Blocks is using a time-bending spacecraft to look back through one of the LEGO Group’s longest running themes in search of the five best LEGO Space subthemes.
One of the LEGO minifigure’s first adventures in 1978 was to the stars. Classic Space launched alongside Castle and Town as one of the three original themes to contain minifigures. All three of the themes were massive hits, spawning decades of releases. LEGO Space specifically has seen lots of different iterations over the years, with minifigures exploring everything from the Moon to distant planets.
The LEGO Group is returning to space in 2024, with a number of new sets featuring cosmic adventures. Blocks, the monthly LEGO magazine, is taking a trip down memory lane and picking out some of the best LEGO Space subthemes, including everything from the nostalgic originals to the modern-day hits.
Ice Planet 2002
LEGO Ice Planet 2002 is one of the more obscure LEGO Space subthemes but is still fondly remembered by many fans. The theme launched in 1993 with six sets, all of which used a visually distinct colour scheme consisting of white, blue and trans-neon orange. 6983 Ice Station Odyssey and 6973 Deep Freeze Defender were the theme’s largest sets, the former being an on-the-ground command centre and the latter being a massive spaceship. The theme may have only lasted for one wave, but the unique designs of the ships and minifigures nonetheless make it a memorable chapter of the LEGO Space story.
M-Tron
What makes LEGO M-Tron interesting is that it added a twist to the traditional building techniques used in LEGO sets — magnets. Alongside the magnets, M-Tron used a combination of reds, blacks and trans-neon greens to create a fleet of ships and ground vehicles for a new generation of brave minifigure astronauts in 1990. Seven sets made up M-Tron’s debut, including 6989 Mega Core Magnetizer, the largest of the theme. The minifigures of M-Tron wore red and white suits with black helmets and air tanks. Their torsos proudly display a large ‘M’, signalling their affiliation to the faction obsessed with the power of magnets.
Alien Conquest
2011’s LEGO Alien Conquest flipped the script for LEGO Space subtheme s —instead of minifigures leaving Earth in search of aliens, aliens came down and invaded Earth. The unique concept of Alien Conquest led to a great lineup of sets that included plenty of alien ships alongside vehicles for the minifigures’ Alien Defence Unit. The aliens had sets like 7065 Alien Mothership while the minifigures of Earth were based in 7066 Earth Defence HQ. Both factions had excellent designs, with the ADU’s light blue colour scheme and the aliens’ striking head pieces making it a visually compelling collection.
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Space Police III
LEGO Space Police first arrived in 1989 then returned in 1992. It wasn’t until 2009 that LEGO Space had another police force, when the Space Police came back in the cleverly titled Space Police III. The new wave of sets successfully modernised the original sets, allowing a new generation of LEGO Space fans to experience the popular subtheme. Space Police III leaned more heavily on traditional police aesthetics than its predecessors, featuring ships of white, black and trans-neon blue, such as the flagship 5974 Galactic Enforcer. The theme actually had a second, albeit small, wave of sets in 2010, bringing its total number of releases to 15, but all the sets retired at the end of 2010, once again leaving the LEGO galaxy without a police force.
Classic Space
Classic Space simply can’t be beat — it’s the theme that started it all. Laying the foundation for the future subthemes isn’t the only reason it earns the top spot, though. The sets themselves may be incredibly simple in terms of building techniques by today’s standards, but there’s a charm about them that makes up for the simplicity. Sets like 497 Galaxy Explorer made the stars accessible for kids back in 1979 and the Classic Space sets are still inspiring builders to this day. And not to mention the Classic Space minifigures — the monochromatic spacemen are iconic in their own right and have become some of the most recognisable LEGO minifigures.
Agree with the list? Or is another of the amazing LEGO Space subthemes your favourite? Let Blocks know on any of our social media channels.