So You Want To Get Into LEGO Rock Raiders? ~ Full Collection Review!
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- Опубліковано 10 січ 2025
- So, you want to get into LEGO Rock Raiders? Well, have I got a video for you!
In this outing, I take a look at every single set within the LEGO Rock Raiders theme and give my thoughts and recommendations on which to prioritize collecting and which are safe to skip. If that sounds like something I have already done within my R.R. Slugger's Rock Raiders Retrospective series, good! I am starting in familiar territory with this video, but I plan to branch out and make an episode like this for many other LEGO themes I have collected throughout the years. Feedback on what you'd like to see with a video like this is greatly appreciated!
The original music in these videos can be found for free on my Bandcamp page:
rrslugger.band...
If you haven't already, check out Manic Miners, a heartfelt recreation of the Lego Rock Raiders PC game: manicminers.ba...
For quality retro Lego conversation in the best online community I have ever been a part of, you can join the discussion on the Manic Miners Discord: / discord
Interested in the history and research that goes into videos just like this one? You can join the discussion in the Lego Research Realm Discord: / discord
I created the photography, stop motion animation, and music in this video. Original artwork by Brett Halland. Thanks for watching!
High Adventure, Deep Underground.
Upvote it Dark Turquoise is the best color Lego has ever made
2014 gave us The Lego Movie, which provided some happiness.
But TRUE happiness was in 2017 when teal triumphantly returned and in full force.
Trans neon green is better
Thats that blue scooby snack gummy color.
Suddenly, reddish orange-
Sand Green Reigns Supreme.
7:26 Nickonplanetripple even pointed out that normally, according to color theory, this combination of colors would look messy and hurt your eyes, but the way the designers did it was so well-integrated that it works fine here.
I think we have to look no further than Power Miners to see how much colour distribution and ratios matter! On the surface, both Rock Raiders and Power Miners feature very similar colours, but when you look at them side by side, they hardly seem related. If Rock Raiders had the same amount of Dark Turquoise as Power Miners has Lime Green, the sets would be a mess! 😅
This is actually the topic of *another* I'm planning on making, but who knows when I will actually get to it...
@@RRSlugger Yeah when I built my (so far largest?) MOC based on the franchise, but using more widely available colours, my RR sets were packed away and it was only when I unpacked them and compared that I noticed just how cleverly reserved RR is with its more vibrant colours without making the sets look drab! It's a very difficult scheme to emulate!
@@NIRDIAN1 Absolutely! It takes a lot of practice to get right, I think. Some of the MOCs I shared in the video here are good examples of getting it right… and getting it wrong lol. 😅
Still, there are a couple I’m quite proud of. 😊
NOSTALGIA OVERLOAD! I spent ENDLESS hours playing with this set. The granite grinder and chrome crusher were iconic and mixing and matching that base with other sets consumed so much of my time as a kid. I truly can't thank Lego enough for making my childhood amazing 🥰
The sound of the crystals being placed down used for slugs being lit up was a wave of deep nostalgia, wow.
What's crazy is I never even had nearly the full set as a kid but to this day over 20 years later I still had an appreciation for it and it helped spark the adventuring mindset that drove some of my early story writing as a kid
If any of yall want to play a modern Rock Raiders game, Manic Miners is a recreation - and free! It fixes the bugs of the old game.
I think loader dowser is a far better choice considering you get a rock monster probably most iconic part of the theme as well as two energy crystals and a fairly solid vehicle . If you like it buy the rapid rider and rock raiders crew
In general I would say loader dowser is the option to pick for a set representing the theme if you want to get a feel for it, but if you just want rock raiders because you like the game or want it to be represented in some general late 90 and early 2000 display I would recommend 4930 rock raiders crew
That’s fair! It’s not my go-to Rock Raiders set, but I can definitely see how it could be for someone else. 😊
Fun fact: docs retried from the rock raiders and had worked as a movie cameraman in Lego studios
Sparks quit when they got back to Earth and joined a soccer league, only to later be scouted by Hollywood to become a stuntman and later lead actor Jurassic Park!
Axel must’ve taken some lessons with Bandit and Jet, because he became a stunt boat driver, but must’ve fallen on hard times, as he ended up become a sky pirate, piloting a a twin prop!
I don't know if you still read all of the comments, but your channel has quickly become one of my favorites on the site, and absolutely my favorite Lego channel. thank you for the hard work you put in, your perspective on Lego, and just everything about this channel ❤️❤️
Thank you! ❤️
I’d like to think that I still read every comment, even if I don’t have time to reply to them all. 😊
I grew up playing with these lego sets and I love this video, what a walk down memory lane. I had the underground helicopter and it inspired so many builds for me as a kid. Great video!
Thank you! Gald you enjoyed it! ❤️
I only had the Hover Scout growing up, but I loved that little flyer. Unfortunately that was the only encounter I had with Rock Raiders as a kid. I recently got a box of Lego from an older cousin though, and low and behold it had the Tunnel Transport in it! The entire set isn’t present, no small truck or Doc, but 95% of the Transport itself is intact with Jet and hovercraft and boulders and bucket and magnets to pick it up, and I love it all.
Truthfully, it’s thanks to your channel that I was able to figure out what the Transport was, and the quality of your videos has had me hooked. I don’t know that you’ll read this, but thank you all the same for giving me a new appreciation for this nostalgic theme!
That’s awesome! I’m glad you were able to get your hands on such a big Rock Raiders set! 😊
You’ll probably be able to Bricklink the rest of it, I’d imagine? The magnet system is a real highlight in that one.
@@RRSlugger
I imagine so. The pieces the Transport needs are just antennae and handles for the mounted lights, maybe some replacement clips to hold tools. It’ll be easy to put a list together for the truck. My main concern is finding an intact Docs, hopefully not too difficult.
I have to say I absolutely adore the tunnel transport, it’s easily one of my all time favourite sets, it’s a surprise how low you scored it.
Keep in mind the slugometer score is a reflection of which ones I would prioritize in collecting. I don’t think there’s a single bad set in Rock Raiders, but the Tunnel Transport goes for hefty prices and can be difficult to part together because of the myriad of exclusive or rare parts. For someone coming in fresh to the series, I’d recommend picking up many of the smaller sets first. 😊
Do Spyrius please!!! And then 1990's Aqua Zone (Aquanaught, Aqua Sharks, and Aqua Raiders). 1990s legos was such a special time.
Spyrius is definitely planned for the future! ❤
The PS1 game had a banger of a soundtrack. That 90's trance sound mixed with sort of somber jungle is such a specific vibe.
It's great to hear you've figured out your problem on the " too many sets, so little time" issue! This is a great way to review those retro themes! I do hope you continue the current one set-one review for time cruisers though!
your suggestions for buying priorities brought back memories! when I was around 8-ish, my only sets were two hover scouts, a rapid rider, and the crew. a few years later at a yard sale I was able to get the granite grinder, one of the Lasers, a spare chrome drill and the 4-wheel chassis for the dozer/crusher that I put together for a poor mans chrome crusher
Coming across your video on the chrome crusher actually sparked my interest though, got me looking on bricklink to find an incomplete chrome crusher that was only missing the laser and a few other easy to replace parts. Now the only set I'm missing is the Tunnel Transport!
In the spare time in the busy schedule that has become my life, I've come to enjoy your reviews and builds for rock raiders (and other themes)! I'll admit I can't wait for the next how to build in the series, and I hope for some more High Adventure Deep Underground soon!
Thanks Mark! The Time Cruisers series is still going strong, no worries there! I'm also gearing up for the next series I want to dive into - we should probably see that happen this winter.
That sounds like a great childhood collection of Rock Raiders sets! ❤ Awesome to hear that you've nearly completed the whole collection.
There are definitely more "How To Build" videos coming for Rock Raiders on this channel - The Docks is next, perhaps a few weeks away still...
"A One, Two, or Three Slug Rating." I live for this kind of self-accepting insanity, especially in relation to my favorite Lego theme
This style of overview video about a whole theme is great! Can’t wait for more themes!
I’ve got two currently in the works! They take quite a while to make though as they are such big videos! 😅
I only had the Rapid Rider as a kid, but must've spent hours poring over catalogues at the time. Just love the chunky design of the vehicles and industrial colour scheme of Rock Raiders sets. Great to see they're still loved all these years later :)
It's funny, I completed my collection including some mocs like the power station, supply station, super Teleporter and tool shop a few weeks ago (bricklink helps alot doing so!)
Got every set through eBay in good condition for, in my opinion, reasonable prices.
Thanks slugger for keeping this awesome theme alive!
That’s awesome! Sounds like your Rock Raiders collection is coming along swimmingly! ❤️
@@RRSlugger Yes absolutely! Next step is going to be a small diorama because I don´t have the space to show everything atm...
Slugger, maybe you could make a video about how you build dioramas or scenes for your Rock Raiders?
Maybe what bricks you choose and how to make a good composition?
Btw. you make me relive my childhood with all the themes - Rock Raiders, Xalax Racers and the upcoming Dinoisland stuff
@@Daronor01 I do talk about the modular rock walls I make a little bit in the 4990 episode, but perhaps I could go into more detail in the future. Maybe even assembling one on live stream one time! 😊
@@RRSlugger Oh, how could I forget about this moment...? Guess I have to watch all your videos again ;)
Thanks for the info!
Cheers
Ever since ive found this channel about 2-3 months ago, i've had a huge interest in old lego, rock raiders, time twisters/cruisers, and classic space specifically, i've been trying to figure out how to start Rock Raiders and this video is perfect, my current plan is to modernize some parts, mainly figures because i want Chief but do not have the budget for him, and i dont wanna have one modern figure with the rest being older style, but to me, the builds are great as they are, and dont really need modifications, Thank you for the video and I cant wait to start my collection soon!
That’s perfect! I’m glad this video was of help. 😊
I intend to make more around other themes that I collect as well!
Not to argue with an objective list, but I'd think the rock monster included with the dozer would be enough to give that a 3/3
The loader dozer was such an awesome set and fun to roll around and play with when I got it as a 12 year old in 1999. Fast forward a quarter century later and it’s even better now that I can play with it with my son.
This is a really awesome review format. I cant wait to see other themes you cover
Thank you! Many 90’s space themes are certainly on the docket! 😊
Wow, the 30296 archway really did get a second life in the late-noughties, I had no idea!
Nice to see the 'Hover Scout base' get sporadic use for 14 years too - More additions my 'for shits and giggles' Bricklink list :P
I think this is a genius idea for a video series - though of course I want to see in full detail about my favorite themes. That said, the actual chapter structure of this video is 3/3 slugs, it gives recommendations for various kinds of fans and moc makers. That general overview of color palette and moc design is something I’ve been hoping to hear your opinion on for a long time!!
I have to say, the three point Slugometer is a confident choice. With that small scale, there’s only a little room for nuance, but it does keep it nice and simple! Do you consider it a scale of “bad, good, great” or “meh, good, perfect”?
I’m happy that I’ve already bought a ton of parts for Rock Raiders builds, though I know there’s going to be a mix of old and new versions of grey and miscellaneous part substitutes. I really can’t be bothered to buy every part in a set when I can buy the set exclusives and fill the rest of the gaps! Many thanks for reinvigorating my excitement for this theme and others from the series
Thank you Rambo! 3/3 slugs for your comment as well! 😊
I see the Slugometer as being a way to rank sets relatively against each other within a theme - not a general “good”, “mediocre”, “bad” sort of scale. Therefore, every theme is going to have at least one set represent each rating on the Slugometer as there is always going to be a “best” and “worst” set in a series, even if they are all great (like they are in Rock Raiders)! Hopefully that kind of makes sense, haha, but that’s what I’m going with for now. 😅
@@RRSlugger I love this concept of a ranking - it’s such a flexible and optimistic way to “rank” something. How interesting that I assumed it would have to imply a “bad” rating.
Very much looking forward to the future videos in this style!!
@@empatheticrambo4890 Honestly, I don't blame you at all for thinking of it that way - it's something Brett and I discussed when making the art for the Slugometer; the different colours of the lights definitely have connotations, intentional or not. One red light compared to three green lights definitely implies one is *good* and the other is *bad*.
Still, I like the visual of it lighting up red/yellow/green, so we kept it! 😅
@@RRSlugger well the art is great
Dude, Rock Raiders was one of my favorite sets back in the days. So many fond and Nostalgic memories. Even liked the PC game.
before watching your videos i always saw rock raiders just as power miners before power miners, but after watching your videos i saw that there is much more to it, and i really started to love this theme (even though i still find power miners to be the overall superior theme), and it has come to the point that i have bought a loader dozer because i personally find it to be the set that gives the best taste of this theme, and i even did the modifications to it that you did in your loader dozer video.
and in all honesty all your videos give me the appreciation of old and underapppreciated lego themes, like rock raiders, time cruisers and now orient expedition. I can't wait to see your next work and what themes are you gonna cover in the future
Thank you! I’m also glad to hear my videos have helped in re-examining older LEGO sets and giving them a second thought. 😊
You are my favorite Lego youtuber. The quality of your videos is just next level and you make videos about the themes that were thing in my childhood but which I was never into because I chose Bionicle as my main Lego theme to follow. Just two weeks ago I saw my first Rock Raiders toy on wild in a local nerd store. Didn't get it because I dont buy much System but it was fun to see because of your Rock Raider videos. I will keep following your Lego videos even if I am near 30 years old.
Thank you! ❤️
I’m glad you are getting enjoyment out of the videos, even if System isn’t totally your thing. 😊
Wait, this is really all the sets Rock Raiders has to offer? This theme is puny! I dig the aesthetic, but I'm shocked such a slim theme is as popular as this is nowadays. Definitely gonna consider Power Miners as Rock Raiders 2.0, just so I get the vibe that the "LEGO Mining" theme is more complete.
Yup! They sure made themes lean back in the day! 😅
All throughout the 90’s you had themes that on average only had around 4 to 7 sets in them. Crazy to think about now with how sprawling Ninjago or City have become.
Just bought my first set today, SO excited to get into this theme. Great and comprehensive video! Thank you slug man
Aw, that’s so exciting! Which one did you get? 😊
@@RRSlugger Loader Dozer because I wanted the rock monster, but I'm sure it won't be the last 😅
@@punoil That's a great set! Enjoy! ❤
I love the rock raiders sets for the unique parts like the cockpit and chrome drill pieces but the only set I had as a kid was the hover scout which had neither. So I wound up using Jet's helmet on one of my exploriens minifigures since I preferred that design to the grey motorbike helmet
the quality of this is insane, really great video
Thank you! ❤️
I would love to see a entire video dedicated to ice planet because it is one of my favorite themes
Definitely on its way!
2:33 Yes! You heard the slug!
Hahaha, hopefully that isn't too harsh - I have such a low tolerance for people profiteering off of children's toys though. 😅
@@RRSlugger Haha, as do I! There is a clear line between actually liking a theme and just using it for personal profit (someone's gotta tell them that 😂) Unfortunately Lego Star Wars has been having this problem for quite some time now. Fingers crossed they'll leave Lego alone all together!
Ive been slowly sorting my wife's huge childhood bin of random lego & looking up pieces with Google Lens to see what sets they're from. She had the Granite Grinder! I'm currently working on putting that together, though we're sadly missing the chrome looking drill piece.
Had the loader dozer as a kid. Loved it. Axel is my fave rock raider as a result. Lol informative video! Thank you! (Placed a bid on the Chrome Crusher set, love it in the MM remake)
Ah man, this is before my time. I always loved lego but only got to have a few of the smaller sets as a kid. You just made me want to get into collecting lol.
I love how you combined the sets together, I remember as a kid there where some sets that had instructions for multi builds and others that where advertised as compatible with other sets. I couldn't afford to get any of the big sets so I never had that fun of recombining things and making my own builds. (Even better, now I can do it as an adult lol!)
I really like how that was encouraged as part of this sets theme, as much as I love it, you cant really do that with something like Lego Star Wars. With Star Wars you're recreating something, and if you stray from it youre losing its essence. Although I do love seeing people make dioramas of large battlefields and star wars scenes. Some of the stuff people build looks amazing.
I think theres something special with some of the older Lego original theme sets.
Great video man! Ive been wanting to get into collecting Lego for a while and Ive been looking for some cool channels. So far your the best one I've found :)
I love your stop motion animations, you're style and your attention to detail. Very interesting video, keep up the great work dude!
Thank you very much! I’d really recommend starting with some of these lesser known 90’s/00’s themes as they are certainly cheaper than collecting stuff like Star Wars. 😊
My Rock Raiders revival is going swimmingly, I built a Support Station, (75% accurate colors) just from looking at a couple pictures. I made a car out of the Adventurers chassis and front piece and have named it the Land Buggy, it has an exposed mini chrome crusher-esque engine in the front with a Volkswagen hood ornament flat circle piece, and of course one of those yellow tubes. I even made a SUPER illegal Slimy Slug out of upside down front of a boat.
This sounds so intriguing! I would love to see photos one day if you're willing to share - my inbox is always open!
rrslugger@protonmail.com
I was going to disagree with you about Rock Raiders HQ, but then you pointed out the large display footprint it has. That's the only Rock Raiders set I don't have on display right now, so I guess have to agree with you lol.
Hover Scout + Rapid Rider were my first two, and I think they really make a perfect low-cost introduction to the theme. Of course, I always drooled over the Chrome Crusher and Tunnel Transport in the product catalogues as a kid
Haha, the baseplate really is a pain sometimes, isn't it? 😅
I love the HQ set (as I do all the sets in Rock Raiders), but I couldn't really recommend that one to someone just starting a Rock Raiders collection. I love that Hover Scout + Rapid Rider combo you mentioned though!
I like how you put cross-theme references in the video, eg Time Twisters at 1:55.
as far as the loader dozer goes, if you want to actually use the lever on the back to lift the bucket, I do recommend redesigning the back end a bit when building it rather than following the instructions, as the lever has a tendency to detach in my experience. I used a few longer bricks with more overlap and added some technic pieces years back to make mine sturdier. The bucket also benefits from a redesign too to make that sturdier
I can relate - my handle popped off a lot too - thankfully it wasn't hard to reattach!
Loved this video so much, really reminds me of TrikBrix with the high quality production and narration. Amazing job, you earned a new subscriber!
Thank you! TrikBrix inspired me to create this channel in the first place - I miss his videos. 😢
The main thing I admire about this series is that it inspired my favorite, power miners. It walked so miners could run
As it turns out, as a kid I got to own the 3 R.R. Recommended sets!
This series is great, I look forward to discover more themes this way.
That's a lucky kid right there!! And why didn't *I* think to call it R.R. Recommendations? I love it!
Thanks for the feedback - I'm looking forward to the next one too!
@@RRSlugger I remember receiving the crew set. I was so thrilled because it added to my somewhat clonish minifig population some individual with personality! The orange one (Spark?) was by far my favourite, I called him... Smith. And he was (to little kid me) a blacksmith! The blacksmithing was essentially cutting actual paper to make accessories (mostly suits of armour).
I also absolutely adored Jet's over scout, such a small build, yet so mind captivating. She was my second favourite, and because I had two of her (crew + over scout) I pretended they were twins, and we're quite adventurous.
Needless to say, the granite grinder with its chrome silver drill was also one of my prized possession. I had two copies of it's pilot (crew + granite grinder), however I don't remember how I handled that, they definitely weren't twins. A child's mind works in some wonderous ways sometimes...
I agree with you but the tunnel transport have the best alternative builds
Brilliant idea you got! Can't wait to see your quick reviews of other themes! :)
Thanks Azazel! We just moved into a new home and hauling *all this Lego* made me realize how much it I haven't even talked about on this channel yet! I really need to get a move on, haha. 😅
@@RRSlugger Exciting news for the channel ahah! Congrats on the new house 👍
@@lopmon.apologist Thank you! ❤
R.R. Slugger has done it again!
Great video, slugger! Thoroughly enjoyed, and I look forward to others in this series.
Thank you! I'm looking forward to it too! Maybe I will *finally* be able to make some content for these other themes I'm always teasing, haha. 😅
I hadn't bought any Lego for the last 15+ years.
Then UA-cam recommended me this and I bought Granite Grinder out of nostalgia for the game.
And then I thought it looks lonely and got the Hover Scout.
And then Rapid Rider.
And now I have every mainline set (except for Chief) and then some.
And at this point I'm not sure if I should hate you or thank you.
Sorry about that!! 😅
The only set I had as a kid was the Hover Scout. But my friend had the Chrome Crusher and I thought it was so cool. That laser, man!
I have re-used the laser on many MOC’s - even non-Rock Raiders related ones - often as a weapon.
Love the suggestions. I have the Chrome Crusher (hope it's still in a good enough condition) and I think I want to get a set with a rock monster + the 5 minifig pack
I had a bunch of these sets and they were fun, although the big raised baseplate is the only raised baseplate I ever had that broke down the middle
I think the best color substitutes are:
Old brown > New Brown
Dark turquoise > New teal (like in the modular diner)
I would say replace the grays but I think the old ones do a better job at getting the rock raiders fee because they’re more sour, and not as “sweet”/soft as the bluish greys.
I would say to increase Loader Dozer to a must-have as it, along with Rock Raider HQ, are the only sets to get a Rock Monster in
That's fair! Though I'd say if you're after a rock monster, it's probably just easier to grab one loose on eBay or Bricklink.
Well - I just got my RR HQ anyway, and I most certainly don’t regret it!
Awesome!! Congrats!
Great video, Slugger! I had the Chrome Crusher, it's my only RR set. I got it for Christmas back when it came out. I asked my parents for it because I loved the PC game and I had a bunch of "rock" pieces from some medieval sets and pirate sets that I could use to build some caves. Although the Chrome Crusher itself had a lot of MOC potential (and I spent most of the time making Lego MOCs as a kid), I still have it intact after 20+ years somewhere in my apartment. Those MOCs you show near the end are all really clever designs and I liked that explanation you gave about the colors, especially the idea of turquoise and yellow being old paint peeling off. I'm looking forward to those next theme videos!
Thanks Cris! I got the Chrome Crusher for Christmas one year as well - it was so cool! ❤
I don't remember building any caves for it, but I loved it nonetheless.
... Well, now I'm just keen for the eventual Exploriens deep dive~
We all know it's coming... eventually! 😅
I've got to wash all of my Exploriens stuff still and that includes rebuilding the Explorien Starship... maybe a livestream project? 😊
I bought as many Hover Scouts as I could as a kid. It was the smallest Lego set in which I could consistently get a female minifigure at the time, Jet's outfit worked well enough to mix into male figures as well, and as a bonus it came with a little vehicle, a computer terminal, and some tools!
That’s awesome! The Hover Scout is jam packed full of great parts!
Funny thing, first set that I got that is Rock Raiders-related WAS the Rock Raiders HQ, found a complete set for a STEAL of a price at $90 on Ebay. I was considering on getting the Tunnel Transport next since that includes the Small Digger, but I think I'll follow your advice and prioritize the sets you've given the best rating for. And being a train fan, i've always wanted to try my hand at an underground railway MOC for this theme that I hope to one day tackle. Thank you for this video! ^^
That's a great price!! And in doing so, you managed to score most of the Rock Raiders crew, removing the need for 4930. You've even got a Rock Monster, which removes some of the draw behind 4950.
Seems like you may be in for 4940 or 4970 next! 😮
IF i could argue about one of the small sets it'd be the one with Chief. Its the only way to get his figure, so at the very least that one is a must have, especially if you're a collector.
I appreciate the sentiment, but nowadays buying Chief will cost you more than the rest of the Rock Raiders collection! 😳
He can't actually be worth it, can he?
I might remember a friend having these becuse the base and the rock monsters, that looks like gorillas looks familiar. I do like the base for how you can shift stuff around. And if I would guess what I would have bought when I was a kid maybe it would have been Granite Grinder, Chrome Crusher and maybe Rapid Raider. Funny enough I am that type of lego guy who dose´t pay much mind to the figures and can be without them XD Intresting with a game, now I wanna look it up. Short but good video.
I do really want the Granite Grinder, though - i already have the Chrome Crusher, so if I get it, I will have TWO drills, so then I can build some bigger, badder drilling machines…
This IP needs to come back. Still got my boxed PC game. Used to spend so many hours on it too. Great vid!
This is exactly what I was hoping to see one day after the Xalax video
I just didn’t think it would come so soon
Thanks Chet - that's awesome that the timing lined up so well!
Typically, I try to have a new video/stream each weekend, but we'll see about this month... Moving has taken up a lot of the time I usually reserve for pre-production so I don't have a ton of stuff to work with right now. 😅
great stuff as always! i look forward to future themes in this series!
admittedly, i began to visibly sweat when you showed that gray slope with the black and yellow stripes knowing much it costs in new dark gray...
Thank you Fuzzbuns!
Hahaha, of course we have Lego Star Wars to thank for the price of that one... 😅😭
This was a great video slugger!! Great work as per usual:3
Thank you Skylar! I appreciate your confidence in me! ❤
I only ever had the hover scout but I remember enviously wanting the chrome crusher and HQ as a child but it was pretty ingrained into me that I would only get a presnrt on birthdays and Christmases and my parents gave very firm nos to any bigger more expensive set 😂 Now I'm older I lowkey want to get the big sets I was never allowed but of course now they're even MORE expensive 😂
8:26 Power Miners reference :D
this theme is goated. got myself a chrome crusher and not stopping now 😤
Hey, congrats! Welcome to Rock Raiders! ❤️
I can't wait to see what other themes you do this for! The only theme I have all of the sets for is the World Racers theme from 2010.
Thank you! Feel free to run with this video idea if you want to do it with the World Racers theme! ❤
@@RRSlugger I have been thinking of doing videos like this for multiple themes including World Racers and I even started working on one but right now I just can't do in person videos in the quality I want them to be.
@@BatFlightBuilds Hmm, that's fair. You have the experience with the sets though, and I honestly think that is more valuable than having the ability to hold them and show them off in a video; never underestimate expertise, right? 😊
Personally, I would be happy to hear you talk about a series you have experience with; I always value informed opinions on Lego more than speculation (which is so common across UA-cam).
@@RRSlugger Yeah I understand that, my feelings about World Racers are a little different than before I owned the sets. I make a lot of ranking videos and I obviously don't own all of the sets but I like making the videos and talking about the sets even if I don't own them and if I had to own them all to make the videos I wouldn't be able to make many videos.
@@BatFlightBuilds For sure - I definitely don’t mean to insinuate that someone can’t talk about a set if they don’t own it. I think it’s definitely fair to say things like “this set looks great!” or “I don’t like the look of this set” without any prior experience with it. What usually grinds my gears is when people make claims or just parrot things that they’ve heard online about a Lego theme; Galidor and Time Cruisers often bear the brunt of this sort of bad faith. ☹️
I only have the Hover Scout, Granet Grinder, and Loader Dozer. I've misplaced the helmet for Jet.
awesome video slugger! thanks to your reccomendation, im thinking about picking up a chrome crusher to pair with the crew. also love to see the slugometer come back
Thanks Brendan! The Chrome Crusher would pair rather nicely with that Rock Raiders Crew set… 😊
Very excited to sit down and watch this soon! :3
Thank you Nirdian! 😊
@@RRSlugger Thank YOU for this wonderful summarizing video!
I really hope I can still find the Tunnel Transport and HQ at some point for an ok price. my completionist heart craves it. Then again, I don't really miss either them or my lack of the Granite Grinder too much!
It is a bit of a shame that none of the sets apart from HQ or Loader Dozer came with any "wildlife" (the Rock Monster showing up in those) or even terrain, though I realize that was par for the course in pre-2000s sets with the exception of bases and their baseplates! I think the theme could have benefited greatly from the approach that the 90s Divers theme (another favourite of mine and one which I am lucky to have some of the larger sets of) took: A vehicle and then some rock formations with spiders, bats and the iconic missing slugs!
@@NIRDIAN1 Absolutely! Some environmental terrain was sorely lacking from Rock Raiders. I really like your suggestion of doing something similar to Divers!
4930 and 4950 were our very first Rock Raiders sets, shortly followed by 4920 and 4940. Then 4970... and, 23 years later, 4990. All that's left are the Hover Scout and Tunnel Transport. I'm not prioritizing one over the other.
That’s an awesome childhood collection that turned into an even better adult collection! 😊
I had the hover scout set with Jet
I’m still trying to find a way to play the Rock Raiders video game these days. It was the first RTS I played and I desperately want to go back and replay that game and finally beat it properly
I love how I was able to find a bunch of rock raiders pieces in a large lot of Lego I bought, but there are some sad things about the pieces I got, the rock monster was spray painted black for an unknown reason, and also none of the mini figures were in the lot.
Anyway I love your videos
A black rock monster sounds pretty sweet, actually! 😮
@@RRSlugger not when it’s poorly painted
@@LambertBricks 😭
Hey, but it was cheap, I got like 46 lbs of actual Lego for 100$ and a lot of it was vintage
This is a great idea for a series!
I just hope the favorites that we have to look forward to (cough cough Life on Mars cough COUGH) don't get JUST this video. But I would think that this sort of video would be great to do for... well, EVERY LEGO theme!
Or the ones that you have, at least.
I really love the look at all the sets, and then the color scheme, and the story before all that, and ugh. It's very well done! Great job!
Not that I want it to be, but I would be okay if this was the last Rock Raiders video. It feels like an introduction moreso than anything else, but I think it works fine as a conclusion.
Of course, I would prefer more Rock Raiders, but, as you said in the video, time is of the essence! As much as I love Rock Raiders, if you HAD to choose, I would start leaning towards new content, since you've already gone over Rock Raiders so extensively.
But that's just me. If you can balance Rock Raiders AND new stuff, then I'm more than happy for more high adventure deep underground!
Thank you for the feedback!
I want to stress that even if I *do* make a video like this for a series I have never really talked about before, it doesn't mean I will *never* make individual set videos for that theme. I chose Rock Raiders to start with here as a sort of way to show that this video can still exist even if I have already covered a theme or plan to cover it in the future.
Now, that being said, is "So You Want To Get Into Time Cruisers?" going to be the next entry in this series? Probably not, because as you said, time is of the essence! 😊
I get what you're saying about the Rock Raiders fatigue (maybe that's too strong a word, but you get my meaning). I don't think I will ever *stop* making Rock Raider focused videos if I'm honest, but I do want to spend time on other themes too of course. Rock Raiders will always find a way to creep back into my content I think, haha.
I do want to wrap up Time Cruisers soon so I can move onto another in depth series; I think it would be a little reckless for me to start another one while I still have Rock Raiders and Time Cruisers on the go. Life on Mars is definitely still on my radar! 😉
@@RRSlugger Awesome!!
3:48 hey i have that set :)
My 2 year old son has started asking to watch rock raiders by name because he loves watching your videos with me 🙂
Awww, that’s awesome! A new generation of Rock Raiders! ❤️
The only theme I have completely collected is monster fighters( minus the mansion) I absolutely love monster fighters, but sadly there is a sever lack of monster fighter content online, I absolutely love your channel, just wish there was a similar one covering monster fighters stuff
Hopefully we get some more Slugger-like channels out there to cover those themes (like Monster Hunters) that I have zero experience with. 😊
Nice! Like I said before, I really dig this idea so I'm glad to see this series get off to a great start. I think the formula you've got going is simple and solid. The section on makings MOCs in the theme was a great touch too.
A few other thoughts:
1) While I agree with the Kabaya sets' rating, I do think it's worth mentioning that they can be had relatively cheaply if you collect the parts individually via Bricklink rather than buy the set. That's what I'm doing myself.
2) I'm surprised that the Rapid Rider got a 3/3 as I always felt it was one of the weaker sets thematically. It's not a bad set, but being the only water craft makes it the oddball of the group. I think it's more of a 2/3 personally.
3) I don't necessarily disagree with the Tunnel Transport's score, but I'd personally lean towards a 2/3 when you consider the Small Digger and Hover Craft that it comes with. Also the magnet is a fun play feature. I will concede that its high price tag does hurt it though.
While it is futile to debate the rankings of the (objective) Slug-o-meter, I'll humour the idea nonetheless! 😉
1) You're definitely not wrong about acquiring the pieces for these sets through Bricklink - that's how I did it too; however, do they give a good taste of what Rock Raiders has to offer and should you prioritize collecting them over some of the other sets? I don't think so, personally, despite how much I enjoyed my time with them.
2) I thought about ranking the Rapid Rider a 2/3, but I honestly had a hard time coming up with a concrete reason as to why. It comes with a great collection of accessories and was featured in the game perhaps even more prominently than the Hover Scout it's competing with, so I felt 3/3 was fair. 😊
3) I definitely get what you're saying with this one; I would probably give all of the Rock Raiders sets a 3/3 because I love them all so much. With that being said, I wanted to rank them against each other - something had to get the 1/3 slugs and I think it had to be the two biggest sets. I don't think they bring enough to the table for a new collector for them to justify the price tag when compared to what could be had for much less.
Typically I find I favour those midrange sets in themes, though there will be some that buck that trend! 😊
Years ago, I bought a bulk lot of LEGO from Goodwill Auctions online, and when I was sorting it out, I kept seeing these pieces with prints and stickers that seemed to be really shredded up, with the images looking frayed and torn. It turns out it was some elements from these sets, and was intentional, lol. I just wasn't aware of Rock Raiders at the time; I was in college when it came out, and it was during my "dark ages".
Haha, that's awesome Joe! The weathering of the pieces is pretty convincing, isn't it? I love the hearty look of Rock Raiders.
Looking forward to ice planet!
Me too! Hopefully I will get to that script soon!
I really wish hidden side was handled well cause the app for it was actually fun!
I’m going to get some rock raiders for cristmas thanks for giving me more info rr I’ve been a long time sub and I just want to say keep the absolutely great work. I will definitely watch the collection videos and I hope you keep the slugomiter for the others :p -Daniel
Thank you so much for your ongoing support, Daniel! I'm so glad that you're enjoying the videos and even considering giving Rock Raiders a try! Way back when I was a young slug, I got the Chrome Crusher for Christmas - I was so excited! 😄
This is like your 7th video I've watched (just found your channel today and currently binging!) and it took me until now to figure out R.R. stood for rock raiders. Damn I'm dumb lol. I never played the game so I had no idea the slug was from rock raiders as well... I should try it out sometime!
Now that you've introduced me to both rock raiders and life on mars, I can say that... I want to buy them all lol!
I'm a go big or go home type of gal so I think the HQ is essential!
My history with LEGO is that I mostly had 2005-2012 LEGO (not much, my parents mainly bought me videogames) and just came back to the hobby now. And currently own one set, the chess board.
You should make one of these for Life on Mars, even if I'm already sold on them!
(as of today) Life on Mars has way more listings than rock raiders... also there's 4 more sets that show up for rock raiders that you didn't mention. Turns out they were japanese promos? I'm sure they're easy to recreate via bricklink, though
@@voidqueen0423 Thanks for checking out the channel! ❤️ I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying the back catalogue - there’s a ton of it!
Truthfully, when Brett and I designed the character of Slugger, we never settled on exactly what “R.R.” stood for, so it’s up to your own interpretation. 😊
A Life On Mars video (or videos!) are definitely coming, hopefully this year. They are pretty cheap on the aftermarket right now but likely won’t be by the time my videos come out… there’s definitely been a rise in prices of Rock Raiders sets since I started doing this… 😅
Those Japanese promo sets do get mentioned briefly in the video at around 3:08, but I think you have the right idea - just part them out. 👍
@@RRSlugger
Okay in that case I'll call you Really Radical Slugger!
I'll be looking forward to those videos! Hopefully it doesn't make obtaining them in the future much harder!
And oh you did mention the polybags. Didn't pay enough attention then, I probably figured that referred to the figures with the cards.
3:02 omg this is why!
1am? Not tired? Its slugger time
I had the Loader Dozer on layaway for like a month at Wal-Mart while I saved up enough chores money to buy it. After I buying it, I played with it too much and didn't do my chores. My mom took it away and hid it in her closet. But when she wasn't home, I snuck into the closet to play with it more.
Hahaha, it's a fun toy! Thanks for sharing your story. 😊
Gould never really afford the full range when it was out. I really missed out on a lot.
helpful and entertaining
Hahaha, thanks Ewan! I'm glad it was both! 😊
I think you haven't mentioned one particular important combo:
Chrome Crusher + Loader Dozer
with this 2 sets you get all "exclusive" features of the theme: Rock monster, chrome drill and laser flashlight!
True! 2 Axles though, which is a bit of a downer. 😕
What is the set at 1:19? You have to do a video on it, that’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.
Ah! That's set 6776 from Lego Alpha Team! It's definitely in the review docket, hopefully for 2023. 😊
7:25 MOC raider lmao
Actually the (a little) dark feeling around a stranded mining ship is not so far from the story of Dead Space (2008) :D
My favorite themes have to be Rock Raiders, Aquazone, Life on Mars, and then Adventures
Great picks!
love your raider extras with the classic smiley face. do they just have not as well defined fashion senses as the main crew, or are they some kind of drone? either way they made me smile :)
Thanks! They are meant to be modelled after the “Lemmings” you order around in the Rock Raiders PC Game. 😊
Bro you are the only reason why I even considered getting one but the chrome crusher is like 400 or $500 if you can find one
Here’s the dirty little secret behind collection Rock Raiders (that I maybe should have mentioned in the video…) - while the sets themselves can be expensive, the Rock Raiders specific pieces are *extremely* cheap on Bricklink, meaning that it’s usually very easy to part them out!
If you can’t find a reasonable Chrome Crusher for sale, maybe look at the part inventory and decide if parting it out might be the way to go. 😊
I got my Chrome Crusher for free! Well
- it was mixed in a tub of used LEGO (though it was complete) - and that was back in 2014!
Great video, I already made my rock raiders giant vehicle moc, you can search it that way or in my channel, its my most recent video now, guess which two sets i have from that line, I think its going to be easy for you to know, have a few extra rock raiders parts too.