Review: LEGO Atlantis 8056-1 Monster Crab Clash

This is a review of the LEGO Atlantis 8056-1 Monster Crab Clash. The box date says 2010, however it was bought in a Toys R Us on 14 November 2009 for $6.99 USD (SKU 673419128742). No, it does not show up on ToysRUs.com, at least not yet, but I had no problem checking out, and they were prominently displayed in the LEGO section alongside the other two Atlantis sets that are out. To see it compared to the other two sets (8058 Guardian of the Deep and 8060 Typhoon Turbo Sub), see the General Impression of LEGO Atlantis 8056, 8058, 8060.

By the Numbers:
Set: Atlantis 8056 Monster Crab Clash from the Atlantis theme
Type: Impulse (IMO) set for the Atlantis series, sea creature
# of Pieces: 68
# of Pieces Left Over: 2 (see photo below)
# of Minifigs and what kind: 1, a human diver with a speargun, complete with fins, air tanks and helmet
Stickers? Unfortunately yes, but not many (see photo below)
Price: $6.99 at Official LEGO Shop, Also at Amazon.com (price may vary)

Remember: click on the photos to see larger images at flickr (Full 8056-1 gallery at flickr)

Box Art : Nicely done – again, it’s an impulse set, but I think they’ve done a good job of capturing it.

Set Instructions: Well done – it’s an impulse set, things are clearly laid out, but there is little advertising for the other Atlantis sets.

The Minifig:

The Parts: Two bags, a mixture of parts.

Stickers:

Some photos of the sub-assemblies:

First part of the body:

The body has gained some eyes and a shell:

The body has now gained a mouth/pincers:

Can’t have a spider, I mean crab, without legs:

Extra pieces:

Completed:

Thoughts on Pricing, Design, and Build:
It’s an impulse set and it costs $6.99 USD (probably $6.49 elsewhere). If you’re on a tight budget, you could easily skip it – the diver can be found in other sets. If you can afford it, it’s a nice little sea creature that can give a set/diorama some atmosphere. It’s well designed and looks great, and the legs can be adjusted quite a few ways.

Thoughts – Parts and/or stickers:
I think it’s an efficient use of parts for the creature, but you’d be hardpressed to re-use most of them for something other than some kind of sea creature. Almost all are black or orange, so I can see some people snapping up quite a few of these to add to their parts collections. As for the stickers, somebody will come up with a MOC with an actual pair of eyes. I would recommend against using this as some kind of army builder type of set. You’ll end up with a lot of black and orange parts you might not be able to use elsewhere. If you need a lot of divers, you’re better off buying them through Bricklink once they become available on there. On the other hand, it would be kind of cool to have a bunch of these little beasties around.

Thoughts – Minifigs:
Nicely done, but the fins can be easily knocked off. Better that they are removable rather than molded into the minifig legs, as it is difficult if you plan on putting them in a vehicle or attaching them to something. Head is double printed and both faces are shown in the photo above, as well as the complete assembly. I’m wondering how long it takes before people start buying them and dropping them in their aquariums. The head is double-printed with a stern look and a scared look. I think a lot of people have been wanting a new diver, and if so, they are in luck. Hair or anything else like that can’t be worn while the helmet is on. Everything is printed.

Thoughts – Swoosh factor, playbility and integration with other sets:
Integration with other Atlantis sets? Yes. Swoosh factor? No. This would be one to hang on to for Halloween or as a background piece in the larger Atlantis sets that are coming.

Conclusion:
Whether it’s worth it or not comes down to your budget. If you want to get into the Atlantis system but are on a tight budget, skip this one. You’ll get the same diver elsewhere, and some of the creatures and bad guys in the other sets will dwarf this one – this is an impulse set after all. It’s a well built creature and like I said, would make for a good Halloween decoration – add another set of legs if you can pull it off. The big thing is, for a lot of people, the parts might not be re-usable. If you don’t mind keeping the set intact and want all of the Atlantis sets, I think it would be worth it. It fits into the Atlantis storyline, but you could probably mix it in with something Bionicle-related as well