Midway Arcade classics coming to Lego Dimensions

[Atariboy]

The catch is that you'll foolishly need Lego Dimensions and these figures to scan, instead of going the direct route to appeal to the people that actually care about these classics.

 

Scanning these will unlock the following classics.

 

-720°

-Badlands

-Blasteroids

-Championship Sprint

-Cyberball

-Defender

-Defender II

-Gauntlet

-Gauntlet II

-Klax

-Joust

-Joust 2

-Marble Madness

-Paperboy

-Rampage

-Roadblasters

-Robotron 2084

-Spy Hunter

-Super Sprint

-Timber

-Toobin

-Vindicators

-Xybots

 

 

Looks like a decent accompaniment to Midway Arcade Origins. Badlands, Klax, Paperboy, Roadblasters, Timber, and Vindicators all didn't make the cut (Vindicators II is what's on Origins). And this is the first emulated home release that Blasteroids has ever seen.

 

Since over $100 is far too much for a few arcade classics, is there a cheap way to get into this? I'm mainly wondering if these scan on the Wii U gamepad which would allow me to get a cheap disc only used copy of the game, or if I'd need a proprietary reader to scan these figures in regardless of the system I select? Or perhaps could these be scanned once and be permanently unlocked, allowing me to instead borrow the scanner?

 

Hopefully they don't let this work go to waste and plan to release these as a standalone compilation in the months ahead, perhaps with some of the many omissions like Root Beer Tapper and a few more new titles.

Edited March 16, 2016 by Atariboy

[leods]

Wow. We used to get all the games in a cart or a disk. Then they started selling individual games digitally, worse but fine. And now you have to buy a game to be able to buy some pieve of trash to ulock the game within a game?

 

I'm impressed.

[Jess Ragan]

I was looking forward to this, but I try to stay away from the games that require cheap plastic grot for full functionality. I've got ONE Amiibo- a Mega Man- and no Skylanders or Disney Infinity figures. I'd rather not get involved in the Lego Dimensions toys, either.

 

I understand that this is for the Wii U as well, giving me hope- however slim- that they'll offer the games a'la carte on the eShop service. I don't really wanna have to bother with scanning this, buying that, etc. etc. to get them. If it comes down to that, I can just put Midway Arcade Treasures on Nintendont and call it a day.

[Amstari]

We buy a lot of Lego in our house and there is some great packs for Lego Dimensions, like Back to the Future and Ghostbusters. We would probably get some of them anyway. The fact that it can be used in the game is a bonus.

 

The Portal one is really cool and I've been waiting for the Midway one to be released.

[+thanatos]

I pre-ordered it way back in December because I saw the Spy Hunter car. (My favorite arcade game ever, and I have one.) Showed up yesterday!

 

I don't even own the game. I just wanted the car and mini-lego-arcade.

[Flojomojo]

Part of me is glad that this exists, but who is the target audience?

 

Kids don't care about those dinosaur games, "classic" or not, right?

 

Adults who do care about them, have other ways to do it, like the Midway collections on older consoles, or MAME, right?

 

Or is there a little slice of Generation X Gamer Dads who want to show this stuff to their kids in a friendly way?

 

I tried that with Disney Infinity ... went over like a lead balloon.

[toiletunes]

This gets me pretty excited

to try MAME instead.

It seems like it would be less complicated.

[Bill Loguidice]

I got mine on launch day. These were my initial impressions: http://armchairarcade.com/perspectives/2016/03/16/first-impressions-midway-arcade-lego-dimensions-22-classic-arcade-games/

 

I basically agree with the sentiment that it's a shame that this is not available stand-alone, or at least in a way you can just play what you want when you want. The implementation and concessions made for home play are really good.

[Flojomojo]

I got mine on launch day. These were my initial impressions: http://armchairarcade.com/perspectives/2016/03/16/first-impressions-midway-arcade-lego-dimensions-22-classic-arcade-games/

 

 

Nice review, thanks as usual Bill. Locking up the old games, what a PITA, reminiscent of the 2007 Atari Classics Evolved collection for PSP that locked all the 2600 games until you completed every one of the 44 challenges. Obnoxious!

[Keatah]

That's right. These have been on MAME, for what, the past 10 years? To me this looks like make-work for an over-creative marketing department.

 

However, I do like the use of the sidebars for art or status display. Something the mame team doesn't know how to do.

 

One thing is for certain, I wouldn't go baggie-chasing around and buying shit to unlock stuff.

 

IDK.. I rather liked the Legos of old. The sets that encouraged creativity rather than the "consumerism" and "pre-made" custom parts sets of today.

Edited March 17, 2016 by Keatah

[Jess Ragan]

So you have to buy even MORE crap to get all the arcade games? Pft, nuts to that. Although I will admit that the Lego-fied versions of the arcade cabinet artwork are pretty cute.

[godslabrat]

Love Legos, so it's very possible these will wander into our house at some point. I do wish the starter kit wasn't so expensive...

[Amstari]

Or is there a little slice of Generation X Gamer Dads who want to show this stuff to their kids in a friendly way

It's for the kids to buy as a present for their dad:) that's what I'm hoping for.

[Atariboy]

So you have to buy even MORE crap to get all the arcade games? Pft, nuts to that. Although I will admit that the Lego-fied versions of the arcade cabinet artwork are pretty cute.

 

Do you have to buy other packs? I was under the impression that you just needed this and the starter kit with the game disc and the scanner to access all 23 games.

 

Although the unlocks are scattered about and call for you going to other game areas outside the Midway world, I would hope that they're all in the basic Lego Dimensions world that I assume is open by default to those that own the game.

Edited March 18, 2016 by Atariboy

[Bill Loguidice]

 

Do you have to buy other packs? I was under the impression that you just needed this and the starter kit with the game disc and the scanner to access all 23 games.

 

Although the unlocks are scattered about and call for you going to other game areas outside the Midway world, I would hope that they're all in the basic Lego Dimensions world that I assume is open by default to those that own the game.

 

You're correct. Everything is included with the three toys you build. The pain is in the unlocking of all of the games and then finding them when you want to play them again.

[Agamemnon2]

However, I do like the use of the sidebars for art or status display. Something the mame team doesn't know how to do.

 

I rather think that's something that falls completely outside Mame's remit. It's supposed to be an emulator that outputs faithful video and audio. Their goal has always been to preserve the stuff as-is, sticking 21st century bells and whistles in would do nothing to further that end.

[Atariboy]

I'd argue that seeing artwork that surrounded the monitor on the real cabinet filling the empty areas to each side that are necessary when you respect the original aspect ratio of these titles, is being more authentic.

 

MAME doesn't need to do it I suppose, but if they're not already doing it, it would be nice to see them basically leave the door open for a 3rd party modification to fill that void for those that want to see a Midway Arcade style presentation.

 

Do you have to buy other packs? I was under the impression that you just needed this and the starter kit with the game disc and the scanner to access all 23 games.

 

Perhaps just wasn't the best word to use here.

 

Couldn't help but laugh when I reread my post just now, since you're looking at spending over $100 when all is said and done if you bought at this new at MSRP.

Edited March 19, 2016 by Atariboy

[racerx]

I tried that with Disney Infinity ... went over like a lead balloon.

 

I can't tear my 9-year-old twins away from Infinity...they'll spend hours just in the toybox. They've had 1, 2.0, and 3.0.

 

At least the figures are nice; my wife collects Disney and I collect Star Wars, so it's been a win-win in our house. We picked up Dimensions for Christmas, and they've barely touched it. Saves us money I guess, but it's weird...my son really like Lego. I'll probably pick this up for me to mess with.

[Bill Loguidice]

 

You're correct. Everything is included with the three toys you build. The pain is in the unlocking of all of the games and then finding them when you want to play them again.

 

Well, it turns out I was wrong. We built the Simpsons level pack today and sure enough there was a Cyberball arcade game to unlock in it. Not cool. So that means that who knows where all of the arcade games are and what you have to buy.

Edited March 19, 2016 by Bill Loguidice

[Flojomojo]

 

I can't tear my 9-year-old twins away from Infinity...they'll spend hours just in the toybox. They've had 1, 2.0, and 3.0.

 

At least the figures are nice; my wife collects Disney and I collect Star Wars, so it's been a win-win in our house. We picked up Dimensions for Christmas, and they've barely touched it. Saves us money I guess, but it's weird...my son really like Lego. I'll probably pick this up for me to mess with.

I'm not going to buy a single Star Wars figurine, because once I start down that path, forever will it consume my destiny. We got the Inside Out characters.

 

I did splash out for the Star Wars digital pack on iOS, but the port is really sloppy, it takes 4GB of space, and doesn't cross-buy to anywhere else such as Wii U and AppleTV. Sigh.

[Keatah]

 

You're correct. Everything is included with the three toys you build. The pain is in the unlocking of all of the games and then finding them when you want to play them again.

 

Yahh.. it seems like a lot of make-work.

[racerx]

I'm not going to buy a single Star Wars figurine, because once I start down that path, forever will it consume my destiny. We got the Inside Out characters.

 

I did splash out for the Star Wars digital pack on iOS, but the port is really sloppy, it takes 4GB of space, and doesn't cross-buy to anywhere else such as Wii U and AppleTV. Sigh.

They just announced the light-up Kylo Ren, so I'll be re-buying him, along with the Luke and Kenobi I rebought.

 

Sigh. At least I can put the dupes on my desk at work.

[Jess Ragan]

 

Well, it turns out I was wrong. We built the Simpsons level pack today and sure enough there was a Cyberball arcade game to unlock in it. Not cool. So that means that who knows where all of the arcade games are and what you have to buy.

 

1. What the hell does Cyberball have to do with The Simpsons?

2. That is ten tons of crap. A'la carte, Warner Games, a'la carte!

[Atariboy]

 

Well, it turns out I was wrong. We built the Simpsons level pack today and sure enough there was a Cyberball arcade game to unlock in it. Not cool. So that means that who knows where all of the arcade games are and what you have to buy.

 

Sadly, it doesn't appear to be alone. Going off this YouTube video, it looks like the following require a level pack besides the Midway one itself...

 

720°- Back to the Future Level Pack

Cyberball 2072 - Simpsons Level Pack

Klax - Portal 2 Level Pack (This one in particular is a shame, since it's not on Midway Arcade Origins)

 

 

On the bright side perhaps, it looks like a substantial amount of the content maybe doesn't require even the Midway Level Pack in order to access? The levels listed for Toobin', Xybots, Paperboy, Timber, Vindicators, Roadblasters, Marble Madness, and Blasteroids seem to be just the regular levels in Lego Dimensions.

 

This is a real long shot, but I wonder if a disc only copy without the USB reader and the Midway Level Pack could access those 8 arcade games? Blasteroids, Vindicators, Timber, and Roadblasters on my 360 are what most interests me anyways here. And while not a big fan, I never did buy Paperboy off XBLA.

 

Does Lego Dimensions even have any functionality without its accessory plugged into the console?

Edited March 19, 2016 by Atariboy

[Bill Loguidice]

This is a real long shot, but I wonder if a disc only copy without the USB reader and the Midway Level Pack could access those 8 arcade games? Blasteroids, Vindicators, Timber, and Roadblasters on my 360 are what most interests me anyways here. And while not a big fan, I never did buy Paperboy off XBLA.

 

Does Lego Dimensions even have any functionality without its accessory plugged into the console?

 

That's not how this works. The game refuses to do anything without the portal attached and at least one figure. Certain figures and vehicles also need to be activated before progressing through certain levels as well. They've tightly integrated with the toys. There's no way around that.