If there’s one thing there aren’t enough of, it’s fully buildable dinosaur brick sets. While that’s true of LEGO, there are alternative less well-known brands that have some options that are worth a closer look.
One example is Forange and their excellent “Simulation Model Dinosaurs” range. This line-up of buildable dinosaurs offers a great selection of different models, with the biggest and best being the 2,250-piece Brachiosaurus (FC6206).
Besides the Brachiosaurus, there are loads of great dinosaur sets from Forange – with everything from a Stegosaurus and a buildable Triceratops toy, to a T-Rex set, or what I’ve personally got my eye on with a mind to pick up – the Spinosaurus and Dilophosaurus sets.
All these sets retail at a similar $50 price point, are 2k+ pieces, rated for ages 6+ years, and frankly, outdo any Lego Dinosaur set that I’ve seen come to market in recent years.
Table of Contents
The build
Everything comes in numbered bags that correspond to each step in the instruction manual, which is great for a product from a Chinese brick maker. There are 10 bags in total – 8 for the main model, and 2 for the smaller one – there’s also a loose base plate that’s used in the construction of the small model.
The build takes no more than a few hours, depending on how experienced a builder you are, and takes a total 217 steps to complete. It was relatively easy to complete, with the instructions being clear and easy to follow. I’d highly recommend this set to anyone looking for a relatively straightforward, frustration-free evening of brick building.
I had a couple of problems with the build – although these were entirely my own fault. The biggest issue was having to rebuild the rear legs, as I’d misunderstood where the piece that connects the legs to the body should go, so was unable to snap the completed legs together as they didn’t line up. As I said, entirely my fault, and although slightly annoying, it didn’t take very long to put right.
The finished model
What impresses most about this building dinosaur is its size – this thing is huge! Complete, it stands at 24” tall and measures 20” long, making it the biggest buildable dinosaur set of any brick brand – and a must-have for dinosaur-loving brick fans.
The head, neck, legs, and tail of this model are all articulated, which – despite being limited – make this it highly posable. It’s a little big and heavy to play with – and in all honesty, a little bit flimsy, especially if manhandled by a 4-year-old as mine was – but it’s ideal for displaying, being very stable, even when standing on just 3 legs.
Besides its size, I really like the way it looks, with it’s muscular, organic aesthetic, and olive green and orange color palette – it has a lot more realism than other sets. It also features articulated head, neck, legs, and tail, making it highly posable. And while it’s a little big and heavy to play with, it’s great as a display piece – being stable, even when standing on just 3 legs.
It also comes with an accompanying smaller model, styled to look like a museum exhibit – featuring several Brachiosaurus stats on a plastic plaque inscribed in both English and Chinese. It’s a nice touch and gave my little one something to build herself as I cracked on with the main model.
Price and value
The set offers great value for money, with an average cost of just $0.02 per brick – way less than the $0.11 average you get with LEGO. I picked mine up for just over $40 on sale, including shipping, which took about 3-4 weeks to get to me. It’s also LEGO-compatible – so if you don’t mind mixing and matching your bricks, sets like these offer an excellent budget alternative to official LEGO.
Something to note is If you’re planning to order this from AliExpress, like I did, you won’t get the sound module or retail box – which, although annoying, isn’t a deal-breaker. The sound module is the same used in all these dinosaur building sets from Forange, offering an unrealistic T-Rex roar – so not having it is no big deal, especially with how much more you’ll pay for it.
If you absolute must have the box and sound brick, you can buy these from other retailers, including bluebrixx, but expect to pay $10-20 more for the kit. For me, the extra cost simply isn’t worth it, so I’d stick with AliExpress.
Summing it up
The Brachiosaurus (FC6206) from Forange is hands-down one of the best, fully-buildable dinosaur brick toys on the market – and is not just fun to build, it’s also impressive complete and well-worth it’s modest $50 price tag.
When it comes to quality, the bricks, instructions, and numbered bags give it a LEGO-like quality, making for an enjoyable, easily organized build that makes for an enjoyable evening or weekend build that won’t take more than a few hours to complete.
My experience with this set has been great – and as a result, I’m now a big fan of the somewhat obscure Chinese brick manufacturer and will most definitely be revisiting the company’s buildable dinosaur model line-up again soon, investing in one or many of their impressive, 2k+ piece dinosaur sets.
If you’re a lover of all-things dinosaurs and a LEGO fan, this kit is a no-brainer. This one is definitely worth a pick-up as a solid addition to any dinosaur collection.
Buy it (new): From $56, AliExpress.com
No Comment! Be the first one.