Hikari, Takeshi, Ryo, and Hayato would go alone into the deepening jungles and waterfalls of Sentai Mountain to find their leader and make sure that he is not harmed and interrogated by the robots!

Hayato is less than thrilled with his new ride... While the River Dragon seems like a cool name, he was rather disappointed that it could not really fly. But Keiken-sensei had not built the River Dragon as a joyride to satisfy Hayato’s thrill of flying. He built it to fit into the confined spaces of the deep jungle and move quickly through it as a scout and light-support mecha. However, needing to operate far from base for an extended period of time, the River Dragon Battle Machine is nothing if not durable. Its external armored skin is composed of a new hybrid ‘dragon scale’ material quite reminiscent of its mythical namesake, but is surprisingly lightweight and tough. The power generator is on the smaller size, which allows it to blend in to its environment better by producing less waste-heat and a fainter EM signature. This is why it only has three weapons- a hand-held composite laser rifle which can be recharged directly or discarded, a smaller but deep-penetrating cutting laser mounted to the right arm, and two short-range fixed-yield grenades. Not being able to make use of his typical hit-and-run tactics, Hayato was encouraged instead by how versatile it was in all environments. This is due to the paired turbofan engines mounted to the River Dragon’s shoulders- which allow it to both swim in rivers, lakes, and waterfalls, and make short unassisted jumps to the tops of massive thousand-year-old trees, and rocks & cliffs! And it is also equipped with a new sensor and communication suite which can penetrate through the thick jungle to detect both friend and foe.

To expand its detection range, Keiken-sensei equipped the small red & white Battle Machine with a new spy drone robot. Being that he was the one who created the robots before they all turned to evil (and for which he is ever-grieved and guilt-ridden nowadays), Keiken-sensei took the lessons learned from his mistakes, and created these new human-sized mini-robots with a simpler A.I. and less-independent thinking capabilities, making them more dependable in a fight and less-prone to corruption while in a hazardous encounter with their enemies. The one attached to the River Dragon is equipped with a smaller cutting laser and manipulator claws for hacking its way through underbrush or sabotaging enemy Battle Machines. To save space and weight, it forms the entire right arm, which means it is able to recharge and refuel directly while still serving as a cutting laser for the River Dragon; the only disadvantage to the arrangement being the Battle Machine loses a weapon.

The River Dragon (back) is a bit of an odd ball, I don’t mind saying right off. For starters, its small design (only 114 parts) is influenced from the 2007-line’s Cyclone Defender in two ways:

• Ball-and-socket joints are used for the shoulders, hips, and ankles. The way the hip joints are attached to the upper legs, however, is slightly different even though they share the same parts.
• A small energy cannon accessory is held in place by the left hand (with four poseable fingers).

This time, Lego chose to go with a torso design which was more rounded and pod-like than previous human Battle Machine sets. Because of this, the torso is shorter and narrower from a front profile than before, and Hayato (Lego spells his name as “Ha-Ya-To”) is forced to sit in the cockpit- as opposed to minifig pilots usually standing- but he is behind a larger transparent-canopy part. This also exposes him quite a bit from the sides. (While ordinarily not a problem since most Exo-Force sets do this, in just the two months since it’s official pre-release in time for the 2007 Christmas shopping season, I’ve read an unusual number of complaints about this online- for a set whose description indicates that it is supposed to go underwater.) The shoulder and upper arm designs are symmetrical except for the antennae parts Each has a swiveling white cylindrical housing chamber with a free-turning black propeller- both of which spin through 360-degrees- and a thin black fixed elbow part. (From here on is where the arms differ, but I’ll get into that later.) The legs also share a similar design and pose in the same way as the Cyclone Defender, but some of the parts are different or rearranged to make them look thinner and lighter. I’ll interrupt here and say that I can feel a bit of that anime influence here- particularly the way the toes are spiked, and the elbows are the narrowest part of the arms. (Nice touches there, Lego!)

Lego Set #8111 comes with a new version of the Hayato minifig. While he still has his red spiky hairdo and double-sided head (one face smirking, one a battle-cry expression), the chest print has been redesigned to incorporate new designs- including a camouflaged shirt beneath the techy fittings! (For whatever odd reason, the minifig’s hair doesn’t like staying on his head. Weird…)

...

Normally, when a Lego set needs specific details on a part, such as a control panel or flag, the image is printed or painted directly onto specific parts. Exo-Force continues for its third year by using stick-on decals; something that is becoming more commonplace in other lines of the Lego System. There is a small sticker sheet which provides allegiance markings, warning symbols & notices, and names- some of them written in Japanese text! Translations of the Japanese text are given on the sticker sheet, but do not go on the parts. This allows for a wider range of piece marking without Lego having to create a completely different piece each time, and merges the Exo-Force and Japanese toy influence closer together. Whereas in the debut 2006 line some sets had a few conflicts where decals would cover more than one part and would make it impossible to separate again unless they were cut (or not applied to begin with), this has not been a problem with since and was not present in the 2007 line. And so there are no conflicts in Set#8111 from the 2008 line.

The new common gimmick for all of the 2008 line is these new mini-robots. Each one attaches to a Battle Machine. These are not new minifigs, but small Lego parts put together to make unique designs for each set that stands roughly as tall as a minifig. On the human-operated Battle Machines, there is a decal showing the forward profile of its mini-robot as well as the term “Spy Drone”. (Yes, this term is in conflict with all promotional materials- where they are called “mini-robots” instead.) When attaching them to their parent Battle Machine, they fold up and collapse down into a smaller form, though nothing is removed to accomplish this. Be aware that the connection between mini-robot and Battle Machine is not always perfect compared to the instructions, so you’ll have to tinker around until you find an appropriate position for everything, though you won’t have to remove any parts to do so. (It’s really no big deal, and you’ll get used to it quickly enough.)

For Set #8111, the mini-robot (back) forms the entire lower left arm. The long barrel of the laser cutter for the River Dragon sticks out the back quite a bit more than you would think, but if placed on a smooth flat surface, it has no problem standing up. The shiny-silver arms (taken from the Devastator robot minifigs) can flip all the way around; though they way they are built they can pitch up and down a little at the shoulder, but these other ‘joints’ are rather tight, so I would not recommend doing this too much. The legs, however, are more flexible in this regard. The right arm also carries a smaller Lego minifig instrument with a transparent-yellow sensor cover on it (though I’ve observed that mine tends to slip out of the hole easily). It’s small and fragile, but it works! And as mentioned earlier, removing the mini-robot also amputates the River Dragon of its right lower arm below the elbow.

For 2007, Exo-Force’s official website was upgraded with a new Code Brick Central section to accept specially-designated Exo-Codes which would be found in each set released. These alphanumeric Exo-Codes would grant access to special information and online goodies- wallpaper, screensavers, decals for your personal Lego profile, etc.- related to that one set from which the code had come. Apparently it was successful enough because the Exo-Codes are back for 2008. (Alas, they didn’t make new mini-movies of the Battle Machine’s in action like they did last year!) However, unlike the codes that were pre-printed onto flat 1x2 bricks in 2007, the new Exo-Codes are now printed onto decals which are then applied to the cockpit canopy of each set. Be aware that you must be signed up with a free Lego online profile in order to access the new information (of which they will also remind you).

(I don’t know how common this is, but I encountered a problem when I entered in the River Dragon’s code- it did not give me access to it’s own, but it accidentally granted access to the Chameleon Hunter’s information instead. I was forced to contact Lego’s online tech support to get a different code. I suspect that this may be an error on the website, since I did not encounter problems with any of the 2007 sets, but did with a different 2008 set as well- the Assault Tiger.)

...

Something that a lot of people noticed was when none of the 2007 sets were used to make alternate and combined models on the box art and website like they were in the breakout 2006 line. Well, you asked for them, and you got them back! While the singular alternate models have not come back, each 2008 set has instructions which can be found in the somewhat-elusive Build It! section of the website to combine two or three Exo-Force sets into one!

Set #8111- River Dragon can combine with Set #8114- Chameleon Hunter to form a quadruped Battle Machine.

My interest in this set started slow when I first saw it on Lego’s Shop@Home page for Exo-Force, but quickly grew when I got it. Like all of the smaller Battle Machine sets these last few years, this is meant to be a small taste of what is to come, but stands shoulder-to-shoulder with all following sets just as easily. [Already owning several other ’08 sets] as I write this, I can see things like the new animal-influence in the designs such as scales and stripes on the decals and non-humanoid Battle Machines (so long as they don’t get too carried away, I’m fine with it), how the mini-robots will be played with (how many of those cute robots did I try to make when I was younger!?), and that continuing anime influence upon which the entire Exo-Force series is based (amen to that stroke of genius!). They also designed them so that they could all (theoretically) move in through the close-confines of a deep jungle as opposed to the open bridges and ledges higher up Sentai Mountain. And ya know what? If I didn’t like it, you wouldn’t be hearing about it directly from me because I wouldn’t own any of them! I will say that while this set is slightly more gimmicky than its predecessors, the quality doesn’t go down with it… which is good! The only things I can complain about I have already mentioned- Hayato is seated (like he was in the 2006 store-exclusive Bridge Walker and White Lighting set) in an open cockpit, and the mecha loses an arm to make the fragile mini-robot. Putting the propeller assemblies on the outside of the shoulders was a little odd, but honestly putting them anywhere else would have been tacky. Things to change? Yeah- that friggin’ decal I accidentally applied upside-down on the left foot! But hopefully when you get the River Dragon, you won’t make that same mistake… now will you?

This toy is one of EVA_Unit_4A's three choices for Hottest Must-Have Items for the 2007 Christmas shopping season!

Now this is the anime influence at its best-!

The Aero Booster is one of EVA_Unit_4A's three choices for 'Hottest Must-Have Items' for the 2007 Christmas shopping season!

-- WARNING --

According to the manufacturer, this product is not recommended for children under the age of 7 years as it contains many small parts which a child could potentially choke on.

This toy contains a spring-powered rubber projectile that can shoot over three (3) feet (1m) across a flat surface- Supervision by a Responsible Adult is Suggested during play. Toy should not hit, be thrown at, or shot at people or objects as it may cause damage or personal injury.

On the Sentai Mountain, humans work side-by-side with intelligent robots in mines. They use large excavation machines to dig out, gather, and transport mined rock to the surface. Unfortunately, an error occurred in one of the machines, and it sparked a vicious rebellion. Robots turned on their human masters, and through the fighting a series of mysterious explosions blasted the mountain into two halves. The robots were eventually driven deep into the newly-formed canyon far below.
Peace was restored, and the humans began building long bridges to span the two halves of the tall mountain. But deep underground, the robots came together again, and grew quietly; rebuilding their mining machines into powerful Battle Machines with armor and weapons. Their surprise return ignited another furious war, which allowed them to take control of half of Sentai Mountain. The robots were about to take on the second half when they were halted by a secret human project: Exo-Force. The humans had quickly assembled a team of warriors, and built their own Battle Machines to counter the robots.

After a chaotic and desperate battle on the very doorstep of Sentai Fortress- the last surviving pocket of humanity on Sentai Mountain- against the robot army’s onslaught of innumerable Battle Machines and their ultimate Striking Venom project, Exo-Force was just able to drive back their inhuman enemy. But at a cost... With heavy losses in manpower and Battle Machine hardware, Sentai Fortress was now more vulnerable than ever to a second wave. While the robots are licking their wounds on their own side of the mountain, Exo-Force’s sensei Keiken ordered a small scout mission to an unspecified location at the top of the mountain. Uncertain of what they would encounter, the Exo-Force pilots came across the lost Golden City- a stone-walled fortress with highly-advanced technology accessible through the computer system in the tall & ornamental Golden Tower at its center. Hearing of their success, Keiken ordered all of Sentai Fortress to evacuate to the legendary city above them until they could rebuild themselves and prepare a proper counterattack against their mindless, mechanical creations... unaware that the robots also already know about the lost Golden City.

Short on parts, and needing a new variety of Battle Machines for the Golden City’s defense, Ryo salvaged parts from his own Cyclone Defender, used advanced technology he learned from the city computers’ memory banks, and created the Blazing Falcon. However, it was more of a flight-capable close-range-oriented Battle Machine than usually employed by Exo-Force. So Ryo delved deeper, and discovered the plans for an advanced thermonuclear rocket backpack which could be fitted to a Battle Machine. While the standard-sized ones were all in use and could not be spared or did not fit the parameters needed for the backpack, he took, instead, another unused Cyclone Defender model and altered it to become half of the newly-designated Aero Booster unit. It was worth it…

Hayato was quite anxious to get his hands on the Aero Booster when Ryo was finished with it. And, wow! did this Battle Machine deliver. In trial runs, it proved to be the fastest unit on the battlefield- even outstripping the Sky Guardian; though due to its powerful generators, it didn’t have the same lack of energy as the latter. Indeed, it had an impressive surplus even when at top speed. To compensate for the slipstream of supersonic air around it, and yet not jar the pilot around or zoom out of control, the Aero Booster is equipped with no less than five elegant air brakes merged along the sides and top that can gently press into the wind to slow and steer it. The three thermonuclear engines themselves can also be used directly for steering- the two external engines being able to pitch both up-and-down and extend outwards for fast evasive maneuvers or Vertical Take-Off and Landing (V-TOL). The Aero Booster is designed for long-range assaults that keep it out of targeting range of fixed emplacements or even other Battle Machines. In addition to the specialized long-range missile on top, it is equipped with two outrigger arms which carry both paired heavy laser cannons on the right and a focused plasma cannon on the left. The modified Cyclone Defender was not entirely stripped of its own armament even though it was stripped of its name during the modifications. The spinning shield on its left arm was removed and replaced with a four-fingered hand manipulator, as was the right side one. The three grenade launchers were left intact on the shoulders. However, being that the Aero Booster was meant to be an oversized upgrade rather than a permanent fixture, it can separate from the smaller Battle Machine, but this leaves it under-defended. And so, the plasma cannon can be removed from the left outrigger arm, and equipped on the smaller Battle Machine itself; though not be as powerful because of the smaller generator, it can still do heavier-than-usual damage. As an added bonus, the Aero Booster’s backpack unit can fly under limited remote control from the smaller Battle Machine as a large decoy, heavy support drone, or kept in storage until called upon. Like Exo-Force’s Battle Machines, the Aero Booster uses a similar control system which mimics the movements of its pilot, so it was easy for Hayato to adapt to the advanced design.

The Aero Booster set is composed of two parts: the small Battle Machine, and the rocket backpack…

The unnamed Battle Machine (back) could be considered one of LEGO’s super-rare repaints… even though it’s not paint that is changed since it’s all about the plastic. (I may not be fully up on the history of all things LEGO, but I can’t remember the last time that any set was re-released as a ‘repaint’ before the mass-production sets from the second line of “Bionicle™” in 2002…) It is based on the Cyclone Defender Battle Machine from earlier in the 2007 line, but with a few modifications. The most obvious would be the change in color pallet from dark green, white, and dark gray to mostly blue, dark gray, and a little white. The torso and cockpit have undergone some modifications, though is still roughly resembles the one on the Cyclone Defender. The shoulders and back of the torso have been rebuilt with new parts. The arms are the same, but the weapons have been swapped out. The hand-held pulse laser cannon and attached spinning shield were both removed, the right hand changed from three fingers to four, and the same four-finger hand attached to the left arm where previously there was none. Also, LEGO Technic cables now snake their way out from the waist to be held in both hands like control sticks; they utilize the same peg-in-the-palm attachment. The legs remain unchanged structurally, with only color changes. Flexibility for the set remains unchanged, through use of ball-and-socket joints at the shoulders, hips, and ankles. This mirrors their frequent and popular use in the “Bionicle” line which continues successfully to this day. This also becomes a well-known, if little-advertised, problem as LEGO’s ball-&-socket joints are known for wearing out quickly when used a lot and aren’t the greatest for supporting heavy loads. (I’ve become aware of this over time since I used to collect “Bionicle” sets too, and so I’ve become somewhat paranoid of ball-&-socket joints in new LEGO sets.) One brand new item, though, is a Technic connector which replaces the minifig wrench alongside of the three yellow ‘grenade’ parts on the shoulders. This connector will come in use later…

The rocket backpack is the real treat of the Aero Booster set. As this set is fairly unique for a LEGO set, and is filled with its own features, I’m gonna attack this a little differently than I usually do and break this section down into three parts…

Rocket Pods

With the previous year’s Sonic Phantom, the two-of-four large thermonuclear engines mounted to the front of it were quite disappointing. They had these huge turbine intakes on the front and nice streamlined panels along the outsides, but once you turned it upside down, the effect was completely spoiled, and- in my opinion- dragged the set down as a whole [in addition to others which I covered in my review of it]. That is not as bad a problem with the backpack rocket pods. It has three of these turbine blade intakes used as compressors for the rocket nozzles themselves, though now molded in a swirled combination of blue and light gray ABS. Right off the bat, I’ll tell you that the center rocket is built pretty much the same way as the outside two, but just turned on its side, attached to the backpack, and then added to in that position to make it look different. But each rocket pod has a matching curved piece along the top and bottom, leaving the center and internal support structure exposed. What sets it apart from the Sonic Phantom is that it attempts to cover the gaps up with 1) the large airbrakes; and 2) the center pod’s opening faces downward, and so is not seen as you hold onto the grip from below. Now, when the two side pods are pulled away from the center one (more on this later), this is the only time that the center section is exposed from the inside view. But, again- IMO- this is a better, cleaner, and more stylized an arrangement and effort than the Sonic Phantom was.

Air Brakes

Air brakes are a fairly unique feature in a LEGO set, and so the ones on the Aero Booster deserve a little more recognition than usual. There are two kinds, and they all move independently of each other. The three larger, longer white air brakes each occupy a single rocket pod, and serve two purposes. First, not since LEGO “Star Wars™” Snowspeeder (Set #7130) has it been as cool to be able to extend and contract air brakes. (They act as very minor blast deflectors along the sides as well, if you wish to think of them that way too…) The other is that they help significantly in covering the gaps in the sides of the pods; some would say that if this were a real vehicle- the way they move through the air might help with engine performance, as indeed some real supersonic aircraft do today. The two smaller red ones cover the gaps between the center and side booster pods on top. But due to how they are built, you can actually twist them side-to-side a bit if you want to in addition to raising and lowering them. (I don’t, but that’s just me…) The length and narrowness of the five airbrakes helps give the backpack an overall streamlined look and helps to cover the gaps (from above and the sides, at least) between the round-yet-bulky booster pods.

Weapons

What’s the point of having a really big rocket pack strapped to your back if you don’t have some awesome weapons to go with it? What seems to be turning into a standard feature on larger “Exo-Force” sets above 150-parts-per is the spring-loaded missile launcher. How you fire that missile is the interesting part here. Again, mirroring the one found on the Sonic Phantom, the missile launcher is mounted on top… but the trigger is located below by a grip handle. If I had one thing to complain about in Set #8106, it would be the set up for the grip and trigger. The grip is rather flexible and twists uncomfortably (whereas the Sonic Phantom’s was more solid), and- for larger collectors’ hands- is placed too far forwards to grip well because your fingers bump into the small Battle Machine in front. Therefore, the one modification from the instructions that I made was to shift the entire grip assembly one hole backwards. The change is so minor that only eagle-eyed Lego-Maniacs would be able to spot it… unless someone told you about it beforehand. [This also had the rather unexpected effect of allowing my index finger to stretch a little more to reach the trigger rather than curling it back uncomfortably. I can also grip the handle with my entire hand and not have to worry about gripping the trigger and firing off the missile all the time. (*whew*)] The trigger itself- a round ABS piece at the end of a black Technic shaft- is quite sensitive, and will indeed fire off at the slightest movement. The outrigger weapon arms are built the same way, extending out from just in front of the rocket pods’ movement joint. The right arm carries two long-barrel laser cannons with four ‘targeting sensors’ surrounding it. The left arm, however, has a more stout-looking single-barrel plasma cannon mounted to it. They both have the same shoulder and elbow joint system used by all of the larger “Exo-Force” sets for their leg [and most arm] joints, so they can each snap-rotate along two axis easily and will hold poses with no problems. (Whether-or-not the arms move in the continuity of the story or are fixed-position weapons, I do not know.) So as not to leave the separated Battle Machine under-armed when they are separated, the plasma cannon can be disconnected from its arm mounting and affixed to the peg inside either of the blue mecha’s palms- via that yellow connector piece to the left of the cockpit mentioned earlier- though it is typically portrayed in the left hand. Nice touch! When the plasma cannon is affixed, the associated under-the-arm Technic cable is simply removed from both the hand peg and the peg in the torso and put aside. (Not as satisfying a solution to that problem, IMO.)

Connecting the backpack to the Battle Machine is, literally, a snap. Because of the minor redesign of the back of it’s torso from the Cyclone Defender, there is a hole made available right between its shoulders. On the very front of the backpack unit is a long dark gray Technic peg which just slides into that hole and snugly holds in place via friction; it can just as easily be removed with no hassle. One thing to mention about joining them, though- it’s not a perfect fit. That lone white brick just below the missile launcher barrel gets pressed up against the shoulders of the Battle Machine, and if pressed together all the way, that brick will pop off. (With any other kind of similar part there, it would have pressed up against the launcher instead.) So, you just have to live with leaving that millimeter space exposed; but don’t worry, it’ll still hold very well, and it’s barely noticeable.

I’ve already gone over the poseability in the Battle Machine and the air brakes in the backpack, but now you can start thinking about really playing with it once the two halves are together. The missile launcher will easily clear the top of Hayato’s head when it fires, don’t worry! If you just set the Aero Booster on the ground, obviously the backpack is way too big and way too back-heavy for the Battle Machine’s little legs to hold it upright, so it just leans back against the rocket pods at an uncomfortable angle. This can be solved with the rocket pods themselves. As hinted at earlier, the two outside pods are hinged at their bases by another of those ratcheting joints used throughout most of the larger “Exo-Force” Battle Machine sets. And so, the outside rocket pods can be positioned upwards 90-degrees or downwards 90-degrees- snapping at every few degrees in-between too. Also, they can be extended away from the backpack 90-degrees as well from the normal. Though it doesn’t say this next part in the instructions, I’ve found a way to make the Aero Booster stand up on its own without modification. All that you do is rotate the pods downwards as far as they go, make sure that they are angled slightly outwards (one snap in the joints ought to do), and then extend the two white air brakes out as far as they will go. Then you can stand the completed Aero Booster (back) up all by itself. The weapon arms cannot be pointed straight ahead, and must be angled outwards in order to clear the Battle Machine’s arms; but, otherwise, they are still fully poseable. (If you want to put the plasma cannon in its hand again, there’s certainly nothing against that, but it’s always shown with it still attached to the backpack’s arm when they’re combined.)

Lego Set #8106 comes with a new version of the Hayato minifig (LEGO spells it as “Ha-Ya-To”) different from the previous year’s: a new ‘flight suit’ which adds gold to the original white and blue, and he has the same two separate facial expressions (one painted on either side of his head) and red spiky hairstyle piece introduced in the “Exo-Force” line, which adds to the Japanese anime style of the series. When the head and hair are flipped around, Hayato either displays a determined face, or a battle-cry expression, both with his confident, quirky smile. (This double-face design originated in the LEGO “Spider-Man™” minifigs from 2001 and 2003, but is now becoming more commonplace in themed lines like “City”, “Star Wars™” and “Batman™”.)

Normally, when a Lego set needs specific details on a part, such as a control panel or flag, the image is printed or painted directly onto specific parts. “Exo-Force” continues on by using stick-on decals; something that was rarely ever used in the past. There is a small sticker sheet which provides allegiance markings, warning symbols & notices, and names- some of them written in Japanese text! Translations of the Japanese text are given on the sticker sheet, but do not go on the parts. This allows for a wider range of piece marking without Lego having to create a completely different piece each time, and merges the “Exo-Force” and Japanese toy influence closer together. It does, however, have a small downside- because of the design of the decals, some of them cover places where other Lego pieces can go, which limits how a decal-applied piece can be used or taken apart. There are no conflicts in Set#8106. The decals for the small Battle Machine have been remade for this new incarnation, and are completely different from the ones on the Cyclone Defender. But there are also new decals for the backpack as well on the same sheet.

The common gimmick of the debut 2006 line was- aside from them all being giant robots (!)- the introduction of the LEGO light brick with clear fiber-optic cable, though this was seen through almost all of the sets. They also had instructions for building an alternate set with the same parts on their homepage. Alas, neither of these returns in 2007. Instead, LEGO brings us a pivotal part of the storyline: the EXO Codes. When entered into the computer in the Golden Tower, they allow the refugees inside the Golden City to access a special feature within the ancient technological fortress. Each 2007 “Exo-Force” sets has at least one exclusive EXO Code located on a flat 1x2 plate placed somewhere on the Battle Machine’s body. When entered into the Code Brick Central area of Exo-Force’s homepage, it gives you special access to new things online like exclusive background info on the set, stickers & wallpaper for your computer’s desktop, images to be used for real shirt iron-ons, IM avatars, and more! (Not to spoil anything, but the only really unique thing for each set you get access to is a 10-sec silent video clip of your set in action on the site!) Oddly, the Aero Booster has no video for it in Code Brick Central!

Now this is the anime influence at its best-!

One of the reasons I liked the Cyclone Defender was because it was small but still fun; this was something that pretty much all of the larger sets could not accomplish. While the shield and pulse cannon were very nice extras, they were only part of that overall package and served only to enhance what was already there. Now, this set takes that to a whole new level without sacrificing what was already there in the previous one. While those cables under the blue Battle Machine’s arms are a bit on the odd side even though they look cool, everything else about it flows just fine. Now, though larger, the rocket backpack itself is pretty sweet as well. Those two large weapon arms show that this is a powerful machine. But the rocket pods themselves were very well designed even though they are hollow. Being able to pose them at different angles just made them that much more awesome. The air brakes were an awesome idea, and they fit the sleek, streamlined-yet-overpowered look of the whole shebang. This set very much reminds me of the METEOR support system from the anime series “Mobile Suit Gundam SEED” (2005) or the earlier G-Falcon unit from “After War Gundam-X” (1996) and larger Gundam Dendrobium Orchis system from “Mobile Suit Gundam 0083- Stardust Memory” (1992) OVA- all being oversized backpacks with incredible weapons attached to a smaller humanoid-shaped giant robot. I would liked to have seen a stronger design for the handle grip and trigger assemblies underneath, but it was a good idea to put them there in the first place so that- God, this sounds so clichéd!- you can “feel like you’re really flying it”, and that you have more control over it than just holding something big in your hand and flyin’ it around the room. It’s a whole other experience with these toys. That the backpack was not permanently attached to the Battle Machine (believe me, I looked for a proper name but I guess they didn’t give it one) was a very nice touch too. I was instantly sold when I saw this set, and you should be too. Plus, it’s only like $30, so you’re getting a great deal here for as much as is packed into it; better, I’d say, than any of the other “Exo-Force” sets released this year. While I still certainly love the Cyclone Defender, I give my highest recommendations for the Aero Booster!

(Not all of the available pictures are in this review, so be sure to look at the full gallery to see even more details and step-by-step views!)

The Golden Guardian is a representation of the best that any Battle Machine can offer.

-- WARNING --

According to the manufacturer, this product is not recommended for children under the age of 7 years as it contains many small parts which a child could potentially choke on.

This toy contains a spring-powered rubber projectile that can shoot over six (6) feet (2m) across a flat surface- Supervision by a Responsible Adult is Suggested during play. Toy should not hit, be thrown at, or shot at people or objects as it may cause damage or personal injury.

On the Sentai Mountain, humans work side-by-side with intelligent robots in mines. They use large excavation machines to dig out, gather, and transport mined rock to the surface. Unfortunately, an error occurred in one of the machines, and it sparked a vicious rebellion. Robots turned on their human masters, and through the fighting a series of mysterious explosions blasted the mountain into two halves. The robots were eventually driven deep into the newly-formed canyon far below.
Peace was restored, and the humans began building long bridges to span the two halves of the tall mountain. But deep underground, the robots came together again, and grew quietly; rebuilding their mining machines into powerful Battle Machines with armor and weapons. Their surprise return ignited another furious war, which allowed them to take control of half of Sentai Mountain. The robots were about to take on the second half when they were halted by a secret human project: Exo-Force. The humans had quickly assembled a team of warriors, and built their own Battle Machines to counter the robots.

After a chaotic and desperate battle on the very doorstep of Sentai Fortress- the last surviving pocket of humanity on Sentai Mountain- against the robot army’s onslaught of innumerable Battle Machines and their ultimate Striking Venom project, Exo-Force was just able to drive back their inhuman enemy. But at a cost... With heavy losses in manpower and Battle Machine hardware, Sentai Fortress was now more vulnerable than ever to a second wave. While the robots are licking their wounds on their own side of the mountain, Exo-Force’s sensei Keiken ordered a small scout mission to an unspecified location at the top of the mountain. Uncertain of what they would encounter, the Exo-Force pilots came across the lost Golden City- a stone-walled fortress with highly-advanced technology accessible through the computer system in the tall & ornamental Golden Tower at its center. Hearing of their success, Keiken ordered all of Sentai Fortress to evacuate to the legendary city above them until they could rebuild themselves and prepare a proper counterattack against their mindless, mechanical creations... unaware that the robots also already know about the lost Golden City.

After the scout mission had reported back that the Golden City was indeed real and secure, all of Sentai Fortress was evacuated. Hayato who had been ordered to stay behind flew escort in the White Lightning for the refugees until they all reached the Golden City. Once they were safe, the computer in the Golden Tower at the heart of the ancient fortress began giving coordinates to find other lost codes that would allow Exo-Force to access more of its secrets. With Hikaru, Takeshi, and Ryo out looking for the codes in their new Battle Machines, Hayato was once more relegated to defensive duties around the city. With the robots holding back their forces for now, and new novice Battle Machine pilots now working light guard duty, this gave Hayato plenty of time to wander. As he came to the Golden Tower, he met Hitomi, sensei Keiken’s proud & confident granddaughter and grudging guard of the Tower. Together, they explored until they found schematics in the computer that revealed that there was an entire hangar bay full of heavy Battle Machines directly beneath the Tower!

The Golden Guardian is a representation of the best that any Battle Machine can offer. Thick resistive armor, a strong power generator, accurate yet easy-to-use sensors & communications, fast drive motors to move the parts of its body quickly, and, of course, powerful weapons that extend to multiple ranges from melee all the way out to miles away. The dominant weapon was dubbed a “mega cannon” by one of the refugee technicians from Exo-Force, and the name stuck. Perhaps the most powerful weapon seen on the battlefield alongside the plasma cannon on the robots’ Thunder Fury, the mega cannon mounted to the right arm releases a pressurized stream of high-energy particles continuously the diameter of a telephone booth out to a mile away. And as it dissipates beyond this, the particles begin to scatter and create a hazy fog which interferes with all electronic circuits, making for an effective long-range deterrent. The only downside to this is the long recharge time needed between shots, as the mega cannon must completely discharge before the next round can be energized. To compensate for this, a smaller-scale plasma launcher- which shoots small condensed fireballs of high-energy particles- is used, though it too can cause massive damage. A single heavy concussion missile rounds out the armament of the three weapons- and that’s all on just the right arm! Two homing missiles- one attached to either shoulder- easily track and destroy air targets, rounding off its offensive weapons. The shoulders themselves are huge radiator vents for the high amounts of heat and excessive energy build-up that the Golden Guardian can put out in the heat of battle. For defense, the Golden Guardian’s left arm mounts a large broad shield covered in blazing gold and razor-sharp edges for slashing through Battle Machines that get too close. The anti-beam coating on the shield also adds to the resistance the mecha can offer up. After its discovery, lead Exo-Force technician Ryo actually upgraded the already-impressive Battle Machine with a set of leg-mounted jump thrusters to carry it short distances through the air! It was only through a hurried game of Rock, Paper, Scissors that Hayato won the honor of piloting this powerful centurion away from Hitomi. So far, eight Golden Guardians have been found beneath just the Golden Tower, though more may be found elsewhere inside the Golden City. Though primarily used as a heavy defense unit within the walls of the fortress or just outside the gates, it can certainly take the fight to the robots just as easily! Like Exo-Force’s Battle Machines, the Golden Guardian uses a similar control system which mimics the movements of its pilot, so it was easy for Hayato to adapt to the advanced design.

This is one of the good ones... The Golden Guardian (back) has nearly a hundred more parts to it for an equally-sized biped Battle Machine set (267 parts VS. the Blade Titan’s 162), but they are used mostly for intricate details and features. The legs are extra thick thanks to the additional panels used to bulk them up; the feet, as well, are bigger than any other before it. While it looks cool and the larger feet help stabilize it in some poses, the only disadvantage would be that the legs are always splayed and cannot be brought into parallel straight/vertical positions. (Whether-or-not the panels are the jump thrusters that Ryo added, I cannot say for certain, as video only shows it jumping from a distance. Either way, they are not really designed to be removed to resemble the ‘original’ version.) The right arm is just plain nasty-! The long barrel of the mega cannon is usually used as a support column, but here, it is rounded off with some smaller parts. Same with the plasma launcher just above it, though it looks more like a sensor than a powerful cannon. The only real ‘special feature’ aside from its looks in this set is the spring-loaded missile launcher hanging on the inside of the right arm. The trigger points downwards, and sometimes when posing it, you tend to accidentally bump it, and it goes flying. The missile itself is a refined version from the ones throughout the LEGO system, spotting a slightly smaller black rubber head that flexes better on impact than the original domed version [of various colors]. However, this also reduced its weight enough that the launcher now can propel it out to nearly double the distance that the original did! Whether by design or not, there is a Technic peg sticking out of the bottom of the mega cannon. Though the instructions do not say this, the missile can be clipped on there for storage, which is where I usually keep it. The left arm is much less glamorous, but more articulate than the right. It uses two ball-&-socket joints for the shoulder and elbow, which gives it good range of motion, but doesn’t support it as well as it could with the heavy shield on the end. This mirrors their frequent and popular use in the “Bionicle™” line which continues successfully to this day. This also becomes a well-known, if little-advertised, problem as LEGO’s ball-&-socket joints are known for wearing out quickly when used a lot and aren’t the greatest for supporting heavy loads. (I’ve become aware of this over time since I used to collect “Bionicle” sets too, and so I’ve become somewhat paranoid of ball-&-socket joints in new LEGO sets.) The shield itself also has a single-axis free-rotation joint, and so can pivot up and down almost 180-degrees. The torso is of typical design, and the cockpit is open-air once more... with one exception. While the robots’ Sonic Phantom, Sentry, and Bridge Walker all had controls of some kind that could be gripped by the minfigs’ claws, only the Exo-Force Uplink had any such controls for Ryo to hang on to. The Golden Guardian also has control sticks which pivot horizontally into the cockpit from outside of it for Hayato to grab onto. The shoulders are mounted on single ball-&-socket joints just behind the canopy joint. The missiles on each can detach though they’re not really designed to; they’re just supposed to sit there.

Lego Set #7714 comes with a new version of the Hayato minifig (LEGO spells it as “Ha-Ya-To”) different from the previous year’s: a new ‘flight suit’ which adds gold to the original white and blue, and he has the same two separate facial expressions (one painted on either side of his head) and red spiky hairstyle piece introduced in the “Exo-Force” line, which adds to the Japanese anime style of the series. When the head and hair are flipped around, Hayato either displays a determined face, or a battle-cry expression, both with his confident, quirky smile. (This double-face design originated in the LEGO “Spider-Man™” minifigs from 2001 and 2003, but is now becoming more commonplace in themed lines like “City”, “Star Wars™” and “Batman™”.)

Normally, when a Lego set needs specific details on a part, such as a control panel or flag, the image is printed or painted directly onto specific parts. “Exo-Force” continues on by using stick-on decals; something that was rarely ever used in the past. There is a small sticker sheet which provides allegiance markings, warning symbols & notices, and names- some of them written in Japanese text! Translations of the Japanese text are given on the sticker sheet, but do not go on the parts. This allows for a wider range of piece marking without Lego having to create a completely different piece each time, and merges the “Exo-Force” and Japanese toy influence closer together. It does, however, have a small downside- because of the design of the decals, some of them cover places where other Lego pieces can go, which limits how a decal-applied piece can be used or taken apart. There are no conflicts in Set#7714.

The common gimmick of the debut 2006 line was- aside from them all being giant robots (!)- the introduction of the LEGO light brick with clear fiber-optic cable, though this was seen through almost all of the sets. They also had instructions for building an alternate set with the same parts on their homepage. Alas, neither of these returns in 2007. Instead, LEGO brings us a pivotal part of the storyline: the EXO Codes. When entered into the computer in the Golden Tower, they allow the refugees inside the Golden City to access a special feature within the ancient technological fortress. Each 2007 “Exo-Force” sets has at least one exclusive EXO Code located on a flat 1x2 plate placed somewhere on the Battle Machine’s body. When entered into the Code Brick Central area of Exo-Force’s homepage, it gives you special access to new things online like exclusive background info on the set, stickers & wallpaper for your computer’s desktop, images to be used for real shirt iron-ons, IM avatars, and more! (Not to spoil anything, but the only really unique thing for each set you get access to is a 10-sec silent video clip of your set in action on the site!)

This set has a bit more of the anime influence in it with the larger legs & feet. I thought that the back of the legs were rather barren compared to the rest of it; a flaw found in most Battle Machine sets. The mega cannon on the right arm is pretty cool, as is the missile launcher, but if they had included a light brick in this set, then they could have had the barrel glow! Again with the ball-&-socket joints on the left arm... For as heavy as that shield is, it’s really annoying to have the arm drooping all the time! Same with the shoulder armor- they could have had those fixed in place instead of pitching all over. The set was surprisingly front heavy even when in a neutral pose, which took me by surprise and wasn't all that obvious. Oh, BTW, why was this set designated a “Limited Gold Edition” when there’s gold-colored parts and decals on the other sets as well...? Only thing different about this set was that it was a Toys-R-Us exclusive release. Overall, it looks good, but there were just a few things that I would like to have seen improved. But I think that the Golden Guardian is worth picking up.

The Sky Guardian shares a similar structure and construction method with the Blade Titan, and vaguely-similar traits with Hikaru’s original Stealth Hunter ride from the debut 2006 line, but that’s about it.

-- WARNING --

According to the manufacturer, this product is not recommended for children under the age of 7 years as it contains many small parts which a child could potentially choke on.

This toy contains a hand-powered plastic projectile that can shoot over six (6) feet (2m) across a flat surface- Supervision by a Responsible Adult is Advised during play. Toy should not hit, be thrown at, or shot at people or objects as it may cause damage or personal injury.

On the Sentai Mountain, humans work side-by-side with intelligent robots in mines. They use large excavation machines to dig out, gather, and transport mined rock to the surface. Unfortunately, an error occurred in one of the machines, and it sparked a vicious rebellion. Robots turned on their human masters, and through the fighting a series of mysterious explosions blasted the mountain into two halves. The robots were eventually driven deep into the newly-formed canyon far below.
Peace was restored, and the humans began building long bridges to span the two halves of the tall mountain. But deep underground, the robots came together again, and grew quietly; rebuilding their mining machines into powerful Battle Machines with armor and weapons. Their surprise return ignited another furious war, which allowed them to take control of half of Sentai Mountain. The robots were about to take on the second half when they were halted by a secret human project: Exo-Force. The humans had quickly assembled a team of warriors, and built their own Battle Machines to counter the robots.

After a chaotic and desperate battle on the very doorstep of Sentai Fortress- the last surviving pocket of humanity on Sentai Mountain- against the robot army’s onslaught of innumerable Battle Machines and their ultimate Striking Venom project, Exo-Force was just able to drive back their inhuman enemy. But at a cost... With heavy losses in manpower and Battle Machine hardware, Sentai Fortress was now more vulnerable than ever to a second wave. While the robots are licking their wounds on their own side of the mountain, Exo-Force’s sensei Keiken ordered a small scout mission to an unspecified location at the top of the mountain. Uncertain of what they would encounter, the Exo-Force pilots came across the lost Golden City- a stone-walled fortress with highly-advanced technology accessible through the computer system in the tall & ornamental Golden Tower at its center. Hearing of their success, Keiken ordered all of Sentai Fortress to evacuate to the legendary city above them until they could rebuild themselves and prepare a proper counterattack against their mindless, mechanical creations... unaware that the robots also already know about the lost Golden City.

When Hikaru, Takeshi, and Ryo were tasked to find the Golden City, they were already pretty well worn out from the furious battle that had occurred only days earlier. The Supernova and Stealth Hunter Battle Machines damaged beyond repair in the battle, they had to fall back on the Grand Titan and Silent Strike respectively for the search, while Ryo vigilantly kept use of his small Uplink; Hayato had stayed behind to guard Sentai Fortress with the White Lightning. When the three finally found the Golden City and tried to get through its passive defensive field, their Battle Machines were hit with a powerful electric pulse which disabled them and fried all of their systems. Finally breaking inside, they eventually made it to the tall Golden Tower at the center of the city, where they found three advanced human-built Battle Machines in storage, waiting for them.

Hikaru claimed the large white and navy blue Blade Titan for himself. Spotting more-advanced armor and airspeed than his regular all-white Stealth Hunter built by Exo-Force, it stood patiently alongside the Blade Titan and Cyclone Defender in a storage bay for when the time would be needed for it to rise and defend the Golden City. But it has parallels with the Stealth Hunter in more than just function and color. The right arm carries a power sphere launcher just beneath it. The Battle Machine directs stored energy directly from its generator into an electromagnetic-bottle container which is then shot off. While it takes time to create the energy sphere (thus backed up by a less energy-hungry laser cannon), the results are quite spectacular when it smashes against an enemy Battle Machine! The left arm carries an energy blade similar to the laser staff used by the Supernova which was created by Exo-Force long after the Sky Guardian was built- power is transfer from the generator through a power link in the palm of its left hand. But it’s most obvious feature is its flight system, which is matchless anywhere on Sentai Mountain except perhaps by the robots’ Sonic Phantom. The two large gaping intakes on either side of the cockpit inhale cool, fresh mountain air and pass it directly to the power generator and then into four jet thrusters on the legs. And when used in concert with the maneuvering thrusters on its forearms and shoulders, the Sky Guardian can reach in excess of the speed of sound (770mph)! To compensate for the slipstream effect of supersonic air around it, the four long dragonfly wing-like airbrakes help to steer (or alternatively slow down) the Battle Machine; the air intakes themselves pitch up and down at different speeds as well to insure the flow of air into them is optimum and not turbulent, which could choke and stall the engines. There is one draw back to this, however. The amount of power needed to boost the Sky Guardian up to these speeds is a huge drain on the generator system. This renders all of its energy-based weapons useless when it is at top speed! So because transitions between high-speed travel and fighting are long for the energy-based weapons, four concussion grenades sit in a rack above the cockpit. But pair of radar-guided missiles also project outwards from the upper arms; this is the only weapon available to it when moving at supersonic speed. Like Exo-Force’s Battle Machines, the Sky Guardian uses a similar control system which mimics the movements of its pilot, so it was easy for Hikaru to adapt to the advanced design.

The Sky Guardian (back) shares similar torso & leg structure and construction method with the Blade Titan, and vaguely-similar traits with Hikaru’s original Stealth Hunter ride from the debut 2006 line, but that’s about it. The snap-rotation joint system which debuted in the “Knights’ Kingdom™” line (and was later used in the failed & much-criticized “Galidor™” line) returns to the “Exo Force” line. Made popular by the fact that not only did the figures have a very wide range of motion, but they could hold poses for extended periods of time which ball-&-socket joints couldn’t on larger figures; something that became more apparent in “Bionicle™” sets. The leg have snap-rotation joints in the hips, knees, and ankles which allow it to assume a wide range of motion for poses. The tubes that go from the thighs to the yellow outer thrusters are flexible silver Technic tubes that flex when the knee(s) are bent. Remember those ball-&-socket joints I was talking about...? Both arms use two ball-&-socket joints each. Both upper arms are built the same way, and are based on the lower torso parts from the Toa Metru sets (#8601-8606) from the 2003 “Bionicle” line. Each also has a thin navy blue wing (which is mirrored on the shoulders) that can both twist side-to-side and pitch up/down in similar fashion to the radiator fins on the Supernova from the 2006 line. The right arm mounts a LEGO weapon originally developed for the six evil Piraka sets (#8900-8905) from "Bionicle", called a Zamor Sphere launcher. When the solid ABS plastic ball (two are provided in this set) is inserted on top, and the piston in back depressed, the sphere shoots out with surprising force and range. But the interesting thing isn’t that it can shoot, but that the flexible rubber tube provided retracts the piston back into pre-launch position for quick reloading. However, unlike the “Bionicle” Toa Inika sets (#8727-8732) from the same year, the Sky Guardian does not have an attachable ammunition clip that holds more than one at a time. The hand on the left arm mimics the one seen in the Supernova and Cyclone Defender sets- having a post in the middle of the functional hand stabilize the weapon when gripped. The sword is actually composed of two pre-assembled parts: the typical yellow ABS that LEGO uses, and an inner transparent part that is more similar to flexible PVC. An energy effect decal is added [by you] to the right side-only, but it too is transparent and can be seen through to the opposite side of the blade. The upper torso has a new feature not seen before. The two chest sections can indeed pitch up and down, though they are typically displayed angled downward on just that first notch of the joint(s). The grenade launcher up top can also pitch up/down, but that’s just from the parts used to build it.

Lego Set #8103 comes with a new version of the Hikaru minifig different from the previous year’s: a new ‘flight suit’ of navy blue and gold, and he has the same two separate facial expressions (one painted on either side of his head) and light blue spiky hairstyle piece introduced in the “Exo-Force” line, which adds to the Japanese anime style of the series. When the head and hair are flipped around, Hikaru either displays a determined face, or a battle-cry expression, both with him wearing his signature ‘orange sunshades’ over his eyes. (This double-face design originated in the LEGO “Spider-Man™” minifigs from 2001 and 2003, but is now becoming more commonplace in themed lines like “City”, “Star Wars™” and “Batman™”.)

Normally, when a LEGO set needs specific details on a part, such as a control panel or flag, the image is printed or painted directly onto specific parts. “Exo-Force” continues on by using stick-on decals; something that was rarely ever used in the past. There is a small sticker sheet which provides allegiance markings, warning symbols & notices, and names- some of them written in Japanese text! Translations of the Japanese text are given on the sticker sheet, but do not go on the parts. This allows for a wider range of piece marking without LEGO having to create a completely different piece each time, and merges the “Exo-Force” and Japanese toy influence closer together. It does, however, have a small downside- because of the design of the decals, some of them cover places where other LEGO pieces can go, which limits how a decal-applied piece can be used or taken apart. There are no conflicts in Set#8103.

The common gimmick of the debut 2006 line was- aside from them all being giant robots (!)- the introduction of the LEGO light brick with clear fiber-optic cable, though this was seen through almost all of the sets. They also had instructions for building an alternate set with the same parts on their homepage. Alas, neither of these returns in 2007. Instead, LEGO brings us a pivotal part of the storyline: the EXO Codes. When entered into the computer in the Golden Tower, they allow the refugees inside the Golden City to access a special feature within the ancient technological fortress. Each 2007 “Exo-Force” sets has at least one exclusive EXO Code located on a flat 1x2 plate placed somewhere on the Battle Machine’s body. When entered into the Code Brick Central area of Exo-Force’s homepage, it gives you special access to new things online like exclusive background info on the set, stickers & wallpaper for your computer’s desktop, images to be used for real shirt iron-ons, IM avatars, and more! (Not to spoil anything, but the only really unique thing for each set you get access to is a 10-sec silent video clip of your set in action on the site!)

I’ll admit- when I first got the Blade Titan, I was fairly discouraged from buying this set. One of the big things was the ball-&-socket joints which appear again for the arms. I also wasn’t thrilled with the Zamor Sphere/plasma ball launcher, having seen it in the originating “Bionicle” line; it was also too similar to the disc launcher seen in earlier “Exo-Force” sets to be a big incentive (which- for those of you who don’t regularly read my reviews- I am not thrilled with). I’m not too sure I like this brand-new sword (I suspect it may have come from the “Knights’ Kingdom” line, but can’t confirm right now), though the different materials make it somewhat interesting. But what caught me by surprise was how the torso parts pitched around. Initially I though that the excessive movement in the chest was an error due to the selection of parts that LEGO used (which has happened many times before, no big surprise there), but it wasn’t until I saw the bonus material in the online Code Brick section that I noticed the air intakes subtly moving in the short CGI animation sequence. That was actually kinda cool! The four wings were a nice touch, though I wish two of them hadn’t been attached to the arms; it makes it difficult to pose them well sometimes if the arms are in a certain conflicting position. And it was nice to see the smallish tubes attached to the leg thrusters rather than just having them hang there all alone and be boring. If the ball-&-socket joints had either been replaced with the ratcheting joint design in the legs, or different ball-&-socket parts used, I might have liked it even more. Alas, I must give the Sky Guardian a slightly better than so-so recommendation.

[Oh, and, LEGO...? Please stop using ball-&-socket joints on these guys, huh? They’re annoying for a set this big, and they just wear out too quickly in the hands of kids. Stop it. Just stop it.]