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LEGO → Video Games → Rock Raiders
5708 << 5709 >> 5712 284px-LEGO logo.svg
LEGO Rock Raiders
5709 LEGO Rock Raiders
Item №:

5709

LEGO Theme:

Rock Raiders

Price:

Flag-US $29.99

Developer(s):

Data Design Interactive
Gameworld Seven Ltd (NTSC)

Publisher(s):

LEGO Media

Date Released:

1999 (PAL)
2000 (NTSC)

Genre:

Action

Platforms:

Windows PC, PlayStation

'

5709 LEGO Rock Raiders is a Sony PlayStation video game released in 1999 in Europe and 2000 in North America. It was based on the Rock Raiders theme.

Plot Synopsis[]

The Rock Raiders are onboard their ship, the LMS Explorer, returning home from a mission. A large meteorite collides with the ship and knocks it within range of a black hole. The crew tries to escape, but another, larger meteorite is detected in their path, causing a panic. Their commander, Chief, settles them down as they brace for impact. The meteorite damages the ship before they are sucked into the black hole and emerge in a distant part of the universe. Chief orders Sparks to scan the area, who finds a large source of Power Crystals on a nearby planet. Chief sends Jet and Docs to the planet to begin a mining operation.

The Rock Raiders delve deep into Planet U, collecting LEGO Ore and Energy Crystals while avoiding the planet's hostile inhabitants, including Rock Monsters, Slimy Slugs, Spiders, Scorpions, and Rock Whales. When they have enough to repair and refuel the LMS Explorer, they return to the ship and fly back home.

Gameplay[]

Unlike the PC game, the PlayStation game is an action and strategy game, in which the player controls a main character (i.e. Jet, Axle, Docs, Bandit or Sparks) instead of commanding a squad. Also, unlike the PC release, which is centered around constructing a base and mining, the PlayStation release centers around exploring the mission environment.

The player has to remember the password (by keeping it as a record) to load the game's progress instead of just saving a game save file for it onto the computer's hard drive (or a PS1 memory card in this case) and loading it to continue the game.

Missions[]

Most missions require the player to collect a certain amount of Power Crystals, while some missions require the player to rescue Rock Raiders that have been trapped by rockslides or other dangers. Some missions combine both of these objectives.

At the end of each mission, players receive either a Bronze Medal (minimum required objectives complete), a Silver Medal (most objectives complete), or a Gold Medal (all objectives complete). The objectives vary between the NTSC and PAL versions.

There are eighteen campaign missions and six multiplayer missions in the NTSC version. The PAL version includes eighteen one-player and two-player missions, and three one-player bonus missions that are accessible after every mission in the campaign is completed to Gold Medal standard.

Rather than a percentage, at the end of each mission players receive either a Bronze Medal (minimum required objectives complete), a Silver Medal (most objectives complete), or a Gold Medal (all objectives complete). The criteria for these awards vary between the NTSC and PAL versions.

Tools & Equipment[]

  • Pusher Beam: A device that fires a green force field which pushes foes away. The default amount of ammo is 10 units.
  • Pusher Beam PowerCell: Basic, green-coloured ammunition pickups for the Pusher Beam. Restores 10 units of ammo.
  • Freezer Beam: This device can freeze any foe it hits. Shots are fired in an arc surrounding the Rock Raider. The default amount of ammo is 10 units.
  • Freezer Beam PowerCell: Has the same function as the Pusher Beam's PowerCell, but is colored blue to fit the Freezer Beam.
  • Laser Beam: This beam fires a laser blast, capable of destroying any type of breakable rock or enemy. The default amount of ammo is 5 units. Some vehicles feature this gun as a mounted weapon.
  • Laser Beam PowerCell: This only restores 5 units of ammo, for either handheld or mounted Laser Beams.
  • Dynamite: Explosive charges that are rare but very useful for blasting through Hard Rock. It is used by pressing the "Square" button to set, and again to detonate. If the player walks too far away from the dynamite, it will deactivate and must be re-collected. In the PAL version, dynamite detonates automatically after a delay of several seconds.
  • Shield Recharge: These repair a small amount of shield damage.
  • Half Shield Recharge: These repair a larger amount of shield damage.
  • Vehicle Shield Recharge: This restores a large amount of vehicle Shield Power.
  • Half Shield Recharge: Very similar to the regular Vehicle Shield Recharge, these restore smaller amounts of Vehicle Shield Power.

LEGO.com Description[]

LEGO.com-icon-yellow This is a description taken from LEGO.com. Please do not modify it. (See an archive of the product’s page)

Beware! Danger lurks deep within the dark tunnels of this mysterious underground world. Avoiding lava flows and rock falls will be the least of your worries as you mine for precious energy crystals that Rock Monsters jealously guard. With high adventure deep underground, you've got too be quick to survive.


LEGO.com-icon-yellow This is a description taken from LEGO.com. Please do not modify it. (See an archive of the product’s page)

High Adventure Deep Underground!
Take command! You and the Rock Raiders team ‘Chief,' ‘Jet,' ‘Axle,' ‘Docs,' ‘Bandit' and ‘Sparks' are stranded in an orbit around an unexplored deep space planet. Your mission is to collect precious energy crystals buried deep beneath the planet's surface. Critical for your survival, these precious crystals power your machinery and ships. It's also critical to dig for LEGO ore that will allow you to construct new building and machinery. Your actions will ultimately aid your efforts to return home. So, get ready to rock where underground danger lurks with unstable conditions and a looming Rock Monster!


Development[]

The PlayStation version of LEGO Rock Raiders was originally intended to be an RTS like its PC counterpart, 5708 LEGO Rock Raiders. However, just six months before submission to Sony, LEGO Media requested that the game change genre to an action title.[1]

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe approved the game for its original 1999 release, but Sony Computer Entertainment America said it was not up to standards and requested fixes, resulting in the NTSC version having several more months of development than the PAL version and releasing in 2000. This included replacing all the levels with new levels that were developed by another studio, Gameworld 7.[2]

David Upchurch, the developer of the PlayStation version, stated in an email that this was the other way around: Sony Computer Entertainment America approved the game but Sony Computer Entertainment Europe requested fixes. However, this statement is contradicted by the game files: the files from the PAL version of the game are dated August 1999, while the files from the NTSC version are dated February 2000.[2]

See also[]

External links[]

References[]

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