What could be more fun than Lego’s? A Lego board game! When I came across this game a few weeks before Christmas I was a little unsure if the boys would like it. Then again, it involves Lego’s so there was a pretty good chance it would be a hit. Almost two months later, they are still playing with it but have started to make their own rules.

The Basics

The object of the game is to create your Lego vehicle according to the instruction card you pick from the deck. Set up like a Monopoly board, you roll the dice and follow the instructions listed on the block that you land on. Before you start the game you pick a model card either at random or one that you find appealing. There are 20 different cards to choose from so there is sure to be a design that you’ll find to your liking.

Model Cards

I was really impressed with the durability of the cards – they are printed on thin cardboard but do not bend easily. The cards have life-sized pictures of each of the pieces you need to collect to build your model as well as a four step guide on assembly. One thing that is important to remember is that there are four color codes on the cards. In order for the game to work correctly, and there be enough pieces for everyone to complete a model, everyone must choose a game card from the same color group.

Lego Pieces

There are 49 regular bricks and 19 special pieces. When you start the game, all of the pieces are arrange on special spots on the center of the board. This makes it easy to find a piece you need when it’s your turn. This also helps if you happen to lose a piece and need to dig through your collection to find a replacement.

The Board

The same size as most board games, this one is extremely sturdy. Made of compressed cardboard with a glossy coating; it’s full of fun colors, features a ton of different Lego figures and easy to follow instructions. If you have younger Lego addicts that haven’t learn to read yet, but can play safely with some smaller pieces, this would be a great game for them. Not only are there written instructions at the bottom of each block, but the Lego figures also show the appropriate action [pick a white block, move 2 spaces etc].

The blocks on the game board are very simple and easy to understand – this makes it easy for the younger kids to play and not feel left out. Spaces where you get to pick bricks show the color and number of pieces to select as well as the type [regular or special pieces]. The corner spots allow you to go to any space but there is one that lets you take two bricks from any single player.

Die & Pawns

One of the things that I was less than impressed with were the pawns you are given. Rather than something special like a piece with the Lego logo on it, you get a small baseball hat in one of four colors. The brood replaced those after a few games since they seemed to get lost in the myriad of colors on the board. They substituted Lego and Jack Stone figures and it seems to work out perfectly. There is also a six sided die included – please tell me you don’t need instructions on how to use this :] It’s a plain old die, so if it gets lost, it’s easily replaced. You can also double the stakes and speed up game time by adding another die to the game.

The Rest

If you have a tremendous amount of Lego pieces floating around your house, you might encounter lost pieces from time to time. All of the pieces in this set can be harvested from other sets or a substitution can be used if worse comes to worse. One nice thing – the model cards and instruction come in a nice, heavy zipper bag. It is a snug fit and trying to get all the cards out at once is a chore, but it isn’t impossible. I suggest getting another zipper bag for the die and Lego pieces so you lower the risk of lost pieces.

Game Specifics

The game is able to handle up to four players and the manufacturers suggest that those players be ages seven and up. But you are the ultimate judge; if you have a child that is younger than the recommended age and can play with these types of toys safety, then by all means give it a try. If they can’t read – they can rely on the Lego figures showing them the way around the board. The set up takes about five minutes and most of this is picking out what color code everyone will be using and placing all the Lego pieces in the correct spots in the center.

Why This Rocks

Well, it’s a game with Lego pieces. But if that isn’t enough, it’s just plain fun. Trying to collect all the pieces to build your creation but keeping an eye on what everyone else is doing helps younger kids with concentration, organizational skills and completion. I’ve played this with my youngest on a few occasions and he almost drove me crazy with the “just one more game” routine. I have learned to purchase Aleve in mass quantities.

It’s just my opinion, but any game that can incorporate learning and fun into the same activity gets a ‘thumbs up’ from me. Smaller kids will benefit from counting the numbers on the die as well as counting the spaces to move. Another benefit is matching up the piece in the center of the board to the images on the model cards. Older kids will love the challenge to complete their creation first, but even if you aren’t the winner it is still incredibly fun.

While some may see this a very simple game, which it is, it’s refreshing to see a game that doesn’t involve complex rules, require a degree to understand the gameplay and take forever to finish. Most of the games the boys have played lasted about ten minutes, but with my youngest – those took about 20 minutes since he insisted on adjusting each and every piece when they moved off their assigned spaces.

Bottom Line

This would make a great gift for any Lego lover, if nothing else they’ll get some cool pieces to use and some ideas for new vehicles from the model cards. As I said, they have had this for almost two months now and it still gets played with on a regular basis but I know it’s just a matter of time before they get tired with the model cards that came with the game. They’ve changes the rules a little here and there – and that’s usually the first sign that a game is getting boring for them.

The only concern I have with this game are the small Lego pieces. Aside from them getting lost, they are a choking hazard. If you are going to allow younger kids to play this, please ask the older ones to keep a close eye out for ‘sampling’ [tasting the Lego’s] or giving them a quick nibble. Nothing worse than Lego’s covered in mouth slime.

The Stats

Game Name: Lego Creator Board Game
Pieces 69 Lego pieces, 20 models cards
4 Lego pawns, 1 die, instruction booklet, game board.
Price: $8.99 [sale]
UPC 72348-03093
Age Range 7 and up

As always, thanks for the visit!

^V^ Freak ^V^




Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): $8.99 - sale
Type of Toy: Board Game
Age Range of Child: Whole Family