I braced myself for the expected challenges of games like Hollow Knight: Silksong and the intentionally difficult Baby Steps. However, I was genuinely surprised by the unexpected difficulty of Lego Party!, the new collection of minigames from SMG Studio, the creators of Moving Out. Even on Normal difficulty, the minifigure opponents show absolutely no mercy. It’s a surprisingly tough, yet enjoyable, experience.
Lego Party! clearly takes inspiration from the Mario Party format, which is great for players who want a similar chaotic, board game experience but aren’t tied to Nintendo. (Good news, it’s available on Switch too!) The core gameplay remains: Players navigate various boards – Pirate, Ninja, Space, and Theme Park – aiming to gather as many gold bricks as possible before the turns run out. The Lego theme adds unique twists, like boards that dynamically build and change. You collect round Lego studs instead of coins, exchange them for bricks and power-ups, compete in diverse challenges, and deal with unexpected events on the board. It’s familiar, but the bright visuals and humorous voice acting give it a distinct personality, reminiscent of Jackbox Games. Importantly, success depends on skill – you can genuinely lose, unlike Mario Party where a lucky star can overturn everything at the last minute.
Lego Party! is designed to be family-friendly; after playing with a 7-year-old, I can confirm that Easy mode creates a level playing field for both children and adults (and I even lost to my young companion once due to unfortunate dice rolls!). The minigames vary in style, from snowboarding and races to timed logic puzzles and inventive challenges using classic Lego bricks. Everything in Lego Party! is built from Lego pieces, leading to fun design choices, even in simple minigames like a Lego-themed Lunar Lander.
If you’ve ever wanted a Mario Party-style game that truly tests your skills, SMG delivers with various difficulty levels. One kart racing minigame requires precision to stay on a slippery track, while “Perfect Pillars” demands careful timing and spatial awareness to build the tallest tower. Opponents don’t make it easy, pushing you to hone your abilities.
Many of the minigames in Lego Party! consist of multiple rounds with changing rules, offering a forgiving twist – even if you stumble initially, you can still win. I found myself working hard to succeed in challenges as simple as pirate jump rope or a Lego snail-tag game. I am going to encourage my casual gaming friends to buy Lego Party! so we can play online together, and I can finally stop losing to the unexpectedly skilled AI opponents who are impressively adept at Lego Party!.
Unlike recent Mario Party releases, Lego Party! features a more streamlined selection of modes. You can play on the standard game board, choose individual minigames, or tackle specific challenges. However, it compensates with high replayability on the individual boards and a vast array of unlockable collectibles. There must be hundreds of minifigure combinations to unlock, earned through gameplay bonuses or experience points. I might have spent just as long selecting the perfect minifigure avatar in Lego Party! as I did creating my character in Baldur’s Gate 3. Even then, I was easily defeated by a moustachioed character wearing an ice cream costume.
Lego Party! isn’t a revolutionary concept, but it’s incredibly fun. Several small touches enhance the experience. Each round begins with a minigame that decides turn order for the round, instead of concluding with one. And there are multiple ways to earn gold bricks across the board, ensuring you never feel completely stuck. Overlaid on the gameplay is amusing commentary from two talkative minifigures, a nice touch alongside the background music. Clearly, SMG Studio learned from both Jackbox Games and Mario Party.
Prepare for a challenge! While Nintendo games might soften the blow of losing, Lego Party! feels more like a playful version of UFO 50, embracing the idea that even simple games can be tough, fair, and exciting with well-balanced AI. After just a few rounds, the 7-year-old is eager to keep playing, and surprisingly, so am I.
Lego Party! is available now on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. The game was reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2 using a copy provided to Polygon by the publisher. You can find additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.