LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean DSi and DS Lite

LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Product Details

Released on 11/05/2011

• Lego Ninjago coming to DS

  Warner Bros and TT Games have revealed that a new Lego title is launching on DS later this year in the form of Lego Ninjago: The Videogame.
  
  The new handheld title is the follow-up to Lego Battles and challenges players to take control of plastic ninja masters who seek to learn the ways of Spinjitzu, a martial art that allows them to create tornadoes to defeat their enemies.
  
  As they master the intricacies of ninja combat, gamers will experience a quirky storyline involving battles with dragons and other outlandish opponents, while good and evil single-player campaigns will both be included.
  
  Alongside the solo experience, Lego Ninjago will also include a variety of Battle Mode challenges and multiplayer game options.
  
  Tom Stone of TT Games said: "Lego Ninjago: The Videogame offers players a humorous way to immerse themselves further in the Lego Ninjago toy line with action-packed battles."
  
  It is set to be an exciting 2011 for fans of Lego games, as it was recently announced that a Lego Pirates of the Caribbean title is also in the works.

  Published: 12/01/2011

• LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Review

  A block-buster in every sense

  With the fourth Pirates film hitting cinemas this week, it’s about time the folks at TT Games got around to a Lego version of one of Hollywood’s most popular franchises. But the wait has been worth it. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean is a polished and hugely enjoyable adventure that might well be the best Lego game yet.

  Shiver me timbers

  On Stranger Tides isn’t the sole focus, as the story mode spans all four of the movies. Levels are accessed from a hub port, and while you can choose any film to start with, the plots of each individual movie must be followed in order. If you want to battle the Lego Kraken – and yes, that’s every bit as fun as it sounds – then you’ll have to play through the four previous stages of Dead Man’s Chest first.

  And it’s the second film in the series that gets the best of the set-pieces, with a roll down a mountainside in ball-shaped cages, followed by an epic swordfight inside and around an enormous water wheel. Not that the other movies are short of excitement – On Stranger Tides opens with a thrilling chase through the streets of London, while the swirling maelstrom at the climax of At World’s End looks spectacular.

  Drink up, me hearties

  Indeed, the visuals here are often genuinely impressive. The game engine has been steadily tweaked over the years, a factor that was clear during the grand battles in Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars but is even more evident here. There are few of the graphical shortcomings from previous titles, and the fountains of Lego studs cascading from every smashed Lego object don’t cause any kind of stutter to the action. Meanwhile, stormy seaborne sequences and bright tropical sunshine showcase the brilliant lighting and shadow effects.

  Fans will be delighted to learn that the core of the Lego games hasn’t changed a bit. You explore, solve puzzles, fight enemies and smash everything in sight. Every character has a specific ability, from blacksmiths who repair machinery, to those who can use ranged weapons. Barbossa’s cursed crew can walk underwater, while Jack Sparrow has a compass that's used to find the 'X that marks the spot' where hidden items can be dug up.

  Captain, Captain Jack Sparrow

  Cap’n Jack himself provides many of the laughs, with a comical walk that captures the essence of Johnny Depp’s rum-soaked performance perfectly. He’s a hoot in the cutscenes, too, which helpfully streamline the excesses of films two and three, covering complex motivations and twists with visual gags, gestures, and occasionally cardboard puppet shows. Even if you’re not familiar with the films, you’ll frequently find yourself chuckling along. The films’ darker moments are twisted in such a way that they’re often the game’s funniest.

  With five stages per film, the story mode alone should take a while to finish, but the Free Play mode adds substantial replay value. The various trinkets and collectables are often inaccessible on the first attempt, and are only uncovered once you’ve unlocked certain characters whose abilities are required to reach them. This could easily be a cheap way to extend the game’s life, but it’s nothing of the sort. Rather than just tucking away individual secrets behind previously insurmountable obstacles, most stages have huge new areas that reward player curiosity, often with unique asides as an added bonus. Lego spider battles, anyone?

  There’s little that’s genuinely new here, but it seems churlish to complain at what is easily the most polished Lego title to date. Improved partner AI is a boon if you’re flying solo, while sticky platforms make running and jumping much easier when playing co-operatively. Leaner, funnier and more satisfying than the films, Lego Pirates of the Caribbean is a real treasure.

  

  YO HO HO:
  + Very funny
  + Thrilling set-pieces
  + Superb graphics

  WALK THE PLANK:
  - A little familiar
  - Minikits too hard to find!
  - Too many bit-part characters

• Bank Holiday Games!

  
  

  It's the May Day Bank Holiday weekend, which means we all get an extra day off. So with the weather being predictably unpredictable, why not spend it in the company of some great games?

  Here's our handy guide for some of the best games to enjoy this bank holiday weekend, with ideas for children, for friends and family, or for getting some serious single-player gaming done!

  Games for the kids:

  

  If you have a kids and a Kinect, there's really only one choice - Kinect Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure, giving the chance for the little ones to play along with all their favourite Pixar characters, like Woody and Buzz, Remy the Rat, Lightning McQueen and the Incredibles. Kids will love using the Kinect to interact with their Pixar friends, lifting, steering, flying, swimming and smashing their way through a variety of fun games that will keep them occupied for hours, and feeling like they're part of the story.

  
  

  

  For more quirky fun with their favourite characters, it's hard to go wrong with our wide choice of LEGO games. Kids can take a trip to Hogwarts and help Harry Potter and chums defeat Voldemort, set sail with the Pirates of the Caribbean, use the Force in Star Wars, or hero-up alongside Batman or Indiana Jones. With classic adventures recreated in LEGO's trademark building blocks, and delivered with LEGO's trademark sense of humour, there's plenty for kids of all ages to enjoy - and for parents to enjoy once the children have gone to bed!

  

  Skylanders continue to be a big hit with the kids, and you'll be a big hit with your kids if you bring Skylanders home! The age-old battle of good versus evil is brought to life not only through the video game itself, but enhanced by the collection of character toys that interact with the game. There's a whole host of cool characters to collect and who join are brought to life in the game via the Portal of Power, so the opportunities for new games and new challenges are endless!

  Games for friends and family:

  

  When's the plenty of people round, a little friendly competition always goes a long way. Where better to find out who's best than at the Olympic games? And who better to play with than Mario and Sonic? Well, as luck would have it, Mario and Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games is chock full of fun contests that test a wide variety of skills, with unique ways of interacting with the action. There's everything from sprinting to table tennis, canoeing to show-jumping, as well as some imaginative twists in the 'Dream' events, like a long-jump that takes you flying from cloud to cloud. And all for a lot less than a ticket to the real Olympics!

  

  If you - or your party - starts to get a bit more active, then there's always Just Dance 3. The latest chapter in the hugely successful dancing game series continues to challenge all to bust their best moves. This time there's an even wider variety of dancefloor-classic songs from almost every era and a range of different game modes to keep the party fresh and four-player action for the ultimate dance-off! It's compatible with Wii, PlayStation Move and Kinect, and pushes motion controls to their funky limits!

  Games on your own:

  

  Looking for a game to put some serious single-player hours into? Well, you can always journey into space with Mass Effect 3, one of the biggest and most talked-about games of the year. This sci-fi adventure is as much an in-depth role-playing experience as it is a third-person shooter, promising a journey where you choices really define the way the game is played. Thousands of people all over the world have committed almost as many hours following Commander Shepard across the Trilogy, so why not spend this weekend finding out just why?

  

  If you prefer your role-playing a little more traditional, then the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Pandora's Tower are two fantastic offerings. Questing in fantasy worlds, battling mythical beasts, swords, sorcery and an ending based on how you play - the whole RPG experienced wrapped up in a complete package! Skyrim offers a first-person adventure and dragons, while Pandora's Tower gives you classical music and a very personal quest. Either game will take up your entire weekend!

  

  For time consumption of a different kind, Minecraft has finally made its way to Xbox 360 thanks to Xbox LIVE. This 8-bit phenomenon has become a global cult classic, with it's simple sandbox gameplay: mine things and then build things. What sounds so simple becomes perilously addictive as your skills and ambitions become greater and greater still, and the long weekend is ideal to get settled into a time-sucking game like this!

  Published: 30/04/2012

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