Parents' Guide to

LEGO The Lord of the Rings

By Chris Morris, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Darker rendition of the fantasy classic a little stale.

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad Adventure Games
LEGO The Lord of the Rings Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • LEGO The Lord of the Rings App: Screenshot #1
  • LEGO The Lord of the Rings App: Screenshot #2
  • LEGO The Lord of the Rings App: Screenshot #3

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What’s It About?

Playing as the character of your choice, you'll walk around Middle Earth, dealing with its dangers and delights, including solving puzzles and attacking orcs. Players can choose between virtual controls (a virtual thumbstick on the bottom left and touch buttons on the right) or touch-based controls (simply touching the screen where you want to move and attack). Preferred methods will depend on the user, but the virtual controls cluster the buttons very close -- especially close if you're playing on an iPhone or iPod Touch. Players unlock new characters as they move deeper into the game and can pay to unlock others using studs, the little currency blocks you collect while playing.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

It's important for fans of the console version of LEGO THE LORD OF THE RINGS to realize they're not getting the game they know with this version. Based on the Nintendo DS version, this is a stepchild of sorts for the franchise, missing some of the features that made the console version a hit. It's still a fun game, but it has some weaknesses.

If you're expecting the humor that usually accompanies Lego games, it's a bit harder to find here. With the source material so dark, the developers adopted a more serious tone. And if you'd like to play a fraction of a level at a time, forget it. "You shall not save" (mid-level) seems to be a theme. Sounds are mostly lifted (sometimes obviously) from the film's soundtrack. And if you don't know the LOTR story already, you won't have a clue as to what's happening. The action is what you've come to expect from a Lego title, though: The schtick is getting a bit stale, but it's still pretty good.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about epic tales such as the Lord of the Rings saga. Why is it fun to get immersed in a whole other world?

  • Have your kids try to recreate their favorite scenes in the app by acting them out.

App Details

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