 | |
| Subject | Mining, Subterranea |
|---|---|
| Licensed from | The Lego Group |
| Availability | 1999–2000 |
| Total sets | 15 [1] |
Lego Rock Raiders (stylized as LEGO Rock Raiders) was a Lego theme focused on mining equipment that released in 1999 and 2000. It was the only underground-based Lego theme before Lego Power Miners. The theme, while short-lived, featured sixteen construction sets and numerous story-related media, including three books and a video game.
Lego Rock Raiders was a short-lived Lego theme that lasted for two years. It was launched in 1999 and discontinued in 2000. Despite this short lifespan, the theme introduced an elaborate storyline that was delivered through video games and comics. The storyline centered on the crew of the spaceship the LMS Explorer and their search for energy crystals. The toy sets were all set on an alien planet. The storyline involved the Rock Raiders' spaceship being sucked through a wormhole into a distant galaxy. The crew must then mine for energy crystals but in the process must also face territorial Rock Monsters. In 2009, the Power Miners theme was launched, which despite not being set in an alien galaxy, had similarities to the Rock Raiders theme by focusing on a group of miners. [2]
There are six characters in the Lego Rock Raiders theme.
The Lego Rock Raiders theme featured fifteen Lego sets in total. [1] Eight main sets were released in 1999, while seven smaller ones were released in 2000. First editions of the 1999 sets included promotional mini comic books. Four of the sets released in 2000 were promotional sets sold by Kabaya Foods Corporation.
| Reference | Name | Released | Minifigures | Pieces | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4910 | Hover Scout | 1999 | Jet | 39 | |
| 4920 | Rapid Rider | 1999 | Bandit | 38 | |
| 4930 | Rock Raiders Crew [3] | 1999 | Axle, Bandit, Docs, Jet, Sparks | 38 | |
| 4940 | Granite Grinder | 1999 | Axle | 108 | |
| 4950 | Loader-Dozer | 1999 | Axle, a rock monster | 89 | |
| 4970 | Chrome Crusher | 1999 | Axle | 167 | Requires two AAA batteries for "laser" |
| 4980 | Tunnel Transport | 1999 | Docs, Jet | 341 | |
| 4990 | Rock Raiders HQ | 1999 | Bandit, Docs, Jet, Sparks, a rock monster | 402 | Requires two AAA batteries for "laser" |
| 1274 | 1 Light Hover | 2000 | Jet | 25 | Released by Kabaya in Japan only |
| 1275 | 2 Chain Dozer | 2000 | Bandit | 22 | Released by Kabaya in Japan only |
| 1276 | 3 Heli Transporter | 2000 | Docs | 20 | Released by Kabaya in Japan only |
| 1277 | 4 Drill Craft | 2000 | Sparks | 27 | Released by Kabaya in Japan only |
| 3347 | Rock Raiders #1 | 1999 | Chief | 8 | Part of the Mini Heroes Collection line, includes a display stand and collectible card for each minifigure |
| 3348 | Rock Raiders #2 | 1999 | Bandit, Docs, Sparks | 21 | Part of the Mini Heroes Collection line, includes a display stand and collectible card for each minifigure |
| 3349 | Rock Raiders #3 | 1999 | Axle, Docs, Jet | 24 | Part of the Mini Heroes Collection line, includes a display stand and collectible card for each minifigure |
| 3916 | Rock Raider Key Chain | 2000 | Jet | 1 | Keychain |
Three books and a number of comics about the Lego Rock Raiders theme were published.
There were also small promotional mini comic books included with specially marked, first edition releases of the main eight Lego Rock Raiders sets from 1999.
A real-time strategy video game of the same name as the theme was developed by Data Design Interactive and released for Microsoft Windows in 1999, with an action-adventure PlayStation game following under a year later. [4] [5] [6]
The Ultimate Lego Book contained concept art for Lego Rock Raiders on pages 30–31, showing how the theme developed over time. The original plans were vastly different:
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