How many pieces are in the Ultimate Defense?

Ultimate Defense contains 82 pieces.

When was the Ultimate Defense released?

Ultimate Defense was released in 2003.

🏛 Basketball

Set #3429

Ultimate Defense

Ultimate Defense is a nostalgic blast from LEGO's early 2000s sports experimentation era.

Before you buy

Who it's for: Beginner build Perfect for younger builders and nostalgic fans looking for a quick, retro sports build
Build: 82 pieces · about 0.5 hours Build time is an estimate.
Price: $14.99 list price · 18.3¢ per piece
Availability: Likely retired

★★★☆☆ 3.6 community rating from 9 ratings

Fans appreciate the nostalgic charm and rare sports elements, though modern builders may find the play-focused design simple and limited.

$14.99

Best Price

$13.49

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📝 Our Take

AI-assisted editorial summary, grounded in our LEGO database and public community discussions. How we use AI

Ultimate Defense is a nostalgic blast from LEGO's early 2000s sports experimentation era. Combining classic bricks with specialized Technic elements, this set captures the fast-paced energy of a basketball showdown right on your tabletop.

This set is perfect for nostalgic sports fans and niche collectors of early-2000s LEGO oddities. The quick, action-oriented build makes it a fun afternoon project for anyone looking to step back into a quirky era of LEGO history.

Skip this if you are looking for modern building techniques or a substantial display piece. At just 82 pieces, it serves more as a retro novelty than a deep building experience.

✨ New

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Hi! I'm BlockTalk, your LEGO expert. Ask me anything about the Ultimate Defense - building tips, investment potential, comparisons, or anything else!

Try asking:

What makes the 2003 LEGO Basketball theme unique compared to other sports lines? Are the printed basketball elements exclusive or found in other sets from that era? How does the secondary market value of Ultimate Defense compare to other sports-themed LEGO sets? What are the best ways to display or preserve vintage sports sets from the early 2000s?

🧱 Building Experience

AI-assisted build estimate, grounded in our LEGO database and public community discussions. How we use AI

🧩

Pieces

⏱

0.5h

Estimated Build Time

📊

Beginner

Difficulty

Build Highlights:

Quick and straightforward assembly using classic 2000s elements
Incorporates Technic components for interactive play features
Includes specialized sports-themed printed basketballs
Features three distinct player minifigures to stage defensive plays

📈 Investment Analysis

AI-assisted investment analysis, grounded in our LEGO database and public community discussions. How we use AI

↑ Trending up since release

C+

Investment Grade

⏳ Retired

As a retired set from the niche 2003 Basketball theme, Ultimate Defense occupies a unique space in LEGO secondary market history. With a current price of around $79.12—a significant jump from its original $14.99 MSRP—it benefits heavily from scarcity and vintage collector nostalgia rather than raw part count. While it won't appeal to standard system builders, completionists tracking down every variant of LEGO Sports sets drive steady, albeit specialized, demand. Investors should note that its value is heavily tied to the inclusion and condition of its unique printed basketballs and minifigures.

Not Financial Advice: Content is for educational purposes only. Past performance doesn't guarantee future results. Full disclaimer

⚖ Compare Similar Sets

Compared to standard City or Town sets of the same era, the LEGO Basketball theme relied much more heavily on specialized action features and Technic integration. While sets like 3429 lack the massive piece counts of modern displays, they offer a charming glimpse into LEGO's attempts to merge sports action with traditional brick building, much like the Soccer and Gravity Games lines.

3 Minifigures Included

Basketball Player, Red Torso, Red Legs #2

3 parts

Basketball Player, Violet Torso, violet Legs 5

3 parts

Basketball Player, Red Torso, Red Legs #2

3 parts

The set includes three basketball player minifigures with unique torso and leg prints representing different team colors, making them fun collectibles for fans of vintage sports themes.

📦 Parts Inventory

Official piece count: 82
Parts cataloged in this inventory: 48 unique parts, 76 pieces
Minifigures: 3

The official piece count includes the 9 parts inside the set's minifigures, which this inventory lists separately; the remaining difference of 3 pieces is within the tolerance of the catalog data.

Missing a piece? Check this set piece by piece, with look-alike colors flagged and element IDs for replacements.

Plate Special 2 x...

Part #: 2444 1× Light Gray

Brick 1 x 1 x 5 w...

Part #: 2453a 2× White

Brick 2 x 6

Part #: 2456 1× Dark Gray

Technic Axle Towball

Part #: 2736 1× Light Gray

Brick 2 x 4

Part #: 3001 4× Dark Gray

Brick 2 x 2

Part #: 3003 2× Red

Brick 1 x 2

Part #: 3004 3× Dark Gray

Brick 1 x 1

Part #: 3005 2× Black

Plate 2 x 4

Part #: 3020 1× Dark Gray

Plate 2 x 4

Part #: 3020 1× Black

Plate 2 x 3

Part #: 3021 1× Dark Gray

Plate 2 x 3

Part #: 3021 1× Red

Plate 2 x 2

Part #: 3022 1× Dark Gray

Plate 2 x 2

Part #: 3022 1× Red

Plate 2 x 8

Part #: 3034 1× Dark Gray

Part #: 3068bpr0050 1× Blue

Tile 2 x 2 with B...

Part #: 3068bpr0050 1× Red

Technic Axle and ...

Part #: 32013 3× Black

Technic Axle and ...

Part #: 32014 2× Black

Technic Axle and ...

Part #: 32034 1× Black

Technic Axle Conn...

Part #: 32039 1× Light Gray

Technic Gear Timi...

Part #: 32060 1× Light Gray

Technic Axle 2 No...

Part #: 32062 2× Black

Technic Brick 1 x...

Part #: 32064b 3× Black

Technic Gear 20 T...

Part #: 32269 1× Light Gray

Plate 1 x 8

Part #: 3460 1× White

Technic Pin witho...

Part #: 3673 1× Light Gray

Technic Brick 1 x...

Part #: 3700 3× Red

Technic Axle 4

Part #: 3705 1× Black

Technic Axle 8

Part #: 3707 1× Black

Technic Axle 12

Part #: 3708 2× Black

Technic Plate 2 x...

Part #: 3709 1× Red

Plate 1 x 4

Part #: 3710 1× Black

Technic Axle 10

Part #: 3737 1× Black

Brick 1 x 6 x 5 w...

Part #: 3754pr0005 1× Trans-Clear

Plate 2 x 6

Part #: 3795 1× Dark Gray

Plate 2 x 10

Part #: 3832 1× Dark Gray

Plate Round 2 x 2...

Part #: 4032a 1× Light Gray

Plate Round 2 x 2...

Part #: 4032a 1× Red

Motor Wind-Up 2 x...

Part #: 42073c01 1× Dark Gray

Brick Sloped Inve...

Part #: 4287a 2× Black

Technic Axle Pin ...

Part #: 43093 1× Blue

Sports Basketball...

Part #: 43372 1× Tan

Sports Hoop with ...

Part #: 43373 1× Orange

Sports Basketball...

Part #: 43374 1× White

Sports Basketball...

Part #: 43702pr0001 3× Orange

Technic Axle 7

Part #: 44294 1× Light Gray

Brick Special 2 x...

Part #: 6232 3× Red

Technic Axle Conn...

Part #: 6538b 1× Black

Technic Pin Long ...

Part #: 6558 1× Black

Technic Cam

Part #: 6575 2× Black

The inventory features a handy selection of basic black and dark gray bricks alongside specialized Technic connectors and three iconic printed basketball elements.

🛒 Where to Buy

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💎 Notable Parts

Orange Sports Basketball with Black Lines Print (3x) $4.50

Black Technic Brick 1 x 2 with Axle Hole Type 2 [X Opening] (3x) $0.75

White Brick 1 x 1 x 5 with Blocked Open or Hollow Stud (2x) $1.20

Black Technic Cam (2x) $0.50

Est. BrickLink Part Value

$6.95

💡 MOC Potential

🤖 Repurpose the Technic bricks and connectors into a small mechanical action figure or desk toy

🏙 Integrate the dark gray and black pieces into urban alleyway or industrial MOC details

Community Insights

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📖 Building Instructions 2

BUILDING INSTRUCTION 3429 NA

Download PDF

BUILDING INSTRUCTION, 3429 IN

Download PDF

Inventory Statistics

Unique Parts

Official Piece Count

Cataloged Inventory Pieces

Minifigures

Spare Parts

The official piece count includes the 9 parts inside the set's minifigures, which this inventory lists separately; the remaining difference of 3 pieces is within the tolerance of the catalog data.

Inventory Version: 1

Missing a piece? Use the Missing Piece Checker.