With an increasing number of LEGO themes this 12 months embracing an area subtheme, it’s no shock that Pals has gotten in on the motion as nicely. We obtained a fast style earlier this 12 months of interstellar minidolls with 42605 Mars Area Base and Rocket, and the second course is ready to reach subsequent month with LEGO Pals 42602 Area Analysis Rover. Clocking in at 514 items, the set will hit retailer cabinets on April 1, and retail for US $49.99 | CAN $64.99 | UK £44.99. However does this encore efficiency within the subtheme maintain up with an previous 90’s LEGO Area fan like myself? Learn on to seek out out!
The unboxing
The oblong field holding 42602 is marked with the LEGO Pals graphics, in addition to a triangle on the suitable facet figuring out it as part of the 2024 Area subtheme. Within the decrease proper nook, we are able to see that this rover is crewed by Olivia and William. From the terrain within the set picture, it’s clear that this takes place on a distinct planet from the fictional model of Mars depicted in 42605 Mars Area Base and Rocket.
Flipping the container round, the again showcases a number of of the set’s play options, together with a QR code linking to an evidence of the Airlock system used all through your complete Area subtheme. I’m an enormous fan of this widespread function unfold all through the themes, and hope that we see extra LEGO units sooner or later with cross-theme performance like this. We’ll cowl among the play options seen right here in additional depth as we undergo the construct course of.
Two thumb-punches later, and I’m dumping out 4 instruction books, 4 numbered luggage, 4 red-orange wheels, and a lone sticker sheet. Whereas the amount of instruction books appears extreme for a set of this measurement, every certainly one of them corresponds to a distinct bag. Mix that with the modular design of the construct, and that makes this an ideal set for a number of folks to work on concurrently. The stickers are an exquisite agglomeration of designs, from pc screens to the bedding that first appeared in 42605.
The construct
The primary bag on this quartet completes the nook of terrain, full with alien blooms, and a small hover car. The colour scheme right here is fantastic, incorporating the brand new fern items in some wild, shimmering colours. The squat, three-eyed aliens are lovable, a fantastic foil to the lime inexperienced aliens that we’ve seen within the Metropolis Area units this 12 months. And the hover scooter is a pleasant contact, full with its pair of opalescent purple battery packs.
With this bag, we unveil the primary play function: the aliens stay contained in the flowers. One of many stickers even exhibits how this species takes cowl amid the sparkly pink leaves, solely popping out as soon as the fronds have unfurled. It’s a super-cute design, and juxtaposes itself with the inexperienced Martian from the 42605 moon base that inhabits a hole trans-green rock.
Earlier than we transfer on to the following stage, right here’s a close-up of the colourful fern items. They’re positively a spotlight of the set, and I hope this isn’t the final we see of those natural items in inorganic colours.
Bag quantity 2 constructs the bottom of our rover, and it’s cartoonish autopilot droid (see under). There’s loads of innovation right here, from the central bevel within the base to the inside-out development of the wheels. This feels a lot much less like a typical Pals set, and makes me pine for the times of Area Police and Spyrius. And what a fantastic colour scheme we’ve got taking form right here! The brand new red-orange goes very nicely when accompanied by an array of purples. Pals theme or not, this can be a colour combo price exploring additional!
The penultimate bag of elements creates the cockpit module, connected to the bottom by way of a Technic pin. A trio of windscreen components type up on all sides to create fairly the space-y form, compact but seemingly hermetic. There’s room for a lone minidoll on the controls, as Olivia demonstrates under. I wasn’t anticipating this a lot trans-yellow plate on this part, although it does a pleasant job of “lighting up” the cockpit.
Lastly, we craft the aft part of the rover utilizing bag 4. This portion affixes to the remainder of the car utilizing that nice airlock tech, making it interchangeable with different units within the subtheme (see under for extra on that). The uncovered studs on prime are good for holding the hover scooter from bag 1.
The inside of this module holds two bunks for William and Olivia. These beds flip as much as reveal a small lab setup, full with alien diagram, petri dish, and magnifying glass. There’s even a canine mattress for the included area pup. I really like using the ingot and vertical log texture components in these area units to signify the padding so widespread in NASA autos. It’s a textural element that the designers didn’t have to incorporate, however it goes a good distance so as to add to the plausibility of those units (not that they’re precisely grounded in actuality, what with flower aliens working about).
The minidolls
As beforehand talked about, this set comes with two minidolls and a astro-dog. Olivia is rocking the identical orange spacesuit with lavender highlights she wore in 42605, whereas William has certainly one of reverse coloration. Each printings are back and front, whereas the heads are one-sided (like all minidolls). Every of the figures comes with a hair piece, in addition to an area helmet. And as for the pup, I haven’t been capable of discern its title from the LEGO web site. So I’m going with Procyon, additionally identified in astronomy because the Little Canine Star (better-known Sirius is the accompanying Large Canine Star within the evening sky).
The ultimate construct
This was a speedy development, and resulted in a enjoyable little play set. There are options aplenty right here, with the swooping turns the rover could make, the removable lab, and naturally the blooming aliens. I can’t say sufficient constructive issues about this colour scheme. I used to be a fan of the red-orange and sand blue of the LEGO Metropolis Area units, however I feel Pals has them beat. This each appears like a whole set, and part of one thing bigger. Talking of…
For all our speak about 42605 Mars Area Base and Rocket throughout this overview, it will be a missed alternative to not carry it into the combo as nicely. Utilizing the airlock function, I had just a little enjoyable and made a rocket-propelled rover so as to add some pleasure to the planetary survey.
Conclusions and proposals
The Area Analysis Rover is sort of the stable LEGO Pals providing. With an exquisite elements choice in an excellent colour palette, the set presents a novel creation with its roots firmly planted in a Basic Area pedigree. Its price-per-part ratio is under the magic threshold of 10 cents/piece, the play options really feel distinctive, and it has robust interconnectivity with the opposite Area subtheme units, making for 3 extra marks within the “Professional” column. I’m positive there are those that will dislike that the set contains minidolls over minifigs, however I’m not certainly one of them. It’s a stable entry right into a Pals line that has been on fireplace currently, and I hope the beginning of a deeper exploration of what that theme can signify. Right here’s hoping for a Adventurers-style Pals set that includes Joanna Thunder in 2025!
At 514 items, and touchdown on retailer cabinets on April 1st, LEGO Pals 42602 Area Analysis Rover will retail for US $49.99 | CAN $64.99 | UK £44.99.
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