It’s been a while since I’ve played a “traditional” Lego video game.excellent before LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker SagaI haven’t played one of these games in depth since the first time LEGO Indiana Jones, though I’ve had a little flirtation with various LEGO adventures in the many years since.I like LEGO Builder’s Journey and LEGO City Undercovertoo – but they’re different things.
Basically, it’s been a while. That fact really enhances my enjoyment of The Skywalker Saga, it’s just a great game, full of heart and rich in content. Even now, when I’m less excited about Star Wars than at any other time in my life (cheers JJ), the game is still exciting. But it also reminds me of something else…
I really miss the Lego size. Late to the toy-to-life video game craze kicked off by Skylanders, itself inspired by the trend of incorporating plastic debris into video games, it’s pretty awesome. But not because of the toys.
I don’t say that because I don’t want Lego either. My house is full of damn things. But what you have to build for Dimensions is pretty basic, and aside from unique minifigures for classic characters, it’s almost completely uninteresting.
What’s exciting about Dimensions is its crossover aspect. It’s a LEGO game with all the fun and core of LEGO Star Wars, but with a wide range of intellectual properties – Ghostbusters, Lord of the Rings, The Simpsons, Sonic the Hedgehog, Doctor Who and Scooby Doo – to name a few example. It’s great to see these worlds, many of which can’t justify their own standalone LEGO games, getting the same treatment in bite-sized level packs.
These toys are a nice cash cow and I can see why kids are drawn to them. After all, I do have a rack full of amiibo. But the truth is, the game never needed toys. The magic of clicking characters into portals to unlock content isn’t really the magic of Dimensions. The real joy is seeing a bunch of different universes take on all the fun and joy of these Lego games, which are usually limited to a single franchise. Many of these levels are astonishingly well-made. I remember Sonic and Doctor Who being especially well packaged, full of interesting references and unique mechanics.
So yes. I don’t know what’s next for Warner Bros and LEGO game steward Traveler’s Tales – maybe a “complete saga” style release around Harry Potter or Indiana Jones – but I’d really like to see a revival of Dimension . Toys to Life may no longer be a hit gimmick, but Dimensions is a game strong enough that you can strip off toys and sell bits and pieces of DLC, gradually adding more characters and franchises to the game and making it equally appealing .
It’s unlikely to happen, but I’d love to see the Dimension Jump adventure return – not just with the old remakes, but with brand new characters and levels. Skywalker Saga feels like the perfection of a formula built over the years – the only thing that could make it better is the wider multi-franchise content. That’s Dimensions, and why it’s still my favorite Lego game. bring it back.
