LEGO Games

 To kick off a month covering all sorts of games tied to licensed properties I decided to start with the combination of two licenses, which led to a ton of games and is still going strong. Today I wanted to cover the LEGO series of games, because even though the titles change, a ton of gameplay elements are carried over from each game, each game has a couple of mechanics to call their own but the core gameplay, unlockable, and collectibles carry over.

Whether as Batman, Marvel Heroes, Star Wars, or even The Incredibles, the LEGO games have you tackling either an original story or a adaption of the film, this series that has been with us since the GameCube shows no signs of stopping. The games have you going through the plot, and a hub world, breaking things, getting studs which are money to use to unlock more characters, as well as other minikilts and cheat codes to unlock more fun goodies to get to 100 percent.  Using a wide cast of characters each game has elements to set themselves apart, besides the property but the core gameplay remains the same.

With the core gameplay carrying over we have seen many a LEGO based game over the years, and many people have their favorites. I have a ton of nostalgia for LEGO Star Wars and I will be looking into the Skywalker Saga Collection, and I have a couple of the Marvel games and have had plenty of fun with those as well. My personal favorites as of late is LEGO DC Supervillains and LEGO The Incredibles, both with a ton of fun, big expansive hub worlds, and tons of content. Both games have plenty of surprises and a ton of fun witty charm with it's stories. Not to mention you will never lose lives or progress, mostly in the modern game. But in terms of losing life, you only lose money which is easy to collect once losing, or even collecting the money you lost, making the game super approachable.

So how has a game series with so many similarities carry over all these years, and I have two thoughts, charm and solid gameplay. Now I have run into plenty of glitches in LEGO games old and new, but besides the gameplay is always fun and super relaxing. It is fun to pick a character you love from a propriety you know and running around in a big world collecting prizes. Whether it is replaying a stage to get all the collectibles or just running around in the hub world. There is also a ton of fun writing, charming and witty jokes, and fun humor that makes it feel as if you are playing through a Saturday morning cartoon. Even for something as serious as the Jurassic Park franchise is given a ton of levity and charm that makes the game funny, memorable, and stands on its own instead of copying and pasting the story.

The relaxing, easy to jump into gameplay and charming presentation has led to these licensed games to keep going. From franchises we know and love to ideas we would never expect, original stories or a fun retelling. Something fun to play with someone or  a fun and relaxing way to wind down after a long day. These games take licenses and present them in such a fun and great way, I recommend looking for one that stands out to you, there are so many options that I am sure you will find one that you will love. 

I will recommend LEGO DC Supervillains and LEGO The Incredibles, both are a ton of fun, have fun stories, and a ton of great content even outside of the story to keep you occupied even after the credits roll. This series has so many fun games that are easy to just unwind, play and jump into. This series is one I find myself enjoying from time to time, and a great and fun take on making a licensed game.