LEGO Rock Raiders Playing Cards
Overview: A design breakdown of my custom commissioned LEGO Rock Raiders playing cards.
This custom LEGO Rock Raiders playing card deck reimagines the 1999 theme (which was near and dear to many) through fully illustrated characters, suit‑specific designs, and a cohesive visual system inspired by the space crew’s dangerous search for energy crystals on a distant planet. Enjoy the characters, machinery, rock monsters, and… slugs.
In this behind‑the‑scenes breakdown, I walk through the design process for the aces, courts, numbered cards, jokers, the card back design, and tuck box, highlighting how typography, color, iconography, and world‑building come together to create a collectible, story‑driven deck.
Whether you’re a LEGO fan, a Rock Raiders superfan, a designer who’s stepped on too many LEGO (LEGOs? What’s the plural?), or just want some playing‑card layout inspiration, this project showcases how I put together a themed deck from the ground up.
Aces
Each ace shows a large custom pip in various states of disrepair with Bandit hopelessly trying to reassemble it. The spade highlights the main protagonist—the Rock Monster. All cards with characters have a subtle illuminated manuscript vibe with the green energy crystal aura behind each figure’s head.
I received a custom built lego set titled “Matt at Work” as a thank you 🥰.
A LEGO-esque dimensional block font was created for the limited set of numbers and letters: 1-10, J, Q, K, and A. The same style was also used to create the pips in various sizes.
Court cards
Every court card features one of the six main characters, with each suit showcasing a unique, mining-themed border. Docs, Sparks, Jet, Axle, and Chief appear at least twice to fill out all 12 court cards, with Bandit on the aces, and Jet (the only female character) as the queens.
Traditional suit colors were used for the pips, and a limited LEGO-inspired palette was maintained across all artwork to maintain cohesion and consistency.
Numbered cards
All number cards in each suit have a portion of a blueprint, that when assembled, reward fans who lay out the full spread with detailed Rock Raiders machinery.
Here are those blueprints as a poster 🔥
Jokers and gaff card
The jokers are represented by the tenacious, slimy slugs; a fan favorite deep cut. This deck also includes a bonus 55th card. traditionally used as a gaff card, poker instructions, or other non-play information.
Card Back
The back of the Rock Raiders card is a combination of subterranean machinery, technical motifs, wires, pipes, vents, and a large compass.
Tuck box
The indomitable rock monster is showcased front center of the box, with various graphics and accents on every flap and surface. Inside the box is a surprise delight moment with a solid pattern of crystals and a slimy slug peeking over the cards.
Wrapping up
Be sure to check out my Cryptids of North America deck design tips for a closer look at how I approach playing card projects, from aligning elements, illustrating, symmetries, and more. Thanks for reading!
