Rock Raiders was a theme that was introduced in 1999 and discontinued in 2000. It is based on space travelers/miners trapped on an alien planet. It consists of eight main sets, four promotional sets and three Minifigure-based sets, and also a video game based on the theme for both PC and the Play Station gaming console.
Details
The eponymous Rock Raiders were a team of miners that searched for energy crystals in the underground. They had several specialized mining and transport vehicles at their disposal, and were based at various locations around Planet U, where they processed rocks to extract the powerful Energy Crystals with their refinery stations. During their excavations, they would occasionally encounter Rock Monsters (but these were only included in two different sets), Slimy Slugs, and numerous other monsters, who would often attack the Rock Raiders or their bases, usually for Energy Crystals (though some, like Spiders and Scorpions, were merely aggressive towards the Raiders).
A 1999 UK catalog page.
This was the third theme (the first was Time Cruisers and the second was Adventurers Egypt) whose Minifigures were individual characters with names.
The setting had several elements that were reprized, and also somewhat further developed, in the Power Miners theme ten years later, such as the occurrence of Rock Monsters and collection of crystals. Here, the Rock Monsters had just minor appearances and were not named characters, merely bearing the name "Rock Monster".
A 2000 USA catalog page.
Rock Raiders introduced also several new pieces, such as the chrome drill, blade saw, hollow boulders and an electric light-producing cannon piece that served as a laser cutter.
The sets of the first wave, which were also the only ones of the theme that appeared in the catalogs, all included Rock Raiders comics. The models and minifigures of the respective set the comic was included in played a major role in the story.
Story
The LMS Explorer.
A 2000 USA catalog page.
The Rock Raiders were traveling on their spaceship, the LMS Explorer, mapping the whole Galaxy. They had just finished their journey and were headed home, when they drifted into an asteroid field. The ship was badly damaged and, to make matters worse, a wormhole caught the ship in its gravitational pull. The fuel supply was drained in the failed attempt to escape, and the LMS Explorer was flung into a distant Galaxy. They found themselves around Planet U, a planet rich in mysterious Power Crystals. They sent down Rock Raiders to mine it, and found vast amounts of Energy Crystals to power and repair the LMS Explorer, but they also encountered many alien creatures. The team would endure numerous hardships to obtain the Crystals, but they eventually triumphed, and successfully gathered enough Crystals to return home.
The three books further expand on this story, as well as the missions from the games.
Minifigures
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Axle | Bandit (Rock Raiders) | Chief (Rock Raiders) | Docs | Green Scorpion | Ice Monster | Jet | Rock Monster (Rock Raiders) | Rock Raider | Rock Whale | Slimy Slug | Sparks |
A 1999 UK catalog page with a comic.
Creatures
Rock Monsters are subterranean beings, who are made entirely of rock, with glowing red crystal eyes. They feast on the energy crystals used to power Rock Raiders vehicles, and are not aggressive unless their crystals are stolen. They are the most common enemy. The best way to kill them is with a Laser Beam.
They were also seen in LEGO Island 2 as a threat in the jungle area, during the Biplane game. More were seen orbiting OGEL Island. This, combined with the fact that Chief encountered one in his youth, proves that Rock Monsters dwell all over the Universe, and even on Earth (with Planet U apparently being the largest collection, and (possibly) "homeworld" of them). Their relationship to the Rock Monsters from the Power Miners theme is unknown.
Rock Monster
They are similar to Rock Monsters, except that they are white and icy. They too feast on crystals, and can be found in the icy sections beneath Planet U. They are more aggressive than Rock Monsters, though not as strong. In a prototype image of one of the Rock Raiders sets, a Rock Monster was shown, except for the fact that it was white. This could have been an Ice Monster, or it could simply have been an unpainted prototype. The best way to kill them is with a Laser Beam. Ice Monsters make few appearances in the NTSC PS1 game.
Lava Monsters are similar to Rock Monsters, except that they are volcanic in appearance. They can be found in the underground molten lava caverns on Planet U. Though they have no instant-kill solutions like the above Monsters do, the best way to dispatch them is with a Freezer Beam. Lava Monsters do not appear in the NTSC version of the PS1 game.
Slimy Slugs are very large slugs, though usually not as large as Rock Monsters (some rather large Slugs were seen at one point). They are large and green with some faint spots, and they eat crystals. Slimy Slugs can also be found on Ogel Island in LEGO Island 2, and push the player back when the player runs into them. The best weapon to use on them is a Pusher Beam.
- Bat:
Bats appear in the Rock Raiders PC video game. They scare Rock Raiders, and cause them to drop what they carry.
Bat
Spiders appear in the Rock Raiders PC video game. They randomly emerge when Rock Raiders are drilling. They cause the Rock Raiders in the area to slip and drop whatever they are carrying, but are otherwise harmless.
Spiders also appear in the Rock Raiders PS1 video game. Unlike the small variety, these are aggressive, and will attack Rock Raiders. They can also spin Large Webs that only the Loader Dozer or the Pusher Beam can clear. There are also prototypes of them lying unused in the PC Game's files.
Purple Scorpions are giant, about the size of Small Diggers. They will attack a nearby Rock Raider. They only appeared in the PS1 game. Three shots from a Pusher Beam will eradicate them.
Green Scorpions are very similar to Purple Scorpions. However, they prefer to not attack directly; rather, they stand at a distance shooting plasma globules from their claws at the Rock Raiders. They only appeared in the PS1 game. Three shots from a Pusher Beam will do away with them.
A Rockwhale in-game.
Also called Rock Whales, these massive 6-legged creatures lumber through the underground passages of Planet U. Though they do not attack, they can do a lot of damage, albeit unintentionally. There are 2 types: a large green type that moves slowly, and a smaller red type that can scuttle faster than most vehicles can move. They only appeared in the PS1 game and the book High Adventure Deep Underground. The only way to remove the large Rockwhales is to use a Pusher Beam to move them into water, causing them to merge into the ground and form a bridge. The small variety move too fast to use a Pusher Beam on.
[[Video:Lego_Rock_Raiders_Lava|thumb|300px|right|A movie from the Video Game.]]
Sets
| Image | # | Set | Number of pieces | Minifigures | Price | Release |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1274 | Light Hover | 25 | Jet | 2000 | |
 | 1275 | Chainsaw Bulldozer | 22 | Bandit | 2000 | |
 | 1276 | Helicopter Transport | 22 | Docs | 2000 | |
 | 1277 | Drill Craft | 27 | Sparks | 2000 | |
 | 3347 | Rock Raiders | 8 | Chief | 2000 | |
 | 3348 | One Minifig Pack - Rock Raiders | 21 | Docs, Sparks, Bandit | 2000 | |
 | 3349 | Rock Raiders | 24 | Docs, Axle, Jet | 2000 | |
 | 4127417 | Walmart Co-pack | ||||
 | 4910 | Hover Scout | 39 | Jet | July 1, 1999 | |
 | 4920 | Rapid Rider | 38 | Bandit | $4.00 | July 1, 1999 |
 | 4930 | The Rock Raiders | 38 | Bandit, Axle, Sparks, Docs, Jet | 1999 | |
 | 4940 | Granite Grinder | 108 | Axle | July 1, 1999 | |
 | 4950 | Loader-Dozer | 89 | Axle, Rock Monster | $20.00 | 1999 |
 | 4959 | Loader-Dozer | 93 | Axle, Rock Monster | Unreleased (Scheduled for July 1, 1999) | |
 | 4970 | Chrome Crusher | 167 | Axle | $30.00 | July 1, 1999 |
 | 4980 | Tunnel Transport | 349 | Docs, Jet | $49.99 | July 1, 1999 |
 | 4990 | Rock Raiders HQ | 402 | Bandit, Docs, Jet, Sparks, Rock Monster | $79.99 | July 1999 |
 | Kabrock | Rock Raiders 4-Pack | 77 | Sparks, Bandit, Docs, Jet | 2000 | |
 | RRMinifigs | Rock Raiders Minifig Packs 3-Pack | 23 | Chief, Sparks, Bandit, Docs (2), Axle, Jet | 2000 |
Books
Three Rock Raiders books were released in various formats: Save the Spaceship, Race for Survival and High Adventure, Deep Underground.
- Save the Spaceship
- Plot coming soon
- Race for Survival
- Axle is trapped underground in a cave-in and the rest of the team set out to rescue him.
- High Adventure, Deep Underground
- Plot coming soon
Original Plans
The only known storyboard of the Rock Raiders theme
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
A piece of concept art showed:
- Different outfit designs for the Rock Raiders, with goggles and scarves.
- Mysterious aliens traveling with the Rock Raiders.
- Rock Monsters were larger, and some had tails and acted more like animals.
- The Chrome Crusher appears with two drills (similar to its upgraded form in the Rock Raiders PC Game) and no laser.
- The Loader Dozer has a drill and a gun.
- A scrapped flying rocket-like vehicle which somewhat resembles the Tunnel Scout.
- A scrapped vehicle with robotic arms, a drill and laser turrets.
- A Mobile Rock Raiders HQ, with Crystal and Ore Refineries and giant arms.
- A Hover Scout with cargo capacity.
Other pictures in the book included:
- Different Granite Grinder, much sleeker look.
- Ice-themes Loader Dozer.
- Ice Monsters in a set.
- Flying transport truck.
Had the theme been more successful, these elements might have been reconsidered.
See also
External Links
- Rock Raiders at Wikipedia
- Rock Raiders United
- The Rock Raiders United Wiki, a database of LEGO Rock Raiders
- Former URL of LEGO Rock Raiders homepage (defunct, redirects to the LEGO Club; posted here for reference for those interested in using the Wayback Machine to observe it)