You asked for it – so here it is. Another wave of Lego reviews!

I was a little surprised to see this co-pack listed at Epinions. They don’t exactly have the best track record for getting items listed and for some reason toys and books seem to be the last to be added. In any event, Alien Discovery is a multi-pack set from the Life On Mars series that hit the market almost two years ago.

The Multi-Pack Advantage

There have only been a handful of multi-packs released by Lego in the past five years. Star Wars, Arctic, Adventurers and Life On Mars are a few of the more popular special value bundles that are still on the market – while they are hard to come by – they are well worth the hunt. This is a great way to invest in a series without breaking the bank as well as collection extra figures, tools, parts and rare pieces. Most of the multi packs are $9.99 or less except the Star Wars set which sells for $11.99.

Alien Discovery

For those unfamiliar with the Life On Mars series, it features fantastically designed space ships, space dwellings, hovercrafts, land rovers and a whole army of alien life forms. Keeping pace with the release of Red Planet and Mission To Mars, Lego took a very bold step and created an entire line dedicated to the mysterious, unexplored planet. While sales were slow to start, when the films were released to home video the Lego line took of and eventually prompted a second wave of sets as well as a few promotions with cereal companies [Quaker was the largest].

Alien Discovery contains three sets; Double Hover [7308], The Rover [7309] and Red Planet Cruiser [7311]. Each of the sets that were selected for the multi-pack have their own unique charm to them as well as containing new pieces never before seen from the Lego team. All three sets compliment each other well and – shockingly – are all the same scale. This makes it a great set for collectors that are obsessed with things being in proportion.

Double Hover [7308]

Resembling a basic hover craft from any of a number of science fiction films, this double hover features flip up arms that rest on the wings, an adjustable control panel / steering wheel system [like the Star Wars Speeder Bikes] and a one of a kind shield that snaps on to the back of the craft. There are about seven different ways to build this vehicle with the pieces included, however when you mix it with the Rover set you can double the size as well as have both figures seated inside the craft. This is one of the few Life On Mars sets that includes an unnamed alien figure [blue body and head with orange trunk and legs]. This set contains 21 pieces and can be built several different ways. Recommended for ages 6 – 12, this contains small pieces that could present a choking hazard.

The Rover [7309]

What would a space exploration be without a rover? While this is small, it is not without it’s perks. The large pole that rest to the right of the driver can be used for a variety of applications so don’t limit yourself to just using it to hold the satellite dish.. It is completely removable from the rover and fits snuggly in the figures hand but may require a little anchoring unless you want it to fall over every twenty seconds. The one drawback is the steering wheel; it is literally impossible to get the Lego figures hands to grasp it. The Lego figure comes with a stenciled breastplate, blue clear visor that can be removed from the gray helmet and a stenciled headset. The smallest pieces are the wheel connectors so keep an eye on them if you have smaller children around. Recommended for ages 6 – 12, the Rover contains 28 pieces.

Red Planet Cruiser [7311]

The largest of the three sets in this multi-pack, the Red Planet Cruiser is an awesome sight. With an impressive wingspan, attack arm and glowing satellite /radar dish - it makes a formidable first impression. The moveable landing gear under the ship only adds to the unique design. Altair is the alien figure that comes with this set and he features the Royal crest on his forehead, teal and yellow body and dark green torso and legs. While the set has 73 pieces total, a majority of them are small 2x1 pieces that serve to embellish the design as well as help to stabilize the wings. There are unlimited ways to build this so if the original design does not please you, feel free to visit the Lego website for additional construction plans. Don’t forget to check out the building plans for the ultra cool robot as well!

Things To Know

Inside each of the boxes there is a small fold out poster depicting a scene from the Life On Mars designs. Collect all four to make a super poster that links the sub station, racer track, main port and vehicle pad together. Inside each box there is also a coupon for a free subscription to the Lego Magazine. Do yourself, and your Lego junkie, a favor and send this in. Not only will you get advanced information on new sets, you will also get a cool present on your birthday and sample packs of new Lego figures.

The Alien Discovery multi-pack comes in a cardboard inlay with three pods for the sets. It comes shrink wrapped but most of the time this will be damaged, discolored or replaced by the retail establishment after tampering. If you come across a set that has a lot of shelf wear or damaged or crushed boxes, you may be able to get it at up to 30% off. Ask the toy department manager if they will make down the item to get it off the shelf rather than have to return it to Lego.

Set 7309 is the exact same set as 7301, the only difference is the 7301 is sold as a stand alone while 7309 is sold in the multi-pack.

The Bottom Line

When I came across these at Wal-Mart for $8.99 I bought as many as I could find. When you add up the cost of buying them separately you end up saving $3.99. That is like getting one of the smaller sets for free. What it all boils down to is the fun factor. With this multi-pack a child can easily entertain himself for hours on end without feeling limited by a small amount of pieces.

If you have a child that has expressed an interest in the Life On Mars series this would be an excellent choice to use as an introduction to this fantastic collection. As I mentioned, this is a little hard to find and is not available at the Lego website any more. I suggest checking K-Mart, Wal-Mart and Target before checking online vendors. As a side note, about half of the K-Mart stores are doing a major overhaul to the toy section and will be reducing prices on toys they will no longer carry, prices will be reduced up to 70% off.

The Stats

Set Name: Alien Discovery
Family Set: Life On Mars
Lego Set: 78777 – this is the code for the multi-pack
Number of Pieces: 21, 28, 73
Age Recommendation: 6 – 12 / 7 - 12
Ease Of Assembly: Moderate
Time Of Assembly: 30 minutes total
Cost: $8.99

As always, thanks for the visit!

^V^ Freak ^V^


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): $8.99
Type of Toy: Blocks
Age Range of Child: Whole Family