Excited for 2022 City Space

Comments

• pxchris Member Posts: 2,438

  February 2022

  I really like all of the new city space sets from what I've seen of them. They honestly all look like fantastic builds.
  My only gripe, like you'd mentioned, is the price of them. The base especially is going to be a tough pill to swallow. But I'd like to pick them up eventually. I got most of the 2019 space sets, except the two largest rocket sets, and I think these will pair nicely if I ever get around to figuring out where to put them.

  

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• Bumblepants Member Posts: 7,727

  February 2022

  I find the 12 wheeled vehicle too goofy looking for my taste but overall a solid subtheme. Not sure I will end up with much of it as I got a decent amount of the last one which wasn't that long ago.

  

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• PDelahanty Member Posts: 308

  February 2022 edited February 2022

  I love how they look and can't wait to own them.  I will not be waiting for a sale...and am tempted to drive up to Walmarts in tax-free NH until I find that one that put them out early!  (I may have to fight my wife for them.  She claimed all the 2019 City Space sets.)
  
  I do wish they'd just give up calling these "City" and label them "Space".

  

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• karrit Member Posts: 1,064

  February 2022

  Not sure yet if I'll be getting all of them but I like them a lot.  They remind me a lot of some of the old classic space sets. @pxchris I passed on the two large sets from the last wave also but I think I got all of the rest of them including the people pack.
  

  

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• Astrobricks Member Posts: 5,555

  February 2022

  PDelahanty said:

  I love how they look and can't wait to own them.  I will not be waiting for a sale...and am tempted to drive up to Walmarts in tax-free NH until I find that one that put them out early!  (I may have to fight my wife for them.  She claimed all the 2019 City Space sets.)
  
  I do wish they'd just give up calling these "City" and label them "Space".

  You must really be excited if you’re willing to drive from California to New Hampshire to get them!

  

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• Aanchir Member Posts: 3,043

  February 2022

  PDelahanty said:

  
  I do wish they'd just give up calling these "City" and label them "Space".

  Eh, I sort of disagree, but that might be 'cuz as a 90s kid I grew up greatly enjoying Town subthemes like Divers and Launch Command. And in fact, a few years before I got into LEGO, there were even NASA sets in the otherwise aviation-focused Flight subtheme. So as long as the sets feature an Earth-based space center, and the sets are based on the work of real-life space programs rather than fanciful science fiction, I think it's still a reasonable fit for the City theme.

  
  

  I realize older AFOLs probably have a very different perspective, since a lot of the earliest Classic Space subject matter was not too far removed from "real" space exploration of that time: desolate lunar landscapes; spacesuit colors inspired by American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts; utilitarian grey lunar rovers; simple base camps housing computers and communications equipment; and stationary launch towers sending small radio satellites into orbit using black and white unmanned rockets.

  
  

  Even the theme's iconic blue, grey, and yellow delta-wing spacecraft were likely modeled on the space plane concepts that NASA and the US Air Force had been exploring for decades (which would culminate in the Space Shuttle program's first successful orbital spaceflight just a couple years later).
  

  
  

  But by the 90s when I first got into LEGO Space, the theme had become much more overtly science fiction inspired, with stuff like transforming spaceships, giant robots, and numerous color-coded factions following career paths ranging from breakdown assistance to law enforcement to espionage. So that sort of sci-fi stuff is a big part of what "LEGO Space" signifies to me.

  
  

  Even if sets like #60349 and #60350 have similar aesthetics and play features to Space themes (panoramic dome-shaped windows/canopies, customizable modular assemblies, etc), they still fall within the genre of "modern-day realism" that I associate with themes like Town and City rather than the genre of "far-future science fiction" that I associate with LEGO Space.

  
  

  Sorry for rambling — your perspective is also valid and I don't mean to make it sound like "no, only MY perspective counts!" But it's the sort of thing I think about quite a bit. And it'll be interesting to see if future sets like this DO end up intruding into what I think of as "LEGO Space" territory. After all, some of the space-related Creator sets we've seen like #31107 and #31115 are already there, as I see it — aliens, giant robots, and "Vic Viper" style spaceships are well outside anything that real-world space programs have been able to announce at this point in time, despite the main builds' "NASA-ish" aesthetics.
  

  

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• Brickchap Member Posts: 1,530

  February 2022

  I agree with both above comments.
  

  
  

  Currently the sets available for Lego City Space aren't that far removed from Lego City as such. On the other hand, they are going into space more and I do think that whereas themes like Divers for example were apart of Town, they didn't try to be apart of the town if that makes sense? Lego City sets, like Jungle, Volcano, and Space, almost try and be apart of the city as though there's all these different biomes around Lego City despite not making any geographical sense (rather like Minecraft actually) and actually being in space, or on Mars or whatever is no where near Lego City.
  

  
  

  Personally I've found the Earth based sets to be rather lacking in recent years, the 2011 rocket launch base will still be my favourite, along with the 2016 I believe it was, crawler and space shuttle. The rollercoaster track for one of the recent space centres was a nice nod to classic space, but didn't really look right and of course was in no way realistic. It rather felt like an afterthought to maybe attract AFOLs who desperately want a classic space base. The rocket assembly set was cool, although very expensive, and while the clean room (whatever it's called) was a great addition, being completely open rather ruined the idea. Yes, I know kids have imagination but they could have at least had 3 walls...

  
  

  The space people pack was really cool, although I'd have rather seen some of the builds included as a nice space training centre set, like the gravity G force machine (the one that spins them around).
  

  
  

  Personally at this point I do think a dedicated Space theme would be really good as 1. It would free up City for new subthemes or ones we haven't had for a while like Farm and Harbour, especially subthemes that work with a City more) 2. It would mean Lego could go behind the 'City' roots I suppose you could call them, and branch out into maybe some more realistic sets and some more futuristic sets, maybe even some specifically NASA or ESA branded sets like in the early 2000s.
  

  
  

  A minifig scale Apollo programme would be really cool, with Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins as actual minfigures (and no, I'm not asking for a minifig scale Saturn V, although they could do a simplified, scaled down version).

  
  

   It would also be really cool to have other historic space programmes like Gemini (I might be getting them mixed up, what was the project with the space craft that looks like the Lego ice cream cone piece?).
  

  
  

  Yuri Gargarans rocket would be a cool set, along with some general 1950s and 1960s space programme things like a 1950s U.S style fighter jet (for test flights), jeeps, old style news crews and cameras, retro computers and lots of scientists in thick black framed glasses (LOL).
  

  
  

  Maybe a Space theme would also allow Lego to make larger scale sets, like the ones often submitted to Lego Ideas, as well as more child orientated space playsets.
  

  

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• 560Heliport Member Posts: 4,239

  February 2022

  I always figured LEGO City (and Town before it) just represented the modern day real world, not just a city. Space, Castle, Pirates, etc. were of things that didn't fit modern day real world. 

  

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• Astrobricks Member Posts: 5,555

  February 2022

  Saw a bunch of the new City space sets at Scheels today.

  

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• Lo1sJess Member Posts: 707

  February 2022

  @560Heliport and @Astrobricks I’m feeling Scheels envy over here on east coast

  

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• Astrobricks Member Posts: 5,555

  February 2022

  Lo1sJess said:

  @560Heliport and @Astrobricks I’m feeling Scheels envy over here on east coast

  If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t see any discounts. Except I think they had a display model of #75278 marked down to $60 as “last one”. Which is weird - it looked like they actually meant the built model in a display case.

  

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• PDelahanty Member Posts: 308

  February 2022

  Astrobricks said:

  PDelahanty said:

  I love how they look and can't wait to own them.  I will not be waiting for a sale...and am tempted to drive up to Walmarts in tax-free NH until I find that one that put them out early!  (I may have to fight my wife for them.  She claimed all the 2019 City Space sets.)
  
  I do wish they'd just give up calling these "City" and label them "Space".

  You must really be excited if you’re willing to drive from California to New Hampshire to get them!

  Despite what my profile says, I'm currently in Massachusetts. ;)

  

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• 560Heliport Member Posts: 4,239

  February 2022

  Astrobricks said:

  Lo1sJess said:

  @560Heliport and @Astrobricks I’m feeling Scheels envy over here on east coast

  If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t see any discounts. Except I think they had a display model of #75278 marked down to $60 as “last one”. Which is weird - it looked like they actually meant the built model in a display case.

  I was talking with the Toys manager, Nick, on Wednesday. He said they would be selling the older display models- with boxes and instructions. I was hoping for a bigger discount for "used" sets, but on the other hand, it's another way to get retired sets. 

  

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• Astrobricks Member Posts: 5,555

  February 2022 edited February 2022

  560Heliport said:

  Astrobricks said:

  Lo1sJess said:

  @560Heliport and @Astrobricks I’m feeling Scheels envy over here on east coast

  If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t see any discounts. Except I think they had a display model of #75278 marked down to $60 as “last one”. Which is weird - it looked like they actually meant the built model in a display case.

  I was talking with the Toys manager, Nick, on Wednesday. He said they would be selling the older display models- with boxes and instructions. I was hoping for a bigger discount for "used" sets, but on the other hand, it's another way to get retired sets. 

  They still had a few open display cases and at least one display “in progress”, with minifigs laying on their sides. Interestingly, the toy area has a dressing room area that was blocked off, with lego sets piled up and three dressing room doors labeled with various lego themes, like Technics [sic], City, etc. So I’d say the store was not designed to have a toy department, at least not at that particular location.
  
  Finally, they had actual Remington branded faux-Technic guns on sale. That kinda weirded me out.

  

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• 560Heliport Member Posts: 4,239

  February 2022 edited February 2022

  I visited the store not long after they opened, and I think Toys was on the second floor then. I remember that, while the store was being built, they were advertising that they would have a Toy section including LEGO, and I assume that came about partly due to the closure of Toys R Us. 
  Yeah, those guns are weird. 

  

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• catwrangler Member Posts: 1,895

  February 2022

  Wow, I didn't know about these, but I really like the look of them! One of my favourite themes ever was the Space Port one from 1999 - like this, it had lots of launch paraphernalia (though this is more realistic-looking in terms of having the big red rocket fuel tanks). And I just generally like it when a Lego theme has a decent building, like with the lunar base here. The space station also feels reminiscent of some of the Classic Space stuff, albeit with more realistic colours. Prices aren't great so I don't know if I'll be able to prioritise these, but I'm very happy they're being made.
  
  

  

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• sipuss Member Posts: 288

  February 2022

  I love them, but the prices are pretty meh and there's plenty more other sets higher on the list. Also, I'd have trouble finding space for the Space...
  

  

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• Astrobricks Member Posts: 5,555

  February 2022

  sipuss said:

  I love them, but the prices are pretty meh and there's plenty more other sets higher on the list. Also, I'd have trouble finding space for the Space...
  

  This is why we need a UCS TARDIS ;-)

  

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• Aanchir Member Posts: 3,043

  February 2022

  Brickchap said:

  
  

  Personally I've found the Earth based sets to be rather lacking in recent years, the 2011 rocket launch base will still be my favourite, along with the 2016 I believe it was, crawler and space shuttle. The rollercoaster track for one of the recent space centres was a nice nod to classic space, but didn't really look right and of course was in no way realistic. It rather felt like an afterthought to maybe attract AFOLs who desperately want a classic space base. The rocket assembly set was cool, although very expensive, and while the clean room (whatever it's called) was a great addition, being completely open rather ruined the idea. Yes, I know kids have imagination but they could have at least had 3 walls...

  I dunno, I've quite liked the last few earth-based "space center" sets.

  
  

  The umbilical tower in #60351 strikes me as the most accurate one yet in terms of proportions, and I really like the lift design for being nice and compact while still having a guard rail and connecting neatly to the boarding platform. There are definitely some great techniques there that LEGO could put to further use next time they feel like making a really substantial tower crane in the City theme.

  
  

  That set also earns a lot of points in my book for being the first observatory in the Town/City theme — for that matter, it's one of the first really recognizable observatory buildings I've seen in ANY theme. While I'm sure there are improvements LEGO could make to future observatories to make sure they feel totally authentic, this design is still very exciting to me!

  
  

  While #60228 lacked an umbilical tower for crew boarding, its launch structure does a good job simulating the collapsible functionality of the type of support structures used at some Roscosmos launch sites like Baikonur Site 1 and Baikonur Site 31. Its launch control building is also maybe my FAVORITE ones of all time. Not only is the launch control building a lot bigger than those from a lot of other space center sets, it also does some brilliant stuff with its display screen.

  
  

  For one, it allows you to insert a smartphone so you can incorporate audio and video functions without LEGO having to make or charge extra for expensive and specialized electronic bits. I'd previously seen AFOLs do this sort of thing for movie theater MOCs, and we've also seen it in movie theater sets like #41349 and #41448 from the Friends theme with a screen that doubles as a phone stand. But in this case, the set also includes some brilliant "analog" functions to display a countdown and orbital trajectory map for builders who either don't have a smartphone or prefer not to use one.

  
  

  It surprises me that putting moving parts behind a transparent "screen" to represent a digital readout hasn't been done more often over the years, since it's such a low-tech gimmick and doesn't really require any particularly specialized pieces. I'd love to see LEGO include functions like this in future sets for stuff like an adjustable digital scoreboard in a sports arena, an adjustable temperature gauge in a ski resort or arctic base camp, or a Doppler radar map to track storm movements in a coast guard base or TV news station.

  
  

  It's true that the crew transport system in that set wasn't especially realistic for a typical launch complex, but honestly the crew transport vehicles are often one of the most forgettable parts of any launch complex set, so this rail-based one's playability earns it some points in my book.
  
  I didn't mind the incomplete assembly building in #60229, since it's the sort of building that would be both prohibitively large/expensive and much less "playable" if it were more enclosed. It's sort of the same reason I don't mind when Batcave sets lack a cave roof or walls. However, I still don't care for that set, since I utterly despise its designer for reasons unrelated to his creative work. I'd prefer not to go into more detail than that.
  

  

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• EGRoberts Member Posts: 268

  February 2022

  These where going to all be passes for me until today when I saw them on store shelves.. I grabbed all the new Harry Potter and Dark Trooper Attack but paused hard on the new space sets as they really do look amazing. My son marked interest right away as well which basically means we will probably break down and have to get them as they looked far more awesome then I was anticipating.

  

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• 560Heliport Member Posts: 4,239

  February 2022

  Astrobricks said:

  Lo1sJess said:

  @560Heliport and @Astrobricks I’m feeling Scheels envy over here on east coast

  If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t see any discounts. Except I think they had a display model of #75278 marked down to $60 as “last one”. Which is weird - it looked like they actually meant the built model in a display case.

  I went again Saturday. They are selling the older display models. The only one that was discounted was #41379 Heartlake City Restaurant (no box), $10 off RRP; the others were all RRP.

  

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• HenkdeVries Member Posts: 107

  March 2022

  I always loved the old space port sets, and in the last year tried to collect them all, from every wave. The new sets look very appealing and while I try to limit City buys, as I am more into space stuff, and my son only plays with Lego Mario, I will buy them, hopefully at a discount. The rover does look a bit odd with those 12 wheels, but the bases look lovely. One day I will be able to put them all together, like a huge launch base 'through the ages' (we're gonna need a bigger house!).

  

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• MaffyD Member Posts: 3,575

  March 2022

  I will get all of these. Hopefully at a discount. The connection points are identical to the 2019 sets, so perhaps you can mix and match the layouts? I bought 2x the #60227 Lunar Space Station so I could experiment with how that works, but this opens up even more opportunities. Also, Classic space logo! Does anyone have good photos of the logos so I can compare with the 'originals'?

  

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