Before tumbling through doom-filled temples and flying through the air in fridges, Indiana Jones’ debut adventure saw him in search of the Ark of the Covenant. This ancient treasure is said to hold immense power, but its exact location has been hidden. After a trip to Naples to reunite with Marion Ravenwood, Indy heads to Egypt and with help from his old pal Sallah, they learn of the Ark’s true location. But these don’t always go well for Dr Jones and he soon finds himself entombed in the very snake-filled tomb he helped to uncover. This moment from Raider of the Lost Ark is the inspiration for the last of my LEGO Indiana Jones sets reviews. It’s also the second largest of the new sets, so let’s take a look at the Escape from the Lost Tomb.
Product Details
Set Name: Escape from the Lost Tomb | Set Number: 77013 | Pieces: 600 | Theme: Indiana Jones
RRP: £34.99/$39.99/39.99€ | Number of Bags: Bags x 4 | Instructions: Paper + Builder App | Minifigures: Indiana Jones, Marion Ravenwood, Sallah & a Mummy | Stickers: Sheets x 1
Availability: LEGO Stores, LEGO Online & General Retail From April 1st
After losing the Golden Idol to Balloq, Indiana turns his attention to finding another treasure, one far more valuable. His research takes him to Egypt where he reunites with Sallah, an old friend with expertise in excavation. The pair head to the German dig site after locating the true location of the Ark of the Covenant. As they uncover the hidden tomb and retrieve the Ark, they are ambushed and Indy is trapped in the tomb with Marion. The set recreates the moment Indy and Marion search for a way to escape the enclosed tomb, which is filled with deadly snakes.
The set could be considered a remake of one of the original LEGO Indiana Jones sets released in 2008. Set 7621 also recreates the tomb where Indiana Jones located the Ark. This set is similar in terms of scale but is far more detailed and makes use of newer elements, plus it bumps up the minifigure count and features a trio of fun play features.
The base of the build is quite simple with a couple of large plates used for the floor and a mismatch of bricks used to create the back wall. This gives it the feeling of being a long-buried temple built many years before. I like the various gaps and odd angles found on the wall section. They are even complimented by the use of stickers.
After my disdain for their use in the Raiders diorama set, they are welcomed in this set. Not only do they add detail, but the stickers also feature some fun Easter Eggs. One is tied to the Indiana Jones movie which featured a hieroglyphic of bickering Star Wars Droids Artoo and Threepio. They are even stylised to look like their LEGO variants. This sticker is found on the temple altar gate. The others have a LEGO connection, with a pair of faces on the back wall inspired by BIONICLE and Exo-force.
One of the best aspects of the set has to be the play features it contains. They all revolve around the wall of the set. The first is a simple slide which lets you drop a snake into the room. The second is found behind the back wall, where you find a small room-like structure. The roof can be dropped to recreate the moment Marion comes face to face with a previously alive folk. But the most satisfying feature expertly recreates the moment Indy escapes the tomb.
You’ll notice two large statues framing the set. Although they look alike, the statue on the right is mounted on a hinged plinth and can be knocked backwards where it will hit the back wall. A small section of this is also mounted on a hinged connector so it topples when hit by the statue. It works perfectly and the section of the wall stays together despite the force of the statue hitting it.
Despite only being a small part of the overall set, the Ark of the Covenant is an important artefact and it’s been nicely recreated in brick form. It’s a much better design compared to the version from 2008. In fact, it’s a vast improvement and can still be carried by minifigures although the handles are a little short.
The set features four minifigures, all of which are unique to this set. Indy offers another variant of the series main character, although his outfit is the same as that featured in the Temple of the Golden Idol set and the same dual expression head from the Fighter Plane Chase set, this version has gloves. Yes, it’s not a massive difference but it’s enough to make it unique. Indy is joined by Marion Ravenwood, who also appeared in a similar set from back in 2008. Thankfully, this version drops the blue eyes and the overall print detail on her face and white dress is much better than the original minifigure. The use of dual-moulded legs also helps to improve her outfit, although there’s a slight section with skin tone print on it that is a little iffy.
The additional two minifigures are all-new with a new version of a minifigure Mummy. This one is a little more weathered compared to some of the others we’ve seen and offers a friendly-looking version of a former tomb explorer. Finally, for the first time ever in physical minifigure form, we have Sallah. This much-loved character has only ever appeared as a minifigure in the LEGO Indiana Jones video games. As he helps Indy enter the lost tomb, he’s dressed to blend in with the other workers. He’s wearing a makeshift turban in the scene but the bandaged ‘hat’ was first used on Clumsy Guy CMF.
Overall
This is another wonderful little set and one filled with fun play features. I particularly like the toppling statue and wall function. I made a big deal about the stickers in the Temple of the Golden Idol and this set’s stickers are very welcomed and add to the charm of the set, especially the little Easter Eggs. I would say, it felt like it needed a few more snakes, there are a few dotted about the set but a couple more would have been fun. It’s also nice to finally get a Sallah minifigure, it’s quite surprising it’s taken so long. Overall, the set straddles the appeals of the other two Indiana Jones sets. It’s not as expensive as the diorama set, but also offers a build which can be displayed, despite the play features.
Coming Soon: UKIrelandUSCanadaGermanyDenmarkAustraliaNew Zealand
This set was provided BricksFanz and provided by the LEGO Group for review purposes. The thoughts within this review are that of BricksFanz and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group. Providing a set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.
