My history with the Lego games started when I got my Xbox 360.
I got it used, so it came with a few games and a very well-loved controller. One of those games was Lego Indiana Jones.
Now, I have always loved Lego (I still get it for birthdays), and of course I have an appreciation for the fine archaeologist represented by the man I first saw as the incorrigible Han Solo, so I was very excited about the game.
That was roughly when I moved my Xbox from the living room into my bedroom, because I was in love immediately.
I played obsessively for days, and in about two weeks, had fully completed the game—including unlocking the little Easter egg that lets you run around as Han Solo instead of Indiana Jones.
That fateful event, seven years ago, was the start of my obsession with Lego games. And this is why I love them so much.
The characters
I’ve ranted before about my opinions on variations of written characters in movies, so I really liked the fact that every Lego game I’ve played has stayed true (if somewhat campily) to the characters’ personalities.
I actually liked Lego Spiderman better than the earlier film versions because he kept the whole thing about “not wanting” to be in the Avengers because they wouldn’t let him in.
The dialogue
Okay, so newer games have actual dialogue in them.
But I have to be honest, one of my favourite parts of the earlier games was the fact that they did not have dialogue and relied on excessively expressive gestures and various hrms.
The humour
Let’s be real here for a second, these games have some serious Disney channeling going on. You know, like that time you rewatched Little Mermaid and realized what was actually going on there.
They’re written for kids and adults alike, and my occasionally juvenile sense of humour loved it.
After all, there’s nothing more fun than being a super-serious Batman followed by a hapless Robin just hoping for an ice cream or doing tricks on his bike.
The stories
This kind of ties into the previous point, but I always enjoy the Lego stories because they mostly follow established stories while giving them a little twist. Also, part of the story is usually that you have to smash EVERYTHING, which I’m okay with.
The variety
What I really appreciate about the Lego games is the wide range of fandoms they appeal to. They also like to break the fourth wall, and will often incorporate details from other fandoms just for fun.
Like the aforementioned Indiana Jones–Han Solo mashup, the Jurassic Park level in Lego Marvel Superheroes, or even the Tardis reference in Lego Batman 3.
The vehicles
Actually, no. We won’t talk about this. Because mostly it just gave my sister something to run me over with.
YOUR TURN
