When it comes to video games, one niche in particular gets a lot of love: those with blocks. Yes, I'm talking about 3D Dot Game Heroes, Minecraft, and the slew of Legovised movie and game adaptations. This month, Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7 adds to the long list of titles that have turned a popular franchise into a bloodless mania of punching the blocks out of enemies and allies alike. Below are five well-known game series that we hope get the Lego treatment—which is looking pretty inevitable at the rate they're going, anyway.
Lego Katamari
Katamari is practically built for Lego compatibility. You start off with a bald katamari ball and roll over objects, people, and animals of different shapes and sizes. Once your quota is met, congratulations: you've made a new star or constellation. Lego Katamari wouldn't be much different, but it would revitalize the basic look and premise. Levels could be just as varied or themed, since plenty of actual Lego toy sets are already on the market. Like the junk that comprises an enormous katamari, Legos are prime for sticking together, and destroying real-life Lego creations is … satisfying. Of course, that's only if you don't get them stuck to the bottom of your foot. Ouch.
Lego Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed is a franchise that takes itself way too seriously. It prides itself on gore, towering architecture, and stealth assassinations. With a Lego game version, you could have all that, but in cutesy block form. A Lego Assassin's Creed game would require a huge environment with lots of buildings and similar structures to scale, just like in the Ubisoft series. Only this time, maybe some of the bricks or shingles could fall like Legos are so prone to do, making the adventure that much more risky. Plus, what could begin as a silent, one Lego man mission could end as a brawl between sword-wielding guards, Templars, and assassins, all while blocks chip and fly every which way. We're guessing you wouldn't mind riding a Lego horse, either, or eavesdropping on a Lego Pope.
Photo credit: Flickr user "McGregor.harry"
Lego Lord of the Rings
Even though years have passed, fan boys and girls still can't let the beloved Peter Jackson movies go. More and more games keep using his vision of Tolkien's Middle-Earth as a basis for games and other products. War in the North is the latest, releasing just this month on consoles. Even a two-part movie adaptation of The Hobbit has been in-the-works for some time now. Despite the persistent attention to the trilogy and its prequel, Middle-Earth needs a fresh look. Enter Lego Lord of the Rings, in which players can command different races, from orcs to elves to hobbits and wizards, and engage in widespread wars that leave thousands of hapless blocks as casualties. Whether developers would prefer to start the story from scratch, with no basis in existing novels or films, or let players relive the quests of Bilbo or Frodo and his fellowship, the possibilities are enticing. Maybe they could get crazy and add in the Ring as a findable item that can be passed from player to player in true capture-the-flag spirit.
Photo credit: Flickr user "The Onelug"
Lego Mario Kart
Nothing is better than karts and bikes with Mario characters driving them than karts and bikes with Lego Mario characters driving them into other Lego Mario characters. If you thought the competition was fierce enough with red and blue shells and banana peels, then consider how high the stakes would be if you could ram your vehicle straight through another player on the track, temporarily rendering them an immobile pile of blocks that Lakitu would have to magically reassemble. Maybe running over Lego banana peels would blow one of your tires momentarily instead of causing you to spin out. As for obstacles on the track, we're liking the idea of a clunky Lego Goomba.
Photo credit: Mike Crowley
Lego Resident Evil
Resident Evil might be too mature of territory for a Lego game, but like with Assassin's Creed, blood and vengeance could be replaced with harmless block fights. In this case, though, nothing would be more fun than shooting Lego zombies square in the head or blasting off their limbs one at a time. That way they'll be forced to cope with their disability in real-time, so a one-legged zombie would hobble or fall over and a totally armless zombie couldn't grab you by the shoulders. The developers might want to stick to zombies instead of mutated people or animals to keep the rating kid-friendly, but that's a sacrifice we're willing to accept if it means a miniature Lego model of Wesker. Adorable!
Photo credit: Dave Eggert
What Lego game do you think should be made next?
