XPlode

I bought my 5 year old son's first Lego Hero Factory for him with reservations because I thought I would have to be the one to put it together for him and I didn't want a bunch of little parts laying around when he lost interest. When I saw how easy it was for him to put together we've continued to add to his collection and I've bought them to have on hand for rewards, birthday presents, for friends, etc. He now makes them himself and has had fun altering them with each other's parts. They are very rewarding educational toys. The prices are very reasonable as well. more less

There are many features about Xplode that I think could have been done better. I wish they had found a way to make his head look less like a helmet and more like a head (like Meltdown's). Maybe they could have put a trans-neon green piece behind his eyes, and a black piece behind his mouth (or no piece at all). I wish he wasn't so skinny, and I wish his arm armor attached better. There are a lot of things to dislike about this set. But despite these, when I have him in hand or standing posed in front of me, I can't help but think how cool he looks. This guy is definitely badass. His color scheme reminds me of the Torch Throwbot, and he is just as intense. I can imagine him being a witty, crazed villain who only works for thrills. There's just a certain charm about him that, for me, is greater than his faults. more less

I think Xplode had more character than some of the other villain sets. And if you are looking for some good pieces, he's not too bad. But the overall set design just has too many gaps in it, which is a major drawback. So I guess it depends on what you Xpect from your set. more less