Video game:Sony PlayStation LEGO Rock Raiders

Whether you follow a design and instructions, or make your own creation, LEGO blocks have stimulated imaginations in children and adults since their introduction in 1958. These simple bricks join together to form millions of combinations, and have left a significant impression in popular culture and the way we play. Thanks to television and video games, users are not limited in the ways they choose to interact with LEGO pieces; they can build, control characters, and take part in interactive stories without ever leaving the couch.

Electronic Arts released the first LEGO video game in 1997. Entitled "LEGO Island," this computer game allowed players to explore a world made entirely out of LEGO pieces and complete different missions. "LEGO Island" received excellent reviews and led to the creation of two sequels, as well as many more LEGO games. Along with original worlds and storylines, LEGO also released video games that tied into popular franchises, such as "Harry Potter," "Star Wars," and "Lord of the Rings."

In 1999, LEGO Media released "LEGO Rock Raiders" for Windows computers, followed by a PlayStation adaptation of the game in 2000. Both versions of "Rock Raiders" revolve around a team of LEGO figurines working in a mine, however, the Windows version centers on building and mining while the PlayStation edition features exploring. In both games, the rock raiders are on an alien planet searching for a specific type of crystal that can help them get back home, and players must complete different missions in order to advance through the story.

"Rock Raiders" received mixed reviews from critics and players who praised the graphics of the game but found gameplay itself boring and repetitive. Vincent Lopez of IGN wrote of the computer version: "The LEGO charm is thick in Rock Raiders,' but it's not even near enough to make it worth playing this macro-management clunker," and Adam Cleveland found that the PlayStation game was best suited for children.

In 1998, the National Toy Hall of Fame, calling the blocks "an ideal toy," inducted LEGO into its ranks. Two years later, "Fortune Magazine" named the LEGO brick "Toy of the Century." Thanks to computer animation, LEGO figurines appear in multiple television series, as well as a full-length movie. More than 50 years after its initial release, LEGO's interlocking plastic block remains popular and continues to evolve.