The Ninjago Movie Video Game follows the same formula of other film based LEGO games where levels are loosely based on scenes from the movie with actual film cutscenes interspersed to bookend levels. The action starts with series bad guy, Lord Garmadon, attacking Ninjago City with his shark army. Ninjas Cole, Kai, Zane, Jay, Lloyd, and Nya are quickly pressed into action at the behest of their wise mentor Sensei Wu. Levels typically consist of a pair of heroes solving light puzzles, exploring for hidden items, and fighting the bad guys.
As this is a game about Ninjas it is the fighting that sits from and center and is the most rewarding portion of the game. The ninja in the Ninjago Movie Video Game has a far more diverse set of attacks than in any other LEGO game I have played before. With names such as The Swooping Hawk and The Rushing Boar, the combat is the core to the experience and it does not disappoint. Enemies are far tougher and varied than in other LEGO games with some blocking and switching up their attacks.
Because some of the ninja’s moves are so dynamic and devastating, you can expect your hit combo meter to enter the triple digits regularly. The other appeal of the combat is that each ninja plays very differently due in large part to their distinct weapons Zane’s bow attacks are completely unique from Cole’s hammer strikes and Lloyds swift swordsmanship. As a result, playing with the different characters keeps the combat fresh and interesting.
The gameplay, after a few dull things, worked well! Combination attacks were simpler than I used to, but this was not disturbing or something like that. Everything felt pretty smooth, at the critical point after sometimes there was too much action going on, or it lasted for too long. Computer-controlled enemies felt a bit livelier, and therefore it did not feel like you went from point A to point B to fight for a while and then proceed again. Timing is important, just because enemies are “smart”, if you’re always doing the same thing, they’re blocking you soon, so try to switch between combo’s!
You collect tokens to unlock more gameplay options. This way you can also get skills that allow you to hit an enemy into the sky, or give a good knockback. For example, building a hammer to go through an obstacle was simple, which had made me feel more complex. Luckily, you have to switch between playable characters more often, just because everyone has other skills, which gives a lot of diversity to the overall gameplay. Also, the golden blocks can be found, in my opinion there were more than 200 of these beautiful pebbles to be found in-game. If you’re a trophy hunter, there’s also plenty to do after getting the story and going back in free mode.
Graphically, the game looks like he should see, a LEGO game. Explosions sometimes appear a bit clumsy, but this is probably also intended. Furthermore, the game was very smooth for me. With a few small bugs, which did not bother me, I could spot flawlessly. Dialogues and voices were well-behaved, not the best I’ve ever heard in a game, but good enough to get me laugh where it was needed. Also the music was fun at times, the timing was not always as perfect, but it worked! A big feedback point is the camera corners. Sometimes the camera turns so that it does not work out well for the player, whether you are flying on a dragon or walking on the ground. This is the biggest mistake for me, and one of the few things I really disturbed.
There is enough for the collector. But also content-wise there is enough to do. You have the challengedojo, where your Mortal Kombat style can test and show your skills. You have your cousins missions before, during and after the story. The learning curve is also not too difficult, the game is accessible to young and old. Whether you are a collector, or a born ninja, the game has something for everyone.
