LEGO Minifigures Online

The usual LEGO game remit of destruction, reconstruction and pugilism fits the MMO template very well, it turns out – when you’ve got a property with as much variation as the LEGO franchise, you’ve got all the makings of a great MMO already programmed into your DNA. The iOS port of the game takes that accessible, understandable formula and repurposes it for tablets… and you know what? It works.

Despite some performance bugs here and there (the game can’t handle more than three non-AI players without crashing), LEGO Minifigures Online operates well: because it’s primarily aimed at kids, you can’t communicate with other players freely – rather, you’ve got to rely on emojis and vague gestures. This limits how tactical you can be, sadly, but we understand why the restrictions are in place.

The gameplay itself is fairly satisfying – the initial purchase unlocks the ‘Pirate’ world for you to play in, and IAPs offer four more complete worlds, too. There is a difficulty curve so gentle you won’t even recognise it’s there, and the way the game coerces you into collecting more Minifigures to add to your roster reminds us of how Pokemon drew us in with its compulsive collection suites.

The game has an auto-targeting mechanism that, whilst a little twitchy, will make playing on auto-pilot a breeze: perfect for younger players or parents that want to watch over their kids as they dive into the game themselves. That LEGO aesthetic resounds – the art style and presentation nicely disguising how little effort the game takes to run on iOS. Anyone that’s had any experience whatsoever with the likes of World Of Warcraft or any other MMO will instantly feel at home here, and if not, it’s a perfect way of getting kids into that kind of game without all the associated issues.

What We Say?

LEGO Minifigures Online is a well-presented MMO that we’d feel comfortable letting our kids play. Fun, easy to use and good value for money, despite some bugs.

Pros

• The LEGO aesthetic will never get old
• A nice, easy-going MMO suitable for all

Cons

• Lacks the social elements you’d expect from a true MMO
• ?Some pretty severe (but rare) bugs and crashes