LEGO® Set Review: 6815 Hovertron
See also
Nathan R. Duffy’s review
6815
![[6815 Set Photo]](../pix/6815.jpg)
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Hovertron (us)
Exploriens rumscooter (da)
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Space System / Exploriens
Ages 5-18 / 28 Pcs
1 page manual: 1 model, 9 steps.
©1996
Price Range: Price Range: $3.49 CAD / The Bay, Cloverdale Mall, Etobicoke.
Review Written: 27 August 1996 by Calum Tsang
Special Features / Compatibility
None
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Extra Elements
None
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Decals: Yes
Scale: Minifigure scale
Errors: No Errors
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Ratings:
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Set: Excellent
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Models: Very-Good
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Playability: Very-Good
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Conclusion
I would recommend the set to Space fans and children, yet I’m not sure if I would have purchased it again. I suppose I would have, since it was free.
Description
The Hovertron is one of the new 1996 Space products from the Exploriens theme. The entire theme is white and black with transparent greenish-yellow pieces and hologram stickers. The idea is that the Exploriens are an explorer culture, as opposed to Spyrius citizens, who only serve to “kick ro-butt”. :)
A relatively small set, 6815 is a small saucer that a little spaceman stands on. Think of a floor polisher that met Tim “The Tool Man”
Taylor with a fan tail and hologram stickers. The spaceman controls this jet propelled vehicle with a jetski like handlebar. The lower saucer part, is a 8 dot diameter flat disc, with amusing little peripherals surrounding the main operation area in the center.
Hovertron is similar to two Classic (and Neoclassic) space sets I remember from my childhood. One is a little riding hoverbike, and the other is from the Space Supply Station, ca 1986 or so.
As mentioned before, the primary colour scheme is white and black, which I must say is quite attractive. The rest is decorated with the usual space transparent elements, sorta like visiting Las Vegas. Many of the pieces are decorated with small holographic stickers. To the right of the spaceman is a 2x2 flat tile which has a holograph with stars, perhaps a navigational aid. The fantail piece has a shattered polygon motif, which could be a solar collector or perhaps a shield generator.
I must comment about the spaceman design—I’m pretty impressed. I like its greyscale colour scheme, dark grey arms with light grey hands, smatterings of black here and there, white torso, and a dark grey helmet which looks rather complicated—with a connection for a suitable air hose. Cool!
Impression
The last time I bought a space set was in 1988, as a child around age 11. I enjoy Town, Boats, Trains, and proudly own a Metroliner and Metrostation too. But with some free credit from the Bay, I decided to pick up the Hovertron, which I thought was a rather cute set from this odd new Space theme.
Because I normally don’t buy Space, and my own Space concepts/ideas are either a) unbuildable or b) so firmly rooted in pre 1988 (Classic and NeoClassic Space I hear); I find it difficult to review the Hovertron.
Definite points for interesting pieces and nice colour scheme. Some minuses in the layout—the Hovertron seems wider than needed, like a cheap pizza. But all in all, quite a fun little set.
Ratings
Set Rating:Excellent
Some of the parts in this set seem very useful, even to a Town person. Like this round white table piece. I can think of a ton of uses for this. And those little clip on wings would make great overhanging awnings. The jet thrusters on the sides are a welcome return from the eighties.
Model Rating:Very-Good
It’s certainly adorable, from it’s size. But I find it to be too wide, and the model would look better if it were built upon a 6 stud by 6 stud disc.
Playability Rating:Very-Good
Space in general requires a lot of imagination, which kids are certainly full of. Since most, well, no kid has ever been into space physically, part of the joy of space exploration for children is to create situations and action.
Many LEGO sets are fun because of moving parts, like wheels, suspensions, even electric motor and sound pieces. Space sets I think need to captivate the “user” with “feature elements” and this set does well in that regard. But the size really does beg for more involvement with more sets.
It also seems that other models are somewhat limited with only 28 pieces. Alas, for a small set, it’s decent.
Likes
Colour scheme
Special pieces
Spaceman
Overall cuteness
Dislikes
Didn’t like wide layout of parts.
A chair for the spaceman would have made him more comfortable
Elements
Bear in mind the caveat that I am somewhat out of touch with Space.
Special/New Elements
White 8x8 flat disc (found in Belville sets as a table)
White fantail (three segment wing with clip)
White odd tool/antenna piece with two handles
Explorien Mini-Figure
White octagonal half pieces (two form one octagon, six across)
Quite a lot of special pieces!
Decals
Sort of attractive, cover single bricks.
This is absolutely a model based decision. I have no space layout, and therefore would not be buying it for integration into preexisting models. It sits on my desk, the spaceman guarding the jar of paper stars my girlfriend gave me, and the hovertron landed on some ca. 1987 diskettes containing framegrabber source code :)
Copyright
This review is Copyright 1996, by the author as named above. The author grants publication rights for all uses, public and private, with the following exceptions: all information in the document must be published in full; any for-profit use requires express written permission for publication or quotation of the author.
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