As children, we all had some exposure to Legos, whether they were gifted to us or they were owned by a friend. Today, Legos are no longer for kids. Adults purchase special Lego kits to build an Atari 2600, a NES or something related to a popular IP, like Star Wars.
Enter Lego Bricktales for Nintendo Switch by developer Clickstone/Clockstone Software. As the grandson of a scientist, its the player’s job to enhance his amusement park with Lego bricks before the Mayor of the town closes it down. The adventure will take the player across multiple scenarios, including – but not limited to – deserts and jungles. The game uses a complex brick-by-brick system with solid physics, as the game employs the player to build bridges, roadways and other passageways.
The gameplay is focused on the building mechanics and areas in the playfield(s) that need Lego puzzle solutions. For example: you can’t just lay down flat Lego pieces to create a bridge. A puzzle like this requires pillars of smaller Legos underneath the bridge itself, to keep the structure safe to cross. This is tested by sending, Buddy, across the bridge to test its safety. If Buddy can cross the structure without it collapsing, the level is finished and the player can move on. However, if the structure collapses, the player will have to rework their design so Buddy can cross unharmed.
The Lego build system is splashed across a grey playfield with the available parts next to the puzzle. The environment is squared off, and floats in space. As the player controls his self-named Lego avatar, the encounter locations to build on (wether its a cliff that needs a bridge, for example.
When the A button is pressed, the building begins. All the pieces the player needs are laid next to the puzzle. From here, the player can zoom in or out by pressing the Left and Right trigger buttons, and while using the Left analog stick to move the build cursor – can highlight a desired Lego by pressing A button.
The placement of the Lego can be difficult, but fun. If needed, the player can press the Y button to rotate the Lego piece. Once a Lego puzzle is completed, the structure can be tested by Buddy. If the structure doesn’t collapse under his weight, it’s off to the next puzzle in the area. Essentially, this is what Lego Bricktales entails – building small projects to beautify the amusement park with some story sprinkled in along the way.
This is a challenging Lego game that requires steady hands and the patience of a saint, as blocks are carefully placed to stabilize a build. It may not be for everyone, but Bricktales is for the hardcore Lego connoisseur; someone who fusses over Lego construction. And that really isn’t a bad thing. It translates into a laid back gaming experience that even newcomers will enjoy, patients wiling. The premise of saving an amusement park is a bit thin on details, but it feels like dressing on the game’s Lego building mechanics. With that aside, Lego Bricktales is another fun game in the Lego game universe. Just don’t forget to bring your thinking cap before taking on the game’s many puzzles; it’s needed.
Mike Pittaro
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Thunderful
Publisher: Thunderful
ESRB: E (Everyone)
Price: $29.99
Official Website: https://thunderfulgames.com/games/lego-bricktales/
| Review Score | |
|---|---|
| Graphics |   |
| Great graphics that represent the Lego environments; very colorful. | |
| Sound | |
| Good sound effects and a decent soundtrack. | |
| Gameplay | |
| Challenging and sometimes a bit confusing. | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Only hardcore Lego purists will enjoy the meticulous building mechanics. | |
