The LEGO UFO theme was a popular, discontinued sub-theme of the LEGO Space line that ran from 1997 to 1999. It focused on a hostile alien race of cybernetic beings who traveled in spacecraft designed with a distinct saucer shape and vibrant neon-green elements.
Theme Overview and Story
The storyline described the aliens as a race of beings that had augmented their bodies with machinery. They traveled to different worlds, including Earth and the planet in the RoboForce theme, using their advanced technology to capture subjects and harness energy.
Key features of the sets included:
Glowing Elements: Many sets included glow-in-the-dark or transparent neon-green pieces, adding to the alien aesthetic.
Unique Design: The saucer-shaped vehicles and the "holographic" control panels (achieved through reflective stickers and transparent domes) gave the theme a futuristic and unique appearance.
Magnets: Several sets used magnets for attaching and detaching parts of the ships.
Light and Sound: Some of the larger sets incorporated a unique electronic brick with light and sound features.
Notable Discontinued Sets
The sets are now only available from re-sellers and are popular collector's items.
UFO Abduction (Set number: 6975): The flagship set, featuring a large, classic saucer-shaped UFO that used magnets to "abduct" a small planetary vehicle.
Abduction Ship (Set number: 6899): A slightly different, larger ship that featured a grabbing claw mechanism instead of a magnet.
Invader (Set number: 6900): A set featuring a large, all-terrain vehicle designed for planetary exploration and capturing subjects.
Alien Avenger (Set number: 6979): This large ship was unique for incorporating the rare fiber-optic elements to light up the model's details.
Alien Encounter (Set number: 6800): One of the smallest sets, featuring a simple scout ship and a single alien minifigure.
Related Themes
RoboForce (1997 US Exclusive): Positioned as the "good guy" human faction battling the UFO aliens in the storyline.
Insectoids (1998-1999): The immediate successor space theme that also featured an alien race using unique vehicle designs and light elements.
Alien Conquest (2011): A later theme that revisited the alien invasion concept, this time on Earth, where humans battled a new race of aliens.