Massive crossover games are seeing something of a renaissance in 2021. Developers are taking cues from Nintendo’sSuper Smash Bros.series by announcing platform fighting games likeNickelodeon All-Star Brawland Warner Bros.‘MultiVersus. Few brands have been able to tackle dream crossovers as well as LEGO, so now seems a good a time as any to give theLEGO Dimensionsconcept another go.
LEGO Dimensionsis a relic of the"toys-to-life" trendthat thrived in the mid-2010s, but it was arguably the most fitting idea during its hayday. The Danish toy brand has released building block sets based on pop culture icons for years, ranging fromStar WarsandHarry PottertoMinecraft, andLEGO Dimensionsencouraged fans to bring the Minifigures of characters from those properties to life in an expanding action-platformer. WithMultiVersusin particular showing the potential of a traditional game that pulls disparate fandoms together,Dimensionscould have a second wind without as much focus on its physical gimmick.
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Toys-to-Life Games
Activision’sSkylandersfranchise really kicked off the toys-to-life craze withSpyro’s Adventurein 2011. Bringing Spyro the Dragon back years before his revival withToys For Bob’sSpyro Reignited Trilogydrew a lot of curious eyes, but the true stroke of genius behindSkylanderswas how it turned the lucrative business of tie-in merchandise into an integral part of the experience. Most popular games likeThe Legend of Zeldahave products fans can buy to show their love, but toys-to-life games required people to buy an ever-growing catalog of plastic statues that add more content.
Lots of developers followed Activision’s lead, withDisney Infinitybecoming the first major contendor in 2013. Developed by Avalanch Studios,Disney Infinitywas very similar toSkylandersin that it dropped characters into huge sandbox worlds. The obvious draw was Disney’s pantheon of properties to convert - including the traditional Disney princesses, Star Wars, and Marvel Comics. Nintendo also got in on the idea with its amiibo figures, which were designed to work with all its games rather than one particular series. However, there were a few amiibo-driven titles during the Wii U era, notablyAnimal Crossing: amiibo Festival.
LEGO Dimensionscame onto the scene in September 2015 and featured a huge array of franchises, including Warner Bros. properties like DC Comics, Universal properties likeHarry PotterandJurassic Park, as well as assorted names likePortal 2,Doctor Who,Beetlejuice, andSonic the Hedgehog.OriginalLEGOconcepts likeThe LEGO Moviealso played a part, making easily the most diverse toys-to-life library of the bunch. Yet it was short lived, with Warner Bros. announcing the third year of content was cancelled in October 2017.
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LEGO Dimensions Could Use a Second Shot
The only toys-to-life idea with any real staying power was amiibo, likely owing its success to Nintendo marketing the figures as celebrations of its iconic franchises with usefulness across different games. In fact, more amiibo are still in production, from specialty releases likeSkyward Sword HD’s Zelda and Loftwing amiiboto less intrusive amiibo cards coming alongsideAnimal Crossing: New Horizons’Happy Home ParadiseDLC.
LEGO Dimensionsas a concept was fun, and the huge variety of brands that have partnered with LEGO meant it had a lot of staying power. A crossover between characters like the Ghostbusters, Batman, andFinn fromAdventure Timeis as appealing as ever, and could go a long way by divorcing itself from the toys-to-life concept. Toys-to-life worked well because LEGO is a toy brand at its core, but it clearly wasn’t lucrative givenDimensions’ short lifespan.
Something like a standalone platformer carrying forward the story LEGO established with its first adventure, one that could expand with DLC not locked behind LEGO sets, would be cool to see. AfterNickelodeon All-Star BrawlandMultiVersuslegitimized crossover platform fightersas a substantial subgenre,Dimensionscould even try adapting that idea using mechanics inherent to the toy brand. It would have some overlap withMultiVersusas Warner Bros. characters appear in both, but that opens the door to crossovers between crossovers. Especially with games likeLEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Sagacoming out, there’s plenty of potential in givingLEGO Dimensionsanother shot.
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