Why LEGO Games are a Family Experience

If you’ve had the opportunity to play LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 – from Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment and Travelers Tales – you will quickly understand that it is a love letter to the Marvel Universe. For those who want to see some of those lesser known heroes, they are here. For those who want Baby Groot and Star Lord: they are here. The variety of characters available in LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 is phenomenal, and only made playing this title with my newly-minted-Marvel-fan-son that much more enjoyable. The biggest draw for my family with LEGO games: how universally accessible AND enjoyable they are, for myself, my son, and the rest of the Roffel crew.

Accessibility

The LEGO Ninjago Movie Video Game took the LEGO franchise and made a bunch of new additions, especially to the combat; although enjoyed by my son, it was one of the more difficult LEGO games he had played in the last little while. Marvel Superheroes 2 goes back to the tried and true LEGO formula with simple combat, interesting puzzles, and an emphasis on collection and completion, rather then deep combat situations. This, for me, is the perfect LEGO video game system.

My seven year old can blow through LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 fairly quickly, but this is a plus rather than a minus: kids don’t like to be frustrated, and as a parent of two energetic boys, this is so very true. With certain games, I often get the “Dad, I cannot beat this area.” That doesn’t happen in LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2. It is accessible, but it is also extremely fun, not only for my kids but for me as well. None of the puzzles are so extremely difficult that a seven or eight year old couldn’t figure them out. Playing multiplayer with my kids is still a really good time; in other games, it is a frustrating experience, but in this title, it’s is equal fun for all, with little-to-no frustration.

Fun For All

And that’s the key here: LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 is fun for all ages. For my son, it was the awe of playing a LEGO game with all the LEGO Marvel Superheroes, while for me, it was seeing the subtle nods from the comics and movies that make certain aspects of the game very nostalgic, and humorous. For example, at his age, I’m not quite ready to let my kids watch the Marvel collection of movies; he has never seen Guardians of the Galaxy, but I have. During that fist mission, we BOTH had a great time. He enjoys Groot, Star Lord, and the rest of the Guardians cast – as do I – but that was the excitement for him, to play as some of his favourite characters. For myself, it was about the little things, like Star Lord popping on his Walkman to listen to tunes.

Couch multiplayer games are going by the wayside, but Warner Bros and Travellers Tales understands who plays their LEGO games. It’s single guys and girls, dating couples, married couples, and yes, parents with kids. I’m hoping for more experiences like this!