LEGO is back again this year with another LEGO Classic Space promotional set, this time with the Micro Rocket Launchpad (40712). The 325 piece set will be available for LEGO Insiders early access February 16-18 with purchases of $200, €200, $320 AUD. The general release will run from February 19-25 with the same price threshold.
Minifigures
There aren’t any standard minifigures in the set but you do get two Spacebaby astronauts, a blue one and a white one. The blue one was first introduced in the Series 24 Collectible Minifigures while the white one is a brand new variant. They both have the Classic Space logo on the front of the micro torso and has a disproportionate regular head and helmet. They also have their corresponding air tanks as well which are molded to the helmet.
Build
There are four micro builds that you can create with this set. It takes inspiration from various LEGO Space sets from yesteryear such as the Alpha-1 Rocket Base (483), Space Patrol (6803), and Mobile Rocket Transport (6950).
The spaceship doesn’t really look like any ships from the past but has taken bits and pieces from them to create a new one although does look like the Space Patrol the most. It has the iconic triangular shape and it uses dishes and cone pieces for the thrusters and landing gears. The slope on the front has a sticker of the Classic Space logo.
The next two builds of the control center and rocket are pretty much modernized versions of the Alpha-1 Rocket Base. The control center has the distinctive translucent yellow windows like with the old one. Again, it uses dishes as the platforms which doesn’t look bad at all considering the original set had stumps.
The top of the control center has a satellite dish and an antenna. Above the opening, there’s another sticker of the Space logo on the 1×8 tile. Inside, there is another sticker for the control panel, guages, and screens.
The rocket doesn’t just stack white round bricks anymore but it has a updated look with the white profile bricks and the larger cones. The launchpad itself still has the blue and yellow although it now has some new pipes surrounding it.
Lastly we have the transport vehicle which is obviously from the Mobile Rocket Transport. It is the bulkiest of the four micro builds and thus have the most detailing on it as well. The original color scheme of gray, blue, and yellow are still present but length of the vehicle has scrunched up to new micro profile.
The yellow cockpit windows has enough space to fit one of the Spacebaby astronauts inside even with the air tanks on. In the middle of the vehicle, it still has the steering wheels on each side to control the rocket platform.
Similar to the original set, the rocket platform can be raised and lowered using hinges by the way of a Technic pin towards the back. The rocket is able to sit in the slot and is secured using the clip on the front.
One neat thing about the transport is that it does have the same suspension system using Technic L-beams. Two wheels uses one beam and that allows it to maneuver rocky terrain with ease. It’s nothing too crazy but I like that LEGO has included this feature even though they could’ve just left it with flat, static wheels.
Results
Overall, LEGO has knocked it out of the park with another nostalgia-induced set with the Micro Rocket Launchpad (40712). The designer has done a great job in combining various Classic Space sets into one single on while also giving the builds a modernized feel which LEGO has done a lot of recently with these kinds of sets.
I don’t really have any complaints about it besides that it uses stickers instead of printed pieces. I feel this was used to keep the price threshold down but it’s still a bit high at $200. I’ll most likely get another one on the secondary market for my sealed promo collection.
Thank you to LEGO for sending in this set for me to review. The content above represents my own opinion and not the company. Review sets sent in does not guarantee a positive review.
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