LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle finally makes good on Spider-Man: No Way Home’s climactic collision of characters from across the multiverse, but gets caught up in one too many compromises.
The LEGO Group found instant success with 76178 Daily Bugle in 2021, turning one of the Spider-Man universe’s most memorable locations into a towering backdrop for a medley of minifigures – some old, some new, some borrowed and some blue. 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle seeks to replicate that experience at around a quarter of the size for a third of the price.
This is a playset that knows its minifigures are the main draw, as they often are within the Marvel and DC ranges – but the build still needs to offer enough to justify the cost of entry, even in a character-heavy set. And if those minifigures aren’t up to scratch? Well, then you’re in real trouble. Let’s see if our friendly neighbourhood superhero can swing his way to success with a condensed version of a familiar recipe…
--- LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle set details ---
Theme: LEGO Marvel Set name: 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle Release date: August 1, 2023
Price: £94.99 / $109.99 / €104.99 Pieces: 900 Minifigures: 9
LEGO:
--- Where to buy LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle ---
LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle is available now at LEGO.com, in LEGO Stores and through select third-party retailers. Check out the latest prices below.
[bdproduct search='76261' sort='discount' numberOfRecord='4' brand='' sliderMinValues='0' sliderMaxValues='750']--- LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle build ---
One of the strongest decisions made during 76178 Daily Bugle’s design process was transforming the soaring skyscraper from tan to grey, sapping the colour from the building to make it completely neutral. The result is a model that is maybe not much of a looker on its own – but provides the perfect setting for its sprawling cast of heroes and villains to do battle without pulling focus from the action. It all adds up to a perfect display model that knowingly tips its hat to the reason many of us were still collecting superhero sets in 2021.
76261 Spider-Man Final Battle essentially tries to do the same thing with the climax of Spider-Man: No Way Home, almost two years on from the big-screen debut of the wall-crawler’s third solo MCU movie. We’re way beyond spoiler territory now, so the LEGO Group can safely include all three cinematic Spider-Men in the one set without giving the game away. And with a multitude of villains and supporting characters on the table, this is another set that carves out its space on shelves by virtue of its minifigures first, and its build second.
There are two ways to tell the model here plays second fiddle: one, the LEGO Group has deployed the same trick of draining it of colour, which is relatively easy to do given the subject matter. Lady Liberty’s head has been restored to her original copper colour for her rebranding as Liberty Avenger, so a monochromatic build is the order of the day. The grey scaffolding contrasts with the predominantly nougat model, but not in a way that adds any visual interest – everything here is relatively drab. But that’s honestly as it should be.
The second clue to the build taking a backseat is that the designers have effectively borrowed it wholesale from 70840 Welcome to Apocalypseburg!, which includes a much bigger slice of the Statue of Liberty in its oxidised sand green colour. The head in 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle shares much of its design with that LEGO Movie 2 set, so it’s going to feel pretty familiar if you’re lucky enough to own Apocalypseburg.
Is that a bad thing? Well, if it ain’t broke… and even four years on from that earlier set’s release, it absolutely isn’t. This is still a fine approach to Lady Liberty’s bonce, even while swapping out the pointed rubbery crown elements for studded plastic alternatives (for better placement of minifigures, presumably) – and those sausages for eyebrows are just as much of a crowd-pleaser.
The scaffolding strewn around the head serves both visual and functional purposes, meanwhile, recreating the in-progress restoration of the statue in the movie while also offering space for its minifigures to battle. There are bars on which to clip Doc Ock’s arms; platforms for Ned and MJ to run across; and convenient attachment points for the transparent bar elements that allow the characters to be placed in action poses.
This all adds up to an effective stomping ground for the minifigures, and in that way 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle feels like the rare location-based set that works equally well for play and display. Like 76178 Daily Bugle, the build might not be anything worth shouting from the rooftops about – but pop on the minifigures, and the entire scene instantly comes to life...
--- LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle characters ---
76261 Spider-Man Final Battle includes nine minifigures, all of whom are pivotal to the climax of Spider-Man: No Way Home, so none of whom we could really have done without. And full credit to the LEGO Marvel team for including them all, because you could easily have seen Doctor Strange, MJ and Ned left on the cutting room floor. But look a little closer at that supporting cast, and the cracks start to show.
First, the good: the three Spider-Men (Messrs Holland, Maguire and Garfield) are all pretty much perfect, rightly the stars of the show in a set championing their silver screen team-up. They each have dual-moulded legs, costume-specific torso and mask printing and alternative head and hair elements, most of which are fine choices for their respective actors.
The three villains – Doc Ock, Electro and Green Goblin – are more of a mixed bag. There are other hairpieces that might have worked better for Otto Octavius, for example, while his face print feels closer to a generic comic interpretation than specifically based on Alfred Molina. Elsewhere, Electro and Green Goblin both fall into the trap of too much detail on their torsos – particularly Norman Osborn, whose otherwise plain arms and legs look jarring next to his busy torso. But points for Electro’s brick-built electricity effects, which go a long way to selling his character, and Doc Ock’s printed torso and legs hit just the right amount of detail.
Doctor Strange is a minifigure we’ve seen plenty of times before in recent years, and remains just as effective as ever with his moulded cape element, but Ned and MJ are almost an afterthought: neither is accurately dressed for the scene in the movie (MJ’s jumper should be red and white; Ned’s jacket should be blue and yellow), for which there’s really no excuse this far out from release. And the less said about Sandman (Sandhand?) the better...
For the starring role the characters play in 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle, it’s a shame that really only five or six of its minifigures are actually at the top of their game. Come for the Spideys, stay for a couple of the villains, and don’t put too much stock in the rest.
--- LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle price ---
That the minifigures aren’t quite everything we hoped immediately speaks to the value of 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle, which doesn’t fare well next to its bigger sibling. Pop this alongside 76178 Daily Bugle and try to reconcile that it’s a third of that set’s price, then tell us how you get on, because we’re having a hard time with it. It just doesn’t feel quite like £95 of LEGO when all’s said and done.
There are things to enjoy here, but compromises and shortcuts across its character selection are difficult to tolerate at full price. Bag it on sale and you’ll find less to grumble about.
--- LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle pictures ---
--- LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle pros and cons ---
Some playsets suffer for being too juniorised (in that they don’t look great on the shelf), while some larger sets feel too restrictive in how you can display them. 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle strikes a perfect middle ground, painting its canvas with characters to bring the scene to life however you choose. It’s a little expensive, and a couple of its minifigures feel underbaked, but this is essentially the No Way Home set we’ve been waiting for all along.
| 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle pros | 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle cons |
|---|---|
| Almost every character you’d want in the box | Build will be a little too familiar if you own Apocalypseburg |
| Smart use of colour to make the minifigures the focus | Supporting cast could have used a little extra love |
| Plenty of play and display potential | Feels expensive for the size of the final build |
This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.
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--- Alternatives to LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle ---
If it’s a superhero showdown built atop a black base you’re after – but you can’t stand Spider-Man – the LEGO Group has conveniently just launched an alternative model in that niche category in 76266 Endgame Final Battle, which retails for exactly the same price in the UK and Europe (and $10 cheaper in the US).
For more Spidey goodness on an unlimited budget, the obvious choice is 76178 Daily Bugle, which effectively does the same thing as 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle (building a backdrop on which to paint minifigure mayhem) but on a much bigger scale.
--- LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle FAQs ---
How long does LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle take to build?
LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle takes around an hour and a half to assemble. Build it while watching Spider-Man: No Way Home to draw out the experience.
How many pieces are in LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle?
LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle includes a satisfying 900 pieces exactly, or 100 pieces per each of its nine minifigures. Quick maths.
How big is LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle?
LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle stands 18cm tall, 20cm wide and 22cm deep without its minifigures, which you can then add on to display in any way that fits your setup. The most attractive configurations will increase the height at a minimum, and likely the depth and width, too.
How much does LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle cost?
LEGO Marvel 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle retails for £94.99 in the UK, $109.99 in the US and €104.99 in Europe, and is available to buy now.
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