City Arctic theme

adventure_al

Sadly the original arctic line passed me by (given it only had a years run) pity as I quite like some of those sets.

I picked up a few 2014 arctic sets at 25% off, don't usually go for city but I like the exploration element to it. Good little sets

Anyway I just wondered what the general opinion/reaction to this line is?

Also maybe I'm sad but in the past I enjoyed Legos back stories and characters. (Original arctic was based on expeditions to uncover meteors led by commander Ross) it's a shame we have less of this now.

plasmodium

Both me and my younger brother (15) agreed it looked pretty cool, especially the huskies, but when he had £25 and was in a toyshop, he still bought the Creator tree-house.

Maybe he's a bit older than the target age range, but knowing him, I was a bit surprised it didn't capture his imagination enough to make him want to buy any. I think a bit of proper backstory (like you said) might have brought in the slightly older audience like him.

Renegade007cjh

I do like the Arctic sets and the Huskies are particularly cool. Real shame they're only in the slightly more expensive sets...

For those that are enjoying these spin-off City themes (i.e. *not* Fire and *not* Police), I've heard that next year's is an aqua-themed one. Not like Atlantis (no sea creatures etc.) but maybe exploration / research, so maybe we'll have some submarines and the like...?

adventure_al

Renegade007cjh said:

I do like the Arctic sets and the Huskies are particularly cool. Real shame they're only in the slightly more expensive sets...

For those that are enjoying these spin-off City themes (i.e. *not* Fire and *not* Police), I've heard that next year's is an aqua-themed one. Not like Atlantis (no sea creatures etc.) but maybe exploration / research, so maybe we'll have some submarines and the like...?

i imagine it'll be a revamp of the classic town divers line. at least i hope so, all those shipwrecks etc was really cool.

akunthita

I have heard from many people - both online and offline - that they really like the Arctic sets. It even brought some people back in the hobby. I think it is a very well thought out line; nicely designed sets, great vehicles, lovely colors, and huskies! What is there not to like?

plasmodium

^^Ah, I had that set when I was young! Unfortunately lost it when moving once (long story). Thanks for bringing back the memories!

I would love to see a more serious underwater theme again (ie, not conflict based). I think there's a lot of that out there and Lego can be different and inspire kids in other ways.

madforLEGO

I like the new arctic line, mostly because they appear to have thought it through pretty well, with the sled dogs and the habitat.
Just would rather see them at about 30% off (will be watching Amazon for these)

HangedSanchez

I've picked up some of the smaller sets, and I'm quite impressed. Well designed, good vehicles and some interesting parts (polar bears!). Trying to find the money now for the larger sets. If I could keep out of the marketplace thread it would help...

CCC

Not that interesting for me. You have to supply your own oil too, to make it look like the ones in the online adverts :-)

Shib

^Plus I'm still waiting for a set that includes the cigar smoking corporate fat cat minifigure, why would TLG put it in an advert so long before releasing it? :-P

Normally city sets bore me, the constant fire and police repetition doesn't interest me, but it fully accept that it's not designed for me. The arctic line is great. Seeing the Huskies in real life really sells them too, because they are made from two colours of plastic mixed each one is individual. Plus the polar bears in the larger sets are a nice bonus, as always it'd be nice to get some f these things in the cheaper sets but frankly it makes sense for TLG to put them where they'll get most money from them.

bmwlego

The new Arctic line is gorgeous. The orange, white and blue color scheme works (not just saying this because I am a Mets fan), the hood elements are detailed, the new vehicle skis are a nice new part and the curvy orange goodness in the outpost sets are awesome.

The tent sold at LBR is a great set to buy, don't miss out on that little gem. Having been into LEGO since 2008 this is my first new polar themed line so it is new for me unlike the countless police and fire sets released each and every year. I originally planed on NOT buying the sets from this theme but will likely buy the majority of them now after building the small skimobiles and tent sets and after seeing them in person at TRU.

beegeedee

I have 3 of them. The base is quite good and I like the theme but the builds for the 3 sets are basic like most city sets.

What annoys me is 2 of the sets are exclusives and as such carry a premium (10-20 EUR more than similar sets) so I probably won't manage to get them all.

Plus side: loads of orange. The huskies are good and I like the polar bear as well.

kyrotek

If it had been sand green then it would great for John Carpenter s The Thing MOCs

bellybutton290

My son and i love the Arctic theme the various crawlers are especially cool and the huskies and the polar bear are great. We are really enjoying this theme easily more so than any other city has had in recent years. We are even making a snow landscape to have adventures in as well as a research centre back in the city for the crystals to be throughly investigated. The theme also made my son want to adopt a polar bear via the WWF so that's a huge positive if you ask me. We are currently only missing the plane, boat and Arctic base sets and we intend to get everything soon which is unheard of for us as he usually moves onto other sub-themes relatively quickly. I even got the tent blister pack and paid above the odds for the scout plane just to ensure we had the entire theme.

SilentMode

All I can think about with that theme is the infamous Greenpeace video. Still, I picked a couple of them up for the huskies.

piratemania7

I would LOVE a return to some sort of underwater subtheme next year of the CITY line. Wow, does that bring back nostalgia or what!

tamamahm

The Arctic sets do not work for us outside the bear and huskies.

I think the large issue for my son... any bit of exploration is really removed. For example that diving set above is great. It is an underwater theme, with sharks, and rocks and seaweed, divers and a treasure chest. It is a set of the environment. One could have a submarine set, and travel down to this underground environment and explore, or fight off sharks, etc. This is a wonderful set, and one that would be an instant buy for us.


In Arctic, the entire focus is on the vehicles, and there is not a single background scene. It removes a ton of playability when one does not even have a single arctic scene. Where does your snowmobile or helicopter go? There isn't a snow bank, a cliff, a frozen river. Nothing. Arctic sets without snow just seem pretty crazy to me and to my kiddo. Obviously, we are looking for something different than others, and really want that action adventure that has playable scenes, and not simply a vehicle line.



Because of this, the interest in Arctic is absolutely zero. Compare that to Lego Friends Jungle, where one FINALLY has background playable action scenes. Now, one can have an action adventure.

Shib

^i think the problem with including scenery is that for the artic theme it would mostly be white plates and a few bricks, i think it's a fair assumption for TLG to think that most people with a bit of Lego could make something up with their existing Lego. The only thing that it might have paid them to include is a few white and trans blue BURPs to assist that and compliment the transblue rocks.

mathew

tamamahm said:

The Arctic sets do not work for us outside the bear and huskies.

I think the large issue for my son... any bit of exploration is really removed.

Because of this, the interest in Arctic is absolutely zero. Compare that to Lego Friends Jungle, where one FINALLY has background playable action scenes. Now, one can have an action adventure.

I agree with you that it would be great to have a back drop to explore; I don't see it being an issue with the theme. Lego could start including a cardboard cut out for a back drop like so many other toys do. But then they would receive heavy criticism for including non-Lego elements. To do what you want would double the cost of already expensive sets. And consider the fact that Lego is all about building so why not buy up white bricks off of ebay or bricklink and create your own landscape to explore.

plasmodium

^A white sheet draped over various lumpy objects = the Arctic. Problem solved.

But then again, that's not going to help sell the sets, is it...

tamamahm

plasmodium said:

^A white sheet draped over various lumpy objects = the Arctic. Problem solved.

But then again, that's not going to help sell the sets, is it...

Exactly!
As is stands it just doesn't sell to my kiddo. For others it will.

mathew said:

tamamahm said:

The Arctic sets do not work for us outside the bear and huskies.

I think the large issue for my son... any bit of exploration is really removed.

Because of this, the interest in Arctic is absolutely zero. Compare that to Lego Friends Jungle, where one FINALLY has background playable action scenes. Now, one can have an action adventure.

I agree with you that it would be great to have a back drop to explore; I don't see it being an issue with the theme. Lego could start including a cardboard cut out for a back drop like so many other toys do. But then they would receive heavy criticism for including non-Lego elements. To do what you want would double the cost of already expensive sets. And consider the fact that Lego is all about building so why not buy up white bricks off of ebay or bricklink and create your own landscape to explore.

Right. You do not have to see it as an issue. The question was what was our reaction/opinion, and our reaction is that it is a line that does not work for us.

Why would you presume double the price? You do recognize that Lego Friends Jungle incorporated jungle scenes with special/adventure features (and sometimes even a vehicles) at a reasonable price point...That is all done at a wide variety of price points, with some of our favorites at 9.99, 19.99 and 29.99. Of those 2/3 have vehicles. All I'm saying is that an arctic set without the arctic does not work for us, and what would have made a difference was replacing a set or two with actual arctic environment set. Dig out the Crystal in the arctic and use your snow sled to return it to base. Rescue the scientist stuck in the ice storm/ice break/snow fall. I would have bought them just to add/modify for my winter scene. ;-)

I am glad the theme works for some, since I like the theme choice, but the implementation doesn't work for us. Not a big deal, and simply where we are at with this line. I should also add that 'city' is generally not our favorite line to begin with, where Police Station has been one of the few sets of interest because of the special features of the station itself. I'm not surprised that the arctic line as it is does not interest my kiddo. A large yeti throwing snowballs... that would have been up his alley, but of course the them would not be City. ;-)

adventure_al

@tamamahm
Some one after my own heart! I totally agree, we don't see nearly enough landscape with lego

I think some are missing the point too. It's not that we need spoon fed a back drop it's about those 'action scenes'. Why the short lived outback line was great... Yeah it was a 4x4 but you also got a rope bridge and some crocs or a river and a canyon!

Arctic could have had a mountaineer style figure (my one complaint is not enough variation to minifigs) with a crystal in secret area.

A frozen waterfall with some mamouth bones

The polar bears cave/canyon

An igloo with an Inuit

Etc etc

I like this theme but with a few extras it could get taken up a level. Vechicles are easy to make and lego flood us with them, a few scenes wouldn't be much to ask