''Lego Rock Raiders'' is a video game developed by Data Design Interactive and published by Lego Media for Microsoft Windows and

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. It is based on the Lego theme of the same name. The Windows version was released in 1999, while a differently built game for PlayStation was released in 2000.

Gameplay

Windows version

The Windows version is a

real-time strategy Real-time strategy (RTS) is a subgenre of strategy video games that do not progress incrementally in turns, but allow all players to play simultaneously, in "real time". By contrast, in turn-based strategy (TBS) games, players take turns to pla ...

game similar to ''

Dungeon Keeper ''Dungeon Keeper'' is a strategy video game developed by Bullfrog Productions and released by Electronic Arts in June 1997 for MS-DOS and Windows 95. In ''Dungeon Keeper'', the player builds and manages a dungeon, protecting it from invading ' ...

'', and was the first video game for the Rock Raiders theme. The game opens with optional training missions and one actual mission unlocked. Most missions require the player to collect a certain amount of Energy Crystals, the required amount starts low but gradually gets higher in later missions. Some missions require the player to locate Rock Raiders that have been trapped in landslides, or to find certain pieces of equipment and bring it back to their base. One of the game's features is the Priority Menu. With this menu, the player can set what order Rock Raiders carry out their tasks. For example, the player can set whether Rock Raiders should collect Energy Crystals or Lego Ore first. At the end of each mission, Chief evaluates the player's work, examining various aspects of the mission. With all these taken into consideration, Chief gives a mission rating percentage. There are twenty-five missions total, each of them is in either a rock, lava/volcanic or ice cavern environment. It is not necessary to complete every mission with 100%, or even complete all the missions, to complete the campaign, however, the player will unlock a "better" ending cutscene by completing the campaign in full.

PlayStation version

Unlike the Windows version, the

version is an

action Action may refer to: * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video game Film * Action film, a genre of film * ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford * ''Action'' (1980 fil ...

and

strategy Strategy (from Greek στρατηγία ''stratēgia'', "art of troop leader; office of general, command, generalship") is a general plan to achieve one or more long-term or overall goals under conditions of uncertainty. In the sense of the " a ...

game, in which the player controls a character instead of just commanding a squad. While the former was centered on constructing a base and mining, the latter centers on exploring. Most missions require the player to collect a certain amount of Energy Crystals, while some missions require the player to rescue Rock Raiders that have been trapped by landslides. There are eighteen campaign missions, and six multiplayer missions, all completely different between the

NTSC The first American standard for analog television broadcast was developed by National Television System Committee (NTSC)National Television System Committee (1951–1953), Report and Reports of Panel No. 11, 11-A, 12–19, with Some supplement ...

and PAL versions of the game. The

PAL Phase Alternating Line (PAL) is a colour encoding system for analogue television. It was one of three major analogue colour television standards, the others being NTSC and SECAM. In most countries it was broadcast at 625 lines, 50 fields (25 ...

version also including three bonus missions that are accessible after the campaign is completely finished, and twelve additional multiplayer missions reusing levels from the main campaign. Rather than a percentage, at the end of each mission you receive either a bronze medal (minimum required objectives complete), a silver medal (most objectives complete), or a gold medal (all objectives complete in the required time).

Reception

The game received mixed reviews on both platforms according to the

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website

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References

External links

* {{Lego video games 1999 video games Action-adventure games Data Design Interactive games Rock Raiders (video game) Multiplayer and single-player video games PlayStation (console) games Real-time strategy video games Video games developed in the United Kingdom Video games with alternative versions Windows games