Growing up, a large majority of my time was spent playing with physical LEGO Bricks from sunup to sundown. As I got older, video games unsurprisingly began to take over my free time. Eventually, these two forces combined to create the wildly successful LEGO video game series of games that have continued to transform beloved Hollywood franchises into LEGO adaptations for fans to enjoy.
Unfortunately, when the first LEGO games initially came out, I was just old enough to not have much interest in any of the titles. That has all officially changed with LEGO Brawls though, which is available now on Apple Arcade. LEGO Brawls is successful in its take on the platform-fighting genre, providing one of the best experiences available with the launch of Apple Arcade.
Brick By Brick
LEGO Brawls undoubtedly draws some inspiration from the Super Smash Bros. franchise, but brings its own dynamic for actually winning matches. Instead of trying to intentionally knock opposing players out of the level, Brawls pits players against one another in an online battle for control of a level. Teams are comprised of anywhere between 1-4 members who have to work together to keep the opposing team from controlling the point. Think of it as a LEGO version of Call of Duty’s Domination multiplayer mode.
Maps include multi-level, multi-platform areas set in the LEGO themes of Pirate, Castle, and even NINJAGO. Scattered throughout the levels are boxes that offer up offensive weapons - such as ray guns, rolling boulders, and a Super Mario Sunshine-style water cannon - as well as defensive power-ups, such as pizza that restores characters’ health. Using these items, players can take down opposing players, who then respawn at their base. There’s no limit for how many times a player can die (which, as one of the apparently least-skilled players on the planet, I am very happy about).
As players play, they’ll earn rewards in the form of weapon and outfit customizations. This is a fun way to individualize your characters and make them stand out from the rest of your team, or to match the other members if you happen to be partied up with a group of friends.
The Right Touch
LEGO Brawls has the best touchscreen controls that I’ve experienced thus far when compared to the handful of other Apple Arcade games I’ve played. The joysticks are intuitive, with each movement feeling fluid and natural. There are also on-screen buttons that are used for performing melee attacks and using items. These buttons also feel like a regular, physical controller. That said, using a DualShock 4 controller felt even better and ended up being my primary control method of choice.
Should you wish to improve upon your gameplay skills, Brawls offers a Training mode for players to take advantage of. Unfortunately, Training and Brawl are the only two modes available in the game at the moment, with no indication that more will be coming. It would be a shame to not bring in a variety of new modes, even something exactly like Super Smash Bros. if only to keep things fresh for players.
A Successful Build
Thanks to its superb touchscreen controls, LEGO Brawls is currently one of Apple Arcade’s best games for playing on-the-go. Hopefully, additional game modes will be added eventually, but for now, LEGO Brawls is one of Apple Arcade’s must-play titles.
4.5 Out Of 5 Stars