Why I think the aliens from Mars Mission are underrated

The Mars Mission theme, which ran from 2007 to 2009, featured a conflict between humans and aliens over energy crystals on Mars. The author argues that the aliens, often called "Crystaliens" by fans, are underrated, despite the initial dislike of their minifigure designs. The author appreciates their unique biomechanical technology, which set them apart from other LEGO alien themes.

The alien technology's biomechanical design was highlighted in LEGO Club magazines, which featured cutaway illustrations of the alien spaceships. These illustrations, created by David White, revealed a combination of mechanical components and biological elements within the ships. The sets incorporated this look with green flagella-like tubes and paddle-like appendages. The lore for the theme came from the LEGO Club magazines, the browser game Crystalien Conflict, and the DS game Lego Battles. The aliens' motives varied across these sources, with the magazines portraying them as conquerors and Lego Battles depicting them as crash-landed refugees. The sets often included stasis tubes, which implied the humans were capturing aliens for research.

The alien faction included drone units and commander units, with the commanders being more intelligent and rugged. The alien queen, who never appeared as a physical minifigure in the sets, was a playable character in Lego Battles. The alien faction also incorporated units inspired by LEGO Exo-Force, such as a spider robot and robotic troopers. The author finds the aliens' lack of armor intriguing, suggesting they have evolved beyond the need for clothing.

For fans interested in exploring this theme, you might consider searching for the original sets on the secondary market. You could also look for a LEGO display case to showcase these unique minifigures.