My son Finn turned nine in March and had been dropping hints about LEGO NINJAGO for approximately four months beforehand. Not subtle hints — he'd pause the TV whenever a NINJAGO advert came on, point at the screen, and look at me with an expression that said: this is the information you need. He'd also taken to leaving the LEGO catalogue open on specific pages around the house, which I thought was quite sophisticated lobbying for a nine-year-old.
The set he wanted most was the LEGO NINJAGO Lloyd's Jet Mech 71845. He'd seen it on the NINJAGO Dragons Rising TV show and was particularly taken with the transforming mech — the fact that it converts from a posable robot figure into a jet was, in his words, “the best thing LEGO has ever done.” High praise from someone who has been building LEGO since he was four.
Why This Set in Particular
I did my research before buying, as I always do with LEGO sets at this price point. A few things stood out about the 71845 beyond the obvious appeal of the transforming feature.
The set includes five minifigures: Lloyd, Sora, Master of Decay Kur, Tyr, and a Spectral Dragonian Warrior. For a NINJAGO fan who watches the show, these aren't just generic characters — they're specific people with specific storylines, which means the play value extends well beyond the build itself. Finn knows exactly who each character is and what their role in the story is, which means the set becomes a stage for recreating scenes rather than just a display piece.
There's also a flying motorbike for Sora and an evil specter dragon included, which adds to the battle scenario possibilities considerably. And the set is compatible with the LEGO Builder app, which provides 3D interactive building instructions — something Finn used for the first time with this set and found genuinely useful for the more complex sections.
The Build: One Sitting, No Complaints
I ordered through Altoe and it arrived a couple of days before his birthday, which I managed to hide successfully despite Finn's impressive surveillance operation. On his birthday morning, he opened it, read the box for about thirty seconds, and disappeared to his room.
He emerged three and a half hours later with the completed set. He'd built the entire thing in one sitting, using the LEGO Builder app for the trickier sections, and had already transformed it from mech to jet and back again several times to make sure the mechanism worked. His verdict, delivered with the gravity of someone who takes LEGO very seriously: “This is the best one I've ever had.”
The build itself is rated for ages 9 and up, which felt accurate — there are sections that require patience and spatial reasoning that would have been beyond him a year or two ago, but at nine he handled it confidently. The transformation mechanism is genuinely clever engineering for a toy — the wings fold out, the engines extend, and the whole thing locks into jet configuration without feeling fragile or forced.
Three Months Later: Still the First Thing He Reaches For
Finn's birthday was in March. It's now June. The Lloyd's Jet Mech is still on his bedroom shelf, still in daily use, and still the set he shows to every friend who comes over. That's the real test of a LEGO set — not whether it gets built enthusiastically, but whether it stays in active play rotation weeks and months later.
The transforming feature is the key to its longevity. Most LEGO sets, once built, become display pieces — they sit on a shelf and get admired but not played with. The 71845 gets picked up, transformed, used in battle scenarios with the minifigures, transformed back, and put down again. The play pattern is active rather than passive, which keeps it interesting in a way that static builds don't.
The build quality has held up perfectly. Nothing has fallen apart, no pieces have been lost (which, with a nine-year-old, is something of a miracle), and the transformation mechanism still works as smoothly as it did on day one.
What I'd Tell Any Parent of a NINJAGO Fan
If your child watches NINJAGO Dragons Rising and has been asking for a set, the Lloyd's Jet Mech 71845 is the one to get. The transforming feature gives it play longevity that most sets don't have, the minifigure selection is spot-on for fans of the show, and the build is genuinely satisfying for a nine-year-old who takes their LEGO seriously. Three months in, it's still the best birthday present Finn has ever received — his words, not mine.
- Transforming mech — converts from posable robot with dual swords to sleek jet with wings and engines
- 5 minifigures included — Lloyd, Sora, Master of Decay Kur, Tyr, and Spectral Dragonian Warrior
- Flying motorbike for Sora — expands the battle scenario possibilities
- Evil specter dragon included — ready-made villain for epic play sessions
- LEGO Builder app compatible — 3D interactive instructions for the trickier sections
- Rated for ages 9+ — a genuinely satisfying build for older children
- Based on NINJAGO Dragons Rising — show-accurate characters and vehicles
Get yours here: LEGO NINJAGO Lloyd's Jet Mech 71845 – Transforming Ninja Toy Set
And if you're looking for more toys and building sets, these collections are worth exploring:
Patrick Mulryan is a secondary school PE teacher and dad of two from Dublin. He writes about the toys and products that have genuinely earned their place in his children's lives — no gifted items, no brand relationships, just honest experience from a parent who does his homework.
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