Review: 8960 Power Miners ~ Thunder Driller (Photos!)

[Dr Lucky]

I just picked up the Thunder Driller at Target tonight. It was the only Power Miners set they had, so I had to grab it. It was the first time I had seen any Power Miners in stores. I really want to get back to my Pirate Ship Project but I've still got one more big test tomorrow, so no heavy duty building. Instead, I thought this might be a fun little diversion for a bit.

Box Front:

Box Back:

Parts:

Of course, the first thing to do is to get the little rock monster out of the bag:

I didn't apply the stickers, so this is what I had left over:

Final Product:

Another Shot:

(See how nicely the TNT fits in the monster's mouth? It fits well enough that he can fully close his mouth.)

A strange feature:

The set is designed so that fire is shooting towards the pilot's crotch. I don't know what to make of this.

Minifigs:

Minifig Backs:

Another shot of the Minifig Backs, where I tried to show the alternate faces:

Sorry for the photo quality on that one.

Review:

Well, I wanted the rock monster pretty bad and he is really neat, so that's good. I guess this one is called Firox. He is a great little figure, and can easily eat a crystal or some TNT. Only time will tell what other bits he can eat.

I'm happy to get new colored crystals. Also, more TNT never hurt anyone. (Well, actually...)

The minifigs are pretty sweet too. The two sided torsos are good, the printed legs look great, and the heads are pretty good too. Both sides of the clean shaven guy's head look good, and the front (regular) expression of the other guy is pretty good too.

As for the vehicle... It's really freaking green. Lime green. Also, the bright orange highlights help to make this thing even more subtle.

Aside from the colors, it is actually kind of neat. I hate to admit that. The drill mechanism is quite clever. When you roll the whole thing forward, the drill spins, but the other drill piece spins in the opposite direction. Essentially, when the machine is coming towards you, you see the light gray piece spinning counter-clockwise and the dark gray piece spinning clockwise. The headlights look pretty good too. Also, I like the new vented slope piece (you can see it in the fire crotch picture) but I wish I had them in black instead of lime green. Even these big wheels are neat, though I have little use for them in the long run.

All things considered, this set probably wasn't worth $30. I would be happy with it for $20, but $30 is hard to justify. Especially considering I can get the rock monster and crystals (in different colors) and the TNT in smaller, cheaper sets. I may well pick up some of the smaller Power Miners sets if I see them, but I don't see myself getting the biggest one, unless I come across it on sale.

Edited May 23, 2009 by WhiteFang
Indexed

[Siegfried]

Thanks for the review! I'm really looking forward to this line. It's nice to see combiner models on the back. How well does it roll on smooth surfaces? Any chance of some shots of the new drill and wheel pieces?

(I wish your images weren't so huge though...)

[Algernon]

I love that combiner models are back. It's almost like LEGO is being imaginative again!

As for the vehicle- not a bad set, all in all, but I agree that $30 is hard to justify.

[The Crazy One]

I love it so much, i want mine already!

[Yeow]

It looks incredibly bland without the stickers.. must be the bright colors. Nice review!

[Guss]

and now I'm going to buy these sets ONLY for the minifig's reversible head! quite expensive just for this! ^^

thanks for the nice review^^

Edited December 17, 2008 by Guss

[elmeerkat]

I'd think those black wheel things could be used for hover pads on a large ship

[Dr Lucky]

Thanks for the review! I'm really looking forward to this line. It's nice to see combiner models on the back. How well does it roll on smooth surfaces? Any chance of some shots of the new drill and wheel pieces?

(I wish your images weren't so huge though...)

As for the rolling, not great but not terrible. The wheels are actually so huge and so textured that on a perfectly smooth surface, like my table, it almost wants to slide. On a surface with a little bit of texture, like a baseplate, or with lots of texture, like a carpet, it rolls great.

I'll take some pics of the wheel and drill parts tonight, but it will be a while. I've got my last test of the semester tonight, then a party to attend, and then a hangover to suffer, so maybe the pics will actually go up tomorrow.

Sorry about the huge pictures. I figured it was easier to err on the side of bigger images, which the forum will resize for people, so that those who want the size and detail can blow them back up.

[Zarkan]

Thanks for the nice review, Dr Lucky.

Despite defying all my predictions, this line is actually growing on me a lot. Sure, the color is very bright, but it actually doesn't look as bad in real life as I thought it would. The good thing is that the orange pieces are very few in number, so replacing them with different colored pieces should be fairly easy.

What I'm more impressed about is that the design of the kits in general is actually looking good! For example, the Thunder Driller looks really cool, has good detail in spots, and has an awesome function that wasn't in the original Rock Raiders line. I'm sure that kids back in 1999 would have loved for the drills on the Rock Raiders vehicles to actually spin when the wheels turned.

Then there's the minifigures - despite wearing blue pants and helmets, the humans actually are quite well designed and have great new faces and torsos. The Rock Monsters are also much better than the originals, as they are now poseble to some extent, come in different colors, and can actually eat crystals! Talk about a major improvement.

However, the best part of these kits is undoubtedly the piece selection. There's plenty of recolors in these kits, which is good, and the new wheel and drill parts, despite being huge, will probably have a fair amount of uses. Also - dynamite and crystals in multiple new colors is win.

So, overall, Power Miners is turning out far better than I thought it would, and since the prices aren't as bad as I thought they might be, I'll probably get some kits eventually. Good job TLC - you've changed my mind about yet another lego product!

[Clone Commander]

I thought that this would be about $50. I'm focusing on three themes in '09. Bionicle, Power Miners, and Star Wars. It looks pretty cool, love it.

[Svelte]

Thanks for the review. This is probably the only set I'll pick up from this line (but then, I always say that... god help me!) I love the new wheel and drill parts and the functionality sounds cool. I hope they produce the new parts in white as they'd make excellent icicle parts for snowy Xmas MOCs

I agree with Yeeow that it does look a bit bare without the stickers which is a shame

It's nice to see combiner models on the back.

They never went away... they've just been hiding in Exo-Force. Clearly nobody's been buying EF sets and that's why it went down the drain

With the mining focus meets the combinable mech thing, that's why I think this line is a Mars Mission/ Exo-force lovechild.

[Legoking]

Power Miners look even better now.

[Snake...SNAKE...SNAAAAKE?!]

great review, meh set.

Yeah, I'm out of creativity for my criticisms.

[Siegfried]

As for the rolling, not great but not terrible. The wheels are actually so huge and so textured that on a perfectly smooth surface, like my table, it almost wants to slide. On a surface with a little bit of texture, like a baseplate, or with lots of texture, like a carpet, it rolls great.

That's what I expected; thanks. Annoying, but not a deal breaker.

Sorry about the huge pictures. I figured it was easier to err on the side of bigger images, which the forum will resize for people, so that those who want the size and detail can blow them back up.

The problem is that the forum doesn't resize the images, the browser does. Thus the images are downloaded in full, then resized.

Good luck in the test!

They never went away... they've just been hiding in Exo-Force. Clearly nobody's been buying EF sets and that's why it went down the drain

Actually you're quoting the wrong person, I just said they were on the back...

I love that combiner models are back. It's almost like LEGO is being imaginative again!

..but this is the guy you should be lecturing. I bought plenty of Exo-Force sets... but I must admit that I only built one alt model and no combiners.

[PMJ]

I hate to admit it, but I am still not accepting the Power Miners theme.

[VBBN]

Ouch, this set is becoming less and less appealing to me. Over sized parts, bad colors... And those wheels don't seem like they would give him a smooth ride.

[Corvus]

Yay! Review!

I'm loving the guys and the monsters. The TNT is a good touch, too. I don't like the vehicles, though (except for the biggest one....of course), so I'll stick to the little sets.

[Svelte]

That's what I expected; thanks. Annoying, but not a deal breaker.

Actually you're quoting the wrong person, I just said they were on the back...

..but this is the guy you should be lecturing. I bought plenty of Exo-Force sets... but I must admit that I only built one alt model and no combiners.

My sincere apologies. Alert the authorities! I will call off the witch-hunt

To quickly change the subject and distract from my error, we are all waiting for your review of 7075 in the Captain Redbeard's poll thread.

Also, I'm surprised you're not in seclusion and mourning for Belville 09....

[Front]

I think a lot of crazy gearings and mechanisms can be created with these new wheels and drills. At least they must be more usefull than the average big brick.

Front

[Batbrick]

Wow! You actually just convinced me to get this set and like the whole theme a little more!

I love the counter rotating mechanism, can't wait to see it in real life. Of course the minifigs are a real gem, I love those dual sided faces and that rock monster is so cute!

Since I don't have a dynamite stick this is a great way to acquire one too. Those huge wheels will go greatly towards my Interactive Apocalypse mocs and I the lime green will go greatly towards Joker mocs.

Thanks for the review!

Batbrick Away!

[hollisbrick]

Wow! You actually just convinced me to get this set and like the whole theme a little more!

I love the counter rotating mechanism, can't wait to see it in real life. Of course the minifigs are a real gem, I love those dual sided faces and that rock monster is so cute!

Since I don't have a dynamite stick this is a great way to acquire one too. Those huge wheels will go greatly towards my Interactive Apocalypse mocs and I the lime green will go greatly towards Joker mocs.

Thanks for the review!

Batbrick Away!

But I'm guessing it'll be a killer price in Aus.

Anyway this theme is really growwing on my I'll deffinately get the three smaller sets then maybe i'll get this on sale.

Either way thanks for the review

[Zorro]

Very good review, I don't seem to like the Power Miners series that much so far, but still I enjoyed reading your review.

The 'cockpits' of the PM vehicles do look good though and the Rock Monsters remind me a bit of Fabuland minifigs, although I don't immediatly know why...

Thanks for the effort!

[Darthlego]

Great review! Is the red on the monster transparent? I can't tell.

[MightyMegs]

This is the only Power Miners set I plan on getting... but only so I can use it for Agents.

[Wrinkledlion X]

I wish it had different colors, but the mechanism intrigues me and I like the little rock monsters. Thirty dollars is pretty steep, but I might pick this up when it goes on sale.

Also, I hope for bigger, menacing rock monsters in the Summer sets. I like these little ones too, but the ones in the original Rock Raiders were actually pretty frightening and it'd be interesting to see something like them.