The Nintendo Switch is receiving a lot of ports and remakes lately, mostly of games that skipped the Nintendo Wii U in the day. For those who didn’t play LEGO Jurassic World before, the Nintendo Switch version gives you the answer. It’s basically the same game with the power of portability, is it still worth it four years later?
Since it’s been four years and the hype of the Jurassic World movie isn’t as big as it was back then, let me tell you what this game is all about.
There’s more to the game than you might expect
LEGO Jurassic World has been a pleasant surprise while playing. The first big surprise came right after we switched on the game. Unlike what the title might suggest, this game offers far more than the movie. It includes a total of four LEGO-based Jurassic experiences. That’s right, they included every Jurassic movie to date and combined it with the well-known LEGO formula. Unlike other LEGO games, this one offers true value for your money. Just running through the different campaigns will take you more than ten hours, which is a pleasant change if you ask us!
Classic LEGO elements
TT Games already demonstrated that they can make great LEGO games with earlier games in the franchise. So why change the formula? Some fans are always hoping for innovation but we must disappoint those once again, LEGO Jurassic World doesn’t add new features to the core gameplay. It still consists of breaking things in your environment and building new things to advance. This typical LEGO gameplay still works but we understand that it might bore some of you. If you didn’t enjoy the LEGO formula before, this game won’t be the game-changer for you. If you do like the gameplay and appreciate the cute LEGO style, this possibly might be one of the better entries.
Aside from breaking and building, the game also features a semi open-world HUB. In this place (basically the different islands or park) you’ll be able to go wherever you want. It’s a fun way to see what your characters can do and it becomes even more fun the more you unlock. Traveling to your next destination in this colorful world is fun. Sure, it takes some of the pacing out of the action but it offers some needed variation to the main quest.
Collect till you drop
During that main quest, you’ll have to fight your way through several key moments of the movies. Most of the classic scenes made it into the game but since it’s aimed at a younger audience, some of the more thrilling scenes were left behind. A shame maybe; but we understand the decision. You are playing this game for the story but don’t forget there’s a lot to discover besides the main adventure. Every level includes some fun collectibles.
The most-wanted collectible is the so-called ‘Amber’. This well-hidden item can only be found once in the level. Once you collect it, you unlock a playable dinosaur. Yes, you’ve read that right. LEGO Jurassic World features playable dinosaurs! These mighty creatures can be used in the free-roaming world but can also unlock certain special events. Collecting all Ambers to unlock all dinosaurs will be high on your list while playing the game. Smart move to make sure that you play the levels more than just once.
The second special collectible is the minikits, if you collect them all, you unlock bones. Those bones can be used to create your very own dinosaur. A little like in Jurassic World but with LEGO humor of course.
That classic LEGO humor
Fans of LEGO games will be happy to learn that the typical LEGO humor is back once again. It is found in most dialogue but the humanlike dinosaurs also bring a smile to our face. The game uses a lot of legit sound fragments of the older movies and even features actual voice acting of the actors in the Jurassic World segments. It really works well and although most of the humor is rather cheesy, it’s still great and fun to play. If someone can turn Jurassic Park 2 in a fun experience, they deserve credit for it. Big applause goes to TT Games since they’ve managed the impossible. The made me enjoy Jurassic Park 2!
Aside from this TT Games also did a great job on bringing back classic Jurassic Park/World actors. All big actors are there of course but there’s room for some lesser-known characters as well. Remember that gatekeeper that was featured for seconds in Jurassic Park? Neither did we but we remembered him once he popped-up as one of the playable characters. Since there’s an insane amount of playable characters, most act the same. Women tend to jump higher while some men have some dangerous weapons to use. Each character can unlock certain paths however so coming back to older environments can only be encouraged! The best part of the characters is without a doubt their silly way of walking and talking. It’s pure LEGO magic at its finest.
The Nintendo Switch version
So at its core, nothing has changed in these four years as the Nintendo Switch version offers the same content with the biggest innovation being its portability. It’s great to carry such a lengthy game with you while traveling and it’s good to see that the LEGO library continues to grow on Nintendo Switch. The real question however still remains, who is this targeted for? Well, my guess is that Warner Bros. Games wanted to give gamers who missed out on the game the first time a second chance. Yes, the movie isn’t that relevant nowadays but that doesn’t take away the fun of the actual game.
To this date, it’s still one of the better LEGO games on the market and the Nintendo Switch version isn’t any different. Certainly, it doesn’t look that good compared to the other console versions but it runs smoothly and plays extremely fluently. It’s clearly not the best looking version out there but it’s far from bad. That being said, the game itself isn’t perfect and still struggles with a couple of bugs that are typical for the franchise but none of those are game breaking. In the end we can only say it’s a nice addition to the library and I’m certain a lot of Nintendo fans will be more than happy to finally be able to play this one.
Conclusion
The hype might be low since the movies aren’t as relevant as they were when this game released on other platforms but that doesn’t take away any of the fun. It’s a fun LEGO game that once again showcases the strength of the LEGO formula. The combination of freedom, exploration, building, and humor just clicks (pun intended) and always results in a fun adventure. If you missed the original release, now’s your chance to redeem yourself in pick this one up in stores.
