2152 - Robo-Raptor

Rating:
Pros: A neat idea for a mech model
Cons: I hoped for a little more from this new subtheme overall.
Contents: 220 pieces including 1 mini-fig
Price: $19.99 - Discontinued
Reviewed: 1-Oct-1997
Reviewed by: Joseph Gonzalez

Twenty tons of powerful smashing feet, tearing claws and a fierce steel-rusting breath appear from the lakeside forest and a terrible ear-piercing hiss issues from the beast as it bears down on the unexpecting astronaut and his craft. Mere meters from the spaceship and pilot that is certain of his doom, the reptilian giant pauses and rears back to a standing position. Only then does Toshiro notice a man sitting on the back of the raptor. With a wave of his hand, the man bounces down the tail (that only moments ago was whipping madly about) and stands before the now amazed emperor's envoy. "Hello," the raptor rider says as he flips up the opaque visor to show a widely grinning face and yet another visor protecting his eyes, "and welcome to my world, visitor from the skies!"

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1997's new Space subtheme Robo Force sounded promising (though giant robots have been around in different shapes and sizes for a while) but while the recent Spyrius droids looked pretty cool, Robo Force models have been somewhat of a letdown in the appearance category. Only two of the four models released in 1997 looked worth taking a chance on so I went for the less expensive of two evils and bought the Robo Raptor. I am impressed with the way this model turned out. Mobility obviously isn't going to be a strong point (though the legs do pivot back and forth) but where additional hinges/joints might have helped, they would also probably detract from this solid model's stability. Humorously referred to as "robo-chicken" by some fans, the Raptor does take on the appearance of a thick-thighed leghorn with an axe to grind. Outfitted with storage boxes for sample collecting, three fingered claws and firepower mounted on the swiveling head, your Raptor could be remote-controlled or manned by a pilot sitting atop the raptor's back. The model could fit into an exploration party or just as easily in a battle (although the rider would probably be picked off quickly in combat conditions). Set includes one black and yellow astronaut (with transparent helmet and black visor, cool!) and a few preprinted (mostly circuits or the Robo logo) bricks: two 2x2 black slopes with circuits, 1x2 tiles, two 2x2 slopes with reptile eyes and a 4x4 upper fuselage-type sloping brick. I like the yellow and black combinations in this subtheme (similarly toned 2154-Robo Master would be my second choice if I were to pick up a second model) as opposed to the other two red and black sets. Lots of slopes plus an abundance of hinged elements add up to a good number of building bricks here.