The folks of LEGO® City have explored the depths of the ocean on a number of occasions. But they have never taken a trip under the sea in such a robust aquatic vehicle as the Deep-Sea Submarine. This sizeable submarine includes a smaller explorer drone sub, a diver suit and room for the crew to research their funds. The set also features a number of underwater creatures including a trio of sharks lurking in a sunken ship wreak. Here’s a closer look at the LEGO City Deep-Sea Explorer Submarine.
Product Details
Set Name: Deep-Sea Explorer Submarine | Set Number: 60379 | Pieces: 842 | Theme: LEGO City
RRP: £94.99/$109.99/104.99€ | Number of Bags: Bags x 10 | Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Stickers: Sheet x 1 | Minifigures: 6 x Explorers + 3 x sharks
Availability: LEGO Stores, LEGO Online & General Retail
Previous sub-themes of the LEGO City range have seen brave explorers visit the Arctic wilds and the vast oceans. This Summer the LEGO City explorers have pooled their resources together and are exploring both. The set includes an advanced research submarine along with a sunken wreck to explore marine life and possible lost treasures.
The sub is a rather large vessel, with enough room to house some of the crew members and a smaller submersible remote drone sub. The exterior features a few fun details such as the two large ‘floatation’ panels running along the sides. The best feature is the two robot claws mounted at the front of the sub. These have a set of four claws which clip into the arms of the sub. An elastic band is then wrapped around them, this causes them to all open together when the bottom part is pinched. It’s a very satisfying motion. Another great feature of the vessel is partly hidden. Just peeking out from the large orange float panels are a series of yellow barrels. I assume these are research buoys, as seen in Jaws. Considering the area they are placed in is mostly hidden, they don’t need to be they but I like that they are especially as the set features a shark or two.
The inside sections of the sub can be accessed by flipping down the large bubble-domed cockpit or by removing the large blue panel, which forms the roof. Underneath are a couple of seats and research stations, plus somewhere to store some of the tools. Despite being such a small area, there’s a lot of detail inside the sub. Towards the rear of the vessel is a clear hinged panel, which is where the remote drone sub is stored. I like how this has been incorporated into the sub.
Along with the larger sub, the set includes a couple of smaller builds. These include an odd mech-like dive suit. Although it matches the colours of the sub and minifigures, it feels a little disconnected from the rest of the set. Due to its quite small size, it lacks the movement of similar mechs, especially in the arms. There’s also a smaller remote drone sub, which is stored within the submarine.
As impressive as the sub is, my favourite aspect of the set is the sunken wreckage of an ancient ship. This scenery section features a couple of BURP elements with the skeleton of an old wooden ship, nestled amongst them. To help give it a more underwater feel, it is decorated with plants, seaweed, a couple of large, brick-built jellyfish and a number of glow-in-the-dark fish elements. But the highlight is the sharks. There are two smaller sharks mounted on a rotating knob, allowing them to circle as real sharks do. Then lurking within the wreckage of the ship is a larger shark. This is a rather rare animal figure, only appearing in a couple of past sets. If that wasn’t cool enough, it’s also mounted on a sliding plate, which allows you to let the shark emerge from its den.
The set includes a selection of minifigures. These are split between on-board researchers and those who head underwater for a closer look at the surroundings. The research team all have different torsos and use a selection of heads and hair used in other sets. The dive team all use the same torso and legs. They also have the option to wear dive equipment. Although two different style helmets are used, they both have the ability to neatly slot over the orange air tanks. The divers can also swap their helmets for hair and all the characters have an interesting array of styles.
Overall
It’s a surprisingly large set, the submarine is certainly one of the biggest LEGO City subs. It’s also really detailed and has some great play features. The simple rubber band-powered claws have a super satisfying motion, although they aren’t powerful enough to actually hold anything. The interior of the sub is also nicely done, offering a little extra detail. I’m not a fan of the dive suit, it just feels a little out of place, but it does provide an additional play feature. As impressive as the sub is, I love the sunken wreck. It has some great detail, such as a pair of brick-built jellyfish and a school of glow-in-the-dark fish. But it’s the sharks which are the most fun. The larger shark is a great creature figure and I love how it’s mounted on a moveable platform. Overall it’s an impressive set that offers something new, which some similar past sets haven’t.
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The LEGO Group provided this set for review purposes. The thoughts within this review are those of BricksFanz.com and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group. Providing the set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.
