Bionicle was one of the coolest Lego themes ever, and the best Lego Bionicle sets will go down in history as some of the company’s best. Using Lego Technic pieces, Lego company designed buildable action figures that appeared part mechanical and part biological, and crafted a rich lore for an ever-growing roster of characters.
Bionicle was cancelled almost a decade ago, but there is one Lego Bionicle 2023 model still available from the official Lego store. The rest of the Bionicle Lego sets can be found second-hand online, though some now rank among the most expensive Lego sets thanks to scarcity. Take good care of your kits: replacing some of the rare Lego pieces that make up these builds can be tricky.
- Brutaka – best Bionicle titan
- Barraki – best villains
- Toa Metru – best heroes
- Axalara T9 – best Bionicle vehicle
- Umarak the Hunter – best G2 Bionicle set
1. Brutaka
The best Bionicle titan set, Brutaka was ahead of its time.
Pros
- Great character design
- Transforms to reveal extra arms
- Stable despite its size
Cons
- Wide mask can limit movement
- No gear-based moving parts
Bionicle’s formidable warrior scholar, Brutaka is an awesome Bionicle titan character, who jumped between the role of hero and villain throughout his time in the franchise. One of the most hyped up Bionicle sets ever created, this Bionicle titan was a steal at just $20 when it released in 2006, but good luck finding it at that price now.
Brutaka is our pick for the best titan Bionicle Lego set because it’s a great all-rounder. His gold and dark blue color scheme looks great, the wide mask is unique and imposing, and this massive build has good stability thanks to the pistons in its legs. It has superb detail and looks like a really complete, flowing design: definitely one of the best Bionicles from the period it was released.
Brutaka has few extra bells or whistles. What you see is what you get, and what that is is a great big gold Bionicle. That is until you pull down its shoulder blades, which transform into an extra pair of stabby, bladed arms.
2. Barraki
The Barraki are the best Bionicle villains thanks to their varied designs.
Pros
- Varied designs
- Unique sea creature theme shines through
- Highly posable
Cons
- No gear-based moving parts
- Squid launchers are frustrating to use
Whereas most Bionicle villain teams were not far from being palette swaps of the same model, Lego really raised the bar in 2007 with the Barraki. This group of mutant warlords from the depths of the ocean had amazing designs.
They were loosely based on different sea creatures, like sharks and crabs, but all had a spooky ‘deep sea abyss’ vibe as well. Their bold color schemes also impress, from the shocking blood red and white of Pridak to the luminous green spines of Ehlek.
The Barraki stand out as some of the most innovative and varied designs for a Bionicle villain team to date. But while they’re the strongest in terms of design, the Barraki do lose some marks on the playability front. Though highly posable, they lack moving parts, and the squid launchers were one of Bionicle’s worst launcher gimmicks – just incredibly hard to use.
3. Toa Metru
The Toa Metru took Bionicle Lego sets to the next level.
Pros
- Improved gear function with hidden cogs
- Weapons can be moved for dual function
Cons
- Less colorful than previous Toa
While it’s tempting to put the original Toa Mata in this slot, we actually think the Toa Metru are more deserving of the title of best Bionicle Toa. That’s because these Lego Bionicles take the concept trail blazed by the first Toa models and refine it into something even better.
The Toa Metru have really cool, angular designs with more articulation than the Toa Mata or Nuva, and a gear system elegantly concealed in their torsos. They have knees, truly fulfilling the concept of Lego action figures.
The Toa Metru also have cool, very varied mask designs, and for most of the kits their weapons can be taken off the models and placed elsewhere, becoming snow shoes, wings, a big drill, or even a jetpack. The only slight downside to the Toa Metru is the color scheme. The dark, one tone colored section, combined with the grey weapons, can leave these Bionicles looking a little drabber than their predecessors.
4. Axalara T9
The best Bionicle vehicle is the sleek, imposing Axalara T9.
Pros
- Enormous
- Midak Skyblasters pop out to fire
- Fins open and close with gears
Cons
- Enormous
- Pricey
One of the few Bionicle Lego sets that you could feasibly wield in self defence, the Axalara T9 is the biggest, most expensive and (we think) best of the 2008 battle vehicles sets. This Bionicle comes packed with play features.
It has two fireable Midak Skyblasters (Bionicle’s most powerful launcher system) that pop out when you turn a wheel. It also has adjustable landing gear, and blades or fins at the back that another gear opens up when you’re ready to fly. All the elegant moving parts make the build feel like a real machine.
What makes this Lego Bionicle set really great for play, however, is the handle underneath, which provides an easy handhold when you’re zooming it around. In 2008, with the winged Toa Phantoka, Bionicle was all about flight, and the Axalara T9 was the perfect weapon to dominate the skies.
5. Umarak the Hunter
Best G2 bionicle
Pros
- Comes with two masks
- Parts can be removed to make Shadow trap
- Badass antlers
Cons
- Lacks the skeletal/robotic feel of old Bionicle
- Fiddly build
Bionicle G2 was all kinds of controversial, thanks in part to the simplified story that came with the 2015 reboot of the theme. Umarak the Hunter is one of the highlights of the run, however. The design is great for the big bad of a set, radiating menace thanks to the black and luminous green color scheme. We love how over the top they went with the antlers. Bigger. No, make them Bigger!
In terms of posability, the two handed weapon might be troublesome, but luckily the gear function helps quite a bit here, as it allows his upper torso to spin, helping you to aim the bow. While it does make Umarak look a bit busy, there’s plenty of added features to enjoy on this Bionicle, from a skittering shadow trap you can make out of removable pieces, to compatibility with a bunch of the G2 creature models (we suggest the green one, to avoid clashing colors).
For more brick-based articles, check out our picks for the best Lego sets of all time. You might also enjoy the best Star Wars Lego sets, or the biggest Lego sets ever made.