Ninjago is a new LEGO toy line that includes playsets, cards, and spinners so your little ninja LEGO dudes can spin into battle. There are similarities between it and collectible card games and battle top games like BeyBlade. Now ninja fans can enjoy hours and hours of battles on their DS with LEGO Battles: Ninjago. It’s a Real Time Strategy game (RTS) featuring LEGO ninjas as they try to stop the Skeleton Army from acquiring legendary weapons of power!

Ninjago isn’t like your typical LEGO game. It’s a RTS challenge, so there is more strategy and thinking involved, and less arcade action. You move your ninjas around with the stylus, and sweep over a group of them to select all to move. Kind of like using the mouse on a PC. Tap on an area and your selected warriors will go there, and tap on enemies and they’ll fight each other. Later on you’ll learn ninja spells and “Spinjitzu” moves to help you fight. You’ll also need to command builders to make LEGO towers to fortify your defenses, as well as Brick Banks to store materials so you can build more things.

The game has a Story Mode where you follow the adventures and battles of the ninjas as they try and collect the legendary weapons. Later you’ll even unlock a separate story where you can play as the bad guys! There is also a LEGO shop where you can buy more characters and maps with the studs you collect in the game. Plus, there is an extensive multiplayer mode where you and a nearby friend with a copy of the game and a DS can battle each other with different maps and rules.

Even though this is a different kind of game, it still has some things in common with other LEGO titles. Collect scattered studs to become a “True Ninja” in every stage, and use those studs to buy unlocked characters. Hidden in each level are Minikits and Red Bricks you can use to unlock secrets, too. Plus the story cutscenes are full of whimsy and humor. Fans of Ninjago and RTS games may want to check this one out.

Kid Factor:

LEGO Battles: Ninjago is rated E for Everyone with an ESRB descriptor of Cartoon Violence. But even though the game is about fighting, it’s only LEGOs so they just fall to pieces. While the game is rated E, I would only recommend it to older kid gamers because of the reading skill involved, plus RTS games require a lot of complicated multitasking. And some of the levels here can be pretty challenging if you don’t know what you are doing. Luckily, the game eases you pretty well into it and explains the rules gradually with each stage. But the game isn’t just for kids. Adults who love RTS challenges and want a more simpler, whimsical game may enjoy this one, too.

Tags: Game Reviews