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The LEGO series of video games by game developer Travellers' Tales have been some of the most engaging and fun family games to hit platform/PC gaming in quite a while. Based on very popular movie franchises, the LEGO games provide hours of puzzle and action entertainment peppered with subtle humor and the classic LEGO feel.
With the LEGO: Harry Potter release looming in May and the announcement that Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars will be hitting in October, I thought it high time that we look to the future of the LEGO series and think about what other fantastic movie or television franchises would make great LEGO games. While doing that, I also thought it justified to list an equal amount of franchises that show potential and could probably be made into LEGO games but ultimately shouldn't be. Though at this point they could make a LEGO: Love Boat and it would be fun to play. The games are that good. I gave my reasoning for each, and you are welcome to leave your thoughts and ideas in the comments.
Also, when listing these out I stayed away from more purely adult franchises such as Aliens or Die Hard as they wouldn't be very marketable to children. Though I would think as an adult, I'd really enjoy a Die Hard one.
Lord of the Rings Trilogy - I think we can all agree that this would probably be pretty damn awesome. Playing as any one of the fellowship as you go on a puzzle filled quest to dispose of the "one ring" sounds like a blast, even playing as Gollum. The Trilogy presents plenty of situations for puzzles, from getting through the Mines of Moria to sneaking into Mordor.
The Superman Movies - If a LEGO game was to be made for the Superman franchise it would have to be the classic movies. That is, Superman I-III because Superman IV doesn't count and shouldn't ever count. The interesting thing here would be the flying mechanism in the game and creating puzzles that utilize it.
The Matrix Trilogy - Similar to the flying mechanism suggested above, the Matrix movies would introduce a new element to the games - the super slow-mo-bullet-avoiding-reading-code element. Certain levels could have puzzles that you have to solve through the code and you could construct the Mechs to defeat the Sentinels. LEGO Neo just sounds like a good idea. Even if it is Keanu Reeves.
Terminator Series - The main reason I think the Terminator franchise would work well here is because it would be a good opportunity to introduce the Techic line into the games. Clearly, the movies don't offer quite enough to make a puzzle game out of, so some artistic liberties will have to be taken. Playing as LEGO T-800 sounds nice, but playing as a LEGO T-1000 sounds even better.
Star Trek - To be specific, just the original series, the films I-III and then Next Generation. I only suggest the movies because I wouldn't think a LEGO Star Trek experience would be complete without playing as both Kirk and Khan. The Next Generation game could be split into it's own game with a crossover episode in that other Universe with evil Kirk. Phasers, tons of interesting planets to fight through and green women only add to the appear of a LEGO Star Trek.
Honorable mentions: Toy Story Trilogy, Futurama
Power Rangers - I was never a Power Ranger fan. I found the show cheesy, staged and about as interesting as packing Styrofoam. While a very popular franchise, I can't seem to think of any complex enough puzzles to put into the game. Perhaps there could be a puzzle to figure out why they were always fighting enemies in a well groomed park or on a nice beach.
Spider-Man Movies - If I had to guess which movie franchise would be made into a LEGO game next I'd have to think it would be Spider-Man. There is a clear difference between the world of Spider-Man and the world of Batman, the current LEGO franchise game. The Spider-Man movie world was just as much about the love triangle between Peter, Mary Jane and Harry. That doesn't translate too well into a puzzle / action game. Though I suppose Peter could build excuses as to why he took so long to see Mary Jane's play.
Pokemon - I'm not sure where I read it, and a Google search yielded no results, but somewhere there is a rumor a LEGO Pokemon game in the works. Perhaps just by saying that I'm starting the rumor. While the kids enjoy catching them all, and the Pokemon franchise has made for some very successful games it just seems like something a bit too obnoxious for the LEGO treatment.
Star Trek - Now for the other Star Trek franchises. I especially hope to never see a LEGO: Star Trek IV. Saving the whales and lame jokes about 1980's style and San Francisco. No, that doesn't seem like a very appealing game. There could probably be some puzzles derived from DS9 and the Jem'Hadar would be some mean looking LEGO mini figs, but hopefully they skip that one along with Voyager and Enterprise.
Bill Teds Excellent Adventure/Journey - Traveling through time in a phone booth, encountering historical figures and recruiting princesses sounds cool right? Sadly, that's the only part of this awesome duo of movies that would make any sense in a LEGO game. Neither Bill or Ted are action heroes or have super-powers. They had to recruit Station to build something to fight for them. Plus, only one game starring Keanu is feasible without tearing a hole in the space time continuum. Not to mention, if LEGO was to make a game featuring a time traveling phone booth, I'd rather it be Dr. Who.
Which ones would you look forward to the most? Any other suggestions?
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