The LEGO Exploriens was a popular, discontinued LEGO Space sub-theme that ran from 1996 to 1997. It focused on a team of human astronauts dedicated to peaceful exploration, research, and the collection of ancient space artifacts, notably a "Dino-robot" skeleton found on an alien planet.
Theme Overview and Storyline
The storyline centered on a team of explorers who used advanced, modular spacecraft and rovers to search for artifacts. Their main objective was to piece together the remains of an ancient alien robot that resembled a dinosaur. The vehicles featured a distinct white, black, and transparent blue color scheme, and several included built-in compasses as part of the play features.
Key features of the sets included:
Artifact Hunting: The central play pattern involved using magnetic cranes or clips to retrieve "artifact pieces" which were printed tiles.
Dino-Robot: Collecting all the different artifacts allowed builders to assemble a large, separate dino-robot model.
Educational Element: The compasses included in some sets added a real-world, educational element to the toys.
Minifigures: The minifigures included commanders, scientists, and technicians with detailed torso printing.
Notable Discontinued Sets
The sets are now collector's items and are only available on the secondary market from re-sellers.
Exploriens Starship (Set number: 6982): The flagship set and largest starship in the theme. It had a modular design and included a large crane for artifact retrieval.
Spyrius Starbase (Set number: 6980): A unique base that was marketed as both a Spyrius and an Exploriens set, featuring a rotating radar dish and various research facilities.
Star Explorer (Set number: 6958): A large exploration vehicle with a detachable flying saucer and a modular design.
G-Force Lunar Detector (Set number: 6899): A ground-based rover with a large radar dish and the ability to detect artifacts.
Lunar Scout (Set number: 6878): A small, affordable scout vehicle for basic exploration.
Related Themes
Spyrius (1994-1996): The immediate predecessor in the Space line, featuring a more militaristic faction of alien spies.
UFO (1997-1999): The theme that followed Exploriens, focusing on the arrival of hostile cybernetic aliens.
LEGO City Space (Current): Modern space sets, inspired by real-world space agencies like NASA, continue the tradition of exploration and discovery.