LEGO Dimensions E3 Preview

When I was a kid, I had three loves: toys, LEGO, and video games.

When I was young, I spent countless hours mixing and matching my action figures. It made for excellent adventures. Batman often teamed up with the Power Rangers to defeat Skeletor and Megatron. They rode into battle on the Mystery Machine and raced Hot Wheels for pink slips. Superman, Han Solo, and the Pink Ranger inevitably formed a love triangle. Han Solo, unable to compare to Superman’s infinite power and strength, was incredibly jealous and almost left the group. As a result, the Beetleborgs (yes, they were bad guys at my house) almost destroyed the universe.

LEGO were mortar for my imagination. They filled the spaces that my mind couldn’t. If Doctor Octopus needed a sweet lair, I built one. If Spider-Man needed a new space ship, I made it. I was free to make or do anything. My only limitation was my creativity.

I also loved playing video games. When my parents finally caved and bought me a Nintendo 64 for Christmas, I nearly lost my mind unwrapping it. I have fond memories of playing GoldenEye, Star Fox 64, Super Mario 64, and Diddy Kong Racing.

Never, in any of my wildest dreams, could I ever imagine my three loves co-existing. But technology has finally caught up to my childhood, and WB Games allowed me a hands-on preview of one of the most ambitious titles I have ever played: LEGO Dimensions.

LEGO Dimensions is the ultimate LEGO experience: build, play, and rebuild. Though it takes a couple of cues from Skylanders, LEGO Dimensions is the most comprehensive figurine game I have ever seen. It’s a ton of fun.

The Toys

First, let’s start with the physical toys that ship with LEGO Dimensions. Everything players put into the game--from minifigures to vehicles--is made from actual LEGO. And this is (partially) where LEGO Dimensions triumphs over other similar games. Where the figures in Skylanders and Disney Infinity are static statues, the minifigures in LEGO Dimensions are actual toys. Players and hobbyists can build and rebuild them as they see fit. Even the Portal (the interactive gamepad) is made from LEGO. Build it however you want.

Each minifigure comes with a stand. The Portal scans these stands and projects the minifigure into the game, meaning any LEGO character with a registered stand can be played at any time. And LEGO’s IP library is incredible. During the demo, I played with Gandalf, Wyldstyle and Batman, but characters from every corner of pop culture seem to make an appearance. Scooby, Shaggy, The Wicked Witch of the West, Doc Brown, Marty McFly, and Chell from Portal all make appearances--and those are just a few confirmed characters. The number of team compositions are infinite.

And the Portal does more than simply transport LEGOs into the game. It also alters their in-game states. For instance, when Scale mode is active, the platforms change the minifigures’ size. When Shift mode is active, minifigures can be instantly transported to highlighted areas on the map. The various Portal modes add a unique level of depth to the game. Puzzles are solved with both in-game and out-of-game critical thinking. Like actual LEGO, your only limitation is your creativity.

Vehicles also play a crucial role in the game. The demo I played featured the Batmobile. As I progressed through the game, I earned alternate Batmobile “builds.” Using the same parts, I was able to reconstruct the vehicle to match my needs in various situations. When I unlocked a new build, I received instructions on how to build it. I crafted the new vehicle and placed it on a new stand. Then the Portal scanned it and implemented it in the game.

I did notice one problem with the Portal/stand system. All the character figurines are pre-programmed and labeled for specific characters. If a minifigure of Wyldstyle ends up on Gandalf’s stand, for instance, Gandalf will still appear in the game. But that’s okay. Character stands are not the problem; vehicle stands are.

When a new vehicle is crafted, it must be set on a new stand, one that has not yet been stamped with an identity. When the empty stand is placed into the game, the Portal scans it and assigns it an identity. This identity is permanent, but there are no physical markings that indicate it. As a result, figuring out which vehicle/vehicle incarnation belongs on which stand can get very confusing, especially for children. In truth, there is no real way of telling which vehicle stands are which without placing them into the game or marking them with a Sharpie. But this is a minor complaint. Aside from this, I thoroughly enjoy the concept. The toys are fun, and the Portal is a stroke of genius.

Gameplay

Gameplay is where LEGO Dimensions excels the most, but that’s not surprising. LEGO games have a history of great content. Their movie tie-ins are incredible--sometimes more entertaining than the movies themselves (I’m looking at you, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull)--and their comic and book-inspired games are masterworks. They are family-friendly, challenging, and nostalgic. They pay homage to the original works while pushing the IPs in new directions and introducing them to new audiences. To this day, LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham ranks as one of the greatest comic book games of all time, and LEGO Star Wars is one of the most entertaining Star Wars titles on the market.

WB Games pulls no punches with LEGO Dimensions. It is everything I have grown to love about LEGO video games, pushed to the next level. At E3, I played the Portal-themed world. I transported Gandalf, Wyldstyle, and Batman into Aperture Science and fought GLaDOS for cake (Gandalf likes cake). By pairing my characters’ unique abilities with my Portal’s various modes, I was able to solve puzzles and beat GLaDOS at her own game. Though I only used my portal gun twice, the puzzles were challenging; the level was a brilliant homage to Valve’s cult classic. I enjoyed every second of it, and I can’t wait to see what WB Games unveils next.

Conclusion

WB Games must have invented a time machine, traveled back to the 90s, kidnapped me, and held me hostage while developing this game. LEGO Dimensions is the ultimate childhood experience. I can’t wait to play it.