LEGO City Stuntz: Double Loop Stunt Arena review

This holiday season we’re really embracing the versatility of LEGO as we’re exploring gift ideas. Today we’re checking out the Double Loop Stunt Arena from the LEGO City Stuntz line.

After checking out The Starry Night as a fantastic adult themed option, we definitely also wanted to explore an option for the younger audiences out there. An option that would be less challenging to build, and offered more ways to play post-build as well – the Double Loop Stunt Arena succeeds on both fronts, as it’s a relatively quick build with a number of ways in which you can play with it afterwards.

Of course the most eye-catching elements of the sets are its two giant loops – one orange, and one yellow. The included monster truck also has a ramp that comes down though, and we found that that one proved to be especially popular as pulling off jumps is significantly easier than successfully making it through a loop – let alone two loops in a row. The ultimate challenge? Make it through the green loop and trigger the snake trap at the end, then keep going and beat the orange loop as well, before finally racing up the truck’s ramp, through a blaze of fire, and finish underneath the included arch. It sounds and looks awesome, though we’ve only been able to pull off that particular feat once.

To do it, you’ll have to rely on the two included motorbikes – both of which feature wind-up functionality that kids seem to love playing with. Run it across the surface two or three time while holding it, then let go and watch it power forward. You’ll need decent aim to make the stunts, but that’s part of the fun and with a handful of stunt elements you can mix and match a little as well, crafting your own stunt show in the process.

Besides the stunt elements and bikes, the set also features an impressive seven minifigures, though instead of a camera man and some spectators we probably would have preferred an additional vehicle type instead. This would have probably also increased the brick count a bit, as the set has just under 600 parts – which is low for this price range, but can be explained by a large number of unique elements like the loops.

One of the plus sides about a relatively low brick count is that kids can be up and running very quickly. Save the truck and green loop (with the snake head) for last and you can be playing with this one very quickly. The orange loop as well as the bikes and accessories are fast builds you can set up in minutes so the kids can play with them very soon after unwrapping this as a holiday gift, and the more elaborate builds can be added later as this stunt arena is entirely modular in its design.

If you’re looking for a set that gets played with post-build, then this is a great option for the holidays. It’s quick to set up, offers multiple ways to play, and we’ve noticed that kids love making their own improv stunt scenarios as well, combining this Stuntz kit with some of their own stunt (and crash) options. It’s not the cheapest set out there by brick count, but we’ve rarely seen a set get more action after it was built, and that’s worth a lot when looking for an option for kids.