This theme WAS LEGO for my childhood. The DFD was the only large set our family ever got and the fact that it came with a female pilot was even more exciting. Decades later, the first time I visited my future fiancé's house I saw that he had his own Defender on display, and I knew it was meant to be.
I'm 40 and HARD SAME! I fucking loved the aesthetic, the really big one was my only Christmas present one year since we were (optimistically) lower middle class. But I was over the moon! It was just so unique.
Ice Planet was featured in the little mini-catalogs that came with some of my earliest sets -- by the time I was old enough to properly appreciate what I was seeing, the Deep Freeze Defender was long out-of-print, but ever since then, a rover bay and detachable sub-craft have been mandatory features of my spaceship MOCs!
That's awesome! I'm sure many a builder have been influenced by the sets they never had. I remember I was always trying to build transport trucks based on the one from Rock Raiders with whatever pieces I had. 😊
This was the first theme 4 year old me fell in love with. I still remember going to the store and using the money I received for my 5th birthday to buy the "Ice Planet Odyssey". So much nostalgia.
@@RRSlugger At the time it was the biggest LEGO set I had ever gotten, so in my mind it was HUGE! The baseplate was a big factor. Also I was like 2 feet tall.
As someone who has always loved LEGO Star Wars, it's abundantly clear to me, now more than ever, that I clearly missed out on some magic LEGO from the old days. This theme looks and feels so fun and cool, pun intended. You make me want a 3-Slug set on a 1-Slug budget! The Deep Freeze Defender in particular looks SO cool, and right up my alley! Thanks for great coverage, Slugger! Someday I can afford this!
I missed out on all these 90s Space sets growing up, so its been great going back and picking them up as an adult. Happy to share the collecting online too! 😊
@@M0torsagmannen well to be fair he wasn't designed by Lego, he was made by DDI and I'm pretty sure was intended to be packaged with the game like the Infomaniac and Chess King from what I remember
@@Ringtail that is a good point, but it is still a shame nobody at Lego thought to include him in a set properly. but i guess Rock Raiders already had a pretty big lineup of minifigs. just is unfortunate that he ended up being so rare while being a a central lore character.
As a young builder who got his start on Rock Raiders, this theme and Aquazone felt like old and mysterious relics. I wanted the transparent dome pieces and especially that roll up door.
I never noticed the 2002 subtitle for Ice Planet when I was a kid. Even in 1993, we thought the year 2000 would be futuristic-and we were only nine years away from colonizing a frozen planet with space-age rockets and mining technology! 🤣
My absolute favorite theme out of any LEGO theme. The colors perfectly match it's arctic wasteland style and really make them stick out from the rest of the space themes.
Think it all ended with Life on Mars, later space themes ether heavily emphasized on conflict in a box, or they were way too contemporary in appearance.
@@Bionickpunk I liked the pre life on mars stuff as the colour schemes the builds had allowed you to build your own stuff making it great for Mocs and imagination.
The deep freeze defender has to have some of the coolest play functions ive seen in a single build in a long time! First time id actually consider buying such an old set
Slugger is hitting me straight in the nostalgia here. Ice planet 2002 is basically my rock raiders. I 100% agree with your evaluation of the large sets. Deep freeze defender got so much playtime from me as a kid. Ice station 5, while still a lot of fun, sorta didn't hit the same as other sets in the same category of the times. I'm talking big sets with raised base plates. Don't think I had (have?) many of the smaller sets other than the blizzard baron. I was that kid that saved up all year for the big sets or got super lucky with a present once a year 😅 Always went for those big shiny looking sets 😂
I absolutely love these "So You Want To Get Into [theme]" videos of yours. Many of these old LEGO themes - particularly 90s Space themes - are of interest to me, but I often struggle to know where to even _start_ collecting them. These reviews make the prospect much less daunting, especially since, it seems, your taste in what makes a good LEGO set aligns with my own more often than not. Ice Planet 2002 is an absolutely gorgeous theme, aesthetically speaking. I love the simple, well-defined color palettes of 90s Space themes, and this one's certainly one of the most striking! I only have one set from the theme in my collection - the Blizzard Baron - plus a couple of spare parts (including one of the giant trans-neon-orange windscreens from Ice Station Odyssey!), but I hope to add more at some point. Ideally, the Deep Freeze Defender, but I think the Ice Sat V might be my next pick.
Holy crap man I was researching this all day today and suddenly you post a video about it, what are the odds! My second favourite lego sets, just behind lego Arctic
Another great video, I’m happy to see that you finally did this one. I’m surprised that there were only 3 minifigs in this theme. And wow, deep freeze defender is even better than I thought, incredible! Also good advice with the MOCs, I didn’t know how easily MOCable this theme is.
Seriously I was at work today and thought to my self. Today would be an awesome day to watch a R.R. Slugger video . And what a perfect way to cool off after working outside in triple digits heat index then taking a trip to an ice planet .
I love this theme! I only discovered it about 3 years ago and it is one of the best themes Lego has ever offered! The detail and the face prints were ahead of the time!
Love seeing Ice Planet 2002 easily one of my if not my all-time favorite Lego themes! The Satellite Plow was such a favorite of mine even as a kid the pieces for it were always kept close together even when used for other builds. Hearing that its rare it is does make me proud for still having the instructions to it as well!
I have to be honest, I think the limitations of your Slug-O-Meter are really showing in this video. I can't believe you gave the Ice Station Odyssey only ONE slug, whereas the smaller sets got two, even three times as many. I get what you mean, it's missed potential, but I feel it offers LEAGUES more than what the other sets do. I mean, that rocket launching system? That's amazing! I never even knew you could do that in Lego! I kind of also feel like you glossed over many of the details that I think make it far more interesting. Like the laser-thingie at the ramp. Is it a scanner, or a fence mechanism meant to keep intruders out? I love stuff like that! Or all the little probes and lasers all over, it's so neat! You also can't forget that bases like these are basically BEGGING for you to add things onto them. You can so easily customize them, which you can't do with any other set. So I think that it serves as a sort of empty canvas, with even the empty space being an upside. Missed potential, or - potential waiting to be fulfilled? But yeah, I know you've said it's all relative, it just feels so weird to have such a big set with so many opportunities be ranked THIS low. I mean, the Deep Freeze Defender to me kinda looked just like a generic spaceship and I found it very uninteresting until I saw you could take the two pods off. It really didn't seem like "Ice Planet" to me. Paint it in different colors and it could be part of ANY Lego space theme.
Different strokes for different folks! Again, like I said in the video, I’m tougher on bigger sets because they have the part budget and obligation to do more with them; otherwise, the Slugometer would just turn into a “bigger set is better” meter, and you can already do that by organizing things according to their piece count, haha. Additionally, I also factor in how much you’d have to pay to get the set too. Obviously, if I was simply gifted the entire Ice Planet series, I would have a different perspective, but the Ice Station Odyssey is an expensive one, and I simply don’t think it’s worth it’s asking price, that’s all. The Satellite Plow got dinged for that too in the video. 👍 I didn’t want to rag on the Ice Station too much in the script, but I’ve built every Ice Planet set at least 3 times now and *every* time I build the Odyssey I’m reminded of what a chore it is. So many times you have to pick up the whole baseplate and apply vigorous pressure from both sides to attach pieces - much more than any other raised baseplate set I’ve seen. That monorail stanchion on top of the rack winder is pure agony. 💀
Agree with these ratings, particularly Ice Station Odyssey. They relied too much on the raised, ramp baseplate and two quarter domes to give the set bulk. While it does have some interesting play features, it still feels fairly bare bones, though back in the 90's this was more or less the norm. Hope this video release portends the release of other full theme reviews! Great job, 3 out of 3 skis on the roddl-o-meter.
Thanks! Yeah, I agree - some really cool pieces in that one, but it doesn't amount to much in the end. Not *bad* by any stretch, but also not worth the price you'd have to pay for it, in my opinion. 👍 And yes! It's my plan to do a video like this one on every Space theme from the 90's at some point! 😊
@@RRSlugger yes, the best part of the Ice station is those 3 pieces in particular, but i have both that and the Sat V launcher and i agree, they do work well together as a playset i remmeber using them a lot together as a kid
Hi Slugger, thanks a lot for doing this video on one of my favorite themes! While Ice Planet era was before my Lego age, I know it from the game Lego Racers where it was featured in the circuit called Ice Planet Pathway. When I got back into Lego a couple years ago, I started collecting this theme. I simply love the setting and the color scheme, and that it's so easy to make MOCs. I agree with you that the Deep Freeze Defender is definitely the best set of the line - maybe even one of the best Lego sets ever made. It's just so iconic. About the Sattelite Plow, here's a tip for fellow collectors: While it can be difficult to find as a complete set, it's actually fairly easy to just piece it together. Only the printed plow blade piece is a bit pricey, the rest of the parts are pretty common.
Great point about the Satellite Plow! I should have mentioned that in the video, honestly. Glad you enjoyed the video! More 90s Space stuff to come in the future... 😊
The Celestial Sled is an easy 3 for me, I loved that set as a kid! Interesting about the Ice Station Odyssey, it does pull off more features than the Alpha Centauri Outpost though! It's odd that Lego couldn't figure out better builds for some of the bases.
I love the Celestial Sled too! ❤️️ I need to play a bit more with the Alpha Centauri Outpost - I definitely get what you're saying, though it does include a rather large landing craft which is pretty great. 😊
Oh yeah, my favourite LEGOtuber talks about my favourite Space subtheme, what a time to being alive! I love Ice Planet for its iconic look and original environment. In my childhood I had an occasion to play with Ice-Sat V of my friend, and I had a Tunnelator, which was kinda special for me, because it was a present from my dad, after his long hospitalisation, when I missed him very much. Now, when I'm an adult I had an occasion to create a review of borrowed Deep Freeze Defender , and I must say, I couldn't agree more with your opinion, it's a brilliant set. Some time ago I've bought an Ice Station Odyssey, still didn't have a time to build it, but its time will come one day :D Thank you very much for fantastic review, I can't wait for your next video!
Ice Planet is definitely my favorite space theme. Had most of them as a kid in the 90s, and got the Satellite Plow last year to complete the collection. The epic color scheme goes a long way towards its popularity, as well as the chainsaw pieces. Great vid.
My sister's highschool boyfriend let me borrow the deep-freeze defender for a month when I was in like sixth grade. I got to build it from scratch. It was totally awesome. It really is one of the best sets from that era of Lego.
Nice video slugger! This whole theme really brings out that scifi lover from inside me, just the fact that its about scouting the planet istead of a full on insavion and counterinvasion really makes you feel imersed in this universe! And paired with the unique, albeit limited color palet thats made to make the whole set pop out more, this intire theme is just amazing to me, really represents how far creativity can go even with certain constraints! Edit: Just wanted to add that even the contast can serve to make this theme more realistic, being that the designers of the vehicles problably gave them that contrast to make the stand out in the middle of the snowy wasteland so that no equipment and crew would get lost easily, and if that were to happen the rescue team (that i assume exists) could efficiently find them.
Only fairly recently was the name of the male astronaut revealed to be "Will Chill", as found among the internal texture files of Lego Racers. This is, as far as we know, the only instance of the character being named anywhere. Thanks for the dose of nostalgia!
Well, I never got the Soace Scooter, but I got all the rest of the theme- including two Ice Station Odysseys (Ice Stations Odyssey?) and two Deep Freeze Defenders. A decade or so ago, I learned that my cousin's boyfriend had loved Ice Planet 2002 (he was 10 when it came out), but never had the Deep Freeze Defender. So two or three years ago, I gave him one of mine for Christmas. I washed the parts and put them and the instructions in a box. The audible gasp when he opened the box and realized what he now owned was so much fun to hear!
Revs up thermal chainsaw I have so may Ice Planet stories, like when I saw the Celestial Sled in 1993 and thought they were bringing back original space police cause I totally though Orange was Red or coming home for my birthday and the Ice Station Odyssey box was waiting for me in the family room.
ORANGE TRANSPARENT CHAINSAW I was too young in '93 for this theme to be part of my childhood but I always loved the aesthetic. There's something about that orange that's simultaneously ridiculous and cool.
I always used the extra space on the Ice Station Odessey to park the rocket transporter. It seemed to make the most sense, since after returning from a rocket retrieval mission, the miners would have had to pull up to the crane to off load the rocket. Backing in parallel to the gantry provided better access to the rocket than pulling up to the end of it did due to the length of the crane arm. Then the transport was already in storage, and ready to be used for the next mission.
I want to hopefully flip your view on the different rocket, as long as it fits in the launcher it works as a variant which is incredibly common with spacecraft as they are built to do slightly different things, which means it actually increases interconenctive play value as you can decide what each rocket does
I’m 16, but so much of these 90s and 2000s lego bricks are very memorable to me, because i used to play with a huge bin of all my uncle’s old legos. i’ve never heard of this theme, but a lot of these specific prints are so memorable to me. Now i know he had the deep freeze defender, maybe i should try to rebuild it!
ORANGE TRANSPARENT CHAINSAW love this series, bought myself a blizzard baron a few years ago to recapture some of that lego system nostalgia strangely enough I got Commander Cold with it too, so either the seller made a mistake or you're missing a minifig :(
love u slugger these are some of the best lego vids on youtube and i’ve been here watching lego since i was 6 haha. almost 21 now and it’s awesome watching these feeling like a lil kid again
Thanks for the guide! I purchased Sled and Tunnelator when they came out. Recently got my hands on Ice Sat-V. Never realized how interesting the Defender was. Thanks for showing it off. Adding it to my ISO list. May have to aim for two so that I am able to display all three ships at once!
I've got the Ice Sat V I parted out complete from a box of garage sale legos, and it may be my favourite childhood lego set, tied with the Warp-Wing Fighter. Such a fun build.
Oh, to be 20 years old again and be going to the toystore to pick these up. I still love those printed tiles and slopes. They're some of the best computers out there.
I owned a lot of Ice Planet pieces thanks to my dad buying random lego tubs on the cheap. First few seconds in to the video and I recognized the transparent visor and chainsaw instantly. I'm so in love with figures from these sets, especially the torso with the cold planet logo and tubes. Some real highlights of my childhood despite not knowing where they came from.
Absolutely! Even though the hues are slightly different (I explore this in my "Another Rock Raiders Colour Has Been Retired" video!), there is still a wealth of possibilities combining the two!
An aunt of mine gave me her sons old lego sets which included the celestial sled, ice tunnelator and blizzard baron. Though I doubt all the pieces are there I will try to build them.
There were some other themes included, aquanauts, blacktron, ufo, exploriens spyrius, space police, town, and technic. I just spent the evening sorting by color and removing tyco and mega blocks and broken pieces from other toys. Started to see pieces that didn't match with the instructions. There were 2 ice tunneler instructions in the tub. I will try to collect more old legos and trade technic monsterjam for lego minecraft.
As someone whose only ice planet set is the Ice Station Odyssey, I completely agree with your ranking. It’s always felt kind of barren to me, like it was missing something.
1:38 Fair enough thanks for being upfront about it(Some people aren't or even fake it being mostly opion) like you are in all you videos with the Slug O meter!
I had the Blizzard Baron as a child, and I can testify about its awesomeness. I'm surprised (and bit let down) to see that the promise of modularity between the different sets just isn't kept :( . Though it seems the Deep Freeze Defender absolutely make it up for!
This was the theme of my childhood! Dug out the bin from my parents attic and rebuilding all the ice planet sets with my son. Almost our entire collection is blue, white and orange.
I mentioned this on a NOPR video but I'll repeat here. One thing I liked so much about these older sets is how abstract the builds were and how your imagination filled in the gaps. The buildings are all big chunky scaffolding and a lot of the vehicles don't have any obvious propulsion systems like motors or driving wheels. A snowmobile is just skis on a body. But it was enough to spark your imagination. If a modern Lego set included a chainsaw, it would be made of like 4 parts and be as realistic as possible with a handguard and ripcord, and it would be part of a forestry-themed City set. But in Ice Planet? It's just an orange transparent saw piece and a grip. Cast a snowshoe piece in orange transparent plastic and suddenly it's a high tech laser snowshoe from the far future. How does it work? Why do the characters need them? The real answer is, who cares? Just give it to kids and they'll come up with their own answers.
I don't know why, but I've always vibed with ice themes in general... which is odd since I live in Washington (the Evergreen State, not the Dark Carnival) and we're such bad snow drivers that _one centimeter of slush_ on the roads is enough to shut down the whole state. Maybe it's trying to live out some fantasy that I know I could never do in the real world? Also you know what I want to see now? Ice Planet/Rock Raiders mashup. Clashing palettes, yes, but just imagine the _story potential_ 👀
Oh, finally! You’ve been hinting at this video for a while and I’ve been eagerly awaiting it. Growing up I had a fascination with Lego themes that predated me. They were always so mysterious to child me. Ice Planet was before my time by only a couple years, although when my family first got high speed internet and I discovered the used market I did pick up the tunnelator and fell in love with the theme. The unique vibrant color scheme, atmospheric box art, all of it was great. It’s a shame how high vintage set prices have risen, I’d love to collect the rest of the theme someday. I totally agree with you on the trans neon orange parts, I always interpreted them the same way in my imagination.
@RRSlugger I've been waiting for this ever since I found your channel. You got me back into Lego and I gravitated towards Ice Planrt. It's so cool to see you finally talk about it! Glad you got em cleaned from the mold!
@@zach6372 Thank you! Yeah, this was actually the *third* time I had disassembled, washed, and reassembled this entire theme. 😅😅 First time was when I first bought them, second time was a few months back when I was ready to finish this video, and third time was to clean the mold and concrete dust off of them now, haha.
I just LOVE Ice Planet 2002, the Deep Freeze Defender is my favorite LEGO set of all time (and is currently sitting built on my kitchen table alongside my Ice Station Odyssey and some other Ice Planet stuff as part of a late 80s/90s Space display I am working on for a club show, I am even working on an Ice Planet train for this)
I just got the Celestial Sled from a bricklink order and its great. Unique vehicle type for a space set that's perfectly fit for its setting plus it's a cheap way to get Commander Cold with that great chest printing
I had the large spaceship #6973 and remember loving the neon orange colour and playing with the set for hours! I loved the minifigs and still have them! In fact ive made new mini doll versions of them too! I also had #6834 with the long ski pieces. Looking back, i wish i had picked up one of the sets with those great white wheel pieces! They looked awesome!
Love ice planet 2002. I only had the character pack and the Ice sat V. I remember freezing the mini figures in the fridge so I could pretend they were on the ice planet.
I really love this theme and hope there’s a modern rendition like the galaxy explorer or blacktron ship. The new Minifig is fine enough for me, also this was a really good video, I’m starting my ice planet collection
The Ice Sat V was one of two sets I desperately wanted as a kid, but never got. Now, as an adult collector, both are sitting pride of place on my shelves.
Agree with you 100% on Ice Station Odyssey. Several of these 90's space themes had amazing vehicle builds but the bases fell short. Chief among these imo are 6988 Alpha Centauri Outpost (best part of the set is the ship), 6958 Android Base, and here, Ice Station Odyssey. They seem so empty considering the possibilities, and the raised baseplates just don't seem that well filled in 6988 and 6983
As someone with no affinity with Ice Planet 2002 at all, I enjoyed this! The Deep Freeze Defender seems amazing. And I intend to use the head of Dr. Calvin - which I probably wouldn'nt have discovered were it not for this video - for my pirate MOCs, so thanks!
This theme was so cool to me as a kid! From the theme name,to the classic space design that it has. Currently only have the scooter. But i am looking to expand. Didnt know about the Satellite Plow,a video on those combo packs would be cool.
Ice Planet was unfortunately before my time but I did happen to get the Deep Freeze Defender (or at least 98% of it, I didn't have the instructions or box so I never knew what all it should have) in a bin of various LEGO as thanks for cat-sitting for a family friend. And what a lucky gift that was - really one of the most fun sets to play with and super cool looking at that! Definitely a theme I would have loved to have more of as a kid.
My brother and I had many of these sets, cant remember which ones because they never stayed in their original configuration long. I know we had the ice station, that baseplate and large orange shields are unforgettable. And I'd agree this theme had perhaps the coolest minifigures in lego space
Trans neon orange is the one used in ice planet, whereas the one used in nexo knights(my favourite Lego theme) is commonly referred to as trans reddish orange. In the nexo knights show, the trans reddish orange is actually a more yellow\gold colour. This explains the lack of vibrancy;it's not actually neon
I have never heard it referred to as "trans reddish orange", haha. Bricklink is the source of the majority of LEGO vernacular, and Bricklink opts to call them both "trans neon orange". I agree though - there *should* be a distinction between the two colours, but at present, it isn't recognized on a broad scale.
This theme WAS LEGO for my childhood. The DFD was the only large set our family ever got and the fact that it came with a female pilot was even more exciting. Decades later, the first time I visited my future fiancé's house I saw that he had his own Defender on display, and I knew it was meant to be.
Oh that's so wonderful!! Storybook, in a way! ❤️️
That is possibly one of the most adorable Lego fan love stories I've ever heard.
I loved reading this. Thanks.
I'm 40 and HARD SAME! I fucking loved the aesthetic, the really big one was my only Christmas present one year since we were (optimistically) lower middle class. But I was over the moon! It was just so unique.
Almost had all of those back in the days! Deep freeze is my favorite lego of all time 😍
WE MAKING IT OFF THE ICE PLANET WITH THIS ONE 🔥🔥🔥
LEGO WAS COOKING WITH THIS ONE 🔥🔥🔥🔥
🎵 I put the new forgies on the Celestial sled 🎵
LEGO WAS STRAIGHT FIRE WITH THIS ONE 🥶🥶🥶
With the amount of fire emojis there is, the ice planet is gonna be just planet
🗣🗣🗣🔥🔥🔥🧊🧊🧊
Ice Planet was featured in the little mini-catalogs that came with some of my earliest sets -- by the time I was old enough to properly appreciate what I was seeing, the Deep Freeze Defender was long out-of-print, but ever since then, a rover bay and detachable sub-craft have been mandatory features of my spaceship MOCs!
That's awesome! I'm sure many a builder have been influenced by the sets they never had. I remember I was always trying to build transport trucks based on the one from Rock Raiders with whatever pieces I had. 😊
Well, I wouldn't say I *never* had the Deep Freeze Defender...the secondary marketplace is a pathway to ownership some consider to be...unnatural...😉
My friend has the Deep Freeze Defender, a set I never had, and I am very jealous! At least I can enjoy it vicariously! 😄
This was the first theme 4 year old me fell in love with. I still remember going to the store and using the money I received for my 5th birthday to buy the "Ice Planet Odyssey". So much nostalgia.
That's awesome! I imagine that one made for a great little playset!
@@RRSlugger At the time it was the biggest LEGO set I had ever gotten, so in my mind it was HUGE! The baseplate was a big factor. Also I was like 2 feet tall.
@@RRSlugger It's ok that it's not your favorite. 5 year old Kevin doesn't care. 5 year old Kevin had tons of fun with it.
@@BrotherhoodWorkshop That's what is most important! Honestly, 5 year old Slugger would have loved it too. ❤
Ohhh this is a real treat. One of my all time favorite themes. Orange transparent chainsaws accompanied many of my minifigs on their adventures.
As someone who has always loved LEGO Star Wars, it's abundantly clear to me, now more than ever, that I clearly missed out on some magic LEGO from the old days.
This theme looks and feels so fun and cool, pun intended. You make me want a 3-Slug set on a 1-Slug budget!
The Deep Freeze Defender in particular looks SO cool, and right up my alley!
Thanks for great coverage, Slugger! Someday I can afford this!
I missed out on all these 90s Space sets growing up, so its been great going back and picking them up as an adult. Happy to share the collecting online too! 😊
Unlike rock raiders, it’s nice to see the team leader actually present, Chief was always so lazy
ikr, not even showing up to the big base set...
@@M0torsagmannen well to be fair he wasn't designed by Lego, he was made by DDI and I'm pretty sure was intended to be packaged with the game like the Infomaniac and Chess King from what I remember
@@Ringtail that is a good point, but it is still a shame nobody at Lego thought to include him in a set properly.
but i guess Rock Raiders already had a pretty big lineup of minifigs.
just is unfortunate that he ended up being so rare while being a a central lore character.
He wasn't lazy; somebody needed to look after the Explorer, as well as be there to teleport people and equipment between the ship and the planet.
I love it when slugger makes chill content.
As a young builder who got his start on Rock Raiders, this theme and Aquazone felt like old and mysterious relics. I wanted the transparent dome pieces and especially that roll up door.
I never noticed the 2002 subtitle for Ice Planet when I was a kid. Even in 1993, we thought the year 2000 would be futuristic-and we were only nine years away from colonizing a frozen planet with space-age rockets and mining technology! 🤣
Truly the best of times, haha! 😊
Yeah i used to wonder this even back then, i thought "hey thats like 5 years away, no way we'll be doing this.."
@@johnmurdoch8534 Not gonna lie though getting bionicle in 2001-2002 was worth it.
@@thunderspark1536 bionicle was on ice planet?
@@johnmurdoch8534 Nah, but the future has cool stuff anyway
My absolute favorite theme out of any LEGO theme. The colors perfectly match it's arctic wasteland style and really make them stick out from the rest of the space themes.
I agree! I has an identity all it's own!
the best space theme imo, loved the 1987-1999 era of lego space.
Me too! ❤️️
Think it all ended with Life on Mars, later space themes ether heavily emphasized on conflict in a box, or they were way too contemporary in appearance.
@@Bionickpunk I liked the pre life on mars stuff as the colour schemes the builds had allowed you to build your own stuff making it great for Mocs and imagination.
@@slanphere Yeah, a lot of the sand colors Mars used were exclusive to that line. Pretty hard to make mocs for the theme.
The deep freeze defender has to have some of the coolest play functions ive seen in a single build in a long time! First time id actually consider buying such an old set
I love this theme. Really want to see a modern remake in its style.
Slugger is hitting me straight in the nostalgia here. Ice planet 2002 is basically my rock raiders.
I 100% agree with your evaluation of the large sets. Deep freeze defender got so much playtime from me as a kid.
Ice station 5, while still a lot of fun, sorta didn't hit the same as other sets in the same category of the times. I'm talking big sets with raised base plates.
Don't think I had (have?) many of the smaller sets other than the blizzard baron. I was that kid that saved up all year for the big sets or got super lucky with a present once a year 😅 Always went for those big shiny looking sets 😂
I absolutely love these "So You Want To Get Into [theme]" videos of yours. Many of these old LEGO themes - particularly 90s Space themes - are of interest to me, but I often struggle to know where to even _start_ collecting them. These reviews make the prospect much less daunting, especially since, it seems, your taste in what makes a good LEGO set aligns with my own more often than not.
Ice Planet 2002 is an absolutely gorgeous theme, aesthetically speaking. I love the simple, well-defined color palettes of 90s Space themes, and this one's certainly one of the most striking! I only have one set from the theme in my collection - the Blizzard Baron - plus a couple of spare parts (including one of the giant trans-neon-orange windscreens from Ice Station Odyssey!), but I hope to add more at some point. Ideally, the Deep Freeze Defender, but I think the Ice Sat V might be my next pick.
Thank you!! I'm planning to get some more of these done before 2023 is out as I have so many 90s Space collections now! 😅
Ice station odyssey I've had since I was a child. it is hands down one of my favorite sets of all time
Holy crap man I was researching this all day today and suddenly you post a video about it, what are the odds! My second favourite lego sets, just behind lego Arctic
Perfect timing then! ❤️️
YESSS ICE PLANET!! So happy to see you finally getting around to one of my favorite space subthemes!!
It's about time, honestly! Been sitting on this project for a while now! 😅
Another great video, I’m happy to see that you finally did this one. I’m surprised that there were only 3 minifigs in this theme. And wow, deep freeze defender is even better than I thought, incredible! Also good advice with the MOCs, I didn’t know how easily MOCable this theme is.
Seriously I was at work today and thought to my self. Today would be an awesome day to watch a R.R. Slugger video . And what a perfect way to cool off after working outside in triple digits heat index then taking a trip to an ice planet .
Ice Planet - where we all wish we could visit this summer! 🥵
Oh yeah! I’ve always been curious about this set after seeing it in Lego Racer 2!
I love this theme! I only discovered it about 3 years ago and it is one of the best themes Lego has ever offered! The detail and the face prints were ahead of the time!
Love seeing Ice Planet 2002 easily one of my if not my all-time favorite Lego themes! The Satellite Plow was such a favorite of mine even as a kid the pieces for it were always kept close together even when used for other builds. Hearing that its rare it is does make me proud for still having the instructions to it as well!
I have to be honest, I think the limitations of your Slug-O-Meter are really showing in this video. I can't believe you gave the Ice Station Odyssey only ONE slug, whereas the smaller sets got two, even three times as many. I get what you mean, it's missed potential, but I feel it offers LEAGUES more than what the other sets do. I mean, that rocket launching system? That's amazing! I never even knew you could do that in Lego! I kind of also feel like you glossed over many of the details that I think make it far more interesting. Like the laser-thingie at the ramp. Is it a scanner, or a fence mechanism meant to keep intruders out? I love stuff like that! Or all the little probes and lasers all over, it's so neat! You also can't forget that bases like these are basically BEGGING for you to add things onto them. You can so easily customize them, which you can't do with any other set. So I think that it serves as a sort of empty canvas, with even the empty space being an upside. Missed potential, or - potential waiting to be fulfilled?
But yeah, I know you've said it's all relative, it just feels so weird to have such a big set with so many opportunities be ranked THIS low. I mean, the Deep Freeze Defender to me kinda looked just like a generic spaceship and I found it very uninteresting until I saw you could take the two pods off. It really didn't seem like "Ice Planet" to me. Paint it in different colors and it could be part of ANY Lego space theme.
Different strokes for different folks! Again, like I said in the video, I’m tougher on bigger sets because they have the part budget and obligation to do more with them; otherwise, the Slugometer would just turn into a “bigger set is better” meter, and you can already do that by organizing things according to their piece count, haha.
Additionally, I also factor in how much you’d have to pay to get the set too. Obviously, if I was simply gifted the entire Ice Planet series, I would have a different perspective, but the Ice Station Odyssey is an expensive one, and I simply don’t think it’s worth it’s asking price, that’s all. The Satellite Plow got dinged for that too in the video. 👍
I didn’t want to rag on the Ice Station too much in the script, but I’ve built every Ice Planet set at least 3 times now and *every* time I build the Odyssey I’m reminded of what a chore it is. So many times you have to pick up the whole baseplate and apply vigorous pressure from both sides to attach pieces - much more than any other raised baseplate set I’ve seen. That monorail stanchion on top of the rack winder is pure agony. 💀
I had the blizzard baron as a kid and I totally loved it! Building my own module for it to put between and make it bigger, had a lot of fun with it!
That's an awesome idea!! I might have to try something similar!
@@RRSlugger I have a picture from a couple of years ago when I gave it a shot again, can I send you?
@@lynchzchiller1416 Please do! my email is rrslugger@protonmail.com 😊
@@RRSluggerawesome! You've got mail 💌
@@RRSlugger did you receive the pictures? 😎
Agree with these ratings, particularly Ice Station Odyssey.
They relied too much on the raised, ramp baseplate and two quarter domes to give the set bulk. While it does have some interesting play features, it still feels fairly bare bones, though back in the 90's this was more or less the norm.
Hope this video release portends the release of other full theme reviews!
Great job, 3 out of 3 skis on the roddl-o-meter.
Thanks! Yeah, I agree - some really cool pieces in that one, but it doesn't amount to much in the end. Not *bad* by any stretch, but also not worth the price you'd have to pay for it, in my opinion. 👍
And yes! It's my plan to do a video like this one on every Space theme from the 90's at some point! 😊
@@RRSlugger yes, the best part of the Ice station is those 3 pieces in particular, but i have both that and the Sat V launcher and i agree, they do work well together as a playset i remmeber using them a lot together as a kid
Hi Slugger, thanks a lot for doing this video on one of my favorite themes!
While Ice Planet era was before my Lego age, I know it from the game Lego Racers where it was featured in the circuit called Ice Planet Pathway. When I got back into Lego a couple years ago, I started collecting this theme. I simply love the setting and the color scheme, and that it's so easy to make MOCs.
I agree with you that the Deep Freeze Defender is definitely the best set of the line - maybe even one of the best Lego sets ever made. It's just so iconic.
About the Sattelite Plow, here's a tip for fellow collectors: While it can be difficult to find as a complete set, it's actually fairly easy to just piece it together. Only the printed plow blade piece is a bit pricey, the rest of the parts are pretty common.
Great point about the Satellite Plow! I should have mentioned that in the video, honestly.
Glad you enjoyed the video! More 90s Space stuff to come in the future... 😊
The Celestial Sled is an easy 3 for me, I loved that set as a kid!
Interesting about the Ice Station Odyssey, it does pull off more features than the Alpha Centauri Outpost though! It's odd that Lego couldn't figure out better builds for some of the bases.
I love the Celestial Sled too! ❤️️
I need to play a bit more with the Alpha Centauri Outpost - I definitely get what you're saying, though it does include a rather large landing craft which is pretty great. 😊
Oh yeah, my favourite LEGOtuber talks about my favourite Space subtheme, what a time to being alive! I love Ice Planet for its iconic look and original environment. In my childhood I had an occasion to play with Ice-Sat V of my friend, and I had a Tunnelator, which was kinda special for me, because it was a present from my dad, after his long hospitalisation, when I missed him very much. Now, when I'm an adult I had an occasion to create a review of borrowed Deep Freeze Defender , and I must say, I couldn't agree more with your opinion, it's a brilliant set. Some time ago I've bought an Ice Station Odyssey, still didn't have a time to build it, but its time will come one day :D Thank you very much for fantastic review, I can't wait for your next video!
Thank you! ❤️
Heck yeah, Ice Planet! Definitely the “coolest” of the 90’s space themes 😎
Yessss just what I needed today, thank you Slugger ♡
You're very welcome!
I grew up with modern themes, but this retro themes has such an vibe, i loved when lego was simple like that
Ice Planet is definitely my favorite space theme. Had most of them as a kid in the 90s, and got the Satellite Plow last year to complete the collection. The epic color scheme goes a long way towards its popularity, as well as the chainsaw pieces. Great vid.
My sister's highschool boyfriend let me borrow the deep-freeze defender for a month when I was in like sixth grade. I got to build it from scratch. It was totally awesome. It really is one of the best sets from that era of Lego.
Nice video slugger! This whole theme really brings out that scifi lover from inside me, just the fact that its about scouting the planet istead of a full on insavion and counterinvasion really makes you feel imersed in this universe! And paired with the unique, albeit limited color palet thats made to make the whole set pop out more, this intire theme is just amazing to me, really represents how far creativity can go even with certain constraints!
Edit: Just wanted to add that even the contast can serve to make this theme more realistic, being that the designers of the vehicles problably gave them that contrast to make the stand out in the middle of the snowy wasteland so that no equipment and crew would get lost easily, and if that were to happen the rescue team (that i assume exists) could efficiently find them.
Only fairly recently was the name of the male astronaut revealed to be "Will Chill", as found among the internal texture files of Lego Racers. This is, as far as we know, the only instance of the character being named anywhere.
Thanks for the dose of nostalgia!
Oh that’s cool! I didn’t know that. 😮
Well, I never got the Soace Scooter, but I got all the rest of the theme- including two Ice Station Odysseys (Ice Stations Odyssey?) and two Deep Freeze Defenders.
A decade or so ago, I learned that my cousin's boyfriend had loved Ice Planet 2002 (he was 10 when it came out), but never had the Deep Freeze Defender. So two or three years ago, I gave him one of mine for Christmas. I washed the parts and put them and the instructions in a box.
The audible gasp when he opened the box and realized what he now owned was so much fun to hear!
That’s so wonderful!! Good on you for doing that! ❤️
Revs up thermal chainsaw I have so may Ice Planet stories, like when I saw the Celestial Sled in 1993 and thought they were bringing back original space police cause I totally though Orange was Red or coming home for my birthday and the Ice Station Odyssey box was waiting for me in the family room.
That's awesome!
Brilliant video as always! This feels like a fitting finally to the Summer of Slug 2023!
Probably the last "big" video of the summer, but I still have a couple more before the month is through! 😊
This was a fun watch on Christmas eve, as a 90’s baby i love the ideas and themes lego had
ORANGE TRANSPARENT CHAINSAW
I was too young in '93 for this theme to be part of my childhood but I always loved the aesthetic. There's something about that orange that's simultaneously ridiculous and cool.
I always used the extra space on the Ice Station Odessey to park the rocket transporter. It seemed to make the most sense, since after returning from a rocket retrieval mission, the miners would have had to pull up to the crane to off load the rocket. Backing in parallel to the gantry provided better access to the rocket than pulling up to the end of it did due to the length of the crane arm. Then the transport was already in storage, and ready to be used for the next mission.
I want to hopefully flip your view on the different rocket, as long as it fits in the launcher it works as a variant which is incredibly common with spacecraft as they are built to do slightly different things, which means it actually increases interconenctive play value as you can decide what each rocket does
That’s true! I only wish the Deep Freeze Defender could ferry the other type of rocket as well. 😕
What a cool theme! With such n-ice sets!!
This may very well be my new favorite Lego theme. Something about it really connects with me. Thank you
I’m 16, but so much of these 90s and 2000s lego bricks are very memorable to me, because i used to play with a huge bin of all my uncle’s old legos. i’ve never heard of this theme, but a lot of these specific prints are so memorable to me. Now i know he had the deep freeze defender, maybe i should try to rebuild it!
I AM by no means a Lego collector but somehow I feel like só wise after seeing these videos. Thank you só much!
This was so nostalgic for me, thank you!
ORANGE TRANSPARENT CHAINSAW
love this series, bought myself a blizzard baron a few years ago to recapture some of that lego system nostalgia
strangely enough I got Commander Cold with it too, so either the seller made a mistake or you're missing a minifig :(
Pretty chill video.
love u slugger these are some of the best lego vids on youtube and i’ve been here watching lego since i was 6 haha. almost 21 now and it’s awesome watching these feeling like a lil kid again
Thank you! ❤️
Thanks for the guide! I purchased Sled and Tunnelator when they came out. Recently got my hands on Ice Sat-V. Never realized how interesting the Defender was. Thanks for showing it off. Adding it to my ISO list. May have to aim for two so that I am able to display all three ships at once!
My fav lego them from when I was a kid. Had all the smaller kits and loved the look of them. Just built the ice sat v last night after watching
i dont think i will ever unsee the fact that comander cold's face is just a generic smiley face with a moustache and some eyebrows printed on it
I've got the Ice Sat V I parted out complete from a box of garage sale legos, and it may be my favourite childhood lego set, tied with the Warp-Wing Fighter. Such a fun build.
Oh, to be 20 years old again and be going to the toystore to pick these up. I still love those printed tiles and slopes. They're some of the best computers out there.
it will never not make sense to me that ice planet 2002 was not released in 2002
In the 90's, this was "the future"! Haha 😊
I seriously hoped we will get a icons set on 2022. But we DID get upgraded (and mentioned in this vid) Commander Cold in Lunar New Year Ice Festival
I owned a lot of Ice Planet pieces thanks to my dad buying random lego tubs on the cheap. First few seconds in to the video and I recognized the transparent visor and chainsaw instantly. I'm so in love with figures from these sets, especially the torso with the cold planet logo and tubes. Some real highlights of my childhood despite not knowing where they came from.
Love your videos Slugger! So much effort and care, and the smile in your voice is infectious! Thank you!
Thank you so much! ❤️
Speaking of MOCs, I've seen a lot of people using the Nexo Knights pieces to make new Ice Planet 2002 sets.
Absolutely! Even though the hues are slightly different (I explore this in my "Another Rock Raiders Colour Has Been Retired" video!), there is still a wealth of possibilities combining the two!
An aunt of mine gave me her sons old lego sets which included the celestial sled, ice tunnelator and blizzard baron. Though I doubt all the pieces are there I will try to build them.
There were some other themes included, aquanauts, blacktron, ufo, exploriens spyrius, space police, town, and technic.
I just spent the evening sorting by color and removing tyco and mega blocks and broken pieces from other toys. Started to see pieces that didn't match with the instructions.
There were 2 ice tunneler instructions in the tub.
I will try to collect more old legos and trade technic monsterjam for lego minecraft.
As someone whose only ice planet set is the Ice Station Odyssey, I completely agree with your ranking. It’s always felt kind of barren to me, like it was missing something.
Still a cool playset, but definitely leaves something to be desired. 👍
1:38 Fair enough thanks for being upfront about it(Some people aren't or even fake it being mostly opion) like you are in all you videos with the Slug O meter!
Oh yeah - the “objective” remark is just a joke that goes back to my Xalax video. It’s all opinions here! 😊
12:14 blasphemer! We must shun the slug! 😆 no but seriously great video. Awesome work! Such nostalgia
I had the Blizzard Baron as a child, and I can testify about its awesomeness.
I'm surprised (and bit let down) to see that the promise of modularity between the different sets just isn't kept :( . Though it seems the Deep Freeze Defender absolutely make it up for!
Indeed! It almost feels like the designers didn't expect anyone to buy more than a single set from the series. 😂
This was the theme of my childhood! Dug out the bin from my parents attic and rebuilding all the ice planet sets with my son. Almost our entire collection is blue, white and orange.
I mentioned this on a NOPR video but I'll repeat here. One thing I liked so much about these older sets is how abstract the builds were and how your imagination filled in the gaps. The buildings are all big chunky scaffolding and a lot of the vehicles don't have any obvious propulsion systems like motors or driving wheels. A snowmobile is just skis on a body. But it was enough to spark your imagination.
If a modern Lego set included a chainsaw, it would be made of like 4 parts and be as realistic as possible with a handguard and ripcord, and it would be part of a forestry-themed City set. But in Ice Planet? It's just an orange transparent saw piece and a grip.
Cast a snowshoe piece in orange transparent plastic and suddenly it's a high tech laser snowshoe from the far future. How does it work? Why do the characters need them? The real answer is, who cares? Just give it to kids and they'll come up with their own answers.
The tunnelator was one of my first themed sets at all ❤ thanks for this nostalgic journey
I don't know why, but I've always vibed with ice themes in general... which is odd since I live in Washington (the Evergreen State, not the Dark Carnival) and we're such bad snow drivers that _one centimeter of slush_ on the roads is enough to shut down the whole state. Maybe it's trying to live out some fantasy that I know I could never do in the real world?
Also you know what I want to see now? Ice Planet/Rock Raiders mashup. Clashing palettes, yes, but just imagine the _story potential_ 👀
Absolutely! In my headcannon, the Ice Planet miners have a big mothership like the Rock Raiders - the "LMS Endeavor"! 😊
I loved this set so much as a kid. Genuinely hoping I can track down some of them to share with my kiddo today.
Oh, finally! You’ve been hinting at this video for a while and I’ve been eagerly awaiting it. Growing up I had a fascination with Lego themes that predated me. They were always so mysterious to child me. Ice Planet was before my time by only a couple years, although when my family first got high speed internet and I discovered the used market I did pick up the tunnelator and fell in love with the theme. The unique vibrant color scheme, atmospheric box art, all of it was great. It’s a shame how high vintage set prices have risen, I’d love to collect the rest of the theme someday.
I totally agree with you on the trans neon orange parts, I always interpreted them the same way in my imagination.
FINALLY SLUGGER ICE PLANET YEAAAA
It's about time, eh? 😊
@RRSlugger I've been waiting for this ever since I found your channel. You got me back into Lego and I gravitated towards Ice Planrt. It's so cool to see you finally talk about it! Glad you got em cleaned from the mold!
@@zach6372 Thank you! Yeah, this was actually the *third* time I had disassembled, washed, and reassembled this entire theme. 😅😅
First time was when I first bought them, second time was a few months back when I was ready to finish this video, and third time was to clean the mold and concrete dust off of them now, haha.
WOW was not expecting this vid so soon! High respect to the slugger for his prodigious video quality
Thank you! ❤️
ooh I’ve been waiting a while for this one!
Awsoms line, awsome video. Thanks again R. R. 😄
I just LOVE Ice Planet 2002, the Deep Freeze Defender is my favorite LEGO set of all time (and is currently sitting built on my kitchen table alongside my Ice Station Odyssey and some other Ice Planet stuff as part of a late 80s/90s Space display I am working on for a club show, I am even working on an Ice Planet train for this)
This is one of my favorite themes of all time. Ice Planet is in-fact the only lego brand I continue to Army Build
I literally just got my package with the ice planet captain! Now this is an immersive experience
Nice!! Perfect timing then! ❤️️
I have one that my brother used to own, sadly it's incomplete
I just got the Celestial Sled from a bricklink order and its great. Unique vehicle type for a space set that's perfectly fit for its setting plus it's a cheap way to get Commander Cold with that great chest printing
I had the large spaceship #6973 and remember loving the neon orange colour and playing with the set for hours! I loved the minifigs and still have them! In fact ive made new mini doll versions of them too!
I also had #6834 with the long ski pieces. Looking back, i wish i had picked up one of the sets with those great white wheel pieces! They looked awesome!
I think if I was to get into any classic Lego themes it would probably be Ice Planet, the theme and color palette just sits right with me
Seeing your enthusiasm for the Deep Freeze Defender makes me think you will love diaclone toys
Love ice planet 2002. I only had the character pack and the Ice sat V. I remember freezing the mini figures in the fridge so I could pretend they were on the ice planet.
Haha, that's great!! ❤️
I really love this theme and hope there’s a modern rendition like the galaxy explorer or blacktron ship. The new Minifig is fine enough for me, also this was a really good video, I’m starting my ice planet collection
The Ice Sat V was one of two sets I desperately wanted as a kid, but never got. Now, as an adult collector, both are sitting pride of place on my shelves.
Agree with you 100% on Ice Station Odyssey. Several of these 90's space themes had amazing vehicle builds but the bases fell short. Chief among these imo are 6988 Alpha Centauri Outpost (best part of the set is the ship), 6958 Android Base, and here, Ice Station Odyssey. They seem so empty considering the possibilities, and the raised baseplates just don't seem that well filled in 6988 and 6983
As someone with no affinity with Ice Planet 2002 at all, I enjoyed this! The Deep Freeze Defender seems amazing. And I intend to use the head of Dr. Calvin - which I probably wouldn'nt have discovered were it not for this video - for my pirate MOCs, so thanks!
I've wanted to mix the early '90s monorail stuff with Ice Planet. I had a few sets growing up though.
ey, finally my favourite space series
This theme was so cool to me as a kid! From the theme name,to the classic space design that it has. Currently only have the scooter. But i am looking to expand. Didnt know about the Satellite Plow,a video on those combo packs would be cool.
Ayy, one of my faves! I'm currently at 3/8 sets, but I'm the most interested in getting the big ol' spaceship.
Ice Planet was unfortunately before my time but I did happen to get the Deep Freeze Defender (or at least 98% of it, I didn't have the instructions or box so I never knew what all it should have) in a bin of various LEGO as thanks for cat-sitting for a family friend. And what a lucky gift that was - really one of the most fun sets to play with and super cool looking at that! Definitely a theme I would have loved to have more of as a kid.
Great video! I really enjoyed this theme growing up and would love to be able to complete the collection someday!
My brother and I had many of these sets, cant remember which ones because they never stayed in their original configuration long. I know we had the ice station, that baseplate and large orange shields are unforgettable. And I'd agree this theme had perhaps the coolest minifigures in lego space
"Prior to the groundbreaking colour scheme of Rock Raiders" ICE COLD delivery there
The color scheme for Ice Planet is my absolute favorite of any Lego space theme. It works so well
Trans neon orange is the one used in ice planet, whereas the one used in nexo knights(my favourite Lego theme) is commonly referred to as trans reddish orange. In the nexo knights show, the trans reddish orange is actually a more yellow\gold colour. This explains the lack of vibrancy;it's not actually neon
I have never heard it referred to as "trans reddish orange", haha. Bricklink is the source of the majority of LEGO vernacular, and Bricklink opts to call them both "trans neon orange". I agree though - there *should* be a distinction between the two colours, but at present, it isn't recognized on a broad scale.
Wow, I had no idea 1704 was so rare! Now I feel awfully lucky to have gotten one.
I love Ice Planet so much I wrote an EBM song about it a few years ago, ha. So pumped to see a video about them here!