Attention all LEGO® Space fans! Once again, The LEGO Group is honouring the legacy of Classic Space.
Coming on 16 February 2024 for LEGO Insiders and from 19 February for mere mortal Terrans is the next LEGO Gift with Purchase (GwP): 40712 Micro Rocket Launch Pad. This micro-scaled set contains reimagined versions of sets from yesteryear and is a wonderful modern addition to the existing range of retired products.
Products in this article were gifted by The LEGO Group; the author's opinions are their own.
This article contains affiliate links to LEGO.com; we may get a small commission if you purchase.
40712 Micro Rocket Launch Pad
Minimum spend thresholds: US$200/ £180/ 200€/ AU$320
325 parts
Released 16 February 2024
Check availability on LEGO.com
First and foremost it's probably a good idea to emphasise that while this promotion runs until 25 February, it will only be while stock lasts!
The box even has 'Limited Edition' emblazoned on a repeating banner.
So, if you're a Classic Space collector with even a slightest heightened level of FOMO, here's the link you will inevitably need:
Start shopping on LEGO.comExclusive parts
- 1x Head Special, Baby with White Helmet and Airtanks Pattern in White (6478949 | 100662)
- 1x Head Special, Baby with Blue Helmet and Airtanks Pattern in Blue (6480302 | 100662) reprinted with the classic smiley face
- 1x Baby / Toddler Body with Fixed Arms with Classic Space Logo print in White (6478962 | 25128)
At a product reveal during Fan Media Days last September, the
design team assured us that however it may look,
these are not "Space Babies"! The baby features of
the 71037 Series 24 Collectible Minifigure Space Baby have been replaced with the classic smiley face.
Recoloured and rare parts
Recoloured
- 1x Windscreen 3 x 4 x 1 1/3 in Trans-Yellow (6478658 | 2437)
The very similar 4 x 4 x 1 windscreen (6238) was previously available in Trans-Yellow in just one set, 5982 Smash ‘n’ Grab
- 8x Panel 1 x 2 x 2 in Trans-Yellow (6328335 | 35378)
Rare
- 1x Equipment Telescope in Dark Bluish Gray (6396412 | 64644)
Stickers
Five stickers capture the aesthetic and design of Classic Space sets very well indeed.
Eagle-eyed design aficionados might notice that there has been a very subtle alteration to the beloved moon logo here. A dot is missing from the contrail!
The logo that adorns the range of other sets in 2024's Space selection has both dots present, although the colour scheme has been changed.
The builds
The completed set features four types of model that honour the legacy of Classic Space: ground vehicles, bases, rockets and spaceships.
The most impressive model is an amazingly scaled down recreation of 6950 Mobile Rocket Transport from 1982. Its payload is a rocket that also resembles set 483/920 Rocket Launch Pad. 
A little command base also calls to mind set 920, as well as 6970 Beta I Command Base and 493/926 Command Centre.
The new spaceship has a super cute style that is all its own, with its "baby" driver and packed with classic Classic Space elements, evoking memories of many ships, transporters and scooters from the era!
Conclusion
The big question however, has to be; is the set worth the spend threshold of US$200/ £180/ 200€/ AU$320?
Even as a big Classic Space fan, I couldn't recommend spending such a large sum of money mostly to acquire this as a "free" gift. If you are intending on making the required spend anyway, I'd suggest this is a great incentive to time your purchase to. For collectors it's obviously a must have, and we can't overlook the desirability of those (not) SpaceBabies!
READ MORE: LEGO® Minecraft™ review: 21257 The Devourer Showdown
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Nice review!
ReplyDeleteDespite what the designers say I would be happy to use these as "space babies". It bugged me slightly that the previous space baby had shiny eyes like modern minifigures despite his caretaker (and most other classic space figs) having the simpler black dot eyes. Since this includes both the pre-existing blue and a new white with more classic-style features, it allows those who prefer more consistency to have that option.
The recolored windscreens are also welcome. When I tried to come up with MOCs to go with the Galaxy Explorer set from two years ago, I became aware of how few modern panel pieces came in trans-yellow, which made classic-inspired bases (which often relied on flat, rectangular windows) a bit of a challenge to make with modern parts. But these 1x2x2 panels join the 1x4x3 panels from this year's Megapolis set in the Monkie Kid theme to start to make more options available. The windscreen piece is nice too, though personally I prefer crisper corners on the windscreens of classic space vehicles.
I've seen a lot of hubbub about the stickers, but given that GWPs typically only have the budget for a few prints or recolors, five stickers isn't bad at all. I agree with my sister's opinion, though, that the sticker for the white rocket cone might be tricky to apply and I generally prefer stickers with edges that match the part they're applied to so that they can be lined up more consistently.
In fairness, the baby from Assembly Square also had eye gleams despite living in a community of classic smileys. Perhaps baby minifigure eyes are just super sparkly by default!
DeleteMystery solved!
DeleteGood review of a creative twist on a Classic Space throwback!
ReplyDeleteI don't generally mind stickers, and most of the ones in this set look really nice, but that sticker on the 3x3x2 rocket cone looks like a nightmare to apply. It's super frustrating to me when stickers don't line up parallel to the edges of a piece and have no straight lines or other visual cues to align them by. 🫤
I know some MOCists who do a lot of stuff with stickers enjoy when they are cut out in the shape of the pattern and not the shape of the piece, since that makes it easier to use them on other part shapes if you so choose, but I am not in that camp myself. I prefer when they're as simple as possible to apply as instructed in the building steps, and their potential for other uses is secondary to me.
Build-wise, it's neat how this set opts for chibi/superdeformed proportions (similar to the LEGO Star Wars Microfighters) rather than trying to scale all the details down evenly. This helps the set stand out from previous microscale Classic Space models, and also means that it can utilize of a lot of parts from the classic era that remain available in some form today, like the triple rocket cones, 1x2 plate with arms, 1x2 plate with ladder, and video camera.
The new space baby head print is an interesting surprise, though I can't say I have much preference one way or another for what style of eyes ought to be used for figures like this. The recolored uniform seems like it will probably be a lot more exciting for many Classic Space builders, who can then choose for themselves whether to use them as babies or just as microscale astronauts. It'll certainly be interesting to see how many more uniform colors for the space baby molds show up in the future!
I just centered the planet itself over the notches and matched the orientation by the edge of the sheet it just came off of. Looks right to me but I suppose it’s a ymmv thing
DeleteThis is a must-buy for me, the question is should I spend the $200 to get it as a GWP, or hope to try my luck on the secondary market. Have any other GWPs been "LIMITED EDITION" like this? Did they run out?
ReplyDeleteI'll probably just bite the bullet and get it from Lego, as there are a few things I want, and combined with things on pre order (which to my understanding counts toward the $200 total) I won't be buying just random filler.
Almost all GWP's are get-them-while-you-can. They don't come back very often - it's only while supplies last.
DeleteWelp, I goofed this one up. :-(
DeleteFigured it would at /least/ make it through the weekend, and I had things going on and didn't have a clear "buy this right now for $200" on my list, so while hemming and hawing, it apparently sold out. :-(
I got mine and it immediately struck me that 4596 was a new mould. Well I don't know if it's new for this set, but it's definitely different (the large hole is narrower) from the 80's one. Bricklink is also not telling about any variant of this part, so perhaps it really is new to this set.
ReplyDeleteI agree, the hole is a bit smaller, the web larger. This pic of 6805 Astro Dasher shows the original shape fairly well. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/60/0a/03/600a03503a2bb97c575aa081a56e8e05.jpg
DeleteThis pic of the new set is a nice one for comparison. https://idisplayit.co.uk/images/companies/1/products/Blog/Q1%202024/micro-rocket/2.jpg?1708605151351
Delete