Review: 31107 Space Rover Explorer
Posted by Mr_Cross,
So, Space fans, here is another Space themed set! This time we are being treated to a rover as part of the Creator 3in1 range.
If that’s not enough for you to get excited about, it looks like there is a NEW CLASSIC SPACEMAN on board!
As a fan of Space/Sci-Fi themes I can only say I feel like we’ve been spoilt in my recent memory. Ideas, City and Creator have all done their bit in keeping LEGO Space on shelves, in plentiful supply, and pretty much continuously for at least three years.
If you search the tag Space here on Brickset, however, there doesn’t seem to be a point in the past 10 years when there wasn’t at the very least a sneaky moon or Blacktron logo lurking somewhere.
Strange then that it still feels like we are always asking for more?
31107 Space Rover Explorer has 510 pieces for €49.99 | £44.99 | $39.99. I’m not sure why the North American price is relatively so much lower, a currency conversion indicates that it should translate to approx £32.50 at current exchange rates. However, this doesn’t include sales tax. For what it’s worth, the vagaries of LEGO’s global pricing decisions/policy never surprise me very much any more.
Whilst reviewing the 6901 Mobile Lab a couple of weeks ago, pictures of the new 31107 Space Rover Explorer were leaked and almost simultaneously revealed by LEGO. I was struck by the similarities between 1980’s Mobile Lab that I had just reviewed and the upcoming set. So, I asked Huw if I could review this new set for Brickset and was delighted when he agreed.
Being given the opportunity to both review and compare 31107 having just analysed such an early incarnation of a LEGO exploration vehicle is a real privilege.
The new LEGO rover bears a striking resemblance to NASA’s prototype next generation moon rover.
https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_1265.html
The set overall is tapping into lots more influences that easily spring to mind too. Duncan Jones’ ‘Moon’ and Ridley Scott’s ‘The Martian’ were two films that I couldn’t help thinking of repeatedly whilst reviewing this set.
Coincidentally then? In 31107 we have one lonely spaceman… I’m going to call him Sam.
The box
It’s a nice looking image, choosing a Mars type rough terrain setting that highlights a neat feature of the main model and I will discuss this more later. It also presents the alternate models in the usual branding style.
The ship looks intriguing, but the Hab is not selling itself to me on the front of box. Sadly I’m not sure the image on the back excites me much more.
This is a medium-sized box measuring 38x26x7cm and that does reflect the price point I feel. However, for the money, I have to say that the contents feel a tiny bit disappointing.
The last set we bought was 70422 Shrimp Shack Attack. I'm using this as an example only because it is still clear in my recent memory. That box contained 5 bags, (and numbering a few more parts at) 579 pieces it just felt like there was a little more value there.
There are two things that I immediately noticed about the contents of this box:
First, that these bags are numbered! This is the first time I’ve seen this in a regular Creator set.
Second, the instruction book is a weighty tome, 276 pages including covers with a depth of just under 1cm. This one volume contains the instructions for all three models.
The main draw of this set will no doubt be the minifigure, so I will spotlight him here before getting into the set properly.
Minifigure - “Sam”
Sam’s spacesuit looks suitable for all sorts of hostile environments. It’s a nice design, again calling to mind strongly the space suit from ‘The Martian’ in pretty much all but the base colour. There’s some fine details here, including an update to what is clearly the Classic Space logo. The quality extends to a nice backprint too.
He has an alternate expression (using a head that’s appeared in three other figures since 2018). I can already tell I’m going to need a team of these lovely looking astronauts. How many more Sams are there out there?
We can debate the intricacies of this ad infinitum I suspect, but in my opinion this is a Classic Spaceman. That makes this a Classic Space Set! Yes, it’s in a Creator box, but Po-tay-toes/Po-tar-toes, because Classic Space sets all came in boxes with a yellow “LEGOLAND” banner.
Yes, it is an updated logo, but not in the way that perhaps we would consider the logo found on Mars Mission astronauts (hence their omission also). This is good enough for me, but I’m totally happy for you to disagree!
Build One
Bag 1
The first things to put together are Sam and his alien pal.
The alien was a really fun way to start, it utilises some very familiar parts and some newer elements in creative ways. I particularly enjoyed the sprouting plants as eye-stalks.
The alien adds massive amounts of play value to the final set for your average Space fan (young or old!).
He’s a friendly looking guy at first glance, but “watch out Sam, those teeth look sharp!”
Nom, nom, nom!
The inclusion of the Alien also enables play almost instantly (along with our astronaut of course).
The rest of the first bag contains the lower part of the rover and it’s all pretty straight forward building. There's nothing too challenging or tricky here.
Bag 2
The first thing to build in this bag is an enchanting little robot that puts me in mind of Wall•E. He's usefully equipped with a mining drill, radar dish and grabber hands for collection of other samples. It’s novel for this set that the two additional mini-builds are included at the start of each bag, not that the designers needed to do this, but it varies the “monotony” of a single build in a really enjoyable way, again, enabling play to begin almost immediately.
Bag 3
On beginning to lay out the parts from bag 3 to knoll them, I noticed a significant difference in the exact colour of the windscreen and window components. In my opinion there is questionably a quality issue here as the variations are fairly numerous, from a smokey dark bluish grey for the 1x2x3 panels through the familiar “trans black” on a couple of the more common elements to very nearly a light brown on the train front window 17454. To my eyes there are a couple of shades in-between… in fairness, some of those extra shades may be down to thickness of plastic. Have I missed some news? Are LEGO introducing a new Trans Black/Trans Brown?
This must just be the sort of thing that bothers us AFOLs, because it’s an issue that failed to register with my son.
The final bag is the elements necessary to build the front cab and windscreen, the rear roof section, door/hatch and the grabber arm.
The Rover has a really nice chassis assembly that we constructed in bag 2, and with the wheels attached we can see just how well the rover can cope with rougher terrain as a result of the tilting axle at the front and the independently pivoting assemblies at the back.
The static shots don’t show how effective the simple structure is at doing its job.
C’mon baby do the Rover-motion with me…
It’s a interesting build, some nice techniques are used and although there isn’t any exceptionally unusual parts usage here, this a joy to construct.
My expert resident eight year old LEGO fan rebuilt the set too, he thought it was great, and rushed off to find Creator 31066 Space Shuttle Explorer from 2017 (that he owns) because he wanted to compare the models. (Like father, like son, father likes, son likes.)
The alien was a big hit, as was the little robot and all the details. We have lots to help our play and imagination here!
Inside there's a sink with tap, a plant, a miniature testing lab with microscope and sample jars, there is a fire extinguisher/emergency oxygen tank, a bunk, and there's even a coffee mug! (Perhaps as another nod to Classic Space sets.)
Outside we have oxygen tanks, a grabber arm, two robotic arms for sample collection, flood lights, a radar dish and an antennae - there’s a lot going on and this model really has been thought about!
Build Two
This is the hab (habitat) and again I feel the influences of 'Moon' and 'The Martian'.
The construction takes the form of (what I think of as just building a LEGO set but now seems to be referred to as) building “on hard mode”. Even the instructions indicate we should open bags 1, 2 & 3 to build from!
The airlock doors are manually deployed, all the same, prepare yourself for an involuntary “PSHTT!” sfx when you try them out!
This is a really fantastic little scene, and the box art doesn’t do the model justice.
It’s fun to build, just to see what has been included here.
There are plants growing (Martian potatoes perhaps?), observation panels, instrumentation, lab equipment, oxygen tanks and practical looking pipe-work, there’s vents and transmitters too. There’s even an area that looks like a med-bay that is the current home of another really neat brick built alien, in short, like the rover, there’s a lot going on here too!
It’s a very busy hab and my son immediately wanted to help build and play with this model.
My main thought is that this feels like a really cool MOC, it’s well-thought-out, effort has clearly gone into creating this environment, I think it might be the nicest “hab” that LEGO has produced but somehow all that adds up to make me think it just doesn’t feel like the second model in a creator set.
Personally, I have always had issues with ‘open on two sides’ vignette type models. It feels to me like there’s an element if the ‘unfinished’ to it, would a hinged feature that closed the hab have worked?
Build Three
This is clearly a Vic Viper inspired craft and this is where our new little spaceman fits best in my opinion.
There are some great ‘side-on’ building techniques employed here to make the wings and a really neat technic brick method to create the streamlined shaping of the jet. Bravo LEGO, full marks!
With all this positive stuff to say, it's a shame to find an error in the instructions. We’ve already placed these pieces in step 3, what we need to add here in step 8 is the 4x6 plate.
Incidentally, my son also noticed the problem whilst building “Erm, Daddy, there’s a bit of a trick in the instructions…”
Of the three builds on offer here, I think this is my favourite. I can’t recall another Vic Viper since the additional fighter included in the wonderful 7066 Earth Defense HQ in 2011 and the 5981 Raid VPR from 2009.
However, the spacecraft features a hinging cockpit canopy that I just can’t help wishing was one of the multitudinous alternatives LEGO has on offer. In fact, I find myself wishing that occasionally LEGO would enhance one or other of the extra models in a creator set with something that’s not really necessary in the main build. Although, here I can actually see how easily a ‘sun roof’ in the main model might have utilised an extra cockpit canopy to improve the Viper.
Something extra?
In my previous reviews of smaller Creator sets 31099 Propeller Plane and 31103 Rocket Truck, I tried to create something extra - a fourth alternative model to test out the selection of parts… I’m sad to say that the things I initially built were either ugly, impractical, derivative, stupid or combinations of those things. The one model that I liked most suffered from a lack of wing/wedge plates. This made me doubly appreciate the achievements of the set designers but I did then question the absence of wing shaped parts in a space themed creator set.
Behold the Pixel fighter!
It subsequently turned out that these were small (Martian) potatoes however, because following my son pronouncing that the Vic Viper was “...excellent, the designers were a genius!” and swooshing it around the living room. I noticed there were still a lot of parts left and perhaps this focussed my attention because I managed to build a much more satisfying vehicle with the remaining parts than my previous attempts with all the parts at my disposal!
I’m happy with its quirky happenstance appearance.
One final thought I had about the rover was that it bore resemblance to another vehicle…
In Space No One Can Hear You Icecream!
Background
It’s interesting that the main model here most resembles the NASA rover because I now recall that this moon rover was featured in the packaging and instructions for 60225 Rover Testing Drive. Relatively recently released (as part of the City’s Space Theme in 2018) and somewhat awkwardly named ‘Rover Testing Drive’.
The comparisons I’d wanted to draw with 6901 were the six wheels, the “blocky” styling, the moon/planetary exploration, all seem to apply to a number of Rovers that LEGO has produced over the past 40 years. Without being exhaustive, here are a four photographed with the new kid on the block that I feel stand comparison to it.
First, there’s 6901 Mobile Lab, although the side by side comparison here serves to reveal their differences more than their similarities.
Secondly, 6927 All-Terrain Vehicle with its deployable observation lab.
Thirdly, my son’s 31066 Space Shuttle Explorer set has a rover as its ‘C’ model
Fourth and final is 60225 Rover Testing Drive, which I feel channels Mark Watney’s Rover 2 far more than it does the NASA vehicle.
Conclusion
Overall I think this is another excellent set from the Creator team. Parts to price ratio is very reasonable and this is one set I would have prioritised buying. If only for 'Sam'. Are there things I wish were different? Do I feel like I want more? Yes, the answers to those questions are almost always, yes. However, the set has a good general selection of parts.
I feel like the designers are keen to make the creator theme sets good parts packs also and this set is certainly no exception with good quantities of repeated elements.
It’s not a criticism of this set in particular, more of a question on the decision-making at a management level but I have to say that I would like to see a break from the ‘white with accents’ space sets… I understand the desire on LEGO’s part to keep a clear delineation between their Star Wars space sets and any home theme or IP.
I understand trying to ground these sets more in the semi-real world where these vehicles are white for practical reasons (reflecting heat from the sun). Would other lighter colours work? Why not try a red rover? I’ve seen championing of a ‘Friends in Space’ theme from a few forum members and I’d have to echo that there would be a subtheme I would love to see!
As always though, when I put my Classic Space fan helmet on, I’d like more. A repeat of the new logo on one or two of the bricks or slopes, even another minifigure… a red one perhaps? Just to make the comparison to rovers of the past more immediately nostalgic for us older LEGO Space fans. I satisfied some nostalgic urges by swapping out the wheels for some with red hubcaps!
I hesitate to say this because of the US price difference and the inevitability of an Amazon deal at 20% off, but I think I can recommend this set as a full price purchase. All three models are good and offer play value. It's fun, it might be the end of the world, treat yourself, I don't think you'll be disappointed giving it house space!
Thanks to LEGO for providing the set for review. All expressed opinions are my own.
205 likes
58 comments on this article
I think you just sold me a Space Rover Explorer. Great review.
Excellent review of all three builds, especially with the comparisons to other rovers! I'm going to get this as a "book Watney" rover to go with the "movie Watney" rover from the 2019 City line. The backgrounds on the review were great, but the photos were a little dark.
Now I'm just hyped for Friends in Space! Can you imagine what kind of shopping they have up there?
Great review, this one's going on my want list! (To be fair, it just has to have "space" in the title somewhere to meet that criteria…)
Best review i've seen in a long time. Well done!
I liked this but now this is a high priority set.
@Mr_Cross I think this is a much broader quality issue: those windows, the green parts of the Lamborghini, the dark red parts of the A-Wing and the yellow pieces of the Fiat - all these colours are inconsistent...
Yes many thanks @Mr_Cross for this great review.
I had already on my wanted list and You have just confirm me that I need to have this set.
My money levels are going to suffer once quarantine ends... lots of purchases in mind.
Great review!!
I have two of these on the way and your review has not made me regret my decision! Excellent review!
Nice review! I think I can fully endorse the concept of a Friends in Space theme.....how awesome would that be?
@captcrouton said:
"I think you just sold me a Space Rover Explorer. Great review."
I almost never buy a LEGO set at full RRP unless I’m trying to get a GWP. I think I’m ordering this ASAP.
KWIM? ;)
As I mostly do for all sets I like or could like I have downloaded the instructions already on Tuesday.
I had just a look in 6341420.pdf on page 216 and the issue you mentioned seems to be fixed.
Although not a fan of Space (at all), your enthusiastic review almost made me buy it (saving for those HP centaurs though).
I also find the wheels in the last photo vastly superior to the original ones, but maybe that's me always wanting more "real" rubber tyres and not the big ugly plastic ones LEGO uses these days.
Great review! I think you just sold me a Space Rover as well.
Now, if only Lego released that Vic alternate model in Novvember...
I just watched Moon the other day. This certainly does echo that film, as does the astronaut’s being named Sam.
"First, that these bags are numbered! This is the first time I’ve seen this in a regular Creator set."
This was also in 31097, 31104 and 31105. This will also be the case in 31108 and 31109.
That's a fab review. Now I want one, when I was going to skip if before. I like that you do the 4th build in the review too. I think that really takes it to another level. Great job!
You have have sold me. Great review
Great review, will take some time to get used to the 90 degree building techniques. Cannot help thinking the spaceman went to the Lego 1980's scrap year, and fused together the mid-section of a plane, captains bridge, and some old car windscreens (looking downwards), but I guess in space you need to improvise. More worryingly I think the back lifting arm looks a bit weak compared to 60225 and could have being improved, and the front pincers are tiny for the size of vehicle and have no real play-ability, compared to those on the recent submersibles.
For the pricing issues, I always was under the impression that Lego was pricing differently depending on the region. Probably close to the comparative level of life, I'd say, meaning the currency exchange rate is not always adequate. Those rich UK people can afford more than the average American, I assumed. At least in Canada, it roughly follows the American prices, but I've never cared to compare too much with UK prices (always expensive for us due to currency rates and import fees) or European prices.
@Lego_max said:
" @Mr_Cross I think this is a much broader quality issue: those windows, the green parts of the Lamborghini, the dark red parts of the A-Wing and the yellow pieces of the Fiat - all these colours are inconsistent..."
I work for a global plastic company (whom shall remain nameless) and I can confirm just how difficult it is to color match consistently across many different molds and part runs, and globally on top of that! Red and oranges especially, or translucent parts because you are adding 1% or less in colorant at times.
I bought the Star Wars set Obi Wan's Hut 4th May. I built it a week later and saw very noticeable colour variations in the light tan bricks as well as awful printing on A2D2's head. The built model was put on a shelf and untouched. So imagine my horror one week later I notice a brick has developed a crack. Now jump to today, two weeks later, and a further FIVE bricks are now cracked, all light tan bricks.
I wrote to Lego a week ago when I found the third cracked brick and yesterday they replied apologising for me buying a set containing broken or damaged parts and saying they will replace the parts. They don't seem to understand that the bricks came intact and are breaking after first assembly.
Great review Mr_Cross!
You and your son are deep in space :)
"Nom, nom, nom" :D
Great review. I love the Creator 3-in-1 line and have all three sets from this wave on my wishlist. Will be looking for deals on this one.
Most excellent review. I’m liking this set more and more.
This is much better than it looked on the box and I can't argue with $39.99 for it. I like it when the Creator line goes outside of its usual lineup of small everyday vehicles and buildings and $20 animal sets. Things like this, the new pirate ship, the space shuttle, or the pirate roller coaster are much more interesting to me than nicer versions of regular City builds.
This whole set reads to me as an upscaled Space Shuttle Explorer set, actually, with the spacecraft and rover swapped as tertiary and primary builds between them, except across the board better. Love the alien guy! He adds so much!
Definitely gonna borrow Sam’s head for my sig fig. Looks just like me in Lego form!
The third build reminds me of thw Galaxy Patrol LEGO sets.
Hot dog another official Vic Viper!
One if the recent airplane creator sets had a Vic Viper as an alternate, as well.
And this was probably inspired by or derived from its "City" counterpart, 31104 Monster-Burger-Truck :)
Nice thorough review. Good job on that Buggy build!
Classic Space is back! I love it, the resmblance to some of the classic sets is unmistakable!
Nice writeup! The set seemed a little clunky when I saw box art leaked, but it is so much better looking in these photos. This set looks great on its own, and is also a good parts pack (most of the EMS vehicles I build have a similar paint scheme, white with blue on red stripe).
And that knuckleboom/HIAB/Palfinger (whatever you call it) seems to be one of the best implemented I've seen. I've been doing it with the click hinge crane parts, and I cannot, for the life of me, get it to fold up compactly as they do in real life. The end ball hinge piece I do not have, so I'm gonna have to Bricklink it.
@blackdeathgr said:
"Although not a fan of Space (at all), your enthusiastic review almost made me buy it (saving for those HP centaurs though).
I also find the wheels in the last photo vastly superior to the original ones, but maybe that's me always wanting more "real" rubber tyres and not the big ugly plastic ones LEGO uses these days."
C’mon now, the plastic tires are the opposite of common. They’ve been used as tires in only 12 sets, with 8 of those being Nexo Knights. I’m not sure what sets you’re buying that are coming chock-full of plastic tires but I wholeheartedly assure you that rubber tires are still the vast, vast majority of LEGO tires
I purchased this last weekend and thoroughly enjoyed the build. Its now on display with two of the other space vehicles touched on in the review.
Can't say as I noticed the colour issue with the windows but I have in general noticed a difference in the plastics used over the last couple of years or so.
What a joyful review, that has really blown some cobwebs off the more formulaic style, more reviews like this please.
I’m pretty sure Jang has called out the change in transparent piece colours and textures over the last year or so. Is it something to do with a change in polycarbonates?
Excellent review - well laid out, good pics, lots of humour. Laying out the bricks in formation has got to be the zen-moment of 2020 so far ;) I want Space now. (bank account screaming hysterically in the back).
That "suspension" is so 80s - thanks for the clever review, very inspirational
That suspension setup is almost identical to 7699.
Great insight. Great humour. Great ideas. Great references. Great review
Thanks for all the kind comments. I'm glad my rambling thoughts have been so well received!
Thank you for this excellent review. Maybe the best I ever read on brickset. I originally was not convinced, largely because of the wheels, but your review changed my mind.
Awesome.
Needs a few more Classic Space logos but other than that pretty much perfect.
THAT is what I call an update to Classic Space with a modern take. Now make this an entire theme and we're talking.
:-)
Feels kinda dated. I thought it's random set of a day set.
I find it really fascinating that two of these models contain all new alien creatures to play with. Usually creator sets stick away from fantastical elements aside from dragons and robots. Occasionally you see some pirates and one set a while back had a yeti as a side build, but they don't often have things that are properly unique. Seeing an entire new creature added to the LEGO lore is certainly welcome, perhaps it's a beast that terrorized the LOM Martians!
This astronaut really feels like a halfway point between the Classic Space astronauts and Mars Mission ones. My headcannon for these kinds of characters is always that they were "elite" members of the groups. For example, the Classic Blue Spacemen were security personal, so the Galaxy Patrol figure form Series 7 would be elite security. The Space Miner from Series 12 is obviously a miner, so the Orange Classic Spaceman that just came out in a book would be a low level miner.
Thanks to CMF Series 1 we already have elite white though, so I guess this is elite gray? We've never actually seen a Gray Classic Spaceman in an actual set, but there are enough parts out there to MOC them. I wonder what job they'd have! By my count we're still missing elites for yellow, red, black, and green. With white, blue, pink, and orange being in Series 1, 7, 6, and 12 respectively.
Wow! This recent wave of creator really got me interested
This was definitively the best set review and analysis I have ever read. This was awesome. Thanks for doing this.
Looks like a combine harvester.
No one else caught the KLF reference?
Glad you and your son liked the C model. It is indeed a really fun model to swoosh around.
The lack of wedge plates was the main reason snot was used for the wings. (sometimes less option allows you to have better results!)
Btw the landing gears are supposed to be retractable too.
ps: you placed the snotted panels on the side of the main body 1 stud too much in front, yellow studs wouldn't be visible if they were placed as intended :)
@ericlego321 said:
"ps: you placed the snotted panels on the side of the main body 1 stud too much in front, yellow studs wouldn't be visible if they were placed as intended :)"
Thanks for commenting, and sorry for the construction error. It's a really great model!
Awesome review! This has convinced me to purchase this set - it looks amazing! I think it's pretty cool that this rover (and the City one from last summer) are both inspired by that NASA prototype rover. I've seen the rover in person, and the resemblance is striking.
BTW, this green alies kinda reminfs to me about Mixels!
Good set, but I'd appreciate more minifigs.
How about a comparison with 31052? :)
I love this set BUT...
I don't know what's going on with Lego lately. Last three manuals I've used had errors.
The 4-5 wedges on the side of the roof looked off for me. The gap between elements was inconsistent and I couldn't fix it by rearranging them.
In my first attempt to fix the micropositioning of the element by pushing it as I've done since childhood, my nail went straight into it. And I don't mean "scratched it", I mean went into the edge like it wasn't hard plastic.
Recent sets also seem to suffer from inconsistent grip strength and same connections sometimes don't grip adequately :/
@Merlo: I noticed that as well. LEGO quality control appears to have been absent for some time now.
@Merlo said:
"How about a comparison with 31052? :)"
How did I miss that? Thanks for pointing out the similarities. I don't own 31052, but it really does tread similar ground to the Rover in terms of looks, right down to the red and dark blue pinstripe accents on the white bodywork.
With the exception of the main windscreens though, it looks to contain quite a different selection of parts, there are a fair number fewer parts too.
I should point out for those interested in acquiring more astronauts that (as of the time of this comment) all of the parts of the astronaut from this set (including the torso) are available from Bricks & Pieces :)