Fans of LEGO Friends will be over the moon to embark on the next adventure with the Heartlake City crew: farewell Earth; next stop, Mars!
Review of LEGO Friends Mars Space Base and Rocket 42605
This interplanetary mission sees LEGO Friends’ Olivia, Aveline and Julian blasting off in a space shuttle and setting up a base on Mars. They explore the Red Planet with the help of a trusty little rover and drone, and even make some alien friends along the way!
Those familiar to LEGO Friends will know that they usually feature more playable parts, and this set certainly did not disappoint.
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LEGO Friends Mars Space Base and Rocket 42605 contains 981 pieces, and is recommended for kids aged 8+.
As mentioned above, this set features 3 minidolls. Of course, since they need to survive in an extra-terrestrial environment, they each come with a space helmet cum breathing apparatus. Included in the set as well are a little green alien and a cute chubby cat that even has its own crew quarters – more on that later.
Build experience of LEGO Friends Mars Space Base and Rocket 42605
LEGO Friends Mars Space Base and Rocket 42605 consists of 8 bags of LEGO pieces. Bags 1-3 contain parts for the space shuttle as well as a mini rover and drone, while bags 4-8 contain parts for the Mars base itself. The instructions were easy to follow and did not involve much complicated steps – my 5 year old was able to complete the build pretty much independently, with just some small requests for help here and there.
First up, the space shuttle which comprises a cockpit (Bag 1), crew quarters (Bag 2) and thrusters (Bag 3).
The cockpit has just enough space to seat the pilot and 1 crewmember, along with a control panel. The middle section functions as both sleeping quarters as well as a work station – a bed flips up to reveal a desk that accommodates a laptop (check out that adorable tardigrade!) and microscope.
When not whizzing through space, the spaceship can also stand upright. A surprise feature is that the centre module of the spacecraft can be attached to the space base, creating additional room on the base for crew quarters/research activities. Super cool!
Included in this section of the build are also a Mars rover and a drone, perfect for exploring the terrain and environment of the rocky Red Planet.
Moving on to the main part of LEGO Friends Mars Space Base and Rocket 42605, the space base itself. It has a modular design (more on that later), with each bag containing the parts for each separate module. The instructions for each bag are also in individual booklets, which would make this set suitable for a group build!
The first module (Bag 4) contains the crew’s personal living quarters, complete with a coffee machine (even astronauts need their daily caffeine fix!), fold-down bed and bulletin board containing personal mementos.
Next is the airlock portion (Bag 5) through which the crew enters and exits the base. A simple yet fully functional LEGO Technic mechanism consisting of a pair of gears enables a platform to transport an astronaut through a pair of inner doors and in and out of the airlock.
Perched atop the airlock is also our furry feline friend’s cosy little nook, complete with food and water bowls. Simply purr-fect!
Next, we have the kitchen cum greenhouse area (Bag 6), where the crew seem to be taking the farm-to-table concept quite literally. Vegetables such as tomatoes and carrots are grown here, and can be harvested and directly prepped and cooked within the same module.
Going around to the rear of the base, we find the signature LEGO Friends bathroom (Bag 7). Turning the solar panel above the toilet will open and shut the cylindrical cubicle.
This module also features a storage rack for the astronauts’ equipment, as well as a charging station where the drone can dock to recharge.
Finally we have the communications centre module (Bag 8). Here, the crew has access to multiple screens from which they can monitor various activities going on around the planet. A satellite dish ensures that communication channels are always open.
A really cool feature of LEGO Friends Mars Space Base and Rocket 42605 is its modular design, which means that the different modules can be rearranged in a variety of configurations.
The instructions provide a few suggested layouts, but of course the options for customisation are limitless. This goes to the heart of what LEGO is all about – creativity, imagination and lots of fun!
Out of This World Fun
LEGO Friends Mars Space Base and Rocket 42605 is a really well-designed set, full of rich detail and delightful little features to discover and enjoy. Excellent use of stickers add a fun flair to the build. The set offers great play value, whether through role-playing with the minidolls and vehicles, figuring out the best configuration for the modules, or simply enjoying all the nifty little details scattered throughout the build.
It was really interesting to see how the union between LEGO Friends and space explores a side of space travel that is generally not seen in the other space-themed LEGO sets – namely the daily life and activities of astronauts, as well as the ties with friends and family millions of miles back home.
My personal take is that this set would be great for space-loving girls – LEGO Friends is afterall created and marketed for girls, and I felt that the dollhouse-esque details were lost on my 5 year old son (whose favourite part of the whole set was the spacecraft…), while I myself oohed and aahed much more over the cute little elements.
All in all, LEGO Friends Mars Space Base and Rocket 42605 is a really fun set and with so much going on, there is bound to be something for everyone!
