<![CDATA[Kotaku: Batman]]> http://cache.gawker.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/kotaku.com.png <![CDATA[Kotaku: Batman]]> http://kotaku.com/tag/batman http://kotaku.com/tag/batman <![CDATA[ Getting My Batarang On With LEGO Batman: The Videogame ]]> Not only do you get to use a bat symbol to target bad guys and items anywhere on the screen for your batarang, but when you get to play as the Joker, that's right, play as the Joker, you can use a handbuzzer on enemies that delivers so much juice it shakes the mini-figs to pieces.

I shouldn't have to go on from there, but I will.

LEGO Batman: The Videogame looks like it will be delivering the sort of over-the-top addictive LEGO fun of both the Star Wars and Indiana Jones games, but with even more memorable and equipment-laden playable characters than both games combined.

"Over the decades there have been lots of stories about Batman, this is a distillation," said Traveller's Tale's Jonathan Smith. "It is our original telling of Gotham City in chaos."

While the game will have you playing as a "stern Batman" and "try too hard Boy Wonder", Smith said you will also be able to play as a number of villains including the Joker and the Penguin. The game will include a 15 level campaign divided between the heroes and villains.

The game's central hub will be the the Batcave and yes, Alfred will be an unlockable playable minifig.

Sitting down with the game, I found it fairly easy to drop into. The main difference between LEGO Batman: The Videogame and past LEGO games is the batarang mechanic. To use Batman's nifty weapon you tap the X button and then move a bat symbol around the screen to target things, multiple things if you want. It may sound a bit clunky, but it works really well and the added step of targeting prevents you from overusing the batarang.

I played through quite a hefty chunk of a level with Batman and Robin, battling across some of Gotham's rooftops with the dynamic duo felt very familiar, but in a good way. The batarang was most useful when targeting items or distant foes. Which is probably for the best. The few puzzles I ran into were about as challenging as those found in the Star Wars and Indiie games, so not very.

To get Batman or Robin to change outfits you have to find a suit swapper, something typically that has to be built with loose LEGO pieces. Once you step on it you switch to a predetermined suit. I got a chance to check out a mag suit which allowed Robin to slowly walk his way up metal walls and such. Batman's glide suit was way cooler, letting him float gently across the sky. While I didn't get to test drive them, I'm told that there will be a number of vehicles in the game as well including the Batmobile, Batboat and Batwing.

After playing around with the Batman and Robin level for a bit I jumped into a level that had me playing as The Joker and disturbingly sexy minifig Harley Quinn.

In these levels I had a lot more puzzles to deal with while taking on a seemingly endless stream of Gotham cops. While The Joker can take people down with old school punching, he can also give them a hearty buzzer handshake. Grabbing onto an enemy with The Joker makes the little minifig light up, briefly showing a faded minifig skeleton as the character vibrates until it falls apart. That minifig dismemberment is right up there with Chewbacca's arm-ripping attack.

While I didn't have time to play as the Penguin, I was told his attack involved exploding penguins.

I suspect that LEGO Batman The Videogame is going to resonate with gamers as much as LEGO Star Wars did, both because of the excellent design and the abundance of memorable characters.

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Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:00:00 MDT Brian Crecente http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5027279&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Lego Batman Gameplay Footage from E3 ]]>
Wasn't there to see it, don't know, as this is the E3 Gameplay Trailer for Lego Batman, but it has no sound. Not sure if that's a bug or intentional. But it begins with Lego Riddler sitting on a toilet, and if I see that I have an ethical obligation to report it to you mature people. (Snicker). Then Riddler and Mister Freeze go out, drive a cop car into a lot of smashable minikits, and Freeze goes apeshit with the gun, freezing Riddler in the process.

This video is 15 minutes long. I'm pissed there's no sound, because I love the Lego speak in the cutscenes, and God only knows what they're "saying" in that opening. It looks like a delightful game, with tons of LOL potential.

LEGO Batman: The Videogame E3 2008 Gameplay Trailer (HD) [GamersHell]

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Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:00:00 MDT Owen Good http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5026955&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Multimedia Roundup: Lego Batman, Tomb Raider, Blitz II ]]>

Rather than masquerade a single video as an entire post, here are some highlights of what's available from other sites in the way of movies and screens:

• Above is the new trailer for Lego Batman. We picked it up from Gamers Hell. It's got Poison Ivy building some evil-looking plant mini-kits, and Bruce Wayne kicking ass with a briefcase.

• Some more screens from Tomb Raider: Underworld. (Also Gamers Hell)

• Also the World Exclusive Debut Trailer for Blitz: The League II. It's at Gametrailers, because everything over there is a world exclusive.

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Sat, 05 Jul 2008 15:00:00 MDT Owen Good http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5022293&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Kotaku Originals: We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident ]]>

That's right, four score and seven years ago today at Valley Forge, John F. Kennedy and the Lone Ranger chopped down the cherry tree that Squanto ate at the first Thanksgiving, and Paul Revere hung a light in the Alamo to alert Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders: "N00B, red team has taken teh control point, FAIL." Then Batman crossed the Atlantic in an X-Wing Fighter to accept the Heisman Trophy from Winston Churchill, and Martin Luther King Jr. said "God bless us, every one of us."

Oh wait, today's July 5th. Shit.

Well, for those in the USophile-speaking world, this is a three day weekend and you should still be burning large amounts of animal flesh on a grill for the next two days, or else you hate freedom. And for that reason, Kotaku's U.S. staff is on an abbreviated schedule today and tomorrow. Our updates will come every two hours today and tomorrow, then it's back to full-strength when Luke Plunkett and the freedom-hating Australians take up the cause late Sunday evening. Until then, I regret that I have but these stories (more after the jump) to give to my country:

Battlefield: Bad Company Review: Going For The Gold
Once a Labor of Love, Sales of Football Rosters Now Inflame Passions
Former CEO Of Struggling Atari Got One Hell Of A Golden Parachute
Is Chrono Trigger DS Coming To America?
Xbox 360 Getting a 3D Dashboard Make-Over?
Too Human Hands-On: Six Hours In And Half-Way Home
The Man Behind Diablo III Talks Plot, Lore and Battle.Net

Playfire Launches PS3 Trophies Gamercard Service
Best Buy Ad Shows Xbox 360 Price Drop
Can You Really Win A Wii As A Carnival Prize?
Ninja Gaiden II Mission Mode Coming This Month
Come Party With Kotaku
Call of Duty: World at War Figures Show Off U.S., Brit Might
Too Human Online Co-op Hands On: Does Double The Baldur Mean Double The Fun?
Alpha Protocol Aims Ambitiously For RPG, FPS Fans
Frankenreview: Battlefield: Bad Company (Xbox 360)
Infogrames-Controlled Atari Gets 49 Percent Of Publishing Revenues From DBZ
Devil May Explode BAM! BOOM! POW!
George Romero Clueless About Dead Rising?
Minority Report Designer Behind New, Motion-Controlled 360 GUI?
Aussie 360 Price Cut Official, Now Cheaper Than Wii<br />
Pachter: Rumored Xbox 360 Price, Feature Set Sprucing Could Squeeze Sony'
Game Club Beyond Good & Evil: The First Assignment
GameTap: Myst Pass-Back Benefits Fans
Sporelebrity Contest Kicks Off
Playing Spore: A Lesson in Teabagging
First Look At FIFA 09, PS3 Gets Exclusive "Game Mode"
Bling Gnome Pays Visit with Golden Offering
I Meet The Band, Get Sauced At The GH: Aerosmith Launch Party
Neil Young Launches iPhone Games Company
List of First PS3 Trophy Supported Games
$299 Price Drop Xbox 360 Is Refurbish? (Bwah?) [Updated]
Blizzard Worldwide Invitational: Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain Level Up
Blizzard Worldwide Invitational: “There Is No Penguin Level.”
Blizzard Worldwide Invitational: Day One
Blizzard Worldwide Invitational: How Much Is Your Goody Bag Worth?
Blizzard Worldwide Invitational: Diablo III In-Depth

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Sat, 05 Jul 2008 09:00:00 MDT Owen Good http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5022253&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Was There A Better Way To Pitch A Lego: Transformers Game? ]]> Failure was my middle name when I recently spoke to head of Traveller's Tales, Jonathan Smith.

There I am chatting with him about the upcoming Lego: Batman game and suggesting that a Lego: Transformers game would be fun. He asks me, essentially, for an on-the-spot verbal pitch. As chronicled on my Multiplayer blog, I say

I said, you’d take advantage of the wide cast of Transformers characters and put them in the format started by “Lego: Star Wars.” There are plenty of Transformers for gamers to control and swap, certainly more characters in the pantheon than there were for “Lego: Indiana Jones.”

I said TT coul have all sorts of fun letting the characters transform to get through the levels. You have the existing good mix of character and vehicle stuff in the Lego games, so there’s a blueprint there.

“Sounds like you just want a good Transformers game,” Smith replied

I tried more. He didn't bite. Where did I go wrong? Bad concept?

How I Failed To Successfully Pitch ‘Lego: Transformers - The Game’ [MTV Multiplayer blog] [Pic]

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Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:00:00 MDT StephenTotilo http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5020224&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ New Details On DC Universe Online ]]> With Marvel Universe Online canned by Microsoft, the only hope comic book geeks like myself have to see their favorite men-in-tights in an MMO setting is Sony Online Entertainment's DC Universe Online for the PC and PS3. The latest issue of Edge magazine has the scoop on the heroes versus villains title, and while you can't be Superman you might just get a chance to punch him right in his stupid Kryptonian face.

At its core it sounds very City of Heroes. Pick your alignment and powers, including movement abilities like flying and teleporting, and then run about locations like Metropolis and Gotham City (both confirmed in-game) and fight and/or cause crime. As you level up your basic power set is enhanced with further abilities to mimic the natural superhero learning curve.

The big named superheroes and villains will be out and about, so if you cause enough mayhem you might just aggro Batman, which is always a bad idea. Conversely, heroes may find themselves fighting side-by-side with their idols, or even fighting to save them. There will even be PVP arenas for those content on just beating the living crap out of each other.

By far the most intriguing feature discussed is the chance for comic story lines to crossover into the game world. Major events like 52 or Crisis on Infinite Crises will be experienced in-game as well as in the comics.

"We can tie-in future DC tentpole events and translate the stories for the gaming world, and have them occur simultaneously," said executive creative director Jim)Lee. "The possibilities are numerous and very exciting."

We'll be poking at DC Universe next month at E3, where we'll see if we can get them to say "tentpole events" again with a straight face.



New DC Universe Online details emerge
[Eurogamer]

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Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:20:00 MDT Mike Fahey http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5020221&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Nightwing, Bane And Clayface Revealed For LEGO Batman ]]>

Warner Bros. has just hooked us up with some screens showing off the newest characters revealed for the upcoming LEGO Batman: Nightwing, Bane and Clayface.

If you're like me and know next-to-no Batman lore, you wouldn't have learned until right this second that Nightwing is who Robin became when he struck out on his own. Former actor Clayface is now a shape-shifting bad guy, and prison escapee Bane resists damage and has super strength.

Thankfully, bios and screens follow the jump, which will probably explain all of the things I couldn't tell you.



NIGHTWING

REAL NAME: Dick Grayson
OCCUPATION: Police Officer
BASE OF OPERATIONS: Blüdhaven
EYES: Blue
HAIR: Black

After his circus aerialist parents were murdered by criminals, young Dick Grayson was adopted by Bruce Wayne, becoming his ward...and his partner in the war against crime as Batman's sidekick, Robin. Years later, Robin struck out on his own as Nightwing and now lives in the corruption ridden city of Blüdhaven where by day he serves as a member of that city's police department...and patrols its streets by night as Nightwing.

Attributes:
• Expert in most known forms of martial arts
• Trained in all aspects of criminology
• Trained gymnast
• Trained in stealth and espionage techniques
• Expert escape artist

Powers and Abilities:
In LEGO Batman: The Videogame, Nightwing is a bonus character, he can also utilize all of Robin’s technology suits.

BANE
REAL NAME: Unknown
OCCUPATION: Professional criminal
BASE OF OPERATIONS: Gotham City
EYES: Unknown
HAIR: Unknown

Born a prisoner for crimes committed by his father, the child who would become Bane survived cruel solitary confinement in a Santa Prisca prison. During his long lonely years, he developed incredible powers of concentration, and, once released into the prison population, studied every book he could get his hands on. After nearly four decades of imprisonment, he was chosen for a military experiment with the drug Venom, which greatly enhanced his strength. Escaping, he sought out Batman to prove himself to the world by destroying the greatest specimen of mankind. Bane broke Batman, but the Dark Knight went on to recover and defeat Bane.

Attributes:
• Master strategist
• Enhanced stamina
• Enhanced strength
• Superior hand-to-hand combatant

Powers and Abilities:
In LEGO Batman: The Videogame, Bane has the ability to pass through toxic gases unharmed as well as super strength, which allows him to carry and throw huge objects.

CLAYFACE
REAL NAME: Basil Karlo
OCCUPATION: Former Actor, Professional Criminal
BASE OF OPERATIONS: Mobile
EYES: Brown
HAIR: Black

Initially an actor in horror films, Karlo went mad when he learned a classic film of his was to be remade. He donned the mask of the film’s villain, Clayface, and killed several of the remake’s cast and crew before being stopped by Batman and Robin. Later, Karlo joined a collection of villains who subsequently used the name Clayface in an alliance that came to be known as the Mud Pack. While that group was defeated, Karlo tricked his allies, injecting himself with the essences of several of them, becoming a superhuman imbued with the abilities to change shape, melt others into protoplasm with a touch, and mimic the powers of heroes or villains he copies.

Attributes:
• Clayface can alter his physical form, adopting the appearance of anyone or anything.
• If those whose appearance he adopts have super powers, he copies those as well.
• His touch can reduce an enemy to proptoplasm.

Powers and Abilities:
In LEGO Batman: The Videogame, Clayface has the ability of super jump allowing him to jump to heights unattainable by other characters and even make his body elastic to reach higher characters. Clayface also has the ability of super strength, enabling him to pick up super strength objects and smash super strength walls.

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Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:40:00 MDT Leigh Alexander http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5015858&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Holy MK vs. DC Bat-Art, Batman! ]]> We've known that the Dark Knight would feature in Midway's Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe since day one, but we hadn't seen much of him beyond his scowl and cowl. We've already gotten a taste of how Superman looks, but now we know what the fighting game version of Batman will look from head to toe, as official rendered artwork of the caped crusader has been released. He looks... well, he looks like Batman. We're neither disappointed nor overly ecstatic about his appearance, but that general ennui is in line with our Mortal Kombat interest over the past decade.

Larger, full body shot of Bruce Wayne's alter ego and a fresh render of Sub-Zero after the jump.

MK vs DC Artwork [Worlds Collide via Megatonik]

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Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:30:54 MDT Michael McWhertor http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5013282&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Lego Batman Just Got A Whole Lot Cooler ]]> Ah, Mr. Freeze. I'm still not sure how I feel about you, my glass-domed chum, after that complete butchering you underwent in 1997's Batman & Robin at the hands of the future governor of California. While the Batman animated movie Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero did much to improve your reputation in my eyes, every time I see you I cannot help but imagine you violently urging your henchmen to sing along to a Christmas special in that horrible accent. "Kill da heroes!" Please.

Perhaps your appearance in Lego Batman will finally help me finally move on. While you do lose some of the tragic villain mystique you've built up with the whole frozen wife storyline, you might manage to make it up in sheer Lego adorability. Fingers crossed!

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Wed, 21 May 2008 09:40:00 MDT Mike Fahey http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5010199&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Two-Face Joins Lego Batman's Rogues Gallery ]]> Yet another classic Batman villain joins the cast of Lego Batman as Two-Face makes his tiny, blocky debut. Sporting dual pistols to go with his dual personality, he joins the Riddler in the prestigious ranks of Batman enemies who more often than not let their own psychoses get them caught. I have to say, this is my second favorite version of Two-Face, behind only (movie spoiler) this one. ]]> Tue, 06 May 2008 18:00:00 MDT Mike Fahey http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=387513&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[ LEGO Batman Power Suit Gallery ]]> LEGOs, Batman, Power Suits, it's all good. This latest gallery from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment shows off Batman and Robin's spanky new Power Suits. It looks like the suits allow them to do things like walk up metal walls, breath underwater and get funky with a sweet pair of sunglasses.

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Fri, 02 May 2008 13:30:00 MDT Brian Crecente http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5007651&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ MK Vs. DC: Batman Versus Sub-Zero ]]> Is the concept for Mortal Kombat Vs. The DC Universe as silly in action as it is in theory? Yes. Yes it is. GamesRadar has the exclusive trailer shown at the Midway Gamer's Day Event, and as you can see...yeah. The worst part? You just know they are going to include Aquaman. I say kick it up a notch and make Aquaman a timed underwater boss fight. Go crazy with it! ]]> Fri, 18 Apr 2008 14:30:00 MDT Mike Fahey http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=381640&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[ A Questionable Addition To The Lego Batman Cast ]]> There was no question in my mind that the Riddler would eventually show up in the cast of the forthcoming Lego Batman game. It was really just a matter of when. You can't have a comprehensive Batman rogues gallery without the green and purple inept criminal mastermind, who would have been retired in South America somewhere by now if he didn't tell Batman what crimes he was going to pull days in advance. Old Ed must be doing something right, starring in his video introduction with the lovely Catwoman, who...in case you didn't notice...has straight lines in all the right places. Mrowl! ]]> Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:00:00 MDT Mike Fahey http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=381022&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[ Pandemic Are Indeed Doing A New Batman Game ]]> Around a year ago, there was speculation that Pandemic were working on the tie-in game for the upcoming Batman movie. Said speculation was right on the money, as courtesy of IGN (who have since pulled the story, but like an elephant I rarely forget), we have confirmation of the game's development. Sort of. See, we know Pandemic are developing, and we know EA will - being Pandemic's new owners - be publishing the game, and...that's it. No platforms, no name, no bullet points about innovative stealth sections and an open-world Gotham City, nothing. IGN's story was most likely removed in exchange for a more "official" announcement, though, so more specific information can''t be too far off.

ignbatman.jpg PS - Just a little something to show that, yes, the IGN story was bonafide.

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Wed, 02 Apr 2008 21:20:00 MDT Luke Plunkett http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=375429&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Play as the Villain in LEGO Batman ]]> batLEGO.jpg MTV's Tracey John spent some time with LEGO Batman: The Videogame earlier this month and managed to pluck some interesting tidbits away from the game's producer, Loz Doyle.

The game will feature 18 levels, with three different stories and six levels per a story. Each level will include two-player, drop-in/out coop play (off and online). The story centers around a break-out from Arkham Asylum and the Batcave will be the hub of the game.

Other interesting tidbits include:


Each story is playable from either the Hero or Villain point of view. (For example, in the aforementioned levels, you could also play as Catwoman trying to steal the diamond or as Batman trying to rescue Commissioner Gordon.)

...

There will be strictly vehicular levels in the game, although Doyle declined to say what they would be. (The press release states that the Batmobile, Batwing and Batboat will be available.)

...

As for the DS version: "It's not a port, it's completely done separately. It's done at Traveller's Tales by the same team that did the 'Saga' DS version, and they're a really, really good team. It's kind of the same but different, and there's a lot of touch screen in there." He declined to say anything about the PSP version.

Hit up the link for the full write-up and lots more details.

'LEGO Batman' Features Better Camera, Original Story And Villains' Point Of View [MTV Multiplayer]

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Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:00:08 MST Brian Crecente http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=362985&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ LEGO Batman: The Videogame ]]> Vicki Vale. Vi-Vi-Vicki Vale.

Check out the trailer to the upcoming game. Complete with mock-serious voiceover guy, a tight-rope waddling Penguin and Vicki Vale. Actually I have no idea if Vicki Vale is in it - those LEGOs all look the same to me - but couldn't pass on her very lovely image.

Hit the jump & check it out.

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Sat, 01 Mar 2008 11:00:00 MST Drew Crecente http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=362682&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Harley Quinn In Lego Batman ]]> When the character of Arkham Asylum psychiatrist Harleen Quinzel first appeared in Batman the Animated Series back in 1992, no one knew she would eventually become one of comicdom's most popular female villains. Sixteen years later the Joker's on again, off again love interest has been absorbed into comic cannon, appeared in multiple animated series, and even had a role in the short-lived live-action series Birds of Prey. Hell, Clerks director Kevin Smith even named his daughter after the character, so it's really a no-brainer that she'd be showing up in Traveller's Tales Lego Batman: The Video Game. Here's Lego Harley Quinn in all her stocky, blocky glory.

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Mon, 18 Feb 2008 09:40:59 MST Mike Fahey http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=357633&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ The Top Five LEGO Video Games ]]> 50 years ago today the Lego brick as we know it was born, allowing generation after generation of parents to stand in the toy aisle at their favorite retail establishment exclaiming, "How the hell do these cost so much? They're just Legos for chrissakes!" Seriously, I'd be ass-deep in Star Wars Lego crap if the price point weren't so insane. Still, 50 years of Lego history has given us countless Lego video games (if you can't count to 33), so I figured I would take a moment to check out the top five Lego video games of all time, in honor of this special day.

5. Lego Digital Designer

Not so much a game as it was the updating of Lego to the digital age, allowing you to use your Mac or PC online to create your own Lego design and then order the blocks online, bringing your virtual creation to life. For those of us who can't afford the millions of Lego bricks it would take to build their own Lego home, this is as good as it gets.

4. Lego Racers (PC)

Number four would have to be sublime mixture of racing and building that was Lego Racers. While some reviewers thought it rather average, for me it was a lovely combination of two of my favorite pastimes, allowing me to build my own car and driver and then run them through a rather impressive series of tracks. Simple, sure, but I was pretty simple back in 1999 too.

3. Lego Chess (PC)

Oh sure, it's pretty much just Battlechess with Legos, but I'm a big fan of any game that mixes my deep love of strategic thinking with the torturing of tiny Lego beings.

2. Lego Island (PC)

The closest you're ever likely to get to my dream game, Grand Theft Lego, Lego Island was an open-ended PC game that allowed you to customize an entire island to your liking and explore using any number of vehicles you found or created to explore what your inventive mind had wrought. While it didn't let you stab prostitutes, you could always imagine it...Lego is all about using your imagination.

1. Lego Star Wars: The Video Game

You knew this was coming, didn't you? I wouldn't be the geek I am today if not for both Lego and Star Wars, so the combination of the two is almost like merging my parents together into one amazing, half-dead parental unit, which while creepy really is the essence of the Lego brand. Putting things together using your imagination. I choose the first game because it was the success of it that led not only to the sequel and repack, but Lego Batman, Lego Indiana Jones, and - if I had my way - Grand Theft Lego.

A short list you might not all agree with, but that's the beauty of lists now, isn't it? Honestly the franchise has had a rather rocky start in the video games industry, but with Lego Batman, Lego Indiana Jones, and the upcoming MMO Lego Universe on the way, things are looking brighter every day for those little clickable building blocks. Happy 50th, Lego!

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Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:00:52 MST Mike Fahey http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=349681&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ New LEGO Batman Screens Hit ]]>

Warner Bros Interactive just sent us out a swarm of new screens for LEGO Batman: The Video Game which include mini-figs of some of Batman's greatest foes and dig Robin's hair... groovy.

About LEGO Batman: The Videogame: The Caped Crusader's toughest enemies, and Gotham City's most fiendish criminal minds, have escaped Arkham Asylum and are now running loose in Gotham City! It's up to the famed Dynamic Duo to bring Gotham back from the brink of chaos using everything at their disposal, including classic vehicles and bat gadgets, as well as a slew of all-new surprises.

As much as I'm anticipating this game, I can't help but wonder if the lack of a single iconic storyline is going to hurt this particular LEGO game.


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Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:20:50 MST Brian Crecente http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=341667&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ I Want To Play Games In The Batcave ]]> I can't complain. My 46" DLP is one of the more beautiful TVs I've seen, even as I'm allowed to travel around the globe with Kotaku and our sister site Gizmodo, viewing the latest and greatest display technologies on the market. Sure, my setup could use surround sound, but a pair of wireless headphones does the trick pretty well and keeps my wife happy. Life is good; gaming is beautiful.

That was my world ten minutes ago. And then I saw this Batcave home theater setup.

batcave2thumbnail.jpgIn truth, it doesn't require a $36,000 Sony 1080p projector boasting a 110" screen display or eight motorized leather chairs to achieve its level of awesome. Most of us would happily load up our vintage Gameboys and play Paperboy, just to sit amongst the creepy bats and faux stalactites.
batcave3thumbnail.jpgSo hot. That is all.

Cool Stuff: Batcave Home Theater [via spluch]

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Wed, 26 Dec 2007 12:20:38 MST Mark Wilson http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=337667&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ LEGO Batman Trailer Nothing But A Tease ]]>

I want to see the in-game action in LEGO Batman: The Videogame as much as the next guy, so this slow media drip isn't helping quell the shakes induced by a combination of three of my younger nerd pursuits mashed into one product. This all-too-brief teaser for the Traveller's Tales is more cruel than satisfying and I want to share my pain with you.

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Mon, 12 Nov 2007 15:40:14 MST Michael McWhertor http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=321767&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ It's a Bird, It's a Plane...it's Lego Batman ]]>

Teaser trailers for games seem to be getting shorter and shorter. Take, for example, the Lego Batman trailer just posted on Yahoo. It features 15 second of what looks to be CGI footage of Lego Batman and that's about it. Still, if the game is half as fun as Lego Star Wars I'm sure it will be a good time. Will we get to see Lego Robin as well? To see the trailer you'll have to click through to Yahoo, as it looks like they don't have a way to embed video with their less-than-stellar video player.

Lego Batman Teaser Trailer [Yahoo]

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Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:20:00 MST geoff http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=321040&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Lego Batman Confirmed For 2008 ]]> While word that LEGO Star Wars developer Traveller's Tales was working on a blocky version of the dark knight as early as last September, confirmation now comes in the form of an official agreement between Warner Bros. and LEGO to bring LEGO Batman to multiple platforms. TT Games (duh) will be developing, with Warner Bros. Interactive providing the publishing, distributing, and financing.

The game will follow a similar formula to the Lego Star Wars series, which is a good thing. You could simply swap a Batman model into either of the LSW games without changing anything else and still have the best Batman video game ever made.

The only bad thing about the whole deal is the sometime in 2008 release date, which means we have at the very least 9 months until we see this bat-baby on store shelves.

'Lego' flies with Batman
[Variety.com - Thanks Josh!]
screen courtesy of Fahey's mad photoshop skillz

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Tue, 27 Mar 2007 09:20:06 MDT Mike Fahey http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=247347&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Warner Bros. Invests in SCi Entertainment ]]>

Warner Bros. Entertainment has announced that it will be investing in Eidos' parent company SCi Entertainment Group. The investment will represent 10.3 percent of the company's enlarged share capital. As part of the investment Warner Bros. has granted licenses to some pretty major properties to SCi, including Looney Tunes, The OC, and the comic book version of Batman, which means we can look forward to an all new bad Batman game soon! YAY!

"Investing in SCi further solidifies our commitment to the rapidly growing interactive and gaming space," said Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group. "This deal is consistent with our core strategy of delivering high quality entertainment based on some of the world's best-loved brands for all formats and channels. We look forward to working with SCi to build games the fans of these brands will truly enjoy."

Maybe now Crecente will finally get that OC game he's been waiting for. I predict a Wii game where you can independently control Peter Gallagher's eyebrows.

Full press release after the jump


WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT TO INVEST IN SCi ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, LEADING VIDEO GAMES PUBLISHER

WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT TO LICENSE KEY PROPERTIES FOR GAME DEVELOPMENT AND PRIMARY DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES

Burbank, Calif., December 15, 2006 - Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. will make an investment in SCi Entertainment Group plc, ('SCi' Epic code: SEG) the parent company of publishing label Eidos Interactive Ltd, representing 10.3 percent of the company's enlarged share capital. Additionally, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group and SCi have entered into an agreement for licensing and distribution of games based on select Warner Bros. Entertainment properties. The investment, licensing and distribution agreements are all pending SCi shareholder approval.

A part of the Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) has granted the licenses to SCi for the comic book version of Batman, the Looney Tunes, select titles from the Hanna-Barbera catalog and television properties The OC, Loonatics Unleashed and Legion of Super Heroes.

In addition, Eidos and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group have entered into a primary distribution agreement under which Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group will provide warehousing, logistics, merchandising and media buying services in the United States to Eidos. Eidos will continue to run, through its US publishing office, all other aspects of its US operations including manufacturing, sales, marketing and PR.

"Investing in SCi further solidifies our commitment to the rapidly growing interactive and gaming space," said Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group. "This deal is consistent with our core strategy of delivering high quality entertainment based on some of the world's best-loved brands for all formats and channels. We look forward to working with SCi to build games the fans of these brands will truly enjoy."

Jane Cavanagh, Chief Executive of SCi, said, "These agreements represent a further step in SCi's development as one of the world's leading publishers of interactive entertainment. The licensed properties extend and strengthen our product portfolio through globally recognized titles such as Batman, Looney Tunes including brands such as Bugs Bunny and the classic Hanna-Barbera catalogue including brands such as Tom and Jerry.

"The properties also include content with a broad demographic appeal. Significantly, the partnership with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group in the United States links us to the distribution network and buying power of one the world's largest media companies. The additional investment provides us with the firepower to accelerate growth initiatives such as increasing our development capacity and our new media and online strategies."

Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment has licensed the rights for selected intellectual properties to SCi. SCi's publishing label Eidos will develop videogames based on the properties. The licenses are:


Batman. The license enables Eidos to create games based the on comic book version of the DC Comics' renowned super hero.


Looney Tunes. Eidos will create games using the library of Looney Tunes characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Road Runner and Speedy Gonzales and more, for handheld platforms.


Hanna-Barbera catalog. Eidos will develop up to twelve games based on a number of individual characters in the classic Hanna-Barbera catalogue including Tom and Jerry, The Flintstones, Wacky Races, Yogi Bear and Huckleberry Hound.


The OC. The license is for the interactive rights to the long running global TV series The OC, based around the lives of teenagers in Orange County, California.


Other animated properties. Eidos has also signed license agreements relating to the children's animated TV programs, Loonatics Unleashed and Legion of Super Heroes.

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Fri, 15 Dec 2006 12:40:04 MST Mike Fahey http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=222239&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Analyst: EA Brand "Tarnished" By Poor Reviews, Quality ]]> In a stinging note to investors, Pacific Crest Securities analyst Evan Wilson took EA to task for declining review scores, an issue they say will hurt the company as competition increases, according to Gamespot.

Citing dropping review scores for EA's stable of yearly roster updates disguised as new games (Madden, NCAA, NBA Live), Wilson says that if scores continue to fall it could spell financial trouble for EA:

The widespread industry belief is that one or two bad iterations can ruin the long-term value of a license, and we agree.

Kicking them while they're down, he also writes of "EA's continuing woes", pointing to slightly-better-than-crap reviews for games like Marvel Ultimate Alliance and movie tie-ins Batman Begins and Superman Returns, as well as the company's "excessive employee turnover" and, well, a host of other things.

Typical EA bashing or BAIL OUT NOW warning to investors? I appreciated the publisher's commitment to "prioritizing game quality" but want to know when it will pay off.

Analyst: EA brand tarnished [Gamespot]

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Thu, 30 Nov 2006 18:41:13 MST Michael McWhertor http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=218429&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Like Watching Your Fat Friend Run ]]>

Los Angeles is disgusting. From the game store/check cashing combo, to Melissa's blas pep, to Batman's creepy laugh, to the Hulk hustling for a tip ( and being denied), this whole segment gives me the jibblies.

Not the jubblies.

It's like watching your fat friend run.

Well said, Batman.

[thanks Hal]

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Wed, 25 Oct 2006 20:40:59 MDT egauger http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=210109&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ LEGO Batman, Fanboys Coming ]]> BAM-BAM!Traveller's Tales knows when they've got a goldmine on their hands. After the successful double licensing cash cow that was LEGO Star Wars, they're moving onto the next LEGO block fanboy love-in, Batman.

According to CVG, the Dark Knight will be featured in his own blocky, kid friendly detective adventure with development already underway.

Sadly, no screens or further details exist, but with LEGO Star Wars II on the cusp of release, anything more than this unofficial announcement might just cause adult children—like yours truly—to uncontrollably issue a release of their own... in their pants.

Holy LEGO Batman! [CVG]

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Sat, 09 Sep 2006 12:33:56 MDT Michael McWhertor http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=199569&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Kotaku Stalku: Adam West Tends To Adoring E3 Flock ]]>

Family Guy and Batman fanboys have been queueing up for literally minutes to receive the heavenly scrawl of one Mr. Adam West. That pleasant look on Adam's face is most likely due to the previous doughy gentleman's request "Adam, will you sign my breast?!?".

Yeah, he had 'em.

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Thu, 11 May 2006 18:39:48 MDT Michael McWhertor http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=173257&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Justice League for the PSP, Xbox, PS2 ]]> You may have heard that there's a Justice League video game in the works. We've just discovered that the game will be called Justice League Heroes and will be available for the Playstation 2, Xbox, and PSP. The most exciting news, however, is that you'll be able to play as Zatanna! Finally! The gaming world has been begging for a chance to play a woman in a top hat and fishnet stockings who casts spells by talking backwards. Pleading! Gamers have been dreaming of slipping into Zatanna's corset for decades! At least I think they have. It's not just me, right?

Snowblind behind Justice League games

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Mon, 20 Mar 2006 14:40:00 MST kotaku.com http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=161726&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ OMG! Jim Lee To Produce SOE DC MMO! ]]> Hush hushLooks like comic book fan fave Jim Lee, famous for his work on X-Men, Wildcats, and Batman: Hush, will undertake a development role for the PC and next-gen console massively multiplayer online role playing game based on the DC universe. Okay, gotta catch my breath after that one.

Jim, who was a personal favorite of mine in my comic book nerd days, says that he "loves gaming" and will function as Executive Creative Director alongside the SOE dev team.

The title is scheduled to ship in 2008. More details and self-congratulatory remarks in the PR after the jump.

DC COMICS, SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT AND WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCE PLANS FOR COMIC BOOK ICON JIM LEE TO WORK ON MMO GAME BASED ON THE DC UNIVERSE

February 24th, 2006 - DC Comics, the largest English language publisher of comic books worldwide and the home of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman; Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a global leader in the online games industry; and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE), a premier developer and licensor of entertainment content in the interactive space, announce plans to collaborate with legendary comic book illustrator Jim Lee to work on a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMO) based on the DC Comics universe.

SOE will be developing and publishing a game based on the DC Comics universe for next generation gaming platforms and the PC. It is expected that Lee will serve as Executive Creative Director on the game, bringing his artistic flair and talents to the world of online gaming for the first time.

"My position at DC has afforded me the amazing opportunity to dive into projects I am most passionate about. The DC MMO is no exception and joins my current commitments to ALL-STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN with writer Frank Miller and the upcoming WILDCATS series with visionary Grant Morrison as dream projects," said Jim Lee. "The truth is that I love gaming as much as I love drawing and telling stories and look forward to bringing the DC Universe to life for players and comic book fans all around the world."

"As a passionate online gamer and one of the most creative talents ever to work with the DC heroes, Jim is the perfect person to help build an online DC universe that our fans can become part of on a daily basis," said DC Comics President and Publisher Paul Levitz. "The SOE team, working with Jim's creative guidance, are building a new way for gamers and comic fans to unite and enjoy our legendary characters and their complex universe."

"We couldn't be happier to have an icon like Jim Lee involved with this project," said John Smedley, President, Sony Online Entertainment. "SOE, WBIE and DC will be working together closely on this project and Jim's contributions will be key to bringing the amazing world of DC Comics to life online."

"Utilizing his outstanding and widely revered talent, Jim Lee's ground-breaking work on the DC MMO will help lend authenticity and strength to the game's design," said Jason Hall, Senior Vice President of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. "His iconic art style and creative direction will enhance the look and feel of the game overall."

"What intrigues me most about the DC MMO is how we can continue to tell the great stories DC is known for in this new medium and look forward in particular to the challenge of perhaps one day, simultaneously bringing stories to life in both print and pixel form," said Lee. "True to their moniker, MMOs are massive undertakings and I look forward to working on the game and continuing to draw comics for many, many years to come at DC."

Lee, the artist on 2005's best-selling comic book in the U.S., ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER, is one of the most recognizable and talented artists in the medium, and a true fan favorite. His recent work on the blockbuster series BATMAN: HUSH and SUPERMAN: FOR TOMORROW brought critical acclaim, as well as a new look and feel to two of DC Comics' iconic characters.

ABOUT JIM LEE:
Acclaimed comic book illustrator Jim Lee was born in Seoul, South Korea in 1964. Today Lee is the creative director of WildStorm Studios (which he founded in 1992) and the penciller for many of DC Comics' bestselling comic book and graphic novels, including ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER, BATMAN: HUSH, and SUPERMAN: FOR TOMORROW. He lives in La Jolla, California with his wife Angie and three daughters.

ABOUT DC COMICS:
DC Comics, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world and home to such iconic characters as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Sandman. These DC super heroes and others have starred in comic books, movies, television series (both animated and live-action) and cyberspace, thrilling audiences of all ages for generations. DC Comics' Web site is located at www.dccomics.com.

ABOUT SONY ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT:
Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Digital Inc., is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest(r), EverQuest(r) II, Champions of Norrath(r), Untold Legends(tm), and PlanetSide(r), as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies(tm): An Empire Divided(tm), SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge online games in development.

ABOUT WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT:
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Inc., a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is a premier licensor and a developer of entertainment content for the interactive space across all current and future platforms, including consoles, PC-based gaming and wireless applications.

EverQuest is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. SOE, the SOE logo and PlanetSide are registered trademarks of Sony Online Entertainment Inc. Untold Legends is a trademark of Sony Online Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

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Sat, 25 Feb 2006 20:27:13 MST Michael McWhertor http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=157015&view=rss&microfeed=true