If you’ve been reading WellConnectedMom this year, you know that we are excited about LEGO and Warner Bros. new video family game, LEGO Dimensions. We first reported on it in June, naming it one of The Best Upcoming Family Video Games from E3 2015. We also named it in our top 10 Kid Friendly Video Games Xbox One Video Games. In this new game, LEGO once again is bringing toys to life.
What Is LEGO Dimensions?
Just what is LEGO Dimensions? It’s part LEGO play, part video game, part movie/TV madness…all rolled up into one package! LEGO Dimensions is a science-fiction action adventure involving a LEGO-tized version of your favorite characters including Batman, Marty McFly (Back to the Future), Scooby-Doo, Bart Simpson, Gandalf (Lord of the Rings), the Wicked Witch from Wizard of Oz, and more!
The LEGO Dimensions Starter Pack comes with the game, Batman, Gandalf (Lord of the Rings), and Wyldstyle (LEGO Movie), and two LEGO packs to build the LEGO Gateway and the Batmobile.
The Story Line
A sudden mysterious vortex appears in various LEGO worlds, opening a channel for characters from each of these worlds to visit other worlds. Batman, Gandalf, and Wyldstyle valiantly jump in the vortex to save their friends swept up by it and in the process find themselves fighting for all of LEGO humanity against Lord Vortech.
Characters possess different skills that help progress the game further. Add to the fun (and chaos) by purchasing additional characters. Up to 7 minifigures/vehicles can be added to the LEGO Toy Pad at once. And a total of 14 Adventure Worlds can be unlocked with any LEGO Dimensions minifigure. Although progression through some of these Adventure Worlds can only happen with certain LEGO Dimension characters (purchased separately).
Towards the beginning of the adventure, you are instructed to build the physical vortex for your LEGO characters to go through. You can follow the on screen instructions or use the enclosed guide.
Players explore, take on quests, race, and collect LEGO studs and bricks as they go on various adventures in different LEGO worlds. These come in handy when you want to upgrade your LEGO character or vehicle powers.
LEGO created vehicles and gadgets can be built and rebuilt up to three times, extending the use of item and using them to unlock different abilities. LEGO Dimensions is very unique as it combines LEGO building with a physical toy. It’s really a cool way to combine your love of LEGO’s with your love of video games.
The LEGO Toy Pad does more than just house minifigures and vehicles, it also lights up to provide players with clues for gameplay. Placement of characters on the Toy Pad do matter, and players can manipulate the game by how they place them.
My son caught onto this fact way sooner than I did. He could tell from the color of the Toy Pad, that certain characters needed to be moved. It’s amazing how kids can pick up nuances like this so easily.
The whole game is a mash-up of favorite characters from different movies/TV shows working together in unlikely worlds, physically building vehicles and gadgets with LEGO’s, and bringing them to life in the video game through the Toy Pad. Kids aren’t going to know what to do with all of this zany fun. And parents will love it too!
How Many Worlds Can You Access?
There are 14 Adventure Worlds in total. Additional characters and expansion packs can be purchased separately to bring together more zany combinations of unlikely heroes. The Starter Pack gives you access to three worlds, but you will need to purchase more characters to get access to more.
But don’t worry, the three Adventure Worlds you have access to will give you a solid 12 hours or so to play through each world and even further time in the other worlds, although you cannot play them all the way through.
Interestingly enough, you can use some of the studs and bricks you pick up to rent a hero for a short period of time (often 30 seconds). These heroes have powers to get you through obstacles that your characters don’t have.
One of my favorite worlds is in the Wizard of Oz, when Wyldstyle, Gandalf, and Batman ended up on the yellow brick road on the way to Oz. The Wicked Witch and her monkeys give you a run for your money and I loved Gandalf’s comment about how the Wicked Witch gives people who perform magic a bad name. There are funny quips like this throughout the game.
The Characters
- Batman
- Wonder Woman
- Cyborg (DC Comics)
- Marty McFly (Back to the Future)
- Homer (The Simpsons)
- Bart (The Simpsons)
- Krusty (The Simpsons)
- Shaggy
- Scooby
- Owen (Jurassic World)
- ACU Trooper (Jurassic World)
- LEGOCharacters from:
- Chima
- NINJAGO
- Bad Cop (LEGO Movie)
- Emmet (LEGO Movie)
- Benny (LEGO Movie)
- Wyldstyle (LEGO Movie)
- Unikitty (LEGO Movie)
- Gandalf (Lord of the Rings)
- Gimli (Lord of the Rings)
- Gollum (Lord of the Rings)
- Legolas (Lord of the Rings)
- Dr. Who
- And more slated to become available through May 2016
Learn more about which characters will be introduced when in this document from LEGO.
Movies & TV Shows
- Batman
- Wizard of Oz
- Back to the Future
- Ghostbusters
- Jurassic World
- Dr. Who
- The Simpsons
- Scooby-Doo
- The Lord of the Rings
- The LEGO Movie
- PORTAL 2
- DC Comics
How To Expand the Fun
You can unlock more challenges and expand the skills sets of characters by purchasing LEGO Dimensions Fun, Team, and Level packs.
Types of Packs:
Fun Packs – Additional LEGO character w/ a unique vehicle or gadget
Team Packs – 2 LEGO characters w/ two unique vehicles or gadgets
Level Packs – You can see all of the various Adventure Worlds, but if the Ghostbusters, Simpsons, or other world intrigues you, buy a Level Pack to take on new missions
Fun Packs (Current & Future)
- The Lord of the Rings
- The Wizard of Oz
- LEGO Chima
- The LEGO Movie
- LEGO Ninjago (2015/16)
- DC Comics (2015/16)
- The Simpsons
- Back to the Future (2016)
- Dr. Who (2016)
- Ghostbusters (2016)
Team Packs (Current & Future)
- Jurassic World
- Scooby-Doo
- LEGO Ninjago
- DC Comics (2016)
Level Packs (Current & Future)
- Back to the Future
- Portal 2
- The Simpsons
- Dr. Who
- Ghostbusters (2016)
- Midway Arcade (2016)
Typical Pricing for Expansion Packs:
Fun Packs at $15, has 1 character +1 vehicle/gadget
Team Packs at $25, has 2 characters + 2 vehicles or gadgets
Level Packs at $30, has 1 character, 1 vehicle, 1 gadget, and unlocks a new hub world
Team Packs at $25, has 2 characters + 2 vehicles or gadgets
Level Packs at $30, has 1 character, 1 vehicle, 1 gadget, and unlocks a new hub world
A Mom’s Perspective
LEGO Dimensions is worth all the hype, it’s a fun zany game where you choose your heroes to explore and go into battle with. Create unlikely teams like Wonder Woman, Wyldstyle, and Scooby-Doo to partner together to solve puzzles, take on quests, and fight for the good of all LEGO kind!
It’s a hoot to bring together some of your favorite movie characters and travel with them as they go through different movie and TV worlds. My family just loved all the mixing of characters. But it’s more than this, the characters are funny in their own right as they make funny quips about each other or their adventures.
And the characters and packs are still coming. Expect to see a Dr. Who and Ghostbusters set next year for more crazy fun! LEGO Dimensions will be on our list of Top Gadget for Kids for Christmas this year as it provides unexpected enjoyment for both kids and adults alike.
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