6903 - Bug Blaster

Rating:
Pros: Some Insectoid pieces
Cons: No purpose; no thrusters or wings; human air-tank; boring design
Contents: 24 including 1 mini-fig
Price: $2.99
Reviewed: 22-May-1998
Reviewed by: Patrick Delahanty

The strange U.F.O. forces which have been hounding the remote outposts for the past year have slowly been disappearing. There have been fewer and fewer attacks, yet the space fleet is no closer to victory. Space Fleet experts have had no answer as to why the enemy's numbers have dwindled until this week. A strange "insect-like" craft was spotted attached to the side of a disabled U.F.O. craft. It seemed to be drawing out energy.
Suddenly, the "Insectoid" craft turned its attention from the U.F.O. craft to the observing Explorien vessel. Now, it was coming towards them!

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This is the first Insectoid set review to appear on this site (and the Internet to the best of my knowledge.) Some things mentioned here may refer to things across the entire Insectoid sub-theme.
The Bug Blaster is the smallest boxed Insectoid set. It is a small ship with one pilot and two antennas on the side. (Apparently the antennas are supposed to be weapons of some sort.) The front of the craft has a new half-sphere "bug-eye" piece held on by a new angle piece. There is a new alien control panel in front of the pilot.
The pilot is an Insectoid mini-fig with a grey head and translucent green Insectoid helmet. Some sort of yellow crystal piece is also included as well as a metal sticker to place on the top. (Larger sets include magnets to pick up these crystals.)

This set was a severe disappointment. I'm really not sure what it's supposed to be. There are no apparent thrusters or wings on the vehicle. It's as if the poor guy is sitting on a rock with a big round thing on the front.
Sure, there are some really neat new Insectoid pieces, including the Insectoid mini-fig, but in a year or two they'll be nothing special.
One thing I found really odd is that this Insectoid mini-fig has the EXACT SAME oxygen (or other gas) tank (in black) that the human mini-figs have had since the early 80's. Larger sets have given the Insectoids the same shoulder pads as the U.F.O. aliens. Why give this guy a human tank?
A yellow crystal is also included, but not only is there no magnet to collect the crystal, but there's no place on the ship to stick it. (The box shows the pilot holding it, but I imagine that would make the ship hard to fly.)

This set may be cheap, but it's really not worth the money. Spend a couple more dollars and get a set that's better. This thing is ugly and serves no purpose.