Bricks-krieg: Lego Battles Reviewed

With two screens and a stylus interface, one would think the Nintendo DS would have a surplus of real-time strategy games in its software library.  With the exception of Heroes of Mana, Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings, and Lock’s Quest, handheld support for the genre is regretfully sparse. Those seeking the gratification of a competent StarCraft-styled game, have been forced to use a PC or home console to experience the satisfaction of sending a bloodthirsty horde into an enemy encampment.

As I’ve learned in nearly thirty years of gaming, pleasure can sporadically be found in anomalous locations. When I first spied Lego Battles at E3, I assumed the title was a further entry into the Star Wars/Indiana Jones/Batman ‘combat and collect’ games. I surely did not expect a proficient RTS title that contained a plethora of content.

Lego Battles employs the popular non-licensed brick sets- Castle, Pirates, and Space themes, for the game’s six main campaigns. As players successfully progress, they will unlock a multitude of content- from additional scenarios, characters, concept art, maps, and cut scenes. As typical for the Lego game canon, the title skillfully maintains the player’s interest by offering a persistent string of collectables. Few DS titles can match the encyclopedic amount of material presented by Lego Battles. It’s likely players will tire of the game’s core mechanics long before seeing all of the title’s auxiliary matter.

Nearly all of the game’s initial levels work gracefully as a clandestine tutorial. Players are ushered into Lego Battles via an extended learning curve, which explains each faucet of the title. The game’s user interface is delightfully uncomplicated as well. Players can make building, unit and hero decisions via a color-coded, pullout menu situated along the left side of the touch screen. The top DS display conveniently proves a map, unit, and resource data. The only blemish in brick-militia administration is the game’s finicky regulation for building locations. The title has players scour the map for suitable sites- there’s little visual information to indicate inaccessible construction spots.

An important fundamental of any RTS is capable pathfinding; having to micromanage unit routes can quickly sap enjoyment from a title. Sadly, Lego Battles‘ A.I. falls into the lower percentiles of intelligence, requiring the player’s intervention to simply round a jagged corner.  Additionally, veterans of real time strategy games may balk at the lack of challenge exerted by the title- building a powerful offensive army is an easily exploitable tactic. However, it’s likely the target demographic of the title while appreciate the lack of a punishing level of difficulty. Since some skirmishes can take an hour or more, having an in-game save system might have been helpful.

Graphically, Lego Battles nails the coloring and charm of the Danish building blocks. Spacecraft are clad in the familiar orange and white hues, while forests reflect the correct shade of Lego green. The typically pixilated graphical output of the DS assists in recreating the brick-like aesthetic. Inoffensive sound samples and heroic melodies accompany the action screen action suitably.