Random set of the day: Portal of Atlantis
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 8078 Portal of Atlantis, released in 2010. It's one of 19 Atlantis sets produced that year. It contains 1007 pieces and 7 minifigs, and its retail price was US$99.99/£81.99.
It's owned by 2801 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you might find it for sale at BrickLink or eBay.
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So I never attempted to purchase any of the Atlantis sets. I did not like the vibe that was going on because in 2007, we had the Aqua Raiders theme, which I loved, and this theme comes barging in and it felt too mystical to what I thought was an already pretty great setting that had just a tinge of myth with the giant versions of sea life in the Bermuda Triangle of Aqua Raiders. A bunch of the sets looked like they were just the same concepts and future concepts for Aqua Raiders but with a red paint job.
It's 13 years later and I'm still sore about Aqua Raiders only getting half a year for six sets and a bonus seventh a few months later while this theme got a couple of years. I'm sure Atlantis is very nostalgic for those that got the sets, and it did introduce/popularize the trans-bright green color, which is quite lovely, so it's not all bad, but man, I feel like Aqua Raiders had a lot of potential taken away and it could have even become a bit more like Atlantis in time had it been given the chance, but obviously, still more grounded in reality. I mean come on, there's even a reference to Aqua Raiders in this set, but it feels more like that theme was killed so that this one could live, but its more like killing a baby animal than taking the grown one because it's time to prepare the next meal.
I'm sorry, I'm just... Aqua Raiders just hit me in the right spot when I'm normally a Star Wars nut.
@MCLegoboy said:
Yeah I only had an Atlantic polybag but it was one of my favorite themes regardless, I watched the 22 minute movie over and over
This set is pretty responsible for my actual collection, it was the 2nd I bought after my dark age. I had bought the stagecoach escape from Lone Ranger, liked it, but wasn't sure if it was a good idea to spend much more. turned out Portal of Atlantis was really cheap, so I figured, let's see how a large set looks. And I was very impressed.
As much as I love Ninjago, and past themes like Chima, I miss when LEGO had fantasy/adventure themes that weren't massive multi-media projects with such large casts of detailed characters. There's something about the simplicity of older themes like Atlantis and Power Miners, as well as Classic Space, and Knights, that's just really appealing, the ability to feel like you can make your own world with the sets.
I bought this as a sort of gift for myself for Christmas 2019. Only cost £80 sealed, basically the rrp.
I remember getting this set when I was 10 years old, it was my first large set that I had gotten as a birthday gift. I still have it built to this day, it’s definitely a nostalgic piece in my collection. Had so many adventures with it!
I’d buy this today. At a discount ;) am I right?!?
I was never a huge fan of the Atlantis subtheme ... but I loved the sea-monster figs, and I collected as many of them as I could. Plus, the giant sea monsters (the big shark, or the evil giant angler fish that came with the tank/mecha) were cool.
The sets did puzzle me a little, though. Like this one ... there are gates and doorways and stairs, but, aren't they all underwater?
@KingTyrannos said:
"As much as I love Ninjago, and past themes like Chima, I miss when LEGO had fantasy/adventure themes that weren't massive multi-media projects with such large casts of detailed characters. There's something about the simplicity of older themes like Atlantis and Power Miners, as well as Classic Space, and Knights, that's just really appealing, the ability to feel like you can make your own world with the sets."
Even though I loved BIONICLE, I definitely hear you. I actually think Atlantis struck a kind of balance between the two styles, since it had a storyline, named characters, and (as mentioned before) a short "movie" - but it was never a "big bang" theme the way Chima was. I think another similar theme to this was Space Police 3.
And speaking of Power Miners, Brains the scientist from that theme actually appeared in Atlantis set 7984 Deep Sea Raider! I don't know if they ever explained how/why he made such a drastic job change..
I didn’t love this theme when it came out, but in hindsight it was pretty solid.
The switch from trans green to trans yellow the next year was a HUGE mistake, though! Ick!
I picked this one up when it came out, and I still have a soft spot for it. The diver figures notwithstanding, I always imagined this as standing deep in the jungle of some undiscovered island, with the portal taking you to Atlantis.
@Zordboy said:
"The sets did puzzle me a little, though. Like this one ... there are gates and doorways and stairs, but, aren't they all underwater?"
Atlantis is a sunken city. It had been above ground, and thus has typical things that aren't needed undersea.
Initially I was very excited about the theme, I got a bunch of them, not all of them, not this one for example. Then, when I built couple of the sets, I didn't feel so hot for them. I olnly kept the one with the giant turtle unopened. The rest just went into parts bin.
Atlanits was an amazing theme, and this set is no exception. I just love the opening portal with the keys feature.
Also, the Atlantis Keys might as well be one of the best collectables LEGO has ever put out.
The 2007-2013 period was in my opinion the Golden Age of LEGO themes, and Atlantis is without a doubt one of the highlights of this era, along with themes like Power Miners, Space Police, and Pharaoh's Quest.
I remember getting this for Christmas. At the time, it was the biggest set I had ever got, and it took me 3 days to build!
With my eldest son's fascination for anything related to the sea (especially bathypelagic - 1000m - and beyond) sourcing some of the Atlantis sets was a given, as they came out about when he was born so at that time I didn't even know they existed, much less that he'd be interested in them one day. This set has been rebuilt several times so is definitely not one I regret buying, although several of those dark red pieces have just exploded: stairs, hinge bricks, the octopus warrior... cfr https://forum.brickset.com/discussion/comment/617942
Atlantis an already 10 years old theme.
Released in 3 waves as you can see with the @Huw's tags
I have a lot of them and my preferred one is the 7985 City of Atlantis issue a year later.
I couldn't found the exclusive 8080 Undersea Explorer.
I had a chance to buy this Atlantis portal at a big discount but let it pass.. ( so much sets but so little budget and space.. :( )
Like @yap I think the highlight of the Atlantis theme was the 7985 city / temple set.
I was really impressed by the use of the ribbed column pieces... must have been (one of) the first sets where they were used?
I mostly missed the Atlantis theme; saw the beginning of it, but I started slipping into my 'dark age' in 2008, and kinda fully entered it in 2010, so I paid this theme very little mind. I remember thinking the designs of the mutant sea creature minifigures were cool, but nothing that hooked me beyond that.
In hindsight, for sure, some of the sets do look neat - particularly this portal and the city - but I've never felt any great inclination to go and revisit... I guess just, in general, the 2010s weren't really my decade when it comes to Lego. But it sounds like they were popular at their time, which is always really neat to hear about :D
...also makes me feel very old, hearing people talking about sets of this era as their childhood favourite themes. Seriously, nothing drives home to me quite like that does that I'm no longer a kid anymore xDDD
Ah the Atlantis theme has so much nostalgia for me. I bought almost the entire theme but for some reason I didn’t get this one even though I really liked it
The only set with saber-sharks..
Funnily enough, after the review of a Deep Sea City set a few days ago I went on Bricklink to make a list of a bunch of underwater sets and how they could be organized in a diorama (buildings specifically) and of course this was the centerpiece.
I always found it odd that the Shark Tribe had a city (this) and the Squid Tribe had a city (8061) but the Manta Tribe did not. I also found it odd that despite getting new sea creatures in year two we didn't get a Turtle or Crab Tribe (though I guess Lobster is close enough.)
I've also always wondered what the Portal Emperor's deal is. He wasn't in the animated movie at all, and looks nothing like any of the sea creatures. His armor looks a bit like the Golden King, but the GK is a force of good while the PE is evil. Such an enigma.