I’m not even going to bury the lede, here: I spent a lot of time humming the theme from X-Men ’97 while I assembled this LEGO set!
In case you weren’t aware, Disney revived the fan-favorite 90’s X-Men: The Animated Series earlier this year with a new show that picked up right where the old one left off. That show is, of course, the critically acclaimed X-Men ’97. And fittingly enough, LEGO has produced a set that celebrates both animated series, with plenty of Minifigures, action, and Easter Eggs for fans to enjoy.
Welcome to my review of X-Men: The X-Mansion, true believers. Hope you survive the experience.
The packaging for the X-Mansion. Image by Paul Benson.
What Is the LEGO X-Men: The X-Mansion?
The LEGO X-Men: The X-Mansion, set #76294, is a 3,093-piece set that comes with 10 Minifigures, as well as a giant Sentinel robot that you build. When completed, the set measures 11" high x 16" wide x 10" deep. The set retails for $329.99, and is available at LEGO stores or online at the LEGO webstore.
Everything that comes in the box. Image by Paul Benson.
The LEGO X-Men: The X-Mansion has 24 bags of bricks for the assembly, as well as some baseplates and other odds and ends. There are 3 instruction books included, as well as two sheets of stickers.
The assembly guides and sticker sheets. Image by Paul Benson.
Inside of the first book is some background on both the creation of the X-Mansion set, as well as information on the X-Men themselves.
LEGO X-Men: The X-Mansion Minifigures
There are 10 Minifigures in the set, each representing a different X-Man. Charles Xavier, founder of the X-Men, comes with a buildable hoverchair from the animated series. Many of the characters come with items that show off their iconic powers.
The minifigures are spread out over the three stages of assembly.
LEGO X-Men: The X-Mansion — Assembly Book 1
The build for the X-Mansion is divided up into three parts: the middle of the building, and 2 adjoining wings. The first book details the center construction. Here’s a look at the assembly:
And here’s the completed central part of the building:
The central part of the mansion. Image by Paul Benson.
This part of the building also houses a special effect of the build. The roof has a lever you build in the back:
The hidden lever to operate some battle damage. Image by Paul Benson.
Here’s a look at what happens when you pull down on the lever:
The first book also includes the construction of a Sentinel, the robotic foes that are sent against the X-Men to capture and kill them. The Sentinel figure is perfectly scaled with the LEGO Minifigures.
A Sentinel ready to capture mutants. Image by Paul Benson.
As you can see, the first assembly is chock-full of details that will impress fans of both the X-Men animated series and comic books:
LEGO X-Men: The X-Mansion — Assembly Book 2
The second book adds more X-Men Minifigures, as well as the right wing of the mansion.
Here’s the finished wing:
The right wing of the X-Mansion. Image by Paul Benson.
The wing easily locks into the central part of the mansion.
Two-thirds of the X-Mansion. Image by Paul Benson.
With this wing, you start to see some of the damage to the mansion inflicted by a battle between the invading Sentinel and the X-Men. To see that in action though, you’ll have to wait until the completion of the mansion!
The main part of the right wing of the mansion is taken up with the multi-story Danger Room, the hazardous training facility for the X-Men. As you can see, it’s filled with flamethrowers, missiles, and other deadly implements:
LEGO X-Men: The X-Mansion — Assembly Book 3
The left wing of the X-Mansion is a combination of classrooms and living quarters:
Here’s the completed left wing, joined with the other parts of the mansion:
The finished X-Mansion, awaiting final embellishments. Image by Paul Benson.
The attention to detail continues in this third stage of assembly, showcasing some lovely details. I love the reproduction of the 1960’s X-Men #1 comic book.
One of the beds in the dormitory obviously belongs to Wolverine, so you’re able to recreate the infamous “Sad Wolverine” meme from the original X-Men: The Animated Series thanks to a LEGO reproduction of the photo of Jean Grey and Scott Summers.
Wolverine pines for Jean Grey. Image by Fox Animated.
The left wing also incorporates a hidden element in the base, a common theme in other LEGO sets like The Nightmare Before Christmas or the Natural History Museum. In this case, it’s a foundation block.
Charles Xavier’s signature rests in the foundation of the mansion. Image by Paul Benson.
Putting It All Together
There’s actually one last bag of bits to finish decorating the mansion, and then you can add in the Minifigures and Sentinel to create an action-packed diorama:
The completed diorama. Image by Paul Benson.
And here’s a closer look at the action:
LEGO X-Men: The X-Mansion — Final Thoughts
LEGO has certainly put out X-Men sets before. There’s another set, the X-Men X-Jet, which is also currently available. But this is by far the largest X-Men set so far, with a plethora of details and Minifigures. Even better, it’s also compatible with the other Marvel modular building sets, such as the Avengers Tower and the Daily Bugle. Much as with the “normal” modular building sets, you can connect the Marvel modular buildings together, creating your own city block.
As an X-Men fan, I had a blast uncovering each little detail and Easter Egg as they were revealed throughout the build. There are callbacks to several key moments in the history of the X-Men comics, which were also recreated in both X-Men: The Animated Series and its sequel, X-Men ‘97.
Mutants are feared in the Marvel Universe. Image by Paul Benson.
Seeing as you’re assembling a mansion, there is some repetition in the build as you’re creating a cohesive facade and roof. But it’s the fun interior which really mixes things up during the assembly, making it a joy to put together. This is a set where you’ll excitedly proceed from bag to bag, looking forward to each new surprise as they’re revealed. There are even additional stickers to customize the set with more battle damage, if you so desire.
If you’re a fan of the X-Men, you’re sure to enjoy the LEGO X-Men: The X-Mansion. It is sadly missing the Cerebro room, which was a preorder bonus for the set. But otherwise, you have a great selection of Minifigures and a set which not only plays well with the other Marvel modular sets, but is a great representation of the X-Men in comics, movies, and television. It’s a really enjoyable build, and a fantastic addition to the adult Marvel sets that LEGO has been releasing over the last couple of years. It’s definitely one I highly recommend.
Excelsior!
Click That Brick!
Click That Brick! is a look at LEGO building sets that appeal to the geek in all of us. I’ll be bringing you previews and reviews of various LEGO sets, such as the LEGO Icons The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr. So be sure to keep your eyeballs peeled for more great LEGO content here on GeekDad.
LEGO sent this set for evaluation but had no input into the review.
