Back in 2015, the toys-to-life genre was really popping off. Activision had their success with the "Skylanders" franchise, while Disney Interactive was reaping the benefits of their crossover appeal with "Disney Infinity." Nintendo also had their own venture in the toys-to-life market with their cross-compatible "Amiibo" line. Everyone was getting in on it, so who better to join in on the fun than "LEGO?" After all, the "LEGO" game franchise was adapted from the insanely popular toy line, so why not integrate that into a video game? And thus, "LEGO Dimensions" was born, with plenty of nostalgic crossover appeal to make it their own version of "Disney Infinity." And surprisingly enough, they did a good job with it!
"LEGO Dimensions" brings in some pretty iconic franchises, from "The Lord of the Rings" to "Doctor Who" to "The Simpsons" and hell, even "Sonic the Hedgehog." With this integration of so many franchises comes a lot of very humorous interactions, clever jokes, and charming references that call back to their original franchises. The visual design is also colorful and adorable, as you would reasonably expect out of a "LEGO" game, and the game is just plain fun. It's similar to a number of the other "LEGO" games, but with that comes some solid platforming, decent controls and enjoyable platforming. It's a very nice game for kids and nostalgic adults, and it's a great multiplayer experience as well.
There are a few problems that hold the game back, though, chief among them being that the worlds can be hit-or-miss sometimes. It's great to see so many worlds mashed together, but naturally, not all of them work as well as they should. Also, in comparison to a lot of the others toys-to-life games, you're gonna be paying a lot for these toys. If you really want to get the most out of the crossover appeal, you'll have to pay a lot for the toys.
Overall, though, "LEGO Dimensions" is a very good take on the toys-to-life formula, and it's still plenty of fun to play. If you're looking for a good, nostalgic crossover game with some kid-friendly appeal, this might be worth a purchase...so long as your wallet is ready.
Final rating: 8 out of 10 "Great"