It's funny hearing you go into details about the dangers of space while seeing the Lego figures with their permanent smiles inked on their face. Great video.
so will trooper's star trek ii quote regarding mike from retroblasting's deceased cat required editing but after mike had already 'liked' it, and during the editing process the like was lost. it was later brought to his attention the actual line is, "he's really not dead, as long as we remember him." will was already heartbroken about losing mike's like and therefore didn't bother to re-edit the bones quote which is irking me to no end and those 33 people who liked will's post are going to go around quoting bones wrong too
Sorry about Saxon. It’s tough losing a companion that’s there with you as you go about your daily routine. We lost Chrissy earlier this year. The community on TH-cam had a lot of nice encouragement. Remember those good moments. Nice to see him in the video. Yes - reassembling old LEGO sets is a never ending rabbit hole. Complete one thing and it leads to other. Some many crazy sets. Gotta love the moon stalker - sounds like a movie that MST3K would riff on
Early LEGO space sets were almost like the explorer generation and the later with good/bad guys seemed like an Aliens premise ( if you've ever explored that storyline further with the colony worlds) or maybe even the Battletech story that I still have all those RPG books from the '90s.
Classic Space was so much cooler than Star Wars. The new Galaxy Explorer was a fun build, it's inspired me to rebuild some classic space from the old instructions. I love how you hit on so many things we gen-xers had as kids. I sold all my transformers and gi joes on ebay, made a few thousand dollars from them. But you won't take my lego's!
About 6 years ago when my eldest was a baby i came across a box of classic lego in a charity shop, it contained Knights, Space and City pieces. I bought it so that he could enjoy the wonders of Lego Space when he was older. I looked through the pieces to identify which sets may be in there and retro built them from photos, before i realised you could get the plans online! In the end there were 8 sets of Space with only a couple having some missing parts. Building those took me back to being a kid and building the sets I had, wonderful stuff.
This is a great video. I lost my Star Wars collection in 85 when my house burned to the ground. In fact it was two figures from being complete. I sent my ucp's out for Anakin Skywalker and The Emperor three days before the incident. It was one of the many things that made the situation unbearable. Afterward I started collecting Lego Space sets. They really helped a young kid heal after a traumatic event. The sets were fun, versatile and imaginative. The Space Police, Blacktron and Mtron sets were also very innovative. Thanks for the reveal. I find myself wishing all the time that the fire never happened. But at least Lego was there to help me through it. -Six
I had a pretty even split between action figures and Lego. Before elementary school I played with He-Man, Kenner Star Wars toys, Lego Space, and Lego Castle, and Lego Fabuland. In elementary school I continued with Lego and added the Pirate theme to my list of favorites. I also began to play with GI Joe, Transformers, Mask, Legions of Power, Captain Power, and a whole host of other toy lines. By middle school I had moved on to pretty much just Lego. Classic Space remains one of my favorite toy lines, and I think you did a wonderful job of conveying why the theme was so fun and effective.
I had an even split too, though Legos outlasted them all, Sometimes in college I still bought both. I managed to save most of the Lego sets I had as a kid with the instructions, so I could build them with & pass them onto my son! I used the sets as bases for both Transformers & GI Joe. And when I saw the price tag of Robotix, I made sets from the pieces to look like them.
I also remember my limited lego-space set being the seed from which a full multi-level base, made of cardboard tape and blu-tack, that sprawled out of the corner and caused many arguments about how much of my room it took-up.
LEGOs are my all time favorite toys. The sets really stretched my imagination to create my own personal designs and unique worlds, an experience that no other toy could produce. I get a kick out of the fact that my nieces and nephews enjoy my old LEGOs without the specialty pieces or the brand logos, setting off on their own adventures too wherever their imaginations will take them.
I somewhat agree with your sentiments regarding Blacktron cheapening the very threat of space itself but ive always viewed it as a line far into the future. Where Classic Space were the timid pioneers just getting a foothold onto the moon, futron was set far enough in the future where they had essentially colonized the solar system, and Blacktron would inevitably rise as the brigands that will always exist in society. Anyway, great review. Really captured the nostalgia I have for Lego in general.
Wow, when you said "rainy day on the den floor" I was flooded with memories of sitting there building these. And here's to Sax! You have my sympathies.
The black Tron guys weren’t really villains, they both were good guys just with different goals, and because of this they got in each others way more often then not.
Nice trip down memory lane of my cousin and I playing with Space Legos on the screened in porch and Grandma's every summer. I could not remember who had what set.
Seeing Saxon there reminded me of our late Emily, who died just before Christmas 2019. When she was young she retrieved a Lego shrub from a box of random bricks and it became her favourite bash, chase, hook and throw toy. We gave her a bag of the things for one of her last Christmases, and we still find the odd one under various items of furniture on Spring cleans.
I had stopped collecting legos by the time the ones with visors show up but I do like the look of it! I'm amazed at how many little lego people you found that still have the planet on the chest. All of mine have that rubbed off from where I pulled the guys in and out of little lego creations.
Sorry about Saxon. Thanks for this video. Lego Space was one of my favorites as a kid, and would get them at almost every holiday, family event and birthday from my grandparents. Between Space Legos, and City Lego sets, I had toy boxes full of Legos. Seeing these sets, you have sparked countless memories of long afternoons just simply playing and building Legos. Thanks Michael!!
I LOVE how you articulated the somber, spooky, void that these characters inhabit. I grew up long after this line was released, yet I always feel those vibes when looking at pics of these toys.
Awesome review. I was a huge fan of classic space as a kid, and still to this day it is my favorite Lego line. I still even have a few sets from my child hood. They were, and are, great toys.
I remember my Legos. They were hand me downs. When my kids were born I immediately got them Duplos. As they got older I got them real Legos. Great memories. My condolences to you for your loss.
You got one for Christmas too? Was my first "big" set ever, following two mini-sets from the previous Christmas & birthday. Thus began a lifelong "Christmas List" with only one item for 8 more years...
Godspeed to your wonderful cat, Saxon. He looked like one of those great companions which would help you keep your humanity about you while delving the great hobbies you have.
Love this!!! Just discovered and bought a few bags of random lego bricks, but hidden within was this guy: 6931 lego FX-star Patroller and a bunch of space-minifigs. SO COOL!!!!!!
I didn't grow up in generation x I'm generation z but my dad gave me his classic space sets when I was a kid and I had loads of fun playing with them and thanks to my dad he's the reason why I have such a fascination with the Lego brand today
Never had the Galaxy Explorer, but so many of those other sets brought back great memories. I remember seeing that first blue spaceman, that first minifigure-sized robot, and my personal holy grail, any piece with the space symbol painted on. I also liked the knights, then pirates later on. Great video and thanks for posting it!
Wow! So much to unpack here. Like you, I dabbled rather than dove into Lego. I inherited some regular bricks from older siblings, and picked up the occasional space set from time to time. Never anything huge, though I wanted them. I was too action figure oriented to make these a priority. Seeing them now makes me wonder if I chose correctly. Also, so sorry for your loss. Their short lives pack a lot of love into them! And for me personally, I have missed the theme song, so I was happy to see it again.
Thank you so much Michael and RetroBlasting for this trip down Lego memory lane. These were my childhood Legos. Loved your point about the “enemy” being “Space” itself. I didn’t think about it at the time, but it makes total sense now. Sorry for the loss of your cat. I built many of those Lego sets as well with my pets keeping me company.
I’m sorry to hear about Saxon. We just lost our Smokey a few months ago so I can relate. I’m sure Saxon has crossed the Rainbow Bridge. As for Lego Classic Space, I had a few of the smaller sets, but had been given several of the larger Lego Space Police sets for gifts once that line came out. I also had several original City sets and even one of the old pirate ships. I even had that handy red lego storage container. To be honest, the little full-color mail order booklets were what kept me going when I got bored with what I had. I used to flip through those things and see everything I was missing out on or got ideas from them and tried to make MOCs. I recently got back into Lego after more than 2 decades and have gotten fairly deep into MOC building. I’ve built a UCS-sized B-Wing, an A-Wing and just last week finished Vader’s TIE Advanced X1. All of them held together with hopes and dreams rather than good engineering and design, but MOCs have otherwise helped me keep my mind sharp and my imagination active. Sadly, I don’t have my old bricks and pieces anymore...my mom gave them away years ago, but hopefully someone else got to explore the depths of their imagination with them.
Gotta admit .... I never thought much as a kid about the whole concept of space suited men walking around with .... walkie talkies .... Think on that for a sec...
I always chalked them up as satellite phones that they can use as a convenient and easily portable way to communicate back to earth or to communicate with other space men who are flying around in ships at long ranges. Whereas their suit mics don't have enough range to reach back to earth and they only have enough range to communicate with other spacemen nearby
Space suit gloves are not suitable for fine motor dexterity. So you'd need a huge panel with huge knobs to dial wattage and frequency that you can read through your face plate.
Sorry about your cat Saxon. It is always sad to loose a pet as it is like loosing a member of the family. I'm sure he had a wonderful life in your home. Keep the good memories in your mind (Like the Lego case scene, it seems like he was ready to jump into it). I had a lot of fun with Lego Space as a kid. I remember using them to build Star Wars Rebel base ( Hoth or Yavin). All these space building, platforms and mini vehicles were great to refuel X-Wings or Snowspeeders. Unfortunately in the 90's my parents had to face a robbery in their house and all my toys but Kenner Star Wars toys, where stolen. Your video display them so well that is truly remind me many great souvenirs, Thank you Michael !
SUPER job opening with you guys honoring Saxon! Pets--non-human family members really--so deserve this! This video takes me back to watching Thundarr the Barbarian and Starblazers on Saturday mornings and helping my brother build LEGO Space items. This really takes me back and especially those blue and gray colors. Very 2001-ish or future NASA over Trek or Star Wars just as you stated. Awesome job as always and thanks for the walk down Pleasant Memory Lane!
Sorry to hear about Saxon. I too had the Uranium Search Vehicle and Star Dart. Just like you I was just fascinated with all the hatches, doors, and hidden storage bays. Especially since Lego was clever and didn't really advertise the features on the beauty shot on the box front.
Great video, guys. I remember the Lego spacemen well from my childhood. We had a huge box of unsorted parts and figures with no instruction sheets or references. I never had the pleasure of the awesome vehicles shown here, but their parts and a bit of imagination led to immeasurable fun. Thanks for the memories.
My brothers and I each got a bucket of legos in the 70's . We used to build big robots, and smash them into each other until only one robot remained who was the winner. The losers would go back to the drawing board to try to build a better robot.
The feeling and pull of nostalgia for the Galaxy Explorer is so strong. I bought one off of Bricklink a few years back and loved building it. You should take a look at the Lego Movie Spaceship, Spaceship, Spaceship set (70816) and see if you dont feel the same way. On another note, Lego Indiana Jones is calling your wallet. He said he would wait for you to answer.
My 1st Lego was the classic yellow castle that I got for Christmas one year. Other than some small sets the only other set I had was the alien moon stalker. I still remember how awesome I thought that segmented arm with the clamp on the end was. I wanted a 100 of those! Thanks for the nostalgia and sorry about your kitty.
I still remember getting the Surface Rover, the Space Patrol, the Tri-Star Voyager, the Lunar Rocket Launcher, the Space Dart-1, and the Crater Crawler, and more from the Lego Space Line. Good Times!
Great video! I love LEGO!!!😁 We are a lot alike as I also love the Space series. I agree as LEGO collectors have way too much to collect to dive into anything else. I also loved LEGO Castle/Knights series. I absolutely loved this episode. Great job. It amazes me how you have so many of the toys you had as a kid. Good job
Classic Space is what I grew up with, and still the best. You hit all the points about why. Staring close into those little cabins, cockpits and control booths with the tinted yellow transparent bricks... Man, it just has a _mood._ I had/have practically all the sets you mentioned as well, even the last, weird little white one! I remember the Blacktron but never owned any of it. Got out of it for a while at around the same time and came back a couple of years later to Technic.
But the story doesn't end there! For The Lego Movie, Lego introduced Benny's Spaceship (70816) and it was a true hommage to the Classic Space spaceships. More classic bottom-up build, with segments that detach, it's really great. Years later, for the second movie, they introduced Benny's Space Squad (70841), with a new helmet mould that matches the original one (except the chin that's too thick, but for reasons), giving us a pink space dude. You can still find this one on the shelves, for cheap, so hurry up.
@@taqresu5865 Yeah I just shelled out 20 bucks just to get that minifig (don't care for the book) and got the Galaxy Explorer (which is great but less fun than Benny's spaceship)
@@anothergol Nice. I unfortunately don't own Benny's Spaceship (unless you count the miniature version for LEGO Dimensions). Online, the set is priced at least twice the current retail price for the Anniversary Galaxy Explorer. Speaking of which, the intention was to pay direct homage to the original, including the play features. I was born in the 90s, so Classic Space was before my time, but The LEGO Movie introduced that theme for me. When it comes to Classic Space, I have a the Benny Fun Pack for LEGO Dimensions, the Collectable Minifig Benny with the robotic arm (from The LEGO Movie 2 series), the small Classic Space set with the Pick Space Minifig (from The LEGO Movie 2), and the new 90th Anniversary Galaxy Explorer. Just a couple months ago I participated in a local LEGO Display, and one of the participants brought their medium sized original Galaxy Explorer ship as well as the Orange Space Minifig. It was my first time seeing an original Classic Space set with my own eyes.
Yeh but who wants a one set homage, Lego are neglecting gen X and y whose main sets were either space or knights castle but they spend all their time on franchise shit including the Lego movie franchise itself and no time on their original creations like doing new space or knights lines for the old timers.
A friend had the old Space Command Center which got me into Legoland Space. Not sure which was my first set, but I got the Galaxy Explorer the following Christmas. One of my all time favorite sets...
This was one of Retroblasting's best episodes. It captured everything about those earl Lego sets I felt and recall. I've been watching this channel for years and I still can't believe the quality writing, editing and display you all put in your feature videos. Every single one is worth the wait. Well done! Bravo! Hat's off!
Ooh, nostalgasm. I went from Surface Rover to Starfire I to Light and Sound Lunar Transporter Patroller straight into the big league with the Mission Commander. I dreamt in Space LEGO as a kid...
haha, great video. I had many of these when I was a kid. LEGO also released a mini set of classic white Spacemen a couple of years ago. Probably available on eBay or Bricklink
I just stumbled on this item and loved it. A return to my youth, and you are so absolutely right about what made this the perfect Lego series. Loved it, and loved your story
omg that space supply station was my first ever lego set, as best i can recall. i used to chew on those all terrain tyres. one of my favourite 80's toy chews along with he-man's head. it was all over for normal lego when i got my first technic set though. a blue helicopter from the classic "black and yellow stripes" era of technic
I never owned a single action figure. It was Lego and toy soldiers at my house. Action figures never captured ne the way those bricks and minifigs sill hold me in freaking thrall all these years later 😊
Wow. Fantastic video. I think I was one of those kids that skewed pretty evenly between Lego, action figures and video games. Space Lego and Classic builders were my dual introduction to the main Lego line, an upgrade from the modest building sets using anthropomorphic animal-headed people and earlier Duplo-sized bricks and circus trains. Space Patrol, the Moon Buggy, Space Scooters and the Space Cruiser were early pick-ups - I think flea market mark-downs or Five & Dime discounts.. I was completely taken with building up worlds and Lego would make its way onto about every Christmas list from '82 until well into the mid-late 90s, long after action figures fell off interest around middle school/junior high (they'd emerge again in the latter half of high school as flea markets became a nostalgic search-and-find hobby).. But in my high school years building Legos would still be a quiet enjoyable pastime when indoors, during television when I had nothing planned - it had zero cred but I was pretty quiet about it. The worlds I'd build with siblings and cousins, buying old sets off of friends dumping their toys.. Lego certainly is a lifestyle (he says, seven bins later...)
and recently for the lego movie 2 , they released a set with the classic space minifigures , and for the 1st time , there is now a pink space minifigure
You do an excellent job of capturing the spirit and wonder of the classic Lego Space sets... an experience I shared as a child in the late 70s and early 80s.
Great video. I big fan of Lego and I even worked at Legoland Windsor in England. I have MASK and action men when I was a kid, as well a few transformers. There was a few Lego book to do with the space Lego, Jim Spaceborn was the series.
2:40 was my first Lego set! Lego Space System still invokes a sense of awe, wonder, and reverence. The box art alone, during the early years of the Space Shuttle, the discoveries of the Voyager probes, and the height of Star Wars, just plugged into everything I was about! And who could resist those amazing yellow transparent pieces or rocket elements?! And weird! My last Lego set as a kid was also from 1988! Today, I have a Moon crater baseplate in a frame on my wall because it still means that much to me.
sorry to hear about your cat Saxon the lost of a pet is heart breaking. We lost our poodle this time last year still painful. Great video i loved the opening well done. Was not aware of these very cool space sets when i was young I only got small sets mostly police or fire sets and planes. No new lego for me untill star wars line came out.
Space Explorer LL 928 is still one of the most epic Lego sets ever. I bought mine from money i won on a balloon contest in 1979. I still have it built up on my Space shelf.
My brother and I had a massive collection of LEGOs and did have great collections of TMNT and X-men figures plus 1 or 2 figures and vehicles for dozens of other lines. We were lucky though.
Damn fine job on this one! I was about as much into LEGO as you. This video brought back a lot of fond memories of the basic brick sets and some of the smaller space units I had!
First off, let me add my condolences to all of the others for your loss. Pets really are family. My experience is similar to Michael's. I was (still am) a space program nut, and when I saw Space Legos it pulled me in. But I never went full-Lego. I don't believe I ever had a non-Space Lego set, and my time in Legoland was short-lived, as there were just too many other toy lines calling my name in those halcyon action figure line days of the mid 80s. Today I'm in a similar situation. I want some Space Lego sets for my collection, but there's just so much other stuff I still want/need.
At school I came home for lunch one day in 1984 only to discover my grandmother had sent me the Uranium Search Vehicle set for my birthday. I was completely blown away. =) She never got me such cool presents. How was I expected to go back to school knowing there was a brand-new Lego set waiting to be built? lol
RIP Saxon. Great job dude. I had a lot of those space sets from 1979-86. I had combined them to make a huge spaceship bomber that you could lift the top, that was hinged and see the spacemen inside on their computers and cockpits. I winded up dropping it 3 years later and didn't have the heart to put it back together. It even had an escape pod and smaller fighter that could attach on top and underneath. So awesome!
This brings back memories! You manage to describe the emotion with space Lego as I felt it. I believe I still have a few of these items, at least the space dart. I loved that design :-)
Sorry for your loss. Thank you for this video. The galaxy explorer was a favourite. I used to make Star Trek playsets with these and searching for black suited astronauts so I could make Starfleet uniforms for my yellow, red and blue astros. Great sets and fun memories!
Awesome video! I too dabbled in the LEGO lifestyle as a kid. Going to Germany frequently when I was a child afforded me many of these sets as a kid. They were place holders for my love of Star Wars, which was harder to get in Germany at times. I still have a huge box full of vintage LEGO parts. A time capsule of wonderful memories! RIP to your wonderful friend, Saxon. You have memories that you'll never forget. That’s why our furry friends are here.
Sorry about Saxon. Seeing him sit there and watch you dig through Legos looked incredibly cute. I know from experience that there will always be a little long-haired hole in your life that can never be filled.
Sorry to hear about the passing of Saxon. I grew up with two cats of my own, Eva and Shadow. I never could replace them after they passed on. With Lego's I remember having so many of the normal and space sets released from 83 to 87. I still got random sets in middle and high school from relatives. That later lived in two jumbo popcorn tins before going to my sisters kids.
After watching this it inspired me to retrieve my multiple classic space figures from the new LEGO movie two set. Benny’s space squad I think the set it’s called. Closest thing I’ve ever had to true classic space minifigs
...and on the day when I am to receive my new UCS ISD no less. This classic space series and the space police series that was to follow were the Lego sets of my childhood. My only surviving toy from my childhood is the space police set 6886: Galactic Peace Keeper. My condolences on the loss of your beloved pet. R.I.P Saxon.
Godspeed Saxon you gorgeous boy.
I always feel heartbroken when any pet dies. Godspeed Saxon
It's funny hearing you go into details about the dangers of space while seeing the Lego figures with their permanent smiles inked on their face. Great video.
It's almost Socrealist
lol!
They don't care about the dangers of space, since they can always be put back together
"He's not really dead, as long as we remember him"
- Dr McCoy
*really not
I already corrected one error and lost the heart that Mike gave me, i have nothing left
This exchange makes no sense to me.
so will trooper's star trek ii quote regarding mike from retroblasting's deceased cat required editing but after mike had already 'liked' it, and during the editing process the like was lost. it was later brought to his attention the actual line is, "he's really not dead, as long as we remember him." will was already heartbroken about losing mike's like and therefore didn't bother to re-edit the bones quote which is irking me to no end and those 33 people who liked will's post are going to go around quoting bones wrong too
Sorry about Saxon. It’s tough losing a companion that’s there with you as you go about your daily routine. We lost Chrissy earlier this year. The community on TH-cam had a lot of nice encouragement. Remember those good moments. Nice to see him in the video.
Yes - reassembling old LEGO sets is a never ending rabbit hole. Complete one thing and it leads to other. Some many crazy sets. Gotta love the moon stalker - sounds like a movie that MST3K would riff on
Early LEGO space sets were almost like the explorer generation and the later with good/bad guys seemed like an Aliens premise ( if you've ever explored that storyline further with the colony worlds) or maybe even the Battletech story that I still have all those RPG books from the '90s.
My name is Saxon
Classic Space was so much cooler than Star Wars. The new Galaxy Explorer was a fun build, it's inspired me to rebuild some classic space from the old instructions. I love how you hit on so many things we gen-xers had as kids. I sold all my transformers and gi joes on ebay, made a few thousand dollars from them. But you won't take my lego's!
About 6 years ago when my eldest was a baby i came across a box of classic lego in a charity shop, it contained Knights, Space and City pieces. I bought it so that he could enjoy the wonders of Lego Space when he was older. I looked through the pieces to identify which sets may be in there and retro built them from photos, before i realised you could get the plans online! In the end there were 8 sets of Space with only a couple having some missing parts. Building those took me back to being a kid and building the sets I had, wonderful stuff.
This is a great video. I lost my Star Wars collection in 85 when my house burned to the ground. In fact it was two figures from being complete. I sent my ucp's out for Anakin Skywalker and The Emperor three days before the incident. It was one of the many things that made the situation unbearable. Afterward I started collecting Lego Space sets. They really helped a young kid heal after a traumatic event. The sets were fun, versatile and imaginative. The Space Police, Blacktron and Mtron sets were also very innovative. Thanks for the reveal. I find myself wishing all the time that the fire never happened. But at least Lego was there to help me through it. -Six
You just managed to verbalise something I’d always felt about space Lego, since I was a child, but have never been able to put my finger on.
Thanks :)
I had a pretty even split between action figures and Lego. Before elementary school I played with He-Man, Kenner Star Wars toys, Lego Space, and Lego Castle, and Lego Fabuland. In elementary school I continued with Lego and added the Pirate theme to my list of favorites. I also began to play with GI Joe, Transformers, Mask, Legions of Power, Captain Power, and a whole host of other toy lines. By middle school I had moved on to pretty much just Lego. Classic Space remains one of my favorite toy lines, and I think you did a wonderful job of conveying why the theme was so fun and effective.
My lego guys would get attacked by my Transformers.
I had an even split too, though Legos outlasted them all, Sometimes in college I still bought both. I managed to save most of the Lego sets I had as a kid with the instructions, so I could build them with & pass them onto my son! I used the sets as bases for both Transformers & GI Joe. And when I saw the price tag of Robotix, I made sets from the pieces to look like them.
I'm no member of Gen X. But my father was, he had Model Trains and LEGO Space. No action figures.
Same. My GI Joes used lego to make czech hedgehogs and other barricades, partial walls., etc.
I also remember my limited lego-space set being the seed from which a full multi-level base, made of cardboard tape and blu-tack, that sprawled out of the corner and caused many arguments about how much of my room it took-up.
LEGOs are my all time favorite toys. The sets really stretched my imagination to create my own personal designs and unique worlds, an experience that no other toy could produce. I get a kick out of the fact that my nieces and nephews enjoy my old LEGOs without the specialty pieces or the brand logos, setting off on their own adventures too wherever their imaginations will take them.
This is probably the most terrifying DV has ever been.
Broken Vader's monolouge at the end is epic and amazing.
I wonder if he was remembering being in his TIE after the Death Star blew. Would the fleet locate him in time?
@@TheMattwolf all i will say is god damm dude
@@TheMattwolf I always wondered how he managed to survive that.
Really enjoyed this video, captures the magic of classic space really well! And I'm sorry for your loss. They steal our hearts.
I somewhat agree with your sentiments regarding Blacktron cheapening the very threat of space itself but ive always viewed it as a line far into the future. Where Classic Space were the timid pioneers just getting a foothold onto the moon, futron was set far enough in the future where they had essentially colonized the solar system, and Blacktron would inevitably rise as the brigands that will always exist in society. Anyway, great review. Really captured the nostalgia I have for Lego in general.
Wow, when you said "rainy day on the den floor" I was flooded with memories of sitting there building these.
And here's to Sax! You have my sympathies.
Fastest. Click. Ever.
R.I.P. Saxon.
Yes, I liked it before even getting through the intro!
The black Tron guys weren’t really villains, they both were good guys just with different goals, and because of this they got in each others way more often then not.
I love coming back to this video. RB you guys kick ass.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane. That space Lego caught my imagination, back in the day 🙂
Nice trip down memory lane of my cousin and I playing with Space Legos on the screened in porch and Grandma's every summer. I could not remember who had what set.
13:40 yes. I always had a diffuse feeling when I looked at these sets and the color scheme. Thank you for pointing it out that way.
Seeing Saxon there reminded me of our late Emily, who died just before Christmas 2019. When she was young she retrieved a Lego shrub from a box of random bricks and it became her favourite bash, chase, hook and throw toy. We gave her a bag of the things for one of her last Christmases, and we still find the odd one under various items of furniture on Spring cleans.
I had stopped collecting legos by the time the ones with visors show up but I do like the look of it! I'm amazed at how many little lego people you found that still have the planet on the chest. All of mine have that rubbed off from where I pulled the guys in and out of little lego creations.
Sorry about Saxon. Thanks for this video. Lego Space was one of my favorites as a kid, and would get them at almost every holiday, family event and birthday from my grandparents. Between Space Legos, and City Lego sets, I had toy boxes full of Legos. Seeing these sets, you have sparked countless memories of long afternoons just simply playing and building Legos. Thanks Michael!!
I LOVE how you articulated the somber, spooky, void that these characters inhabit. I grew up long after this line was released, yet I always feel those vibes when looking at pics of these toys.
Awesome review. I was a huge fan of classic space as a kid, and still to this day it is my favorite Lego line. I still even have a few sets from my child hood. They were, and are, great toys.
I remember my Legos. They were hand me downs. When my kids were born I immediately got them Duplos. As they got older I got them real Legos. Great memories.
My condolences to you for your loss.
The Robot Command Center remains one of my top three Christmas acquisitions ever. LEGO Space was awesome.
You got one for Christmas too? Was my first "big" set ever, following two mini-sets from the previous Christmas & birthday. Thus began a lifelong "Christmas List" with only one item for 8 more years...
Oh, I had that one! And a big white and blue spaceship that separated in three parts.
I LOVED LEGO Space! Very happy to see this! Sadly all of my lego's are long gone, so thank you for this!
The fact that they have that trademark smile on their face only makes your comparison to 2001 more awesome.
Godspeed to your wonderful cat, Saxon. He looked like one of those great companions which would help you keep your humanity about you while delving the great hobbies you have.
Sorry for your loss.
And I hope TH-cam doesn't mess with RetroBlasting
Love this!!! Just discovered and bought a few bags of random lego bricks, but hidden within was this guy: 6931 lego FX-star Patroller and a bunch of space-minifigs. SO COOL!!!!!!
What wonderful commentary-you captured the essence of LEGO Space in a way no other TH-camr has. Rest in peace, Saxon.
I didn't grow up in generation x I'm generation z but my dad gave me his classic space sets when I was a kid and I had loads of fun playing with them and thanks to my dad he's the reason why I have such a fascination with the Lego brand today
May the force be with you Saxon, always.
Yay-return of Broken Vader!! I had some of these lego sets as a child and loved them!
Never had the Galaxy Explorer, but so many of those other sets brought back great memories. I remember seeing that first blue spaceman, that first minifigure-sized robot, and my personal holy grail, any piece with the space symbol painted on. I also liked the knights, then pirates later on. Great video and thanks for posting it!
Wow! So much to unpack here. Like you, I dabbled rather than dove into Lego. I inherited some regular bricks from older siblings, and picked up the occasional space set from time to time. Never anything huge, though I wanted them. I was too action figure oriented to make these a priority. Seeing them now makes me wonder if I chose correctly. Also, so sorry for your loss. Their short lives pack a lot of love into them! And for me personally, I have missed the theme song, so I was happy to see it again.
Thank you so much Michael and RetroBlasting for this trip down Lego memory lane. These were my childhood Legos. Loved your point about the “enemy” being “Space” itself. I didn’t think about it at the time, but it makes total sense now.
Sorry for the loss of your cat. I built many of those Lego sets as well with my pets keeping me company.
I’m sorry to hear about Saxon. We just lost our Smokey a few months ago so I can relate. I’m sure Saxon has crossed the Rainbow Bridge. As for Lego Classic Space, I had a few of the smaller sets, but had been given several of the larger Lego Space Police sets for gifts once that line came out. I also had several original City sets and even one of the old pirate ships. I even had that handy red lego storage container. To be honest, the little full-color mail order booklets were what kept me going when I got bored with what I had. I used to flip through those things and see everything I was missing out on or got ideas from them and tried to make MOCs. I recently got back into Lego after more than 2 decades and have gotten fairly deep into MOC building. I’ve built a UCS-sized B-Wing, an A-Wing and just last week finished Vader’s TIE Advanced X1. All of them held together with hopes and dreams rather than good engineering and design, but MOCs have otherwise helped me keep my mind sharp and my imagination active. Sadly, I don’t have my old bricks and pieces anymore...my mom gave them away years ago, but hopefully someone else got to explore the depths of their imagination with them.
Saxon died!!! I’m so sorry for you guys. That cat will love long and prosper. My heart is with you guys.
I had all kinds of LEGO sets- Castles, pirates, etc. but space LEGO was always the best and had most versatility. Great video!
Awesome video! Really brings back some great memories... LEGO space was a classic in my childhood with my Star Wars , joes and hot wheels!
Gotta admit .... I never thought much as a kid about the whole concept of space suited men walking around with .... walkie talkies ....
Think on that for a sec...
Good catch! In space, no one can hear you scream about inaccurate toy designs.
and a lot of the Space sets had 70s rooftop TV antennas
I always chalked them up as satellite phones that they can use as a convenient and easily portable way to communicate back to earth or to communicate with other space men who are flying around in ships at long ranges. Whereas their suit mics don't have enough range to reach back to earth and they only have enough range to communicate with other spacemen nearby
@@Gameprojordan Yeah thats how I see them...as range extenders for internal comms
Space suit gloves are not suitable for fine motor dexterity. So you'd need a huge panel with huge knobs to dial wattage and frequency that you can read through your face plate.
Damn that's a gorgeous cat. Such a shame they don't last forever :'(
Sorry about your cat Saxon. It is always sad to loose a pet as it is like loosing a member of the family. I'm sure he had a wonderful life in your home. Keep the good memories in your mind (Like the Lego case scene, it seems like he was ready to jump into it). I had a lot of fun with Lego Space as a kid. I remember using them to build Star Wars Rebel base ( Hoth or Yavin). All these space building, platforms and mini vehicles were great to refuel X-Wings or Snowspeeders. Unfortunately in the 90's my parents had to face a robbery in their house and all my toys but Kenner Star Wars toys, where stolen. Your video display them so well that is truly remind me many great souvenirs, Thank you Michael !
Wow....Broken Vader just got dark as hell. That was really some superb writing right there.
SUPER job opening with you guys honoring Saxon! Pets--non-human family members really--so deserve this!
This video takes me back to watching Thundarr the Barbarian and Starblazers on Saturday mornings and helping my brother build LEGO Space items. This really takes me back and especially those blue and gray colors. Very 2001-ish or future NASA over Trek or Star Wars just as you stated. Awesome job as always and thanks for the walk down Pleasant Memory Lane!
YAY! Spaceship, Spaceship, Spaceship!!! Been waiting forever for a Lego video
Sorry to hear about Saxon.
I too had the Uranium Search Vehicle and Star Dart. Just like you I was just fascinated with all the hatches, doors, and hidden storage bays. Especially since Lego was clever and didn't really advertise the features on the beauty shot on the box front.
Great video, guys. I remember the Lego spacemen well from my childhood. We had a huge box of unsorted parts and figures with no instruction sheets or references. I never had the pleasure of the awesome vehicles shown here, but their parts and a bit of imagination led to immeasurable fun. Thanks for the memories.
Another great video. Now, time to dig out my childhood space legos!
My brothers and I each got a bucket of legos in the 70's . We used to build big robots, and smash them into each other until only one robot remained who was the winner. The losers would go back to the drawing board to try to build a better robot.
I'd design a space ship & throw it out my 2nd story window. If the cockpit didn't survive 100% intact, back to the drawing board...
I was wondering when Michael would talk about Lego. Well, here we go.
The feeling and pull of nostalgia for the Galaxy Explorer is so strong. I bought one off of Bricklink a few years back and loved building it. You should take a look at the Lego Movie Spaceship, Spaceship, Spaceship set (70816) and see if you dont feel the same way. On another note, Lego Indiana Jones is calling your wallet. He said he would wait for you to answer.
My 1st Lego was the classic yellow castle that I got for Christmas one year. Other than some small sets the only other set I had was the alien moon stalker. I still remember how awesome I thought that segmented arm with the clamp on the end was. I wanted a 100 of those! Thanks for the nostalgia and sorry about your kitty.
I still remember getting the Surface Rover, the Space Patrol, the Tri-Star Voyager, the Lunar Rocket Launcher, the Space Dart-1, and the Crater Crawler, and more from the Lego Space Line. Good Times!
Great video! I love LEGO!!!😁
We are a lot alike as I also love the Space series. I agree as LEGO collectors have way too much to collect to dive into anything else. I also loved LEGO Castle/Knights series.
I absolutely loved this episode. Great job. It amazes me how you have so many of the toys you had as a kid. Good job
Classic Space is what I grew up with, and still the best. You hit all the points about why. Staring close into those little cabins, cockpits and control booths with the tinted yellow transparent bricks... Man, it just has a _mood._ I had/have practically all the sets you mentioned as well, even the last, weird little white one! I remember the Blacktron but never owned any of it. Got out of it for a while at around the same time and came back a couple of years later to Technic.
But the story doesn't end there!
For The Lego Movie, Lego introduced Benny's Spaceship (70816) and it was a true hommage to the Classic Space spaceships. More classic bottom-up build, with segments that detach, it's really great. Years later, for the second movie, they introduced Benny's Space Squad (70841), with a new helmet mould that matches the original one (except the chin that's too thick, but for reasons), giving us a pink space dude. You can still find this one on the shelves, for cheap, so hurry up.
SPACESHIP!!!
And more recently they released the Orange Space man exclusively in and book and remade the Galaxy Explorer for LEGO's 90th Anniversary.
@@taqresu5865 Yeah I just shelled out 20 bucks just to get that minifig (don't care for the book) and got the Galaxy Explorer (which is great but less fun than Benny's spaceship)
@@anothergol Nice.
I unfortunately don't own Benny's Spaceship (unless you count the miniature version for LEGO Dimensions). Online, the set is priced at least twice the current retail price for the Anniversary Galaxy Explorer.
Speaking of which, the intention was to pay direct homage to the original, including the play features.
I was born in the 90s, so Classic Space was before my time, but The LEGO Movie introduced that theme for me. When it comes to Classic Space, I have a the Benny Fun Pack for LEGO Dimensions, the Collectable Minifig Benny with the robotic arm (from The LEGO Movie 2 series), the small Classic Space set with the Pick Space Minifig (from The LEGO Movie 2), and the new 90th Anniversary Galaxy Explorer.
Just a couple months ago I participated in a local LEGO Display, and one of the participants brought their medium sized original Galaxy Explorer ship as well as the Orange Space Minifig. It was my first time seeing an original Classic Space set with my own eyes.
Yeh but who wants a one set homage, Lego are neglecting gen X and y whose main sets were either space or knights castle but they spend all their time on franchise shit including the Lego movie franchise itself and no time on their original creations like doing new space or knights lines for the old timers.
A friend had the old Space Command Center which got me into Legoland Space. Not sure which was my first set, but I got the Galaxy Explorer the following Christmas. One of my all time favorite sets...
This was one of Retroblasting's best episodes. It captured everything about those earl Lego sets I felt and recall. I've been watching this channel for years and I still can't believe the quality writing, editing and display you all put in your feature videos. Every single one is worth the wait. Well done! Bravo! Hat's off!
Awesome video! Thanks, Michael.
Ooh, nostalgasm.
I went from Surface Rover to Starfire I to Light and Sound Lunar Transporter Patroller straight into the big league with the Mission Commander. I dreamt in Space LEGO as a kid...
Ah yes, Lego Space. I had some of these and they were wonderful. Sorry for the loss of your good cat Saxon!
haha, great video. I had many of these when I was a kid. LEGO also released a mini set of classic white Spacemen a couple of years ago. Probably available on eBay or Bricklink
I’m sorry to hear what happen to Saxon. He will be deeply be missed and remembered in your hearts. Im glad you dedicated this video to him.
I just stumbled on this item and loved it. A return to my youth, and you are so absolutely right about what made this the perfect Lego series. Loved it, and loved your story
omg that space supply station was my first ever lego set, as best i can recall. i used to chew on those all terrain tyres. one of my favourite 80's toy chews along with he-man's head.
it was all over for normal lego when i got my first technic set though. a blue helicopter from the classic "black and yellow stripes" era of technic
I never owned a single action figure. It was Lego and toy soldiers at my house. Action figures never captured ne the way those bricks and minifigs sill hold me in freaking thrall all these years later 😊
I had the mobile rocket transport. GREAT toy. I believe I still have most of the pieces SOMEWHERE.
Great vid on this classic Lego sub theme from the 1970's and 1980's!
Wow. Fantastic video. I think I was one of those kids that skewed pretty evenly between Lego, action figures and video games. Space Lego and Classic builders were my dual introduction to the main Lego line, an upgrade from the modest building sets using anthropomorphic animal-headed people and earlier Duplo-sized bricks and circus trains. Space Patrol, the Moon Buggy, Space Scooters and the Space Cruiser were early pick-ups - I think flea market mark-downs or Five & Dime discounts..
I was completely taken with building up worlds and Lego would make its way onto about every Christmas list from '82 until well into the mid-late 90s, long after action figures fell off interest around middle school/junior high (they'd emerge again in the latter half of high school as flea markets became a nostalgic search-and-find hobby).. But in my high school years building Legos would still be a quiet enjoyable pastime when indoors, during television when I had nothing planned - it had zero cred but I was pretty quiet about it. The worlds I'd build with siblings and cousins, buying old sets off of friends dumping their toys.. Lego certainly is a lifestyle (he says, seven bins later...)
Deep and sincere condolences to you for Saxon's loss.
Yesss! My older brother had this set in the 80s, my sister and I grew up with it in the 90s, and now we still play it with my nephew today!
and recently for the lego movie 2 , they released a set with the classic space minifigures , and for the 1st time , there is now a pink space minifigure
You do an excellent job of capturing the spirit and wonder of the classic Lego Space sets... an experience I shared as a child in the late 70s and early 80s.
Great video. I big fan of Lego and I even worked at Legoland Windsor in England. I have MASK and action men when I was a kid, as well a few transformers. There was a few Lego book to do with the space Lego, Jim Spaceborn was the series.
We have a whole trunk of old school Legos probably over 100,000 pieces. Love the stuff. Never used any of the instructions that was for suckers lol.
2:40 was my first Lego set! Lego Space System still invokes a sense of awe, wonder, and reverence. The box art alone, during the early years of the Space Shuttle, the discoveries of the Voyager probes, and the height of Star Wars, just plugged into everything I was about! And who could resist those amazing yellow transparent pieces or rocket elements?! And weird! My last Lego set as a kid was also from 1988!
Today, I have a Moon crater baseplate in a frame on my wall because it still means that much to me.
sorry to hear about your cat Saxon the lost of a pet is heart breaking. We lost our poodle this time last year still painful. Great video i loved the opening well done. Was not aware of these very cool space sets when i was young I only got small sets mostly police or fire sets and planes. No new lego for me untill star wars line came out.
Space Explorer LL 928 is still one of the most epic Lego sets ever. I bought mine from money i won on a balloon contest in 1979. I still have it built up on my Space shelf.
My brother and I had a massive collection of LEGOs and did have great collections of TMNT and X-men figures plus 1 or 2 figures and vehicles for dozens of other lines. We were lucky though.
Damn fine job on this one! I was about as much into LEGO as you. This video brought back a lot of fond memories of the basic brick sets and some of the smaller space units I had!
First off, let me add my condolences to all of the others for your loss. Pets really are family.
My experience is similar to Michael's. I was (still am) a space program nut, and when I saw Space Legos it pulled me in. But I never went full-Lego. I don't believe I ever had a non-Space Lego set, and my time in Legoland was short-lived, as there were just too many other toy lines calling my name in those halcyon action figure line days of the mid 80s. Today I'm in a similar situation. I want some Space Lego sets for my collection, but there's just so much other stuff I still want/need.
At school I came home for lunch one day in 1984 only to discover my grandmother had sent me the Uranium Search Vehicle set for my birthday. I was completely blown away. =) She never got me such cool presents.
How was I expected to go back to school knowing there was a brand-new Lego set waiting to be built? lol
RIP Saxon. Great job dude. I had a lot of those space sets from 1979-86. I had combined them to make a huge spaceship bomber that you could lift the top, that was hinged and see the spacemen inside on their computers and cockpits. I winded up dropping it 3 years later and didn't have the heart to put it back together. It even had an escape pod and smaller fighter that could attach on top and underneath. So awesome!
This brings back memories! You manage to describe the emotion with space Lego as I felt it. I believe I still have a few of these items, at least the space dart. I loved that design :-)
Sorry for your loss. Thank you for this video. The galaxy explorer was a favourite. I used to make Star Trek playsets with these and searching for black suited astronauts so I could make Starfleet uniforms for my yellow, red and blue astros. Great sets and fun memories!
Seeing Galaxy Explorer brought back so many childhood memories for me. I spent A LOT of my younger years with Space Lego, and I regret nothing.
Awesome video! I too dabbled in the LEGO lifestyle as a kid. Going to Germany frequently when I was a child afforded me many of these sets as a kid. They were place holders for my love of Star Wars, which was harder to get in Germany at times. I still have a huge box full of vintage LEGO parts. A time capsule of wonderful memories!
RIP to your wonderful friend, Saxon. You have memories that you'll never forget. That’s why our furry friends are here.
Sorry about Saxon. Seeing him sit there and watch you dig through Legos looked incredibly cute. I know from experience that there will always be a little long-haired hole in your life that can never be filled.
Ah that sound. The sound of rummaging through a box of loose lego. Man, that really triggered some memories right there. Thanks!
Sorry to hear about the passing of Saxon. I grew up with two cats of my own, Eva and Shadow. I never could replace them after they passed on.
With Lego's I remember having so many of the normal and space sets released from 83 to 87. I still got random sets in middle and high school from relatives. That later lived in two jumbo popcorn tins before going to my sisters kids.
After watching this it inspired me to retrieve my multiple classic space figures from the new LEGO movie two set. Benny’s space squad I think the set it’s called. Closest thing I’ve ever had to true classic space minifigs
The Walker was my first "Just for me" kit and I loved every second of building it.
...and on the day when I am to receive my new UCS ISD no less. This classic space series and the space police series that was to follow were the Lego sets of my childhood. My only surviving toy from my childhood is the space police set 6886: Galactic Peace Keeper.
My condolences on the loss of your beloved pet. R.I.P Saxon.