I know RUclips isn't exactly the platform for nuance, but I just want to re-emphasize that I neither love nor hate these new LEGO Space sets for 2024. There are good qualities to them... and there are not so good qualities too. In a vacuum, I think I would be much more positive about them, but given the context leading up to their release... well, you get this video! 😅 One last thing - I totally goofed on the original release date of Space Port! I knew that it came out before Rock Raiders, but I didn't know by how many months. I can't believe it took me until the editing phase to actually look it up. Whoops! 🙃 I guess that means I'm a fake fan of LEGO Space after all! 😆 We'll be back into the world of Rock Raiders shortly, and after that - to Everest! Thanks for watching everyone! ❤
Now I have go look to see every single MiniFig face that was used in a LEGO Space set as a character not from Earth. I have a strong feeling that "They Live" amongst the UnAware others. Time to get my Roddy Piper SunGlasses out.
Space Port is a tricky one to define too, as there were two phases of it a few years apart which may have had different names (launch command maybe?) Plus they had made the odd NASA set under the city banner before that, and would continue to afterwards, so its scope is kind of much bigger than that of the actual theme with that name. I'm glad I'm not the only one who still calls the "city space" sets of the last decade Space Port sets though...
So from browsing the lego website as of late I've noticed that it seams to be just generalized interests such as "space" just being slaped with that obtrusive "space" banner which is a real same as I personally was hoping for a true space theme
The colour coded spacesuit uniforms, the unusual angles and shapes (ESPECIALLY on the rover), it all gives the sense that the designers are desperately trying to break free of the realistic city branding
@@RRSluggerwould it actually be reasonable to expect modern Lego space to incorporate lord from older space sub themes? How many kids born after 2010 actually know of the original Lego space line, how it was interconnected and such? I think these sets are analogous to the early 80’s classic space, what with the focus on peaceful exploration, with a bit of alien life thrown in, and the brightly colored space suits.
@@dr.ramilo84 And then there is me, who grew up playing _LEGO City Undercover,_ which had Chase McCain pilot a giant yellow mech during the final boss.
@@dr.ramilo84They just put mechs in anything now because they know people love mechs (and they do!). We don't have the capabilities to mine on other planets either 🤷♂️
I always thought of City Space as more of the realistic NASA-type equipment; whereas, the classic Space themes had more of a sci-fi/fantasy vibe. What I’ve seen of the new “Space” sets appears to be somewhere in between realistic and fantasy. If the branding continues, I’m curious to see what direction it will go.
To me, it seems like a speculative "future space". It's still sci-fi to be sure, but these city sets appear to trace an extension of realistic space tech. Plausible--not strictly fictitious or real. It's like the artists concepts for our space travel many years down the road.
I think the best term for 2024 Space is a “super-theme”, because it quite literally encompasses multiple existing themes. It really is an unusual way of marketing their sets, one that doesn’t have a precedent in Lego’s history that I can think of. And your little joke about a Racers super-theme-I honestly think that’s something that could happen in the future if this does well.
as someone born in 2000 who has a lot of nostalgia for the likes of alien conquest and galaxy squad, these sets hit the spot for me. It really feels like a peacetime version of galaxy squad, and I hope they do well enough to warrant some space in the product range for a standalone original space theme to show up again.
The biggest sin the theme commits, imo, is the dull normal color for the windscreens and windows. Had they gone with a vibrant blue, yellow, or even purple I think it would change perception a bit.
Absolutely! There's a *huge* visual difference between the themes I consider to be LEGO Space and this; a lot of it largely comes down to how the bright transparent colours are used. 👍
@@ClassicStudStudios I dig it actually! I would have changed the orange to purple to match it but otherwise it's a good look. It matching with the energy crystals from the other sets is a big plus!
There have been a few sets that felt extremely "lego space" to me in recent years from the Monkie Kid subtheme. Chang-e's Mooncake Factory with its giant bunnybot (including removable escape pod) stands proudly among any Blacktron or Ice Planet sets from the 90s.
Honestly I like the neon orange highlights and think it perfectly fits the NASA-punk theme. Like in real life, the orange is used to highlight important details of the vehicles in a way that seems to serve a practical purpose for the astronauts. It's a cautionary danger indicator around the engine and wing flaps of the interstellar explorer, and it's used to highlight the wheels and footholds on the rover vehicle, etc.
I'm firmly in camp 'This Counts As Lego Space To Me', in the same way I'd consider Life on Mars as Lego Space and happily include it in a Lego Space themed build, I personally really appreciate the way they take the multicolored Spacemen and organize them in a Star Trekkian manner, in a way that fosters adding your own colors to boot with the lack of exclusively colored prints! It's totally feasible for me to add a Purple or Red divisions to add to the Green Scientist, Yellow Engineer, and Blue Pilot divisions already in play. I also gotta admit I am a sucker for the Nasapunk aesthetic and am happy to see a series just go whole hog into a fully Sci-Fi version of it, which I think is what really separates this series of City Space sets from the prior "Spaceport 2" serieses. I would actually argue this is at *least* Spaceport *3* if not Lego Space proper! That all said, as always I appreciate your perspective! I am glad I can come here and hear a well thought out and considered take even if I don't agree in the end. So thanks again for the video, I look forward to more in the future!
I can totally see where you're coming from! That idea of the Space Port 3 comparison is actually really apt, I agree. 👍 In a vacuum, I think I'd be a lot more stoked about these sets, but I have trouble looking past the decade-long baggage that tethers them to City/Space Port. The LEGO Group's apparent unwillingness to drop the "City" name from their "Space" sets is emblematic of my issues here. 😕
LEGO Space used to be a theme with many subthemes. Now Space is a subtheme within many themes. With that in mind, I am still very excited for Technic to revisit Space for the first time since 1996! (And last year too.)
Hopefully this Space theme/series is just a stepping stone to getting people used to the wackiness of 90s space again. Also, that's a pretty cool baseplate at 3:45! Have we seen it in its fullness?
One can only hope! But if we get another rocket on a launch pad in a couple years... 🙃 I think that alien landscape baseplate is also visible in my Spyrius video and my Slugger's First LEGO Set video! 🙂
This feels to me like it is a bridging between the two 'styles' of space. Between sci-fi vehicle ideas and giving them a touch of 'real' in using modern design styles. Yet using the same style connectors and ideas to make them compatible with the previous more 'inspired by real space exploration' we got last year as part of City. While the more fanciful ideas, such as the spacecar, are in themes like Dreamzzz. Frankly I like it and am here for it. The LEGO fan inside of me is just happy to see LEGO doing more inventive original SPACE ideas and not just filling that spot with Star Wars.
I'm buying up one of each of everything in this line. I remember loving looking at the old sets in my visual dictionary, and being jealous that I wasn't there to experience classic space. Now I can, in my own way
Yeah I agree that they’re not the Lego space like people know but this space label being pushed onto a bunch of sets across multiple themes I think is meant to be more of a gimmick this year. They also seem to be doing a entire space themed cmf wave too in the future that does have some returning classic space themed minifigures so it might not be much but I hope fans of Lego space enjoy it.
"It's not Lego Space to me, but it will be Lego space for someone". Thank you for summing up why I subbed your channel. Perspective is a powerful tool. Good to hear from you as always, Slugger.
Thank you! Me too! ❤ It was the last element I made for this video, and after finishing it I realized it basically summed up everything I tried to say here in one image. I could have just saved myself the trouble and *not* made the video, haha! 😆
NOT THE ASTERISK! I think how LEGO is bringing Space back is clever in that it allows for that same variety within Space we once had. Doesn’t mean it’s on par with classic Space, but it’s a step in the right direction. Now will Castle be given the same treatment? I have no idea, but it’d be a lot harder to bring Friends and City into that space unless they apply the thin justification of “it’s just a renaissance fair, bro.” The 2024 City Space sets are a step towards that Unitron style. Perhaps they’re the ancestors of those who would go on to wear red, yellow, black, white, and blue…
Slugger, I got to say... I am so much more interested in space as a whole because of you. I highly respect Lego for putting more emphasis on space this year, but like you said, there is a lack of creativity that old themes used to bring. I am excited when there will be a theme that we can all enjoy together and then watch you freak out in a video xD
I remember fondly Space Port 1999. That year little kid me watched a solar eclipse, holding onto my 6458: Satellite with astronaut, my 6453: comlink cruiser and my 6454: Countdown Corner (so great to see it here in all it's glory!). To me Space Port got rebooted in 2019, with sets that reflect what could be done then, it got continued in 2022 with sets that showed what could be done in the very near future. 2024 is the continuation, with sets that show what can be done in several decades. It's almost the new Classic Space, with exploration being put first and foremost
I'm a big fan of this year's theme and love how it, alongside things like Life on Mars and Mars Mission, clearly fits between spaceport and classic Space. But I totally see your point and think the final remark of this video is an absolutely spot-on comment about this series.
Well done articulating this important but subtle distinction. Lego Insectoids will always be my favourite subtheme, so I want the crystal canopy sci fi aesthetic of Lego Space back too! However, I've also had trouble at times explaining to others why the excellent Space Port sets we've been getting aren't it. I think I lot of people who didn't grow up with 90's space sets, don't quite get the distinction. That said, I do like space port, even if its not my platonic ideal. The Nasa inspired builds we've been getting may not be leaving the solar system, but they have been very creative the last few years, and are a great build experience. They've also done a good job of showing life in space, and presenting the real world space program in a very accessible and understandable way. As a planetary scientist, I think there is a lot of value in making construction toys which present the space program as something that is real, happening now, and which kids can grow up to get involved in. As an outreach tool that is hard to beat. Surely they can keep doing that, and give us the amazing rock raiders/exploreans/insectoids reboot of our dreams too?
Thank you! And coming from a planetary scientist, this is high praise indeed! ❤ I agree with all of your points here; these Space Port-esque sets continue to be cool, but they don't scratch that same itch that 80s/90s Space did. 👍 And I'm 100% there with your final point too - why not both!
I always figured that Lego space took place several hundred or even thousands of years in the future and that that Lego City was a half way point between Lego Castle and Lego Space. Both Castle and City had boats, but those boats were separated by 1000 or so years. The Lego city had space stuff, either contemporary to that time, or predictions of the fairly near future (rest of the 21st century or early 22nd century) while the Space theme was several centuries removed from this.
I think what people who don’t own any LEGO space set before the year 2001 fail to realise is there’s a difference between fantasy space and civilian space. Classic space, futuron, blacktron, space police, m tron, ice planet, spyrius, unitron, exploriens, ufo, and insectoids are all fantasy space. Launch command, space port and everything after that is either civilian space or weird crossovers
What I really like about Space 2024 is that, to me, it feels like a missing link between the eras of simply exploring our solar system, and exploring our galaxy. Like these are the first steps outside of Sol, after the expeditions to mars have long since become commonplace. The single seater ship is even called the Interstellar Spaceship for goodness sake. For me, this is the era in history that links Mars themes and Space Port, to the grander future of classic Lego Space, when humanity is everywhere throughout the galaxy. These are the first steps that will one day establish factions and places like Unitron or Blacktron. At least, that’s my interpretation of it. It feels right, to slot it in as the inbetween of Lego in space, and Lego space. Here’s hoping that Lego keeps pushing the ideas further.
I think that the City branding used in these new sets would have a lot of potential if LEGO was willing to expand the worldbuilding. We’ve got many different types of Police sets in the past, even such ridiculous concepts as Sky Police - why can’t we get some City Space Police sets with some builds dedicated to a space crook faction (Blacktron, Spyrius, something new?)? I would love to see LEGO City in space!
Seeing these sets in stores got my heart rate up. I've been dreaming of this day ever since i was 9 years old going deep in the catacombs of the LEGO wiki, through what felt like ancient forgotten texts to discover these endless themes and sub themes until i finally reached the pages about the initial space theme. They were some of the most absurd and creative builds i had ever seen, using pieces to that point unknown to me. I was seeing the structures that the bin of yellowed grey and blued greens once formed. Dreams of putting them back together shattered by the realization that, at most, _half of half_ the sets my father had were now lost or otherwise unobtainable by me. "One day," I said to myself "they'll realize how much money they're missing out on, and start pushing the space themes again! That would be awesome." And now, after 7 years, it is that day, and I have only peed my pants TWICE. Once these sets inevitably sell well, they're going to have more faith, and probably give the deisgners more freedom, and eventually we'll start seeing new molds come out of this. Nothing will ever, EVER be as cool as Ice Planet 2002, but that's not really a fair competition considering it's literally called _Ice Planet._ That's like trying to go up against _Gangster Swag Clothing Co._ The thing they are is IN THE NAME.
My fav part is this subtheme CONNECT Themes. Do you know all City vechicles are DESIGNED to sit Minifigs AND Minidolls? This is FIRST theme this happened. Also these Orange connections that connect to EVEN TECHNIC. THis is REALLY big!
"While they're not LEGO Space to me, they're gonna be LEGO Space to somebody, and that matters." After seeing other reviews and picking up a set for myself, I came back to this video to say that that "somebody" is me. This may not be Classic Space. It's not Rock Raiders, Ice Planet, M-Tron, Blacktron, or Insectoids. But to me, these are Mars Mission. They're Space Police III. They're Galaxy Squad. These capture the nostalgia that I have for what I experienced as LEGO Space, and I love them because of it. This wave is one of my favorite things to come out of LEGO in a while. (This is not meant to be a criticism of this video at all)
That's great! I can see why these would scratch that itch, given the similar colour schemes and curvy shapes. 😊 Maybe my LEGO Space is still out there...! (or maybe not, haha)
In my opinion, life on Mars was the last "space" set. It was the last set to have sci-fi designs, interesting colors and it just feels like the inspired classic Lego space when you see it. After that it became either aliens vs humans (the stupid trend that mars mission started) or more realistic Nasa stuff like you mentioned in the video. Either way, loved the video! Keep it up slug!
I see what you mean! I will say that I appreciate the return to a peaceful human/alien coexistence in these new 2024 sets, but the problem is that the alien presence is nearly nonexistent here. So much so, that I didn’t even feel like mentioning it in the script! 😕 A far cry from Life On Mars, I’m afraid…
I left those ones out intentionally because I have a bit more trouble placing them. I *think* they do..? Like, Space Police 3 seems like a pretty natural fit for Unitron, even with those white space vehicles. Galaxy Squad is a series I completely missed out on, but it seems like it would fit too. Honestly, the toughest one for me is Mars Mission! It certainly takes place far into the future and features aliens... *but* it's also based within our local solar system and features those NASA-esque colours. It's like halfway to Unitron, haha. 😅
This is something that happens surprisingly often in lego, where multiple themes appear in a similar setting, this is just the first time they went ahead and pointed it out. The earliest I remember of this was 2007, where there was a strange coincidence between the release of Aqua Raiders and Spongebob alongside Bionicle going under the waves, while City deployed a number of watercraft above it.
Indeed! Dinosaurs in 2000/01 were really popular, so we saw themes like Dino Island and Dinosaur take off during that era too. Would have been hilarious if they had printed a big "DINO" logo on all of those boxes back then! 😆
@@RRSlugger Ah, I completely forgot about that! Since Dino Island came first, then the generic Dinosaur theme after, _then_ Jurassic Park after that yet still, I guess I don't really internalize the connection between them. Just a weird way brains can be.
Here's one way to look at it, Town/City Space port: morden day Life on Mars, Mars Mission, City Space 2024: 100 to 200 years in the future Most other Lego Space themes: far future, about 500 to 1000 years. But at the end of the day, does it really matter what's on the box. Rather, what's IN the box that counts.
While I'm also waiting for a proper real sci-fi lego theme, these sets do look really nice for now! My favorite thing is all the intercompatible modules throughout the different themes: city, technic and friends. The are also compatible with the ones from the previous city spaces sets all the way since 2019. But I hope we will get some more proper space sets in this common branding later in the year
so "slugging" is an official slur in the slug language? XD but yeah, in retrospect, this IS essentially LEGO Space Port with extra Steps. but we gotta work with what we get, and we will got the summer wave of set to look forward to- ah who am i kidding, it's still gonna be NASA-like at the end of the day. but hey, this IS lego, we can modify it however we want! just like the lego Lightyear XL-15 set i got last year, i modded it into an Explorien style spacecraft!
Hahaha, we're adding it to the lexicon! 😆 Maybe in another 10 years we'll be a little bit closer to Planet Unitron. 🙃 And this is a good point! I'm already looking at ways of removing the orange from these new Space sets, haha!
I'm wondering if you were a hypothetical lego desginer what would be your pitch to move the product in a direction that you think would be more in line with that older phliosphy?
I don't think I have a good answer for this, and it would be rash of me to assume that I have any insight on how LEGO themes are pitched or developed. 😕 As a fan of LEGO, I think the best I can do is communicate what I'd like to see in the future, but I'm not expecting anyone at the company to actually listen to what one slug says on the internet. 😅 If I had some post-secondary education in marketing or product design, I think I would feel more fit to take on this challenge. Sorry! 🙂
I kinda see this as an in-between of the grounded “Nasa style” space and the classic Lego space. It could almost make sense story wise as a precursor to the rest of Lego space, back when humanity was just reaching out into the wider galaxy, but before there were established human civilizations on other worlds
I think an important factor you miss in locating these new sets between City Space and Space is the chronology element we also had in Classic Space/Space. I don't mean that the overlapping shelftimes of the Space subthemes determine where to locate a subtheme chronologically, but still there seems to be a temporal evolution over time with the different subthemes depicting different evolutionary stages of a space agency, like Classic Space to Futuron, Blacktron to Blacktron2 and Space Police 1 and 2 (I skip SP3 for now). That's why I think we should locate the 2024 sets on a temporal axis between City Space and Space! Although there have been some Solarpunk influences in the 2023 City waves, LEGO City basically is a depiction of the present, sometimes extrapolating current technological trends a few years (1-5) into the future, like E-mobility or self driving airport shuttles. The original Spaceport subtheme of city was very much a depiction of the contemporary spacefaring, and City Space always has been that since. This only changed recently in 2019 with one set, that manned Mars Research Shuttle, that depicts a projection of a few years into the future, but not dramatically far. The 2022 subtheme is the same in that temporal regard, showing a Lunar Base as the current state of technology. There's one difference in 2022 though: For the first time in City Space (afaik), the logo resembles the Classic Space logo, a fact I interpret as the foundation of the same space agency we still see in the "later" Classic Space subtheme far into the future. The same logo is now developed on for the 2024 wave: To me again this feels like the same space agency, but projected maybe 100 to 200 years into the future, where deep space travel, mining and construction is the state of technology. I think this feeling stems from the fact LEGO deliberately chose not to set the 2024 wave on a planet or moon in the solar system but on an unknown planet with plants and primitive sentient alien life, a first in City Space also. Indeed, Planet Unitron will for sure not exist for another 1000 years in that timeline, but imagining the 2024 spaceships and vehicles landing in the contemporary LEGO city feels just as off. I have no doubt the 2024 wave shares a timeline with Classic Space and that the inclusion of the Classic Space logo is LEGO trying to make that chronology canon. I share your doubts about some Space subthemes though: Life on Mars, Space Police III, Alien Conquest and Galaxy Squad all feel way closer to the present to me, even than the 2024 sets, although all featuring more developed alien life. I somewhat feel, despite the character BB, these exist more like in a parallel universe and detached from the City timeline (or maybe deleted from the minifigures' memories afterwards ;) ); an indication of that is the lack of continuity of the Mars civilization in the two Mars themes that followed each other with no other theme in between to explain the disappearance of the teal alien life.
I like your theory and share similar thoughts! Indeed, the 2024 Space sets won't be landing in Houston, Texas as we know it today, haha. At the same time, they won't be landing on Planet Unitron either, so they do exist as an in-between. 👍 I'm torn on that Space logo thing; I have more cynical reasons for believing why they continue to come back to it, but those have more to do with nostalgia pandering/marketing than any in-universe reason. 😕
Honestly, i love that this years going all in on a space theme. Im working on a sci fi space resort town so i need as much inspiration, and as many spacey figures and aliens, as i can get, but we dont exactly get aliens often outside of star wars nowadays Its not "lego space" in the traditional sense, but from the leaked minifigure series, the year will have some stuff for those retro lines. Also, i like that orange color. Orange as a whole is my favorite color
In one of pen plays live streams we had discussion about these sets. When he wasn't assuming my thoughts I struggled to grasp the words I was looking for to describe my ambivalence. Thanks slugger for putting my thoughts into words. Its the NASA design language I just don't like about Legos modern space attempts. I love science fantasy and that's what classic Lego space is. Also the minifigures don't have any charm compared to the ones form the 70s to the early 2000s
Though the builds may not altogether be too different from the last few NASA-adjacent Space subthemes, the presentation feels like enough steps are being taken that a difference does feel present. Implied alien worlds and strange creatures, along with the less-bulky spacesuits feel like nice gradual steps back into the older Space aesthetic, and I like the crossover novelty going on with this miniseries that we at least see in Friends (and pseduo implied in Dreamzzz and Technic, even if its indirect). It's an interesting "prologue" feel, which is also how I've treated Life on Mars in my personal LEGO headcanon. Martian first contact is an important step in LEGOLAND space getting to where they are in something like the Classic era, with the collaborations allowing for further developments like those seen in the advancing City era. It's not dramatic, but its a progressiveness that gives me the good vibes of something like the aesthetic of Star Trek: Enterprise (which the blue suits we saw in the last City/Mars astronauts, even if that lacked Martians, also hit well with me)
I feel like they focused on space this year because of the Artemis 2 mission happening later this year, with people going to the moon for the first time in over 50 years.
Although I consider those new space sets to be inferior in design and concept to those from the 70s-80s-90s, I’m still thrilled to see Lego go in that direction. I think they are testing the market to see if space would be viable as a standalone theme. In that regard, I think it’s important for us to show our appreciation to this new “attempt” at space in one way or another. That way, we could possibly get a real space theme somewhere before the end of this decade. I don’t know for sure, but I’m still glad Lego city space 2024 exists :)
Whoa I had never heard of Planet Unitron before! I love that part of the lore now, and I can imagine the Rock Raiders visiting that place. Great video! And I agree with your thoughts about the new sets (though I don't own them so my judgement is limited). They feel like a very slow attempt at blending the real world and the sci fi universe, although I fear this might be a reboot of sorts that just references the old as something that will never be brought back.
Thank you! Indeed, the lore for Unitron is really tough to come by, but I like how it gives such a small theme some lasting significance. 😊 I too share your concerns that this is just going to be a one off and not expanded upon any further, though…
As a kid, I considered all my sets in a same universe. Aquanauts, Star wars or even city was just a part of my "space police" universe... It was just some folks from different part or time in the universe... 😅 When I see the city design with the space logo in this wave, I like to think those sets are the past of the classic space Era. It's the prequel. ^^
So, you mention the "interconnected LEGO universe" as a unifying element that makes LEGO Space LEGO Space, but that's exactly why I think the 2024 Space sets ARE LEGO Space! The awesome thing about the "Space" branding across themes is that the City sets are designed to accommodate Friends figures and all of these themes share the same docking port element, and are advertised as being compatible. For the first time, LEGO is actively encouraging you to mix Friends with City with Technic with Creator and so on! Implying all of these worlds exist in THE SAME UNIVERSE! Friends figures may be clearly different from minifigures, and their ships use a different design language and color scheme, so you could totally imagine them to be from different planets, but they are also cooperating and exploring the universe together and even meeting the strange mechanical race of Technic vehicles, which perhaps upon meeting the Friends and City space factions, redesigned themselves to accommodate both life forms for further collaboration! This unprecedented theme-bridging between such vastly different subgenres of LEGO theme is a beautiful and creatively wonderful thing in my eyes. It reminds me of how my sister and I tried to combine Friends and City sets to play together as kids, and we made it work even if it was a little weird. And now LEGO is giving more people an extra nudge to do the same thing, but with Space! Even for those who don't like the clashing styles of City, Friends, and Technic, Space is the perfect way to bring all of these together because now you can explain it away as them being from different worlds but still cooperating. I love that, and I hope it will encourage siblings around the world to make wonderful memories playing together. It might be more of a reboot of Space than a return, as I don't know if I could see Friends and City on Unitron, but the spirit of old and new Space is similar enough that they are both excellent in their own ways, and still have plenty in common. Also, as far as the NASApunk aesthetic is concerned, there's a very good reason for that which has to do with why LEGO is going all-in on space this year - NASA is going forward with the first new manned missions to the moon starting in 2024. The first mission will just be to orbit the moon and return, but people will be on that spacecraft, and moon landings will follow shortly, with the plan being to establish a lunar base that can serve as a jumping-off point for future Mars missions. In other words, LEGO is anticipating excitement around space in general for the next several years, so it makes sense for LEGO to return to Space in a big way. I do agree though, I'd love to see more unashamedly sci-fi Space sets return, even if I am pretty happy with the NASApunk current space stuff. The rovers in particular scream classic space to me, thanks to those big plastic wheels, but I also plan on picking up some of the Technic rovers as I am a sucker for Technic sets with unusual functions and have wanted them to branch out into sci-fi for decades. Also I for one am excited for reddish orange because it matches my first car almost perfectly, way better than old orange did, so I can finally update my LEGO model of it with accurate colors :)
The inter-connectivity between these new sets is a good point to bring up, for sure! It's certainly interesting and different... almost like how Time Cruisers encouraged hopping between themes! I don't think I see it in the same light as you, but that's okay. Like I said, this is going to be LEGO Space to somebody, and maybe that somebody is you! 🙂
I think the designers are testing the waters for whether full sci-fi original themes are still viable. Relying on familiar color pallettes and semi-realistic designs allows them to take steps forward with other things like construction techniques, minifig designs, and the inclusion of alien life. I fully approve and will support this theme.
I hope so! Although, if their approach is only to make incremental changes every few years, I'll be in my 40's before we get back to the metaphorical Planet Unitron... 💀
I think there is some potential in these satin purple power cells. Like the power crystals of Rock Raiders and by extension Power Miners, and forgive me, Mars Mission, they seem to be a sort of scifi macguffin that could unify multiple themes into one timeline. Presumably. Now that I say it I can't actually think of any examples of that, but it could happen. Now that the reddish orange doesn't just look bright scarlet as it did on stream, I actually think it works pretty well here. I'm tempted to pick up some of these sets in hopes that Lego would get the right idea, but as we all know, a company can twist sales or lack thereof to mean just about anything.
A huge step in the right direction (in my opinion) would be to take that satin purple colour and start replacing all of the other transparent colours on these sets with it. When we look at the Space sets of the 80s/90s, they never had boring grey/black transparent windscreens. A large amount of their character came from the vibrant transparent colours!
Hey Slug, I am really surprised that you didn't touch on the module system that ties all of this together. You even show it on screen on the left hand side at 5:46. It's what makes this different from the old stuff, especially because sets from different themes can interact through it. It's even indicated by the new orange colour 😅
I just stumbled upon this video while looking for 2024 reviews. As a life-long Lego space fan (my first set was the rocket launcher from classic space), I find this video profoundly insightful and crisply narrated. It clearly articulates some aspects of Lego space that I’ve thought about much but understood little. And the planet Unitron backstory is new to me, though I own many of the sets that refuel there. The Unitron graphic displaying where we currently are on the return voyage is both hilarious and so true. There should be a fan movement: “Return to Unitron!” Return to Unitron.
I think of this new "space" branding as simply a way to introduce an outer space concept to an existing theme. Outer space is such an interesting subject matter for kids, so LEGO decided to incorporate the concept of outer space into several existing LEGO themes (City, Friends, Classic, Technic, etc.) I think it's pretty neat, but definitely not akin to the LEGO Space theme itself.
@@Lordodragonss Interesting! I guess it all depends on which set is considered "first". Classic Space is generally regarded to have started in 1979, though even that gets a bit hairy as it actually released a month earlier in 1978 in the North American markets. 🤷
I really agree with your observation slugger. You're not the only one that longs for classic Lego space but with a remastered vibe to it. Also you hit the nail on the head when saying this is just another earth based space series. On its own I'd say sure it's fine, but I too want something akin to Ice planet 2002 or Insectoids Something that really scratches the imagination that is those classic space series. I'm not too sure why the Lego company has been playing it safe as they have but I would love for them to start getting back into those really wacky creative ideas they had back in the 80s 90s and early 2000s. I worry that it's more of a corporate leaning ideology these days then a creative one. Sorry for the long comment thanks for the vid as always. Keep on slugging
To me these sets feel very Classic Space-y but with a mix of Galaxy Squad and the more realistic grounding of City.I would consider them space but that's just my opinion.
in the Lego lore, I can see these City sets as the bridging between the previous Lego city space stuff, the more grounded space shuttles and satellites, to the more sci-fi stuff of classic space. The City figures are making their way into the stars, possibly working towards first contact with aliens and bridging into the wider galaxy.
I could see that too. It's just taken us *so long* to even get here... at this rate, it's debatable whether or not The LEGO Group will get to Planet Unitron again before I die. 🙃
Excellent critique. This theme will be Lego Space for my kids but I do hope that Lego moves past this “middle” between space shuttles and Blacktron in the coming years.
Thank you! Hopefully, this is just the start of something new, but they *really* need to lose that City/Space Port vibe behind if they're going to get there.
From the start something felt wrong about these new "City Space 2024" sets from the beginning. I think you put it into words perfectly, Slugger! It's not Lego Space, it's Lego in Space. I feel Galaxy Squad was Lego Space, though a bit of a different style than what came before. I think I'll get the 60430 to support this "not-so-spaceport" thing, just hoping TLG will step out of this safezone they're in and start making imaginative sets and themes again.
I really think the biggest mark against this theme is the colour scheme, as you pointed out weve seen the orange and white colour scheme so many times before and it feels like beating a dead horse
Honestly, yeah I def see it as a first step, dipping the toes, to see if people would actually buy up something like space again, and god I hope these designers get to do proper classic space design, especially for the factions (futuron onward, namely ice planet 2002) Hell for ig my massive headcanon lore with classic space history I could def see this as the direct predecessor to OG classic space, before all the major factions formed/discovered
I can see all your points and agree. They really do need to have rhat element of pure sci-fi wackiness to really match old school Space. This does feel like Lego trying to create an "origin" for all those old Space themes tho, so hopefully we see it grow into a more traditional feel again.
Great video (as always) fingers crossed this wave of sets acts as a first contact and links to the broader space themes long term (shout out ice planet)
One thing I love about this new City Space is the color palette. The design philosophy may be kinda repetitive at this point but the use of many different shades is reminiscent of old-school Lego especially Life On Mars, which used same color in different shades in one set such as red + sand red, blue + sand blue, basically the normal color + its sand variant. Here again we have both grey and sand blue which is evoking the same feeling of nuance in my brain. Same goes to introducing brand new color with this lineup in mind, cute aliens and the crystal piece in a veeery cool color! Cool stuff overall!
See, I just want a Lego *theme* with some sort of space connection. While Life on Mars, Mars Mission, Alien Conquest and Galaxy Squad weren't Lego Space as you defined it Slugger, they were Themes about Lego in Space that could exist on their own (Even if they did have a continuity with other themes at the time). Instead of Lego making a cool new Lego in Space theme, they slap the Lego City label on it to sell a few more boxes, which I find to be so damn infuriating. I wish these sets got their own branding, their own breathing space.
I find it not much different than the 90s branding we used to have with City sets, such as Nautica or Rescue. Speaking of which, collecting those box corners was one of the best parts about those older sets.
Yesterday I bouthg the new 3 in 1 truck with helicopter, it was such a great build, the second one it was meh, but the third one was actullay pretty good. A little surprise was seeing for first time silver bricks, it really make the grill pop. Such a 10/10 of set
I see this city space theme as a bridge in between the nasa style sets and the old school space theme, lego does like to connect a ton of their themes even if it's just the inclusion of named figures
To me, I think this new line is... interesting? Them going across various themes with a sub-theme like this is fascinating, and while it seems primarily useful to shoppers who are buying for their kids specific interests (which is frankly also perfectly fine and great), they are leaning into some more fantastical elements! Meeting aliens is a good start. Taking it out of just City is a good start. Space getting rolled into the standard City rotation of "We reboot it every 3 years" like Fire, Police, etc is... frustrating, but I'm hoping it builds towards something better!
This time around I gotta agree. I think since its all still rooted in City, the white space vehicles is basically the same as yellow construction vehicles, red fire engines, blue police cars, etc... a formula they're reluctanct to stray far from. I just wish the concepts used for the technic line was used for the system sets instead.
Great video. I loved seeing a bunch of sets I had as a kid, and a space set my son has. I had never connected that they lost the imagination/fantasy aspect of space/sci-fi travel with the latest realistic set. Lego was definitely more excited in the 90's LOL 🇳🇿
Thank you! Yeah, it’s interesting seeing the evolution throughout the different eras of LEGO Space! I certainly yearn for a return to those more ambitious designs of the 90s though. 👍
I know it’s not your entire point but it’s funny how similar this came to a completely unrelated conversation I have with friends about sci fi vs a story set in space. Like take the movie Gravity. It’s set in space for sure but it absolutely is not a sci fi movie. Lego Space while not all being sci fi at least begs to draw into some sci fi
I own the construction mech & the 35$ USD rover sets they're good a bit worried bout the GPS tho but I modded them to fit into a world I'm literally building but the new orange (I dub it safety orange) feels weird cause from a distance it'll just blend into a Mars color theme sadly
“Well they’re not Lego space to me, they’re Lego space to somebody” THIS. I wasn’t born early enough to experience classic space or anything close to it. I’ve loved Lego space to death since it started and brought all the 2011 spaceport sets, then the galaxy squad sets (heavily underrated IMO) and since then it’s just been… spaceport? 5 times??? This new wave of space sets is the freshest wave city has brought out in years and is my first city purchase in years. I just wish it could have flourished as it’s own theme and not a smaller subtheme that will never be revisited.
I'm excited that you're enjoying these new sets! I am too, though they don't quite scratch the itch I had hoped they would. Oh well, I'm going to look into modifying them to my liking now! 🙂
Technically speaking Hero Factory and Ultra Agents are both Space Themes in the sense of having a Sci-Fi aesthetic and universe logic as well as some reference to other space themes and characters.
Finally went to the recently open local official Lego store. Saw the space power suit set and compulsively bought it. It looks great, specially for a 10 euros set.
when i was much younger i used to be obsessed with building a big space ship of a really odd design i would make a spine from 2x6-2x8 plates then make ribs out of 1x8s plates and then add whatever plates i had to it to make a floor, and then build computer stations at top, i would then using part 2434 i think about 4 of them i would do the same on the underside of the ship to make a second room like an armoury or engine room. No idea where that came from it didn’t really look like a ship... i guess it did look like a control room like in star Trek but don’t know why i built the floor in that way, it took forever to find the bits..... Tempted to try it again see what an adult me can do with the concept. Also cool video as always
The word that describes lego space the best to me is AeStHeTiCs, if I am using the meme right. And also weird, the vehicles had things you didn't know what exactly they are and what they do. Are they weapons, some sort of science thingy or what. While as when I look at new sets it's clear what is the engine, what is a weapon and what is a communications device. Lego space and lego in space is an excellent way of differentiating the two.
This is a great point! There was something about the older craft themselves that had an air of mystery about them. The new sets are cool and all, but spell everything out rather bare.
@@RRSlugger Yeah there used to be more room left for imagination. A different planet with a different people, completely removed from Earth or a far off future, who knows. Modern space sets seem like technology that is around the corner.
I'm not going to lie, I kind of love the new Lego City Space Sets (it needs better name though). Part of the reason for that might be my specific experience with Lego. I was most definitely a Lego kid in the mid to late 90s-early 2000's. Well I did enjoy some of the licensed themes (I had so much Harry Potter), I primarily adored the original themes. Adventurer's is probably my favorite childhood lego theme, but I also had a good amount of Lego Space, Aquazone, and Rock Raiders (probably my second favorite original Lego theme). When I was 15 my house burned in a forest fire and all of my Legos were in the house. I did not get back into Lego for 15 years because that. Last year at 30 I took the plunge and decided to get back into Lego, and I've been having a blast. The one drawback is there hasn't been many original non-licensed themed from Legos that I've loved recently, so I've mainly been getting into license themes, the Creator Line, and MOCs. Then the new City Space Theme was revealed, and I was intrigued. It reminds me of some of the Legos I used to play with as kid! I happened to find the spaceship early at a local store, picked it up, and fell in love with it. I like that it actually creates a that tells a story across all of the builds, but still leaves room for creativity. I bought some more sets that are on the way now, and I'm going to probably pick up most of the rest over the next couple months. I'm going to build a diorama to show off this new cool world that reminds me more of the sets of my childhood then anything else Lego has been releasing lately. Are they perfect? No. Are they a little too based on Nasa? Probably. But am I having fun with them? Absolutely.
That’s awesome! I’m stoked how these new sets have inspired you! Honestly, I had a similar experience with the 2019 City Space sets too - they got me back into LEGO! 😊 I’m really sorry to hear about your house fire though - that sounds awful! ☹️
Fair enough! I suppose what I’m doing by removing the orange is inadvertently making it closer to its source material, haha (Interstellar, Starfield, Mass Effect, etc). 😅
They have multi-colored spacemen but with predominantly white hulls. They deal with actual alien life, and they are mining mysterious purple crystals that seemingly are also their main power source. They have branch leaders and some sort of admiral figure. I dunno man. These don't seem all that "spaceport" to me. Sounds pretty Futuron, actually. EDIT: I would add that some early Classic Space sets did feature rockets and satellites that were clearly alluding to near-future space exploration. They did use that cool blue/grey color scheme though. If all else was the same but these were blue/grey/trans yellow we wouldn't even be having this debate.
On paper, I agree. However, what we *see* is not Futuron in the slightest. That NASA inspired design language tells it all; not only that, but the influences for this 2024 Space theme are obvious, (as pointed out in the video). These sets aren't charting a new course for LEGO Space the same way Futuron did. 😕
Ah! Just saw the EDIT; you're right in saying that a few Classic Space sets featured some more traditional Space elements, but they were far and away the vast minority. For every "Mobile Rocket Launcher", there were a dozen other sets with much more abstract designs and creative origins. With the new sets for 2024, that ratio is completely flipped. As such, to say that there's only colour scheme separating these modern 2024 sets are the LEGO Space sets of yesteryear is rather disingenuous, in my opinion. 😕 Breaking away from the NASA-punk inspired colours certainly wouldn't hurt though! Let's get a modern LEGO Space theme that *doesn't* feature white as the primary colour! 🙃
3:24 Life on Mars is more than a successor to Space Port. It's a sequel, as BB wins a contest in Space Port to take part with the astronauts as they explore Mars, as documented in various magazines and junior novels.
I 100% agree on your criticisms, especially the color palette (and vehicle design direction). So incredibly boring. I have no interest in classic space but they are so unique and creative in both of those aspects, and sometimes hit it out of the park with a unconventional brilliancy like RR. And for this we get... white... with sand blue and orange accents... awful. Awfully safe, awfully uninspired, awfully boring. The black cockpits too. I don't mind the color in a vacuum but it's not doing them any favors. The sets themselves look fun enough and I did get the mech, which is a cute set and gave me a taste of the orange and the fancy purple. And you are really right with your comment about risk aversiveness. It's sad to see.
It's been years since I've been this hyped for a theme. And even though it feels too City-like in places, I'm just glad it's a full lineup, not the trash 3 set-distribution from two years ago. I can finally get THREE small sets that all seem interesting. That said; I'll take the OG themes over these any day. I'm just happy we got _something_ that isn't just straight up contemporary near-future or a direct remake of an old set (that's HUGE or a GWP)
Indeed! It's nice to see a more fully realized concept here. And you make a good point about the GWP/remake aspect - I'm not out here asking for a remake of what came before, but rather something new that still exists with the creative design language we once saw within LEGO Space. 🙂
I know RUclips isn't exactly the platform for nuance, but I just want to re-emphasize that I neither love nor hate these new LEGO Space sets for 2024. There are good qualities to them... and there are not so good qualities too.
In a vacuum, I think I would be much more positive about them, but given the context leading up to their release... well, you get this video! 😅
One last thing - I totally goofed on the original release date of Space Port! I knew that it came out before Rock Raiders, but I didn't know by how many months. I can't believe it took me until the editing phase to actually look it up. Whoops! 🙃
I guess that means I'm a fake fan of LEGO Space after all! 😆
We'll be back into the world of Rock Raiders shortly, and after that - to Everest! Thanks for watching everyone! ❤
Now I have go look to see every single MiniFig face that was used in a LEGO Space set as a character not from Earth. I have a strong feeling that "They Live" amongst the UnAware others. Time to get my Roddy Piper SunGlasses out.
Space Port is a tricky one to define too, as there were two phases of it a few years apart which may have had different names (launch command maybe?) Plus they had made the odd NASA set under the city banner before that, and would continue to afterwards, so its scope is kind of much bigger than that of the actual theme with that name. I'm glad I'm not the only one who still calls the "city space" sets of the last decade Space Port sets though...
Bro SHUT THE HELL UP , we finally got "not space shuttle" theme and you bash it ?!?! What is your problem - perfectionism ??? 🤦🤔
"In a vacuum" I see what you did there!
So from browsing the lego website as of late I've noticed that it seams to be just generalized interests such as "space" just being slaped with that obtrusive "space" banner which is a real same as I personally was hoping for a true space theme
The colour coded spacesuit uniforms, the unusual angles and shapes (ESPECIALLY on the rover), it all gives the sense that the designers are desperately trying to break free of the realistic city branding
I hope they keep trying, because we've got a long road ahead of us to get to Planet Unitron! 😅
you forgot the LITERAL MECH! Lego City, the series that is supposedly about a modern everyday life has a friggin' two-legged mech!
@@RRSluggerwould it actually be reasonable to expect modern Lego space to incorporate lord from older space sub themes? How many kids born after 2010 actually know of the original Lego space line, how it was interconnected and such? I think these sets are analogous to the early 80’s classic space, what with the focus on peaceful exploration, with a bit of alien life thrown in, and the brightly colored space suits.
@@dr.ramilo84
And then there is me, who grew up playing _LEGO City Undercover,_ which had Chase McCain pilot a giant yellow mech during the final boss.
@@dr.ramilo84They just put mechs in anything now because they know people love mechs (and they do!). We don't have the capabilities to mine on other planets either 🤷♂️
I always thought of City Space as more of the realistic NASA-type equipment; whereas, the classic Space themes had more of a sci-fi/fantasy vibe.
What I’ve seen of the new “Space” sets appears to be somewhere in between realistic and fantasy. If the branding continues, I’m curious to see what direction it will go.
To me, it seems like a speculative "future space". It's still sci-fi to be sure, but these city sets appear to trace an extension of realistic space tech. Plausible--not strictly fictitious or real. It's like the artists concepts for our space travel many years down the road.
I think the best term for 2024 Space is a “super-theme”, because it quite literally encompasses multiple existing themes.
It really is an unusual way of marketing their sets, one that doesn’t have a precedent in Lego’s history that I can think of. And your little joke about a Racers super-theme-I honestly think that’s something that could happen in the future if this does well.
Meta-theme is a term I've seen used.
as someone born in 2000 who has a lot of nostalgia for the likes of alien conquest and galaxy squad, these sets hit the spot for me. It really feels like a peacetime version of galaxy squad, and I hope they do well enough to warrant some space in the product range for a standalone original space theme to show up again.
I got more of a civilian mars mission feeling
Civilian side of Galaxy Squad is exactly how I'm using these. I'm a lot older, but I'm with you, I love them
The biggest sin the theme commits, imo, is the dull normal color for the windscreens and windows. Had they gone with a vibrant blue, yellow, or even purple I think it would change perception a bit.
The space ship in the friends set has a purple windscreen, look at that and tell me if you think it looks good!
Absolutely! There's a *huge* visual difference between the themes I consider to be LEGO Space and this; a lot of it largely comes down to how the bright transparent colours are used. 👍
@@ClassicStudStudios I dig it actually! I would have changed the orange to purple to match it but otherwise it's a good look. It matching with the energy crystals from the other sets is a big plus!
Amen. Honestly that iridescent blue used in the Spacecar from Dreamzzz would have looked stunning on these sets.
It looks good.@@ClassicStudStudios
There have been a few sets that felt extremely "lego space" to me in recent years from the Monkie Kid subtheme. Chang-e's Mooncake Factory with its giant bunnybot (including removable escape pod) stands proudly among any Blacktron or Ice Planet sets from the 90s.
I love that set so much!
Can't wait to see Ninjago Space sets. It's only a matter of time
For some reason that carrot rocket broke Jang's brain.
You're totally right. It has the aesthetics, the pinch of science fantasy, and more.
@@LilTuba Haha, what do you mean?
The 90s Lego space sets are really something special imo. Quintessential nostalgia and top notch creativity.
Honestly I like the neon orange highlights and think it perfectly fits the NASA-punk theme. Like in real life, the orange is used to highlight important details of the vehicles in a way that seems to serve a practical purpose for the astronauts. It's a cautionary danger indicator around the engine and wing flaps of the interstellar explorer, and it's used to highlight the wheels and footholds on the rover vehicle, etc.
I'm firmly in camp 'This Counts As Lego Space To Me', in the same way I'd consider Life on Mars as Lego Space and happily include it in a Lego Space themed build, I personally really appreciate the way they take the multicolored Spacemen and organize them in a Star Trekkian manner, in a way that fosters adding your own colors to boot with the lack of exclusively colored prints! It's totally feasible for me to add a Purple or Red divisions to add to the Green Scientist, Yellow Engineer, and Blue Pilot divisions already in play. I also gotta admit I am a sucker for the Nasapunk aesthetic and am happy to see a series just go whole hog into a fully Sci-Fi version of it, which I think is what really separates this series of City Space sets from the prior "Spaceport 2" serieses. I would actually argue this is at *least* Spaceport *3* if not Lego Space proper!
That all said, as always I appreciate your perspective! I am glad I can come here and hear a well thought out and considered take even if I don't agree in the end. So thanks again for the video, I look forward to more in the future!
I can totally see where you're coming from! That idea of the Space Port 3 comparison is actually really apt, I agree. 👍
In a vacuum, I think I'd be a lot more stoked about these sets, but I have trouble looking past the decade-long baggage that tethers them to City/Space Port. The LEGO Group's apparent unwillingness to drop the "City" name from their "Space" sets is emblematic of my issues here. 😕
LEGO Space used to be a theme with many subthemes.
Now Space is a subtheme within many themes.
With that in mind, I am still very excited for Technic to revisit Space for the first time since 1996! (And last year too.)
Hopefully this Space theme/series is just a stepping stone to getting people used to the wackiness of 90s space again.
Also, that's a pretty cool baseplate at 3:45! Have we seen it in its fullness?
One can only hope! But if we get another rocket on a launch pad in a couple years... 🙃
I think that alien landscape baseplate is also visible in my Spyrius video and my Slugger's First LEGO Set video! 🙂
This feels to me like it is a bridging between the two 'styles' of space. Between sci-fi vehicle ideas and giving them a touch of 'real' in using modern design styles. Yet using the same style connectors and ideas to make them compatible with the previous more 'inspired by real space exploration' we got last year as part of City. While the more fanciful ideas, such as the spacecar, are in themes like Dreamzzz. Frankly I like it and am here for it. The LEGO fan inside of me is just happy to see LEGO doing more inventive original SPACE ideas and not just filling that spot with Star Wars.
Hoping the Space label gimmick is a good test for doing it with Castle in the future.
@@CastleManiaX7 Sounds like a "Nexo Knights II" concept!
I'm buying up one of each of everything in this line. I remember loving looking at the old sets in my visual dictionary, and being jealous that I wasn't there to experience classic space. Now I can, in my own way
Yeah I agree that they’re not the Lego space like people know but this space label being pushed onto a bunch of sets across multiple themes I think is meant to be more of a gimmick this year. They also seem to be doing a entire space themed cmf wave too in the future that does have some returning classic space themed minifigures so it might not be much but I hope fans of Lego space enjoy it.
Yup! One small step in the right direction... 😉
Those minifigs are the only thing I'm halfway interested in...
"It's not Lego Space to me, but it will be Lego space for someone". Thank you for summing up why I subbed your channel. Perspective is a powerful tool. Good to hear from you as always, Slugger.
Thank you Brick Foxx! ❤
I am delighted by the composition of the "We are here" graphic.
Thank you! Me too! ❤
It was the last element I made for this video, and after finishing it I realized it basically summed up everything I tried to say here in one image. I could have just saved myself the trouble and *not* made the video, haha! 😆
NOT THE ASTERISK!
I think how LEGO is bringing Space back is clever in that it allows for that same variety within Space we once had. Doesn’t mean it’s on par with classic Space, but it’s a step in the right direction. Now will Castle be given the same treatment? I have no idea, but it’d be a lot harder to bring Friends and City into that space unless they apply the thin justification of “it’s just a renaissance fair, bro.”
The 2024 City Space sets are a step towards that Unitron style. Perhaps they’re the ancestors of those who would go on to wear red, yellow, black, white, and blue…
Man, I'd love for Ren Faire sets to happen
Slugger, I got to say... I am so much more interested in space as a whole because of you. I highly respect Lego for putting more emphasis on space this year, but like you said, there is a lack of creativity that old themes used to bring. I am excited when there will be a theme that we can all enjoy together and then watch you freak out in a video xD
Thank you! I too, hope that day comes! ❤
I remember fondly Space Port 1999. That year little kid me watched a solar eclipse, holding onto my 6458: Satellite with astronaut, my 6453: comlink cruiser and my 6454: Countdown Corner (so great to see it here in all it's glory!).
To me Space Port got rebooted in 2019, with sets that reflect what could be done then, it got continued in 2022 with sets that showed what could be done in the very near future. 2024 is the continuation, with sets that show what can be done in several decades. It's almost the new Classic Space, with exploration being put first and foremost
I'm a big fan of this year's theme and love how it, alongside things like Life on Mars and Mars Mission, clearly fits between spaceport and classic Space.
But I totally see your point and think the final remark of this video is an absolutely spot-on comment about this series.
Well done articulating this important but subtle distinction. Lego Insectoids will always be my favourite subtheme, so I want the crystal canopy sci fi aesthetic of Lego Space back too! However, I've also had trouble at times explaining to others why the excellent Space Port sets we've been getting aren't it. I think I lot of people who didn't grow up with 90's space sets, don't quite get the distinction.
That said, I do like space port, even if its not my platonic ideal. The Nasa inspired builds we've been getting may not be leaving the solar system, but they have been very creative the last few years, and are a great build experience. They've also done a good job of showing life in space, and presenting the real world space program in a very accessible and understandable way.
As a planetary scientist, I think there is a lot of value in making construction toys which present the space program as something that is real, happening now, and which kids can grow up to get involved in. As an outreach tool that is hard to beat.
Surely they can keep doing that, and give us the amazing rock raiders/exploreans/insectoids reboot of our dreams too?
Thank you! And coming from a planetary scientist, this is high praise indeed! ❤
I agree with all of your points here; these Space Port-esque sets continue to be cool, but they don't scratch that same itch that 80s/90s Space did. 👍
And I'm 100% there with your final point too - why not both!
I always figured that Lego space took place several hundred or even thousands of years in the future and that that Lego City was a half way point between Lego Castle and Lego Space. Both Castle and City had boats, but those boats were separated by 1000 or so years. The Lego city had space stuff, either contemporary to that time, or predictions of the fairly near future (rest of the 21st century or early 22nd century) while the Space theme was several centuries removed from this.
This is cool, yeah! 🙂
I think what people who don’t own any LEGO space set before the year 2001 fail to realise is there’s a difference between fantasy space and civilian space.
Classic space, futuron, blacktron, space police, m tron, ice planet, spyrius, unitron, exploriens, ufo, and insectoids are all fantasy space. Launch command, space port and everything after that is either civilian space or weird crossovers
What I really like about Space 2024 is that, to me, it feels like a missing link between the eras of simply exploring our solar system, and exploring our galaxy.
Like these are the first steps outside of Sol, after the expeditions to mars have long since become commonplace. The single seater ship is even called the Interstellar Spaceship for goodness sake.
For me, this is the era in history that links Mars themes and Space Port, to the grander future of classic Lego Space, when humanity is everywhere throughout the galaxy. These are the first steps that will one day establish factions and places like Unitron or Blacktron.
At least, that’s my interpretation of it. It feels right, to slot it in as the inbetween of Lego in space, and Lego space. Here’s hoping that Lego keeps pushing the ideas further.
I think that the City branding used in these new sets would have a lot of potential if LEGO was willing to expand the worldbuilding. We’ve got many different types of Police sets in the past, even such ridiculous concepts as Sky Police - why can’t we get some City Space Police sets with some builds dedicated to a space crook faction (Blacktron, Spyrius, something new?)? I would love to see LEGO City in space!
BLACKTRON 4 LIFE!!!!! (Yes I am that old and it is my favourite LEGO Space theme of all time.)
Seeing these sets in stores got my heart rate up. I've been dreaming of this day ever since i was 9 years old going deep in the catacombs of the LEGO wiki, through what felt like ancient forgotten texts to discover these endless themes and sub themes until i finally reached the pages about the initial space theme. They were some of the most absurd and creative builds i had ever seen, using pieces to that point unknown to me. I was seeing the structures that the bin of yellowed grey and blued greens once formed. Dreams of putting them back together shattered by the realization that, at most, _half of half_ the sets my father had were now lost or otherwise unobtainable by me. "One day," I said to myself "they'll realize how much money they're missing out on, and start pushing the space themes again! That would be awesome." And now, after 7 years, it is that day, and I have only peed my pants TWICE. Once these sets inevitably sell well, they're going to have more faith, and probably give the deisgners more freedom, and eventually we'll start seeing new molds come out of this. Nothing will ever, EVER be as cool as Ice Planet 2002, but that's not really a fair competition considering it's literally called _Ice Planet._ That's like trying to go up against _Gangster Swag Clothing Co._ The thing they are is IN THE NAME.
Hahaha, your excitement is infectious! ❤️
I’m so happy that day finally came for you! I’m hoping to have a day like that one day too. 😊
This is EXACTLY how I feel! I'm not missing this chance!
My fav part is this subtheme CONNECT Themes.
Do you know all City vechicles are DESIGNED to sit Minifigs AND Minidolls? This is FIRST theme this happened.
Also these Orange connections that connect to EVEN TECHNIC. THis is REALLY big!
This is true! And I agree, that aspect is unique and exciting!
I wish I could be excited about the *rest* of it though. 😅
"While they're not LEGO Space to me, they're gonna be LEGO Space to somebody, and that matters."
After seeing other reviews and picking up a set for myself, I came back to this video to say that that "somebody" is me. This may not be Classic Space. It's not Rock Raiders, Ice Planet, M-Tron, Blacktron, or Insectoids. But to me, these are Mars Mission. They're Space Police III. They're Galaxy Squad. These capture the nostalgia that I have for what I experienced as LEGO Space, and I love them because of it. This wave is one of my favorite things to come out of LEGO in a while.
(This is not meant to be a criticism of this video at all)
That's great! I can see why these would scratch that itch, given the similar colour schemes and curvy shapes. 😊
Maybe my LEGO Space is still out there...! (or maybe not, haha)
Dear Slug. Being this pedantic is why we're subscribed.
Sincerely, your fans who enjoy your videos.
Thank you! ❤
In my opinion, life on Mars was the last "space" set. It was the last set to have sci-fi designs, interesting colors and it just feels like the inspired classic Lego space when you see it.
After that it became either aliens vs humans (the stupid trend that mars mission started) or more realistic Nasa stuff like you mentioned in the video.
Either way, loved the video! Keep it up slug!
I see what you mean! I will say that I appreciate the return to a peaceful human/alien coexistence in these new 2024 sets, but the problem is that the alien presence is nearly nonexistent here. So much so, that I didn’t even feel like mentioning it in the script! 😕
A far cry from Life On Mars, I’m afraid…
The 80's and 90's space sets are irreplaceable...
How do you feel about the more modern space themes like Galaxy Squad and Space Police III? Do they fit in the Unitron-verse?
I think they do fit Unitron personally! ( also love your stop motion’s especially tales of sensei Wu )
I left those ones out intentionally because I have a bit more trouble placing them. I *think* they do..? Like, Space Police 3 seems like a pretty natural fit for Unitron, even with those white space vehicles.
Galaxy Squad is a series I completely missed out on, but it seems like it would fit too. Honestly, the toughest one for me is Mars Mission! It certainly takes place far into the future and features aliens... *but* it's also based within our local solar system and features those NASA-esque colours. It's like halfway to Unitron, haha. 😅
This is something that happens surprisingly often in lego, where multiple themes appear in a similar setting, this is just the first time they went ahead and pointed it out. The earliest I remember of this was 2007, where there was a strange coincidence between the release of Aqua Raiders and Spongebob alongside Bionicle going under the waves, while City deployed a number of watercraft above it.
Indeed! Dinosaurs in 2000/01 were really popular, so we saw themes like Dino Island and Dinosaur take off during that era too. Would have been hilarious if they had printed a big "DINO" logo on all of those boxes back then! 😆
@@RRSlugger Ah, I completely forgot about that! Since Dino Island came first, then the generic Dinosaur theme after, _then_ Jurassic Park after that yet still, I guess I don't really internalize the connection between them. Just a weird way brains can be.
Here's one way to look at it,
Town/City Space port: morden day
Life on Mars, Mars Mission, City Space 2024: 100 to 200 years in the future
Most other Lego Space themes: far future, about 500 to 1000 years.
But at the end of the day, does it really matter what's on the box. Rather, what's IN the box that counts.
"But at the end of the day, does it really matter what's on the box. Rather, what's IN the box that counts."
Star Wars: a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...
While I'm also waiting for a proper real sci-fi lego theme, these sets do look really nice for now!
My favorite thing is all the intercompatible modules throughout the different themes: city, technic and friends. The are also compatible with the ones from the previous city spaces sets all the way since 2019.
But I hope we will get some more proper space sets in this common branding later in the year
You have put so eloquently into words a sorrow that i have felt for years now. Thank you for this.
Thank you! I've heard from a number of folks now with similar sentiments. I'm elated that this video has been cathartic for some people! ❤️
so "slugging" is an official slur in the slug language? XD
but yeah, in retrospect, this IS essentially LEGO Space Port with extra Steps.
but we gotta work with what we get, and we will got the summer wave of set to look forward to- ah who am i kidding, it's still gonna be NASA-like at the end of the day.
but hey, this IS lego, we can modify it however we want! just like the lego Lightyear XL-15 set i got last year, i modded it into an Explorien style spacecraft!
Hahaha, we're adding it to the lexicon! 😆
Maybe in another 10 years we'll be a little bit closer to Planet Unitron. 🙃
And this is a good point! I'm already looking at ways of removing the orange from these new Space sets, haha!
I'm wondering if you were a hypothetical lego desginer what would be your pitch to move the product in a direction that you think would be more in line with that older phliosphy?
I don't think I have a good answer for this, and it would be rash of me to assume that I have any insight on how LEGO themes are pitched or developed. 😕
As a fan of LEGO, I think the best I can do is communicate what I'd like to see in the future, but I'm not expecting anyone at the company to actually listen to what one slug says on the internet. 😅
If I had some post-secondary education in marketing or product design, I think I would feel more fit to take on this challenge. Sorry! 🙂
I kinda see this as an in-between of the grounded “Nasa style” space and the classic Lego space. It could almost make sense story wise as a precursor to the rest of Lego space, back when humanity was just reaching out into the wider galaxy, but before there were established human civilizations on other worlds
i wish they used the classic space helmets, if they did this would be the perfect theme for me, the new ones just dont hit the same
I think an important factor you miss in locating these new sets between City Space and Space is the chronology element we also had in Classic Space/Space. I don't mean that the overlapping shelftimes of the Space subthemes determine where to locate a subtheme chronologically, but still there seems to be a temporal evolution over time with the different subthemes depicting different evolutionary stages of a space agency, like Classic Space to Futuron, Blacktron to Blacktron2 and Space Police 1 and 2 (I skip SP3 for now). That's why I think we should locate the 2024 sets on a temporal axis between City Space and Space!
Although there have been some Solarpunk influences in the 2023 City waves, LEGO City basically is a depiction of the present, sometimes extrapolating current technological trends a few years (1-5) into the future, like E-mobility or self driving airport shuttles. The original Spaceport subtheme of city was very much a depiction of the contemporary spacefaring, and City Space always has been that since. This only changed recently in 2019 with one set, that manned Mars Research Shuttle, that depicts a projection of a few years into the future, but not dramatically far. The 2022 subtheme is the same in that temporal regard, showing a Lunar Base as the current state of technology.
There's one difference in 2022 though: For the first time in City Space (afaik), the logo resembles the Classic Space logo, a fact I interpret as the foundation of the same space agency we still see in the "later" Classic Space subtheme far into the future.
The same logo is now developed on for the 2024 wave: To me again this feels like the same space agency, but projected maybe 100 to 200 years into the future, where deep space travel, mining and construction is the state of technology. I think this feeling stems from the fact LEGO deliberately chose not to set the 2024 wave on a planet or moon in the solar system but on an unknown planet with plants and primitive sentient alien life, a first in City Space also.
Indeed, Planet Unitron will for sure not exist for another 1000 years in that timeline, but imagining the 2024 spaceships and vehicles landing in the contemporary LEGO city feels just as off. I have no doubt the 2024 wave shares a timeline with Classic Space and that the inclusion of the Classic Space logo is LEGO trying to make that chronology canon.
I share your doubts about some Space subthemes though: Life on Mars, Space Police III, Alien Conquest and Galaxy Squad all feel way closer to the present to me, even than the 2024 sets, although all featuring more developed alien life. I somewhat feel, despite the character BB, these exist more like in a parallel universe and detached from the City timeline (or maybe deleted from the minifigures' memories afterwards ;) ); an indication of that is the lack of continuity of the Mars civilization in the two Mars themes that followed each other with no other theme in between to explain the disappearance of the teal alien life.
I like your theory and share similar thoughts! Indeed, the 2024 Space sets won't be landing in Houston, Texas as we know it today, haha. At the same time, they won't be landing on Planet Unitron either, so they do exist as an in-between. 👍
I'm torn on that Space logo thing; I have more cynical reasons for believing why they continue to come back to it, but those have more to do with nostalgia pandering/marketing than any in-universe reason. 😕
Honestly, i love that this years going all in on a space theme. Im working on a sci fi space resort town so i need as much inspiration, and as many spacey figures and aliens, as i can get, but we dont exactly get aliens often outside of star wars nowadays
Its not "lego space" in the traditional sense, but from the leaked minifigure series, the year will have some stuff for those retro lines.
Also, i like that orange color. Orange as a whole is my favorite color
In one of pen plays live streams we had discussion about these sets. When he wasn't assuming my thoughts I struggled to grasp the words I was looking for to describe my ambivalence. Thanks slugger for putting my thoughts into words. Its the NASA design language I just don't like about Legos modern space attempts. I love science fantasy and that's what classic Lego space is.
Also the minifigures don't have any charm compared to the ones form the 70s to the early 2000s
Thank you! I was hoping this video could be helpful for any folks like me who are fairly lukewarm about the modern LEGO Space offerings. ❤
'Interstellar' means we're traveling between stars... We're going to Unitron!
Though the builds may not altogether be too different from the last few NASA-adjacent Space subthemes, the presentation feels like enough steps are being taken that a difference does feel present. Implied alien worlds and strange creatures, along with the less-bulky spacesuits feel like nice gradual steps back into the older Space aesthetic, and I like the crossover novelty going on with this miniseries that we at least see in Friends (and pseduo implied in Dreamzzz and Technic, even if its indirect).
It's an interesting "prologue" feel, which is also how I've treated Life on Mars in my personal LEGO headcanon. Martian first contact is an important step in LEGOLAND space getting to where they are in something like the Classic era, with the collaborations allowing for further developments like those seen in the advancing City era. It's not dramatic, but its a progressiveness that gives me the good vibes of something like the aesthetic of Star Trek: Enterprise (which the blue suits we saw in the last City/Mars astronauts, even if that lacked Martians, also hit well with me)
slugger, its literally a space theme where they mine crystals to make energy ROCK RAIDERS IS BACK BABEY !!!
😆❤
the lego city space stuff is close enough for me to grab some. I hope that if they do good, we could get more actual lego space
I feel like they focused on space this year because of the Artemis 2 mission happening later this year, with people going to the moon for the first time in over 50 years.
Although I consider those new space sets to be inferior in design and concept to those from the 70s-80s-90s, I’m still thrilled to see Lego go in that direction. I think they are testing the market to see if space would be viable as a standalone theme. In that regard, I think it’s important for us to show our appreciation to this new “attempt” at space in one way or another. That way, we could possibly get a real space theme somewhere before the end of this decade. I don’t know for sure, but I’m still glad Lego city space 2024 exists :)
Whoa I had never heard of Planet Unitron before! I love that part of the lore now, and I can imagine the Rock Raiders visiting that place. Great video! And I agree with your thoughts about the new sets (though I don't own them so my judgement is limited). They feel like a very slow attempt at blending the real world and the sci fi universe, although I fear this might be a reboot of sorts that just references the old as something that will never be brought back.
Thank you! Indeed, the lore for Unitron is really tough to come by, but I like how it gives such a small theme some lasting significance. 😊
I too share your concerns that this is just going to be a one off and not expanded upon any further, though…
As a kid, I considered all my sets in a same universe. Aquanauts, Star wars or even city was just a part of my "space police" universe... It was just some folks from different part or time in the universe... 😅
When I see the city design with the space logo in this wave, I like to think those sets are the past of the classic space Era. It's the prequel. ^^
So, you mention the "interconnected LEGO universe" as a unifying element that makes LEGO Space LEGO Space, but that's exactly why I think the 2024 Space sets ARE LEGO Space! The awesome thing about the "Space" branding across themes is that the City sets are designed to accommodate Friends figures and all of these themes share the same docking port element, and are advertised as being compatible.
For the first time, LEGO is actively encouraging you to mix Friends with City with Technic with Creator and so on! Implying all of these worlds exist in THE SAME UNIVERSE! Friends figures may be clearly different from minifigures, and their ships use a different design language and color scheme, so you could totally imagine them to be from different planets, but they are also cooperating and exploring the universe together and even meeting the strange mechanical race of Technic vehicles, which perhaps upon meeting the Friends and City space factions, redesigned themselves to accommodate both life forms for further collaboration!
This unprecedented theme-bridging between such vastly different subgenres of LEGO theme is a beautiful and creatively wonderful thing in my eyes. It reminds me of how my sister and I tried to combine Friends and City sets to play together as kids, and we made it work even if it was a little weird. And now LEGO is giving more people an extra nudge to do the same thing, but with Space! Even for those who don't like the clashing styles of City, Friends, and Technic, Space is the perfect way to bring all of these together because now you can explain it away as them being from different worlds but still cooperating. I love that, and I hope it will encourage siblings around the world to make wonderful memories playing together.
It might be more of a reboot of Space than a return, as I don't know if I could see Friends and City on Unitron, but the spirit of old and new Space is similar enough that they are both excellent in their own ways, and still have plenty in common.
Also, as far as the NASApunk aesthetic is concerned, there's a very good reason for that which has to do with why LEGO is going all-in on space this year - NASA is going forward with the first new manned missions to the moon starting in 2024. The first mission will just be to orbit the moon and return, but people will be on that spacecraft, and moon landings will follow shortly, with the plan being to establish a lunar base that can serve as a jumping-off point for future Mars missions. In other words, LEGO is anticipating excitement around space in general for the next several years, so it makes sense for LEGO to return to Space in a big way.
I do agree though, I'd love to see more unashamedly sci-fi Space sets return, even if I am pretty happy with the NASApunk current space stuff. The rovers in particular scream classic space to me, thanks to those big plastic wheels, but I also plan on picking up some of the Technic rovers as I am a sucker for Technic sets with unusual functions and have wanted them to branch out into sci-fi for decades.
Also I for one am excited for reddish orange because it matches my first car almost perfectly, way better than old orange did, so I can finally update my LEGO model of it with accurate colors :)
The inter-connectivity between these new sets is a good point to bring up, for sure! It's certainly interesting and different... almost like how Time Cruisers encouraged hopping between themes!
I don't think I see it in the same light as you, but that's okay. Like I said, this is going to be LEGO Space to somebody, and maybe that somebody is you! 🙂
I think the designers are testing the waters for whether full sci-fi original themes are still viable. Relying on familiar color pallettes and semi-realistic designs allows them to take steps forward with other things like construction techniques, minifig designs, and the inclusion of alien life. I fully approve and will support this theme.
I hope so! Although, if their approach is only to make incremental changes every few years, I'll be in my 40's before we get back to the metaphorical Planet Unitron... 💀
I think there is some potential in these satin purple power cells. Like the power crystals of Rock Raiders and by extension Power Miners, and forgive me, Mars Mission, they seem to be a sort of scifi macguffin that could unify multiple themes into one timeline. Presumably. Now that I say it I can't actually think of any examples of that, but it could happen.
Now that the reddish orange doesn't just look bright scarlet as it did on stream, I actually think it works pretty well here.
I'm tempted to pick up some of these sets in hopes that Lego would get the right idea, but as we all know, a company can twist sales or lack thereof to mean just about anything.
A huge step in the right direction (in my opinion) would be to take that satin purple colour and start replacing all of the other transparent colours on these sets with it. When we look at the Space sets of the 80s/90s, they never had boring grey/black transparent windscreens. A large amount of their character came from the vibrant transparent colours!
Tbh mars mission is some of my favorite lego theme
Hey Slug, I am really surprised that you didn't touch on the module system that ties all of this together. You even show it on screen on the left hand side at 5:46. It's what makes this different from the old stuff, especially because sets from different themes can interact through it. It's even indicated by the new orange colour 😅
If I were to have brought it up, I would have pointed out how it's just another retread of the 2019 Space line. Those sets had it too! 😅
@@RRSlugger Fair enough but I think the cross-theme part of it makes it more interesting this time around.
@@ClintonMatos On that point, I agree absolutely! 👍
I just stumbled upon this video while looking for 2024 reviews. As a life-long Lego space fan (my first set was the rocket launcher from classic space), I find this video profoundly insightful and crisply narrated. It clearly articulates some aspects of Lego space that I’ve thought about much but understood little.
And the planet Unitron backstory is new to me, though I own many of the sets that refuel there. The Unitron graphic displaying where we currently are on the return voyage is both hilarious and so true. There should be a fan movement: “Return to Unitron!”
Return to Unitron.
Thank you very much! Return to Unitron, indeed! ❤️
I think of this new "space" branding as simply a way to introduce an outer space concept to an existing theme. Outer space is such an interesting subject matter for kids, so LEGO decided to incorporate the concept of outer space into several existing LEGO themes (City, Friends, Classic, Technic, etc.) I think it's pretty neat, but definitely not akin to the LEGO Space theme itself.
Agreed! It's just a matter of branding, not an overhaul of how or what sets are developed. 👍
ALso its aparently 60 years of Lego space. With 801 set being forst SPACE set
@@Lordodragonss Interesting! I guess it all depends on which set is considered "first". Classic Space is generally regarded to have started in 1979, though even that gets a bit hairy as it actually released a month earlier in 1978 in the North American markets. 🤷
@@RRSlugger 601 was made in 1964!
I really agree with your observation slugger. You're not the only one that longs for classic Lego space but with a remastered vibe to it. Also you hit the nail on the head when saying this is just another earth based space series. On its own I'd say sure it's fine, but I too want something akin to Ice planet 2002 or Insectoids Something that really scratches the imagination that is those classic space series. I'm not too sure why the Lego company has been playing it safe as they have but I would love for them to start getting back into those really wacky creative ideas they had back in the 80s 90s and early 2000s. I worry that it's more of a corporate leaning ideology these days then a creative one.
Sorry for the long comment thanks for the vid as always. Keep on slugging
Thanks for the comment, Billy! I'm right there with you on this! 🙂
To me these sets feel very Classic Space-y but with a mix of Galaxy Squad and the more realistic grounding of City.I would consider them space but that's just my opinion.
in the Lego lore, I can see these City sets as the bridging between the previous Lego city space stuff, the more grounded space shuttles and satellites, to the more sci-fi stuff of classic space.
The City figures are making their way into the stars, possibly working towards first contact with aliens and bridging into the wider galaxy.
I could see that too. It's just taken us *so long* to even get here... at this rate, it's debatable whether or not The LEGO Group will get to Planet Unitron again before I die. 🙃
Excellent critique. This theme will be Lego Space for my kids but I do hope that Lego moves past this “middle” between space shuttles and Blacktron in the coming years.
Thank you! Hopefully, this is just the start of something new, but they *really* need to lose that City/Space Port vibe behind if they're going to get there.
From the start something felt wrong about these new "City Space 2024" sets from the beginning. I think you put it into words perfectly, Slugger! It's not Lego Space, it's Lego in Space. I feel Galaxy Squad was Lego Space, though a bit of a different style than what came before. I think I'll get the 60430 to support this "not-so-spaceport" thing, just hoping TLG will step out of this safezone they're in and start making imaginative sets and themes again.
I really think the biggest mark against this theme is the colour scheme, as you pointed out weve seen the orange and white colour scheme so many times before and it feels like beating a dead horse
Big time! They *have* to lose that white as a primary colour shtick they've been doing for the last *20 years*. 💀
Absolutely agree!
Honestly, yeah I def see it as a first step, dipping the toes, to see if people would actually buy up something like space again, and god I hope these designers get to do proper classic space design, especially for the factions (futuron onward, namely ice planet 2002)
Hell for ig my massive headcanon lore with classic space history I could def see this as the direct predecessor to OG classic space, before all the major factions formed/discovered
I can see all your points and agree. They really do need to have rhat element of pure sci-fi wackiness to really match old school Space. This does feel like Lego trying to create an "origin" for all those old Space themes tho, so hopefully we see it grow into a more traditional feel again.
You sum up my thoughts on the whole shebang as well.
Great video (as always) fingers crossed this wave of sets acts as a first contact and links to the broader space themes long term (shout out ice planet)
Absolutely agree with everything you said in the video. Fantastic video with some dose of lego interesting space history!!!
Thank you! ❤️
One thing I love about this new City Space is the color palette. The design philosophy may be kinda repetitive at this point but the use of many different shades is reminiscent of old-school Lego especially Life On Mars, which used same color in different shades in one set such as red + sand red, blue + sand blue, basically the normal color + its sand variant. Here again we have both grey and sand blue which is evoking the same feeling of nuance in my brain. Same goes to introducing brand new color with this lineup in mind, cute aliens and the crystal piece in a veeery cool color! Cool stuff overall!
See, I just want a Lego *theme* with some sort of space connection. While Life on Mars, Mars Mission, Alien Conquest and Galaxy Squad weren't Lego Space as you defined it Slugger, they were Themes about Lego in Space that could exist on their own (Even if they did have a continuity with other themes at the time). Instead of Lego making a cool new Lego in Space theme, they slap the Lego City label on it to sell a few more boxes, which I find to be so damn infuriating. I wish these sets got their own branding, their own breathing space.
I almost feel like I’m asking too much to want an actual Space *theme* these days! 😂 You’re absolutely right though. 👍
I find it not much different than the 90s branding we used to have with City sets, such as Nautica or Rescue. Speaking of which, collecting those box corners was one of the best parts about those older sets.
I really like the little battery packs on the vehicles, looks awesome and the spaceship set where you push down to "power up" is pretty cool
Me too! Great little features. 😊
Yesterday I bouthg the new 3 in 1 truck with helicopter, it was such a great build, the second one it was meh, but the third one was actullay pretty good. A little surprise was seeing for first time silver bricks, it really make the grill pop. Such a 10/10 of set
I picked up that one too! Looking forward to building it!
I see this city space theme as a bridge in between the nasa style sets and the old school space theme, lego does like to connect a ton of their themes even if it's just the inclusion of named figures
To me, I think this new line is... interesting? Them going across various themes with a sub-theme like this is fascinating, and while it seems primarily useful to shoppers who are buying for their kids specific interests (which is frankly also perfectly fine and great), they are leaning into some more fantastical elements! Meeting aliens is a good start. Taking it out of just City is a good start. Space getting rolled into the standard City rotation of "We reboot it every 3 years" like Fire, Police, etc is... frustrating, but I'm hoping it builds towards something better!
Hey, at least this time it's more sci-fy and not fully realistic nasa stuff...
"Interesting" is the right word, I agree! Maybe not as exciting as it could otherwise be, but certainly interesting haha. 😅
This time around I gotta agree. I think since its all still rooted in City, the white space vehicles is basically the same as yellow construction vehicles, red fire engines, blue police cars, etc... a formula they're reluctanct to stray far from. I just wish the concepts used for the technic line was used for the system sets instead.
Ohhh I love that comparison to the colours of the other City vehicles. I'm going to have to remember that one! ❤
Great video. I loved seeing a bunch of sets I had as a kid, and a space set my son has.
I had never connected that they lost the imagination/fantasy aspect of space/sci-fi travel with the latest realistic set.
Lego was definitely more excited in the 90's LOL 🇳🇿
Thank you! Yeah, it’s interesting seeing the evolution throughout the different eras of LEGO Space! I certainly yearn for a return to those more ambitious designs of the 90s though. 👍
I know it’s not your entire point but it’s funny how similar this came to a completely unrelated conversation I have with friends about sci fi vs a story set in space. Like take the movie Gravity. It’s set in space for sure but it absolutely is not a sci fi movie. Lego Space while not all being sci fi at least begs to draw into some sci fi
Bingo!
I own the construction mech & the 35$ USD rover sets they're good a bit worried bout the GPS tho but I modded them to fit into a world I'm literally building but the new orange (I dub it safety orange) feels weird cause from a distance it'll just blend into a Mars color theme sadly
Thanks for well made video with constructive criticism and a interesting information about OG Lego Space
Thank you! Constructive criticism is definitely a goal of mine in a video like this! 😊
I'll be glad for you to keep going with it@@RRSlugger
“Well they’re not Lego space to me, they’re Lego space to somebody”
THIS. I wasn’t born early enough to experience classic space or anything close to it. I’ve loved Lego space to death since it started and brought all the 2011 spaceport sets, then the galaxy squad sets (heavily underrated IMO) and since then it’s just been… spaceport? 5 times???
This new wave of space sets is the freshest wave city has brought out in years and is my first city purchase in years. I just wish it could have flourished as it’s own theme and not a smaller subtheme that will never be revisited.
I'm excited that you're enjoying these new sets! I am too, though they don't quite scratch the itch I had hoped they would. Oh well, I'm going to look into modifying them to my liking now! 🙂
Completely agree. Fantastic video! LEGO should watch it!! For once i was expecting Aliens walking on two legs.
Thank you! ❤️
I would be interested in seeing a video breakdown of where all the Space themes fit on the scale of Space Port 1999 to Planet Unitron.
Technically speaking Hero Factory and Ultra Agents are both Space Themes in the sense of having a Sci-Fi aesthetic and universe logic as well as some reference to other space themes and characters.
Now there's an interesting thought to consider! 🤔
The new stuff isn't lego space, it's lego -aieou- -John Madden- -9999999- -!?!?!?- -ebrbrbrbrbrbr- let's just call it space for convenience
Took me a bit of thinking to get the reference. I could clearly hear the voice in my head but couldn't remember where from
Finally went to the recently open local official Lego store. Saw the space power suit set and compulsively bought it. It looks great, specially for a 10 euros set.
Wow yes, orange is the enemy! That ship looked so much better without it. This vid is spot on.
Thank you! 🙂
Maybe the ture LEGO Space was the friends we made along the way.
And with the new Friends/Space sets, this is more true than ever! 😂😉
shoutout to slugger, the best to ever do it
You da best! ❤️
when i was much younger i used to be obsessed with building a big space ship of a really odd design i would make a spine from 2x6-2x8 plates then make ribs out of 1x8s plates and then add whatever plates i had to it to make a floor, and then build computer stations at top, i would then using part 2434 i think about 4 of them i would do the same on the underside of the ship to make a second room like an armoury or engine room. No idea where that came from it didn’t really look like a ship... i guess it did look like a control room like in star Trek but don’t know why i built the floor in that way, it took forever to find the bits..... Tempted to try it again see what an adult me can do with the concept. Also cool video as always
Happy New Year Slugger
Happy New Year, Luis! 🙂
The word that describes lego space the best to me is AeStHeTiCs, if I am using the meme right. And also weird, the vehicles had things you didn't know what exactly they are and what they do. Are they weapons, some sort of science thingy or what. While as when I look at new sets it's clear what is the engine, what is a weapon and what is a communications device.
Lego space and lego in space is an excellent way of differentiating the two.
This is a great point! There was something about the older craft themselves that had an air of mystery about them. The new sets are cool and all, but spell everything out rather bare.
@@RRSlugger Yeah there used to be more room left for imagination. A different planet with a different people, completely removed from Earth or a far off future, who knows. Modern space sets seem like technology that is around the corner.
I'm not going to lie, I kind of love the new Lego City Space Sets (it needs better name though). Part of the reason for that might be my specific experience with Lego. I was most definitely a Lego kid in the mid to late 90s-early 2000's. Well I did enjoy some of the licensed themes (I had so much Harry Potter), I primarily adored the original themes. Adventurer's is probably my favorite childhood lego theme, but I also had a good amount of Lego Space, Aquazone, and Rock Raiders (probably my second favorite original Lego theme). When I was 15 my house burned in a forest fire and all of my Legos were in the house. I did not get back into Lego for 15 years because that. Last year at 30 I took the plunge and decided to get back into Lego, and I've been having a blast. The one drawback is there hasn't been many original non-licensed themed from Legos that I've loved recently, so I've mainly been getting into license themes, the Creator Line, and MOCs.
Then the new City Space Theme was revealed, and I was intrigued. It reminds me of some of the Legos I used to play with as kid! I happened to find the spaceship early at a local store, picked it up, and fell in love with it. I like that it actually creates a that tells a story across all of the builds, but still leaves room for creativity. I bought some more sets that are on the way now, and I'm going to probably pick up most of the rest over the next couple months. I'm going to build a diorama to show off this new cool world that reminds me more of the sets of my childhood then anything else Lego has been releasing lately.
Are they perfect? No. Are they a little too based on Nasa? Probably. But am I having fun with them? Absolutely.
That’s awesome! I’m stoked how these new sets have inspired you! Honestly, I had a similar experience with the 2019 City Space sets too - they got me back into LEGO! 😊
I’m really sorry to hear about your house fire though - that sounds awful! ☹️
Taking away the orange makes the ship looks kinda bland if I'm being honest
It complements white, black, and sand blue pretty well
Fair enough! I suppose what I’m doing by removing the orange is inadvertently making it closer to its source material, haha (Interstellar, Starfield, Mass Effect, etc). 😅
You building the sets on stream was so satisfying , the stream was fun
Thank you! I hope to do it again soon! 😊
@@RRSlugger I hope I can join at the beginning this time instead of middle
Have you seen the leaked images of the upcoming Space themed CMF line? Pretty exciting stuff!
If only the sets themselves reflected the aspirations of the CMF line!
Do you think Lego Baron Harkonnen ever tried to conquer Planet Unitron?
When the LEGO Ornithopter comes out, we'll find out! 😆
They have multi-colored spacemen but with predominantly white hulls. They deal with actual alien life, and they are mining mysterious purple crystals that seemingly are also their main power source. They have branch leaders and some sort of admiral figure.
I dunno man. These don't seem all that "spaceport" to me. Sounds pretty Futuron, actually.
EDIT:
I would add that some early Classic Space sets did feature rockets and satellites that were clearly alluding to near-future space exploration. They did use that cool blue/grey color scheme though. If all else was the same but these were blue/grey/trans yellow we wouldn't even be having this debate.
On paper, I agree. However, what we *see* is not Futuron in the slightest. That NASA inspired design language tells it all; not only that, but the influences for this 2024 Space theme are obvious, (as pointed out in the video). These sets aren't charting a new course for LEGO Space the same way Futuron did. 😕
Ah! Just saw the EDIT; you're right in saying that a few Classic Space sets featured some more traditional Space elements, but they were far and away the vast minority. For every "Mobile Rocket Launcher", there were a dozen other sets with much more abstract designs and creative origins. With the new sets for 2024, that ratio is completely flipped.
As such, to say that there's only colour scheme separating these modern 2024 sets are the LEGO Space sets of yesteryear is rather disingenuous, in my opinion. 😕
Breaking away from the NASA-punk inspired colours certainly wouldn't hurt though! Let's get a modern LEGO Space theme that *doesn't* feature white as the primary colour! 🙃
3:24 Life on Mars is more than a successor to Space Port. It's a sequel, as BB wins a contest in Space Port to take part with the astronauts as they explore Mars, as documented in various magazines and junior novels.
True! ☝️
I 100% agree on your criticisms, especially the color palette (and vehicle design direction). So incredibly boring. I have no interest in classic space but they are so unique and creative in both of those aspects, and sometimes hit it out of the park with a unconventional brilliancy like RR. And for this we get... white... with sand blue and orange accents... awful. Awfully safe, awfully uninspired, awfully boring. The black cockpits too. I don't mind the color in a vacuum but it's not doing them any favors.
The sets themselves look fun enough and I did get the mech, which is a cute set and gave me a taste of the orange and the fancy purple.
And you are really right with your comment about risk aversiveness. It's sad to see.
It's been years since I've been this hyped for a theme. And even though it feels too City-like in places, I'm just glad it's a full lineup, not the trash 3 set-distribution from two years ago. I can finally get THREE small sets that all seem interesting.
That said; I'll take the OG themes over these any day. I'm just happy we got _something_ that isn't just straight up contemporary near-future or a direct remake of an old set (that's HUGE or a GWP)
Indeed! It's nice to see a more fully realized concept here. And you make a good point about the GWP/remake aspect - I'm not out here asking for a remake of what came before, but rather something new that still exists with the creative design language we once saw within LEGO Space. 🙂