The 10 Best LEGO Video Games of All Time, Ranked by CAMERON SHERRILL, Esquire | Mar 05, 2020

You’re probably a pretty freakin' rad person if you made it to yet another classic Esquire LEGO video game article. Good on you. You're not only hip with us, but also with the teens, who are "so into" LEGO video games right now. That’s right, vaping and cyber-bullying are out, and LEGOs are in. For those of you who have no clue what I’m talking about, these traditionally baby games are currently a hit sensation among all the gnarly kids on TikTok. Appearing everywhere from profile pictures to heartfelt video homages, LEGO titles are the sickest thing this side of the Mississippi.

There are a lot of LEGO games. I mean, a lot. So many. Hell, every franchise has its own LEGO game now, save for the Real Housewives (unless...?). So where do you start on your journey into the LGU (LEGO Gaming Universe, for you noobs)? Your Teen Lingo-savvy friend is here to help with a road map to the 10 best LEGO games of all time. With LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga coming out later this year, this list is due for a radical shake-up, but I'm standing by it for now.

10. LEGO The Lord of the Rings (2012)

This game came out of complete left field, a decade after the original movies released. Now, there have been some pretty damn impressive Lord of the Rings games, like Shadow of Mordor, all those glorious PS2 titles, and the upcoming Gollum game, but few—in fact, none—were as colorful and vibrant as this one. It was just a classic LEGO beat 'em up and collect-a-thon, re-skinned with LOTR characters. It also opened the door for Gandalf to become one of the main characters in LEGO Dimensions, fighting alongside Batman, and anything that helped that ridiculous fanfic come true is good in our books.

9. LEGO Racers (1999)

This was a classic, released in the prime of PC gaming in the '90s. The game was just so utterly confusing. Although, I was an idiot 6-year-old at the time, so maybe it wasn't that confusing. Anyway, Racers rocked. You could customize your LEGO racer and kart, LEGOs would break off your kart, the tracks were all LEGO, and it was in that weird, washed CGI graphic style of the era.

8. LEGO Worlds (2016)

Worlds honestly would have been higher on the list if it hadn't been so damn clumsy. It opened up endless, procedurally generated worlds and areas for you to build, and had some stellar co-op. The inspiration was clearly Minecraft, with a LEGO skin. For all intents and purposes it was a good game, but it should have been great. The controls were clumsy, and there were just way too many glitches. Here’s to hoping they haven't given up, and we’ll see a proper LEGO Worlds sometime in the future.

7. LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2016)

LEGO Star Wars is where it’s at. Force Awakens is not. Not that this game was bad—it was pretty decent—but compared to the other LEGO Star Wars titles, it felt lackluster. The game gave the LEGO Star Wars-verse a nice graphical update and some more polished controls, but it still felt like far less content than the previous games. If you're looking for some more LEGO Star Wars to gear up for the new game, then it's worth a play though.

6. LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-7 (2010-2011)

Who doesn't love some Hogwarts magic? And considering the astounding lack of Harry Potter video games (since that awesome Quidditch game back in the early 2000s), LEGO is your best bet. Technically, Years 1-4 and Years 5-7 released separately, but on current gens, they are bundled together. This is still one of the best licensed LEGO titles for those who aren't big Star Wars or superhero nerds. It was lighthearted and fun, and the LEGO Hogwarts was a blast to explore.

5. LEGO City Undercover (2013)

It was LEGO Grand Theft Auto. I mean, save for the nudity, sex, blood, and violence. LEGO City Undercover was a fantastic open-world city for kids, who maybe shouldn't have been exposed to a game that arguably needed above an M for Mature rating. Undercover lacked some of the excitement players get from the licensed games, but as far as just kid-friendly LEGO games go, it was a good time. The mechanics were great, with fun driving and an easily scalable city. You’d honestly forget you were playing a kid's game.

4. LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (2012)

DC got the same treatment Star Wars did with a massive LEGO title, tons of characters, and a brick Gotham and Metropolis. The game capped out at 60 DC minifigures after the DLC, with everyone from Batman to Gorilla Grodd. The gameplay itself followed pretty standard LEGO formula—a beat 'em up with collectibles and slapstick comedy—which, to be fair, is all people want from these titles. DC Super Heroes also added some solid voice acting, a first for the series, which really helped the goofy stories come to life.

3. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes (2013)

Free-roam a LEGO replica of New York, from Central Park to the Daily Bugle offices. And, get this, free-roam as one of over 155 Marvel characters. This game absolutely ruled, with exciting mini missions, diverse gameplay, a custom hero creator, awesome vehicles, and a seemingly endless amount of content, making it the perfect game to mindlessly grind through. Plus, before Marvel's Spider-Man on PS4, this was the best way to scale Marvel's version of New York. And it’s arguably one of the best open-world games out there, period.

2. LEGO Dimensions (2015)

During the Skylanders/Amiibo/Disney Infinity toys-to-life craze, LEGO finally got the hint and made LEGO Dimensions, where you’d build with the LEGOs in real life and scan them into a game. It followed general LEGO game mechanics with that one massive twist. Oh, and a metric shit-ton of licenses. Gandalf and Batman, the Ghostbusters and Harry Potter, Doc Brown and Homer Simpson, Sonic and Beetlejuice—everything and everyone was there. It was nonsense, but there was so much to explore. From tons of throwbacks like E.T. or The A-Team to modern stuff like Adventure Time, it really promoted parents playing with their kids and everyone being excited about a character. It's a shame that as of now, LEGO Dimensions is dead, but fingers-crossed they'll bring it back and keep adding to the ridiculous cast for one of the wildest gaming crossovers ever made.

1. LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga (2007)

The cream of the crop—the original LEGO licensed game and all the other releases combined into one spicy package. LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga ran through Episodes I-VI and injected over 120 playable characters (including a charming cameo from Indiana Jones). This game was so good that it's still renowned among the teens on TikTok, who joke about it to this day. Collecting mini kits and ship parts was addicting, and more importantly, this collection really started the ball rolling for the LEGO gaming empire we see today. With Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga releasing in 2020 and promising gorgeous visuals, new pumped-up gameplay mechanics, and a brick-by-brick retelling of Episodes I-IX, this game's list placement may be toppled. But for now, The Complete Saga reigns supreme as the best LEGO video game of all time.

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