Everyone knows that Gotham City is a dangerous place, but one caped crusader fights to keep it a little bit safer.
With 4D Cityscape‘s 4D Puzzle of Gotham City, fans can build an entire miniature model of Batman‘s famous hometown.
The puzzle kit comes with more than 1,550 jigsaw puzzle pieces, more than 160 detailed buildings, stickers, and double-sided tape. Using the guide, fans of the Bat can assemble the official DC Comics map of Gotham City in a multi-layer design.
Fans will build the first layer of 1,020 puzzle pieces, which is a huge map of the city, while learning about every landmark and region. Next, they’ll build a night landscape of Gotham City — the time Batman leaps out to fight crime — in the second layer with 311 puzzle pieces displaying its topography. In the final layer, fans will attach the 3D mini replicas of famous buildings and landmarks, including Wayne Manor, GCPD Gotham City Police Department, and Ace Chemical Plant. For an extra — but still necessary — touch, they’ll fire up the GCPD building’s mini LED Bat Light to throw up the bat signal. Just don’t forget to pack tape in your utility belt to stick all the pieces together.
This jigsaw puzzle is no joke — pun intended. While pieces seem to never end, the manual guides fans through each level of the puzzle. Both the manual and the included poster give fans large images of the Gotham City maps for reference. The guide also includes zoomed-in images of each Gotham structure to help fans easily identify them and properly place them on the puzzle. Newbies can also learn about each landmark’s history based on the original comic book series. The separate, labeled baggies for each level’s pieces is an added life-saver for staying organized and knowing where to start. The puzzle may seem as tricky as the Riddler and his wily schemes, but you can always bring along a trusty sidekick to help you solve it.
The jigsaw puzzle pieces combine quality and detail. The first level is made with sturdy cardboard that doesn’t rip apart when you accidentally attach the wrong ones together (oops!), saving you from the agony of ruining the puzzle. Meanwhile, the puzzle pieces for the second level are made of thick foam with different areas of the map printed on them. They also have detachable, white sections labeled with each building’s name to help you quickly find its location.
Another plus is that most of the 3D model structures don’t require building, except for eight of them. And although they are highly detailed to mimic the design of the looming city towers in the comic book series, their plastic material may break easily. Wayne Tower gave me the most trouble. As the tallest structure in Gotham City, it is separated into four pieces. Getting the pieces fitted together will require some patience and a very gentle touch. Be careful that you don’t bend and snap off the little gold detailing meant to be gargoyles. Pro tip: Enlist some super glue to help the stickers stick well to the models.
Despite this one setback, fans — especially collectors — will appreciate the seriously close attention to detail 4D Cityscape took to create this puzzle. Everything from the complete city maps with 131 locations to the comic book style of the guide matches the look and feel of the Batman brand and stays true to the legendary superhero’s story. Fans can expect to spend *several* fun and relaxing days bringing this iconic city to life.
Photo: 4D Cityscape
