These are the LEGO Education versions of Mindstorms, sold to schools, along with the extra parts made for classroom use. The first ones paired the RCX brick with ROBOLAB, programming software built with Tufts University and National Instruments, in team challenge sets. Later sets followed each new brick, the NXT and then the EV3, whose Education Core Set of 2013 came in a storage box with a rechargeable battery.
1999 LEGO Sets
1999 was a landmark year with the launch of LEGO Star Wars, the company’s first licensed theme, debuting alongside The Phantom Menace. This partnership with Lucasfilm transformed LEGO’s strategy and ushered in the era of licensed themes. New original lines included Rock Raiders, Slizers (Throwbots), and Adventurers: Jungle, while LEGO Education was formally established from LEGO Dacta. Several older themes—Cyberslam, TechPlay, UFO, Insectoids, Znap, and Model Team—were retired, marking a clear generational shift toward modern play concepts and digital engagement.