There’s nothing quite like spamming “X” on my Xbox controller to smash through city property and watch it disintegrate into silver and golden LEGO studs. So when “LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight” was announced, it brought me back to my middle school days, where I spent countless hours relishing the joy of demolishing Municiberg in “LEGO The Incredibles.”

This nostalgia is a direct result of the classic structure LEGO games have developed and applied incredibly well. LEGO games have been and continue to be a highly successful series of remakes and original ideas.

The structure of these games is a major positive factor and point of nostalgia for LEGO. Certain elements remain constant between all games: collecting studs as currency, the lack of a way to truly “lose,” specialized character abilities and creative map interactions.

LEGO games’ consistent incorporation of environment-based puzzles is an example of their iconic gameplay mechanics. Whether it be recommissioning a fire truck or having to chuck Frozone across a building, these puzzles often require the player to explore the map carefully and apply unique strategies.

One puzzle that always stood out to me was the Riddler’s light puzzle from “LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham,” a pattern problem that wasn’t too difficult, but not something most people could do on the first try. It forced out a simpler form of the creativity required by the Riddler puzzles found in “Batman: Arkham Knight,” one of the most iconic Batman gaming experiences.

Another classic part of LEGO games is their separation of story-based gameplay versus a free play open-world map. Although the story mode for most games is interesting by itself, the free play mode stands out because of the level of immersion it creates. 

Other games include free-play, but LEGO makes their version unique by offering a wider variety of characters who each interact with the environment in unique ways. Oftentimes, this allows for deeper side quests that require the powers or skills of specific characters.

Of course, any LEGO game is incomplete without its humor and usage of slapstick. 

Across games, LEGO does hilarious things like subtly making fun of the “Star Wars” sequel trilogy’s flawed logic through character dialogue and letting a “LEGO Jurassic World” Velociraptor drive a motorcycle. These games build upon original narratives by providing a signature dose of comic relief amid tense situations.

Beyond their stylistic and gameplay choices, LEGO games serve a vital role in changing the way I view their original works.

I have been a diehard “Ninjago” fan for a while, having watched every season of the show multiple times. However, even as a dedicated fan, I had to admit that “The LEGO Ninjago Movie” did not do the show justice, reducing everyone but Lloyd, the prophesied Green Ninja destined to defeat evil, to a mostly dimensionless side character.

Playing “The LEGO NINJAGO Movie Video Game” helped shift my opinion on the movie, thanks to its emphasis on humor within the game mechanics and dialogue. After the game, I rewatched the movie and appreciated the comedy it presented, even if the storyline was subpar compared to the show.

Despite the many successes and improvements LEGO has had over the years, I still feel that they should explore more innovative avenues for their games. 

Most of their games draw from existing content, and collaborating with a franchise to make new storylines would add more value to their games. This would also open up possibilities for complex story mechanics, like multiple storylines or endings.

Their new game, “Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight,” is set for release in 2026 and shows promising signs. The game seems to take a step in the right direction, being an amalgamation of many existing tales adapted into one game, according to IGN.

LEGO has done an incredible job taking a repeatable formula and adapting it to multiple franchises. The next step is for them to continue adding onto their formula, but until then, I’ll remain satisfied with leveling brick cities as Mr. Incredible.