LEGO 72156 Trainer's Buggy Adventure with Squirtle: A Squirtle-tastic Ride?

Your wallet might be doing a little jig of relief. ₹2,900 for 320 pieces. That's a lot of cash for a small Pokémon adventure, even with the hype. We've seen this before – beloved characters, decent piece counts, but a price that makes you pause. This set, 72156 Trainer's Buggy Adventure with Squirtle, is no different. It lands in 2026, and while the idea of a firefighting Squirtle is amusing, the price tag gives us serious pause.

The set itself offers a rather unique premise: Squirtle in a buggy. It’s not something pulled directly from the Pokémon universe, which is a bit of a miss for purists. Instead, it feels like a creative interpretation, a vehicle designed to complement the aquatic turtle. The build includes a small sticker sheet, mostly for the buggy's remote control panel and some decorative elements. Thankfully, Squirtle himself is fully printed, a definite win. The detail on the printed tail piece, with different swirls for left and right, is a nice touch that shows LEGO’s attention to detail. The translucent yellow tile on the front of the buggy is a bit of an odd choice, sometimes looking jarringly dark.

Squirtle's construction is similar to other brick-built Pokémon figures, which is generally a good thing. The printed decorations are crisp and clean. The buggy itself has some fun play features, including water jet pieces that can be deployed from the exhaust, mirroring those seen in other Pokémon sets. There's also a hint towards potential SMART Brick integration, though the set itself doesn't include one. This means you can attach a SMART Brick directly to the buggy or to Squirtle if you have one, adding a layer of interactivity for those invested in the system.

However, the biggest talking point here is the value. At ₹2,900 for 320 pieces, the per-piece cost is quite high, almost 9 rupees per brick. While the printing on Squirtle is a premium feature, it doesn't quite justify the overall price. The buggy's design, while clever, doesn't feel substantial enough to command such a price. It's a set that seems aimed at younger builders who are big Pokémon fans, and for them, the appeal of Squirtle is undeniable. But for the discerning adult collector or even a parent looking for good value, this set is a tough sell at the expected price. We're definitely in the wait-for-a-sale camp here.

Official Indian pricing hasn't been announced yet, but our estimate is ₹2,900 (LEGO India hasn't confirmed it). That's roughly the cost of four months of Spotify Premium or about 11.6 kg of decent Alphonso mangoes. LEGO.in and Toycra will likely stock this when it becomes available. Code ABHINAV12 takes 12% off full-price sets at Toycra, minimum order ₹500.

On that bombshell, it's time to say goodbye. I'll see you on the next one. Bubyee.

Verdict: WAIT. Good set, but the price will drop.

Standard disclaimer: if you're rich, you can skip the verdict and just buy it. The rest of us will be here doing math before we hit checkout.