LEGO 90th Anniversary Galaxy Explorer review! Bigger, better, & cheaper than the original by FAR
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ส.ค. 2022
- Independent, #NotSponsored, unscripted fan review of LEGO set 10497 with 1254 pcs., 4 figures, £89.99 / $99.99 / 99.99€ based on classic set 928 / 497
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Fun Fact: In 1979, set 928 / 497 Galaxy Explorer cost $32.99 USD. Adjusted for inflation alone, that would be over $130 USD today, or 30% more than the price of the modern remake, though it had less than 1/3rd the pieces and was significantly smaller!
The original did come with 2x baseplates though, including one of the coveted classic moon crater plates!
That’s super cool
Sick!
that is a fun fact. thank you, mr. reviews
Oh wow!
Again they knocked it out of the park like barracuda bay. Which was cheaper than the original adjusted for inflation with more parts. This is exactly the type of thing I like from lego. Nostalgic feel with amazing building techniques from the modern era. Well done Lego!
I got this as a present for my dad, with him having no idea this set was being made. I've genuinely rarely seen him so happy. So elated. So excited. Euphoric almost. He was back in '79 again.
928 was the one he always wanted, but could never get - buying the set years later from ebay second-hand. Watching him made me emotional, so I can only imagine how it felt for him. I can't wait for him to build it, and get excited all over again.
Jang sounds practically giddy while he’s reviewing this. Overall, it seems like a good nostalgia hit for 70’s & 80’s kids.
It so is I actually want to get 3 of these sets so I can build all the alternates too and then just let my mind go crazy in imagination with what I can do with the remaining parts and hopefully spacemen. If only Lego still made the moon crater base plates. 2022 is going to be a really expensive Lego year for me and we got the cost of living crisis too.
As a nearly 48 year old who started playing with Space Lego Lego when I was 7 and was obsessed with it until I was 13, I can confirm, the nostalgia is strong with this one.
Seeing the size and design of this ‘in-person’, it seems to be better than the recent Star Wars ships in almost every way. Looks like a must-buy!
Yeah, especially having this video right after Jang's recent Star Wars reviews really highlights it
I dunno, I still really love the UCS gunship - they did an amazing job there (barring figure-gate of course, but I'm not so into minifigs that it bothered me)
As a younger person who doesn’t has any nostalgia for classic space I totally agree with you. This is a great toy!
LOL, then think about how I feel about it as a 48 year old who desperately wanted the original set as a small boy, but couldn't get it...
I was born in 2004 and I just finished building this amazing set. I have no real nostalgia for 70s space sets, yet as soon as I saw this I knew I had to get it. From the value, to the size, to the absolute love that the designers put into this, it really was a no brainer. Literally finished building it as this review came out and I highly recommend this set. No disappointment to be found here!
Only 100€? Maybe I'm just jaded from the Star Wars prices, but I would've guessed a minimum of 130€ from that piece count and size. If I was a fan of Classic Space I'd buy this in a heartbeat.
one detail that i really enjoyed that wasn't brought up in this review is that the interior structure (and the entire ship as a whole) is only built using parts in colors available in 1979, besides light-bluish gray of course.
Yeah it felt really OCD pleasing and clever
This was one of the best things Lego has made in a long time. I really enjoyed this build and get a nice little dopamine hit every time I look at it. I really hope Lego continues to do remasters of classic sets and themes. I would particularly love to see updated versions of other space series like Ice Planet, Unitron, Exploriens, etc.
Very refreshing to see a set with good quality and value. Might be a stretch, but I hope they give some Ice Planet and M-Tron sets a similar treatment.
Same here. Space peaked in the early 90s for me as far as aesthetics go, it would be really dope to see them bring back that look with modern elements.
For me, it's the "3D" edges that really makes this ship truly beautiful to look at. For those people who don't know what I mean, I'm talking about the way that they have turned the grey area from plate-thick in the original, to the lovely THICK borders around the ship now.
I honestly thought this set was gonna be $150-$200. I'm buying this.
i loved how they used the yellow and black pattern on the internal structure instead of using brighter colors s they usually do. you can even see in your video how where its visible through the gaps.
it was a nice brain fuggling when i realized what they were doing after a few steps
I ended up impulse buying this set. And I don’t regret it one bit. I love it! Classic Space was before my time, so I’m glad Lego did a re-release of this.
Well beyond my time but I bought it too
This set is so cool cos it fully embodies the retro space theme and feels like a set from my childhood (80s kid), but it's such a modern build with all sorts of ideas you'd never have seen in a classic set, and if you imagine it in all grey, it wouldn't really stand out that much on a table of contemporary Star Wars vehicles
With astronauts riding the engines, you can almost recreate the Slim Pickens riding the bomb scene from Dr. Strangelove! 😆
The first factions I remember getting are Futuron and Blacktron. When my parents noticed how much I liked Lego I got some used classic space sets from older relatives so I also got to experience classic space as a kid. I ordered the Galaxy Explorer yesterday and I feel like a kid again waiting for the set to arrive.
I love how the ship seals up, has an airlock, and has actual accomodations for the crew.
I just bought this set over the weekend... As soon as I built the first astronaut, it brought me back to when my parents bought me the original set in 1979... Since I lost the original set to a theft it was great to get those memories back. The new set is so fantastic!
Just built this set last night. It’s incredible and an amazing tribute to classic space. I would do anything for LEGO to totally bring back classic themes
Lego bringing back more original themes would be amazing.
They need to bring back the Western theme, maybe a full size saloon or something similar to the medieval castle they just did.
I want a return of blacktron, spyrius, UFO, Castle, Pirates and Monorails
I got this thing on a whim because it caught my eye. As a mid-90s kid that fell off Lego for a bit in the 00s this set blew my mind. I haven't been keeping up with Lego lately, especially high end collectors sets, and some of the techniques used in it's construction amazed me. The tessellation of the angled plates, the C L E A N integrations of non-standard build angles with virtually nonexistent gaps, how solid the thing feels both despite those radical (to me) assembly methods and how light the set ultimately is, the fact the bottom is completely, well, completed, and isn't just bare ugly mishmash of technic beams and substructure. And the attention to detail! The play features!! If I had had this set as a child I would have had so much dang fun with all this thing can do, even compared to the older sets I had. As an adult though I can appreciate the intricate design features that litter this set, and the masterful subtlety of it all too. I can absolutely believe this set had roughly a decade in development. it may not look like much on the surface but I just cannot get over how cool this thing really is having gone through the process of building it. Positively the best building experience with Lego I have ever had!
I already built mine and it's a fantastic result. The edge bits were a bit tedious but once it all went together it became very stable. I am very pleased about everything being printed, too. Thanks for the nice review, Jang!
I like how your still annoyed at Cad Banes Justifier, such as when you said “no large technic mechanisms”. But anyway this is a really good set and a really good price compared to other sets with less pieces
This set completely blows the Justifier out of the water. Better price, better value, better building techniques, cleaner ship... the only thing that the Justifier has on this is a better fig selection
The amount of times I got a big dumb grin on my face with all the little accessories and play features during this review really shows the quality of this set. I absolutely assumed that the back was going to be just a bunch of empty space but then the garage was revealed and I grinned so hard. Looks like a great set
This is a modern classic, for sure. I had a lot of the original sets back in 1979 although it took me 40 years to acquire my own copy of the old 928! I could not resist getting 3 sets and building the two alternate models as well. They look SPECTACULAR. The 10-year-old kid inside me is soooo happy. 😍
This is pretty much nearly the perfect Lego set and does brilliant justice as a modern love letter remake of the original version, for fans of the theme and that version. And I don't even have any nostalgia for the space theme, or own the original set. The fact that its price isn't too deep into triple figures in some countries, or only double figures in others, makes this probably the best value large set for this year. Yes there's the Lion Knights Castle, but not everyone can stretch into paying 300 plus, or nearly 400, on a single Lego set, as impressive as it is.
100% agree, this new Galaxy Explorer is a clear contender for “perfect lego set”. Great play features, great design, printed parts, 3-in-1 build, comparatively affordable…. this set has it all before you even consider the nostalgia factor.
Pure sweet nostalgia at it's finest and that's coming from someone who is too young to remember when the original released in 1979. ( I was born in 2001)
Imagine if we got Star Wars ships with this much internal space and play features for this price
If they could sell an add on set to allow you to build both of the alternate builds out of one box that would sell so well.
As a child of the 70s, my siblings and I had the original set. It was definitely smaller than this new one! I think the remains of it are in a suitcase at my mother’s home… I might have to go check it out. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Lego did a fantastic job of updating the old set without losing the soul of the original. I'd love to see them do this sort of thing with some of the 90s sets from my childhood.
i like how this is a classic inspired set with modern pieces and building techniques
I like this set so much better than almost all of the prequel, sequel, and spin-off Star Wars sets. Not only does it capture the nostalgia of the classic space sets, but it's a fun to build, attractive to display toy with outstanding whooshiness. The only thing I dislike is the robot. It doesn't capture the essence of the original Space Lego robots, nor does it live up to contemporary expectations. It feels like an afterthought. Otherwise, this is one of my favourite sets from the last few years.
My first Lego set was 497 back in 1979. Now turning 50 this year, my first set getting back into Lego was.....10497! I have so much love and affection for the original, it was an absolute no brainer when I saw the modernized version. Haven't built Lego for close to 40 years, this new set was a great build.
One of the best sets of 2022! I love it! I am 51 years old and remember Classic Space very vividly ...
I now have two of those, so I can have the 928 and 924. I love it. I wish LEGO would do more like this, as a real set, not as a gift with purchase.
Pouring the white arrow together was perfection ❤️ *chef’s kiss
As someone who has watched EVERY one of Jang’s Classic Space reviews multiple times after I came out of my dark age in 2016, I’ve been dying to see his review of this set and now I’m looking forward to seeing his reviews of the two alternate builds of this set. Hopefully this set sells so well that LEGO will realize that they need to do a Classic Space reboot! At the very least a remake of a large rover like the Mobile Rocket Transport and a base like the Intergalactic Command Base. I also liked the nod to Blacktron 1 with the black air tanks and the Blacktron logo on the radar display tile.
I love how they did the arrow markings at the rear; pretty clever technique. But I disagree with JANG on the large thrusters at the rear, I don't think their oversimplified at all. They are simple, but I think they stand out more because of their smoothness and I like that.
Air lock?!? Probably the biggest reason I’ll pick this up, love interior detail.
I haven’t purchased a Lego set since I was a child but I will be buying this one. It’s so good
I would love it if Lego made multiple neo-classic space battle packs. Each pack including 4 minifigs, 2 pairs of 2 colours, and a classic-inspired buggy-type thing. They would sell like hotcakes and make fans really happy.
This is Lego's love letter to its fans.
i just built this last night, it is so much bigger in person, pictures dont do it justice
I had never owned this set as a kid, but have recreated it countless times with the lego blocks I had. It’s a wonderful throwback into my childhood, when Lego wasn’t all about franchises and special building components.
This is currently selling for $75 at Walmart!!
I wasn’t born yet when these sets originally came out, but my first experience with LEGO in the mid-90s was a bunch of Classic Space Hand-me-downs. After watching this review with your enthusiasm and seeing the price drop, this was a no-brainer to pick up.
I 100% absolutely agree with your review. Build is pretty straightforward and quick, but there were some interesting aspects to it and it was fun seeing it come together. The end result looks great.
Thanks for getting me off the fence about picking this up! It’s a great set!
8 year old me is still smiling. I’ve had the set for 5 days. Unopened still, just admiring the art. The box. The fact it’s real. Nostalgia overload. Oh thank you LEGO.
Once again ….Great review Jang
I didn't get into lego until about 2000 - this is SO GREAT to see as a younger fan! I have this - it IS INCREDIBLE!!!!
I finished building it last night and I loved it. I actually love how kitsch the engines look. It’s like a homage to kitsch 1950s Lego. I have it sitting on my desk and tool around with it for stress relief. It’s surprisingly fun to play with as an adult. I wish Lego would fully revive the space theme or is it just a moment in time? I don’t know?
Built this on my bed same day I got it from Walmart finished at like 4:30 AM love it made so many different astronaut 🥰
I always wanted the original set when I was younger but never got it. I grabbed this set just recently and I'm happy I did. Worth every penny and I really enjoyed building. Classic space and it's sets, Blacktron in particular, were always my favorite. Great video. 😃
I got done building it yesterday and loved it. All the little details and references are great.
The great thing about those dips in the beds is they can be used as a baby crib for the new blue space baby from cmf 24 aswell
Just built this set and LOVED it. I usually try to spread it out over a few days but this was too much fun. Feel like I'm a kid again.
So excited for your other videos! Just bought this one, I didn’t grow up with classic space but I would watch your classic space videos when I was younger so this set means a lot to me
This needs to do well. We NEED more classic LEGO Space.
I'm about to get one of these myself and I'm EXTREMELY excited!! The thing looks very stable and sizeable and the play features look fun! I can't wait to put this together
I just finished building this yesterday and I'm all giddy just shooshing it around and playing with it. I would do so much for more sets in this line. Lego really outdid itself with this one. I'm considering buying a second set of this just to have parts to play around with and make MOCs from.
Of all the LEGO lines the spaceships are always satisfying to look at.
Just finished building mine this morning. It is truly an amazing set!
I was already in from the looks and feel, and the airlock section just blew my mind. Was not expecting that at all. Such a masterclass in ship design, and I don't even have the nostalgia to back it up. As someone who grew up with lego star wars ships, I'm amazed by both the display quality and the play value of this. And the price ! I just watched your justifier review yesterday and wow. This is something else.
This is quite nice to celebrate Lego’s long history!
Seeing how good this is for the price just makes me wonder who was in charge of pricing for the Justifier.
Just got this set today and was building it when I saw this video in my recommendations, absolutely loving it so far. Great review as always, Jang!
While I wasn’t around for any of the original classic space sets, I’m a big fan of the original space themed from the 2000’s-2010’s like Space Police 3 & Galaxy Squad which is the only entire theme I own besides Pharaoh’s Quest. I’m definitely gonna get this when I save up some more money.
Thank you for the in-depth review! I like this set a lot more than I expected to and am now considering purchasing it.
Got this for $50 at Walmart in Nov '22. What a great set. Unfortunately the market is so saturated with space craft I think one of the better build experiences and end products was overlooked by a lot of people.
When this was released I wasn't wasn't that interested but after seeing it like that. I need this set. So much nostalgia. Incredible
What a wonderful set! Nice editing and walk thru as usual, Jang!
I was waiting for your review. I had the LL924 back in '79 and it is still one of my all-time favorite things. I bought 3 sets, 2 to make 928 and 924 and one to keep in the box. Great review!
It's a rare day when I preorder a LEGO set, but when I saw this being offered, I jumped at it. Having seen Jang's enthusiastic review, I feel very glad that I did. Now I'm considering picking up another one to make one of the alternate builds.
Sounds like I'm in a similar situation to you; I'm too young to properly remember classic space, but my brothers had some. None of it was intact but there were loads of classic space guys around, and they had some old catalogues that I'd enjoy looking through even though the sets were long retired. I was incredibly impressed with the build, final look, and number of prints in this set. They really managed a good blend of nostalgia with modern design
Been in my dark ages for a while, this is the biggest temptation yet
Such a perfect match of title and studs showing
super awesome vid, can't wait to put together, I've got a mini back-log, this just moved up to near the top off the list. Thanks, Jang!
I haven't wanted a Lego set in years, but after seeing this set I knew that I had to have it. Building it was such a delight and really brought me that feeling of getting a new lego set and building it on Christmas day again!
This set is actually so cool, the design of the exterior is incredibly detailed and an amazing interior. The set has so much nostalgia and even though I don’t have personal attachments to the older set, I can see how much joy the older set would have given to kids
I'm so excited for the comparisons!
I got 928 when I was 5 years old. Today I still think is the best set ever. I love what the LEGO designers has done with 10497. It looks absolutely great! 9.9/10 .. I would have liked a grey airtank on the little vehicle - which was sort of a thing back then. And a flashlight/camera (grey piece with round coloured transperant in) which all classis LEGO Space also had. But thats just personal favorites.
The set had an immense play value, as you had the spaceship, the car, and landing pad with control tower. The way things interacted was just amazing.
I will need this set - no doubt! :D
Good review, thank you!
I upgraded this from my WANTED to my NEED wishlist because of your review. Fantastic as always!
Hoping we can get more Classic Space sets. New black and blue spacemen would be fantastic and a moon base set!
Great video and review. Definitely helped me to finally decide to purchase this set!
Great set that does exactly what it set out to do, at a good price point too.
It's like a good cover version of a song -- it pays respectful homage to the original while improving upon it.
Oh, the nostalgia hit of this just gets me right in the heart. Fabulous!
The last time I touched any Lego was 40 years ago. I was really into the Space-stuff, although I don't quite remember what I had exactly. I do remember, that I built and re-built my own creations from it, in hindsight I was pretty creative. I just bought this set as my first re-acquaintance with lego in 40-odd years. Not in yet, I can't wait!
Wow, this is incredible. I've been debating on this one, and I think this review finally has me pulling the trigger. This looks fun to build, fun to swoosh around the room, fun to display.
Such a good complete set. Good size with places to actually sit, sleep, stand, plus storage for a buggy with a ramp.
I love this set! I waited in line at the Lego store for like a half hour and when I got home, I started immediately! It’s a triple threat: cheap, displayable, and playable! I’ve wanted a 497 pretty much my whole life, and I’m really thankful to have this, I love the Lego community!
wow, this is a much more interesting set than I'd imagined. it doesn't bring back any nostalgia for me, but it looks better than i expected.
thanks for the thorough, thoughtful review!
This and Benny's SPACESHIP from the first LEGO Movie sets is the kind of throwback via modern building to Classic Space I love seeing.
Man, this brings back so many memories for me:) I only had a few small sets from classic space in my childhood, but this is something I just have to get:) This is a perfect set:) Makes me all warm inside:) Thanks Lego, and don't stop now..
Beautiful it really is quite impressive and the fact that it actually has finger space for moving minifigure is definitely a rare thing in lego sets
I have ordered this set. Can’t wait to build it! As soon as I saw the retro packaging and advertising, I was pretty interested.
Incredible. I want this set. Thanks for the review Jang. I cant wait for the alternate models
Thank you for the enjoyable and fun review!
I had an original back in ‘79 and still have the crater baseplate. This was a must buy for me and can’t wait to build it (an the alternates!) love it
For a $100 you get a fantastic model and it have a ton of play as well. Just a set I got to get multiple of and probably bricklink the pieces to build a couple of the smaller model.
Classic space army building.
Just picked up two of these myself. I’m saving this video to watch after I build. I want to go in fresh but am excited to see your review.
I just finished building this myself and will be displaying it on classic moon crater base plates (I have two that were mine when I was a kid). I love this set - it’s really cool, and uses some really cool building techniques.
I picked this up 2 days ago and it's my first set in atleast a year It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience building the wing to the cabin and I really like how the landing skids fold flush I have endless endorsements for this set