Review: 60429 Spaceship and Asteroid Discovery
Posted by SetToBuild,The 4+ sets are perfect for younger builders as they provide a simple building experience without compromising too much on the overall concept of the set. They often replicate another set in the same wave in a smaller, more exaggerated form.
The spaceship in 60429 Spaceship and Asteroid Discovery is the sibling of 60430 Interstellar Spaceship, and it does a wonderful job of scaling down the different components to create a satisfying alternative design.
Summary
60429 Spaceship and Asteroid Discovery, 126 pieces.
£17.99 / $19.99 / €19.99 | 14.3p/15.9c/15.9c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
This small set boasts many fun possibilities for story and play.
- Fantastic prints
- 5 crystal elements
- No jetpacks
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigures
As we’ve surmised in previous reviews, the colour-coded uniforms indicate different roles for the astronauts. In this set, we receive a scientist (green) and a pilot (dark azure).
Sadly the figures in this set don’t come with any neck-mounted accessories like jetpacks. Instead, we can appreciate the quality of the print on the torso. I enjoy the detail of separated panels and the simulated exosuit to enhance flexibility. The pilot’s dual moulded helmet also implies an ability to look around with ease.
Their helmets vary slightly to accept different types of visors. The mould of the green helmet may look familiar since it was first introduced in the Nexo Knights theme.
The aliens in this subtheme are adorable, blinky little guys. Often used as a plant, the limbs are made using this crown leaf piece. I dub thee, Space Lettuce!
The Completed Model
The spaceship has a sleek, angular, design reminiscent of spacecraft in the classic Space theme such as 918 Space Transport. It is built upon a large ship element that has plenty of room to expand on for further customisation.
The combination of a slim design, long windscreen, and the four 2x4 slopes for the nacelles create a very swooshable ship. However, since the nacelles are attached by only one clip on each side, they are somewhat flimsy if you pick the ship up in certain ways.
This set offers many fantastic prints, especially on trans-clear elements. The design on the screen tells us everything we need to know about this reimagined subtheme. A story about exploring the universe in search of an alternative fuel. I love that the new trans-opalescent purple crystals gave me the same, “Ooh! What’s that?” feeling when I first discovered the same crystals in the Aquazone sets as a child.
When assembling the crane, stacking pieces on the 4x4 round brick was a wobbly experience. Younger builders could struggle with the instability of this assembly. I removed the round brick, built the crane parts, and then placed them all back down on the vertical pin.
This set also includes two boulders to either fill with crystals or hide a salad-being. I’m curious why they chose not to include last year’s rock element instead. Seeing this piece in dark tan and infused with the trans-opalescent purple colour would have been interesting.
Conclusion
This set is the perfect way to get a kid excited about the final frontier. 60429 Spaceship and Asteroid Discovery includes a zippy spaceship, the beginnings of a planetary base, and a few fun characters to tell a story. If you’re an adult in search of interesting printed elements, think about the possibility of adding/modifying a couple of these smaller ships as scouts to accompany the larger ships in your fleet!
After seeing the last few LEGO City Space waves stepping back from realistic concepts and leaning more into science fiction, the 2024 space wave has jumped into the deep end with little green aliens and sparkly space rocks. This space subtheme has ultimately gone back to its roots, and I’m here for it!
I’m hopeful that with an updated classic space logo, different coloured uniforms, and triangular spaceships, we’ll eventually see a more fleshed-out space theme to stand on its own. I would love to see another faction as the antagonist in this expanding universe.
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30 comments on this article
When did they update the little "metal detector" piece? Those always used to have a stud on top.
This is such a lovely little play theme. The figures are great, the aliens too, and a lot of the ships feel excellent. It also seems like stickers aren't too bad. I hope sales data backs up the imagined popularity!
The little spaceship looks great. 60430 is a brilliant set and I have been thinking of getting one of these to fly wingman to the bigger set.
SPLATTUCE.
It's so ridiculous that 4+ sets are prints only but the 300+ € collector sets still use stickers.
"Space lettuce" is the most perfect unofficial name for Lego creature ever!
Some reviewers consider it to be one of the best 4+ sets ever. It's certainly the best value.
@IgelCampus said:
"It's so ridiculous that 4+ sets are prints only but the 300+ € collector sets still use stickers."
It's not and I'm baffled how so many AFOLS didn't get the message: LEGO prints whenever they think a design is reusable or when application of stickers would be difficult - like on rounded surfaces or when the target customer doesn't have the skill to apply stickers yet (= age 4 or younger).
On the other hand, one-off designs, especially for limited production modells, create high storage costs.
@dimc said:
"When did they update the little "metal detector" piece? Those always used to have a stud on top. "
Been a while already, since 2013.
@IgelCampus said:
"It's so ridiculous that 4+ sets are prints only but the 300+ € collector sets still use stickers."
Not that it always counts, especially with the 4+ sets, but the price per piece here is nearly 16 cents.
I don't think the panel exists elsewhere in this line, which is crazy, but I'm betting that a lot of the other prints do, which reduces the cost of this set and...it's still expensive. 60430 is the same price and nearly twice the parts, though half the minifigs. 60431 has the highest PPP of the 2024 City Space line outside of this, and it's 11.3, and that includes wheels and suspension.
Best-priced 4+ set
Oy! Big shipment, comin' through! The alien? Big greeny over there is with us, they're a friendly. Unlike their younger friends, always stealin' our energy crystals!
I like it a lot
I love the look and features of this set, thank you for the review. As a 4+ style set, this really feels story driven and satisfying to build.
@jkb said:
"Some reviewers consider it to be one of the best 4+ sets ever. It's certainly the best value.
@IgelCampus said:
"It's so ridiculous that 4+ sets are prints only but the 300+ € collector sets still use stickers."
It's not and I'm baffled how so many AFOLS didn't get the message: LEGO prints whenever they think a design is reusable or when application of stickers would be difficult - like on rounded surfaces or when the target customer doesn't have the skill to apply stickers yet (= age 4 or younger).
On the other hand, one-off designs, especially for limited production modells, create high storage costs."
No, you're not supposed to apply reasoned thought and logic where stickers are concerned.
@ShinyBidoof said:
" @jkb said:
"Some reviewers consider it to be one of the best 4+ sets ever. It's certainly the best value.
@IgelCampus said:
"It's so ridiculous that 4+ sets are prints only but the 300+ € collector sets still use stickers."
It's not and I'm baffled how so many AFOLS didn't get the message: LEGO prints whenever they think a design is reusable or when application of stickers would be difficult - like on rounded surfaces or when the target customer doesn't have the skill to apply stickers yet (= age 4 or younger).
On the other hand, one-off designs, especially for limited production modells, create high storage costs."
No, you're not supposed to apply reasoned thought and logic where stickers are concerned."
There is no logic. Why are the parts of the new Falcon printed, but on the Invincible hands they are stickers?
Besides that, this set actually makes a good 4+ set. Especially since it doesn't take away a good set concept.
4+ be damned, I'm getting this one for the crystal-palooza alone
@Ridgeheart said:
"SPLATTUCE."
I need some Splattuce in my diet.
I can practically hear how my 4 year old would play with this just looking at it. Enough rewarding small builds to finish one, play, then come back to it later for more. Lots to keep busy with, very zoomy spaceship to fill with crystals, helmets, equipment, stuff. It's perfect for the age group.
@AverageChimaEnjoyer said:
"Best-priced 4+ set"
Yeah it's very good , but some of the €10 4+ have not been terrible either, especially since they come with 2 minifigs or dolls at times.
I really liked what you get with 41723 : Donut Shop, even if it reuses the minidolls from other sets, still comes with a unique donut dish print, and green scooter, and the 2x2 donut tiles with holes that otherwise originally come from 10278 : Police Station
Another contender for fairly decently priced 4+ this year would be 42634 : Horse and Pony Trailer but that's an entire different category from spaceships of course, but still cheaper then the current 41746 : Horse Training set by 33% if you want a set with a Friends horse and pony)
Still , I think this City Space set is definately the most interesting for the price, as it feels complete, has a spaceship, 2 figures, a base and then yet another large plate with crane and 2 boulders and 5 crystals, so does not feel empty.
@ShinyBidoof said:
"Sticker! Sti-sticker! Sticker... STICKER! Stickerstick-sticker? Sticker!"
I'm not certain you're named after the right Pokemon, considering your incessant repetition of the word "sticker". Are you sure you're not a hitherto-undiscovered factory-bound evolution of Rapidash or some other horse-based Pokemon?
"Glunicorn", maybe?
@wasn said:
" @ShinyBidoof said:
" @jkb said:
"Some reviewers consider it to be one of the best 4+ sets ever. It's certainly the best value.
@IgelCampus said:
"It's so ridiculous that 4+ sets are prints only but the 300+ € collector sets still use stickers."
It's not and I'm baffled how so many AFOLS didn't get the message: LEGO prints whenever they think a design is reusable or when application of stickers would be difficult - like on rounded surfaces or when the target customer doesn't have the skill to apply stickers yet (= age 4 or younger).
On the other hand, one-off designs, especially for limited production modells, create high storage costs."
No, you're not supposed to apply reasoned thought and logic where stickers are concerned."
There is no logic. Why are the parts of the new Falcon printed, but on the Invincible hands they are stickers?
Besides that, this set actually makes a good 4+ set. Especially since it doesn't take away a good set concept."
I think the printed parts from the Falcon are much more likely to be reused than printed slopes from the Invisible Hand would've been. I mean, for starters, there's likely to be more Falcon sets in the future in general as a more prominent/popular ship. And the Falcon prints, being printed on flat parts with highly reusable patterns like windows and greebles, are probably usable for a wider variety of sets than faction emblems at that scale on such particularly shaped parts.
I was surprised to learn that this was a 4+ set. It doesn’t have that juniorization look at all. Of course, I imagine that we are more attuned to noticing when something looks more toy-ish when it is something that we see in everyday life like a car or a helicopter than a fantastical vehicle like a spaceship. This really looks like a great set. I still say it should have been a standalone theme rather than a sub-theme of City. The City Space sub-theme should be reserved for more contemporary and realistic space exploration.
@Librarian1976 said:
"I still say it should have been a standalone theme rather than a sub-theme of City. The City Space sub-theme should be reserved for more contemporary and realistic space exploration."
To me, if this cross-theme stuff means it happens more often , i'm all for it, LEGO does not make new themes easily these days, especially minifig themes, they always go with named characters and story and media these days, and that's something City stopped doing after LEGO City adventures stopped so they can do freeform stuff again, sure the named characters were cool, and seeing like Rocket Racer in stuntz as well but this space wave also came really quick after a Mars and Moon wave (2019 , 2022) , and several minifig space shuttles via Creator or even Friends, I don't think more realistic stuff would be interesting so soon.
To me, City , or Friends are just labels on a box , once it's unpacked, it's just LEGO.
"We were promised jetpacks"
I got this for 13.44 Euro on Amazon to accompany my 60430 and they go extremely well together.
Kind of like 918 and 924 did back in the olden days.
Plus at that price the set felt like a bargain, with lots of cool prints and not a single one of those nasty stickers in sight.
So, I open up the Brickset homepage this morning, and I see two reviews: this and 42179. Both Space sets, but aimed at very different audiences. Also, am I the only one who thought of the flying lettuce in the anime Konosuba when @SetToBuild named the alien?
@vagabondnma said:
"We were promised jetpacks"
I'm reminded of a bumper sticker I saw once. "It's the 21st Century. This thing should fly now."
@IgelCampus said:
"It's so ridiculous that 4+ sets are prints only but the 300+ € collector sets still use stickers."
@IgelCampus said:
"It's so ridiculous that 4+ sets are prints only but the 300+ € collector sets still use stickers."
Indeed. I got 2 of these, plan to get more. wish the bigger sets had prints instead of the stickers as well, for the thematic space base to command tower communication screens.
When you set costs 200 + you should be getting a premium product.
I got this as a gift for my son foe Easter. Looking forward to building. But this review has t2mpered NY expectations. Hope he likes it.
This set is way better than the "just ship" for the same price.
You got SO MUCH GOOD STUFF and 12 printed parts!
@lordofdragonss said:
"This set is way better than the "just ship" for the same price.
You got SO MUCH GOOD STUFF and 12 printed parts!"
I like the design of the Just Ship better. This set has the better value for money though, and also, the Splattuce.
So I bought them both. Don't judge me! You're not the Space Boss of me!
@AustinPowers said:
"I got this for 13.44 Euro on Amazon to accompany my 60430 and they go extremely well together.
Kind of like 918 and 924 did back in the olden days.
Plus at that price the set felt like a bargain, with lots of cool prints and not a single one of those nasty stickers in sight. "
Great tip! I too have bought both (also reduced on Amazon) and can't wait to swoosh them together!
Thanks for the idea!