Growing up in the 80s and 90s, there was one franchise which my little brother and I adored more than the rest: Masters of the Universe. Over the years the franchise’s popularity has waned a little, with new shows and toys popping up every couple of years. Lately, though the franchise has seen its popularity surge, thanks, in part to, the new Netflix animated shows. Being a huge fan of He-Man, Skeletor and all the other Eternians, I was over the moon when I got my hands on one of the latest toys from the franchise, the MEGA Construx Masters of the Universe Havoc Staff.
For those who aren’t familiar with the MEGA Constux brick building system, it is similar to the LEGO system in many respects. However, there are a few notable differences, especially some bricks I have never seen before in any other brick building system. But, for the most part, it works the same.
MEGA Construx Masters of the Universe Havoc Staff comes in a small box considering that it is a life-size replica of the staff Skeletor wields.
Opening the box you are greeted with a couple of numbered bags filled with mostly purple bricks — the colour of evil. Seeing all the bags is intimidating at first but the included full-colour instruction manual does a great job walking you through the construction process.
Now I have to mention that this was quite a complicated build considering that it mostly consists of the hilt of the staff. This was also the part that concerned me the most as I was worried that such a long, narrow and straight section would be flimsy and that you would not be able to wield it in the same way Skeletor does.
As I started to complete the build I realises that my fears were unfounded. The hilt of the staff turned out to be surprisingly sturdy, thanks in part to some creative construction methods. The most complicated part though was the horns for the goat skull. Again, I wasn’t sure how one would be able to get a curve using square bricks. I would lie if I didn’t mention that I had to page through the instruction booklet a few times, as I did end up making a few mistakes, but this was mostly due to my incompetence and rush to wield the completed MEGA Construx Masters of the Universe Havoc Staff.
The finished Skeletor staff ended up being very detailed. From the embellishments around the staff itself to the tiny little goat teeth adorning the skull, each part was meticulously recreated in little bricks.
Of course, one of the biggest questions is how it feels to wield this 1-to-1 replica of one of the most powerful artefacts in Eternia? To be honest, the MEGA Construx Masters of the Universe Havoc Staff turned out to be very sturdy and I could swing it around without it coming apart. Some of the embellishments around the top of the staff can at times come loose but it’s not a common issue.
It is very rare for a brick kit to be so sturdy, and I can see this set being played with by kids and adults alike. Whether you are looking for a new brick building set for your collection, or you want to swing around one of Skeletor’s most recognised weapons, the Mega Construx Masters of the Universe Havoc Staff is just for you. It would definitely make a great addition to any Masters of the Universe collection.