by Without question, LEGO Legends of Chima Online is geared towards younger gamers. It is, after all, based on a toy line and a CG-animated TV show on Cartoon Network. But don’t write it off just yet — this is a massively multiplayer online action-RPG in which a driving motivation is to collect loot. In many ways, Legends of Chima Online is like a simplified Diablo, and that’s why it can work for older gamers, too.
The world of Legends of Chima is one in which humanoid animals (à la the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) are divided into tribes that battle over a resource called Chi. You — as a bear, eagle, gorilla, or lion — must tackle a wide array of quests, most of which require you to hack and slash enemy crocodiles. All of these actions are achieved via motions on the touch screen: tap on a target to shoot, and swipe on it to slash. It’s a simple yet effective mechanic, but the combat can become repetitive and imprecise. And Legends of Chima Online is definitely best enjoyed on an iPad, thanks to its larger screen. No matter the hardware, though, the game suffers from occasional slowdown.
Victory often leads to rewards in the form of studs (the currency used to purchase most stuff) and loot. You can pick up new weapons and armor that not only affect your appearance, but also stats such as HP (hit points) and DPS (damage per second), allowing you to dispatch foes at a faster rate; playing cooperatively with friends certainly doesn’t hurt, either. In addition to these accessories, you can acquire blueprints for new weapons, as well as LEGO bricks with which to build them.
