Hobbies And Interests
Out of the Box Bionicles
When you purchase a Bionicle set, it includes an instruction booklet and all the pieces to create the Bionicle shown on the cover. An inventory of the pieces with pictures and part numbers is listed at the back of the instruction booklet. Check your pieces before you start. If any part is missing from your set, contact Lego customer service via the Lego.com website with the kit's model number, which is printed on the outside of the box, and the part number, and they will send you a replacement free of charge. If you have lost the instruction booklet that comes with your kit, you can download a replacement from Lego.com. The instructions database is searchable by model number, model name and product brand or series.
Instructions for creating the Bionicle start on the first inside page of the booklet and follow a sequential order that is numbered with big bold numbers so they're easy to follow. Clear illustrations show you how your Bionicle will look after each piece is added. This will help you keep on track and let you know if you accidentally missed a step. Follow the instructions page by page to the end of the book and you will successfully build the Bionicle. Construction typically takes less than an hour.
Common Elements Bionicle Kits Share
Although each Bionicle model has unique pieces that make up that specific model, they all share a skeleton design similar to humans. The pieces in each kit also share the same type of connectors based to their purpose, which makes them interchangeable. The body and limbs, for example, have ball and joint connectors for movement, so they are easily swapped between different models. The other parts of the Bionicle use uniform pegs to attach them to the other pieces, so they are also interchangeable. If you first build a Bionicle according to the instruction booklet that comes in the box, this will familiarize you with the different methods for fitting Bionicle pieces together. Once you understand the overall construction design, you can branch out and create your own one-of-a-kind Bionicle from pieces of your various kits.
Create Your Own Bionicle
To create your own Bionicle, you will need these pieces from any Bionicle set: a head, a mask, a body, upper arms, lower arms or weapon, legs and feet. You can also add items to the the front or back of the body such as wings, tails, jet packs or additional weapons. Lay your pieces on a flat surface and arrange them to form the loose blueprint for a figure, with the head at the top. Then, starting with the head, connect each piece to the body in a top down fashion. Add accessories to the front or the back of the body once you have the limbs assembled and attached. When your one-of-a-kind Bionicle is finished, you can share a picture of your new creation with other Bionicle fans in the Bionicle gallery at Bionicle.Lego.com.