LEGO Party brings skill-based mini-games and brick-building fun to the party game genre. Our honest review covers gameplay, content, and whether it’s worth your game night rotation in 2025.
LEGO Party Review
Let’s be real: Mario Party has owned the party game space for decades. Sure, challengers pop up now and then, but most fall flat. LEGO Party? It’s different. After spending several game nights with this one, I can confidently say it’s not just “Mario Party but LEGO” – it’s actually carved out its own identity, and in some surprising ways, it might even be more fun than Nintendo’s franchise.
What Makes LEGO Party Stand Out
First things first – yes, the DNA is pure Mario Party. You’ve got boards, dice rolls, mini-games between rounds, and that beautiful chaos of friendships being tested. But here’s where LEGO Party gets clever:
The LEGO Twist Actually Matters:
- Character customization – Instead of being stuck with Mario, Luigi, or Peach, you get access to tons of LEGO minifigures or can build your own character from scratch
- Gold bricks replace stars – Feels more rewarding somehow, like you’re actually building something
- Studs instead of coins – If you’ve played any LEGO game, you know the satisfaction of hearing that stud-collection sound
- Everything’s made of LEGOs – The four Challenge Zones (their term for game boards) are beautifully constructed from virtual LEGO bricks
The humor is spot-on too. If you’ve enjoyed the LEGO movies or games like LEGO Star Wars, you’ll feel right at home with the witty writing and comedic timing throughout.
The Gameplay: Where Skill Actually Matters
Here’s my favorite part about LEGO Party, and where it genuinely improves on the Mario Party formula: it’s way more skill-based.
Mario Party can feel brutally random sometimes. You dominate all game, then some ridiculous bonus stars at the end flip everything upside down. LEGO Party doesn’t play that game.
How It Works:
- Your performance in mini-games directly determines turn order for the next round
- Come in first place? You roll first and get the best chance at nabbing that gold brick
- Consistently good at mini-games? You’ll probably win. Period.
This makes victories feel earned rather than lucky, and honestly, it keeps everyone more engaged since skill genuinely matters.
The Mini-Games: 60 Ways to Settle Scores
LEGO Party packs about 60 mini-games, mixing free-for-all chaos with 2v2 team battles. The variety is solid:
Standout Mini-Games:
- Bowling – Simple but addictive, with LEGO physics that feel satisfying
- Chaotic golf – Players literally smash into each other racing to sink their ball first (absolute mayhem)
- LEGO figure puzzle – You get all the pieces and an outline, but have to figure out construction yourself. Genius for a LEGO game.
Smart Design Choice: Before each round, players vote on four mini-game options. This means you can steer toward games you actually enjoy and avoid ones you hate. It’s a small touch that makes a huge difference over multiple sessions.
The good news? No mini-game is genuinely terrible. The bad news? None are so incredible that you’ll be talking about them for days either. They’re all solidly fun, which is exactly what you want.
The Challenge Zones (Game Boards)
Only four boards might sound light, but each one has real personality:
Board Variety:
- LEGO Ninjago themed – Features heroes and villains from the show
- Space board – Battle aliens or risk getting hypnotized (adds genuine strategy)
- Interactive builds – Players choose between different LEGO constructions that become permanent fixtures for that game
That last feature is clutch for replayability. Since you can’t see every possible build in one playthrough, boards feel different each time. One game might have a bridge in spot A, next game there’s a launcher instead.
Where LEGO Party Stumbles
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room – or rather, the overly chatty hosts Ted Talker and Paige Turner.
The Commentary Problem:
- First few games? The jokes are genuinely funny
- After 5+ games? You’ll want to throw your controller through the TV
- No skip button for repeated dialogue and cutscenes
- The game over-explains everything, including “escalation” mechanics you’ve seen ten times
This is my biggest complaint. When monkeys steal studs from your opponent (hilarious the first time), you don’t need to see the full animation every single time. Give us a skip option, please.
The Player 2-4 Issue:
If you’re not the host player (Player 1), you’ll notice some weird limitations:
- Not all achievements unlock for you
- Some achievements meant for YOU unlock for Player 1 instead (??)
- The game remembers Player 1’s character selection but forgets everyone else’s
- Local progression seems Player 1-exclusive
It’s not game-breaking, but it’s annoying enough that I hope a patch addresses it.
Progression System: Carrots and Minifigures
Here’s something Mario Party doesn’t really do: meaningful progression.
What You’re Unlocking:
- New LEGO minifigures through XP
- Customization options via “carrots” (in-game currency)
- Tons of cosmetic options
It gives you a reason to keep playing beyond just “party games are fun.” Completionists will appreciate having goals to chase between game nights.
Game Modes Beyond the Boards
Don’t feel like playing a full 20-turn board game? LEGO Party’s got you:
Alternative Modes:
- Minigame Rush – Curated playlists of mini-games back-to-back
- Individual mini-game selection – Practice or just play your favorites
- Score Chaser (single-player) – Chase high scores in specific challenges
These modes are great for shorter sessions, though with only 60 mini-games total, you’ll see everything pretty quickly.
Content: Is There Enough?
Here’s the honest truth: LEGO Party feels a bit light on launch content.
What You Get:
- 4 Challenge Zones (boards)
- ~60 mini-games
- Tons of unlockable cosmetics
You’ll see most of what the game offers in just a few hours of play. For comparison, recent Mario Party games often launch with 100+ mini-games and 5-8 boards.
My Take: It’s polished and fun, but you’ll probably burn through the novelty faster than you’d hope. This feels like a game designed for regular game night rotation (2-3 hours per week) rather than marathon 8-hour sessions.
There’s no word yet on DLC or content updates, but adding more boards and mini-games would really help LEGO Party’s longevity.
Should You Buy LEGO Party?
Buy it if:
- You love party games and want something fresh
- You’re a LEGO fan who appreciates the brand’s humor
- You prefer skill-based gameplay over random chaos
- You host regular game nights with friends
Skip it if:
- You want 20+ hours of unique content out of the box
- You primarily play solo (it’s designed for multiplayer)
- You already own Mario Party and aren’t bothered by its randomness
The Bottom Line
LEGO Party doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t need to. It takes the Mario Party formula, adds meaningful LEGO flavor, and most importantly, makes winning feel more skill-based and less like rolling dice and praying.
The hosts’ repetitive dialogue and light content library hold it back from greatness, but what’s here is polished, genuinely fun, and perfect for casual game nights. It won’t replace every other party game in your library, but it absolutely earns a spot in the rotation.
Gaming ProMax Score: 7.5/10
For party game fans willing to embrace something new, LEGO Party delivers exactly what it promises – and occasionally, delivers it even better than the series that inspired it.
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What do you think? Have you tried LEGO Party yet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
