I'm not going to argue that KSP isn't fun, or that it's not a good value for the money, or that you shouldn't play it - but this is something you can build physically (maybe with your kid, maybe with your significant other, maybe with a friend) and actually display.

And honestly, KSP isn't really for everyone. Some people would find it boring while building a giant Lego rocket would be right up their alley.

$120 for a kit of this size is actually pretty cheap by Lego standards; I would've expected it to come in at $200. But I guess they're not paying licensing fees on this one. Lego is fun, and usually worth the price, but boy it can get expensive.

For the price of the Lego kit, a better expenditure to "build with your kid" (or which the kid can build himself if he has the skills) would be a model rocket kits.

There are more than a few kits out there which can be easily built and launched safely - where the total equipment needed (if all purchased) would amount to something around what this Lego kit costs.

And you get a real flying rocket in the end!

If you want to spend a bit (or a lot) less, you can build flyable model rockets from literally trash: One local model rocket club here in the Phoenix area likes to display rockets made from Pringles cans (body, fins, and nosecone!). There is plenty of free and low-cost software out there to help with designing such rockets (and more than a few books).

Lastly - if you want - you can even make your own engines from easily sourced materials (sugar rocket engines are easily made using powdered sugar and tree stump remover, for instance, stuffed/poured into paper tubes or PVC pipe). You can find plenty of information on the internet too about these designs.

So - instead of building a non-flying pretend rocket - build a flying real one, strap a gopro to it, and launch!

It is 1 meter big, for that price for me is a bargain.

Compare the size and piece count to something like a large Star Wars model like the Mellenium Falcon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00WI0PJE2/), $120 for ~1300 pieces. I'm surprised this model's MSRP is so low! I would happily pay ~$200 for this.

Kerbal would likely be more expensive due to licensing fees -- the Saturn 5 is public domain.

Throwing this thing up in the air will have more chance of success in achieving orbit than anything you build in KSP for the first 30 hours of play time though.

Eh, my plan now is to work on my kOS moon-landing script...and when I hit a snag I'll build the Lego rocket.