The Lowdown on LEGO DIMENSIONS
Warner Brothers and LEGO officially threw their hat into the “toys come to life” arena yesterday by announcing LEGO Dimensions. But before you dismiss the game as a cash grab, let's take a look at what it has to offer — oh, and do yourself a favor and watch the announce trailer, because it's all kinds of wonderful.
Dimensions will launch with a starter kit, which will include the game, the LEGO Gateway (the base), three Minifigures (Gandalf, Batman, and Wyldstyle), and a vehicle (the Batmobile). All of that will be $99.99. I'm not going to lie, that is pretty steep seeing as Disney Infinity, even when it debuted, was priced at around $75, as is the case with the newest version of Skylanders (Trap Team). Warner Bros., LEGO, and Traveller's Tales are betting on LEGO’s iconic brand along with its impressive array of licensed universes to drive purchases, but that $99.99 price point is still a bit off-putting.
Side Note: Where Are The Amiibos?
While Amiibos are insanely popular, their contribution to the few games they work with is rather slim, and I tend to see them as more of a cool collectible than anything else. There is a wide range of views on them as a whole, but ultimately I don’t view them as direct competition to Dimensions, Infinity, or Skylanders — hence why they are not included in this discussion.
So, what does Dimensions offer that the other franchises don’t? Well, let's compare and contrast. Here is what they had to say about shelf life (via Facebook).
THE STARTER PACK WILL LAST. The LEGO Toy Pad and the videogame found in the initial Starter Pack will offer continued compatibility with future Expansion Packs for years to come. Like any LEGO building set, LEGO Dimensions is a system of play that offers continued compatibility – everything bought today or expanded with tomorrow will continue to work.
Pretty strong promise, and a direct counterpoint to Skylanders constant mandatory upgrades between installments. Sure, figures work on the new portal, but you have to buy a new portal every time. Disney Infinity has avoided some of that, but when 2.0 came out, people still had to rebuy some things depending on what configuration they owned. If they can stick to this proclamation, it's a definite feather in their cap.
LEGO also happens to have a bevy of licenses at its disposal, hence their 2015 lineup looking so strong and diverse. There will be 3 different types of packs (Level, Team, and Fun) that include franchises like Back to the Future, DC Comics, Wizard of Oz, Ninjago, The LEGO Movie, and The Lord of the Rings. Aiming for Disney Infinities mix and match nerd nirvana system, they bring some fantastic combinations to the party, and that is only some of the licenses they hold (or at one point held). They should have a strong 2016 with possible additions such as TMNT, LEGO Castle, Harry Potter, Bionicle, LEGO Pirates, Jurassic World, and maybe even The Golden Girls. Heck, if Hell freezes over, Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney. Regardless of whether Disney plays ball or not, the variety at their disposal, even without them, is top notch and runs a very wide gamut for fans of all different kinds.
According to their Facebook and Amazon listing, the Gateway can hold a mix of up to 7 figures, vehicles, or gadgets at any one time. That’s definitely a step up from just 2 Skylanders, or 2 Infinity figures and 1 playset. The only downside is that, in the end, the figures are just spiffier versions of LEGO figures that you can go buy in a box set right now, and for much cheaper than a cool hundred dollar bill. Compared to Activision and Disney’s offerings, the toys themselves just aren’t as impressive.
Last but not least, we have the gameplay, which they only show a small glimpse of during the trailer, but since it's Traveller's Tales at the helm here, you pretty much know what to expect. I’m still waiting on a game to give me both a strong co-op campaign, ala Skylanders, with the boundless creativity of Disney Infinity’s Toybox mode. Dimensions looks to lean towards the campaign side of things, but who knows, maybe they will expand into Toybox territory and it will be the best of both worlds. Either way, even with a crowded market, there is a great deal to like here, and I’m interested to see more. What say you, though? Let us know in the comments.