Retro review: 5988 The Temple of Anubis
Posted by Huw,After reading the recent Made to be Played articles and seeing the outpouring of nostalgia in the comments section, Brickset member JonnyThunder was inspired to write a review of a set that he still owns and loves:
Coming out just a year before the successful Brendan Frasier movie The Mummy, LEGO clearly hit the zeitgeist with this set and desert themed Adventurers line. The Temple of Anubis was the biggest set in the desert series, and the most desirable, as it perfectly encapsulates the intrigue that Ancient Egypt provides to young children.
Summary
5988 The Temple of Anubis, 711 pieces.
An ancient Egyptian inspired set that was originally released in 1998 as part of the iconic and much-loved Adventurers line.
- A fun mix of minifigures
- Two great vehicles
- An iconic build
- Massive play potential
- Lots of hidden bobby traps!
- None
As a child, I wanted this set because it had it all – heroes, villains, a mummy, hidden treasure, a hot air balloon and, most importantly, lots of bobby traps! But this was the sort of present that a child in the 1990s could only get once (or possibly twice) a year, as a big birthday or Christmas present, as they weren’t cheap. You’d have to get your parents and your grandparents to go all in on this type of present, and I was lucky enough that they did.
One thing that made these types of LEGO sets even more special were the boxes. Opening the box of this set was also part of the experience, as it told a story that built anticipation before you’d even taken the bricks out.
You can tell how much this set means to me, because I have kept it In the box! As you can see, the box had a flap that would lift to reveal the bricks underneath. This flap here tells a story and is beautifully decorated with hieroglyphics and what seems to be a map with an ‘x’ that marks the spot.
Above this are some fun images giving you an idea of exactly what awaits inside the set. These images showcase what you can’t see on the image on the front of the box, and demonstrate some of the set’s various traps…
But before we get to that, we must look at the minifigures. This set comes with seven minifigures, and three skeletons, which is incredibly generous. We have the world-famous adventurer Johnny Thunder, who, as a Jonny myself, I looked up to. It’s also my Brickset username, so you can tell I still care a lot about this character!
He is helped by Dr Kilroy, Pippin Reed and Harry Cane. I love the old-fashioned film camera that Pippin is carrying, especially as a tiny brick can slot into it to represent the footage that she has just filmed. Johnny Thunder came with a backpack in this set, but child-me put it on Dr Kilroy for some reason, and I left it on him.
Then we have the villains of the set – Lord Sam Sinister with his monocle and Slyboots with his top hat. Lord Sam Sinister is very evil looking, especially since he as a hook for a hand, and Slyboot’s staring eyes also mark him out as someone not to be trusted.
I’d like to mention that all the characters excluding Johnny Thunder had alternative names outside of the UK, as did the set itself! In the pre-internet world of 1998, I didn’t know any of the character’s names apart from Johnny Thunder, but I could still tell from their minifigure faces who was a hero and who was a villain.
The vehicles are a great addition to the set. As a child, I particularly loved the hot air balloon, as it looked incredibly unique and was something you didn’t really see in any other LEGO set.
This hot air balloon has a lot of detail to it and is quite an intricate build. As you can see, the gas tank is connected to the floor and the balloon just like in real life, which makes the set feel more authentic. There’s also a stick of dynamite included, just in case of emergency!
The car, in comparison, is sizeable but much simpler, although it has small details that give it personality, like the chain on the front.
I always loved the details on the windscreen – the wipers and the bullet hole - which once again tell a story before you’ve even started playing with the temple.
In the back of the car are two crates full of weapons and a mug. It seems like our Adventurers are going to need the gun since there’s already a bullet hole in their windscreen!
Now we’ve got the vehicles to get to the temple, we can finally arrive there.
The box art showcases just how grand and intricate the set is – and it looks even better in real life. The set is split into two, which is perfect for play. The front half of the set is a very complex build, whereas the back half is very simple.
On the front half of the set, I always loved the obelisk, the palm tree and all the hieroglyphics. There’s so much detail here! The parrots are funny, and the teeth and eyes are menacing, foreshadowing the danger inside the temple…
Building the front half of the set with the old-fashioned instructions (the pros and cons of which have been discussed in a recent Brickset article) does make the build challenging, especially for a younger builder. However, this front section is extremely fun to build, mostly because of the hidden details and – yep, you guessed it – the booby traps. The rocks at the top of the temple that create a triangular tower are a really satisfying part of the build and look great, especially with the sarcophagus lid sitting in the middle of them.
The other side of the front half of the set may not look as striking, but instead has a lot of play value.
There’s a ladder that leads up to the second floor of the temple to not one but two trap doors – one of which drops blocks down and also releases an axe. Ouch!
There’s also a treasure chest full of gold…
And a very jolly looking sarcophagus!
Wait a second… I did say there were seven minifigures didn’t I? That’s because one is hiding in the sarcophagus – and he’s not jolly at all! It’s Pharoah Hotep, back from the grave, waiting to strike down all who try to steal his treasure!
Pharoah Hotep has a suitably ‘mummy’ looking appearance, with a stitched-up mouth and decaying grey face. He’s also being protected by two skeleton guards, who are hiding in the temple walls, waiting to pop-out and attack…
But more traps and dangers await in the second half of the set. As you can see here, I tried to recreate the image on the inside of the box, allowing you to see through the mouth of the temple to the real treasure – the ruby…
Although the back half of the set is lacking in a challenging build, it is still very detailed and has multiple play elements to it. I particularly like the crocodiles, which we can presume are grey because they are mummified, and the two Anubis statues that sit on either side of a skeleton. There are also snakes and scorpions because this is, after all, the desert, right?
The giant ruby, enclosed in a glass case, sits in front of the skeleton and statues of Anubis. There’s also a warning above this skeleton, telling all who enter that to be very wary of the fate that awaits them inside the temple…
And there’s a very good reason for this. In what I still think is one of the best play functions in any LEGO set, the ruby is literally snatched out of the grasp of anyone who tries to take it. This is achieved by having a magnet underneath the ruby and another magnet sitting on the other side of the door of the skeleton, so that when the trap door is turned, the ruby leaps out and disappears, leaving the Adventurers trapped inside the temple with Pharoah Hotep.
I created a GIF of this so that you could all see this amazing piece of LEGO engineering in action…
As you can probably tell from this review, I have thoroughly enjoyed building and playing with this set again. To me, this was and still is the ultimate LEGO set. It’s a great theme, has great minifigures, is a great build, and has so much to play with. I spent many many hours of my childhood playing with this set, and that’s because this set really does tell a story in every single way. I think this is missing from the modern sets. Perhaps that’s because a lot of them are based on existing IP, and so LEGO assumes that those playing with the sets will already have stories in their mind for those characters. Regardless, I’m very happy that I kept this set in the box, and I will continue to play with it alongside my children, who I hope will have as much fun with it as I did. And I know they’ll love the booby traps too!
I know that the Indiana Jones sets have probably confined Adventurers to history, but I long for the day when the Adventurers rise once again, just like Pharaoh Hotep himself…
Do you have a childhood favourite set that you'd like to review? We'd love to publish it if so!
238 likes
73 comments on this article
Thank you so much for this.
You've made my week.
I love this set so muchh!!
It came out before I was even born, but I still think a lot about it, which is proof that the adventurers theme isn't only good because of nostalgia.
Looks like a lot of fun went into writing this article. That's what LEGO's for, after all. I'm sure nostalgia reviews like this one would be hugely appreciated by a lot of LEGO fans. There are a few sets I can think of that would be ideal candidates for this.
Lovely review!
Now do 2284, you cowards.
Thanks ~~ @Huw ~~ @JonnyThunder for this trip down memory lane. 5988 was one of my favorite sets when I was a kid (also one of the biggest!), and I remember having a ton of fun with all the included minifigs (incl. skeletons!), animals (scorpions, snakes, parrots, crocodiles) and vehicules. I also recall using those magnets on MOC cranes, a bit like how they were used in 6907 .
I also looked up the hieroglyphs, of which those on the obelisk spell: Horus, and Anubis. Inside the temple: Khnoum, Thoht . https://www.egyptos.net/egyptos/hieroglyphes/alphabet-phonetique-hieroglyphes.php
No word on the alternative builds in the instructions though? ?? (page 48 of this file: https://www.lego.com/cdn/product-assets/product.bi.core.pdf/4115743.pdf - https://www.reddit.com/r/lego/comments/1enlunj/ill_have_whatever_the_designer_in_1998_was_having/ )
Great fun and an adorable review. Loved the detail and the emotions!
@Moviuro said:
"Thanks @Huw for this trip down memory lane."
Thank @JonnyThunder, the author, not me. I just posted it :)
I had a huge Adventurers craving a couple of years ago, and managed to get most of them. This is definitely one of the most enjoyable! I too loved the hot air balloon, and the truck. It definitely was a complete adventure in a box.
I still have a sealed 7419 Dragon Fortress and a 7418 Scorpion Palace which both look super tasty and fun, but I can't bear opening either to be honest...
I loved this set and played with it so much. I'd completely forgotten about the magnet mechanism! Great post
Nice review. I recall my children had this set. BTW, the surname is Fraser and not Frasier.
Cool set, just think they could've leaned into the Anubis iconography a bit more. 7326 certainly did
Adventurers was during my dark age but I've grown to love them as they still give that nostalgic kick and it's such an inspiring theme for ideas and MOCs.
Thank you especially for that gif of the play feature (wow!) as I've never seen that before, and is not something that is conveyed in instructions or set photos.
I want big UCS remake of it, like it was with Galaxy Explorer or Pirates sets. My second favorite Johnny Thunder set after 7419.
That magnet thing sounds like something they should bring back. There's a lot of themes that could benefit from using it.
This the kind of set I would have liked to own. Ancient Egypt fascinates me.
@daniellesa said:
"That magnet thing sounds like something they should bring back. There's a lot of themes that could benefit from using it.
This the kind of set I would have liked to own. Ancient Egypt fascinates me."
I think the problem with using a magnet like that nowadays is that it presents a health risk to a child audience. That’s why today’s Lego train couplings don’t have detachable magnets any more, I imagine; there’s too much unfortunate precedent (and actual legal issues) to warrant anything else.
I agree it would open up some fascinating opportunities, though. I was lucky to acquire this set when it was originally released and it remains a highlight of my collection even now. It’s a beautiful model, full of points of interactivity to enjoy. I’d love to see a modern interpretation of it, even if the price tag would inevitably be horrendous.
I love this type of thing too and Ancient Egypt especially. Sadly, with the clamour for console franchises, musicals, TV series and Star Wars, I doubt we will see anything of this ilk anytime soon.
I miss sets like this that were heavy on the play features. Even as an AFOL now, detail and accuracy is all very well and good, but who doesn't love a good trap door or hidden room etc? Or the simple joy of having a chest full of shiney bits?
@GrizBe said:
"I miss sets like this that were heavy on the play features. Even as an AFOL now, detail and accuracy is all very well and good, but who doesn't love a good trap door or hidden room etc? Or the simple joy of having a chest full of shiney bits?"
This era of Adventurers had multiple chests of shiny bits, and it was glorious.
I have this set and I agree, it is a great play set, and the magnet is very unusual and exciting.
As a kid of the eighties I can never get used to the faces of the 90's though. Especially the female face looks so ugly to me!
This set was in a 90s J-horror film I was watching last month. One of the Ring movies if I recall correctly! Best part of the film!
5978 was my favorite of the Adventurers sets (and I still have it in its box), but I had (and enjoyed) this one too. I'd completely forgotten about the magnet function until reading this. Very nice review!
@Huw said:
" @Moviuro said:
"Thanks @Huw for this trip down memory lane."
Thank @JonnyThunder, the author, not me. I just posted it :)"
Thank you @JonnyThunder. Nice review. Now, I know where the cool truck I have comes from. I always wondered.
But, even more, thank you @Huw! I read the review, and glossed-over the author. I was depressed to think that you were a child in 1999!
Instead, I ain't feeling old, and I got a kick in my step! :)
I've loved Adventurers for as long as I can remember. My dad had 5956 (I sadly utterly destroyed it trying to figure out how it worked at age 5) I also loved 5920 at first sight when I drove it in the Lego Island 2 videogame. Then, in 2003, I got as many Orient Expedition sets as i cold get my hands on. Now, as an adult, I have a bunch of vehicles, figures and a temple all custom designed or expanded upon from sets from other themes in the Adventurers style.
This is still high on my hunting list. I have a few of the desert themed sets, and they're fantastic. I really want to build a scene with all of them, even if there are some dupes of the characters across them. Lego really did a great job with the flagship sets of most themes throughout the 90s, and this one appears to be near the top. Someday I'll find it, like Johnny and the ruby...
@dimc said:
"This is still high on my hunting list. I have a few of the desert themed sets, and they're fantastic. I really want to build a scene with all of them, even if there are some dupes of the characters across them. Lego really did a great job with the flagship sets of most themes throughout the 90s, and this one appears to be near the top. Someday I'll find it, like Johnny and the ruby..."
It has been on my list for some time but the price for it on the aftermarket is crazy!
I think this is my favourite set of all time, apart from maybe the Metroliner, although sadly I don’t own it and to buy it new nowadays is ridiculously expensive. This does really need to be re-released by Lego or remade like the El Dorado Pirates fort. I would love to have the printed parts in particular.
A good hit of nostalgy, sadly I never owned this and to expensive now
@Mister_Jonny and @daniellesa
Have you missed 60245 ?
@Belboz said:
" @dimc said:
"This is still high on my hunting list. I have a few of the desert themed sets, and they're fantastic. I really want to build a scene with all of them, even if there are some dupes of the characters across them. Lego really did a great job with the flagship sets of most themes throughout the 90s, and this one appears to be near the top. Someday I'll find it, like Johnny and the ruby..."
It has been on my list for some time but the price for it on the aftermarket is crazy!"
I haven't amassed this collection of vintage sets by paying market price! I look for unique or rare parts in local sales and work from there. It's a slow process for sure, and I end up with a lot of bulk, but it's a lot of fun to sort through and build. I only wish I had more sorting and display space, but for now I build, display for a while, and then bag them up for the future. Here's hoping someday I have a little "museum" of Lego through the 80s and 90s!
I got the Sphinx from this theme as a kid and loved it, so adult me with disposable income had to get the Temple too. No regrets!
We need more retro reviews. There's a lot of old sets that either don't have good images or don't have many reviews. It'd be great to see older sets get a more comprehensive study.
I still own this complete with the box along with https://brickset.com/sets/5956-1.
Love Adventurers and appreciate the walk down memory lane.
@Wasthereonce said:
"We need more retro reviews. There's a lot of old sets that either don't have good images or don't have many reviews. It'd be great to see older sets get a more comprehensive study."
We'd be very happy to publish any that anyone, including you, would like to write!
One of the lofty peaks of LEGO playset design. A masterpiece.
Thank you for the review!
Coincidentally I bit the bullet on this set earlier this year and got one. It's one of the single most expensive sets I've recently acquired, but it was worth it! Even though I love my Dragon Fortress more because of personal and subjective reasons, I must say it's definitely deserving of being as iconic as it is.
The best part about the set is that it's a complete package. Sure, the others in the line can be added to it, but on its own it has everything you could want. All characters from that year, a complete temple with a good amount of traps, a good guy and bad guy vehicle that fit all characters and even a front and back section! And as an adventurers set it also has a lot of accessories!
At the same time it's not overdone. No needless or repetitive building. It's a big enough set as it is already.
Great set from a great line. I miss sets like this.
@Huw said:
" @Wasthereonce said:
"We need more retro reviews. There's a lot of old sets that either don't have good images or don't have many reviews. It'd be great to see older sets get a more comprehensive study."
We'd be very happy to publish any that anyone, including you, would like to write!"
I did one for an old battle pack back in April (75088). You can publish that if you want, but they do take a lot of time as you surely know.
@Huw said:
" @Wasthereonce said:
"We need more retro reviews. There's a lot of old sets that either don't have good images or don't have many reviews. It'd be great to see older sets get a more comprehensive study."
We'd be very happy to publish any that anyone, including you, would like to write!"
Wait, what is required? I have a ton of vintage sets and I love these types of reviews where you cover things in a more modern format. Do you have some sort of form that they should be done in?
Edit: I'd likely be willing to go through themes if I feel up to rebuilding them. I don't always have instruction books though.
Thanks for the review! The magnet play feature looks soooooo fun! I wish I had this set.
@dimc said:
" @Huw said:
" @Wasthereonce said:
"We need more retro reviews. There's a lot of old sets that either don't have good images or don't have many reviews. It'd be great to see older sets get a more comprehensive study."
We'd be very happy to publish any that anyone, including you, would like to write!"
Wait, what is required? I have a ton of vintage sets and I love these types of reviews where you cover things in a more modern format. Do you have some sort of form that they should be done in?"
Something similar to this and others we publish.
Many thanks @JonnyThunder
I'm really going to have to grab this set and the 5978 from my storage and rebuild them.
Nice sets, a lot of printed parts, no stickers.
I only remember that the pith helmets always fell off.
I really don't understand why LEGO killed the Adventurers. It was original IP, it was fun, and they had great potential. The biggest sets were often quite excellent. Lots of great memories with these. Johnny Thunder remains the most iconic LEGO character and Adventurers sets have had great resale value.
By comparison, the Indiana Jones sets were very meh.
I can't be the only one who first encountered Johnny Thunder under the name Joe Freeman?
Joe Freeman/Atticus Kilroy/Pippin Reed
Johnny Thunder/Charles Lightning/Gail Storm (you can see the common theme here)
interestingly, the villain was named Sam sAnister instead of sInister, and Harry Cane had the same name in both iterations.
Great review on a great set, @JonnyThunder ! I want to dig mine out and build it!
Also, it's good to know there's another Jonny out there that is spelt correctly. ;)
Awesome review of one of my oldest and favorite sets. I bought a copy that was missing pieces years ago and then completed it, except for a elastic band or two for the balloon (hard to come by). I have always loved the Adventurers theme, and especially the Egyptian ones.
Not sure if it was said above but I think this is the only set that had the grey crocodiles! Also love all the prints and lack of stickers.
@Huw said:
" @dimc said:
" @Huw said:
" @Wasthereonce said:
"We need more retro reviews. There's a lot of old sets that either don't have good images or don't have many reviews. It'd be great to see older sets get a more comprehensive study."
We'd be very happy to publish any that anyone, including you, would like to write!"
Wait, what is required? I have a ton of vintage sets and I love these types of reviews where you cover things in a more modern format. Do you have some sort of form that they should be done in?"
Something similar to this and others we publish. "
How would I contact you with these? Do you want them in a .doc, .txt, how do I submit pictures, etc.
Adventurers is my favourite classic Lego original theme. I love the sets, the characters, and the stories. I would love it if they brought it back.
As for this set, it's my favourite of the theme.
Nice review^^
If you didn't know already there are a few easter-eggs hidden amongst the hieroglyphics, as those can actually be read. Most of which spell out the names of some Egyptian deities (Horus, Thoth, Anubis and Khnum), other simply read "Lego", while some are the names of Lego designers:
NIILS (presumably Niels Milan Pedersen)
GEIR (Geir Karsten Riis?)
HEINRK (Typo? Henrik Rubin Saaby, Designer of this set btw)
SISSA (no idea... Any suggestions?)
The "treasure map" tiles all have famous places in Egypt marked, which in some cases seem to follow the story of Adventurers as told by the audio drama in set 5938:
Giza
Saqqara
Heliopolis
Memphis
Al-Fayyum
Thebes
Karnak
Luxor
(from north to south)
@watcher21 said:
"A good hit of nostalgy, sadly I never owned this and to expensive now
@Mister_Jonny and @daniellesa
Have you missed 60245 ?"
I am aware of that set, it looks pretty fun! But you’ll notice the magnets appear to be embedded in pretty large elements; I’m guessing they’re literally harder to swallow.
The definite LEGO System set.
@gusmoore said:
"The definite LEGO System set. "
Yep, it is DEFINITELY LEGO...
:-)))
One of the lot of great sets I missed during my Dark Ages…
@alldarker said:
"I had a huge Adventurers craving a couple of years ago, and managed to get most of them. This is definitely one of the most enjoyable! I too loved the hot air balloon, and the truck. It definitely was a complete adventure in a box.
I still have a sealed 7419 Dragon Fortress and a 7418 Scorpion Palace which both look super tasty and fun, but I can't bear opening either to be honest... "
7419 is amazing!! I was lucky enough to get it when I was a teenager and nearing my dark ages. I would say 5988 and 7419 are the two best flagship sets of the adventurers line. Both have great play and display value, minifigure selection, and both enjoyable builds.
Also, 7419 has a game you can play with it.
5988 is actually the set that brought me out of my dark ages nearly 10 years ago. I had adventurers as my theme when I was a child and had always wanted this set. I got my tax return one year and one came up for a reasonable price that would now be considered an absolute steal. I convinced my wife to let me get it. That was probably the most expensive decision she made. I now have almost all the Adventurers sets and have spent a staggering amount on Lego.
I am now only a few sets away from having a complete Adventurers collection. I keep meaning to get the collection finished, but some of the small sets were not released in this part of the world so can be hard to find.
@dimc said:
" @Huw said:
" @dimc said:
" @Huw said:
" @Wasthereonce said:
"We need more retro reviews. There's a lot of old sets that either don't have good images or don't have many reviews. It'd be great to see older sets get a more comprehensive study."
We'd be very happy to publish any that anyone, including you, would like to write!"
Wait, what is required? I have a ton of vintage sets and I love these types of reviews where you cover things in a more modern format. Do you have some sort of form that they should be done in?"
Something similar to this and others we publish. "
How would I contact you with these? Do you want them in a .doc, .txt, how do I submit pictures, etc. "
We have some guidelines here: https://brickset.com/article/74080/guidelines-for-contributing-articles-for-publication-at-brickset
@MusiMus said:
"I want big UCS remake of it, like it was with Galaxy Explorer or Pirates sets. My second favorite Johnny Thunder set after 7419."
It is a very close call for me, but I think I would agree that 7419 just beats out 5988. I think it's the dragon.
@Huw said:
" @dimc said:
" @Huw said:
" @dimc said:
" @Huw said:
" @Wasthereonce said:
"We need more retro reviews. There's a lot of old sets that either don't have good images or don't have many reviews. It'd be great to see older sets get a more comprehensive study."
We'd be very happy to publish any that anyone, including you, would like to write!"
Wait, what is required? I have a ton of vintage sets and I love these types of reviews where you cover things in a more modern format. Do you have some sort of form that they should be done in?"
Something similar to this and others we publish. "
How would I contact you with these? Do you want them in a .doc, .txt, how do I submit pictures, etc. "
We have some guidelines here: https://brickset.com/article/74080/guidelines-for-contributing-articles-for-publication-at-brickset"
Awesome, thank you!
Given that there have been recent sets celebrating Castle, Pirates, and Space, it would be only fair to have one reimagining an Adventure set, and this would be the obvious choice! 7419 is also wonderful, but there have been lots of Dragon Temples in the Ninjago theme; a playset paying tribute to Ancient Egypt would be very special. Yes, there is the splendid Architecture set, but it's a display set, not really something to *play* with.
Marvellous. Thanks Mr Thunder.
Keeping the box is an amazing achievement for a child! I say this because I have almost none from my early days, only the two original train sets 4561 and 4512, the Spielberg movie set 1349 and finally the racing track 4588.
For the love of god LEGO...BRING THIS LINE BACK!
Cool set and review.
Although reading about people feeling "nostalgia" for a set that came out well into my dark ages made me realize once again how old I actually am...
@legoDad42 said:
"For the love of god LEGO...BRING THIS LINE BACK!"
seconded!
My brothers and I have had conversations along the lines of "if you could have just ONE set [on a desert island, survive a fire, name the scenario]" and this is probably my most consistent answer. I had @5978 first, so it edges @5988 out ever so slightly nostalgically, as the set that introduced me to Johnny Thunder, Gail Storm, Baron von Barron, etc, but if you had to only have one set--well, this is a far larger build, with a really solid collection of pieces.
And it has Harry Cane.
I loved @5978 and Johnny Thunder so much, that it wasn't enough: I had to get this too! It was almost the first big "save up money for a big LEGO purchase" of my preteen years (not QUITE, but that's another story) and it didn't disappoint at all. It's been rebuilt in all its glory for years now and remains a perennial favourite: my brothers have accused me--fairly--of Johnny Thunder being the protagonist of my universe.
I got this set for Christmas in 1998! I still have it and it's one of my all time favorite sets! Absolutely LOVE 90s LEGO!
Wonderful review for a great and classic set!
I actually acquired nearly all of the key parts for this set in a bulk purchase online and then via a guy I found on Facebook marketplace!
I have colour-printed the instructions too!
I just need to find the time to inventory it all, buy the Minifigures and missing parts online, and then build it!…..
I love Adventurers. It's such an awesome theme. I love it for the specific theme itself like adventure, the interwar time period and exotic locations, but also as a Lego original theme itself for its characters, well developed plot, ideas and great sets.
If you want to create a great Lego theme, study Adventurers.
Like some people here I missed out on them. Technically I was alive for Orient Expedition but far, far too young.
This set is like wow. A perfect playset. That magnet is brilliant and the balloon as mentioned in the really good review is surprisingly detailed considering.
I'm confident any child given this set would play with it for hours and have a lot of fun. (even more if combined with other sets). Naturally updated pieces and prints would help, but the play value here is still going strong.
I think I could summarise in saying that Lego designers put a lot of effort into Adventurers, and into this set. Thank you to the other Brickset members who have explained what the hieroglyphics mean, the detail in those alone both aesthetically and also writing real Egyptian names/locations and Lego designers names prove the love and attention this theme got.
I would strongly support the calls here for either an Icons version of this set in the spirit of POBB/LKC OR even better a return of the Adventurers theme.
I am curious why we haven't got any Icons Adventurers sets yet. We had various references in the Icons Haunted House. Plus this year specifically we've gotten an updated Pippin Reed and Dr Kilroy (in an appropriate time period) and a Johnny Thunder imposter in City.
Some argue that lego just makes references to various old themes, my response is that ones like Ice Planet or Wolfpack are subthemes of the major Classic themes Space and Castle respectively. Whereas Adventurers is, and deserves to be, its own thing.
This set is probably the best candidate for an Icons set. Indiana Jones theme is no more, and as mentioned by others we've had so many 'Asian' temples that the Golden Dragon Palace no longer stands out. Egypt isnt something we get much, and a set like this (as the comment section shows), appeals to Adventurers fans, general adventure/Indy fans, and people just interested in Ancient Egypt. Some people may even wish to use a set like this in their city fairground or a museum.
If I was making an Icons set, Id also include the SE.5 biplane from set 5909/5948 and maybe one of the Adventurers cars from one of the desert sets.
If Adventurers was limited to one set only Id further include a Nile riverboat using the design from one of the Jungle subtheme sets.
You have shared well your love of this set. I now love it too :). I am impressed by the details in the vehicles, and all the play features.
I was wondering why I have no sets from this theme, because I was loving Indiana Jones. It seems that it went out when I was switching to Technic. Two years before, I would have asked for this theme like crazy
Peak of Lego right here. Town may have been juniorised in 90s, but there were so many good and unique themes like Adventurers, Rock Raiders, Western, Res-Q, etc.
Having just been born in late 90s I was far too young for Lego so I missed out on these sets, but with the dawn of the digital age I was able to learn about these themes and wished I could play with them.
At least I got to play some flash games on Lego website (there were a few Adventurers games since Orient Expedition was still alive as the last wave of the theme). Also, the video games made at the turn of the millenium - Lego Racers 1 & 2, Lego Rock Raiders, Lego Chess, Lego Stunt Rally, Lego Loco, Lego Creator, Lego Island 2 all contributed to my love for the old themes.
One more thing that comes to mind - in the early days of Youtube, there were a few Lego stop motion short movies being posted and they usually contained the sets from the 90s. This was also my exposition to the era.
For those wanting Lego to reissue this, perhaps send Lego an email or next time they ask you to complete a survey on the Lego site, mention you’d like this in their other comments section. If enough people do this, it will show the interest in bringing back this iconic set!
@Brickchap said:
"I love Adventurers. It's such an awesome theme. I love it for the specific theme itself like adventure, the interwar time period and exotic locations, but also as a Lego original theme itself for its characters, well developed plot, ideas and great sets.
If you want to create a great Lego theme, study Adventurers.
Like some people here I missed out on them. Technically I was alive for Orient Expedition but far, far too young.
This set is like wow. A perfect playset. That magnet is brilliant and the balloon as mentioned in the really good review is surprisingly detailed considering.
I'm confident any child given this set would play with it for hours and have a lot of fun. (even more if combined with other sets). Naturally updated pieces and prints would help, but the play value here is still going strong.
I think I could summarise in saying that Lego designers put a lot of effort into Adventurers, and into this set. Thank you to the other Brickset members who have explained what the hieroglyphics mean, the detail in those alone both aesthetically and also writing real Egyptian names/locations and Lego designers names prove the love and attention this theme got.
I would strongly support the calls here for either an Icons version of this set in the spirit of POBB/LKC OR even better a return of the Adventurers theme.
I am curious why we haven't got any Icons Adventurers sets yet. We had various references in the Icons Haunted House. Plus this year specifically we've gotten an updated Pippin Reed and Dr Kilroy (in an appropriate time period) and a Johnny Thunder imposter in City.
Some argue that lego just makes references to various old themes, my response is that ones like Ice Planet or Wolfpack are subthemes of the major Classic themes Space and Castle respectively. Whereas Adventurers is, and deserves to be, its own thing.
This set is probably the best candidate for an Icons set. Indiana Jones theme is no more, and as mentioned by others we've had so many 'Asian' temples that the Golden Dragon Palace no longer stands out. Egypt isnt something we get much, and a set like this (as the comment section shows), appeals to Adventurers fans, general adventure/Indy fans, and people just interested in Ancient Egypt. Some people may even wish to use a set like this in their city fairground or a museum.
If I was making an Icons set, Id also include the SE.5 biplane from set 5909/5948 and maybe one of the Adventurers cars from one of the desert sets.
If Adventurers was limited to one set only Id further include a Nile riverboat using the design from one of the Jungle subtheme sets."
This definitely needs to be done. Seeing as this would probably be a onetime thing then perhaps a larger set combining the best of the Egyptian subtheme, as you have suggested. I would be keen to see all the printed hieroglyphics pieces included (no trying to cheapen this with stickers like you did with Indiana Jones under any circumstances, Lego!!!). Also, the camels that came with the Prince of Persia sets would be a great addition and the Anubis guards and scarab beetle parts from Pharoah’s Quest. I always criticise the high prices but this would be an exception I’d be content to pay a lot for (if done as suggested above)!
Thank you for this great and eye-opening review. I didn't know this set existed because my dark ages were from 1995 to 2005, but man, what a great piece of LEGO engineering this is. Although it has an amazing design with printed elements and super details, creating the atmosphere of an ancient Egyptian treasure hunt (I love the vehicles in the set, especially the amazing hot air balloon) and great minifigures, it's actually a playset that kids probably fell in love with at the time, and which inspired their imagination and creativity, as this is what LEGO is all about. I love all the traps in the main building, but the magic comes in the background with the magnet trick to suddenly hide the ruby. Enthralling. Although Town, Train, and Technic were past their prime by the time this series came out, Adventures (and Western) was such gem in the latter half of the 90s that I wish I had been a kid for this period again to enjoy these sets in their full glory.
This is a far more intricate set than I expected it to be. Thanks for the retro review, I can see why this set carries a premium.
great review, although i really dont know about this set not having any cons, a set being that good just seems implausible. i imagine there is probablt some nostalgia bias at play here
I agree fun set.
I actually have one up for sale here, if anyone is interested just let me know.
Huw, it is booby traps, as i recall - not bobby traps.