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| Abbreviation | LRR |
| Developer | Data Design Interactive |
| Publisher | LEGO Media |
| Universe | Rock Raiders |
| Starting Level | Driller Night |
| Review Score | PC: 6.5/10 PS1: 5.9/10 |
| Release Date | November 15th, 1999 |
| Rating | E |
| Systems | Microsoft Windows PlayStation |
| Categories | Characters Levels |
| LEGO Friends (1999) | LEGO Rock Raiders | Legoland | ||||
LEGO Rock Raiders is a real-time strategy game created by Data Design Interactive and LEGO Media for Microsoft Windows in 1999 and PlayStation in 2000, based on the LEGO theme of the same name. The leader of the Rock Raiders, known simply as Chief, gives the player instructions throughout the game, similar to the Infomaniac from LEGO Island, while the player controls a squad of the team through underground caverns.
The PC version was praised for its unique gameplay while the Playstation port had more mixed to negative reviews from players and critics.
Plot[]
A team of space explorers known as the Rock Raiders were on their way back to Earth from an expedition when their ship, the LMS Explorer, was sucked into a wormhole and trapped the team on a deserted planet. Luckily for them, the underground caverns of the planet are filled with powerful Energy Crystals that can recharge their power supplies enough to return them to Earth.
After the final mission has been completed, the Rock Raiders fill up their ship with crystals and escape the wormhole, finally returning to Earth.
Levels[]
The game starts with eight tutorial levels to complete first before going into the actual levels. Each of which details the instructions on how the game's mechanics work and how to deal with any obstacles the squad of Rock Raiders may encounter.
- Tutorial 1: Moving Rock Raiders. Chief teaches the player how to give commands to the squad and how they move across different terrains. Clicking a Rock Raider onto a pile of a rubble will make them clear it and if they're near an energy crystal they will automatically pick it up and take it back to base.
- Tutorial 2: Rock Types and Drilling. The player is taught to click on rock walls to get a selected Rock Raider to drill through it. The drill menu is introduced to give the player the option to either drill through, reinforce or blast away the rock wall. Certain walls also resonate with either Energy Crystal or Ore seam.
- Tutorial 3: Building Rock Raider HQ. Chief teaches the player how to summon Rock Raiders via the Tool Store and how to build Power Paths along the ground. Ore is gathered from the rubble and taken to the Tool Store. The store itself must be upgraded to build different buildings depending on the number of ore gathered.
- Tutorial 4: Moving Rock Raider Vehicles. Chief shows the different vehicles and how they work on different terrain, land, water and lava. A Rock Raider must be trained for the terrain first before they can drive certain vehicles. Training to be a driver must be done at a Support Station, a sailor via a Dock and a pilot via a Teleport Pad.
- Tutorial 5: Using Explosives. Rock Raiders must be trained at a level 2 Tool Store in order to become Explosive Experts and be able to handle dynamite to blast away walls that can't be drilled normally. Dynamite can also damage vehicles and buildings if they're too close to the blast radius.
- Tutorial 6: Constructing Advanced Buildings. Chief teaches the player about how different buildings are needed to construct others and how much ore and energy crystals they require to upgrade. Buildings can only be constructed near Power Paths so make sure they're in place.
- Tutorial 7: Drilling With Vehicles. The player is taught that by directly clicking on a Rock Raider and then a wall they want drilled, they didn't have to open the drilling menu and select the option to drill the wall. Afterwards, Chief shows the player that a squad member will be automatically trained as a driver if there isn't one when a vehicle is clicked on, and Get Driver is chosen from the menu. Vehicles are faster at drilling, with the speed at walls coming down depends on how upgraded the vehicles are.
- Tutorial 8: Defending Rock Raider HQ. Rock Raiders will automatically defend against attacking monsters or slugs if they're equipped with four different weapons. If the Action Station command is activated by the player, all Rock Raiders equipped with the weapons will immediately rush to attack the monsters and slugs. Rock Monsters will destroy any Power Paths and buildings nearby to steal energy crystals, they can be defeated by either the Laser, Freeze or Pusher beams while Slimy Slugs can only be scared off by dropping Sonic Blasters. Electric fences can also be built to protect any buildings it surrounds.
All the game's missions involve collecting enough energy crystals and saving fellow stranded Rock Raiders hidden in the levels. At the end Chief will give the player a percentage based on how well they have completed the mission. Getting 100% on all the missions will unlock the perfect ending.
Standard Ending[]
The Rock Raiders refuel their ship via the crystals gathered and fly off of the planet. The ship supposedly makes it back to earth after a while.
Perfect Ending[]
The ending plays out the same until the end when the ship immediately blasts off from the planet and supposedly makes it back to earth in an instant.
Version Differences[]
- Unlike the PC game, the PlayStation port is a simple action platformer game where the player controls only one Rock Raider at a time to collect the energy crystals.
- There are fewer levels, and the ranking was changed from a percentage to either a Bronze, Silver or Gold medal.
- There are new enemies such as Rockwhales and scorpions.
- Some of the levels support multiplayer gameplay
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- A fanmade HD remake called Manic Miners is in the works.
- Rock Raiders has also gained a large number of fan mods and custom levels that can be downloaded into the original game.
- This is the first of only two LEGO games impossible to complete 100%, the other being the GBA version of LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy.
- The PlayStation port uses a password system despite the console being capable of holding save files. Crash Bandicoot is another game where that happened.
- The main menu has these animations:
- This is the second of three LEGO games that have multiple endings, the first being LEGO Island and the third is LEGO DC Super-Villains.
| LEGO Rock Raiders | |
|---|---|
| PC Levels | Driller Night • The Path To Power • Rubble Trouble • A Breath Of Fresh Air • It's A Hold Up • Explosive Action • Search 'n' Rescue • Breathless • Frozen Frenzy • Erode Works • Water Lot Of Fun • Water Works • Rock Hard • Don't Panic! • Ice Spy • Split Down The Middle • Lava Laughter • Oresome! • Fire 'n' Water • Run The Gauntlet • Air Raiders • Lake Of Fire • Back To Basics • Hot Stuff • Rocky Horror |
| PlayStation Levels | Jet's Mission • Axle's Mission • Doc's Mission • Bandit's Mission • Spark's Mission • Trapped • Supply Base • River Run • Thawed Out • Web Space • Move On Up • Hot Rocks • Fire Canyon • Fire Down Below • The Lair Of The Rockwhale • Trouble Down the Mine • Scarce Resources • Last Man Out • There and Back Again • Web of Fire • Building Bridges • Crystal Isles • Heavy Weights |