Sometimes, seeing the movie just isn’t immersive enough.
With Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s new LEGO Dimensions Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Story Pack, kids between the ages of 7 and 14 can enter and explore the movie’s magnificent and mythical world as they help the protagonist find his lost beasts. Like all Lego Dimension packs, the build comes first. The 261-piece building set comes with everything kids need to build their very own Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) gateway, including a Newt Scamander figure that’s sure to make the famed Magizoologist proud. I suggest kids begin to download the game content before they start their build, so that it’s fully downloaded and ready to go when they finish constructing their gateway.
There are even some additional pieces that allow kids to build one of three LEGOÂ Dimensions vehicles, including a mischievous Niffler, a Vicious Vulture, and a Sinister Scorpion. The limited pieces only allow kids to have one of these built at a time, but the creations are simple enough to be taken apart and built again on a whim.
The build itself is fairly easy, and should take kids about an hour. The full-color instruction sheet and numbered sets makes the entire process a breeze, and when it’s done, young engineers will enjoy swinging the buildings’ doors and adjusting the height of the center throne.After constructing the MACUSA, kids can use it to customize their Lego Toy Pad and join Newt in the wizarding world. Using a variety of spells like Diffindo, Reparo, and Lumos, gamers can help Mr. Scamander locate his escaped magical creatures in the Big Apple across six levels of gameplay and interact with the runaway beasts. The six stages of play stay true to the film, beginning with Newt’s arrival in New York City and ending with the battle of the Obscurus. Once completed, players can even explore the open world of a 1926 New York, fight in the Battle Arena, and further explore all that the story pack has to offer.Like all Lego Dimension titles, the graphics in the Fantastic Beasts Story Pack completely immerse gamers in a unique world, and this one is no different. Gamers can enjoy running around with Newt and his vehicles in this beautifully-bricked world as they help him locate and capture all of the magical creatures he has lost. Players will have to climb ladders, unlock doors, and construct tools with Newt’s magical powers to help them progress through the levels and defeat those that stand in his way. But that’s all just par for the course. Breaks in the action allow for some fun storytelling, and subtitles help keep players interested and engaged as the plot unfolds. There’s some minor violence along the way too, but it’s gleeful nature is demonstrated through explosions of Lego pieces and magical dust instead of blood and gore. Ultimately, it’s a wonderful toys-to-life experience that fans of the magical are sure to enjoy.
LEGO Dimensions is available for Xbox One, Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 4, Sony PlayStation3, and Nintendo WiiU, so kids can start their adventure no matter what console they own.