6180 - Hydro Search Sub

Rating:
Pros: A fair assortment of pieces, the main model is a little better than it appears at first, cool mini-figs.
Cons: Price is too high, some of these newer models have so many colors it looks like a box of crayons threw up.
Contents: 289 pieces including 4 mini-figs
Price: $49.99 - Discontinued
Reviewed: 05-May-1998
Reviewed by: Joseph Gonzalez

Short of breath and near exhaustion, Amahl stops for a moment to look back at his wrecked sub, driven high on the reef, then back to the escaping Stingray terrorist that jumps over a sand dune and continues to run toward the ruins of a castle. The Hydronaut resumes pursuit and again is taken over by the agoraphobic fit that starts his head spinning. He glances longingly back to the safety of the ocean that has been his home for so many years but knows he cannot return without catching the Stingray assassin that demolished the Hydro patrol ship of which Amahl is the only survivor. Fighting the dizziness and nausea, he again begins to run after the figure that has now ducked into the seeming safety of an ancient stone structure.

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Here's a nice surprise. None of the Hydronauts models have impressed me on first glance. As a matter of fact they all look pretty ugly (though not quite as repugnant as the Aquaraiders') so I specifically purchased the 6180 with the intention of creating a better alternate model of my own design. While I haven't gotten around to building my own alternate yet, I admit that the 6180 is a slightly better model than it appears to be in pictures.

The Hydro Search Sub is a four-man submarine with a breakaway sub located at the rear of the main body. The main submarine features a tilted-dome cockpit at the nose and storage/holding cell behind the main cockpit. Next to the holding cell are two more separate compartments for crew members. None of these compartments links together but it is kind of nice to have room for so many people.
Just behind the twin compartments are two cubby holes for cargo boxes and the landing bay for the breakaway sub. The sub sits nicely on its bay and attaches firmly to the main submarine by way of magnets (kind of cool!). This separate sub looks a lot like a large floating dome armed with two tubes that snake around and attach to suction cups for hauling cargo boxes. The sub is further equipped with three of the small-assembly backpack/lighting systems that come with the Hydronauts sets.

Four mini-figs come with the set: three Hydronauts and one Stingray. The Hydronauts are interesting in that they all look the same on first glance but each one has a different body print and each one's face is distinctly different (breathing masks vary, etc.).
There are some good building bricks with this set and some good size grey plates (with two shuttle-shape plates). Unique stuff includes grey flexi-tubes, the suction "guns" that look like nifty pistols and double as tube appendages for the suction cups, the odd 6x6 black cockpit, two chrome 2x2 bowls and some new yellow 2x2 control slopes. There are also quite a few pieces in dark transparent green: two domes (small one is pre-printed..aack), 1x4x3 panels (also pre-printed), propellers and three 2x2 crystal storage boxes.
One little complaint on the subject of bricks is that some of the bricks that were used to help fill out the sub's body came in blue, red, and white (and the model is already using the colors yellow, dark green, grey and black). What's up with that? If I want a rainbow of colors I'll pick up a freestyle bucket, thank you.

Wrapping things up, I was surprised and pleased with the basic model. It isn't the best that the Lego Group has come out with lately and the price is a little high (it's worth closer to $30 than $50 in my opinion), but when the set goes on discount it would be worth adding to your collection.