Theme review: Ice Planet 2002

[TenorPenny]

A fine review!

I have very fond memories of Ice Planet, actually. The chainsaws and skis, etc., really gave it a solid identity, I found. And I liked the colour scheme, myself.

[Eilif]

Great Theme review. Very informative and well assembled. I just stumbled on it now, and I'm glad I did. I was in my pre-teens when Ice planet came out, and it was the last space sub-theme that I acquired multiple sets from.

On the one hand, my fondness for the theme is probably influecneced by nostalgia, but I do think it compares favorably with other space themes. As others have said, it has a very distincitive and coherent design, mythos, and color scheme. It might not have the same cache as some of the more "classic" subthemes -many of which had more than one incarnation- but I think it definatley deserves the "above average" rating that I gave it.

Edited March 3, 2009 by Eilif

[Algernon]

All my reviews are getting revived! It looks like I'll have to make that SP2 review after all.

Ice Planet 2002 is still one of my favorite LEGO Space themes of all time. I like Spyrius, SP2, and others, but Ice Planet stands out to me. I agree though that the base is nothing special.

[Spacefan]

The Deep Freeze Defender is one of those few sets I have as much fun playing with afterward as I had putting it together:

If it came with actual engines it would of been perfect, so I vote 9.5/10.

Too bad the Mars Mission designers couldn't equal its play experience level with the MX-81 Hypersonic Operations Aircraft.

Edited March 4, 2009 by Spacefan

[Algernon]

I agree, the Hypersonic Operations Aircraft was pretty weak. However, I loved the Ultra Drill Walker.

[5150 Lego]

Ahh, the wonderfull Deep Freeze Defender! One of the best sets lego even made;.. Period. I remember drueling over this set in the catologs in 5th grade and finnaly getting it for my birthday! This was one of my favorite sets when i was a kid,.. Ah hell, still is. I really liked the whole ice planet theme. It was the only space theme i ever collected. I think the only sets i didn't have was the Ice Station Oddessy, snow scooter, and the un-named set. The Ice Sat-V was also one of my favorites.

Thank you for such a great review and bring me back to my childhood.

[Algernon]

Not a problem. I'm working on the Space Police 2 review now.

[CP5670]

Nothing wrong with having another perspective, but it might make more sense to do a theme we don't have anything for, if you haven't gotten too far into it already. There is already an SP2 one here.

[Algernon]

Yes, I've seen his review, but he didn't go too far into the history of the theme or any of that other juicy trivia as he did with his M-Tron one, so I think it still merits another full review. Besides, I've got a lot of SP2 and I love that theme.

Edited March 4, 2009 by Algernon

[Spacefan]

Ahh, the wonderfull Deep Freeze Defender! One of the best sets lego even made;.. Period. I remember drueling over this set in the catologs in 5th grade and finnaly getting it for my birthday! This was one of my favorite sets when i was a kid,.. Ah hell, still is. I really liked the whole ice planet theme. It was the only space theme i ever collected. I think the only sets i didn't have was the Ice Station Oddessy, snow scooter, and the un-named set. The Ice Sat-V was also one of my favorites.

Thank you for such a great review and bring me back to my childhood.

The DFD is an incredibly well designed set, and certainly worth having even if one is not into the ice planet theme or its color scheme.

I think LEGO should revisit that design for Space Police 3 in 2010 if the Galactic Enforcer doesn't turn out to be nearly as good, or if they can't design another large spacecraft that equals in playability.

[Algernon]

The DFD is an incredibly well designed set, and certainly worth having even if one is not into the ice planet theme or its color scheme.

I think LEGO should revisit that design for Space Police 3 in 2010 if the Galactic Enforcer doesn't turn out to be nearly as good, or if they can't design another large spacecraft that equals in playability.

We've already seen that the Galactic Enforcer has an interior, so I think it'll be the best capital ship in some time.

[Spacefan]

We've already seen that the Galactic Enforcer has an interior, so I think it'll be the best capital ship in some time.

I've seen the pictures too, and it does look very promising to me.

[Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor]

This is an excellent review! I love the Ice Planet theme, one of my faves! I had the three smallest sets as a child, and recently bought all the sets except for the Ice Tunnelator and the plow. I really want that plow!

Did you ever do that Space Police 2 review?

[jonwil]

Almost everything was printed back then. In fact, I can only think of a handful of different stickers among any of the space themes, some in the Explorien and UFO sets that were made of unusual materials (hologram, heat sensitive, magnetic).

Some Classic Space sets had stickers IIRC (the Beta-1 Command Base had a flag with planet logo stickers for one and I think there may have been classic space astronauts with stickers at once point)

I think the "space diver" started out life (alongside a few other sets from various themes) as a promo set, hence the wierd number and late release.

As for Ice Planet 2002 as a theme, I think its the BEST space theme ever. The Deep Freeze Defender was the largest space set I had as a kid. And I was recently able to obtain the last parts I needed to be Ice Planet Complete (including the large ice baseplate and the orange corner panels)

Thanks for the links to those Ice Planet MOCs, the use of those corner panels as sails on the boat has given me the perfect idea if I ever build my planned "Black Star Barracuda" (as I have a pair of those panels in trans-dark-blue and some hulls in brown. Pitty the hulls never came in black)

Edited March 22, 2010 by jonwil

[xujince]

Ice Planet 2002 is my favourite theme.

[Scorpion]

- Ice Planet developed a small following on 4chan. I have not looked deeper into this for fear of that website.

I really don't see much of Ice Planet 2002 on 4chan. But then again, I don't usually hang out on /toy/...

Check the attachment.. :P

I have not looked deeper into this for fear of that website.

Don't fear us. Join us... :D

Scorpion

[fr33manator]

Great theme review. IP:2002 is easily my favorite space theme. Maybe I could get some of my Ice planet MOCs added to your list?

[B-Lister]

4chan's obsession with ice planet is largely benign as far as I can tell. The fascination lies in the way multiple orange chainsaws can be fitted together to make ludicrous shapes.

[fr33manator]

I LOVE this set. I've even built a militarized faction of IP:2002 nicknamed the "frost Skorpions"

Any chance I can get it added to the MOc list?

[Lyichir]

The Ice-Sat V was my first Lego Space set. I kinda regret not getting any of the larger Ice Planet sets, but at that age I might have had trouble building them anyway.

[fr33manator]

That's what bricklink is for!

I went back and bought them all, then set about collecting parts in the core colors for that set. Got a ton of trams neon orange. Definitely my favorite color scheme

[Algernon]

Shame that the rumors of LEGO reviving Ice Planet turned out to be false. The concept art that we found was absolutely fantastic.

Edited November 28, 2012 by Algernon

[Jobalisk]

I'd like to point out something here in that i really loved the two smallest sets. For one thing, unlike many other tiny polybag style ships that lego released in the 90s the snow scooter actually looks pretty good. Its got a very sleek design and incorperates a lot of the unique ice planet elements such as the control panel and trans orange  saw. Its also got a nice feature in that the control panel tilts rather than just remains stationary. Its just a shame that it didnt include skis. Then theres the ice tunneler, probably my favourite ice planet set simply because it somehow, in such few parts manages to convay so much about the ice planet theme. It also looks really neat and compact.

[Bloktopus]

Ice Planet 2002 has got to be my overall favourite space subtheme. The deep freeze defender is probably the best lego spaceship I've ever seen. The minfigs and especially the snow helmets and chainsaws were great, and the overall atmosphere was really different. I remember expecting M:Tron II at the time, (which would be OK but not really refreshing) yet it turned out to be a very welcome surprise. Good memories.