LEGO® Marvel review: 76297 Dancing Groot

I am Groot. Does he really need much more of an introduction than that? I am LEGO® Marvel 76297 Dancing Groot! There are only a few parts in the bags of Dancing Groot for us to report on and therefore our focus on parts is going to be a little short on content as a result.

What Groot does contain in his little white plant pot however is bags of cuteness! He also has a couple of neat little side builds and some additional foliage that allows for a degree of customisation that really does add to the set. I'm getting ahead of myself though, so let's actually get into those bags and see exactly how cute this set really is!

Products in this article were gifted by The LEGO Group; the author's opinions are their own.
This article contains affiliate links to LEGO.com; we may get a small commission if you purchase.

76297 Dancing Groot
Price: US$44.99/ £39.99/ 44.99€/ AU$69.99
459 parts
Release Date: 1 August 2024

LEGO Marvel 76297 Dancing Groot on LEGO.com

 

It feels like this guy should be an honorary member of the botanicals. LEGO® Icons Botanical Collection 76297 Space Tree Being? 

New parts

Exclusive recolours

• 2x Bracket 1 x 6 - 2 x 6 Inverted in White  (6506629 | 5090) 
• 4x Equipment Whip - Bent in Bright Green  (6498803 | 88704) but two spares are provided in the set!
• 5x Animal Body Part, Horn (Cattle) / Tentacle / Vine / Branch / Tongue - Long in Bright Green (6498802 | 13564) A really surprising recolour, although green only ever appeared in 6 sets and was last seen in 2021! A spare is also provided in the set.
• 12x Animal / Creature Body Part, Claw with Clip in Sand Yellow/ Dark Tan (6496672 | 3171) 

I am Groot.

Exclusive new print

• 1x Slope Curved 3 x 4 x 2/3 Triple Curved with new print in Sand Yellow/ Dark Tan (6488073 | 93604pr)

Notable in quantity

• 2 x Wheel Arch, Mudguard 2 x 3 x 1 1/3 in Olive Green (6371958 | 49097) – it's a Groot-locked part, having only been available in 76249 Venomized Groot & 76217 I Am Groot
• 3 x Plate Special 2 x 2 x 2/3 with Two Studs On Side and Two Raised (Updated Version) in Sand Blue (6470178 | 4304) only in 42638 Castle Bed and Breakfast
• 2 x Bracket 1 x 1 - 1 x 2 in Medium Nougat (6474266 | 79389) in 4 sets
• 2 x Slope Inverted 45° 4 x 11 Double with 1 x 2 Cutout in Medium Nougat (6487913 | 32802) only in 43254 Ariel's Crystal Cavern

• 24 x Brick Curved 1 x 4 x 1 2/3 No Studs in White (6433643 | 3573)

Sticker sheet

The sticker sheet has a very small number of stickers, most of which I feel aren't really needed. I only applied the "I am Groot" identification/branding plaque, which seemed the most appropriate.

The build

It's a straightforward build with a very simple mechanism.

Some familiar techniques create the pot. While it is not precisely circular, it's a very clean construction and no one is really going to notice the degree to which it is elliptical, if indeed it matters at all!

The sections of Groot's torso are attached to each other in a slightly tricky manner that feels a bit wobbly once together. Though when it's then connected to the pot and neatly clipped into place with two 1 x 9 Technic links (already attached to the mechanism), it feels much more secure.

The solid construction of the pot keeps the majority of the weight low and so there isn't any problem with stability even when you turn the mechanism.

It's an organic Terminator arm sent from the future to destroy us with cute space tree tendrils!

This guy might not say much, but he's got a good brain. I love the mudguard used upside down to create Groot's smile.

At this stage Groot is or could be considered finished. However, here's where the accessories come in.

The side builds are a pair of headphones, and sunglasses that can be posed with a small adaptation of Groot's head. There is extra foliage to add too. These things allow for a nice degree of customisation and options for these additional parts of the build are included in the instructions. There's also a secret compartment to stow away some of the extra foliage and alternate name plaques when not attached.

How will you display yours?

Dancing Groot video

The mechanism may be simple, but the resultant effect is greater than the sum of its parts! I imagine him dancing to The Foundations' Build me up Buttercup, but that's just me!

Conclusion

Oh boy, he's cute! 

There are only a small number of unique parts in set 76297 Dancing Groot but to be totally honest, when you love a model as much as this, it’s almost irrelevant. The sheer level of cuteness in this set is wonderful. 

I believe the set is referencing an adorable clip from this Guardians of the Galaxy trailer. A healthy dose of baby Groot’s adorable qualities are very much down to the character’s enigmatic nature and design, but capturing that in LEGO form is an art in itself! This has been achieved to a high degree.

The value in parts is here too; the RRP is pretty much spot on based upon the (unreliable) metric of 10p per piece. There is so much to like in the set and, as with Baby Bumpy from my LEGO® Jurassic World Chaos Theory review, it's a recommendation I'm happy to make. 

Finally in closing I have to add, once more, I am Groot.

76297 Dancing Groot
Price: US$44.99/ £39.99/ 44.99€/ AU$69.99

Buy set 76297 on LEGO.com

READ MORE: LEGO® DREAMZzz™ review: 71484 Cooper's Robot Dinosaur C-Rex

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