When LEGO Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth

The last time I played a Jurassic Park game was on the SNES. That was 22 years ago when Steven Spielberg's dinosaur opus ruled the world on the big screen and toy stores everywhere.

Fast forward to today and the franchise's fourth instalment - Jurassic World - has eclipsed Marvel's Avengers with the biggest opening weekend in Hollywood history. Critics, myself included, have raved about the franchise's resurrection under the stewardship of director Colin Trevorrow and executive producer Steven Spielberg. So, when Rob kindly offered me an opportunity to review LEGO Jurassic World for the lauded The Bearded Trio, how could I refuse?

LEGO + dinosaurs = WIN!

LEGO video games are a superior breed of tie-in. From Indiana Jones to Star Wars and DC Comics to Marvel, TT Games has, for the most part, delivered compelling gaming experiences replete with knowing nods to the beloved properties they're based on. Not only delighting children, but savvy adults, too. The pick-up-and-play mechanics welcome both new and veteran gamers, and are perfect for dipping in and out of at leisure.

The memory of playing LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga on an Xbox 360 is indelible. This is where Jurassic World takes its inspirational cue by bundling all four Jurassic Park movies into a magical brick tour of Isla Nublar and Isla Sorna to the strains of John Williams' iconic themes, original movie dialogue, sound effects and tutorials given by Mr DNA himself.

The game opens with the classic scene from Jurassic Park in which a Raptor is being delivered to the original park. This segues to Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ellie Sattler fossil hunting in an archaeological dig prior to John Hammond, CEO and creator of Jurassic Park, taking the couple, by helicopter, to Isla Nublar. Once on the island, players can choose between Jurassic Park or Jurassic World.

The scope of the game is vast and nothing has been cynically cut for future DLC cash-in. I spent ages simply wandering around the main street in Jurassic World because there's countless fun things to see and do. An awesome co-op mode brings much fun when playing hide and seek with Indominus Rex. There's oodles of TT Game's trademark self-mocking humour from the Raptor kitchen scene in Jurassic Park to the long grass moment in The Lost World.

LEGO has always been about creativity, experimentation and puzzle solving. This DNA pervades the whole game and you'll be able to unlock playable dinosaurs, including the rampaging T-Rex, and create your very own hybrid dinosaur by collecting LEGO amber, which is akin to building custom minifigs. What's not to like?

LEGO and dinosaurs are synonymous with my childhood, as they maybe with yours, and I may have had a tear in the eye reflecting on halcyon memories. This maybe the best LEGO tie-in to date and that's saying something... But, wait, what's that LEGO Dimensions meteorite on the horizon?

Rating

LEGO Jurassic World is available now on Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, 3DS, and PC.

John Hood BA (Hons) Media Production

Blog: http://generationstarwars.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/johnhood

John has a BA (Hons) in Media Production from the Media School of Bournemouth University and has worked for the BBC, Dow Jones and Reuters.

The Bearded Trio - The Site For Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and John Williams

THE BEARDED TRIO ON FACEBOOK
THE BEARDED TRIO ON TWITTER
THE BEARDED TRIO ON GOOGLE+
THE BEARDED TRIO ON PINTEREST

CLICK HERE FOR FACTS ON STEVEN SPIELBERG
CLICK HERE FOR FACTS ON GEORGE LUCAS
CLICK HERE FOR FACTS ON JOHN WILLIAMS

Did Paul Freeman Accidentally Eat A Fly In Raiders of the Lost Ark?

The Famous Indiana Jones Fly In Belloq's Mouth Scene. Did It Really Happen? I've always wondered if Paul Freeman unintentionally consumed a fly in this scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark ? It's the scene where Indiana Jones shouts down to Bellosh...I mean Belloq and threatens to blow up the ark. Did a fly go in his mouth? I remember watching this scene back in the early eighties and my ten year old mind thought he definitely had a snack while filming. I recall talking about 'flygate' in my school playground at the time and the general consensus with my friends was that Freeman definitely had a sneaky snack. Paul Freeman talks about the famous 'fly' scene in an interview with TheIndyExperience.com and settled 'flygate:' This is a bit of a dicey question so don’t get too upset. (Laughs) A movie’s always got bloopers in it, some have a lot, and some only have three or four. And the most remarkable blooper was right before the opening of th

Star Wars VII Movie Poster - Every End Is A New Beginning

Star Wars VII Movie Poster Just saw this Star Wars VII movie poster on Kyle Newman's Facebook fee d. The poster is by Lyndon Berresford and Paul Bateman. I am loving this. Who do you think the two characters are? Lando and Leia? Han and Leia's children? Have you seen other Star Wars VII movie posters? Let me know. Rob Wainfur @welshslider

Explaining That "Weird" Cut In Poltergeist. Read The Missing Scene

Why Is There A Strange Cut In The 1982 Horror Classic, Poltergeist? If you're a fan of the 1982 Horror classic, Poltergeist then you will be very familiar with that "weird" cut in the movie. It's 32 minutes and 47 seconds in to the movie and the scene is where Diane is explaining the strange phenomenon that is happening in the kitchen. First, she shows to Steve a chair scraping across the floor all on its own then she does the same with Carol Anne. Steve leans up against the kitchen wall and is completely shocked at what just happened. It's at this point Diane starts to explain the sensation of being pulled and then...A very abrupt cut. One moment we are listening to Diane and suddenly it cuts to Diane and Steve at their next door neighbours door. Why the sudden cut? It's on the VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray and even the streaming versions. Why does this awful and weird cut exist in the movie, Poltergeist? Watch the clip below to see the cut: Well, the ans

The Bearded Trio

Search This Blog