Summary
Though they’ve occasionally crossed over with some teen-themed franchises,LEGOgames have always been family-friendly affairs. Even when the license itself gets a little more adult, the LEGO video game adaptation always keeps things tame, refraining from any real depictions of violence, gore, or harsh language. Even when a main character dies on-screen in aLEGOgame, it’s usually played for laughs in an attempt to keep things lighthearted.
With LEGO games maintaining such a family-friendly focus, it seems strange that LEGO hasn’t adapted more family-friendly licenses. More specifically, it seems strange that LEGO has never really looked to the world of children’s animation for one of its video games. There are a ton of really excellent kids' animation properties that would be perfectly suited forthe LEGO game treatment.
The Next LEGO Game Should Look to Kids' Animation
LEGO Dimensions Already Dabbled in Kids' Animation
Back in 2015, LEGO tried to hop on the briefly successfultoys-to-life train thatSkylandershad startedup a few years prior, andDisney Infinitywas also riding high on. After a pretty successful starter pack,LEGO Dimensionscast a wide net over a variety of other franchises, and pulled some intriguing characters into the game. While this first wave ofLEGO Dimensionscharacters mainly focused on DC,Lord of the Rings,TheSimpsons, andDoctor Who, the game did dip its toes into the world of kids' animations with itsScooby-Doo!Team Pack, which included the titular talking dog, Shaggy, and a buildable Mystery Machine.
ThisScooby-Doo!pack must have proven to be a bit ofa success forLEGO Dimensions, as the game’s second wave of DLC and toys included a few more packs based on kids' animation. Two separateAdventure TimeLEGO Dimensionssets were released, along with two separatePowerpuff Girlssets, and another two dedicatedTeen Titans Go!sets, which would also give retroactive makeovers to any pre-purchased Robin and CyborgLEGO Dimensionssets.
There’s Limitless Potential with a LEGO Game Based on Kids' Animation
Of course,LEGO Dimensionswas doomed to failin retrospect, and it was officially discontinued back in October 2017. While eager fans can still track down a second-hand copy ofLEGO Dimensionsand all the kids' animation sets, it’s not the easiest way to play through a LEGO adaptation of those beloved properties. LEGO shouldn’t just leave all that promise lying in the dirt. There are so many great kids' animation properties just waiting to be adapted into great LEGO games, andLEGO Dimensionsshould only have been the start.
It’s clear that LEGO already has a pretty good relationship with Cartoon Network, withAdventure Time,Teen Titans Go!, andPowerpuff Girlsall being a part ofLEGO Dimensions. It would be great if LEGO got back in touch with Cartoon Network, and created a video game based on a collection of its properties. There are still a ton of great Cartoon Network properties left to adapt in LEGO form, fromThe Amazing World of Gumball, toSamurai Jack, toBen 10, toSteven Universe. And that’s just Cartoon Network. LEGO could also hit up Nickelodeon for its own back catalogue of beloved animation IPs, fromSpongeBob SquarePants, toInvader Zim, toFairly OddParents, toDanny Phantom, and a whole slew of other worthy series in between.
