Serge Limontov - LEGO Creator Underwater Robot 31090 header

Intro

The story of the LEGO Group began in the 1930’s with a man named Ole Kirk Kristiansen. He was a hard worker with strong ethics and a belief that quality should be above all. The name ‘LEGO’ was derived from the Danish words LEG GODT which means ‘Play Well’.

The company persevered through WWII, fire damage and various economical struggles to become a major player in the toy industry on a global scale. These days we have access to so many offerings from or related to LEGO. Whether it is their LEGO sets, games, videos, competitions, movies… we are simply spoilt for choice.


Overview

Robots, is one of the most popular themes since the beginning of the space age in the 1950’s. Although it could be said that robots existed even further back if we take into account the mechanical machines and automata dolls that were created centuries ago.

Underwater, is yet another very popular theme which was given a spotlight in James Bond 007 on multiple occasions. The 007 creator, Ian Fleming, was a big fan of the underwater theme, this is clearly evident in ‘Thunderball’ where a full-scale underwater battle took place.

In my opinion combining ‘robots’ and ‘underwater’ was a no brainer to have an awesome multidimensional theme for a LEGO set.


General opinions/analysis

The packaging is a decent size which allows all the relevant logos, descriptions and images of the LEGO Creator Underwater Robot 31090 set to be displayed. The box has a semi-gloss finish and utilises yellow as the primary colour to match the LEGO builds. Both openings of the box are factory sealed with two stickers on each side.

There are three LEGO website links printed on different sides which are useful for those interested in finding out more online.

They also state that “Packaging from responsible sources” with organisation and link details (FSC fsc.org) to find out more.

On the front of the box it states “Models do not float”, this was probably required for legal reasons because the LEGO builds are shown underwater with special effects (i.e. floating, bubbles, glowing, etc).

The LEGO set is labelled as 3 in 1, this means that the main group of pieces can be used to create three different builds (i.e. robot, submarine and crane). I believe this is a great way to learn technical building skills. By using most of the same pieces and reconfiguring them to create something new also teaches how to think more creatively.

The playability of the set is great because of the build’s size and the flexibility of various articulated parts. Each build’s quality as a whole seems good with just enough pieces used to give them a solid feel. The robot is the most complex, followed by the submarine, then the crane, manta ray and lastly the small seabed.

You will find that the set includes standard and Technic pieces which allows for a more enjoyable assembly. This set is definitely worth the money for what it offers.

Serge Limontov - LEGO Creator Underwater Robot 31090 box
Image showing LEGO Creator Underwater Robot 31090 packaging from the front.
Serge Limontov - LEGO Creator Underwater Robot 31090 box
Image showing LEGO Creator Underwater Robot 31090 packaging from the back.
Serge Limontov - LEGO Creator Underwater Robot 31090 box
Angled top view photo showing the thickness of the box.
Serge Limontov - LEGO Creator Underwater Robot 31090 pieces
Image showing pieces included in the LEGO Creator Underwater Robot 31090 set.
Serge Limontov - LEGO Creator Underwater Robot 31090 booklets
Image showing booklets included in the LEGO Creator Underwater Robot 31090 set.

Specifications

Set series: Creator

Set ID: 31090

Set type: 3 in 1

Suggested age group: 7+

Box: 60mm (width) x 188mm (length) x 260mm (height)

Box contents: 3x booklets, 3x bags with pieces, 3x loose cable pieces

Builds: Underwater Robot, Submarine, Underwater Crane, Manta Ray, Small Seabed

Pieces: 207 (my set had 8 spare pieces)

Type of pieces: Standard and Technic

Figures: None

Unique/Cool pieces: Dome, joints, cables

Primary colours: Yellow, grey, black and red

All colours: Yellow, grey, black, red, white, cream, blue, green, brown, silver, gold, fluoro orange, fluoro blue

Price: AUD $29.99 (RRP)

Blue Base Plate (Optional): AUD $12.99 (RRP)


Conclusion

Overall it is a fantastic LEGO set with multiple builds and great playability. I highly recommend getting the LEGO Underwater Robot 31090 set.

I would however suggest purchasing a blue LEGO base plate if you want to pose and display this build. I found the set on sale at a major reseller for AUD $20 and the base plate for AUD $10 here in Sydney Australia.