LEGO Marvel 76210 Hulkbuster’s reception only gets worse the closer you get

The reactions to LEGO Marvel 76210 Hulkbuster haven’t improved much since it was first seen online – and perhaps have gotten even worse as more reviews start to file in.

The early reactions to the upcoming LEGO Marvel set were largely unfavourable, with fans pointing out various design flaws and complaining about the admittedly high price. At £474.99, it does seem steep for a set without many side-builds or minifigures, despite the main build being gargantuan.

76210 Hulkbuster isn’t out until November 4 (for VIPs, ahead of a wide November 9 launch), but some LEGO reviewers have had the chance to look at the set up close ahead of its release. In some ways, it’s even worse than at first feared, with issues with the stability and build process dampening the hopes for a solid set. Here’s what they had to say.

– Set details –

Theme: LEGO Marvel Set name: 76210 Hulkbuster Release: November 4 (VIPs), November 9 (wide), 2022

Price: £474.99 / $549.99 / €549.99 Pieces: 4,049 Minifigures: 1

LEGO: Available November 4 (VIPs)

The proportions result in a myriad of structural problems

Even in the early images of the set, fans were quick to notice that the proportions of the set seemed off. This suspicion has only been confirmed as reviewers manage to examine 76210 up close.

Hello Bricks spotted problems with virtually every part of the Hulkbuster’s body, writing: “The waist is a little too thin, the chest a little too flat, the arc reactor a little too discreet, the arms a little too skinny, the shoulder armour a little too light, and the head a little too encased in the armour.”

Despite acknowledging that the articulation of the arms, legs, and fingers is impressive, Hoth Bricks ultimately agrees that the overall proportions and size have missed the mark.

“It must be admitted that the shoulders or the pelvis of the armour here are far from faithful to the reference armour, with one side feeling like a Japanese mech… and the other giving the fleeting impression that this Hulkbuster is swaddled in a toddler’s diaper,” the LEGO reviewer writes.

Many fragile parts make the building process more stressful than fun

While building LEGO sets should ideally be an enjoyable task, all three of the reviewers included here discussed how parts kept breaking or falling apart during the build process.

“There are more gaps and holes than a slice of swiss cheese, it’s so fragile, and has very limited movement,” LEGO YouTuber AshnFlash summarises in his video description.

Hoth Bricks similarly agreed that the build process was largely fun, but that ‘we quickly realised that we would have to be very careful when moving the set’ for fear of losing decorative add-ons or even entire limbs.

“Certain decorative elements are only fixed by one joint, so it will sometimes happen that you have to come back and fix certain pieces that come off while you are handling it,” reported Hello Bricks.

Everything centres around fitting 76206 Iron Man Figure inside – but why?

A lot of the issues to do with proportions and design seem to stem from changes required to fit LEGO Marvel 76206 Iron Man Figure inside 76210 Hulkbuster, but most reviewers agree that this was an unnecessary and detrimental decision.

“From the beginning of the assembly of the torso of this Hulkbuster, we realised leaving room for the figurine had become a necessity and that everything else or almost is only a consequence of this choice,” writes Hoth Bricks.

AshnFlash also tests out a number of different buildable figures to see if they fit in, including 76226 Spider-Man Figure and 76225 Miles Morales Figure. Although they do fit, he notes that he doesn’t think this compatibility is worth all of the design flaws it created, dubbing this set ‘the worst LEGO Marvel Super Heroes set to date’.

‘It would have been better off if it wasn’t trying to be the one from the movie’

“I look at this, I see the pointy shoulders and it reminds me of the mech,” AshnFlash argues. Throughout his video, the YouTuber highlights that the build was let down by chasing after a dream of a set that simply wasn’t possible.

Hello Bricks agrees that 76210 Hulkbuster hasn’t gone far enough to look like the suit from Avengers: Age of Ultron, writing that: “Those who are ready to spend €550 for a giant Hulkbuster want above all a design as faithful as possible to the armour seen in the film, the possibility of fitting an Iron Man from another set should be totally secondary.”

For so many problems, the price of the set is unjustifiable

“The price of this is insane,” says AshnFlash, putting it clearly and succinctly. He goes on to break down the price per piece, it comes to $0.13 which is above average, according to him.

Hoth Bricks agrees, saying that the quality of the set doesn’t justify the price: “I am one of those who expect at least an acceptable finish from products when I pay such a high price and this Hulkbuster pays the price for a lack of care, which is unacceptable to me.”

“The big sheet of stickers is still just as frustrating in a display set over €500,” agrees Hello Bricks, echoing complaints from the other two that the apparent value of the set doesn’t seem worth its actual price.

— Summary —

Ultimately, it was this attempt at compatibility with 76206 Iron Man Figure that resulted in all the problems the reviewers and fans have outlined, coupled with an eye-wateringly high price. While the initial idea may have been sound, it appears execution has let this LEGO Marvel set down dramatically. If you did want to build 76210 Hulkbuster for yourself, it’s available to purchase from November 4 for VIP members, or November 9 for everyone else.

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