(Written by William)
I haven’t gone out of my way to collect any of the LEGO Jurassic Park/World sets. I do think the dinos are cool, but I just don’t really care for the rest of the intellectual property. However, the #76964 LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: T. Rex Skull did pique my interest. I am a big fan of LEGO art/sculpture/display pieces as they typically feature unique building techniques, and the T. Rex Skull looks like a sculpture that could be interesting to build. Plus, it is only $39.99, which is low compared to the other LEGO display sets. So, let’s take a look at what it has to offer.
LEGO T. REX SKULL – WHAT YOU BUILD
The model can easily be divided into three major components. There is the stand that holds the two display pieces, the footprint, and the skull. These are all broken up into six numbered bag steps, which seems a bit excessive for a set of this size, but they do make the building process easier.
You start by building the stand that holds the other pieces. The odd angles give the stand a more organic look and they also allow the two main features of the model to face slightly outward thereby improving the viewing angles and thus the display quality.
There is one tiny little hidden Easter egg in this section found on a transparent orange 1×1 brick; a printed insect trapped in amber, which has preserved the dinosaur’s DNA – at least according to the original movie. This is the only printed element in the model. And I might as well mention it here that the only sticker is the plaque.
The next section you build is the footprint. This features roughly a layer of plates with a layer of tiles and plates. Surrounding these tiles are brackets that hang over the flat surface. From these brackets, you use a variety of slopes to sculpt out a footprint. This and the color contrast give significant depth to the print and also make it more easily seen from a distance.
Finally, the majority of the set is devoted to building the skull. I do like the variety of tans used to show the age of the skull and how time has left its mark. The top part of the jaw serves as the main core structure for the skull. This is where you see most of the reinforcing of the model.
What I found most interesting was that throughout the build of the skull, I couldn’t exactly tell when it started to look like a skull. This may sound like a bad thing, but on the contrary, it kept me interested to see what would come next.
Once you get away from the top section of the jaw and the back part of the skull, the rest of the model is a bit more fragile. The lower jaw and then the top section of the head are held together by clips, bars, and finger-hinges. This means, despite the set’s age rating of 9+, don’t expect the model to hold up to any rigorous play. As it is, the jaw has only two positions, closed and a bit open. Elements in the model are built in to create natural stopping points for the jaw to prevent it from looking silly and prevent putting unusual amounts of stress on the joints.
LEGO T. REX SKULL – EXTRA CLUTCH POWER
Another issue I wondered about was the excessive openness in a skull. Did LEGO designers have any tricks up their sleeve to make the model more secure? Are we not seeing some cleverly hidden LEGO Technic pieces in the bones? Turns out, they just used parts with a higher clutch power.
I haven’t talked with many people about this, but I’ve noticed the newer plates that are rounded on the ends have a stronger grip than ordinary LEGO pieces. The most common of these is the 1×2 plate with rounded ends and hollow studs. Given the fact they are made to be slightly turned, it’s possible that LEGO part designers determined to give them just a bit more clutch power than normal.
And wouldn’t you know it, throughout the skull, you see heavy use of these plates. LEGO designers clearly know that these pieces will help hold things together. Now I can’t be certain as they could have also made this choice to reduce the number of different types of parts found in the model. This is a normal practice for LEGO to reduce costs and extra sorting time by having fewer different elements in a set. Whatever the case, these pieces do provide the added benefit of being more secure. If you have any of these types of plates in your collection, 1×2, 1×3, or even 1×4 with rounded ends, see if they grip better than their square counterparts. You might be surprised.
LEGO T. REX SKULL – FINAL THOUGHTS
I know that many LEGO fans will pass on this model as it doesn’t include a minifigure. However, for me, the part I like about LEGO Jurassic Park/World is the dinosaurs. So, I have no need for a minifigure if I get a good dino experience. And I have to say that I did indeed have a good time with this set. The building techniques – though simple in nature – have you subtly build something rather foreign. And the price is low enough that most LEGO fans can give it a try if they are curious to build something like this.
Another feature to consider is that the dino skull seems to be fairly close to minifigure scale. I could see fans using it in the new LEGO Natural History Museum, or perhaps in a LEGO City display. Some fans might even use the skull as a template to build the rest of the T. Rex skeleton.
It’s also worth noting that the name of this set is #76964 LEGO Dinosaur Fossils: T. Rex Skull. It seems to indicate that this might be a new series with more dino fossils to come and collect. The series doesn’t even have to rely on the Jurassic theme. Sure, the branding is there, but that might be more just to get the right audience looking at this and possible future models in the collection. Personally, I don’t think you need to be a Jurassic fan to enjoy this set. Fans of dinos, fans of unique art and display pieces, fans of natural history, and builders wanting to work on something unique will all have a good time with this model. Will this set do well? That’s for history to decide… or is it prehistory? If you want to check it out, it will be available starting January 1st at the LEGO Jurassic Park section of the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? How do you like the T. Rex Skull? Would you be interested in other dinosaur fossil sets? And what do you think of the building techniques? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below!
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