In 1999 we partied like it was-well, 1999- and also we were introduced to the LEGO Rock Raiders. In 2009, The Black Eyed Peas seemed unstoppable and we were all digging another subterranean LEGO theme called Power Miners. One featured chrome drill bits and a rugged, utilitarian brown and teal color scheme, while the other was all about heavy machinery in a lime green and orange livery. This article will take a deep dive into both themes and will showcase some of the best official LEGO sets and creations from builders around the globe. So sit back, mix yourself a Mudslide (on the rocks, of course) and enjoy this dynamite blast from the past.
Rock Raiders
The Rock Raiders underground setting is assumed to have originated from CYBOTS, an unreleased theme by designer Christian Faber. My source. While not exactly what we eventually got on the store shelves, this early concept illustration chiseled out the look and feel of this rugged theme.
The earthly Rock Raiders find themselves marooned on the planet U, a place rich in Brickonium Energy Crystals and LEGO Ore. They mine each in order to power and repair their damaged ship, the LMS Explorer. The Raiders have an array of specialized mining equipment to get the job done but numerous hardships including strange and fearsome rock monsters don’t make the task easy. The Tunnel Transport shows us that some Rock Raider vehicles took to the underground skies while the Chrome Crusher showcased that tasty chrome drillbit in all its rock crunching glory. This, as well as the brown canopies from this series became sought after parts in so many LEGO collections.
Back then, instruction books and catalogs included comics that illustrated the look and feel of any theme and showed us exhilarating scenarios as to how to play with our LEGO sets. Here is a sample from a 1999 catalog.
This catalog page from 2000 showcases the massive Rock Raiders HQ as well as a few other more affordable smaller sets.
Let’s face it, I was already a grown-ass adult and even a college graduate when the Rock Raiders theme ended their short run in 2000. But that didn’t stop me and other like-minded adults from digging the theme with childlike wonder. One such grown-ass adult is the aptly named Purple-Wolf with his Rubbel Shovel.
Chris Perron drills down in this action-packed scene with a vehicle called the Basalt Borer and expertly showcases his landscaping skills with that rugged rocky terrain.
Back in April of 2023, rock star Bob DeQuarte digs up his own version of the Loader-Dozer complete with a fully posable rock monster that has way more charm and playability than the original one-piece stone-faced antagonist from 1999.
2024 was the 20th anniversary of the Rock Raiders theme and LegoMathijs and friends carried the torch for this theme with this stunning collaboration that digs deep under the planet Onyxx. This gem contains a gambit of play features including an upgraded Rock Raiders HQ, a bevy of rugged vehicles, rock laser and a working motorized rail. It’s a collab not to be missed so be sure to check out Our feature from July of 2024.
Power Miners
Fans had to wait until January of 2009 to go spelunking into another subterranean theme. While Power Miners felt like Rock Raiders spiritual successor in a lot of ways, they didn’t have to travel to exotic planets in order to encounter power crystals and rock monsters. The specialized team of miners dug deep into the Earth’s crust to investigate the cause of mysterious earthquakes that have toppled cities. Apparently rock and lava monsters caused the rumblings and collecting their power crystals seemed to have subsided the quakes a bit, for some reason. What lacked in brilliant plot points more than made up for it with cool vehicles in a bold orange and lime green livery like the Boulder Blaster and Claw Digger. Each vehicle was prominently numbered on the box art and the vehicle itself (These two are 7 and 4, respectively) that gave the series a collect-em-all sort of vibe.
2009’s Summer wave saw bigger and more complex vehicles added to the line. Pictured are the Cave Crusher and the Titanium Command Rig.(Vehicles 9 and 10).
A main difference between Rock Raiders and Power Miners (besides the obvious color schemes) was Power Miners gave their rock monsters names such as Boulderax and Glaciator. They were cute little beings that came with most sets, each a different color thus adding to the collect ’em all aspect of play. There were even a couple of larger versions of some of the monsters and the undisputed Grand Poobah of the monsters is the Crystal King, a large buildable figure that was the subject of his own set.
Winter of 2010 brought the third and final wave of Power Miners. The miners dug deeper this season and encountered a slight design shift for the monster who were now lava monsters. The miner vehicles also underwent a color shift, keeping lime green but nixing orange for azure. The miner minifigures also donned new silver heat resistant outfits. Each new facet was made apparent in sets such as the Magma Mech and Claw Catcher.
I don’t know if it was the seismic color shift at fault or the theme just simply ran its course but the winter wave only consisted of four sets that didn’t sell as well as their predecessors. That was the end of the line for the Power Miners. However, that didn’t stop talented builders such as Geoff Herndon from digging up creations of his own. Take this neat Power tractor, for example.
Bob Newill shows the theme some love with this rugged little six-legged walker.
Interestingly, our archives for adults building their own Power Miners creations isn’t as robust as our Rock Raiders archive. Broken links from 2009 certainly doesn’t help but I have another theory. I recall back in ’09 and ’10 youngins seemed to favor Power Miners sets but it overall missed the mark for adult builders. Perhaps being newer, Power Miners doesn’t yet hit the nostalgic sweet spot for adults and maybe another few years can change that when kids from 2010 emerge from their Dark Ages, come into their own money, and build new creations based on the themes that sparked their childhood imaginations. With that said, what retro themes hit your nostalgic sweet spots? Are there other dual themes you’d like us to highlight in this way? Let us know in the comments what rocks your LEGO world and maybe we’ll feature your suggestions soon.