Cartoon Network and The Lego Group are collaborating on a new entertainment franchise called Mixels. Launching in 2014, Mixels are “creatures that can mix and combine with one another in creative and unpredictable storylines.” There will be animated shorts, collectible building toys, and digital gaming.

Sample building sets were on display at San Diego Comic Con.

• Comments Off on Mixels from Lego and Cartoon Network

LEGO plans four new constructable board games for this summer. One, a Legends of Chima board game, I wrote about yesterday.

A Batman board game has Batman and Robin racing around Gotham catching villains. For Lord of the Rings, LEGO will release The Battle of Helm’s Deep as a “customizable strategy game” (distinct from the construction set). And though they asked me not to take pictures of it, LEGO also plans for August the Story Mixer board game, which incorporates story-telling elements. The game includes about 20 constructed miniature objects (such as a rocket-ship, a piano, and a birthday cake), about a dozen pawns (half people, half animals), and a spinner. On their turns, players take a spin and then have to tell a story based on the combination of pawn and object.

• Comments Off on Toy Fair 2013—LEGO Board Games

This year, LEGO launched a new franchise in Legends of Chima, centered around animal tribes and their ripcord-powered Speedorz. The Speedorz can be used to perform tricks, for racing, or in jousting-like tournaments over CHI crystals. Chima playsets will be accompanied in 2013 by an animated TV series on Cartoon Network, a free online CHIMA game, and a mobile game app.

Basic Speedorz tournaments proceed in two phases. The first involves two opponents running their Speedorz at each other over some piece of terrain and then rushing to grab a blue orb that should be knocked free. In the second phase, the person who grabbed the orb is given the lead in a War-like card game, with CHI crystals as the prize.

Chima Starter Sets (with Wolf and Lion tribe minifigs) are already available at retail, as are some of the basic action sets—including Ring of Fire and Boulder Bowling—and a variety of construction sets—including the Razcal Glider and the Eris Eagle Interceptor. The 609 piece Cragger’s Command Ship includes six minifigs, four CHI weapons, missiles, jet bikes, CHI crystals, and a ship with lots of teeth!

March will see the release of Ice Tower, Nest Dive, and Jungle Gates action sets. Each comes with one minifig, one Speedorz, two CHI weapons, five cards, six CHI crystals, and an 80-100 piece orb-holding obstacle.

Looking out to the summer releases, there’s the Skunk Attack set, which debuts the Skunk tribe, the Eglor’s Twin Bike set, which starts as a motorcycle but converts to a jet, and The Lion CHI Temple set, which comes with over a thousand pieces and seven minifigs. My favorite by far, though, has to be Gorzan’s Gorilla Striker, a 500 piece set due in August, which is essentially a walking mech for the Gorilla tribe.

Also in August, LEGO will release Legends of Chima Constraction sets, constructable action figures like the LEGO Hero Factory line, and a Legends of Chima board game.

• 3 Comments

Take 3 things that I love (The Hobbit, LEGO, and board games), smoooooosh them together, and out pops The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, a new constructible board game being put out by LEGO.

As with all LEGO games, you first have to build the board. After that you’ll take control of Gandalf, Dwalin, Kili, or Fili in a search for the other 10 dwarves. You’ll also be helping Bilbo Baggins along his part of the journey also. The player who finds the most dwarves wins the game.

You should be able to find the game in most retail locations that carry LEGO right now. It runs around $34.99, and is for ages 7+.

LEGO is also hosting a giveaway on their Facebook page to go along with the release of the game. Starting October 8th players can “roll to win” a variety of different prizes including: The Hobbit game, a LEGO Games game hosting kit, The Hobbit construction kits, and even vouchers to see The Hobbit when it arrives in theaters.

And now, because I know you’re all waiting with bated breath to see, here’s Gandalf in all his LEGO board game glory.

• Comments Off on LEGO Announces Constructible Board Game of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Love LEGOs? Love designing games? This job may be for you! The job is a contract-to-hire position, is 4 months long, and starts September 1st. The position is for the Denmark office, so you’re out of luck unless you live close by, or are willing to relocate.

Sounds like a dream job to me!

• Comments Off on LEGO Looking for a Game Designer