With the recent Nintendo Switch Sale happening, I decided to grab a couple of the Lego games, cheap, for a few pounds each, I got Lego Movie 2, and a copy of Brick Tales. It only seems a matter of weeks since this was released, but here I am downloading it for a small sum. On start, it feels quite overbearing, waiting for. A new game to begin, readying to learn the ropes that the developers had planned for you. You soon get the hand of it as the details and power-ups are introduced gradually through each of the five levels. There also extra levels for Easter, Halloween and Christmas, thrown in. These are a smaller set of puzzles that are only eclipsed by the need to find the bunny’s eggs that are scattered throughout all of the levels, including the theme park home space.
You start by meeting you Grandpa, in his lab beneath the ground. Above, is a dilapidated theme park, with broken rides and a messy look. A robot assists you, appearing from another dimension, having new knowledge of the universe. Once you have saved you Grandpa, by building bridges, no less, you go up top and begin doing levels to claim happy crystals. These power the machine that will mend the rides. You see, Grandpa has the authorities on his back, about it, threatening to take it from him, if it stays in its current state.
Each level opens up, gradually, beginning with the jungle. You are given builds to do, that will let you complete tasks and, eventually, the happy crystal. Some of the builds are larger than others, with a couple, later on, requiring a different step to achieve what is required. The extra steps are to claim the animal collectibles that are strewn across said levels. Each environment has a character that requires a certain kind of animal. There are Ladybirds, Bunnies, Chameleons, Birds, Hermit-Crabs and Chickens.
There are also chest to collect that have a world-specific currency in them. To 100% the game, you need to buy all of the shop items, which each level sees the ghost selling its wares. ALL chests are needed to achieve ALL purchases. These are found through play in the form of hidden doors, turning wheels to open up barred sections, the hoverboard tracks, ground-pounding or using the teleportation plates. These skills are learned from your robotic assistant using a special portal space that are in super-puzzle rooms. These go the same: you go in, robot goes on the learning plate, you then get locked in and have to find a way out. A little bit maze-like, if you want.
I won’t spoil the end, but you can twist the world block around on the touch screen and look at hidden chests and animals in tunnels. This gives you a chance to work out how to get to them. In all, this was a fabulous puzzle game. The building had a small issue with positioning the pieces, but once you got used to fine tuning their movement, with the D-pad, it wasn’t too bad. if you have used Studio 2.0, found on Bricklink, then this feels quite familiar. I remember, not too long ago, this cost around £25, but at a tenner, or less, it’s a worthy purchase. Little builds equalled great fun!
