LEGO Island Which LEGO Island game is your favorite?

[Tacku]

How would you rank the various LEGO Island games? Which are your favorites and why?

Personally, I believe the original LEGO Island to be the best. Even eighteen years later, it's still a fun game to play. My second-favorite is LEGO Island Xtreme Stunts. It has some shortcomings, such as Pepper being a silent protagonist, a not-too-good voice cast, and buggy controls. Graphically speaking, there seemed to have been a decline in quality since LEGO Island 2. But while LEGO Island 2 was just a sequence of mini-games, Xtreme Stunts felt more like a sequel to the original game. It focused more on interacting with LEGO Island's citizens and exploring the island.

What about you?

[lol username]

Either LEGO Island or Island Xtreme Stunts. Not sure I can choose which.

LEGO Island feels really alive and animated. If you were to strip out all of the character interactions, there wouldn't really be much meat to it (five minigames and a couple more for when the Brickster escapes, and some stuff to click on). But they put a lot of care (perhaps the bulk of it) on the writing and animating the characters. While the other two games usually just put the characters on a standard idle animation and cycled through face textures as they talked (the voice actors probably mostly being whoever was around at the studio), LEGO Island had more carefully selected voice actors, and they animated every character's movement to match the every voice clip very carefully, even making that system to lip sync the faces to what the characters were saying. For 1997 it was really impressive... And still more than what a lot of games do today when it comes to animated characters (not referring to big AAA games with motion captured humans and all that). I also really like the sense of humor the writing has. And the soundtrack... Very nice.

The other two games didn't really aim to do the same thing, or at least not as much of it - they tried to focus on fun gameplay.

In the case of LEGO Island 2, I think it was trying too hard to be too fun, and ended up with way too many one-off minigames that are just mildly entertaining for a few minutes each at best - and I presume creating so many unique systems stretched the programmers thin on polishing any one element of the game (and indeed, a lot of stuff was cut... Maybe not enough). I also would have preferred a less linear structure. What if you had been able to go to any island, with the simple objective of collecting pages, however that might be?

Island Xtreme Stunts felt roughly like what LEGO Island 2 was trying to be, but on a smaller scale. But that smaller scale let them polish things a bit more, and I think led to a much better game. It's still no GTA or Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, but I had a lot of fun simply exploring and finding hidden collectibles. The island also felt a lot more alive - the islanders doing things like having dance parties or driving vehicles, and even the smaller details (like seagulls on ledges that flew away when you got near, or things reacting to thrown pizzas) added a lot for me. It felt like a fun place to visit - like the first game. The soundtrack has some nice tunes, too.

That's... A bit more text than I thought I'd write.

[dead_name]

3.

[lol username]

  On 5/29/2015 at 9:06 AM, WillKirkby said:

3.

​I should slap you for making a two character post, but... pffffffFFFFFT

[emily]

There isn't a ton I can say that jamesster hasn't already covered. LEGO Island wins in my book because story and characters didn't come secondary to the idea of making a game, they were the point of the game. That just makes all the difference to me. Yeah, IXS is probably one of the better LEGO games we've had from a gameplay perspective, but we also have a really dopey Brickster whose goal has been upped to world destruction for no apparent reason, a Laura who speaks in serious monotone about how she just loves to patrol on her bike guys, and a Nubby who talks about Socrates because SEE HE TALKED ABOUT PHILOSOPHY TYPE THINGS IN THE ORIGINAL GAME SO SOCRATES WE TOTALLY GET HIS CHARACTER. The greatest emotion I can amount in regards to it is, "yeah, okay, that's nice."

But on LEGO Island the characters are colorful and alive and Wes had a competent sense of humor and the Brickster is a goshdarn genius whose every word is laced with brilliance while also being a colossal jerk. And the characters have weaknesses and dreams and they actually act like they know each other and can talk to each other like human beings and I mean have you ever heard that line where Nick thanks Laura for being his sister I mean aaa

I don't think I really need to bring up the Brickster's Revenge. Wes edited the script (if I'm remembering correctly?) and as a result there are a few gems in there but it's killed by lifeless voice acting and animations, plus a story that's dumb and excuse plot-y. It's the weakest link in the LEGO Island series, I think we all know that.

Edited May 29, 2015 by Pereki

[MaelstromIslander]

LEGO Island. Pereki and Jamesster already explained the reasons i like LEGO Island so... Yeah, nothing to say here.

[Wognif]

The original LEGO Island, for the exact reasons Pereki and Jamesster mentioned already.
Also because it's the only one in the series I've played.

(Other than 3 but I struggle at the Info Center and keep wondering why I can't access the freeplay mode.)

[Ostoya]

Lego Island 2 on GBA, believe it or not.

It's probably just nostalgia, but I like it far better for what it is than the PC version. The minigames were fun, the island was big and detailed, there were tons of fun conversations to find around it and overall it made more... sense to me. Like instead of magic portals you actually buy a ferry ticket to the Knights' Kingdom, Pepper has to get a driver's license and so on. And most importantly, it doesn't feel rushed and buggy.

I would have loved the heck out of LI1 if I had played it as a kid though.

Edited May 29, 2015 by Ostoya

[BobaFett2]

IXS. LEGO Island is interesting but feels dated, even if it's chock-full of great stuff. LEGO Island 2 has a number of flaws. IXS is pretty damn solid and has a lot going for it.

[Tacku]

  Quote

but we also have a really dopey Brickster whose goal has been upped to world destruction for no apparent reason

The whole "Brickster being on parole so he can star in a movie" didn't make much sense either.

It's disappointing that the Brickster was sort of Flanderized in both LEGO Island 2 and LEGO Island Xtreme Stunts. In the original game, he would always taunt the player character. In the sequels, he was written as taunting just for the sake of taunting. The original game's characters were designed to have different strengths and weaknesses, and the Brickster sure knew about those weaknesses. "Hey Pepper, want a tip? Here's one: learn to read!" became "Did anyone tell you there's a second gear?".

  Quote

Lego Island 2 on GBA, believe it or not.

LEGO Island 2 (GBA) is actually my third-favorite. It just felt like there was more to see and do throughout the story and after you defeated the Brickster. When you finish LEGO Island 2 (PC), everyone just says that there's still plenty of fun to be had on LEGO Island. You can't do anything else other than try to beat your high scores at the mini-games.

 

[MaelstromIslander]

And theres one reason why LEGO Island 2 was awful compared to LEGO Island 1: Wes wanted a toy with gaming features. The nitwits at Silicon Dreams wanted to make Minigames: The Video Game *NOW WITH EXTRA MINIGAMES!*

  On 5/29/2015 at 9:16 PM, BobaFett2 said:

IXS. LEGO Island is interesting but feels dated, even if it's chock-full of great stuff. LEGO Island 2 has a number of flaws. IXS is pretty damn solid and has a lot going for it.

​You've completely lost the point. I look at old things from the mind of a child back in those days. And as i played LEGO Island i can say its amazing, and can still be enjoyable at this time. Its not like they had a lot to work with back in 1997, especially when 3D was first getting developed. You're asking for pacman to have the graphics Halo 5.

Edited May 29, 2015 by MaelstromIslander

[Fluffy Cupcake]

  On 5/29/2015 at 2:28 PM, Pereki said:

I don't think I really need to bring up the Brickster's Revenge. Wes edited the script (if I'm remembering correctly?) and as a result there are a few gems in there but it's killed by lifeless voice acting and animations, plus a story that's dumb and excuse plot-y. It's the weakest link in the LEGO Island series, I think we all know that.

​RRU's LEGO Island 2 re-voiced + re-scripted [minorly] mod anyone?

[Quisoves Potoo]

  On 5/30/2015 at 6:35 AM, Xiron said:

  On 5/29/2015 at 2:28 PM, Pereki said:

I don't think I really need to bring up the Brickster's Revenge. Wes edited the script (if I'm remembering correctly?) and as a result there are a few gems in there but it's killed by lifeless voice acting and animations, plus a story that's dumb and excuse plot-y. It's the weakest link in the LEGO Island series, I think we all know that.

​RRU's LEGO Island 2 re-voiced + re-scripted [minorly] mod anyone?

​I might like to see this, if only to prove a point.

[Fluffy Cupcake]

  On 5/30/2015 at 6:48 AM, Quisoves Potoo said:

  On 5/30/2015 at 6:35 AM, Xiron said:

​RRU's LEGO Island 2 re-voiced + re-scripted [minorly] mod anyone?

​I might like to see this, if only to prove a point.

​I talked over it with Oboe Shoes earlier (minus the scripting part). It may just become a thing after LR2 Voiced Scripts is done.

[Ostoya]

Another reason I didn't like LI2 on PC so much was because since I played the GBA version first, I was basically expecting that game but in 3D - I didn't have internet back then and there was no easy way to see how a game actually looks. And I wouldn't have an idea that having the GBA map layout in 3D would've been pretty implausilble at the time (even if GTA III came out the same year).

[Ben24x7]

The painfully awful fan-game "Lego Island 3".

*Beaten up as always*

 

Okay, serious-mode, the first Island game has got to be the best, its the closest to the idea of unlimited possibilites up to the player's controls in the entire Lego Island series; its free roam, it has personalisable (yet limited) vehicles, its fun, etc. Lego Island 2 and IXS don't compare to the original game; Lego Island 2 is a force-fed story with loads of grains of mini-games in the breakfast bowl that is gameplay, and IXS...   ...well...   ...I've never actually played IXS, but judging by gameplay I've seen it is free roam but with hardly customisable vehicles, not too much mini-games...   ...actually, I think you HAVE to do the mini-games to move into the story, which is unlike Lego Island.

[Fluffy Cupcake]

  On 5/30/2015 at 12:43 PM, Ben24x7 said:

I think you HAVE to do the mini-games to move into the story, which is unlike Lego Island.

​The first island doesn't really have a story, aside from the Brickster's escape bit which is done by playing the pizza deliver mini-game with Pepper after certain requirements are met. The rest of LEGO Island is just minigames and semi-random scripts causing no progression, whileas, for doing the minigames in Island Xtreme Stunts, you actually get rewarded with story instead of a colored square on a score cube.

[Tacku]

  On 5/30/2015 at 12:43 PM, Ben24x7 said:

...actually, I think you HAVE to do the mini-games to move into the story, which is unlike Lego Island.

​That's correct. To advance the story, you do have to complete five mini-games. But Island Xtreme Stunts also features about twenty "sub-quests" that you can complete at your own pace, such as delivering pizzas, skateboard racing, that sort of thing. Each sub-quest gives you an unlockable, such as a character trading card.

Island Xtreme Stunts would have been a far-better game if it had as good a voice cast as the original LEGO Island. Everyone in LIXS spoke with the same monotone voice. (There is an exception... Technician Bob's voice improved in Island Xtreme Stunts over his voice in LEGO Island 2. In LIXS, he has this subtle oscillating mad scientist inflection, whereas he just had a generic high-pitched voice in LEGO Island 2.)

[Onegreatrace]

I agree with opinions already said, i like the first one.

[supercoolguy32]

lego island, it's just amazing! lego island 2 *sigh* what the hell is this crap lego island stunts never played it, but looks cool

[BobaFett2]

  On 5/29/2015 at 11:46 PM, MaelstromIslander said:

And theres one reason why LEGO Island 2 was awful compared to LEGO Island 1: Wes wanted a toy with gaming features. The nitwits at Silicon Dreams wanted to make Minigames: The Video Game *NOW WITH EXTRA MINIGAMES!*

  On 5/29/2015 at 9:16 PM, BobaFett2 said:

IXS. LEGO Island is interesting but feels dated, even if it's chock-full of great stuff. LEGO Island 2 has a number of flaws. IXS is pretty damn solid and has a lot going for it.

​You've completely lost the point. I look at old things from the mind of a child back in those days. And as i played LEGO Island i can say its amazing, and can still be enjoyable at this time. Its not like they had a lot to work with back in 1997, especially when 3D was first getting developed. You're asking for pacman to have the graphics Halo 5.

​Isn't that missing the point? We can't re-experience being a child, and nostalgia blinds us to how things really are. You were likely a different age when you first played IXS than you were when you first played LEGO Island, so even if you could be "accurately" nostalgic, you'd have two different frames of reference.

I don't expect Pac-Man to look like Halo 5 - it is absurd to compare it to games like Super Mario Brothers, let alone more modern ones like Halo 5. It's also absurd to compare modern retro games to the games they pay tribute to (comparing Spelunky or Cave Story to Super Mario Brothers, for example).

The ~5 years between LEGO Island and IXS are quite a gap, and all we can really compare is how fun they are. IXS wins in that. LEGO Island is more magical, has a lot of clever bits, and is closer to what many would consider the 'ideal' LEGO game, but that does not make it a better game. It may or (may not) be a musically better, artistically better, or better in some other way, but at the end of the day what matters is what you enjoy more today. I enjoy Island Xtreme Stunts more: it has better music, better graphics, more interesting gameplay, more exploration, and more stuff to do. This is not a slight against LEGO Island, which is brilliant in its own right. It just is.