User:TheJoebro64/drafts/lego

Lego Batman: The Videogame is a 2008 action-adventure game based on the Lego Batman construction toy line, which in turn is based on the DC Comics character Batman. In the story, a riot at Arkham Asylum unleashes dangerous criminals, who proceed to terrorize Gotham City. Batman and Robin set out to stop the villains and restore justice. Lego Batman features two main campaigns: one in which the player attempts to save Gotham, and another in which they attempt to conquer it. The environments have objects, mechanisms, and creatures made out of Lego that the player can interact with.

Gameplay
Lego Batman: The Videogame is an action-adventure game with platforming elements that can be played by a single player or cooperatively with another player. Its core gameplay is relatively unchanged from past Lego-themed games like Lego Star Wars: The Video Game (2005) and Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (2008): the player controls a minifigure-themed player character to reach the end of a level. They collect Lego studs as a form of currency, which can be used to buy new playable characters. The player character loses health if they suffer damage; if all health is lost, the minifigure breaks and loses some of their studs before respawning. Lego Batman features two campaigns, each containing 15 levels. The first centers around the attempts of superheroes Batman and Robin to save Gotham City, while the second follows the various criminals of Batman's rogues gallery as they attempt to conquer it.

At the start of the game, the player is placed in a hub world (the Batcave for the heroes, and Arkham Asylum for the rogues), where they find vehicles that act as entrances to levels. The player can start at any entrance and is not required to play the levels in a specific order. In levels, the player must fight hordes of enemies, solve puzzles, and collect studs. Objects made of Lego bricks can be interacted with. Some objects must be assembled to proceed further in the level and cross obstacles, while others can simply be broken for studs. The player can also walk across tightropes on rooftops and swim in water. Most levels feature the characters traveling on foot, but some require the player to control a vehicle (on the road, in the water, or in air). Stages typically end with a boss fight.

Hidden around each stage are ten canisters. When all 10 are collected, it builds a Lego sculpture that can be viewed in Wayne Manor and rewards the player with studs. Pieces of the sculpture can be obtained if a certain amount of studs are collected in a stage. A collectible red Lego brick is also hidden in each level. There are 25 hostages hidden throughout the game, unlocking a secret character when all are found.

There are two gameplay modes: Story Mode and Free Play. In Story Mode, the player completes levels to progress the main story; only two characters are playable and must be switched between each other to take advantage of their abilities. In Free Play, the player is not restricted by the story and can use any character to explore the level, allowing various secrets to be found.

Setting and characters
Unlike previous Lego video games based on licensed properties, Lego Batman has an original plot not based on an existing Batman story.

Development

 * https://web.archive.org/web/20090724070556/https://www.apple.com/games/articles/2009/04/legobatman/