Subject:
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Review: 7316 - Life On Mars: Excavation Searcher
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.reviews
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Date:
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Tue, 19 Dec 2000 00:16:35 GMT
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Viewed:
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2662 times
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7316
Space/ Life on Mars
Excavation Searcher
Ages 7-12, 471 Pcs. (C)2001. 59 page manual: 3 models.
Price Range: US$49
RATINGS (Scale: Must-Have Excellent Very-Good Good Fair Poor)
Set: Very Good / Models: Good / Playability: Very Good
DECALS? No
SET DESCRIPTION
This set builds three models: a simple base-station, a small scout craft, and a
large four-legged "excavator" mecha.
The Primary focus of the set, the Excavator, is built in 4 modules that can be
disengaged and rearranged, resulting in different mecha designs. The torso
module contains a cockpit, a claw arm and a drill(?) arm. The second module is
a hip joint with two legs attached, which can form the front pair of the four
legs in the large mecha assembly, or can be attached to the bottom pf the torso
module to form a more conventional bipedal mecha. Behind the first legs module
is a container module which has a bed for carrying "ore" (trans-orange meteors)
and retainer brackets to keep the cargo secure. The small scout flyer mates to
the underside of this module in a clever way. The last module is the rear
legs/crane block, which completes the mecha and mounts a claw/arm for moving
the ore.
Primary colors are Tan and Brown, with generous helpings of Gray and Dark Gray,
and Orange trim pieces.
SPECIAL ELEMENTS
The most prominent new elements in this set are the new Mars canopies (1 in
Smoke, 1 in Tan), and the Mars Claw assemblies (2 in Orange). Also notable and
new is a "techno arch" (2 in lavender) and a new click-hinge-to-technic-axel
connector (6 in Black). Alien heads and legs are new parts common to this
theme, and many old or recent parts appear in new colors, such as the Star Wars
cannons in Tan and the 6x6 radar dish in Orange.
Yellow rubber bands are used to actuate the new Claw assemblies.
IMPRESSION
This theme is taking LEGO space in an interesting direction. It makes use of
the new "technology" and construction attitudes found in recent space sets and
the Star Wars line. At the same time, this set is the most reminiscent of the
M-tron era of space sets I've seen in a long time. This set harkens back to the
"kinder, gentler" classic space theme, with a large exploratory vehicle driven
by a team of researchers/collectors. A slightly jarring oddity of this theme is
the lack of minifigures (at least for the aliens). The set comes with 3 aliens,
each one built using a battledroid torso and arms, and new legs and head parts.
I'm actually not too troubled about this, as the little guys kinda grow on you,
and they seem to hold together better than my battledroids.
I bought this set primarily for the large concetration of Tan and Brown slopes
and plates and other special pieces, but was pleasantly surprised at the clever
construction of the models.
As a veteran mecha builder, I'm not very impressed with LEGO's new hip/leg
design that is used throughout the 'Mars line. They are MUCH better than the
slide/swivel concept, but, while these legs work well in the four-legged format
shown on the box, they do not function well at all for the bipedal design,
where they might as well not be jointed at all because in anything but fully
extended pose, the mecha will fall on it's butt.
Extra Elements
Other than the obligatory extra 1x1 round plate, the set contains a
double-wide, three stud long technic connector pin in Black. This seems to be
common to all of the 'Mars sets, and I believe is intended to interconnect
modules of various models once you have collected the whole line.
CONCLUSION
I will definitely buy multiple copies of this set if I find it on sale at some
point. It is as close as LEGO ever gets these days to being worth its MSRP.
There are lots of pleasant surprises in this set, so if you like the looks of
it in the catalog, you should be happy with the set in your hands, whether
buying for models or for parts.
REVIEWER INFORMATION
Review Written: 12-18-2000
By: Karim Nassar
Age 25 Favorite Lines/Themes: Space MOC
Most people know me as the creator of Pallas Spaceworks, so it shouldn't be
news that I collect LEGO for parts, and don't keep sets together for more than
a few days at most. This set was purchased for its parts and color selection.
COPYRIGHT
This review is Copyright 1997, by the author as named above. The
author grants publication rights for all uses, public and private,
with the following exceptions: all information in the document must
be published in full; any for-profit use requires express written
permission by the author for publication in full or in part.
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