Revisiting Exo-Force: Wave 2

Revisiting Exo-Force: Wave 1 - • Revisiting Exo-Force: ...
We continue our exploration of the Exo-Force theme with the next four sets released in 2006:
7706 Mobile Defense Tank
7707 Striking Venom
7709 Sentai Fortress
7713 Bridge Walker
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/ @cheeseystudios

[@CheeseyStudios]

This is the second video in the five-part Exo-Force Revisiting series. Check out wave one here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sF65m6eqbdyoh6M

[@MonkeyManiac]

I have a question will you ever do a video on Alien Conquest and/or Galaxy Squad?? Great video I love exoforce wish I could of gotten them when they came out.

[@CheeseyStudios]

@@MonkeyManiac I will likely get to Alien Conquest at some point. I have not started rebuilding the sets yet or anything, but I think I own enough pieces already to make it financially feasible :)

[@MonkeyManiac]

@@CheeseyStudios Can’t wait thx for responding:)

[@PirateJohnson]

I've been anticipating the next episode. To me, THIS is what Ninjago prevented from having a continuation of SequelSeries like RockRaiders got with PowerMiners.

[@PirateJohnson]

@Lego, Weebs like NonNinja things, too. Why have you forgotten this?!?

[@DerLetzteMonarch]

To me, Exo-Force really exemplifies the difference between LEGO's design philosophy 20 years ago compared to now. And how they've shifted their focus more and more to attracting adult buyers instead of just kids. Just looking at all of those mechs, it's obvious that they aren't the most sophisticated builds. Nor are they extremely stable or as detailed as some mechs are today. And as an adult, it's not hard to point those things out. But to children? None of that ever mattered. I remember how much I loved this theme. How much time I spent playing with those mechs and battle machines. What they might have lacked in detail and stability was easily filled in by my own imagination. A mech lost and arm, a foot or a wing while playing? Well damn, must have sustained too much damage in the last battle. Back to base and get that thing repaired again. Children don't need those extremely sophisticated and often quite expensive builds we get these days. What they need is a great set-up, a theme that sparks their imagination and playsets that are actually affordable.

[@CheeseyStudios]

That's definitely one of the reasons I love doing the Revisiting series - it really is a step back in time to the good old days! I think LEGO has forgotten the code, target audience these days - you know, KIDS. But of course it's the feedback of whiny adults they hear these days, so sets have slowly morphed over time to fill the needs of adults. It's all very interesting to see.

[@7appleg140]

Thank you for putting it so beautifully..

[@ARDIZsq]

With how much LEGO seems to love making random mech sets these days, I'm kind of surprised we haven't seen some sort of Exoforce revival. Heck, they could just make sets from mecha anime like Gundam or Evangelion if they didn't want to make up new mech designs but still have the same sort of feel from this theme.

[@victormasotti]

hate mechs, LEGO is making better stuff now

[@angusmcnay5449]

Lego would never ever license Evangelion. It just doesn't align with their ethos.

[@PhoenixClank]

As much as I love mecha anime, I'm glad Lego is exclusively designing their own mech models and not taking on licenses for that. As soon as you make a licensed model, you open yourself up for comparisons, and Lego's licensed sets have never managed to hold up to the real deal. Also, without the constraints of a license, Lego's designers are completely free to come up with their own whacky ideas and build mecha in their preferred style. Lego's most creative models always come out of original themes.

[@MicoDossun]

I feel like what you’re asking for is just Ninjago. They already have a mech focused East Asian inspired theme and it’s one of the most popular. Monkie Kid even has lots of mechs

[@Alicat0314]

I’d love to see a exo force revival with the smaller 14.99 mech toys you see usually in marvel and now Star Wars that would be awesome

[@ToaArcan]

I actually quite like Meca-One being legless in the Striking Venom. Not only does it fit with the Devastator being part of the guns and the Iron Drones being plugged into the machine, but Meca-One being literally fused into the cockpit makes the whole thing less of a battle machine and more of a gigantic extension of his body. It's not a mech that anyone can drive, it's _him._

[@Janoha17]

Striking Venom fuses the robots with the battle machine in a way none of the other battle machines do. The upper turret is directly controlled by a Devastator, and it's likely the walker's locomotion system is running directly on the Iron Drones' processors. The Venom Drone from the Sentai Fortress set could very well be a prototype/proof-of-concept for the fusion, running battle machine-grade weapons directly off of the brain of a robot.

[@Monopony]

This is how I’ve always liked seeing it as well. Note how while every Iron Drone in the set is given a red eyestalk piece (aside from the two hooked up to the guns), Meca One doesn’t have one, because Stiking Venom itself has red eyes! The cockpit is even shaped like a massive robot head, it’s a great showcase of the physical link between Meca One and Striking Venom - or rather, the lack of any distinction between the two at all. Meca One and Stiking Venom are one and the same, it’s just a massive, monstrous expression of himself.

[@Janoha17]

@@Monopony Which also means that Takeshi was essentially punching Meca One in the jaw to beat him.

[@Alicat0314]

Yesss love your idea of that. It’s like him and the other robots have become one with what they created and it can’t just be easily taken control of

[@Alicat0314]

@@MonoponyLove this I probably wouldn’t ever even thought of that!!

[@UltravioletNomad]

I feel like the no legs situation is perfectly in canon, because the entire machine is an extension of Mecha1, and that his copies didn't have to be literal copies. As cool as the gold body is, is missing the legs more or less disappointing than Mecha1 not even having a unique build/mold?

[@HerCeleryPancakes]

I loved the original video and you really broaden my horizons as a kid i only had one Exoforce set but i had myself constantly reusing the pieces so nowadays whenever i see some exoforce pieces/minifigs i always pick them up as its such a cool and original theme great vid Caleb

[@CheeseyStudios]

I'm glad you're enjoying this mini-series! It's crazy how hard these sets can be to find these days. It's a theme I rarely see represented at conventions, where there always seem to be plenty of sets that should be far older and rarer. It's certainly a special part of LEGO history.

[@Vor1ki]

@@CheeseyStudiosexoforce now remids me of how bionicle was in around late 2017-2018. Not really anybody talking about it or anything in conventions. Now probably part of that was from the reboot. wWith how much Bionicle has grown in the last 2 years though, new canon contest and more people getting into or back into Bionicle I really hope the same happens with exoforce. It deserves more love.

[@mot2296]

Finally, the second wave had so many great sets and comics. I love the silent strike The bridge walker is a vibe and the Herotank very cool

[@cricketben6742]

The sets are continueously incredible, but what stands out to me again is the incredible quality love and effort that is put into the alternate builds! (also i love that you are using the vocabulary suggested by slugger for the galidor joints)

[@CheeseyStudios]

I may just have to do a standalone video with some or all of the alternate builds. So many of them could have been sets all on their own. And yes, I'm grateful Slugger has converted me!

[@cricketben6742]

Id love to see that!! I think its just great how most of the alterante builds follow the same scheme of creating some sorts of flying vehicles, so you could choose to play battles on the ground with the mechs or create an entire different environment for play in the air. This versatility of Lego is something so unique about it and should be used way more often across all of Legos themes, and i like that they kinda went in this direction with Dreamzzz.@@CheeseyStudios

[@armorelarmadura7807]

Wow, I had no idea Exo Force had FIVE whole waves! Had almost all the sets from wave 1 and always wanted Sentai Fortress and Striking Venom as a kid, although honestly I'm kinda glad I never got Striking Venom with how anemic it looks to be in person lol. Looking forward to learning about the next 3 waves!

[@tostie3110]

I was a pretty avid lego collector back then! I think I only remember the first two waves of it though... weird

[@nateharvey1300]

Man that’s probably the coolest base I’ve ever seen in a LEGO set. Literally everything you could need for this line all in one place. That repair bay is great, I love builds like that when they can interact with past sets

[@CheeseyStudios]

The Fortress is so so good. Not sure if a better HQ has ever been done tbh

[@from_no_where]

I think Exo-Force is one of the themes I'm most bummed about missing, the mechs are all so cool! But alas, I was simply born too late to see it; Except for in your videos. Which are awesome btw! I love your revisiting series because your love for these themes clearly shines through. It's impossible to not get excited about Exo-Force while watching your videos on it lol :3

[@amirulizzat7395]

reading your comment make me seem like and old man. I was there when Exo-Force came out and able to get the Grand Titan & Stealth Hunter and that's it. 2006 was such a weird but cool time for Lego. it was a time where Lego was at its edgy era as they will ever be ranging from dino attack to bionicle *Piraka rap* to Exo force. back then i was a preteen and was just able to save some money to but the said Exo-Force sets. I started plating Lego in the 90s but got bored of the brick base build due the prevalence of action figures in the 2000s with the likes of spiderman to beastwars. If it wasnt bionicle I would have stop playing with Lego long ago and may even lasted until now. Bionicle was the only lego set that got me interested in the brand but it was Exo-Force that break the cycle and give me back the sense of wonder building with brick based lego.

[@CheeseyStudios]

I'm glad you (and hopefully many others too!) are able to live out Exo-Force through these videos. It really is such a unique theme and special part of LEGO's history.

[@Aciarr]

yeah i alos missed out on the sets but when i was i think 13-14 my parents bought me and my brother a big bucket of used pieces and their were several sets from the fist line of but sadly only 2 of the 4 sets could be mostly rebuilt due to lack of parts

[@user-wv6vo6xq9z]

14:24 Ah don't think we didn't catch that Galidor Joint System, R.R Slugger would be proud. Great video, love this theme!

[@jtjvalenzuela]

As a kid I dreamed about having the Sentai Fortress. A few years ago I was able to buy it and it is as great as I thought, so many details, the whole Exo Force team and the included mechs. Oh my, I love Exo Force so much. Thanks for the video, I'll be waiting for the next one!

[@alg7115]

I had the set as a kid. It was pretty awesome.

[@imstupid880]

I dreamed of the tank, it was so unlike anything I'd seen from Lego before, and it just looks so sleek and yet brutal.

[@jtjvalenzuela]

@@imstupid880 I bought it a couple of moths ago, it's great. I also bought the Hybrid Rescue Tank, also great. I truly find Exo-Force amazing.

[@rollierick2232]

These videos are incredibly well done. I loved Exo-Force as a kid and these really live up to what I remember as a kid. I really wish I had gotten more of these. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

[@PurpleBrickfilms]

Why do the discs look so tasty…

[@WoodsmanFriggz]

Because they look like PEZ candies lol

[@imstupid880]

Peach ring gummies

[@herrnase4340]

Glad you included the fact that Mecha Ones legs were missing. I was hearthbroken that christmas. Only set to get him (yet) and presented with legs on the box. I loved (and still do) the robots so I wanted to collect them all! One email complaint from a 10 year only later they mailed me a pair of legs + a OG-Snape key chain as compensation that I gifted to my dad. He used him until 2-3 years ago when he had no paint left and was pretty round on the edges, no friction left at all. Great memories in the end!

[@eyelessghosttv9203]

You have my childhood on your table. When i was younger i was crazy about exoforce and played so much with those awesome Mechs. It rly made me sad when they didnt bring new sets. I was and still am such a fan, that my brother made me a cool Pictue Frame with all the original Heros in it.

[@nicklockk]

The additional set of legs for the Striking Venom wasn't the only change done in later editions. The forward guns behind the head (or on the head?) also changed.

[@vaimantobe3034]

Yes! Both those behind the head (became dark bluish gray pillars) and on the sides of the head (became technic ski poles) were changed

[@Agarricus]

​@@vaimantobe3034I remember getting the slip of amendment paper in that set and being very confused

[@kurisuuu48]

This one really brings back memories, I didn't know I had all Wave 2-sets except for the fortress (which I probably wanted the most, I love the design of the blue mecha)

[@SurrenderContinuallyToHisWill]

I always love your revisiting videos! It's so cool to see sets from themes that my brothers and I didn't grow up with. And even though we won't collect these themes now, we still get to see someone with fond memories of them. Which might be better than owning them myself. Thanks for the video Caleb!

[@CheeseyStudios]

It's my pleasure! Really glad you're enjoying this little series

[@MozzarellaRules]

Can't wait for the Wave 3 revisit, where we see our first instance of ball-joint-on-a-brick before mixels bless us with the much smaller and practical (but with less friction obviously) plate version.

[@usetoothless9473]

I distinctly remember getting Striking Venom. I thought it was SO cool. And yet… I also remember Mecha 1 not having legs! Which was quite the bummer

[@Obi-Wan_Kenobi]

Shoutout to Exo-Force for being that theme that got me into Lego.

[@frasermartin1529]

I love the use of the devastator torso for the gun turret, very reminiscent of the use of servitors in warhammer 40k

[@tostie3110]

Lego usually never gets this metal anymore for their own themes

[@Janoha17]

I got the Striking Venom and Sentai Fortress for Christmas that year, and I remember enjoying them greatly. The only waves I didn't get any sets from were the last two.

[@Pattamatt1998]

The only one from this wave I got was the Bridge Walker and White Lightning as a Christmas gift, which I'm not sure I ever even completely built. I have no idea why since I was obsessed with Exo Force and had only 3 other sets from the theme, 2 of them being Uplink and Sentry. I had honestly forgotten I had even gotten it until a couple years ago, which is such a shame since it's such an awesome set.

[@Joez310]

Thank you for making the 2nd part of this series 🙏🏻

[@CheeseyStudios]

No problem at all - and lots more to come, too!

[@batangbatugan]

The Bridge Walker was THE hardest mecha to draw, just the legs alone took me hours to draw in different angles I had to visually cheat just to get the work done. I can't wait for the next video. =)

[@weik-2936]

I remember I got the tank, Striking Venom, and Sentai Fortress for Christmas 2006, it was awesome, I set them all up on the dining room table and had a massive battle

[@mysticartificial4022]

Was waiting for this quite eagerly and you delivered, as you always do! Great analysis for one of the best LEGO waves ever imo

[@CheeseyStudios]

Thank you! I'm glad others enjoy this theme so much too. Excited to do the other waves as well!

[@ManOfVidav]

Man I loved Exo-Force so much as a kid. I remember taking Stealth Hunter out to the schoolyard one evening and just absolutely going ham flying him around. Such good memories

[@CheeseyStudios]

Those were the days... My brother and I always had a blast with these things too.

[@HellOnFourLegs]

"iN a ReAsOnAbLe AmOuNt Of TiMe" no, please nerd the heck out of it, you are doing these videos and we are all here for the same reason lol you got our attention, also thanks for the great content

[@M0torsagmannen]

since i missed out on all these cool mechs in hte mid 2000s it is very nice to see them in all their glory

[@user-en7cl7ft2c]

Exo-Force is definitely one of my favorite Lego themes of all time! Great video, and can't wait to see the next entry!

[@noahrodriguez1093]

You just brought back a wave of memories 😭

[@harperna3938]

exo-force series 1 had such a striking visual aesthetic; future mecha sets never quote came close to capturing that for me. the color palette of safety orange and white vs black and neon green gives it a real vibrancy that contrasts wonderfully with its otherwise spartan, utilitarian look -- the human structures in particular have a really interesting prefabricated feel, as though they only had time to assemble a handful of material templates for their fortifications before the robot invasion was launched in full. the shape language for either side remains simple, consistent, and effective, as you noted. i actually really appreciate the frontline barricade alt model. IIRC, it's the only example of a robot structure we ever see in a set. the way it uses the same general shape language as the human fortifications with its own malevolent twist creates a very pleasing symmetry. we also get a lot of cute worldbuilding when we see the robot charging station, the even larger plugjack turret, and a stationary battlefield commander model of meca-one mounted atop the barricade itself. it probably helps that im working on a hobby project exo-force war game atm, and the barricade gives the robots a physical board presence without requiring me to design a moc fortress for them lol. i remain disappointed that the mobile devastator from series 2 didn't have a stationary alt model that served as the robot equivalent of sentai fortress considering the set's price point ($90) and content (~1,000 pieces) vs. the actual sentai fortress ($100 for ~1400 pieces) with three phenomenal alt models. sentai tower is easily my favorite from the wholeass theme, and you can slot it into the fortress proper for a massive combo build if you want. it'd be a ridiculous investment, but at some point i'll probably have to build a super sentai fortress with two repair bays, two sentai towers, and an additional "gate" repurposed as a helipad for all the flying alt models.

[@jyeell]

I still own the base. I only have the blue mech at my place, the rest is disassembled with many other LEGO sets at my - now deceased - father's house. The passage about the base just made me cry remembering all the good times I had with my dad at that time. I really loved Exoforce, especially this base that I had on christmas the year it came out. I have so many fond memories with it, that I think I need to take a trip down memory lane at my dad's place and reassemble all of my Exoforce sets... Thanks for these videos, for real.

[@PhonyLyzard]

That black hairpiece just makes me want to see someone use it for a Goku minifig.

[@CheeseyStudios]

I think people making Goku is definitely another reason the price is so high on the figure 🤣

[@sebchambers7140]

Can’t wait to see wave 3! Please can you give the little mini bots that come alongside get a spotlight? I can find next to no information or pictures of them on their own and I think they are fabulous!

[@vaimantobe3034]

The mini bots were in wave 5. It was the 3rd year, but the first two years had a winter and summer wave each.

[@sebchambers7140]

Ah I understand, it came out a bit before my time, thanks for the head up!@@vaimantobe3034

[@CheeseyStudios]

Love the mini robots too. Wave 5 is a way out, but we'll get there eventually - I promise!

[@thethirdolmak9061]

Imagine combining the Striking Venom and the Bridge Walker to make an even larger, even more terrifying battle machine. Perhaps the Venom 1 as well

[@CheeseyStudios]

That could be pretty epic

[@thunderspark1536]

Got the Sentai Fortress on top of a 5-tiered shelf, combined it with some newer mechs to make a lovely display...I wish it got a proper conclusion, but I'm happy with what we got. Even made my own custom mech that can rapidly melt and cool metal to "heal" other robots' armor or get enemies stuck in place. What a great theme...

[@drewvanzee6433]

been waiting for this vid... seeing them all together again is crazy to me. I haven't had that sight since I was like 6 😅 I'm praying you continue the series into wave 3 with the jungle based theme, cuz I see the yellow buzzsaw mech from that wave on your shelf!

[@CheeseyStudios]

Oh yes! There's at least three more Exo-Force videos to come :)

[@Ben-wq4zf]

I’m loving these videos as I was a HUGE HUGE fan of exoforce!! And I can’t wait to see the rest of the line

[@CheeseyStudios]

Thank you! One of my all-time favorites too. I hope I can get started on wave 3 some time this month :D

[@mitchellbambam5926]

I really need a set from this theme, they are all so unique and really stand out compared to any other mechs Lego has made! If anyone has a suggestion for a fairly cheap set with at least 1 member of each team feel free to let me know!

[@CheeseyStudios]

Gate Assault might be the way to go if you're looking for a variety all in one package. Unfortunately most sets either just include humans, or just include robots. Gate Assault's really well rounded though with a structure and three battle machines!

[@Boltscrap]

As someone who chose striking venom as a christmas gift for two diffferent years, yeah I really love the second wave of Exo-force. Size over detail really sells the whole idea of a mech theme, and is what's missing from the still mech heavy modern Lego. Sentai fortress alone has such great presence , it's a joy to have it and striking venom duke it out, a real battle of the giants, and for reasonable price as well. Also as a matter of fact, the two striking venoms I have are coincidentally the two different variants, one with legs for mecha one, and the one without. The one with legs has different designs for the guns on head and the two small ratcheted guns on the main body.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Oh that's kind of cool! Some of those changes were so bizarre, but definitely makes the set more interesting. I totally agree about the battle of the giants though - we don't get stuff like that these days, and it's sad...

[@EthanLeitch]

I was excited for this video and it didn't disappoint! Can't wait to see the hybrid rescue tank and storm lasher in the Jungle wave.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Storm Lasher is so dope 👌 It was one of the only Jungle sets I had as a kid, and it's an amazing model!

[@JohnDoe-tq5hy]

Exo force is my favorite theme, so glad to see you cover it more!

[@CheeseyStudios]

And lots more to come yet, too!

[@shaldurprime7154]

i mentioned it in my comment on the previous video, but i have recreated exo force sets in lego digital designer, (i was addicted to the program for several months after i got my own laptop) it took many tens of hours but i recreated most of the battle machines from all of exo force, i had to get real creative with some because LDD was abandoned in 2016 and hadn't seen an update since 2012. striking venom was one of the most stressful, simply because precision and perfection are mutually exclusive in the program's measuring system, i had to use so many roundabout placement methods to get the parts on the upper turret to behave, and the build almost didnt happen at all because the bent technic bricks and pins and plates in the central platform dont cooperate when attached to each other in a circle

[@cricketben6742]

wondering what to do in the next hour, i refreshed my youtubefeed just to be welcomed by this pleasent surprise! what a timing!

[@CheeseyStudios]

Ha! That's perfect. This should keep you busy for awhile!

[@BrickScape]

Makes my day when a new Revisiting video comes out

[@CheeseyStudios]

They're my favorite videos here on the channel too. Hoping to start doing two per month - we'll see how it goes!

[@vustvaleo8068]

5:53 lol that alternate build is straight up the Guntank from Mobile Suit Gundam.

[@2mccue4u27]

Back in the day, I only bought a small number of these sets. Uplink, Sentry, and the robot mech with the saw weapon (the one that wasn't fire vulture). But my little brother, maaaaaaan he went all-in on the series for about 2 years. Managed to get striking venom, bridge walker, Supernova AND the Golden Guardian. I remember not believing him when he tells me that he had found a limited edition set at Target that had a villain mech "even better than striking venom." Bridge Walker is the coolest thing the bad guys ever got. Plus as I got older I realized its design looks a lot like a Metal Gear, specifically REX. We headcanon'd that the two guns on its left, our right, fired a corrosive beam that degraded organic material; a truly anti-human assault vehicle. Making Hayato all the more brave to pilot a walking turret in White Lightning! Him getting the golden guardian felt like poetic justice.

[@Dantick09]

The devastador at the top dual wielding giant gatling guns was the cooles thing for me as a kid. I had years of fun with this spider

[@CheeseyStudios]

Exo-Force was delightfully over-the-top. 😂

[@angusmcnay5449]

So excited for wave three. That hayato set with the big turbines is my favorite exo force set

[@CheeseyStudios]

Wave three definitely has some fun ones. Planning on getting that video out before the end of the year!

[@calebmurphy9406]

I had an Exo-Force book that I got from my elementary school book fair and I honestly didn't know until this moment that it was based on actual LEGO sets. I remember some of these designs but only as 2D drawings.

[@imstupid880]

Oh man, I totally forgot Greg wrote for Exo-Force as well. Probably another reason I was so into it as a kid (besides the whole giant robots thing).

[@kristianjeppesen493]

25:11 absolutely love this part I like to imagine that shortly after filming you whipped out all the exoforce sets and started playing now knowing it can walk😂😂😂❤

[@CheeseyStudios]

You better believe it lol!

[@mattmazenauer5556]

I love seeing what you love about Sentai Fortress. I have never though it looked good, it reminds me of when you get the flimsy cardboard backdrop for an action figure.

[@CheeseyStudios]

It's pretty flimsy for sure, but man, as a kid, the sheer size of it was baffling, and that's what mattered. There was a lot of fun to be had with that one!

[@cirlu_bd]

Oh ! You called the big ratchet joint system "Galidor Joints" ! I think someone else here is watching a particular slug hehe !

[@CheeseyStudios]

Oh yes :)

[@nickthenuker7916]

14:13 the first thing I thought of when I saw the arms move like that was “Rifleman”. Or possibly “Blackjack”. 22:22 and those twin arm guns with a cannon over the top of the canopy screams “Marauder”.

[@sulfurix7472]

"Galidor joints", love it !!

[@angusmcnay5449]

5:09 the technic connector over the lightsaber bar is giving me war flashbacks. Don't plan to ever separate those, it won't happen.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Oh yeah, that's been stuck since 2006 xD xD

[@BonkleDude]

Built the striking venom with a friend couple weeks ago and it was just as awesome as you describe it

[@CheeseyStudios]

That's so fun! Glad you got to experience it

[@marcelburdon9795]

Goodness I miss this line, sadly I only ever had the pleasure of owning one or two sets from Exo-Force, but nowadays I think this LEGO line is partially responsible for my newfound Gundam addiction. Looking forward to your reviews of the rest of Exo-Force! These videos are great fun.

[@adamcoxworthy9373]

Knight's Kingdom II and Exo-Force were two of my favourite themes as a kid, and all the supplemental story was a big part of that. I can remember my dad reading an Exo-Force book to me in the bath, but I only ever had one of the sets. All the background information Lego came up with for these themes helped put them up with more famously story-driven lines like Star Wars and Bionicle, which were the other themes I liked best.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Sure glad I grew up with these, too. It's really sweet that your dad read the book to you!

[@caulifloodle]

Striking Venom was just the coolest thing ever to me as a kid. I remember finding the legless Meca-One cool. I liked the idea that the robots could just expel parts of the bodies they didn't need at the time to fit more ergonomically into their mechs. Makes sense that people would want the full minifig for further building though.

[@StarScapesOG]

There is a truly astounding moc online of this fortress someone designed. It would take 3 or four of the base set.... and tons of other pieces. But the design itself is pretty amazing.

[@precascer8221]

I believe the lack of legs for Mecha1 and that torso for the cannons are much more lore-wise than anything. The leader of the evil robot guys attaching himself to the machine they're making to destroy the good guys, their magnum opus where the villain is so tied in to make it happen that it becomes PART of it! And the cannon guy may be an unfortunate robot that may have got ended and rescraped for the cannon, unable to have a "mind" on it own, only it carcass used now for weaponry. At least it's what I like to think on. Can't wait for the next season! Which has the sets I had growing up.

[@edikid1206]

I’ve been waiting for this one.

[@gunnarpapst8452]

Me and R. R. Slugger shedding a few communal tears of joy for your adopting the nomenclature of his passionate crusade to call them “galidor joints” 😂

[@CheeseyStudios]

Oh yes, he converted me some time ago xD

[@griffindunne5922]

ive been waiting for this video for so long!!! we need wave 3. i need to rebuild my exo force sets but some parts broke i had the red spider from the final wave:,[

[@CheeseyStudios]

I've got a handful of Revisiting videos coming out in the interim, but wave three will be out well before the end of the year :)

[@griffindunne5922]

@@CheeseyStudios sweet

[@SHMidlerPlays]

I love the Exo-Force set series! It was one of my favorites in the 2000s

[@naruuzumaki2554]

I remember getting the striking venom for my 4th or 5th anniversary, truly a child memory set ❤

[@CheeseyStudios]

That's an awesome gift!

[@shanemau516]

Ahhh man, memory unlocked, exo force was so fun.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Indeed. Great kech designs and fun story. Good times!

[@bad-knight]

I like the use of the term “galidor joints”!

[@pewpewdragon4483]

25:05 it looks so goofy with the legs pointy inward, I don't think you did it justice with that pose!😅 I do wonder what exo force would look like with modern design standards, I bet an upgrade to standards we see in Ninjago or Monkie Kid would look amazing.

[@vaimantobe3034]

My childhood sets! I never had much money. Until 2006, hence that I owned Striking Venom and Sentai Fortress. They were GIGANTIC so years later I had to sell them. I since managed to track them down again. And they're beautiful! I just don't keep them built for too long because of their size XD

[@CheeseyStudios]

The size is definitely impractical, but dang, it sure made them amazing to play with back in the day!

[@Spessforce]

Looking forward to the jungle wave with the mini mech builds attached to the larger ones

[@memyselfishness]

So happy that you called them Galador joints 😊

[@CheeseyStudios]

:)

[@Toshiro93]

Like the previous one, this too is confirmed as a good video to follow, well structured and with a pleasant narration. Despite its being somewhat ... skeletal, I must admit that I have a soft spot for spider-shaped mechs, in short, insectoid-shaped with multiple legs, it reminds me very closely of the less humanoid means seen in works such as Appleseed or Ghost in the shell, so the Striking Venom would have pride of place in my house....the Mobile Defense Tank has a great alternative build! Basically, just add a little something and you have a magnificent moc. About the Bridge walker ... what to say? It's big, mean and has an avalanche of guns (I think this is the most heavily armed theme ever produced by Lego, or close to it). Congratulations again ... and I look forward to the next video.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Really appreciate it! Flawed as it was, I know my brother and I had a great time with Striking Venom. I probably didn't give it enough credit for being as sturdy as it is, and for its size, it's incredibly easy to pick up and move around which is great.

[@Schlelkohov]

Dropped everything to watch :) SO sorry I was not able to get those Japanese combiner pictures to you in time, but my phone has been fixed now and your Twitter should be tagged with them attached within this week! For now though, the white lightening's armor was attached lightly so that the bridge walker could damage it with it's technic cannon, and the bridge walker itself is actually an early instance of a set revamp, with the model it was based on being alpha team's blizzard blaster!

[@CheeseyStudios]

Those are some great fun facts! I can definitely see the resemblance to Blizzard Blaster - that's pretty sweet. Ah, the deep LEGO lore xD

[@ardayousefi8169]

All the touching points on inflation make me more nostalgic. I agree that these last sets had better play value despite the aesthetics modern sets have. Bionicle, Exo-Force, Knights Kingdom II, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars are some of the top themes that personally come to mind - on tops of many from my childhood in the 2000s

[@CheeseyStudios]

It was a great time to be a kid. So glad I got to experience these. Sets these days just aren't the same!

[@tonymoore78]

I heard you! I heard you say the “Galidor joint system”. R.R. Slugger will be proud.

[@CheeseyStudios]

He's won me over indeed xD

[@undexor247]

24:11 has such a great potential to become a meme Great Theme and great Video :)

[@garrettmasters7281]

I think you releasing this video now is a super fun coincidence, since ARMORED CORE: VI FIRES OF RUBICON just came out! Great time! Giant robots everywhere!!!

[@CheeseyStudios]

Gotta love giant robots!!

[@totallycarbon2106]

Was lucky to have sentai fortress as a kid back in 2007! Absolutely my favourite playset. Like you say, lego seemingly just doesnt focus on this kind of play value as much anymore, instead there is much more focus on display value and detail, which is a shame.

[@gabrielkempe7647]

This unlocked some deeply hidden memories

[@CheeseyStudios]

Rebuilding all these was sure a nostalgia trip, too!

[@Blockio1999]

I did actually get two Sentai Fortress sets; not by any deliberation or foresight, the thing was just the only thing in my old collection that I hadn't ripped up, so when I bought the whole first two waves back because I was itching for the mechs, I ended up with a second copy. Lets you build the fortress as it is in the comics with two repair bays and two gun towers, so that's fun

[@CheeseyStudios]

That's so cool! Having two repair bays side by side was my childhood dream.

[@SyntheticMason]

Thanks your for sharing, I’m curious, have you ever built a custom/your idea of an xo mech?

[@CheeseyStudios]

I've done a few upgrades, but that's about it. Would love to do more though. It's a fun style very unique compared to what I usually do!

[@matthiasdejonge9717]

Another thing worth noting about Striking venom, is that the later releases have different pieces in the inventory. I believe it is the case that the 4 guns above the head were replaced by 4 dark grey pillar pieces. I just so happen to have that version of the set.

[@CheeseyStudios]

I thought I'd heard something about that. I wonder why the change was made? Maybe it was just a stronger connection?

[@matthiasdejonge9717]

@@CheeseyStudios To be honest, I don't know the exact reason. Stronger connection potentially or maybe even aestheticwise. I just saw a couple of sites mentioning the alternate pieces and 1 picture of the build with those pieces, but as for the exact reason no idea.

[@japiekr3k3l31]

This is so nostalgic! A Lego World racers revisit would also be awesome!

[@CheeseyStudios]

I'll see what I can do!

[@mike.94]

Guys!! He's back with another interesting vid!!!

[@Dragonballuca]

So far an amazing vid

[@CheeseyStudios]

Appreciate it!

[@jacobh1833]

Man, I wish Lego did a rewind and rereleased exoforce stuff.

[@CheeseyStudios]

True :(

[@lylacor8401]

Finally the second I'm looking forward to the next video(s)! When I first saw venom 1 I thought it looked pretty stiff, boy was that thought wrong.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Venom One is pretty wild. That hip rotation is epic 👌

[@lorenzobenini7031]

the music here lowkey made me cry

[@vexorian]

I got a The striking venom some time after its release (unlucky me, didn't get Meca one legs, I'm actually unsure if it's true that some people got legs in their striking venom). It's certainly skeletal, but sometimes I wonder.... Exo force sets in general tend to have gaps or issues with looking weird ("incomplete") from behind. But imagine if Lego went and remade the Striking Venom using their current philosophy. I think it would forcefully be a significantly smaller spider AND much more expensive. For us adults, that might be cool (assuming we can pay for it). But what about the children. I'm pretty sure that if a children got a Striking Venom for a birthday or Christmas, that would be the coolest shit ever. It's a HUGE MECHANIC SPIDER WITH ROBOT SOLDIERS. But in Leg's new philosophy, a lot less children would have parents that could afford it and with a smaller result overall, it would potentially not be as amazing for play.

[@weik-2936]

something I like about year 1 of exo force is every character got a second upgraded Mech

[@JonnDthunDer]

I loved Exo-Force, and the first wave holds a ton of nostalgia for me. I somehow never realized there were two waves though, and have absolutely 0 recollection of 7706, 7707, and 7713 ever existing. But the Sentai Fortress, 7709, is one of the sets that I WILL get one day, and is usually the first Exo-Force set I think of, even though I've never owned it. The overall concept of the fortress is incredible and gorgeous though. And the blue recolor of the Stealth Hunter is something I just need to be able to display, I love it. The use of stickers in the theme is ever frustrating though, as I find pieces for Exo-Force from my collection of from lots I'll get with the stickers being a disaster. Also, the legs for the Iron Drones never lasted terribly well and I've unfortunately found a number of them with a clip cracked/broken.

[@CheeseyStudios]

I did wonder about the Iron Drones. The parts are similar to those of the notoriously fragile Super Battle Droids, and while I've thankfully not had any crack on me, I can definitely see it happening.

[@JonnDthunDer]

@@CheeseyStudios Yeah, probably not as bad as the Super Battle Droids, but close. Anecdotally, I'd estimate ~50% of my Super Battle Droids have broken leg tabs. For the Iron Drones, that number is maybe more like ~30%.

[@PhoenixClank]

The Iron Drones inside the Striking Venom's body, I always thought they were plugged into those trans neon green bricks because they bere being recharged. The deployment mechanism on the legs could also be used in reverse, to pick up stranded Iron Drones whose batteries had run dry. I really love the Silent Strike, it's such a clear upgrade to the Stealth Hunter, it has the same design but just uses so many more pieces for every detail. I find the sword and the rifle especially remarkable, they feel so deluxe, about the same level of care that Lego puts into today's mecha's weapons. Ah and the Fortress' repair bay is so inspiring, I have tried (and failed) multiple times to come up with something similar for my own growing collection of mecha MOCs.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Silent Strike is a beauty. Would have loved to have seen more mechs done at that scale - the extra detail the designers got in is just so good

[@PhoenixClank]

@@CheeseyStudios Oh I would love more armed mecha at any scale. Ninjago's and Monkie Kid's only have swords, no ranged weapons. (Maybe some shoulder cannons if you're lucky.) Basically I'd like another chance of Silent Strike's rifle to happen. I noticed a very nice "slimethrower" on a Dreamzzz set, reminiscent of the flamethrower on the Fire Vulture. Definitely a step in the right direction.