JMBricklayer is an alternative to Lego but is also Lego-compatible we have reviewed several of this brand’s products with the most recent being the mechanical dinosaur 70101. In this review, we took time to review and build the Chameleon 70124.

 

First Impressions/ What are we building? 

 

The Chameleon 70124 contains 827 pieces and once built features a bionic chameleon perched on a small tree. The pieces are mainly in shades of grey with some green sections and one light brick. If I had to compare this to a Lego product it would be the Technics brand. 

 

You will also notice when you open up the manual there is a brief explanation so it’s a bionic chameleon from the future hence the mechanical build. 

Who would I buy this for? 

 

The Chameleon makes the ideal Christmas gift for those who want who enjoy building Lego but might not be able to afford the models available from Lego Technics. This model is ideal for boys or girls and is suitable for kids 9+ this offering sparks creativity and offers endless hours of entertainment.

Unboxing 

 

The JMBricklayer chameleon 70124 comes in a cardboard box and inside you are provided with 827 building bricks that are separated into numbered bags. You are also provided with a small sheet of stickers, the light brick, a brick separator and last but not least the 94-page manual. 

Something to note is in the manual there is an explanation of how to use the brick separator and how to measure the axle pieces both are helpful as I found we needed the brick separator at times when I got a little stuck.

 

The Build/Setup

 

The Chameleon 70124 comes in five major sections that the manual is made up of and each section was numbered accordingly. You will also notice there are separate bags for the silver pieces and the green moulded pieces.

The first section was to build the main part of the body. You will notice this section has many very small pieces, so my wife was better suited to build this than myself. 

You will notice as well as having fun JMBricklayer has introduced education in the shape of SNOT techniques. You will notice this section has studs on four different sides.

 

This set comes with one cylindrical light brick with a built-in battery that is used to light up the pipe with a bright green colour designed to show the bionic parts. You are also provided with some extra stickers to add to the build. 

 

Once you have completed this section you can start to see the outline of the body. You will also notice this build pays a lot of attention to detail.  

The second section adds the detail to the body and you will build a small assembly which looks like a small engine this is used to connect the main body with two little pieces and it also connects the clear tube to the light brick. Be careful as this section is very unstable. This is an area in which JMBricklayer needs to improve but they seem to be aware as they call this section the “Hardest Part”. It’s no wonder you need to have a strong level of patience to build this. 

 

Once you are finished with section two the bionic nature of the body is on display you also have a rotating eye which should be in place and a set of spines along the top. 

The next section was building the tail and to do this you need to use the short connecting pieces to create sections that can contract or extend. This section offered a mixed response as it felt like they had cut corners to get it finished. 

Moving to the fourth section of the body was adding the Jaw, tongue and legs and this was very simple to do and once complete you have finished the chameleon. 

 

Last but not least was the fifth section which was building the tree and then perch the chameleon upon it. The base was very stable and the trunk was another demonstration of SNOT Technology with studs being on five sides.  

Performance

 

We took our time building this and spaced it out over 1 week but if you wanted it could be complete in just a few hours. We found this set to be very enjoyable even with the body section being very complicated. 

 

We found the design to be very detailed and highlight the high-tech nature of this build. It’s ideal for someone who is technically minded & enjoys a detail-rich build and is looking for a challenge. The inclusion of the bright green tube is fun but not massively needed. The set is designed for teenagers who have a lot of patience as once built it’s something to stay on display as a slight touch and the set could break.  

 

Verdict

 

The JMBricklayer Chameleon was a very enjoyable build and what I was pleased with is that once built you could even reuse on your Lego sets if you wish to build something even more creative. You will also notice that compared to Lego the build quality of the bricks is very close if not identical to what Lego. 

 

What could they improve – The Instructions! 

 

The instructions are clear, and easy, with only a few pieces per step. You will notice the previous steps are colored in white making it easy to see where to add the new bricks. You also have places to measure the axles and instructions on where to add the stickers. However, there feels like a few mistakes in the instructions for example what does the starburst icon mean? 

 

Orange and red pieces look identical in colour and some pages even had the wrong piece shown. This is very nitpicky overall the instructions are good and an experienced builder will be fine. 

 

Overall, the JMBricklayer Chameleon has that cyborg feel to it and if you are looking for something a little random on your shelf it sure ticks that box.  If you have teenage kids who enjoy building Lego is worth investing however, with the instructions a little limited this could put some bidding builders off. 

 

However, JMBricklayer has a range of fantastic designs to build and the Chameleon offered enjoyment in some much-needed downtime.  If you are looking to buy this it’s $59.99 from their online store or via Amazon. Do also check out our other JMBricklayer reviews.

Product Rating    

Design: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0

Features: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars

Sound Quality: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars

Value for Money: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0

Overall ranking: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars – 4.5 stars  

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