LEGO Ninjago Nindroids is the latest 3DS game featuring the franchise. It is only available on the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita, so you might think of it as a “lesser” game than the typical LEGO video game which is on consoles with a handheld version as well, but that’s not the case.
Where the previous Ninjago video game was a sort of strategy title with resource management, this one is much more of a “traditional” LEGO video game. Think adventure platforming, running around, defeating enemies, solving environmental puzzles (though not as many as in most platforming style games), collecting LEGO pieces, etc. LEGO Ninjago: Nindroids is what we sort of expect from a LEGO game. And without a “bigger” console version to mirror, this isn’t a watered down version of the game, nor is it an “alternate” side story or whatever, such as was the case with LEGO City Undercover where the WiiU and 3DS versions of the game told different stories.
Interestingly LEGO Ninjago: Nindroids follows the storyline of the television series’ third season. No, it’s not an episode by episode recreation, but the general storyline is there. Players will take on the role of various Ninjago masters of Spinjitsu to defend the city against the menace of the Nindroids
Gameplay is pretty much what you expect from a 3DS game. Run up to an enemy, attack it, and land a series of consecutive blows to fill up a combo meter to unleash a special Spinjitsu attack. A few other bits break up the gameplay, the mech suits and shooting portions, and these are done well and fit the story within the game.
Humor is a big part of LEGO storytelling, and Ninjago is no exception. The television series is funny and the game uses that it its advantage. While it’s not a straight-up comedy, LEGO Ninjago doesn’t often pass up the opportunity for a joke. Nindroids does much the same, usually with the cutscenes which advance the game’s story.
My biggest complaint about the game is its length. My 7 year old finished playing through the story in 2 afternoons. Sure, there’s incentive to keep playing, but you do expect a bit more for $30. That extended life in the game comes from collecting gold bricks for achievements within the game as well as unlocking characters and abilities. For my kids this is enough to keep them playing the game for a couple more afternoons. As for me, I was done after the story was told.
Another complaint I have, and it’s a small one, is how additional save games are handled. It took us (myself, my 11 year old and 7 year old) several minutes of fiddling about to find the settings to create an additional save game for each player to have their own game to play through rather than overwriting the other person’s progress. This is a simple thing that should be up front by the title screen. Which save game to load is an easy fix for future LEGO games.
LEGO Ninjago Nindroids won’t win any points for originality. This is a handheld LEGO game. It delivers almost exactly what you expect. A bit on the short side, but still fun to play through.