OK, this LEGO thing is going too far now. While Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Batman all at least made sense, LEGO: Rock Band is about the most blatant money grab of a licensed game I’ve ever seen. Worse yet, it makes absolutely no sense. LEGOs and Rock Band, where’s the connection?
Whoops, sorry! Jumped ahead of myself there. If you hadn’t heard, Warner Bros, TT Games, LEGO Group, Harmonix and MTV Games have all partnered up to create LEGO: Rock Band, a fusion of the two popular franchises promising to bring family-friendly rockin’ to DS, PS3, Wii and Xbox 360 this holiday season. In the game you’ll take your little LEGO band on tour through LEGO settings jamming out songs like Carl Douglas’ “Kung Fu Fighting” and Europe’s “The Final Countdown”. So yeah, it’s a casual-skewed Rock Band with a coat of LEGO paint. I just don’t get it…
“LEGO Rock Band combines two compelling properties and creates an experience that family members of all ages will enjoy playing together as a group,” said Tom Stone, Managing Director, TT Games. “Harmonix and MTV Games are the world experts in music gameplay, and we’re genuinely thrilled to bring the unique and humor-filled LEGO experience to their Rock Band universe.”
“We’re thrilled to offer another LEGO branded gaming experience that will deliver humorous and social play for families and friends,” said Henrik Taudorf Lorensen, Vice President, the LEGO Group. “LEGO Rock Band is built around the same values of imagination and family-friendly creative role play that is present in other LEGO videogames. It will deliver innovative new elements of game play that complement the fun of the Rock Band experience.”
“Rock Band is a social game experience that crosses every generation and every genre of rock,” said Bob Picunko, Senior Vice President of Electronic Games for MTV Games. “Harmonix and MTV Games are big fans of the LEGO game franchise and excited to work with TT Games to develop a new take on Rock Band that focuses on great music and LEGO humor that’s fun for the whole family.”
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Matt is a fair-minded reviewer and lover of games of all platforms and types, big or small, hyped or niche, big-budget or indie. But that doesn't mean he will let poor games slide without a good thrashing when necessary! 
My question is which franchise crossed the ‘jumping the shark’ line first – LEGO or Rock Band?
I’m actually going with Rock Band – LEGO has been milking franchises for money for a couple of decades now (you have to be over 40 to remember the days before LEGO sets with a purpose). Rock Band, however, has to be on the cusp of a ‘Britney Spears Edition’ …
Oh it’s totally Rock Band. That franchise is quickly going the way of Guitar Hero, what with the Beatles edition coming and now this. What’s next? Rock Band Hannah Montana?
What really gets me is this whole tacked on LEGO brand making the game more family friendly. I always thought the regular Rock Band games were family friendly to begin with, so the only legitimate reason to use the LEGO license seems unnecessary.
Very much agree – I think you stated it perfectly in your opening. GH and RB are *very* family friendly … the whole LEGO thing is totally unnecessary – worse, really.