Game Review: LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this game adds a humorous spin to
the retelling of the first three
Indiana Jones movies. While an understanding of the
movies helps you to appreciate the humor in the game, the
puzzle adventure game is compelling by itself, so kids don't
need to have seen the movies to play. This is good because some
of source movies are rated PG-13, whereas this "E+10" game is
appropriate for kids as young as 9 (and younger if playing the
DS version, which is the only version rated "E"). The "E+10"
rating is a result of the cartoon violence; but these are all
Lego characters so when you fight and beat up on baddies, they
explode into tiny Lego pieces. Some of the fighting can be
quite amusing because Indiana Jones will do things like give a
thug a noogie until he explodes.
Families can talk about whether playing this game made you want to see the Indiana Jones movies. Which of the three adventures did you like best? Is it better to have an actual person play with you or does the game's artificial intelligence do a good job?
Common Sense Media Review
LEGO INDIANA JONES: THE ORIGINAL ADVENTURES retells the
first three
Indiana Jones movies (
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
,
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
, and
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
) in a tongue-in-cheek manner through short video clips
featuring the characters as Lego creations. Players explore the
exotic locales of the movie series from the Amazon jungles to
the remote mountaintops of India, all depicted in slick blocky
Lego splendor. The gameplay combines puzzle play with
action-adventure as you explore levels (chapters) from the
movies. The object is to figure out how to work all the hidden
levers, switches, and ramps so that you can move through the
level, all the while fending off bad guys who are trying to
stop you.
The game starts in Story Mode, where once you have completed the first level, all three movies are open for you to explore. Each movie has six chapters in the Story Mode, but offers many more secrets when you return in Free Play Mode. You can play as Indy or one of his cohorts, depending on the location, and can toggle between the two on the fly. Each character has his or her own method of fighting and special skills. Indy fights with his whip, which he can also use to latch onto pegs and fly across abysses. In the Free Play Mode, you can select which of 60 playable characters you want to accompany you. In both versions, you will also build with Lego blocks to create gadgets that help you.
The game is charming and funny, something even adult gamers can enjoy if they are fans of the movies. But at its heart, this is a family game. The gameplay is never too hard for kids, you have infinite lives, and the fighting, while there, is usually done in a comical manner. For example, you will see Indy grab a thug and give him a nuggie until he explodes into his component Lego blocks. Another family-friendly aspect is the cooperative drop-in-drop-out two-person play where family or friends can always join in (except in the DS version, which requires two cartridges for multiplayer gameplay).
The Wii version is particularly satisfying because you get to flick the Wii remote with your wrist to mimic Indy's whip actions. If you have younger children, choose the DS version because it has less violence and it's easier to play. It also makes good use of the DS controls by having you blow into the microphone to extinguish torches, and draw on the screen to control Indy's whip.
If you enjoy this game, check out the similar LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga . For another good puzzler on the Wii, try Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure .
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
