6851 - Tri-Wheeled Tyrax

Rating:
Pros: The three-wheeled design is just so awesome! Lots of bricks and plates for alternate models
Cons: Smaller than I expected; a little bulky
Contents: 36 pieces including 1 mini-fig
Price: Discontinued
Reviewed: 23-Jul-1998
Reviewed by: G. M.

A new planet had finally been discovered! After decades of thinking that all planets in the galaxy had been discovered, a new one had finally turned up. Best of all, its inhabitants and atmosphere closely resembled that of Earth!
To celebrate its discovery and start the first colony, the intergalactic monopoly, Blacktron Technologies, was asked to be the first to scout territory to settle. The company was honored to be chosen and sent out one of their best scouts who had also served time as a galactic representative. Major "sucking up" to the Galaxy Confederation was about to take place.
The lone scout was equipped with a newly developed high-tech scout rover that was capable of covering almost any terrain and overcome almost any obstacle.
Almost any obstacle.
The only one it could not handle was the huge acid-spewing insect that came crashing through the forest ready to kill the first thing that moved.

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The Blacktron II sub-theme has always been one of my favorites and this set is one of the reasons why. It is one of the most novel concepts for a vehicle that I have ever seen Lego come out with.

Tri-Wheeled Tyrax is a small three wheeled rover capable of carrying one mini-fig. The three-wheeled concept is just so great that it alone gives the set an additional star for originality, but other stars are cut because of the set's few shortcomings.

The overall vehicle is fairly small, about 14 studs long and 10 studs wide. It looks much larger in the pictures I have seen in catalogs. Other than that, the vehicle is what I expected. The front has a lone wheel that attaches to one axle. The cockpit is in the middle and can seat one Blacktron II fig (or any other fig that stole the rover). He/she controls the rover with a 1x2 computer tile. On the sides of the cockpit are two long translucent green antennae that could serve as flood lights, weapons, or they could be just for show.

The mini-fig is the same as all other Blactron II figures: a black and white space suit with a big green "B" on the chest. There are plenty of bricks and plates with only a few specialized pieces, so alternate models should be easy to come up with (although the three wheels might hinder another ground vehicle).

I recommend this set to anyone who is a Space fan, even if they aren't a die-hard collector or completist. It is just an all around spiffy set.