LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge review

Sonic the Hedgehog returns in LEGO 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge, a set that does its absolute best to capture the thrills and spills of the video game experience in blocky form.

The largest of the new wave of Sonic sets, 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge faithfully recreates the most famous iconography from the beloved video games, with its centrepiece – a large loop that Sonic can charge through using a launcher made from Technic elements – cutting an imposing figure, despite being more than a little awkward to actually operate in practice.

In stark contrast to the more display-focused LEGO Ideas set 21331 Sonic the Hedgehog – Green Hill Zone, the new 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge is built primarily for play, and does an excellent job of translating the Sonic experience into something that will appeal endlessly to anyone looking to have some often chaotic fun with their LEGO (so long as it doesn’t feel like a chore to be constantly putting the set back together when things go wrong).

— LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge set details —

Theme: LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog Set name: 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge Release: August 1, 2023

Price: £94.99 / $99.99 / €104.99 Pieces: 802 Minifigures: 3

LEGO: Available August 1, 2023

— Where to buy LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge —

LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge releases on August 1, 2023 at LEGO.com and in LEGO Stores, and will also be available through third-party retailers. Check back after launch to find the best prices.

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— LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge build —

Fundamentally, 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge covers exactly the same ground as the already available 21331 Sonic the Hedgehog – Green Hill Zone, a LEGO Ideas set designed by Viv Grannell that’s been available since 2022. Both sets recreate a cross-section of Green Hill Zone, by far the most famous locale from the Sonic the Hedgehog video games, and indeed, both sets feature similar terrain: a palm tree, a bridge, a curved slope, and the most iconic Sonic landmark, a giant loop.

Where the two sets differ is in intended use. The earlier 21331 Sonic the Hedgehog – Green Hill Zone is very much a display piece, designed to be built once, placed on a shelf, dusted occasionally, and admired as a static piece. This is perfectly fine for older Sonic the Hedgehog fans – the youngest of those old enough to remember his original outings on the SEGA Mega Drive are now well into their 30s – but Grannell’s model is hardly an ideal playset for younger fans.

To this end, while 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge is yet another version of the same Sonic landmarks, it is far more accessible, both from the perspective of actually putting the bricks together, and in terms of its approachability as a play space. This is a set that’s designed to be interacted with; there are buttons to press that knock down trees and flip over bridges, there are slopes for Sonic to run up, and there are robot enemies both big and small to be smashed.

The main draw here over all of the other Sonic sets is the enormous loop – a structure borrowed wholesale from the Stuntz subtheme – and this is an absolutely pitch perfect inclusion. It almost feels like this loop was designed with Sonic in mind and then retrofitted for use in Stuntz sets, so well does this inclusion work in theory.

The set is, in effect, an obstacle course for Sonic to run through, not unlike the Super Mario LEGO sets. In true Sonic form, though, the process of actually running the course takes mere seconds as Sonic, strapped into what is effectively a minifigure-sized hamster ball, rolls around at the speed of sound: around the loop, across a jump, through a large yellow ring, across a bridge, and all the way to the dastardly Doctor Robotnik (Eggman for those fans under the age of 25) and an end-of-level boss fight.

There are other Stuntz elements on display here, most notably the ramps that help Sonic along his way. Alas, if there’s a weak point to this set and the Sonic range in general, it’s the method of actually committing to a run through the level. In lieu of the push-along motorbikes from the main Stuntz sets, Sonic’s hamster ball has a launcher built from Technic parts – which, while looking cool and entirely on-brand (it’s styled after one of the many springs Sonic bounces around on in the games), doesn’t feel particularly satisfying to use.

The spring launcher is, alas, literally hit and miss. Rather than feature, for example, an elastic band system to create tension that would rocket Sonic across the set with consistent speed, the launcher requires the user to slam their hand down as hard as possible on to the large, round star bouncepad.

The first problem is that this doesn’t feel particularly satisfying even when it works. The second problem is that there’s a constant fear that you’re going to miss and accidentally slam your hand onto the wrong part of a structure which, as a reminder, is made from LEGO bricks: effectively an organised pile of jagged plastic edges.

The third and perhaps most disappointing problem is that even if you hit the launcher without injuring yourself, there’s a good chance that Sonic’s hamster wheel won’t do what you want it to anyway. It’s common to hit the thing with too little pressure and see Sonic limply roll forward before giving up and sliding back down the loop. It’s also common to hit the thing and accidentally move it in the process, so that Sonic shoots off at a slightly incorrect trajectory and risks damaging the rest of the set.

While the same launcher and hamster ball feature in multiple sets from the new Sonic range, the launcher’s limitations are most keenly felt here, where the force from a push must be enough to defy gravity long enough for Sonic to travel through the entire loop, over a jump, and across the rest of the course. In other, smaller sets where Sonic simply needs to go across a single jump, the launcher is a little clumsy at times, but not quite as underpowered for the task at hand.

It is worth noting that, in a somewhat refreshing change of pace, this set is built with southpaws in mind, as the loop is oriented so that it’s easier to use a left hand to operate the launcher. For 90% of the population, this does make hitting the target accurately an even trickier prospect, but it’s probably about time left-handed people got preferential treatment.

The control of this launcher is an unfortunate problem that plagues the entire new LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog range to some degree or other: the Stuntz elements are a welcome inclusion, but navigating this brick-built video game course just doesn’t feel right.

That said, this isn’t LEGO Super Mario. Players aren’t locked into a very narrow style of play. All LEGO Sonic sets – even the ones which, as with 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge, are designed first and foremost around the launcher – offer an alternative for those who’d prefer roleplay to simply emulating the video game that the sets are based on.

With 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge, Sonic can sack off the process of running the level, and instead relax by the side of the loop at a picnic table, where he and his friend Amy Rose can enjoy a barbecue and even float in a pool on a purple inflatable or ride around on a jet ski. Considering that the loop’s novelty wears off fairly quickly, it’s here that most younger LEGO fans will get the bulk of their enjoyment.

Sonic and Amy can have fun, play with their cute non-anthropomorphic friends, and, when the mood takes them, destroy the two enemy badnik robots (a fish and a chameleon) or tackle Robotnik himself, who lurks to the far right of the set with a buzzsaw-wielding mech that can either be placed on a pair of sturdy legs, or set floating high above the action.

Robotnik’s eggmobile mech is an absolute treat to put together. Eggman’s primary mode of transportation can either be clicked into a pair of chunky legs (perfect for stamping on a certain blue hedgehog) or attached to a transparent base to allow it to float menacingly in the air. Of the two forms, the walker is probably a little more fun, and the build is nice and sturdy despite featuring a lot of moving parts.

For a set that’s significantly more expensive than the earlier LEGO Ideas offering, 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge does give the builder a lot more to do once the last piece has clicked into place. It’s not as strong of a display piece, but for those LEGO Sonic fans who want a toy first and foremost, this as good as it gets.

— LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge characters —

76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge comes with three minifigures, one of which is a variation of the familiar Sonic minifigure that’s been around since the LEGO Dimensions era, and two of which are brand new.

Variations to the Sonic minifigure are subtle to say the least. This version is intended to represent the slightly taller, older ‘modern’ Sonic as opposed to the rounder, simpler design of ‘classic’ Sonic that 21331 Sonic the Hedgehog – Green Hill Zone tries to emulate. As such, this Sonic has green eyes instead of the simple black dots from the Ideas set, and a slightly elongated stomach shape printed on to his torso. This he has in common with all Sonic minifigures across the new range.

What sets this minifigure apart slightly is his cheeky winking expression, which, while not exclusive to this set, is only present in one other set from the new range (76991 Tails’ Workshop and Tornado Plane). It’s a small difference, but it does add a great deal of personality to the minifigure.

Arriving in minifigure form for the very first time is fan favourite character Amy Rose, a pink hedgehog in a red dress, and very much the Minnie Mouse of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Fittingly, Amy’s minifigure features a skirt piece that has been used for Minnie Mouse since her minifigure debut, and it is not ideal.

For one thing, the skirt piece doesn’t match Amy’s character design in modern Sonic games (her skirt typically doesn’t feature ruffles). A more awkward problem is that the element has only a loose cohesion with the minifigure torso and legs, meaning that Amy has a nasty tendency of either rattling a slight amount, or simply falling apart if handled too carelessly.

By far the most exciting minifigure of the set is Doctor ‘Eggman’ Robotnik himself. The character appeared as an admittedly brilliant brick-built model in 21331 Sonic the Hedgehog – Green Hill Zone, but this time around features a custom element for his head and torso (all one piece) and the long leg element used for the Na’Vi in the LEGO Avatar sets.

While the brick-built Robotnik is more to scale with Sonic’s minifigure, the new custom moulded minifigure element is downright adorable, with Eggman’s famous moustache billowing out to either side of his face.

Rounding off the set are four of Sonic’s cutesy woodland creature friends. There’s a blue Flicky (a staple for the series) along with a little rabbit, penguin, and a small dog. Two of Robotnik’s evil badniks are included in the set, each with a little space for the cute animals to be placed. In the games, Sonic has to smash badniks to release the animals that are trapped inside, and this is a nice, relatively simple way to recreate this process in brick form.

— LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge price —

At £94.99 / $99.99 / €104.99, 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge is substantially more expensive than the rest of the Sonic the Hedgehog range, including the LEGO Ideas set which has a far higher piece count.

The cost is no doubt bumped up significantly by the large loop, as elements with a bigger footprint tend to be more expensive, but even so, the same loop is available in Stuntz sets for a far lower price.

Compared with some of the cheaper sets in the range that manage to pack a lot of detail and features into a smaller package, this doesn’t feel like the best value for money. The loop is cool, but it comes at a premium.

— LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge pictures —

— LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge pros and cons —

76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge is a set that distils the experience of playing Sonic the Hedgehog video games into LEGO form perhaps better than any other set in the range. While the set is an excellent fast-paced obstacle course when it works well, a lacklustre launch mechanic robs the enormous loop of some of its joy in practice.

For those who love the Sonic the Hedgehog video games, this will feel incredibly fitting. This isn’t the first time that a Sonic product has looked incredibly good, but been let down by a clunky control scheme and wonky physics.

76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge pros	76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge cons
The loop and jumps are great fun when the launcher decides to behave	The launcher makes operating the set’s main play feature a bit of gamble
Adorable new minifigures for Amy Rose and Doctor Robotnik	Quite expensive compared with other sets in the range
Built for a variety of different playstyles	Not enough rings

This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

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— Alternatives to LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge —

The primary alternative to 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge is without a doubt 21331 Sonic the Hedgehog – Green Hill Zone, and the choice between these sets will be determined primarily by whether the set will be played with or put on display. 21331 Sonic the Hedgehog – Green Hill Zone is better as a display piece, 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge is designed for interaction and play.

For those looking for something a little less complex and a little more play-oriented, any of the other new LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog sets are a great choice. Despite being a fraction of the cost, 76990 Sonic’s Speed Sphere Challenge delivers much of the same experience as 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge, albeit without a giant loop.

— LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog 76994 Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge FAQs —