This one took a lot of work but it’s finally done! For as sprawling as the script ended up being, I actually left a lot of things on the cutting room floor. Because of this, I want to circle back to Dino Island in a follow up video to cover a few more items that didn’t make it into the script here. Are there any things in particular you’d like me to talk about? Thanks for watching everyone! ❤️ ~ Slugger
Amazing job picking up where TrikBrix left off! I can't wait to break open my dino island collection. Hopefully the old tires held up. The Adventurers series has a ton of rare Kabaya exclusives that would be interesting to cover!
I love the simplistic look of classic lego theme parts and builds. Even things like the lego frog, the weapons in old sets, the aligator, the OG dragon (with aligator jaw and tail), etc. the frog especially is a good example of such a simple mould with no prints or anything that just looks great.
Can't forget the Island Racer's inclusion in the classic Lego Island 2 minigame that gave rise to one of the most memorable and annoying lines in Lego history: "Oops, driving ain't like skateboarding."
Always wanted these sets as a kid. The blocky construction of the structures and the legoized dinosaurs are such a peak aesthetic that's sorely missed nowadays. It's a theme I can't see myself getting into nowadays only because of my self-held restrictions on sets/themes I'm collecting, but one day I'd love to get one of those dinos.
How did I forget about these sets? As a kid, they were the rage. I absolutely loved the Steven Spielberg movie maker set, i.e. and actually work in the film industry as an adult due to the inspiration of making stop motion lego films as a kid! Crazy to think that my life and career have been so heavily influenced by lego.
Rock Raiders and Adventurers are my favorite themes of all time! Rock Raiders and Egypt/Desert specifically, but picking up where TrikBrix left off is entirely fair enough and very cool!
My childhood best friend had the Dino Tracker set! He got it pre-assembled as part of a bulk collection of Lego his grandparents bought, and both of us thought it was too cool to take apart. I also distinctly remember the red Pteranodon! I have many good memories of playing with 90s Lego with him :)
@@Patch2112 Indeed! I remember we used to make consistent characters out of the common torsos, and I always played a character with an M-Tron torso dubbed "Mort" because of the M :) He also had most of a Monorail set and we tried to scrounge together all the parts for it on several occasions, but never found enough to make it work. It was always either not enough track or couldn't find the motor or battery box... But it was fascinating nonetheless.
3:30 That one random decision to add a pteranodon in this cheap little set turned a pterodactyl obsessed 4 year old me into a life long LEGO fan. Some of my earliest memories are looking forward to going to the supermarket to get the rest of the 4 boxed tiny sets to build the combiner model.
I had forgotten about this theme completely. I distinctly remember the jungle theme because I still have the awesome temple set, and I even remember the Egyptian sets even though I never had one. When the Orient sets released Lego was all in on their website integration, and I remember the little motion comics and animations. But the whole way through this video I was wondering "did I have one of these sets?" The green curved base plate sealed it for me, there's no other place I could have gotten that piece from. Once again Slugger, you've dragged out some fond old memories of mine.
One of the very first brickfilms I made was a feature length film based on this series. Johnny and crew discover an island with dinosaurs. But the island is a volcano that is going to erupt and kill all of the dinosaurs. So Johnny and crew are catching the dinosaurs to relocate them before they are wiped out. Ya know. The exact same story as "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom."
It’s so interesting seeing lego collectors with an interest in completely opposite than me. I’m always going for the newer sets than the older, but I love the passion for the retro lego. This channel is A++!
I remember watching TrikBrix's reviews before his burnout. I was really disappointed when I realised his reviews of any other adventures sets would never come. Glad to see you continuing right where he left off.
Something I don't see a lot of people talk about is the Adventurers series potential for an adaptation into a film series. The compartmentalized nature of the sub-themes allows each one to be adapted into its own film. Reoccurring characters can be used to build a continuous narrative that flows from film to film. The most outstanding fact is that the historical/action-adventure setting could allow for a live action adaptation with little to no issues stemming from its LEGO origins!
Although Dino Island is the subtheme from Adventures that didn't earn a spot in my childhood collection, it certainly is interesting to see how LEGO handled such a wild concept in their classic style. I might have to keep my eye out for some of these sets. Another great video, I look forward to the next one!
Oh man, you definitely need to cover the entire Adventurers line now! Egypt was one of my favorite Lego themes as a kid, and the Orient Expedition: Quest for the Golden Dragon game was one of my favs as a kid, right alongside Backlot
I gotta say, one of my earliest Lego sets was from this theme. I know this because I had the red pterodactyl super early on as a kid - so this will help me determine which set I actually had. So excited for this one
Great to come across your channel. Trikbrix is my favorite LEGO channel and it's always been a shame he never did Dino Island. So it's great to have a loving critic's review on the subtheme! I've always loved this theme, although I rank it below Desert, Jungle, Orient Expedition. The colors aren't as great and some sets feel a little rough around the edges. Lots of ideas, but the right execution is not always there. But there is still enough to love about them. Looking forward to watching more of your videos.
One day, when my mom was cleaning out some old storage, she found a stash of birthday presents that she'd misplaced before she could give them... anyway! The Dino Explorer was one of my presents that year, so I got it like 20 years late. 😅 but what an awesome find!! It has now rightfully joined my Orient Expedition collection as my only Dino Island set.
Our favorite slug has returned! I just missed this theme as it came out around the time I stopped playing with Lego as a child. So glad I get to now discover it with my new favorite youtuber!
Great overview of the DIno subtheme! But not gonna lie, I cannot wait for your look at the Orient Expedition, which I think was the best Johnny Thunder theme. You should do three videos -one for each of the locations and treasures. That way you don't have to exhaust yourself by doing one huge video.
Just recently discovered you and I got so excited when I saw that you covered Dino Island! My favorite theme as a kid and still one of my favorites. I still vividly remember bringing home the T-Rex Transport, blowing all my Christmas money on the Research Compound... and I agree, the dinos themselves have such wonderful charm. I had nearly all the main sets as a kid. I bought a sealed copy of the Island Hopper a few years ago, and it was so so good!! Both for the nostalgia of opening a new Adventurers set, and for the set itself being so great! Anyway, thanks for this video and for bringing back the memories. :)
Hey slugger I am a new fan🎉😅 I want to say thank you! I think you bring what RU-vid needs and Lego at the same time.😮 really good and interesting content that is not only original, but is also intuitive as well. ❤️RU-vid is losing its Bizazz! I have watched RU-vid a lot since I was probably 12-14 so around 7-9 years but at least 5 or 6 years intently 😅😢 this is one of the more genuine and wholesome channels I’ve ever seen. Im only 21 but I have actually started to go though my old Lego sets and boxes cataloging all my legos from my childhood which is mid 2000’s sets
I always loved Dino Island in Lego Racers 2, I used to drive around in free-roam and chase the dinos. I never had any of the sets but If I had any of these, I know I would have had so much fun. But oh my god, Island Hopper is by far my fav! I've never seen it before but I was amazed, it really captures that classic lego feeling while also having the curves you'd expect on a plane! Great video Slugger, looking forward to more!!
This whole video is such a nostalgia trip. I had vaguely remembered johnny thunder had a dinosaur theme, but I kept mixing it up with the Steven Spielberg dinosaur sets around the same time. To me this theme exemplifies everything great about this era of LEGO. Less concerned about the details, unique world without too much of a plot, and overall just leaving so much to the imagination. I think this is what is missing from today's hyper detailed sets which are often based on existing IP with extensive stories.
Keep it up slugger! Your review videos are a notch above the rest. I had all these sets. Used all my Christmas and chores money to get them. Plus the Rock Raiders HQ. In my dark ages I gave them all to my cousins (massive regret) who I don’t even think give a shit about Lego lol. Twerps also got my complete gen 1-3 Pokémon card collection, including two holo venusaurs and a holo charizard. Yeah I’m angry! lol
I RUSHED to watch this as soon as I could; this series was my favorite as a kid. Promotional material in the u.s. lego magazine implied that Johnny and the gang was working on a catch and release kind of scientific study, as opposed to the villains who wanted to Jurassic Park it. I wish the theme had included a bit more of the science aspect but, what can ya do.
Oh, for brick sake, you are working with Time cruisers, aren't you? How is it even possible to collect all of the sets from the series discontinued more then 20 year ago? Your work is top notch, my dearest Slugger)
Baron von Barron?! Im going with that one cause the camp is hilarious, but I never knew this dude's name or that he came from the same place as the T-rex OR that he had a dope hook hand! I believe I got him from a thrift store bag as a kid and I always used him as the big bad evil man of my lego imagination fights. Always wondered where his missing hand went. I gave him a wand and would play him up as a crazed inventor with a side of sorcerous silliness. Real great stroll down memory lane, slugmeister. I appreciate ya
The lego adventure cars are among my favourites. I love the look of the treasure-chest-shaped engines and the tall, graceful wheels. I vaguely remember seeing the box for the plane somewhere in my room when i was young, but i have no recollection of ever playing with it or building as a kid
I agree, the old dino designs from these sets were the best, modern brick-built dinos just don't compare, though some are pretty cool. Adventurers was one of the themes I've always wanted, but my parents never got me. Modern sets just don't hit that itch.
I have the largest set in the series: the Dino research compound (5987) complete with box, instructions and poster. The box comes with an internal tray and a plastic display with its veil. Got it for €100.
Another fantastic video! Cannot wait for your dive into Orient Expedition. That was the primary adventure sub theme I had as a kid, so I have so many fond memories of those sets. Thanks for all your hard work!
FISH NOT INCLUDED I've got that tin roof print! You know what that means... That baseplate (basebrick?) must be hiding in that tote somewhere!!!! Rock Raiders, Dino Island, there's so much I had hiding right under my nose! I LOVE that plane, though, and the barge, too! Always a sucker for good vehicles. I really appreciate the good and bad points you've started showing for the sets! Really helps add on to what they're trying to say! A great video!! More and more I wanna just dive into LEGO's history! Thanks!
I love how classic dinosaurs, dragons and crocodiles had similar styles and used parts from one another. Much prefer their designs than newer ones. As you said, they felt more LEGO
The research compound is easily my favorite just because of the nostalgia, I remember building the set with my Grandmother when i was a kid. In fact I still have that iconic green t rex on my desk right now as I type this lol.
For me, what puts Dino Island at the bottom of the Adventurer's tier list is the over emphasis on vehicles over.... well, the island! I absolutely love the Land of the Lost inspiration (compared to the Indiana Jones inspired Desert/Jungle/Orient themes), but you get so little of it here. I realize this was the beginning of LEGO's dark age where they almost went bankrupt and the sets suffered for it, and where as Egypt and Brazil offer tons of temples and ruin landmarks to derive inspiration from, a lost island of dinosaurs would obviously not. But I still think they could have given us some good wilderness set pieces, the All-Terrain Tracker in particular would've been made even better with the addition of a river-printed baseplate. Maybe LEGO emphasized vehicles over locales because the location itself would have been aesthetically similar to the previous Adventurer's jungle line, but it still bums me out a little. Thankfully, although I feel the builds are somewhat lacking in substance, Orient Expedition did deliver strong on giving us set pieces. Either way this was a good review I largely agree with. I had the Island Hopper as a kid and looking back I really did not appreciate the quality of that plane build enough. The semi-realistic design, the hefty bulk, and just.... adventurer-y ruggedness absolutely makes it a top tier set for me, even if it does lack a strong dinosaur element.
I am so excited about the upcoming Orient Expedition retrospective, the sets from that theme have aged really well, it's probably my favourite wave of Adventurers alongside the original Egypt sets. I was born in 2001, so a little bit to late to experience the sets with Johnny Thunder and his crew while they were still available, but I had an incomplete hand-me-down Johnny Thunder figure and I remember really loving that figure. There were two modern versions of the character released after Adventurers' discontinuation, I got the one released as part of series 19 of collectible minifigures, it's a pretty good minifigure, but I honestly wish I could've got the one released in one of the sets from The LEGO Movie range - that figure was just an almost perfect replica of the original with some nice details added, like a printed back of the torso! Good video! I really like your choice of topics for the videos you make, as the ones you cover are not often talked about in the Lego community - It seems like Dino Island is one of the more overlooked subthemes of Adventurers. It's also interesting to see your appreciation of Lego's older way of designing models - I personally really enjoy the current complexity of the sets (although I miss there being more original themes available on store shelves, those don't get as much attention as they used to), but the charming simplicity of the older Lego toylines has its undeniable charm. Old space themes are my favourite. Referring to the Ice Planet video being teased I wonder what your opinion is on the Blizzard Baron set, as I've been thinking of getting one for myself for quite a long time.
Thank you! I’ll be completely honest - in rebuilding all of the Dino Island and Orient Expedition sets, I found that the former rose in stock and the latter lowered in stock. Orient Expedition is still really great… though it didn’t wow me as much as I expected it to, whereas Dino Island… well, I guess I just made a whole video talking about it, haha. 😅 Nonetheless, I’ll give it a full shake in the retrospective series! I’m looking forward to Ice Planet as well! The Blizzard Baron is a pretty cool little set - not to spoil too much, but there are definitely some issues with the rear of the set… 😕
Amazing video as always Sluggy! coincidentally me and my partner were JUST talking about Dino Island the other day! i thought of the idea to combine these sets with the Dinosaurs line from 2001, i think they'd mix wonderfully to offer just that little bit of variety in the dino selection! plus i think the teal and sand green are a wonderful color to contrast with the harsh tan and browns of the research center!
The Dino Explorer was my first ever set that I can remember as a kid, followed eventually by the Dino Research Compound, which I had a lot of fun with, especially with the 'just imagine...' boat side build I would try to copy from just the picture provided. This stuff existed when I was obsessed with dinosaurs, conveniently also when Jurassic Park 3 was out. Lots of fond memories from this line!
I only ever had 2 small sets from this theme, so most of it passed me by, but I do have a complete collection of the Orient Expedition theme, so I can't wait to see those videos!
Complete Orient Expeditions?! That's awesome! I had all but 3 Orient Sets as a kid. Sold them all later on :( But I have since bought the 3 sets I never had, to fill the gap.
amazing job as always! this video really made me appreciate the theme as despite the first three runs of adventurers being before my time, the third only existed vaguely within my mind's eye as for the most part i've seen so little coverage of the subtheme. i did have the island racer, though! as a kid i even had it rebuilt to go with a color-mismatched rendition of johnny thunder's own racecar from the videogame. i always appreciate you going into the nitty gritty details regarding parts in sets as now i feel like i know everything i wanted to know about 'em! i know it has been said by others now, but i am glad you are picking up where trikbrix unfortunately stopped. not to sound corny but you oughta be proud of how far you have come. i am sure wherever trikbrix is, they'd be proud of you! :D
Outstanding video. I love your work and have been binge watching a ton of your videos this past week, and when you post a long video of my favourite theme right after that? I'm elated! Great work
"lacks many features beyond size" is a good description of todays Lego xD I liked this subtheme, but even as a kid I started to noticed it had too many big pieces used. Still the trapper is my favorite and I am VERY happy to own it as Dino collector. Funnily I did EXACTLY what you did while repairing it! Even if almost all sets seem simple, they are very well build and show you dont need muh to build something really great! I also WAY more preffer these dinos than huge guys we have today. Imagine these molds upgraded and printed as todays lego figs!
Thanks for another great video Slugger, this one is one of my favorites! I recently found your channel and it has been a great inspiration into my own research into Lego. Funnily enough I've been curious about where these dinosaur figures were came from and now I know. My one tiny, small, really quite insignificant nitpick is that Pteranodon is a pterosaur, not a dinosaur
Such a huge part of my childhood! I had the hopper and both transports, and I'm still such a huge fan of that T rex mold. This was definitely "my" theme more than many others. Absolutely iconic!
I'm so glad that you picked up where Jamie left off, his retrospect videos are by far my favourite about vintage Lego, but you are up there as well my friend! Great video as always🔥🔥🔥
Such a great line! The biggest set I had from this one was the Island Hopper (perhaps my all-time favorite Lego aircraft) and I had maybe two other sets, but I remember it quite well!
I do love the old Adventurers sets. And recently, after ordering a copy of the Island Racer, I noted something--part 6216, and indeed all the other colored parts, are available in four other colors: Blue, Green, White, and Yellow. Thus, I've ordered enough parts to build a full fleet of Island Racers, in four more colors! Overall, the car reminds me of a prewar sports car or open wheel racer of the era, and I also feel it's an amazing design.
Thank your for this reviews of my favorite character, the one and only Johnny Thunder. I only wish the names had been the same on all the iterations. For me, the are Thunder, Gail Storm, Charles Lightning, Harry Cane, Sam Sinister (aka Slyboots) and the great Baron von Barron. Hope to see the Orient Expedition retrospective soon!
Adventurers was my introduction to Lego way back; so glad you've made this video. I just recently bought the Dino Explorer and would like to get one of the bigger sets, because the dino moulds are so cool!
Mike was my favorite figure face for YEARS! Its specific printing has one weird neat feature that as a 90s kid I love. Unlike many other figures of you put a classic baseball cap on Mike backwards it goes over his brow instead of covering his eyes.
This was such a great video! Adventures is my favorite theme and not enough people give Dino island the love I think it deserves. This is the only adventures sub theme where I don’t have any of the sets but I own all of the pterodactyls and a stegosaurus. I absolutely love the one piece mold for the pterodactyl, you just can’t beat the simplicity
This was a really cool dive into this theme! I knew about the dinosaurs, but I'd never considered any of the vehicles from these sets. Will have to keep an eye out for that Island Hopper... If you ever revisit Dino Island I'd definitely love to see you go through the alt builds - I always enjoy your coverage on those!
In 2017 I bought all of the sets of this theme, this video made me buy all of them again hahaha! Always loved this theme, especially the Island Hopper, that plane will have a special place in my heart always
As a childhood fan of Adventurers, Dino island sadly passed me by inbetween Desert and Orient Express. Just last year I got my hands on 5955, and it reignited my love for LEGO. I'm currently counting down the days untill June, and Johnny Thunder's long-awaited return.
3:10 "2 (sets) did stand out from the rest." These two were the exact sets that my sister and I bought back in the day from the now defunct Bi-Lo grocery store chain. We chose those sets precisely for those dinosaurs alone.
The All-Terrain Trapper and Dino Explorer are probably my favorite lego sets from my childhood! I may have to dig around and see if I can put them back together, they're such fun sets...
I love this series. It was what got me into LEGO and to this day, I wouldn't have it any other way. I remember spending hours with the catalog looking at the big sets (which unfortunately I never had). This may sound weird, but its kinda remarkable how much playvalue I got out of the few little sets I did own. The Hydrofol, the Cage with Baron van Barron as well as Dr. Kilroys "car" (if you can classify it as one) brought me much joy, so much so, that I used them for basicly any story I played as a kid, wether that was on an island of dinosaurs or in an intergalactic war with the Life on Mars aliens. The comics were also very inspiring. Actually Johnny Thunder and his adventurers burnt so much into my brain that when the 2003 catalog released with Orient expedition, I straight up skipped to the page, ignoring anything and everything LEGO had to offer besides OE. I just didn't care, because why would you want anything besides new Johnny Thunder Sets??? 😀 Thank you for this trip down memory lane and while it in my opinion is true that the Dino Island theme is the weakest adventurers subtheme, it is still an amazing LEGO theme. Noone should be ashamed being only a 9/10 in the middle of 10/10s ;-)
Honestly, I would push back hard against the assertion that Dino Island is the weakest subtheme! This one rose considerably in stock for me revisiting it like this… ❤️
@@RRSlugger would be innteresting to know your "Ranking of the subthemes of Adventurers". For me it is: 1) Egypt 2) Orient Expedition 3) Amazon 4) Dino Island Though I will say this is my favourite theme of all time and I love all the sets. So... being the "weakest" subtheme of Adventurers is still outstanding to me 😎🤙
at least from my perspective, the ones you sent forward and recommended I was already gravitating towards, since watching your dino island build stream I started to get an itch to collect a couple of these sets, and if I'm being honest the classic T. rex doesn't resonate with me as much as the decisions and design of the Triceratops and Stegosaurus. I find it hard to overstate how much I found every aspect of the All Terrain Capture Vehicle or whatchamacallit set was appealing to me, the vehicle, the play features, the included dinosaurs, all of it!
The Island Racer was one of my favorite sets growing up. I still have mine someplace. The All-Terrain Trapper was my dream set. I always stared at it longingly in the magazines but sadly, I was never able to get one (the Island Hopper was a close second.) This was also one of my favorite worlds in Lego Racers 2. Great video as always!
i may have an unpopular opinion but when i was a kid that was into lego, dino island was my absolute FAVORITE theme out of all. i don’t know what exactly made me love it so much but i had the dino island, terrain trapper, and some more smaller sets and loved them so much
Gotta say I really really enjoy this format. I know you said the script was long but man it was a great video. You go into great depth and I love the coverage of the entire theme. Also love the notes you gave about set cohesion. Spot on keep it up!
Always amazed over how well made these videos are. A pure pleasure to watch your videos and get nostalgia. I myself, had the Island Hopper and the T-rex Transport. Much like all other LEGO sets of the time. It was so blocky construction. Looking forward for a Ice Planet video if that is in the making.
I never felt as much nostalgia for this subtheme as with Desert, Jungle or Orient Expedition, and therefore think it's the weakest Adventurers theme. It does however have some really strong sets, and I agree with many of your points. 5934 Dino Explorer and 5935 Island Hopper are great sets! The latter is one of the best LEGO planes ever!
Honestly, I’m the same way - very little nostalgia for Dino Island. That being said, this recent revisiting has caused me to consider this one quite highly!
Great video Slugger! So glad that someone is finally covering such an underrated subtheme of the Adventurers line! I remember finding out about this line when I was both A: very young and B: well into the “dinosaur phase” most kids go through (still not out of it admittedly lol!) I honestly love the vibe these sets give off cause it feels like a combination between King Kong, Atlantis the Lost Empire and Jurassic Park II. Would love to see this line reappear one day! In regards to the question you had about character motives I always felt the Adventurers were there to research the dinosaurs and bring one back alive for an exhibition, whilst the Villains were trying to capture them to sell on the black market (and possibly take home one as a “trophy”.) I feel like Mr. Cunningham was likely a very prominent animal poacher and was hired by the Sinisters, whilst Mike was either a stowaway on the Adventurer’s ship, or a sole survivor of either a plane or ship that crashed on the island, only to be rescued by Johnny and the gang. Either way, this series will always be one that I get excited to see people cover and can’t wait to see what you do with the Orient Expedition Series (the theme absolutely SLAPS!) keep up the great work man!
