Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
Of course, pop culture’s most iconic archaeologist will whip through all the classic moments with the help of a host of supporting characters including Marion Ravenwood and Short Round. Players can also mix and match the body parts of more than 60 playable characters to create new heroes just as they could in the best-selling LEGO Star Wars games.
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When LEGO Star Wars: The Original Trilogy hit the DS, it suffered horribly from bugs and glitches that made it nearly impossible to enjoy the game. From characters suddenly hitting you for no reason, to glitches that froze up the game entirely. Apparently they all learned something. LEGO Indiana Jones is not nearly as crude in its development.
As it goes, the handheld games are usually never as good as the console counterparts. LEGO Indiana Jones on the DS doesn't have all the same level designs as its console counterparts. It's overall a smaller game, but it does at least share many similar qualities in the gameplay department.
You'll play through all three of the original movies. Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, and The Last Crusade. In each level you'll play as whoever the story dictates you be at that time. When you complete a level once on story mode, you can return later in Free Play mode with different characters and uncover new secrets you otherwise couldn't before. It's all simple stuff and much of it plays like the console games. You can't go through a level as a single character, though. Puzzles and obstacles often force you to switch to a different character.
Throughout your adventures you'll also collect studs, which can be used to purchase hidden characters and other goodies. Collecting studs can be done by destroying objects or by simply defeating enemies. If you should ever perish, there's no penalty other than losing studs. There's no such thing as a game over in LEGO Indiana Jones, and just the same it's a fairly easy game.
Well, mostly easy. LEGO Indiana Jones puts much more emphasis on hand to hand combat. In the LEGO Star Wars games characters either had a lightsaber or some kind of blaster. In Indiana Jones you can pick up a gun at some spots, but they have limited ammo. Most times, however, you don't have the luxury of a gun while your enemy does. Thus, you're forced to take them down with your own two fists. Unfortunately, half the battle of getting to them is dying. When the enemy has some kind of projectile and you only have your fists, getting to them can be a pain.
Two people can also play, but both will need a copy of the game in order to do so. It takes a minute or so to set up. It isn't quite as easy as just picking up a controller and joining in, but a player can still drop out pretty much any time he wants.
There are some features exclusive to the DS. Such as being able to switch characters using the stylus or having to blow into the microphone for certain tasks, but these are really not all that special and instead feel a little tacked on.
Graphically the DS game looks pretty good. When the 3D mechanics of the DS are brought out, you're usually getting a good game. But the best part is that this doesn't suffer from so many bugs or anything. It's a good looking game, but it's also a good running game. There are a few issues with the camera (as the console versions suffer from this as well) and the levels aren't exactly the same, but it's still good all together. If you've played the console versions, however, just keep in mind that you're getting a relatively smaller game, but still a great experience. Much of the music is the same as the movie. It sounds pretty good for the most part, although some of it coming from the DS's speakers doesn't sound as good as it does from the actual consoles.
If there was anything that Lego Indiana Jones truly suffers from, it would be that the game is just simply too short. While there's a ton to uncover in freeplay mode, the main story itself won't take you too long to complete. It's not that long on the consoles, and as I said, on the DS you're getting a smaller game... so expect it to be even shorter. It doesn't stop it from being an amazing game, however, and there's a lot of replay value here.
Even on the DS, Lego Indiana Jones is a treat. It may not be as big and expansive as the console versions, but it is still a great game to behold.
