Way back in March of 2025, I wrote a review about one of my most favorite LEGO sets of all time, LEGO Jurassic World 76968 Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus Rex. I decided to take a break from writing later last year, but my love for that set pulled me back to take a look at the most recent addition to the line: LEGO Jurassic World 77985 Dinosaur Fossils: Triceratops. The 1:21 scale set contains 1154 pieces, 1 minifigure, and will be available on June 1st. It will retail for US $109.99 | CAN $154.99 | UK £89.99. Please join me as we unearth this prehistoric icon, and see how it stacks up next to the titan.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Unboxing the parts and instructions

This box has a milder presence than the T. rex set. It’s significantly smaller, however, the look and feel aligns with its predecessor.



Inside the box are paper bags numbered 1-10, as well as the instruction manual.

The first four pages of the instructions are dedicated to a bit about the dino’s background and set design process.

The build

Before we build the dino, we create the minifigure stand, complete with UCS-style nameplate. I think this would have been better to build at the end as a bit of a cherry on top, but I suppose it doesn’t make much of a difference. Speaking of cherries, these dark azure ones have only showed up in one other set, LEGO Art 31220 Claude Monet – Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies. We’ll revisit the minifigure later.

The building process for the rest of the model follows a standard progression, beginning with the base, then the central core of the body, the legs, the tail, and then the head. Initially, the base starts as a pair of identical halves. It makes building it pretty fast and easy, but more importantly, the setup allows for displaying from either side.



Various rocks and plant life are added next, along with the first “fossil” elements (sternum area). Additions to the upright supports prepare us for the body of the dino. Although the initial symmetry of the stand is broken (which is a good thing), axle holes remain so that we can place the placard on either side.

Within the foliage, we’re given a fun easter egg in the form of the infamous mosquito encased in amber. While this has been included in several Jurassic World sets, (and a fun one you may not expect) it’s always fun to see.

Moving right along, we create the rough shape of the spine for us to build off of. This includes fossilized pelvic bones formed with new recolored fin/fishtail elements first seen in the 10366 Tropical Aquarium.

From there, we attach a series of 1×1 round plates with bars to mimic the vertebrae processes. Surprisingly, I believe this is that element’s first appearance in tan. Black bars slotted through Technic elements will provide the strong support needed for mounting the ribcage.

In further preparation for the ribs, 1×2 round plates slip onto the bars, providing a much stronger connection than simple studs. Dark tan 1×2 plates with clips cover the holes and are ready to receive the ribs.

A very welcome addition to the growing number of new molds this year is an enlarged horn element. This part opens new doors in terms of creativity with these types of elements. I’m imagining recolors in the green family contributing to cool vines, and in general, nice organic lines. (And, of course, horns, tails, hair, and tentacles on creatures.) In the picture below, you can see the difference between the new horn (bottom) and original horn (top) compared to a 1×6 plate.

With the help of tan candle elements and bar holders with handle, the horns are attached and arranged into the perfect ribcage.

With the central core of the dino complete, we move to the legs. First, the forelegs and shoulder blades, and then the hind legs. The claw element used for the digits is, surprisingly, just making its debut in tan. Likewise, the element comprising the “palm” area is also appearing for the first time in tan here.

On the model, the shoulder blades look a bit like weird wings, but after looking more closely at actual fossils, they seem to be a decent representation of the real thing. I appreciate the thought that went into trying to get the proportions and stance accurate.

Pausing at this point, the build actually looks pretty creepy. With no head or tail, this could be just about anything that walks on four legs, which isn’t inherently creepy. However, my brain keeps telling me it’s some sort of fantasy demon thing… I guess I have a weird imagination, but it is good for something worth noting; these models provide a reasonable lesson in anatomy for the LEGO builder who wants to tackle the construction of all sorts of animals.

The tail is comprised of 5 segments connected via ball joints for lots of posability. The 1×1 with handle element has only been seen a couple times in tan.

As we begin to wrap things up, we flip to the opposite end and build the head. The construction looks fiddly, but it’s more stable than it appears. There are a few interesting things to note here. The horns are comprised of the newer macaroni element, which has only been seen in tan in one other set (10348 Japanese Maple Tree). The eyes are given their shape with a pair of black minifigure ear pieces (Black Panther ears). An olive green frog sits at the back of the mouth – a fossilized tongue, perhaps? Or maybe legitimately a frog who hopped up there to chill out. Admittedly, I’m not fully versed in the anatomy of triceratops, but I imagine it would look incomplete without something in the mouth. The frog has consistently been a fun easter egg in many sets, both in and out of the Jurassic World theme.



To cap off this model, somewhat literally, we build the frill – that iconic fanlike part at the back of a triceratops’ head. Sandwiched plate hinges keep the whole thing strong while click hinges allow it to hold its shape when curved.



 

The completed model

With the placard and minifigure stand positioned on the front, this model is ready for display.

I’m a big fan of sets that look good from every angle, and this one does exactly that. It looks clean and is a good size for a table or shelf.

Most people may not care about this, but the joints are pretty moveable, making funny poses an option for display as well! I like this “startled” pose, personally.

The minifigure

Dr. Gerry Harding was Jurassic Park’s head veterinarian from the original 1993 movie. We’re introduced to him as our heroes come face to face with an ailing Triceratops, so it’s very fitting that he’s the one included with this set.

Dr. Harding sports his official Jurassic Park uniform, complete with logos on the hat, his left sleeve, and the back of his shirt. H also has his signature sunglasses and gray mustache. Overall, a simple but nicely done fig. Having a large quantity of the torso would likely be tantalizing for large-scale Jurassic World builders, while that head would be excellent for police officers.



Conclusion and recommendations

In truth, there’s no comparing this set to the mighty T. rex. It will retail for less than half of what that set did, and has around a third of the parts. Of course the complexity and grandiosity of the rex is going to win out in a head to head battle. However, in reality, the Triceratops was smaller, but not THAT much smaller. Rex was a 1:12 scale, while this one is at a scale of 1:21. They will work together when placed side by side, but perhaps we need to imagine this guy as more of a juvenile (even if the horns are proportionally adult-size). Don’t get me wrong, it’s a nice set! But I think it could have been epic at a scale more consistent with the T. rex. Still, this price point and footprint are likely more attainable for many builders.

LEGO Jurassic World 77985 Dinosaur Fossils: Triceratops contains 1154 pieces, 1 minifigure, and will be available on June 1st. It will retail for US $109.99 | CAN $154.99 | UK £89.99.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

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