Lego's New "Chima" IP Spans Toys, Three Games

[Greg Tito]

Lego's New "Chima" IP Spans Toys, Three Games

LEGO's three Legends of Chima games will make you want to say "Thundercats, Ho!"

I like Legos - don't get me wrong - but, when I peruse the toy aisle, all I see are hundreds of themed box sets that don't have much to do with the creativity of building with blocks. I suppose there's more money to be made in licensed Star Wars or Batman sets, and it can't be denied the mashup of Lego and other IPs in the videogames by Traveller's Tales (TT) has been a commercial and critical success. The Danish blockmaker is now betting that same magic will work for its own IP - starting with a three-pronged attack using the new Legends of Chima universe. First up is LEGO Legends of Chima: Speedorz, racing game playable on a browser and on iOS devices out now. This summer will follow up with a handheld title called Laval's Journey on the Vita and 3DS, and finally a kid-friendly MMO LEGO Legends of Chima Online developed by WB Games Montreal due out this fall.

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The details on Legends of Chima are a little sparse but it's a fantasy universe in which there are different tribes of magical animals with human-like features. The prominent character seems to be the Lion-O-like Laval and his battle against evil lizard creatures. Pretty standard, really.

WB Games thinks developing three games are the same time is the definition of innovation. "We are doing something innovative with LEGO Legends of Chima by making three distinct videogame experiences on a variety of platforms," said Samantha Ryan, a Warner Bros. executive. "By creating multiple LEGO videogame experiences for one brand, we are catering to today's diverse gaming community, as well as establish[ing] a rewards system for players of all three games."

Linking the three titles through a combined fantasy universe and system of rewards sounds cool and all, but is there an audience for LEGO games for an unestablished IP? I suppose we'll find out.

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[Roxas1359]

Okay so I'm not the only one that thinks "Thundercats" when seeing the main character and the commercials for this new show. That's what it feels like to me, that they basically took Thundercats, turned them into Legos, and changed their names.

As for the games I'm not surprised that they are making one, but I thought the Lego Ninjago games didn't sell that well when you compare it to games like Lego Star Wars or Lego The Lord of the Rings.

 

[Proverbial Jon]

WB Games thinks developing three games are the same time is the definition of innovation.

Got yourself a slight typo there.

OT: The model for that main character just looks... off. Like really poor quality. That's something I haven't seen in Lego since... forever. I didn't think there would be a day that I'd actually prefer the licensed theme sets over this "original" stuff.

I remember the days when I had a big ol' box of regular Lego bricks, you know, the two by four sort. I don't think I've had as much fun since those simple days. Although I have to admit the TT games are some damn good fun in themselves.


EDIT: OK after watching the trailer the world of Chima just looks like Pandora from Avatar, what with the whole floating islands thing.

As a furry, something's telling me I should love this. I do not.

 

[The Last Melon]

I just keep reading this as "Legends of China" and getting confused. You have to admit that the character designs would kind of fit, in a warped sort of way.

I do remember reading an article somewhere discussing how one of the main ways Lego got a massive leg up on its competition was by licensing, so this seems like a logical next step.

 

[weirdee]

oh, so that's why they didn't want to invest in zelda

 

[Starik20X6]

As for the games I'm not surprised that they are making one, but I thought the Lego Ninjago games didn't sell that well when you compare it to games like Lego Star Wars or Lego The Lord of the Rings.

I'm not sure about the games, but the Ninjago sets make more money than God.

They're really pushing Chima to become 'the next big thing' after the success of Ninjago, and I guess three games is part of that push. It'll be a few months before the games come out though won't it? Plenty of time for the Chima sets to gain some fandom before the games are released. I'll be sticking to LEGO City and Superheroes for the time being.

 

[Roxas1359]

As for the games I'm not surprised that they are making one, but I thought the Lego Ninjago games didn't sell that well when you compare it to games like Lego Star Wars or Lego The Lord of the Rings.

I'm not sure about the games, but the Ninjago sets make more money than God.

They're really pushing Chima to become 'the next big thing' after the success of Ninjago, and I guess three games is part of that push. It'll be a few months before the games come out though won't it? Plenty of time for the Chima sets to gain some fandom before the games are released. I'll be sticking to LEGO City and Superheroes for the time being.

I'll be sticking with Lego Island, Lego Island 2, the first Lego Racer, and the Legoland game. Those were the only games my Pentium-One processor could handle. Mind you I had that one until about 2005 and I had dial-up until 2007...>.>
I unfortunately lost my old Lego Racer and Legoland games though. T~T

To be honest though I will admit that I have seen a few episodes of Ninjago and it wasn't that bad, but this just seems like an attempt to make the lightning strike twice.

 

[Starik20X6]

I'm not sure about the games, but the Ninjago sets make more money than God.

They're really pushing Chima to become 'the next big thing' after the success of Ninjago, and I guess three games is part of that push. It'll be a few months before the games come out though won't it? Plenty of time for the Chima sets to gain some fandom before the games are released. I'll be sticking to LEGO City and Superheroes for the time being.

I'll be sticking with Lego Island, Lego Island 2, the first Lego Racer, and the Legoland game. Those were the only games my Pentium-One processor could handle. Mind you I had that one until about 2005 and I had dial-up until 2007...>.>
I unfortunately lost my old Lego Racer and Legoland games though. T~T

To be honest though I will admit that I have seen a few episodes of Ninjago and it wasn't that bad, but this just seems like an attempt to make the lightning strike twice.

LEGO Island kicks all sorts of ass. Could never finish the second one, I swear that biplane section was impossible... I remember picking up a whole bunch of the old PC games really cheap- Legoland, Racers 2, Creator, Creator Harry Potter, Alpha Team (that would always glitch on the menu, rendering the game unplayable)... LEGO Loco was probably my favourite alongside LEGO Island.

Yeah, Chima is pretty much exactly that- trying to replicate the success of Ninjago. And I've got no problem with that really. It's always good to see a LEGO original IP be as profitable if not more so than the licensed ones. And if Chima ends up paying all the bills like Ninjago did, hopefully it'll mean enough money to be able to make some new themes, like Monster Fighters.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

I cant see Chima working same as other lego games. They work based on the movie connection and the humour works based on the telling of scenes from those movies. This is also why they appeal to adults who grew up with Indiana Jones, Star Trek etc. Now there new non film related lego games i have zero interest in. Where as if they mentioned for instance, making a Lego Ghostbusters game id be excited.

 

[Bolt-206]

I'll be sticking with Lego Island, Lego Island 2, the first Lego Racer, and the Legoland game. Those were the only games my Pentium-One processor could handle. Mind you I had that one until about 2005 and I had dial-up until 2007...>.>
I unfortunately lost my old Lego Racer and Legoland games though. T~T

Slightly disappointed by your lack of Lego Rock Raiders.

OT: I gonna wait and see what Lego has up it's sleeve with the Lore/story/character department before I start judging, it's got potential, but then so does everything, execution's the main part.

 

[felixader]

You know what will be the problem with this? This thing, the world building etc., does look like made without anyone on the project who actually wants to tell a story with it.

The whole thing seems to be simply made for there to be something to be sold.

Sigh. This shit just gets on my nerves.

And then collect the balls and actually call it what you want to call it: Legends of China.

 

[Roxas1359]

I'll be sticking with Lego Island, Lego Island 2, the first Lego Racer, and the Legoland game. Those were the only games my Pentium-One processor could handle. Mind you I had that one until about 2005 and I had dial-up until 2007...>.>
I unfortunately lost my old Lego Racer and Legoland games though. T~T

Slightly disappointed by your lack of Lego Rock Raiders.

OT: I gonna wait and see what Lego has up it's sleeve with the Lore/story/character department before I start judging, it's got potential, but then so does everything, execution's the main part.

I was lucky enough to get Lego Island to work properly. Although I do think that I had that one but never got it to work.

 

[Bolt-206]

Welp, trying out the racing game for this franchise that's already out, and it's already made a cardinal sin in the first race; tutorial pop-ups that pause the game and require a mouse to close, when the mouse isn't used for controlling (it'd probably be just as bad if it was but w/e). Music's probably the only interesting part about it so far, though it's kinda let down by bad or just not present sound fx, probably doesn't help that the vehicles 'hover' and so don't make a lot of noise.

 

[Beautiful End]

Am I the only one tired of people adding the word "Legend/s" to everything to make it sound epic? Just sayin'; they could try being original.

OT: I'm not surprised. There was Bionicle, Ninjago and now this.
Incidentally, Ninjago is not an easy game, at least not for kids, I think. I've seen plenty of kids buy the game with the hopes of it being just like the other Lego games and influenced by the show and it turns out to be something different.
Either that or I've only met dumb families.
Sounds like something that might happen.

Anyway, if it's aimed towards kids, I'd expect this new franchise to be just a pretty hack-and-slasher. That will work just fine.