-R8-

Fun little vig you have there! The shot with Han and Leia looks perfect. Love your Boussh head as well, Legostein! Now all you need is a miffed Jabba to complete the scene

Amazing model everyone! The amount of coordination and teamwork that must have gone into this is impressive. The end result was well worth the effort!

Thanks for the comments, everyone! This actually appeared in the first iteration of Alpha Team too, like in Radia's vehicle, although the grilles were just purple and not dark purple. It's really interesting that you note that. Integrating both the magnets and the lens is definitely a unique play feature to incorporate in a LEGO set, and it's nice to see such a feature make a comeback years later.

...way out there beyond this hick town, Barnaby There's a slick town, Barnaby Out there... From my first few days in the Reviewers Academy here, I already decided that my teacher level review would be this great old classic set - Mission Control. Although it wasn't the first set I received, it was the first "large" set that I was given a chance to build as a little kid. This was always plopped up next to my Town Jr. sets and such wonderful fun to play with. It's quite a marvel to see your first LEGO sets years later, perhaps not as clean nor as shiny as some of your newer sets, but far more special than anything else in your collection. Now, without any further ado - 3, 2, 1, LIFTOFF! Name: 6456 Mission Control Theme: Space Port Year: 1999 Pieces: 494 Minifigs: 4 Price: USD 79.99 Further References: Brickset.com, Bricklink.com, Peeron.com, flickr The Box Picture supplied by Bricklink. The box is very kid-friendly, and very captivating especially since it's a Space-themed set. No kid would refuse the light and sound functions too! I wonder where the background is supposed to be - maybe some vast desert on Earth? The landscape looks like some place on Mars, although the minifigures aren't wearing any astronaut gear of any sort. What does it matter though, the real excitement is in outer space! The Instructions: Front Cover Many large sets before 2000 or so came with multiple instruction booklets (or sheets) that pertained to one part of the set. It's great when you have multiple people building the same set simultaneously, eliminating the need to share an instruction booklet. The Instructions: Back Cover All of them depict the same thing on the back, essentially a duplicate of the box design. I really like the sky blue and the 'dusty' orange colors here. They evoke a lot of nostalgia for some reason, and somehow remind me of a lot of those arcade space games prominent in the 80s and 90s. The Stickers Pictures provided by Bricklink. Whoa, sparkly That's definitely one of the most interesting sticker sheets I've ever seen. But twelve years later a good many of them have suffered some pretty severe cracking, forcing me to use some scotch tape to prevent any further damage. It's a curious thing I've noticed in a lot of older sets. There are much more printed parts than there are today, but at the same time there's often a healthy amount of stickers to go along with them. Sticker sheets have been around for quite a while. The Pieces Mostly a lot of bricks and plates and tiny greebling elements. I really like the wing plate. It works great for its main purpose as an aircraft component, but also looks like a whale fin. Little odd and random for me to point that out in a review, I know, but hey, they did all used to tell us that LEGO can be anything we wanted it to be Another reason why I chose to do this set as my final review - I figured that I needed to face the challenge of shooting a ton of white pieces on a white background. The discoloration of many of the pieces from sunlight is evident, but such is the hallmark of classic sets that got us all hooked onto the LEGO hobby. More 'spacey' elements can be found here. The hose is actually three separate pieces, but I left them connected together since I didn't want to risk any possible damage to the hose itself - I'm pretty sure they've been connected together since I got the set. The set contains a substantial amount of parts in many colors. Usually in sets today you'd find parts in odd colors acting as support and concealed from view, but here they're used prominently in the overall design of the set. No space set is complete without any fun transparent and chrome colored pieces! Many of us like to reminisce about the days when LEGO used to package baseplates in your average playset, even in some of the smaller ones. A 32x32 tan baseplate is pretty rare, although today you can also find one in the beautiful Grand Emporium set. Notable Pieces Yep - the farther you go back in time, the more 'notable' pieces you'll find. That seems to be a general trend amongst all reviewers. Aside from the printed and transparent elements though, the most unique thing you'll find here would be the electrical light and sound engine. This is one of the very few sets to feature both light and sound functions. Believe it or not, there was yet another set in the Space Port line that also had this very same piece - 6454 Countdown Corner. It's pretty neat that you could even find it in small sets that only contained about 130 pieces in it. The Minifigures: Front I admire the ground control maintenance workers (in red) a lot. Pretty much your average scientist guy with glasses and a headset, these guys' heads were previously found in the Divers theme, and would later make a reappearance in Life on Mars (which I didn't realize until now, despite collecting a lot of LoM sets too!). The old guy's head made its debut in Space Port, notably used afterwards for scientist, train conductor, and Steven Spielberg minifigures. Finally, I'm really liking the astronaut's helmet. It's so reflective...enough to see my own reflection in it The Minifigures: Back Nothing much to note here, but the astronaut has two studs in the back of her helmet for attaching whatever on it. Astronaut She was my first female minifigure Her head is just a standard female head with some hair and a headset. She proudly bears the Space Port logo on her suit, ready to explore the depths of outer space. The Build Transporter Vehicle, Steps 5, 10 A simple little warm-up build. Meant for carrying precious moon rocks around the site. Launch Pad, Steps 5, 10, 14 Capable of carrying space shuttles worth billions of dollars that weigh many times its own weight, no launch is complete without the launch pad for the rocket to sit on. Also a good excuse to include some treads in the set Space Shuttle Front Section, Steps 8, 16 The essence of the space shuttle is captured here in this relatively small front section. The space shuttle was cleverly designed to be modular, which will be featured more later on. Middle Section, Steps 8, 17 Although it could have just been a section with absolutely nothing in it, the designers made great use of the space here to include a deployable satellite! It has the year 2000 on it, which at one point in history seemed like such a futuristic and amazing time to live in. Tail Section, Steps 7, 14 And last but not least, the powerhouse that launches the rocket miles into the heavens. Two AA batteries are required to make it light up and emit its futuristic and spacey sounds. Modularity for easy assembly and disassembly! Just attach and clip everything together: And the shuttle is ready for liftoff! Space Station, Steps 6, 12 Building up from the ground, this part of the assembly is very enjoyable due to all the cool details located on the station. Steps 18, 21, 32 This is a fairly quicker build than what you might expect. It makes good use of the space provided for by the baseplate, without making it seem too crowded. Once everything is combined... Design and Playability The Set Commence the countdown procedure! Front View In reality, everything here would be completely toasted with the heat coming from the engine But even at first glance, it's a fantastic playset with a ton of features to explore. Side Views I must say that the space shuttle looks quite majestic just standing there, waiting for the cue for takeoff. I also really like the details and equipment that you can see from the side of the station. Not one area is neglected with a lack of detail or a play function. Rear View The above applies to the back view as well. It's not simply an empty skeleton running along the back of the shuttle; it's a full fledged station equipped with a lot of play features. Its current counterpart today is set 3368 Space Center (which coincidentally has the exact amount of pieces, 494 ). I'm always a sucker for the older sets, so obviously I'm going to say that the '99 version is better. But I think all the retro elements, large amount of play features, and admittedly, my own sentimentality makes me favor this set far more than the other one. The Space Shuttle Front View I like this shuttle. A solid build, and doesn't use too many of those large '<insert that tiresome argument>' pieces. The clips reinforcing the modules together look out of place, but they're there for kids to easily be able to remove them and take the shuttle apart. Side Views A little bit empty looking from the side, but there are some stickers to break up all that white. The tail fin at the end also completes the shuttle's shape nicely. Rear View The landing gear isn't retractable, but they're just modified plates with wheels on it, so they can simply be detached when the rocket is in flight mode. Nose Cone A plastic cockpit is one of the many things that would melt upon reentry into the atmosphere, although it's better than no cockpit at all! Engines This particular trans-red piece was specially produced for the electric engine piece, and doesn't really serve any other purpose (aside from some really far-fetched use that has yet to be brought to light in a MOC). Once the buttons are pressed on the engine, this lights up to produce the flame effect coming from the engine, which you can see in the video a few pictures below. Satellite The mid-section can open up to deploy the satellite, and alternatively can carry the moon rock too. Perhaps even a group of alien prisoners can be held in here too. Mini-Rocket Thanks to the modularity, the middle part can be removed to make a mini-rocket...for nightly cruises around the moon I bet? Light and Sound Functions What could be more fun than swooshing this around while holding down all the buttons? Docking When it comes time for liftoff, the launch pad can back up into the station and connect itself onto the hook. Fueling Station Next a maintenance worker arrives and fills 'er up. World Map This was one of the stickers that cracked the most, unfortunately. Because I liked the design so much, I wrapped some scotch tape around the piece to preserve the sticker. I'm not sure what the curved lines on the map are supposed to indicate - it appears to be some sort of monitor for flight patterns though. Command Center From the control center of the mission, everything minute detail is regulated here. Loving that golden disco ball on top. Maybe the designers still had their minds in the 70s at the time. The ground mission chief makes sure all the conditions are optimal for the shuttle to take off. Examination Area Salvaged moon rocks are taken here to be broken apart and reaped of the rewards inside. In reality, this is a relatively expensive piece considering its size - it'll go for over $1.30 on Bricklink. Shuttle Servicing When the shuttle is docked, maintenance workers can work on repairing any damaged components with the tools here. And should a fire erupt, there's a fire extinguisher right there...though it doesn't seem very safe to be right next to a burning rocket loaded with rocket fuel Conclusion There's always a time when we look back at our oldest LEGO sets in our collection and think about how much we've all grown as LEGO enthusiasts... Alright, enough of the sappy stuff - let's delve right into the ratings! Pieces: 9/10 - Space sets always have some of the coolest elements in them that are rare as well. Not so much a parts pack for massive quantities of a certain piece, but Mission Control contains a lot of odd accessories and elements that are just cool to have around in any LEGO collection. Minifigures: 8/10 - LEGO released their best minifigures in the 1990s in my opinion, and these guys (and gal) are no exception! Space Port also debuted one of my favorite minifig heads, the doctor head I like to call it, so that's another plus for me. Build: 10/10 - This is a build that has a lot to offer, and is diversified along the way. It's fun working on this in different portions, first building all the ground vehicles, the shuttle itself, and then the actual station. The separated instructions also would make this a lot of fun to work on with a group of friends or family members. Design: 10/10 - Tons of stuff to find in every corner of this set. It's not overly saturated with detail, and the space doesn't feel too empty as well. It's just as a classic LEGO set should be. Playability: 10/10 - Swooshing a spaceship that lights up and makes noise is far too fun to deduct anything from the playability rating Even as a stand-alone set, there's a lot to play around with. Price: 7/10 - Not too bad when taking the baseplate and the electrical part into account. Overall: 9/10 LEGO certainly has taken us in unique, sometimes strange, but always fun directions with their Space-related themes. The fanbase is always wild over new and upcoming Space themes that LEGO is coming out with, but sometimes it's nice to take a look back in history at what LEGO has done in the past. Space Port wasn't 'strictly' a part of the Space umbrella theme, it was part of Town, but nevertheless it was a sweet taste of space that LEGO offered to its fanbase at the close of the last century. Thanks for reading

Trekking through the thick snow, this was one giant leap for minifig kind. None had dared to make the journey through the coldest reaches of the planet, in a land constantly threatening all trekkers with Mother Nature's icy heart. Everyone's heard the stories of cracked plastic, minifigs lost in the snow forever, and the polar bears that roamed the area. No one's lived to tell the tale, until - "Crikey, this ain't an action theme we're dealing with ." Name: 6575 Polar Base Theme: Arctic Year: 2000 Pieces: 441 Minifigs: 6 Price: USD 59.99 Further References: Brickset.com, Bricklink.com, Peeron.com, flickr Yet another theme that I was really into as a young kid, Arctic was one of those unique themes that unfortunately never gained much popularity. Arctic was categorized under the Town umbrella theme, and encompassed the exploration aspect of the snowy wastelands, as opposed to the more action-oriented themes like Alpha Team. Here's some footage from the LEGO Racers 2 video game that featured the Arctic theme as one of the racetracks. I've never actually played the game, but this still evokes a lot of nostalgia! The Box: Front As with all my old sets, I must credit Peeron for the box picture . I really love the background and just the overall design of the box. It doesn't use CGI graphics heavily, so all the focus is directed toward the set as it should. The calmer, less gaudy appearance may not have meant this attracted consumers the most, but on the other hand the true excitement lay in the discovery and exploration aspect of the Arctic theme - something I know I enjoyed a decade ago. The Instructions: Front This is rather unique - the cover has a listing of all the individual builds included in the set. Oh well, better than just copying and pasting the box art! The Instructions: Inside Pages Even embracing the educational side of LEGO a little bit, the instructions feature some really nice photographs of science and research teams not in the Arctic, but in Antarctica (you can tell by the penguins!). The particular research station pictured here is the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, operated by the United States. The domed station has since been dismantled. Like the box, the instructions also have a background picturing a glacial landscape, but here it looks more photogenic and realistic than the one on the box. Unlike to what most may be used to, the minifigs aren't all placed in the front - they are actually spread out through the build, and are called for in the beginning of each individual build. The Instructions: Pictures of Nature More wonderful pictures to look at. A very beautiful montage of the diverse life that we find in the farthest corners of our planet. The Stickers Thanks to Bricklink for providing the sticker sheets. Some of mine have showed signs of cracking, unfortunately. The Pieces Although they're not a widely sought after piece, the eleven blue 6x1x5 slopes are exclusive to this set. And a keystone piece in many of the Town Jr. sets, two 10x2x2 double slopes are also present in blue. A generous source of a few kinds of blue slopes if you need them. Just like a toy maker's workshop, you're always bound to find all sorts of oddities in one set or another. All of the window panels and corners are exclusive to this set in light gray, as is the giant cockpit element. Another rarity is the trapezoidal piece, which has a lot of MOCing potential with the studs located on its legs. We certainly cannot forget the skis, which can be used for their primary purpose or as a neat little decoration on a certain café located around the corner. I think we get even more of a mess of pieces here . No worries, it's just a preview of what is soon to come! And finally, all the cool details that adorn every corner of this cool, cool set. Most are printed ! Just like they did in the ye' olden days, this set comes with baseplates...in white! You'll only find them elsewhere in a snowboarding set. Notable Pieces All of these are unique elements that are pretty versatile. I always used to fantasize over the printed X-ray tile for some reason. If Arctic was a great theme for only one reason, then it's the polar bear. Such a great and uncommon animal element to have! The Minifigures: Front Arctic does not disappoint with its minifigs collection! Proudly bearing their theme's logo, the Arctic minifigs consist of various personnel on the research team. The fur-lined hood made its debut in the Arctic theme and would later go on to make brief appearances in the Star Wars line, like here and here. Love the medic's cap with the Star of Life on it. The Minifigures: Back Nothing to see from behind. The Minifigures: Heads I like how LEGO wasn't lazy in just assigning a universal head for all the Arctic minifigs. For the most part they have different sunglasses printed on them, adding to the variation of each figure. These actually appeared before in the Extreme Team. The pilot's head is just a typical female head prominent in the 90s, but maybe some headset printing would have worked? Finally, the Doc's head was relatively new at the time of the set's release, found previously in the Space Port sets. The Build The Tracked Vehicle, Steps 4, 8, 16 Honestly, I had no idea what to call this thing. But it's a nice little something thrown in the set. The Helicopter, Steps 7, 15 The second vehicle is assembled, ready for rescue missions in the dangerous environment the Arctic offers. The Command Center, Steps 5, 8 Alright, time to build the first building module! The general formula for each building is pretty similar to one another, which will be made more apparent in the next few sets of pictures. The various details and features on each building set them apart from each other. Tower Module, Sub-steps 5, 11 I like this part of the build because of all the cool pieces it incorporates. It's very satisfying setting this on top of the main structure... Step 11 ...and seeing the final result! The fun only gets better from here! The Medical Wing, Steps 6, 11 This is probably the simplest build out of the four buildings. But in any case, the doctor is now ready to take in the injured and ill for rehab. The Research Center, Steps 5, 11 The trapezoidal pieces mentioned earlier are creatively used here to build a hexagonal door that opens up to let the frozen fossil inside. It'd be nice if the set came with two polar bears so this one doesn't go on thinking the research specimen is an afternoon snack, but I guess the other got lost on some tropical island with strange supernatural powers (kudos if you got the reference ). The Weather Station, Steps 6, 8, 12 No Arctic or Antarctic station is complete without a weather station outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment. The Snowmobile, Steps 4, 7 I'm not sure why this was added on at the end of the instructions instead of at the front with the other vehicles, but whatever. This is very similar to one of the Arctic polybag sets, 6626 Snow Scooter. The Snowmobile Trailer, Steps 3, 6 Even comes with a nice trailer for transporting injured minifigs on the stretcher. By land and in the air, the medic crew is well prepared to deal with any rescue mission. Design and Playability The Set The Polar Base is a true playset. With four different buildings, three vehicles, six minifigs, a polar bear, and tons of features in everything, the playability value here is far more than any flick-fire missile could offer. Building 1 - The Command and Research Center The buildings can be placed back to back to create one larger complex. The pairings don't matter; I just used the ones featured in the box art. My only design-related complaint here is that there isn't a proper doorway for the minifigs to walk in through, unless they want to get x-rayed every time they go inside. Perhaps if the set was designed to have two larger buildings instead of four smaller modules, the sides could have had a door opening to the outside. Building 2 - The Medical Wing and Weather Station Although here, I suppose the door in the medical wing works. The side profiles do a fine job in making this look like a research station. Clean-looking, but not gaudy and majestic in its architecture. I wouldn't call that a turnoff, but rather a decent attempt at realism on LEGO's part. Aerial View Finally, you can even combine everything into one ginormous structure! Okay, not that exciting, but it just showcases the different possibilities the set has! So this is what the helicopter pilot would see from high above, through a trans-blue windscreen of course. Contrary to many action sets, play functions like missiles and whatnot that often detract from the set's aesthetic appeal are absent here, leaving more room for focus on the details and structural design. The Vehicles All the vehicles in the Arctic theme bear a uniform orange and black color scheme. Normally I wouldn't think that'd make a very attractive color combination, but it's surprisingly effective. Interior View - Command and Research Center I guess the magnifying lens can be used to reflect sunlight to melt the ice encasing the fossil . Interior View - Medical Wing and Weather Station The inside has a variety of instruments and equipment for the minifigs to use. Today's forecast is well into the negative degrees range! Interior View - Tower Module Lucky for this guy, he gets to sit inside his heated command post while drinking hot cocoa. Now if he were to spill it on the computer... X-Ray As the ice block enters the facility, an x-ray of it is scanned. How hi-tech ! Examination Room Then it's observed to identify the unknown creature inside. Anemometer Fun for blowing on to make it spin . Medical Emergency Yikes, unfortunately the helicopter pilot got injured somehow. No worries, the medical crew is on the job. Conclusion Even though Arctic wasn't a successful theme, I'm glad that LEGO chose to showcase this previously unexplored theme. I really liked the bit of educational value the theme had as well, that maybe inspired a few kids here and there in the scientific disciplines being explored in the polar extremes of the Earth as we speak. At the same time, it just may have been the lack of action and excitement present in the more popular themes that led to the short-lived life of Arctic. So how does this rather obscure set rank in the long run? Pieces: 8/10 - The rare and retro pieces, plus the baseplates are a huge yes factor for me! There's a lot of stickers, but likewise there are a ton of printed pieces too, some of which are uncommon like the x-ray and Staff of Life tile. Minifigures: 8/10 - Generic enough to be part of the larger Town theme, and pretty detailed. The hoods are excellent to have and work perfectly in snow-themed creations. Build: 8/10 - A fun and miscellaneous build. It never gets repetitive, and building individual structures is a different experience from building one large structure all the way through. Design: 7/10 - An appropriate design for the entire playset, great focus on the details in the buildings. The color scheme is also very suitable and works well in the Arctic context. Playability: 9/10 - There aren't missiles and launchers that are often exhausted after a short period of time in their playability, but here much of the fun rests on the kids' imagination. I think this is what makes sets like the Polar Base superior to many others with respect to playability. It's not necessarily something that can be encompassed completely in a pictorial review, as the possibilities are endless. Price: 7/10 - Sixty bucks isn't bad at all for the largest set in a series, but a tiny bit high knowing the actual piece count of 441 pieces. The baseplates make up for this, however. Overall: 7.8/10 Arctic is definitely an underrated theme in the LEGO community, and you can definitely expect more Arctic reviews from me in the future...until next time! Thanks for reading

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen! Today's forecast is -12 degrees F along with a foot of snow-" "Dangnabbit what cuckoo brick-for-brains is causing this blasted snow??" "That'd be me, the evil Ogel!" "Forget the LEGO City plows, time to call in the Alpha Team!" Name: 4746 Mobile Command Center Theme: Alpha Team (Deep Freeze) Year: 2004 Pieces: 426 Minifigs: 5 Price: USD 49.99, GBP 39.99 Further References: Brickset.com, Bricklink.com, Peeron.com, flickr Note that this set should not be confused with set 8635 from the Agents line, which bears the same name as this set. In the real world, we often associate the term "mobile command center" with law enforcement vehicles. LEGO has certainly done their own models of such vehicles, a good example being 6676 Mobile Command Unit. However, in several points over the course of time, LEGO has deviated from the expected city-esque mobile command center and deviated onto other themes, like Space, Agents, and now Alpha Team. It's always neat to see different perspectives of real life vehicles, and how they can be altered in many different ways to fit in pretty much any kind of theme. The Box: Front Danke to Peeron for the image. Characteristic of most 2004 sets, the box sports a curved blue border along with the image of the set itself. It's also pretty narrow when compared to other sets in the same price range, but from what I can remember in terms of volume it's the same as most other fifty dollar sets. Consumers will surely be enticed by all the neat features the box shows off! The Instructions: Front I think out of the three Alpha Team renditions, this logo is my particular favorite. It fits in real nicely with the frozen tundra in the background, and the As have a clever design. The Instructions: Comic Just like a lot of action themes, the instructions have some cute comics for kids to entertain themselves with. The action words are always a kick to read - "Booom! Zaap! Pluf! ?! Uakk...uakk?" The Instructions: Random Page Unfortunately, the color differentiation is horrendous. The dark grey looks like black and the light grey looks like white in some instances. Even worse, the light grey shade tends to variate a lot, darkening to almost a dark grey in some steps while returning to a whitish hue in the very next step. Not good, especially for people who aren't aware about this major problem in many instruction booklets. The Instructions: Transformation Sequence Mission: Deep Freeze sets were unique in that they had a really neat ability to transform. For example, 4742 Chill Speeder could turn into a walker, while 4743 Ice Blade was able to transform into a helicopter. The Mobile Command Center doesn't have all that interesting of such a feature (it just opens up as opposed to turning into a completely different vehicle), but the fun play features inside makes up for that. The Instructions: Red Lens Activity Introducing the latest and state-of-the-art equipment to be utilized by the Alpha Team...the red lens! This was a clever concept that simply used a trans-red screen as some sort of decoder that could be used here to find the agent that know the path to the theme's primary antagonist and the antithesis of LEGO, the evil Ogel. You don't actually need the lens as it's pretty easy without it But if you were curious, the agent who can lead everyone to Ogel is in the upper right, Agent Diamond. The Stickers Not many stickers here, so that's a relief. Luckily most of the pieces here are printed! The Pieces What's the secret formula to LEGO sets? A liberal distribution of bricks, plates, slopes, modified pieces, and the occasional strange piece like the red magnifying glass. By now you can probably see that this set has a lot of awesome printed pieces to swoon over! The dark and sand blue pieces are probably of most interest. Even though they make up the primary color scheme of the set, it's always weird how colors that contribute the most to the set's appearance are usually found in the smallest concentrations. Just for clarification, the dark blue small wedges do have stickers on them, but the sand blue large wedges are printed (yes!). Whoa, now all of a sudden we get all sorts of strange and uncommon pieces in all these neat-o colors! Hang on tight, because we'll take a close up on some of them very briefly. I'm sure one could accumulate a very impressive Technic collection just by purchasing System sets! Some pieces of interest here are the missile and its launcher as well as the blue Bionicle eye pieces. Notable Pieces Well, here they are - the little jewels found in the Mobile Command Center. The printed control panel pieces are really reminiscent of a lot of Space sets from decades ago, and some of the more contemporary pieces include the oversized wheel and wedge pieces. Exclusive to this line however, are the red lens (both the ones on the windscreen and magnifying lens), and the ice orb minifig head. These are involved with the red lens play feature that I covered earlier, and will showcase again later on. The Minifigures: Front Ready to serve and defend! Here we've got from left to right agents Radia, Charge, Arrow, an android, and an Ogel minion. It's cool how the right arm is colored differently in each minifigure, which I presume was carried over from the very first Alpha Team incarnation (like in Alpha Team ATV, which I reviewed a while back here). I suppose this corresponds to the different rank or position each agent holds, which can be left up to one's imagination to determine. The android may be an upgraded version of Tee Vee, the robot character in the first Alpha Team. The Ogel drone isn't that much of a deviation from the second incarnation (Mission: Deep Sea), but you can see the progress from the previous two Alpha Team lines here: Alpha Team, Deep Sea. I always wished the skeleton drones were found in more abundance in the Alpha Team sets, as opposed to getting doubles or even triples of the same Alpha Team agent from all the sets combined. The Minifigures: Back No back printing. I wish the android had some back printing on its head, like some wires or flashing LED lights. The Minifigures: Head If it weren't for those headsets, these minifig heads would look very punkish. And then there's the skeleton who seems to find the living world perpetually funny, seeing as his smile is permanent. The Build The Ice Prison, Steps 3, 6 The build commences with the ice orbs and the ice prison, guarded by skelly for the time being. The Snowmobiles, Steps 4, 8 The snowmobiles are built next for Arrow and Charge. Great use for the helicopter rotor pieces! The Mobile Command Center, Steps 10, 20, 30, 40 And now it's time for the Mobile Command Center. As to be expected, it starts off with building the Technic chassis, and then transitioning into System for the rest of the build. It seems like a mess even when you get to the end of the building phase, but it all comes together once the doors and wheels are added. Right Door Assembly, Sub-steps 8, 16 This thick door is well built to insulate the inside from the bitter cold. Left Door Assembly, Sub-steps 8, 16 Basically a mirror build of the other door. The fun part is adding both doors to the vehicle... Finished Build Now we're talking. Extra Pieces An extra ice pick should the other one get lost, and more bushes and 1x1 round studs to add to that gargantuan pile of extra pieces of yours. Design and Playability The Set MHQ: 46 is reporting for duty. Ogel's minions won't be able to stand up to this! The largest Alpha Team vehicle and second to largest set in the franchise, the MHQ is essentially a mobile base for the Alpha Team. Side Views This vehicle looks really nice from the sides. It has a bulky build that makes it look complete and robust, and the snowmobiles are carried by the MHQ without interfering with the design. The big honking gun on top finishes it all off. Front View The width is quite significant too. The wedge pieces on the front wheels and the pointed cockpit make it look sleek and streamlined. Rear View Not as exciting from the back. There are some Technic holes available from the chassis, which could potentially be modded so that some kind of trailer could be attached to the rear of the vehicle. Aerial Views From these vantage points, the printed wedges look excellent! Although the MHQ looks boxy from up above and not as interesting as some of the other Alpha Team vehicles, I think this characteristic fits the armored base classification of the vehicle. Red Lens The red lens is located on the cockpit HUD for the agent inside to use. They're used for decoding cryptic messages in Ogel's ice orbs: Aha! There's one! I think this was an ingenious way for LEGO to take advantage of colors and printed pieces and integrate them into a play function. Certainly much better than the flick fire missiles we have today. Missile Launcher It can spin a full 360 degrees, although the doors get in the way of the missile's firing range. This was before all the missiles were hollowed out - personally I like the missiles with the solid heads better. Snowmobile Ejector Underneath the cockpit, there are two levers that can be decompressed to release the snowmobiles, like so. Unless you jam the lever real hard, the snowmobiles don't go flying out as they should. Regrettably, it's one of those play features that look good on paper but not so well in execution. The levers push the Bionicle eyes up, which then knock the snowmobile up so the tension on the rubber band will cause the snowmobile to eject. Deployed HQ The real fun lies within the interior of the MHQ! Interior View Although it wasn't evident from the exterior, the interior is a wild splash of colors. Uniformity of color would have made the base seem a lot better and much less cluttered looking. Control Panels Despite that setback, there's still a lot to do inside the MHQ. Here, we have some complex looking controls for the crane. Or perhaps the android is slacking off and playing some Atari Star Wars game Ice Orb Analyzer Upon locating ice orbs, they are confiscated by the crane and placed in this examination area for study and research. Activate the red lens to discover the mark of the evil Ogel on it! The rack can hold two of these orbs at a time. Side Control Panels Generic controls are also located on the doors, perhaps to open and close the doors and to analyze the ice orbs. Interior View, II Another view of the interior. There is a lot of activity going on here, and when combined with the other Alpha Team sets there are many possibilities for re-enacting adventures and missions. Ice Prison Breakout Agents who get too close to an ice orb will be frozen solid with no hope of getting out. Has Ogel won the day by capturing Radia? Blasphemy! One shot from the MHQ is enough to free our fellow agent! Or at least it should be enough... From the minifig's perspective, it must be terrifying being frozen solid and seeing a missile headed right toward you Conclusion Alpha Team is my favorite action theme, so naturally I tend to be biased towards it. I loved all three versions when I was younger, but in retrospect I think Deep Freeze was my favorite one since all the vehicles could transform, essentially providing us with two vehicles in one set. Pieces: 9/10 - The glazed, trans-blue ice pieces are wonderful in their own respect, and the red lens pieces are unique. Aside from them, there are a bunch of printed pieces that can be used for all sorts of action and science fiction themed MOCs. It doesn't just stop there - dark blue and sand blue pieces are relatively abundant in this set, and are quite hard to come by elsewhere. Minifigures: 8/10 - It's great how the designs hearken back to the early days of Alpha Team, while still having appropriate uniforms for the new tundra environment. They all have nice facial expressions and hair, save for the bald android The skeleton drone makes a final comeback as the loathed villains of the Alpha Team, also sporting a uniform akin to its first and second incarnations but still suitable for the frozen landscape. Build: 7/10 - Not many interesting techniques to note, and for a fifty dollar set it was actually a pretty quick and easy build even with interruptions for taking photographs. Design: 8/10 - The external design is very well done. It's robust, solid, and cool - perfect for any Alpha Team vehicle. The interior, even though it's messy with the colors, has many cool details that furnish it and even contribute to the playability of the set. Playability: 7/10 - All action themes are more fun with more sets, but as a stand alone this set really embraces the hi-tech aspect of Alpha Team that kids might find enjoyable to explore. Weapon features aren't that extensive on this set, but still are welcome to have. Price: 8/10 - An acceptable price-to-piece ratio. Overall: 7.8/10 I've always been curious as to why the Alpha Team never got their own stationary base like Ogel did with each line that came out. On the other hand, it was the Alpha Team that always got the sweet vehicles with tons of play features on them. The Mobile Command Center serves a dual purpose of being a base and a vehicle in one set. It was disappointing for me to see that Alpha Team wasn't going to be revived for a fourth time, but all good things must come to an end I suppose. But even so, they shall be honored for their heroic deeds against the evil Ogel, and for saving the LEGO world three times from a terrible man who hates the plastic bricks we all love dearly. "We salute you!" Thanks for reading

Super adorable and wonderful photography

This is indeed quite strange if one person can open it and the other cannot. I was able to remake the train from memory and when I saved that, everything went completely fine. On the other hand, I rebuilt it using LDD's Extended Mode. Maybe the problem has something to do with building and saving a model while in Universe mode? Oh, and thanks for the LDD Builder tag Superkalle

Your guess seems to be correct. Now loading the file results in a message that says, This only came up after I tried opening the file with the SR 3D Builder program here (wasn't sure if it could open .lxf files or not), while still keeping a backup file on Brickshelf. The creation I made was a train, so right before the save I just laid down some train tracks and duplicated rolling stock cars. Right after I reinstalled LDD, I did activate the Extended Mode too.

Hello, Today I recently encountered a very strange glitch in the latest version of LDD. I was working on a new model in the program, which can be downloaded here: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/rahkshi8000/MOC/mnrr_m7.lxf I then saved and exited out of the program, but went back and changed the name in my 'Models' folder, and then tried loading the file again just to edit something. The strange thing was, as soon as the model started to load, LDD immediately crashes to the desktop with no obvious explanation whatsoever. Even stranger, it only happens with this particular .lxf file - everything else works completely fine, even files that are larger than this. I've tried things like running the program in compatibility mode, completely toning down all of the graphics, un/reinstalling the program, but all to no avail. I am suspecting that the source of the problem may somehow be the file itself and not the actual program, seeing as it's only this file that has the issue. I uploaded the file to Brickshelf to see if maybe anyone here is able to download and bring it up on LDD successfully? I use the latest version of LDD. My relevant computer specs are: Windows Vista, 32-bit 116 remaining GB on the hard drive Nvidia GeForce 8400 GS graphics card Any assistance would be much appreciated.

I guess that when we were younger, or at least new to LEGO, there's always that compulsive urge to collect every set in a particular theme as a way to build up a fledgling collection. I was that way with Bionicle, but later on I found myself buying less and less sets and spent more time MOCing with what I had. I also started to branch out to other themes apart from Bionicle, and my collection only grew exponentially from there. Now I the only sets I buy are the occasional large set that interests me, or an impulse 10 dollar purchase.

I have my instruction booklets sorted in manila folders, categorized by theme. Then within each folder, I just order the instruction booklets by sub-themes (like for Star Wars, all the Episode I booklets go together, Episode II booklets are separate, etc). They're usually ordered in ascending product number too. If most of your booklets are for Technic, you could categorize them by what kind of set they are - ie, group the construction sets together, the racers together, aerial vehicles together, and so on.

Always love to see naval vessels rendered in LEGO! You've captured the shape of one excellently, and the ship is detailed enough to look cool while not being supersaturated with them at the same time. The tilt of the funnel also really adds to the realism.

After receiving a birthday gift in the mail yesterday (perfect timing too! ) I discovered this little critter packed inside the box. So I just decided, "what the heck, might as well take half an hour to review it " Note that this isn't part of my reviews for the Academy. Name: 7804 Lizard Theme: Creator Year: 2009 Pieces: 33 Minifigs: 0 Price: USD 1.35 (free promotion at LEGO Shop @ Home) Further References: Brickset.com, Bricklink.com, Peeron.com, flickr This is currently a free promotional set at LEGO S@H (United States only, I believe), distributed with orders $35 and above. The Bag: Front Just as the other numerous promotional sets you can find here and there, the lizard is packed in a nice little polybag. The Bag: Back The reverse has your fun legal and copyright information, as well as a polypropylene plastic recycling symbol. Recycle and the lizards all around the world will be happy The Instructions These little instruction fold outs are adorable compared to their larger booklet counterparts (and then to the damned textbook that comes with the Death Star ). The Instructions: Front and Back The instructions are simple and very easy for kids to comprehend. And of course, the little ads on the back will hook them (and the AFOL) onto other sets in the diverse Creator line. The Pieces The only things worth noting really are the green hinge pieces and the lime green cheese slopes - unless you love green of course, in which case just about everything will be of great value to you! Design and Playability With his big googly eyes and that red tongue sticking out, he's a cute little critter who's looking for some friends to play with. Crawling on their stomachs is how it's done in the world of the wile. For some reason this reminds me of the Japanese LEGO Muji kits. Maybe it's the cute factor? Regardless, origami cranes will make fine play dates for our lil' lizard. Conclusion I won't give this a traditional grade out of a ten point scale only because I know it'd rank very poorly. Instead, I'll just conclude by saying, why complain about a set that's free? I wouldn't make an order online over 35 dollars with the sole intent on getting this set, but hey, if you just so happen to be making one before the end of April, expect to find a small extra bag of happiness to tag along in the delivery box. Thanks for reading

Happy Birthday Rufus! Hope you get barraged with lots of LEGO

That little kitty is irresistible

Thanks a lot for this wonderful find DLuders! It's mind boggling to think how such a complex system was even conceived of and operated 24/7 to manufacture and distribute thousands of sets weekly. The company's abilities to solve problems ranging from averting a plant meltdown to taking risks to get the company back on track is quite remarkable as well.

His cape is a perfect fit! His expression also suits his evil and sadistic persona very well. A great villain rendered wonderfully.

Thanks everyone - this review was definitely a challenge to do given the large size of the set and my rather restrictive photo set up, but glad to see all the positive reception! I did get trigger happy with the camera, which happens a lot when reviewing awesome sets like these...

Silver T-1 Typhoon Reviewer - Given to me for obtaining a silver badge from the RA. Must have been Fangy hehe

After a scientific experiment went terribly wrong in LEGO city, a once great civilization was torn down brick by brick into a desolate remnant of what used to exist. However, the damage was far worse than a ruined city. A threat from eons gone by was renewed as a side effect of the experiment, a threat that no living minifig had ever encountered before. They once ruled the LEGO world and have been a subject of many a brick flick...but nothing can prepare the LEGO world for what is about to happen. That is, nothing but the Dino Attack squad. Name: 7477 T-1 Typhoon vs. T-Rex Theme: Dino Attack Year: 2005 Pieces: 605 Minifigs: 4 Price: USD 69.99 Further References: Brickset.com, Bricklink.com, Peeron.com, flickr Dino Attack is a unique theme because it has two different variations released in two different regions. Within North America, the theme was known as Dino Attack, but in Europe it was referred to as Dino 2010. The essence of each set was kept the same, but the main difference between the sets of both themes was the presence of weapons. This is due to the concepts of both themes differing - Dino Attack was focused on exterminating a revived dinosaur threat by the use of force, while Dino 2010 was focused on capturing them for research and scientific purposes. In Europe, the T-1 Typhoon would have been released as set 7298 Dino Air Tracker. The Box: Front Credit to Peeron for the picture. Set in a post-apocalyptic scene, the T-1 Typhoon is seen launching an attack against a fearsome T-Rex at point blank range while being chased by a pteranodon. The most exciting feature of the box however is a little "try me!" opening that lets people passing by light up the T-Rex's head. The Box: Inside Panel Credit to Peeron for this picture too. Even better, the box has a panel that you can open up to reveal all the fun play features! I don't remember many boxes from the 2000s era having this sort of panel, although I know that a number of large sets from the 90s and before did. I've always liked these inside panels, and it's a neat way of increasing the pull factor to this already amazing set. The Instructions: Front You've got to wonder how Rex here got up to the top of that high building. The Instructions: Random Page Unfortunately this is one of those instruction booklets that make it difficult to differentiate between black and dark grey parts. Pay close attention to the colors while building, so that you don't end up searching for a long time for a nonexistent piece in dark grey when really it's in black. The Instructions: Advertisements At the end of the instructions we have this interesting piece of art that acts as an advertisement for the Dino Attack series. The Stickers There are a ton of stickers, which is a downside if you have a deep abhorrence for them. They are transparent, which isn't as bad as the regular opaque adhesives. I do think the set does benefit from the stickers and would lose some detail without them. The Pieces Tan and dark red galore! Lots of great slope pieces in both these uncommon colors, as well as a few other interesting but less common elements. As with many LEGO sets, black and dark grey pieces make up the structural component of the set. Plates are especially prominent. The remaining colors are either used as support or details on the helicopter. Please note that a 2x6 grey plate should be pictured here too. The Technic pieces are quite typical of a recent set, a few uncommon pieces being the missile launcher, differential gears, and "timing gears." As always, the Technic is used for structural support and play features, so nothing new here. Notable Pieces I normally don't like to use the larger panel and windshield pieces in MOCs, so I thought these were notable solely for the fact that they aren't very abundant in sets. The Technic wheel piece was an element that was widely found in Technic sets in the 90s, but here it's used for the guns on the helicopter. The Minifigures: Front From left to right, we have Shadow, Specs, Viper, and Digger. I like how all of the minifigs have suits that are individual to them. Their expressions and torso detailing make them excellent for mercenary or military themed minifigs. The Minifigures: Heads Scarred, unshaven, and tough-looking - the marks of true dino wranglers! The Minifigures: Back No back printing, which is disappointing. I think printing some creases in their suits on the back would have added to the realism and level of detail on the front. The Dinos Pteranodon Although each dinosaur is rather simplified (like building something from Galidor) and doesn't really feel like LEGO, they do look cool. The designers paid incredible attention to the head especially - notice the subtle yellowing on the Pteranodon's teeth, and those horns on its head. There's four studs on the back for...dino wrangling I suppose? T-Rex The king of all dinosaurs, the Tyrannosaurus Rex ranks as amongst the largest (if not the largest) creature LEGO has ever produced. When posed to its tallest height, the T-Rex stands at about 30 cm tall (about 1 foot). Again, the yellowed teeth is replicated here. The anatomy, while I doubt it's all that biologically accurate, helps convey the ferociousness of the creature - like the thickness of its quadriceps. Its greenish brother can be found in sets 7476 Iron Predator vs. T-Rex or 7297 Dino Track Transport. Now the coolest feature of the T-Rex is that its eyes and tongue light up! But here's the big design flaw associated with that - the batteries can't be changed. Unless you drill through its thick skull, after the batteries die, there's no way to see its eyes and tongue light up again. The Build The Gun, Steps 3, 6 The instructions start off with a little warm up for the monster build that comes next. Viper can indulge himself with his new toy, but now it's onto building the bigger gun! The Helicopter, Steps 6, 9, 12 The internal structure is a splatter of colors like most LEGO sets, but of course it's the design we're interested about! That big Technic box component will act as support for the fuselage and allow for the addition of the side panels. Cabin Assembly, Sub-steps 3, 6, 10 After that, the build shifts course and focuses on the cabin. Which will now be attached to the earlier assembly: Steps 13, 17 The tail section is added on too. By now, you can get a good idea of how long this thing will be. Tail Rotor Assembly, Sub-steps 4, 12 Compared to the tiny rotors you'd find on most helicopter tail ends, this rotor is huge. The slopes and arches are used to create this appealing shape for the tail rotor. Steps 21, 29, 37, 44 From here on out, the build is pretty straight forward and focuses on stabilizing all the components together and addition of all the interior structures and details. Stickers are applied along the way, as opposed to being applied all at the end. Main Rotor Assembly, Sub-steps 5, 7 Acknowledging that the tail rotor is large, the main rotor is even huger. The rotor span measures out to over 51 cm (about 20 inches). If the size of the helicopter wasn't awing enough for you before, adding the main rotor gives you a good idea on how big this helicopter really is. Finished Build As the saying goes, peace through superior firepower. Extra Pieces The barb piece is probably the only piece that strikes as interesting. Design and Playability The Set Crank up Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries and fly into battle! Side Views A full 65 cm (25.5 inches) long, I'm pretty sure that this is the largest helicopter that LEGO has produced. Furthermore, it's also probably the closest the company has ever come to producing a militaristically realistic vehicle. Comparative to other sets, Dino Attack as a whole was a theme that I suppose you could say was "more violent" than everything else, which was the main reason behind why in Europe the vehicles were stripped of their weapons. Naturally, the design is still far from an accurate model of a real life military heli, but it still maintains realistic elements like the overall shape of the helicopter. Adult fans may be more attracted to this set for that reason, moreso than some of the other more fantasy-like action themes. Front View Bad idea to be right in the face of this thing when it has all those guns pointed in that direction. The helicopter's length is complemented by its hefty width. Rear View The wideness at the fuselage gradually condenses down to a one stud width at the end. Aerial View A group of these flying in formation would look awesome. Even recoloring the heli with different colors and adding different sticker designs would be a neat thing to do - kind of like what the clones do to their gunships in Star Wars. Cockpits The cockpits are all removable to let the pilot in and out. The windscreens also have targeting HUD stickers for locking onto the enemy belligerents. Although the exterior is well detailed, I cannot say the same for the interior cabin. One glaring problem is that the controls are set way too low for the pilots. There's plenty of room inside the cabin, so I'm not sure why a simple 2x2 brick wasn't added beneath the controls to raise them. I love it when stickers have little Easter eggs to find - this particular stickers says: Plt. "Jazz" Boucher Nav. "Kid" Thorogood Not sure what those names mean...maybe the names of some of the designers? Another cabin is located on the back of the helicopter for the rear guns. It's not as well developed as the front cabins due to the swiveling gun action, but it's a good way to make use of the space there. There's a huge gap created by the play feature however, which can't really be helped but still isn't very nice to see. Missile Launcher Blunt missiles to take out the heavier foes. Never aim for the eyes kids... Main and Auxiliary Guns The heli is flanked by two big rotary cannons that are just beautifully designed. Great usage of a lot of uncommon Technic pieces. These appear to be mini-rocket auxiliary launchers that home in on the agile Pteranodon. And finally, swiveling guns should there be a surprise attack from behind. Underside Yeah, the underside may seem like a random mess of colors and Technic beams, but it also serves as an area for the landing gear to retract into during flight. Wonderful use of space here. Tail Section, Underside Hinge pieces always save the day whenever angular building is brought into play. This allows the tail section to integrate itself well with the rest of the helicopter, without looking like some random protrusion coming out of the end. Interior Briefing Area The inside has a fancy radar display and some measuring equipment for the team to analyze. Jumper plates provide a connection point for a minifig so he can safely stand at the edge of the helicopter with his machine gun. Fueling Area "Fill 'er up!" Fuel Tank Is it really a good idea to leave the fuel tank exposed for a dino to gnash at it? Zip-line Function For the craziest and most courageous member of the team, the zip line is used to jump of the helicopter in mid air and attempt to land on a dino to try and wrangle it. Good thing that's only make believe. Tail Rotor Hah, the rotor was spinning slowly enough to make it look as if it were some kind of astral projection. Main Rotor Of course the main rotor spins too, but due to such a large rotor spinning on a relatively tiny axis, it tends to shudder a lot while spinning. Dino Attack! More motion blur fun! Conclusion While the T-1 Typhoon may be able to take on the most ferocious of dinosaurs, how does it live up to the feared LEGO enthusiast? Pieces: 9/10 - I really think the dark red and tan color scheme was a great approach to the theme, and that in turn led to a lot of nice pieces in said colors. Basic pieces like plates and Technic bricks are good to have in any collection too. Minifigures: 8/10 - They're a great team of minifigs, each well designed in his own respect. Detailing would have been nice to have on the back, but perhaps we're being spoiled by all the great number of minifigs that have back printing today. Build: 10/10 - This is a build that I enjoy greatly. It's so cool seeing this monster of a helicopter come together, and seeing how the internal design helps make that possible. The build is one of those builds that you get disappointed when you finish, but that disappointment is instantly pushed out with the satisfaction of building an impressive set such as this. Design: 10/10 - Sure the cabin interior may have been lacking, but I am willing to let that slide because this is just such a well designed set in every other aspect. It captures the look of a modern day military helicopter while still remaining an original design for kids to interpret and make believe on their own. Playability: 9/10 - Already you've got two dinos and an armory of guns to play with, so there's a lot of play value in this set alone. Add in the other Dino Attack sets and you're asking for a dino battle fest. Price: 8/10 - Seventy dollars doesn't necessarily conform to the 10 cent per piece ratio, but for the experience that comes along with the set I think it's well worth it! Overall: 9/10 Maybe I was a little more generous than I usually am, but compared to most of the big sets in each theme I think this is one that stands out from all the rest. It's a shame that Dino Attack was short lived because its concept was different from the spies and aquatic themes we are used to. It likely won't be a theme that's well remembered, but even so it's great in its own respect. The battle shall rage on in the mean time... "Come get some!" Thanks for reading

Remember the LEGO Legends? For a brief time in the early 2000s, the LEGO Group decided to re-release a number of sets that were popular back in their heyday. Among these old sets was a stylish ride from the Model Team line that was re-released as the Hot Rod back in 2004. The line, while long gone now, was a fantastic opportunity for the younger generation at the time (like me) to experience sets that were first sold years or even decades before. So hop inside, get behind the wheel, and take this baby out for a ride... Name: 10151 Hot Rod Theme: Model Team (Legends) Year: 2004 Pieces: 421 Minifigs: 0 Price: USD 39.99, GBP 26.99 Further References: Brickset.com, Bricklink.com, Peeron.com, flickr But before we begin, a little history Credit goes to Bricklink.com for the image below. The last set to be released within the Legends series, the Hot Rod was a re-released version of set 5541 Blue Fury, originally sold in 1995 as part of the Model Team series. All of these sets used a generous amount of both Technic and System pieces to replicate numerous highly detailed vehicles, mostly trucks and racing automobiles. They were geared to a 9 and older age demographic, slightly higher than the normal 5+ or 7+ age group. Although I was but a wee kid playing with his Duplo when these sets were available (and in some cases non-existent ), in retrospect I think that these sets were some of the best that LEGO has ever made. I admire the beautiful details found especially on the trucks, as well as the seamless integration of both Technic and System into these sets. I wish we had something like this today. Indeed this is a re-released set, however there are some differences between the Hot Rod and the Blue Fury. I will point these differences out along the way. Now it's time to hit the road. The Box: Front Credit goes to Peeron.com for the image. It certainly lacks all the pomp and flair that you'd find on box art today. Its uneventful design wouldn't make it all that attractive for kids, but in this case it's alright - this isn't really a set for younger kids anyway. The Instructions: Front The art screams 90s These instructions are unique in that they display photos for both the main model as well as the alternate model on the front. Nevertheless, the design is actually identical to the instructions for the Blue Fury, only that these indicate the Legends series on top instead of Model Team. It's rather plain, but I like that in this case - it's nice to get a break from all the CGI imagery today and just enjoy the simplicity here. The Instructions: Middle Section An overhead picture of the set smack-dab in the middle of the booklet? Great way to showcase all of the nice features this roadster has. The instructions for the alternate model are conveniently located in the latter half of the booklet. As you can probably tell, the insets for the axle length guidelines are slightly different than what modern sets have. All of the guidelines are located in the very beginning of the instructions as opposed to being located wherever an axle is needed during construction. A well seasoned builder would be able to tell apart the lengths by sight, but this can understandably be a minor inconvenience for someone who is not as well acquainted with Technic elements. The Instructions: Piece Call-out Insets I like how the graph paper background gives the instructions that "engineer's blueprint" feel, but at the same time it's a little difficult to make out the numbers from afar. The Instructions: Back Cover Some wonderful shots of the vehicle. Believe it or not, there is not a single advertisement in this booklet - just these great photos. The Stickers These stickers are the transparent kind, meaning only one thing...they don't crack! Applying them is always a pain as with any sticker, but I've found them easier to remove than the ones on regular paper. The designs are all basic, and do well to act as the finishing touches to the Hot Rod. Find anything peculiar with the license plate number? The Pieces Many basic pieces to drool over here. Some of these grey and black pieces will be used to supplement the primary blue color scheme, while the rest are just used for the base of the model. Grey. The Hot Rod was released in 2004, which was right after the LEGO Group had decided to change the light grey, dark grey, and brown color hues on their palette. While the original 5541 Blue Fury had the old "light grey" colored pieces, its counterpart from the future was released with the new "light bluish grey" colors. This is the major difference between both '95 and '04 editions of this set, and I will give this topic credit for shedding some light on this to me. The main attraction here is the copious amount of arch pieces for all the sleek curves on the Hot Rod. It's interesting to note how a significant number of pieces in this set consist of just basic plates, and how these smaller pieces add to the fine gradient levels and details on the finished product. Forget about the Technic pieces and just adore that chrome! Actually, there is one Technic piece worth mentioning. This universal joint is the little bit of magic that makes the driving mechanism work so smoothly - you'll see! Notable Pieces As mentioned before, the arch pieces are wonderful to have in high amounts. We certainly cannot forget about those sweet macaroni elements. Very reminiscent of 20th century sets, the printed slopes with odometer and button patterns are cool details for any vehicle. Last and best of all, the shiny chrome which thankfully hasn't gotten chipped away over the past few years. With a total of twelve chrome colored pieces, the Hot Rod clearly has one of the highest number of chrome pieces out of any LEGO set. The Build Steps 5, 8 Designed for an older age demographic, it's needless to say that the build will be more challenging than your typical set. It's important to follow the instructions carefully as there are an ample amount of pieces called for in each step. The instructions at one point even call for 30 pieces in just one step. I won't call this a quick build with respect to the overall time it takes to build the set, but you'll be able to see here how much the build progresses with just a few steps. Steps 11, 14 We're already halfway through the build at this point, and the foundations for the steering mechanism have been set in place. The shape of the vehicle starts to come together, particularly in the back. Steps 17, 20 Thanks to our universal joint and some clever work with hinge bricks, the steering mechanism is installed snugly into the model. As neat as it is to see the engineering behind it, it's all covered up with an equally neat engine. Steps 23, 26 The finishing touches are added (isn't that always the best part of the build?). And now for the unveiling... Extra Pieces ...but first, your conventional choice of extra pieces, destined for the sorting bins. The Design The Set Out of all the LEGO sets I've built, this must be one of the select few sets that really gives that "wow" feeling after completion. In general, the designers did a great job with replicating a retro style that fits in with the designs of real world hot rods that you would see at car shows. As far as I know, this isn't a model of a particular automobile, but instead one of LEGO's original designs. It does however bear a semi-close resemblance to the T-bucket (which is based off of the Ford Model T). Side Views I love looking at this thing from the side. The way it slants towards the front gives it a risky, edgy persona that goes with its robust design. Stickers do actually improve the appearance here, I think - the font that 'Hot Rod' is written in is evocative of a lot of counterculture artwork in the 60s. It seems like the perfect ride for rebellious youngsters back then. The colors and design are certainly remindful of American culture in the days of the greasers, although actual hot rods do typically tend to be American cars for the most part. Front View This is a rather clever integration of the mini-ladder pieces into the grille. So seamless that I didn't even notice it at first! There's not too much leeway to work with, but the chrome light reflectors would look even cooler if there were LED lights attached to them. Rear View The trunk is rather small, but I think a large trunk would be unnecessary anyway. The rear view also shows how thick the rear tires are - those are actually two of them placed adjacently to each other! I can just imagine the skid marks this would leave on the road. Deviations from the Blue Fury Another difference from the original model to point out. Instead of using a toothed 1/2 bush, the re-release only uses regular 1/2 bushes. The funny thing is that the instructions indicate to use the bushes with teeth, which implies that they probably weren't updated. Not that it's significant. And the last alteration can be seen here. The hinges used in the new version are those of the locking variety, while the older one used a regular hinge that can be moved freely. While we're at it, you can also take a peek inside that tiny trunk that can maybe hold a few bricks at best. Driver's Seat Complete control of this baby right at your fingertips! The steering wheel isn't just there for decoration like most LEGO cars, but this one will actually...steer! Taking into account that this is a one seater, I think it'd make more sense to have the steering wheel located in the center. And here we have this flamboyant red chair that stands out in all the blue. Luxury seating for a radical ride. V8 Engine If nothing else screams 'hot rod' to you, then surely this must. The exposed V8 engine is quite iconic of many hot rods, and I think the designers nailed its general shape. It also cleverly covers up the driving mechanism, which isn't obtrusive in and of itself. That's what I like so much about the design of this set - a functional element that doesn't take an awful lot of room and doesn't compromise aesthetics for play. Side Exhausts I've obsessed about the chrome enough already, but hey, how many LEGO sets do have shiny details like this? Headlights The front wheels are completely exposed, deviating even further away from your conventional car. Windshield Salvaging fences to use as the windshield? Now that is customization! There are also windshield wipers, even though it would seriously stink if it rained without the protection of a retractable roof, which I think is represented by the black section in the back. License Plate It's alright if you didn't get it before - it was only until I did this review seven years after I received this set that I finally realized that "MT 5541" was a tribute to the Blue Fury! Rear Wheels and Antenna The arch bricks partially covering the rear wheels help add a little width to the vehicle. I like how the antenna is secured onto the arch with a clip, making it just about impossible to accidentally knock off. Ladies' Man Ain't minifig sized, but - - still popular with the lady 'figs. Steering Mechanism Just like in real cars, the Hot Rod uses a rack and pinion mechanism for steering. The engine has been removed for viewing purposes. Alternate Build The Set The alternate model is some kind of street racer. For an alternate build, it's actually very nice. Side Views The side walls aren't very high, so maybe this can pass off as some kind of oversize go-kart too? In any case, the side profile is relatively boring, and it's mostly the chair and engine that makes this look nice from any angle. Front View Unfortunately, the front is lacking in detail relative to the rest of the vehicle. Rear View On the other hand, the view from the back shows off this monster engine and tires. I can almost hear this thing roaring down a racetrack alongside a crowd of raucously cheering fans. The Throne Any chair with chrome is built solely for the kings and queens of the LEGO brick road. It's even attached to hinges so it can move back and forth! Oooooo Overhead, Front One thing to appreciate is that the color scheme is kept constant and not just a random splash of colors. The black racing stripe here helps break up the monotony of all the blue. The street racer also uses the same steering mechanism as the Hot Rod. Engine Another shot of the engine. I have no idea what type of engine this is supposed to emulate, if it even is based off a real engine. What does it matter though, it still looks cool! Overhead View Most of the time the alternate builds are never as satisfactory as the main build, but there is a clear difference between alternate builds that could act as regular sets themselves, and models that look like they were just thrown together hastily. This is a cool racer on its own, and I will give kudos to the designers for creating two wonderful models in one set. Conclusion It's really unfortunate that the Legends line wasn't one of LEGO's successful lines. As a kid who was unaware of sites like Brickset and Bricklink in the early years of the 2000s (although I am not sure how popularized they were then), the Legends line was my narrow, but only glimpse into many of the company's historical sets. Today, books like The LEGO Book by Dorling Kindersley have offered a wider scope to today's YFOLs about sets that existed well before their time. Even so, the Legends line was still a way that kids could get their hands on some of these older sets, which many in the online community will say are far superior to sets that are being released today. But now that the dust has settled, let's tally up the scores for this machine: Pieces: 9/10 - Nothing too specialized, and you get a lot of awesome pieces like the arches and chrome elements. Many of the modified plates such as the clip pieces will certainly come in handy for MOCs. The fact that all the grey pieces are of the bluish grey variant technically doesn't make the color scheme true to the Hot Rod's predecessor, but frankly to me it doesn't make all that much of a difference. Build: 10/10 - For younger kids this will surely be more difficult than what they are used to, but for older teenage and adult fans the build is very satisfying. Adding on the details is one of the most fun parts of the build, as well as implementing the steering function. You even get two things to build here. Design: 10/10 - I tried, but I just could not find something to complain about the Hot Rod's design. Everything about it contributes to the beauty of the overall model and nothing acts as a detriment to its design. Stickers are used sparingly as subtle details on the model. There's even steering incorporated without the mechanics being too conspicuous. There's one issue I'd like to address here, regarding the set's playability. I don't think this is a model designed for playing as it is one for display, which is why I left out a playability category. In addition to the more advanced build, the fact that this is more meant for display makes this a set geared more toward an older demographic. Price: 9/10 - Well worth it for forty bucks. Not just for the pieces, but for the set as a whole. Overall: 9.5/10 I don't know how well known or popular Model Team is amongst the older LEGO enthusiasts, but from what I can see it spawned some really amazing LEGO sets like this one. A Hot Rod that many car and LEGO enthusiasts would crave. Thanks for reading

Making this review brings back the days of when I was a completely obsessed Bionicle fanboy. Although I may not be nearly as interested in Bionicle as I used to be, I do still have a liking for the great storyline the theme offered as well as the pieces that were always a challenge to work with in a MOC. Set 8539 Manas was part of the very first wave of Bionicle sets released back in 2001, and in my opinion one of the coolest sets ever released in Bionicle history. Without further delay, let us take a trip down memory lane and see what the first Bionicle sets were like. Name: 8539 Manas Theme: Bionicle/Rahi Year: 2001 Pieces: 457 Minifigs: 0 Price: USD 89.99, GBP 69.99 Further Reference: Brickset.com, Bricklink.com, Peeron.com, flickr, Biosector01 Wiki (storyline information) The Box: Front Credit goes to Bricklink for the box picture. One interesting difference that many Bionicle boxes and canisters had was that the LEGO logo was not prominently displayed in the upper left corner, as opposed to the packaging for System sets. Instead, the logo is placed on the bottom right with the Technic logo next to it. The Technic logo would later be removed from Bionicle sets from 2002 to the end of the theme, when Bionicle was no longer a branch off of the Technic theme. With regards to the box art, it's nostalgic! I love the barren, untarnished desert landscape. It's not too busy, and it almost teases the casual viewer with the vast world there is to explore in Bionicle. Also showcased are the electronic remote control features of the set, which will most certainly be covered later in the review. The Instructions: Front There are two booklets for each crab, and for once they differ from the box design. The booklet with the white and orange Manas creature is double the thickness of the other instruction booklet, as it contains the instructions for the combiner model for the set (which will also be seen in the review later on). Separating the instructions into two booklets for each creature was a great idea, since two people can easily build the set together without getting into arguments over who builds what. The Instructions: First Page The instructions feature a desert background similar to the one on the box, and piece call-outs. In addition, there is a little inset that serves as a reference for Technic axle lengths. Experienced builders can probably tell by sight alone how long an axle is, but the little inset is quite useful to those who may not be so acquainted with the different axle lengths. The Instructions: Mask List Followers of the storyline will know these masks as 'Kanohi' masks. For anyone who may not be aware of what these are, the Bionicle theme early on in its life had released randomized mask packs as collectibles. Each pack would have two masks in them, and the 'objective' was to collect all of the masks - 72 of them. The collectability aspect of Bionicle was indeed a neat way to kick off the line and made for a cool little impulse purchase. The Instructions: Back Covers One of the instruction booklets has a listing of the main 2001 Bionicle sets and a few Technic sets. Another advertisement is for a computer game called "BIONICLE: The Legend of Mata Nui," however that game was canceled and never sold on the market. The other booklet has a back cover devoted to several CGI images and general storyline information. The Pieces I should note that even though this is classified as a Bionicle set, there are very few actual Bionicle pieces. The vast majority of this set contains generic Technic pieces. There also isn't too much color variation. Most of the pieces are either black, white, or a shade of old grey (before the 2004 color change). Basically, you get a nice mix of everything - beams, connectors, pins, bushes, and gears. It's great to see so few specialized pieces, and knowing that this set will have some neat mechanical functions when built. Here we get some different pieces. Four cool masks which are exclusive to this set in yellow and orange, some hooks, as well as treads. There's even a few System pieces tossed in! Last but not least, the motors and remotes. The motors seem too bulky and cumbersome to use in a MOC, but they are controlled via remote controls. Both the motors and the remote controls can be set to three different radio frequency channels. Furthermore, although they are not included in the set, a total of twelve AA batteries are necessary for the electrical components. Notable Pieces A small handful of the pieces are colored in rare colors or colors that are exclusive to this set. Twelve old dark gray tread hubs can be found here, and they are only found elsewhere in the UCS Rebel Snowspeeder. Four treads are included to go along with the hubs, so this set is a nice source for them. Another thing to note would be the black and white Technic panels, which aren't too common these days for some reason (but still make for nice finishing touches on Technic creations). Next up we have the masks - if you're into the storyline, the yellow mask is called the "Komau" and the orange mask is called the "Ruru." Four dark gray Bionicle head pieces are present for the masks to attach to. Moving right along, we have several hook pieces in orange, yellow, and white, all cool to have and great to use in creations. Finally, there are also elliptical liftarms in both orange and yellow. In short there are a number of Technic and Bionicle pieces here in neat and uncommon colors. The Build We'll start with the black and yellow Manas: The build starts off with one of its treads. Notice how the 16 teeth gear fits in snugly with one of the tread hubs, so a motor can be attached to it and power the treads - great interconnectivity right there. Now the tread is attached to an otherwise bare looking motor. Even so, you already get a feel for the overall shape of the final model this early on. Here, the instructions prompt you to insert 3 AA batteries into the motor. The other tread is simply a mirror of the first one. With both treads attached, now the instructions prompt you to insert 3 AA batteries in the remote. and to test out the motor. I'll go over the controls later, but they are quite simple. The build starts to get a bit more exciting and different from here on out. Some of the front features and rear mechanisms are installed into place. Next, the arms are attached. It's fun building all the mechanical features of this set, so this is a build that I think some Technic fans may even enjoy. The arms function somewhat like a crankshaft, and they're pretty strong when the motor is in action. Once the outer 'shell' and masks are added, the Manas crab is complete and ready for action. And now it's onto the white and orange Manas. Since the build is pretty similar to the build for the black and yellow Manas, I'll just post links to each picture to save image space: Left Tread Left Tread 2 Body Right Tread Right Tread 2 Body 2 Remote Body 3 Body 4 Body 5 Body 6 And here's the other Manas crab in the duo. Overall, the build really doesn't take that long for each creature. It is also repetitive since you have to more or less build two of the same thing. It's a great set to work on with someone else, but if you're building alone it can get tedious. Extra Pieces The extra pieces consist of some extra rubber bands, 1x1 round plates, bushes, and half pins. The Design The Set Both crabs are ready and braced for battle - "Let's get ready to rumble! Since they look very alike to each other, I'll simply do a side by side comparison of the crabs: The round eyes don't strike me as intimidating one bit, which comes at a rather weighty detriment to the overall persona to the set - considering these are supposed to be, to quote Bioniclesector01, "savage" and "aggressive." As you can see, the arms are controlled with a simple set of gears which punch forward at a quick speed when the motor is running. Also visible is the radio signal receiver. The side profile does exceptionally well in showing off the crabs' bulky and heavy build. It's cool being able to see all the mechanics from this angle. One of the few sets that literally use gear teeth as...teeth. The fangs are a cool little detail, even though there is no play function associated with them. The main attraction is the masks - punching them will cause the liftarm they are attached to to push the teeth down, rendering the Manas immobile. Which you can see for yourself here. Close up of the gear and arm mechanisms. Playability Basic Controls The controls are pretty self-explanatory. A lot of button mashing tends to go on in the heat of battle Essentially the goal is to knock off the other player's masks and/or cause the teeth to be knocked down to make the crab unable to move. Alternate Build Bionicle sets back in the day always had these neat combiner models you could build in the back of each instruction booklet. Typically you would need to get multiple sets to build one large model out of everything, but this particular Rahi series only required the pieces from both of the creatures included in each set. In the storyline, this is called a "Mana Ko." I really like the two tiered construction of this. Using both motors and building off of each maximizes the playing capabilities of this combiner. The upper part of the model is set at an angle for stability, but it's also a clever design. Both motors can be set at the same frequency to control the treads and the arms simultaneously. Given the limited amount of pieces, this is a great head for a combiner model. The masks are ingeniously used as insect-like eyes and the heads make for a great snout, giving the head a very animal-like appearance. My only complaint would be that it tends to bobble around a lot when the model is in motion, but this can be remedied by reinforcing it with additional rubber bands. The claws come at somewhat of a disappointment, but I suppose there wasn't much the designers could do with them anyway. Much like the head, the claws need to be reinforced with small rubber bands in order to stay open and shut. Click to see a video of the Mana Ko in action.I probably didn't add enough rubber bands at the time, but this clearly exemplifies how flimsy the head and claws can be. Regardless, it still looks great in action. Conclusion I was lucky enough to get this set at more than 50% discount and even luckier to be able to find it in stores 3 years after its initial release. It is one of my favorite Bionicle sets and still mighty fun to play with even to this day. How much of a legacy will this set have on Bionicle history? Pieces: 6/10 - Apart from the Bionicle pieces, treads, and motors, everything else is rather common in the Technic genre. I suppose this is a good thing however, since you won't find many of the more specialized pieces that Bionicle was known (even notoriously) for. Build: 7/10 - The building experience depends, really. From my viewpoint, it can get redundant having to build two more or less identical models in one set on your own. But, it is one of those sets that two kids can work on without fighting over who does what. Despite the redundancy, it's still neat building the mechanical portions of this set. Design: 8/10 - Overall, this is a solid set well built for stability during play. The eyes are perhaps the only glaring flaw as they don't really convey that menacing look. One thing I am fond of is how the mechanisms are simple enough to get the job done, but are subtly located on the back and aren't obtrusive to the design of the model. That's a major flaw that plagues many system sets, but in Technic and Bionicle sets they always fit right in seamlessly. Playability: 8/10 - The primary (and frankly, only) play feature of this set revolves around the RC function. Motorized sets rank as among the best in terms of playability in view, but I think that can also be detrimental to a set if that's its only play function. The addition of the combiner model adds that much more playability to the set, though. In short, the RC battling feature will keep the kids occupied for a while, but having other Bionicle figures to go along with it can set the stage for make believe battles and whatnot. Price: 7/10 - It has electrical components, and that's the only reason why the price rating didn't take that much of a hit. Ninety dollars is still rather high for about 450 pieces. Overall: 7.2/10 All in all, the Manas is a set that strikes a balance between both Technic and Bionicle, and could even serve as a segue for younger kids into the more complex world of Technic. On the other hand, it's a great retro addition to any Bionicle collector. Nowadays this set is actually uncommon - at the time of this posting there are less than 10 lots available on Bricklink, most of them over the MSRP. There are a few flaws, but none of them overwhelmingly degrading to the set. To conclude, I love Bionicle fauna. I also love crabs. This set gets a Thanks for reading

7) Pilot Entry (Build by Dan Church) - 1 Point 25) Pilot Entry (Build by mookage) - 1 Point 49) Mummy Entry (Build by MstrOfPppts) - 1 Point Wonderful, outside-the-box concepts for all of these! 8x8 may not seem like a lot of space to work with, but all of these vignettes bring so much truth to "big things come in small packages!"

My latest creation for the 2011 MOCAthalon can be seen here on MOCPages. flickr