Which Desert set is the largest?

Pharaoh's Forbidden Ruins (5988-1) from 1998, with 720 pieces.

When were Desert sets released?

Between 1998 and 2001, with the largest models all appearing in 1998.

Who are the main characters?

Johnny Thunder, Dr. Kilroy and Pippin Reed on the heroes' side, with Sam Sinister as their rival.

Desert

Sets: 26
Since: 1998
Newest set: 2001

In 1998 Johnny Thunder set off for Egypt, and the Adventurers line was born. The Desert sub-theme gathers 26 sets released between 1998 and 2001.

Sets per decade

All decades

25 sets from the 1990s

1990s

About Desert

Where Adventurers began

Desert was the opening chapter of Adventurers, a line built around pulp adventure stories of the 1930s. Johnny Thunder, Dr. Kilroy and Pippin Reed travel through Egypt in search of ancient treasure, while the villain Sam Sinister tries to get there first. The result is a theme full of tombs, hidden gems, mummies and booby traps, with expedition vehicles to carry the heroes between them. Many of the buildings hide a play feature, such as a trapdoor or a secret compartment holding a jewel, so the sets were made to be played with as much as displayed. The same characters later travelled to the jungle, to Dino Island and across Asia, but Desert is where their story starts.

The biggest builds

All eight of the largest sets date from 1998. Pharaoh's Forbidden Ruins (5988-1) leads with 720 pieces, roughly twice the size of Sphinx Secret Surprise (5978-1) at 352. Mummy's Tomb (5958-1) follows with 258 pieces. Further down the list are Treasure Raiders set with Mummy Storage Container (5909-1) at 198 pieces, Treasure Tomb (3722-1) at 164 and The Valley of the Kings (5919-1) at 163. Desert Expedition appears twice, as 2879-1 and 5948-1, and both entries list 196 pieces, so their parts lists are easy to compare side by side.

Collecting Desert today

At 26 sets, Desert is a manageable target for anyone who grew up with the late-1990s sets. Besides the large temples, the theme includes plenty of small boxes that fill out a scene. Many models are mid-sized, which makes them easy to display together as one scene. The parts list on each set page tells you exactly what a rebuild needs, including the sand-coloured and dark grey pieces that give the theme its look.

FAQ

Which Desert set is the largest?: Pharaoh's Forbidden Ruins (5988-1) from 1998, with 720 pieces.
When were Desert sets released?: Between 1998 and 2001, with the largest models all appearing in 1998.
Who are the main characters?: Johnny Thunder, Dr. Kilroy and Pippin Reed on the heroes' side, with Sam Sinister as their rival.