LEGO has already treated our inner ‘80s children to Ghostbusters, Back To The Future, Gremlins, E.T., The A-Team and Knight Rider in their popular LEGO Dimensions toys-to-life computer game. Now it’s only right that The Goonies get to join in. But are The Goonies good enough?
Based on the cult young teen movie (the term “tween” didn’t even exist then), the pack offers one of the unlikeliest characters ever to feature in the series: Sloth, complete with his Superman shield T-shirt and braces. His vehicle builds are One-Eyed Willy’s Pirate Ship and the classic Skeleton Organ, the latter of which has to be one of the most gorgeous minikits in the entire game series.
While the level packs have always been far shorter than a complete game (it’s possible to clock this one in just a few short hours), this is smartly explained by focusing the story primarily on the adventure of Goonie-member Chunk and his new friend Sloth. The backstory showing the Goonies themselves on the search for One-Eyed Willy’s hidden pirate treasure is told via a short “previously on” sequence.
The layout of the levels is fantastic, copying the sets of the film and expanding on them without ever feeling inaccurate. The usual tasks are around to solve, requiring players to swap between Sloth for strength and Chunk for size… and his much-loved truffle shuffle body jiggle. Playing the skeleton organ is necessary, which is how it should be, and the final battle allows you to take control of some of the other characters too, including tech-savvy Goonie Data. And yes, he has the pinchers of power at his disposal!
Die-hard fans may even recognise the octopus, unseen in the movie due to being edited out but notorious from DVD deleted scene appearances, finally being given his moment to shine. The ending also allows fellow ‘80s film and TV characters to make a brief cameo, too! The music thankfully includes the Goonies theme tune, the voice work is fine, and Sloth is allowed to utter his catchphrases of “Hey you guuuuuuys!” and “Choc… lit!” Still, it would have been nice if they’d played the Superman theme when Sloth rips off his shirt to reveal the S-logo (as they did in the movie), but we’ll let that slide.
Since the level based on the film is pretty short, it’s a great thing that you can also wander around the Goonies hometown of Astoria in freeplay, which again captures the sights and sounds of the film version perfectly. Tasks to perform are plentiful, although just walking around is a treat.
The Lego Dimensions: Goonies certainly “r” good enough, as Cyndi Lauper would sing. The puzzles are less frustrating than some of the other packs in the series, and on the whole, it brings a smile to the face by tapping into nostalgia-based fun. It’s a little pricey, and with the main level being so short it may seem like it isn’t offering much bang for the buck, but there’s plenty of replay value. It’s a quality product that does justice to the source material and hits all the right notes, especially if you’re a fan of the film.
