Iconic LEGO themes are about to collide in a brick-busting game full of customization, unlockable content and action-packed brawls for the whole family. As we prepare for the release of the new lightweight brawler on PS5 and PS4 on September 2, 2022, the development team behind LEGO Brawls walks us through the game with exclusive information.
Infinite customization
There are some distinct features that make LEGO Brawls a first of its kind. Biggest: LEGO Brawls lets players create their own fully customizable brawler. You’ll compete with customizable figures and loadouts tailored to your personality, preferences, and playstyle. And you’ll unlock new content through gameplay for even more possibilities.
“Infinite” is perhaps a bit of an exaggeration. In fact, we did the math: there are 77 289 215 065 920 the figure customization options available at launch to be exact… and that’s not including the 2,737,000 possible custom loadouts. In true LEGO style, you can choose any combination of LEGO minifigure faces, skin colors, torsos, legs, hats, melee, power-ups, emotes and names to create your perfectly unique brawler.
“The minifigure customization is by far my favorite part of the game,” says Dustin Andrew, senior software engineer for Red Games Co., the independent studio that developed and published LEGO Brawls in partnership with LEGO Games. “There are literally billions of crazy combinations possible. I could spend hours finding fun brawlers.
“There are endless wacky combinations to create, and it’s fun to watch players express themselves in different ways,” adds Alex Medes, Quality Assurance Manager for the game.
Dustin’s go-to brawler: a scruffy-looking scallywag. Trent Burke, an engineer behind the game, opts for an old and seasoned Super Legend who uses any weapon he can find (a plank of wood works just as well as a sword).
What brawler would be complete without personal equipment? Power-ups range from light to heavy, and can be anything from chickens to hot dog shooters to a fist-shaped flying rocket.
“My favorite power-up is the saxophone unlocked by the Punk Pirate champion,” explains Alex. “It heals me and nearby allies and also gives them a temporary damage boost.”
“My favorite power-up is definitely the cactus because it makes you invincible for a short time,” adds Victor Rios, an animator for the game.
Dustin’s favorite? “Hands down Pigsy’s Food Truck. It has saved my bacon so many times. It’s a great power-up with the ability to push players from a point or over the edge of a cliff. Plus, the endless rain of sausage firepower is hilarious.
Once you’ve built your brawler, that’s where the real mayhem begins.
Epic LEGO themed levels
The levels are centered around LEGO themes, ranging from classics like Castle and Western to fan-favorite IPs including Jurassic, Ninjago and Monkie Kid, each with different game modes, unique challenges and victory conditions. At the start of a match, all players will vote on which theme to play.
“We never wanted the different levels to be the same, just with different art,” says LEGO Brawls producer Rae Reynolds. “Each level has its own unique hook – from level-specific bonuses, from different ways to cross or take control of large characters to completely different goals and team structure. Some levels have a special twist, like being able to control the T-Rex in Jurassic World, or the Mech and Wojira in Ninjago.
Each level can be chosen and played, but over time you will learn the pros and cons of that level’s distinct traits and form your own winning strategies.
“Discovering new power-ups and new weapons is my favorite part of LEGO Brawls,” says Trent. “It’s exciting because there are so many, it adds variety and new strategies for each one you get.”
Game Modes
You can choose to battle online, team up with allies and opponents across all platforms, or host or join private games to party with friends. The assortment of levels offers a variety of game modes – some are more focused on casual teamwork or collecting, while others present a more intense individual challenge.
In a Checkpoint game, you team up and battle 4 vs 4 to capture and hold a control point. When your team is alone on the checkpoint, you generate points for your team’s Vict-o-meter. Complete the Vict-o-meter to win.
In Collection Mode, you’ll collect collectibles (like peaches in the Monkie Kid level or crystals in Blacktron). The first player or team to collect and keep enough items wins.
In a Brawl Royale, it is each figurine for itself. The player who defeats the most opponents in this chaotic kerfuffle will be crowned the winner.
In a Free for the fight, the last player standing wins. In this fast-paced competitive mode, defeating another player will refill your health, giving you the chance to catch up.
In party fashion, you can host or join private games with friends locally for a free 4 player brawl or online in a 4v4 match. With cross-platform support, you can invite your team to a party no matter what platform they’re playing on.
“We wanted to make sure that players could enjoy brawling with friends online or getting that competitive couch co-op experience when together in a room like so many great games in the past used to,” says Rory Aguilar, the game’s lead engineer.
Collectible Content
You can select a main theme that not only changes the look of your home screen, but also puts you on your way to unlocking theme-based collectibles through gameplay.
Your success in a match impacts the amount of studs you earn to collect new figures and bonuses. (For those less familiar with LEGO lingo, “studs” are the bumps on a LEGO brick that connect to each other. They’re also the way to unlock new in-game content.)
“There’s a mixture of predictability and mystery when unlocking items,” Rae explains. “You can work towards your goal content by selecting a theme, but there’s also an element of surprise when getting bonus unlocks.”
Avid Collectors and Finalists can choose to complete entire Content Tracks before moving on to a new theme, which you can do at any time.
One thing is certain: LEGO Brawls really is a game for everyone – whether you’re a LEGO fan who participates in the collection, a real competitor who fights his way to the top of the world rankings or a casual player who simply wants to shoot your friends and family with a wand. It’s the kind of game that brings people together, and it’s not outrageous to suggest that’s what we all need right now.
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