LEGO NPU: ZNAP Edition
Welcome to the next exploration in our NPU series (Nice Parts Usage). This time on our quest we are exploring the least LEGO of LEGO themes, ZNAP! But what is ZNAP, you ask?
Doesn’t look very ‘lEGO,’ does it???
ZNAP was a very short-lived theme, lasting from the fall of 1998 to the end of 1999. A total of 19 sets were released, mostly vehicle-based, with a few bizarre animals here and there. ZNAP elements sorta work like a combination of Technic and Bionicle (like K’nes), where you “znap” different pieces together.
Instead of axle, pin, or stud connections, most ZNAP elements connect via a little nub that fits into a corresponding joint on the end of the beams. Our friends at Brickset took a little deep dive into the theme a few years ago that is worth reading if you want to know more.
A bunch of znap connected to a technic beam.
You can see a little of how they functioned in this old commercial, but fair warning, the ad has NOT aged well as they were positioned as being a virus and contagious if you played with them… maybe not the best marketing strategy? No wonder these didn’t sell all that well.
The one redeeming factor was that because it is a LEGO theme, even ZNAPs can connect to system elements here and there—although it’s hokey and questionably stable (definitely not a legal building technique…).
As it turns out, the little ‘nub’ can fit a standard 1x1 brick! You can also jam one inside, but its hard to get either in or out.
So with that out of the way, let’s take a look at some cool LEGO creations using these funky ZNAP elements. ZNAP MOCs tend to be far and few between, but there are a few with NPU that come to mind.
Lord of the Planets
Monopoly made something really cool for this year’s Bio-Cup competition for the preliminary space theme. Notice the arms and legs? Those funky curvy beams are—you guessed it—ZNAP beams!
Eldrich space God???
I really like how she used rubber bands around the hands, feet, and head to add a splash of white alongside all the black elements.
AT Goliath Land Transport
Isaac Snyder, also known as soccerkid6 built an amazing all-errain transportation vehicle for the Hibernia collab. The front wheels are attached via this funky beam, which gives it a very robust-looking frame, alongside another ZNAP piece connecting the treads.
Microscale is always cool!
There’s some clever part usage all throughout the build, with some Slizer heads, RoboRiders panels plus some Star Wars binoculars on the top! You can look into this build a bit more on his blog.
SUROS Bolt
Isaac really loves those red ZNAP beams because he used them again to great effect in this awesome spaceship! The girders certainly add to the overall swooshability of the model.
I love how seamlessly they are integrated and feel at home in the build like no other LEGO part would do the job. That’s NPU!
Progeny of Atum
Ivan Martynov went all-out for this build, complete with a Spinjutsu Spinner, a Viking shield, a Martian Hypersled, and a bunch of straight ZNAP beams for little buildings!
Another space god? oh hell yes
I love the scale he’s going for here—the creature looks truly gigantic looming over the mini city!
Whether you are trying to make a microscale city, space horror, or vehicle, make sure you take a look in your ZNAP bin (that you don’t have) and see if any thing looks useful. And maybe the next time you are sorting out bulk LEGO and you find some ZNAP pieces, you’ll know they are legitimate and have lots of NPU potential!
Have you ever build with ZNAP? Do you have a collection of them? Let us know in the comments below.
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