Legoland Windsor - if you are unaware - is a theme park where the theme is all things LEGO. It's in Windsor, not far from the Queen.

Anyway, LEGOLAND Windsor now has an Xbox 360 Gaming Zone, stuffed full of Xboxes. 17 consoles are hooked up to HD displays, all playing 'family' games like (hey!) LEGO Batman, LEGO Indiana Jones, LEGO Star Wars, etc. etc. There are some non-LEGO games too, of course. It's nice to have a bit of variety.

LEGOLAND® and Xbox 360™ Launch Family Friendly Gaming Zone

The four stars of Valve's undead packed co-op shooter wage war against custom zombie hordes in brick form, photographic evidence of which can be further explored at the official Left 4 Dead blog. It's your best nerd-value dollar, we swear.

Legoland of the Dead [Left 4 Dead Blog]

We've been working with about 50 of them — and now up to 68, and it's only going to keep expanding. We've brought them out to Denver twice... the first time, it was more about getting them up to speed on the concept and what was going on and hearing a lot of feedback and opening a dialogue, and the next time we brought them back out, they actually got hands-on with the tools and the technology.

Conceptually, we think of them as developers helping us build the game...You never hear about a community being involved in an MMO besides coming in at the beta test at the end. Those people that can be the most influential... [are] heavily involved and tell us what their expectations are.

I can tell you our expectations: if we can't recreate the original Lego castle, all bets are off.

NetDevil Talks Merits, Precautions Of Early Focus Testing [Gamasutra]

The creator used a "NextEngine 3D scanner, modo and big pile of Lego" to get the job done. The final product? Awesome. In-progress pics are available, in case you're wondering exactly what a NextEngine 3D scanner is. (Formal apologies to anyone who thought this post was going to be about Traveller's Tales getting the Mario license.)

Lego Mario designed using modo [Luxology Forums via Gizmodo]

"There's an expectation now that there would be a LEGO game per year, and we certainly feel that one or two games would be the right amount per year, otherwise there'd be a saturation of LEGO games and they'd lose the charm...We're also conscious that we're making games for young kids. We don't want to take the piss out of the consumer and end up making any old rubbish. We're hoping people feel our games are of a high standard and we want to continue doing that."

Thank goodness I say. Games like Lego Caligula and Lego Schindler's List need to stay in my imagination, for the good of all mankind.

TT not going to "take the piss" out of LEGO-game fans News [Eurogamer]

Happy Meals [McDonalds, via Go Nintendo]

This video was recorded in NetDevil's second Lego Universe Project event. According to Scott Brown, NetDevil's president, in the first LUP event they asked these Lego users to give them an idea of what the game should be like, which of course resulted in them building hundreds of actual Lego models of monsters, places, and all kinds of devices, machinery, and vehicles.

After that session, NetDevil started to program the software tools and the models needed to design Lego Universe terrains and structures. Now, in the second LUP event, they have trained those Lego people on the tools themselves, which they are using to create the virtual worlds. Apparently, NetDevil is very impressed by how fast these people—who in their day jobs are mostly engineers—got into the tools after just a three-hour class. Hopefuly that means things are progressing fast and we will see this game—which seems to have great potential—sooner than later.

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]

The Minus World gang put together a list of five LEGO video games that will never ever happen, though we're not 100% sure that LEGO Juno is completely off the table. Our favorite is above, but heretics may find LEGO The Passion of the Christ more to their liking.

5 LEGO Video Games That Will Never Happen [The Minus-World]

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.

It's this little fat plastic cube... It doesn't look the least bit like me. How could it, a little yellow plastic cube? It wears a white hat at some point. It is better than Marian's, though. They haven't made her the most beautiful LEGO figure in the world, have they? Her hair looks a bit like a tea cosy. It's strange.

Previews: Lego Halo [1UP]

The ship comes with mini-figs of Juno Eclipse, Battle Damaged Darth Vader and Darth Vader's Apprentice. Hit the jump for close ups of the trip of little men. I wonder if this is going to be a new trend, LEGO screenshots.

LEGO Portal [Nick Larsen Media]

There's a lot of material in the interview but there were two things he touched upon that I found really interesting. First is how LEGO Universe is going to deal with violence and still attract younger gamers.

For LEGO Universe I'm seeking out creative ways to represent aggressive play and darker themes while still retaining LEGO values. This is an exciting challenge for me. I enjoy challenges that push my creative limits!

I'd like this game to feel more like Asian games. My goal is to design a visual package that has a distinct style, has a bright clean look, and complements the look of LEGO bricks. Executing this high goal is also an exciting challenge to me. Finally, I want LU to appeal to girl players in ways that aren't condescending or stereotypical. These are things I'd like to achieve to create a game that retains LEGO values while appealing to a wide range of cultures.

Also interesting is how LEGO Universe is going to manage to build a game that includes a diverse collection of sets. It's a pretty big challenge if you think about it. LEGO has everything from their younger City sets to things like Black Knight's Castle.

We could have designed the game so that all of the pieces had to visually fit into the world in specific ways, but I recognized early on that this might make it impossible to include virtual versions of some LEGO elements and play themes. So, I wanted to create an adaptable environment where it would be possible for Black Knight's Castle to come in contact with the City and it wouldn't look out of place.

Our art fiction is making that possible. Since very early on in the design process we've focused on the creative idea that imaginations will come to life in the game. So, if a child can imagine Black Knight's Castle and the City together—and kids do that from the research that I've seen— then it's acceptable in LEGO Universe.

From the art execution side, we are designing assets that can be used to unify two very different looking play themes. These can be simple things like small bushes placed between the two sets that soften up the visual transition. We will investigate many techniques to achieve visual continuity.

Still no word on whether IP-themed sets, like Star Wars, Batman and Indiana Jones will be making appearances. My money is on no.

LEGO Universe

Fantastic, now I have two excuses to buy Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I wonder when I can start showing my son the flicks? I'll have to rewatch them to make sure they're not too racy first, I guess.

Special Indiana Jones DVD to Ship with Lego Indy Demo [Ars Technica]

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]

Somebody hold me.
Brick by Brick [GI.biz] [Pic]

Ed's note: The NetDevil folks first mentioned this possibility a year ago when we broke the news of LEGO Universe.

Also, I don't find this to be especially outlandish, certainly not any more than the Batman game posted earlier today. Personally, I think a Halo LEGO game could be every bit as successful as the other games in the LEGO franchise.

Feel free to tell me how utterly wrong I am.

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.

The DS version will be making use of the microphone to solve puzzles by blowing out torches and also included will be a cooking mini-game featuring the infamous monkey brains scene. Something tells me you won't be seeing THAT in Cooking Mama 3.

With all it's various in-jokes and trademark LEGO humor, I think that LEGO Indiana Jones will be a sure fire hit with fans of the genre and kids alike. I wasn't really on the LEGO Star Wars tip when it came out, but there is no doubt that LEGO Indy will be a permanent part of my game collection when it comes out this summer.

The Lego world is all about creativity and building and Lego Universe will be no different. Players will start the game by customizing their mini-figs. According to Hanson, each figure will be endlessly customizable so that you can create a character that looks just like you (or not) to inhabit your little section of bricks. Each world of the universe will have a different theme that corresponds to the different sets of Legos. For example, you will be able to visit the Pirate Planet or perhaps jet over to the Medieval Castle Planet. Lego will provide the basis for each world and then the rest is all up the the users. You can own property and build up whatever creations your mind can come up with using your stock of bricks. Bricks can be earned by a combination of randomly finding them, completing missions and even battling. The more you play, the more bricks you can earn. While there will be no actual PVP battles, players will be able to create creatures/machines and use them to battle other players creations in their quest for more bricks. And of course, in the Lego Universe no one ever bleeds or dies, they just break apart.

There will be a blueprinting system so you can take your favorite creations and pass the plans off to friends or lock it up tight so no one well ever know how you created your awesome giant machine. The best part of all though is that unlike playing with real Legos, you'll never run out of bricks or be missing that one essential piece to finish your pirate ship. Single and multiplayer building missions will be available as well Hanson notes that you can play through the game on your own, but it will be slower and take a lot longer than playing cooperatively.

The game will be mainly aimed at the 8-12 set, but much like the Star Wars games, Hanson expects that quite a few adults will be interested as well. But the main goal is to create a safe space MMO where kids can go to play comfortably without all the nonsense that many adult MMOs bring to the table. Regular chat will be a moderated system with canned questions and responses, but there will also be a free "friend list" chat that will be available to players with parental approved friend's lists.

I'm looking forward to seeing more fom this game which I think really has some incredible potential to expand the minds and creativity of the players along the lins of something like Little Big Planet where its all about user generated content. So come 2009, be ready to ditch that Second Life, put away that WOW addiction and get ready to brick build your way to the ultimate Lego Universe.

Lego Indiana Jones Flash Game [Lego.com - Thanks Fyren!]

Lego [have] already replaced them with an anonymous genocidal, occultist, trenchcoat-wearing master-race.

[Star Wars Shop]

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!

Here is my lego zapper! [via gonintendo]

Don't worry, kids. The Halo hype will die down soon and you won't have to roll those pretty little eyes every time we post something about the biggest entertainment event of the year(!!!). Once your eyeballs stop rotating and you're done vocalizing your disgust, give Alex Kobbs' clip some retina time. He's foregone years of healthy social interaction to spend time with his massive LEGO block recreation of Halo's multiplayer map Zanzibar. Give the man a hand.

Lego Halo [MTV's Multiplayer Blog]

I feel bad in pointing out that the Wiimote's lack of relative motion sensing is probably making the job a programming nightmare. And if developers don't nail the project, it's tough to predict who will look worse: Nintendo or LucasArts. On a lighter note, we're getting Wii Lightsabers! Hooray!

More Motion-Sensitive Lightsabers Coming to Wii [via maxconsole]

Custom minifig avatars, for example, can now use parts from both
trilogies to make hybrids that stitch the two sagas together. (A Lando
Binks, for example.) The drop-in play will now work online, something
sorely lacking on the last versions, especially on Xbox Live. New
levels will appear here and there, the first announced being the Zam
Wessell chase from Episode 2.

And the Wii version will take advantage of the "first lightsaber
simulation" available on the Wii, or at least the first official one.
Unfortunately, while wielding a lightsaber or building Lego
contraptions with the Wiimote will be more effective than doing so
with a traditional controller—it actually works faster than it
does on other consoles—swinging the saber around still only
triggers pre-chosen animations. There is no one-to-one movement
mapping between your Wiimote and the lightsaber.

Of course, I had to ask Lucasarts: When are we going to get our
next chance to use a lightsaber on the Wii? Chris, their main
PR man, shared a glance with the others in the room, and then
guardedly offered that we can expect some more news "potentially this
year." So no lightsaber duels before Christmas, for sure, but we might
at least know something more simulation-like is coming.

While The Complete Saga is coming for both the 360, PS3, and
Wii (and portables eventually, although developed by a different
partner with a new engine), only the PS3 supports 1080p rendering.
When asked if it were a technical limitation in the 360 that prevented
the same resolution, no one in the room knew for sure.