You know that sound. That specific, metallic clink-clink-clink when a LEGO canister snaps together. If you’ve spent any time in the 2013 classic LEGO Marvel Superheroes, you’ve probably spent hours chasing those glowing white and red canisters. They’re everywhere. Tucked behind silver statues, hidden in vents, or requiring a specific telepathic flick from Jean Grey.
LEGO Marvel Superheroes minikits are basically the soul of the game’s completionist run. You can’t just beat the levels and call it a day. That only gets you halfway there. To actually hit that 100% mark and unlock the comic book covers in the Deadpool room, you have to find all ten in every single level. It’s a grind, sure, but it’s a weirdly satisfying one once you realize how the game’s logic actually works.
Why You Can't Get Them All on the First Pass
It’s a classic Traveller’s Tales trap. You’re playing the first level, "Sand Central Station," and you see a minikit floating behind a golden wall. You’re playing as Iron Man and Hulk. You try everything. You blast it. You punch it. Nothing happens.
That’s because the game is designed to be played at least twice.
Most LEGO Marvel Superheroes minikits are locked behind "Free Play" barriers. You might need a character with magnetic powers like Magneto or Polaris. Maybe you need a small character like Ant-Man (though he was DLC) or a grate-traveler like Mr. Fantastic. You’ll definitely need someone with cosmic powers, like Galactus or Silver Surfer, for those shimmering purple bricks.
Honestly, trying to hunt minikits in Story Mode is a fool’s errand. You’ll just frustrate yourself. The real game starts after the credits roll and you have a roster deep enough to handle any elemental puzzle the developers throw at you.
The Most Infuriating Minikits and Where to Find Them
Some of these are straightforward. Blow up five buckets? Easy. But others? They’re tucked into the geometry of the level in ways that feel almost mean.
Take the "Red Head Detention" level. There’s a minikit that requires you to use a character with "Sense" (like Spider-Man) in a very specific, non-obvious corner near the start. If you miss the prompt, you’re restarting the whole level. Or look at "Doctor in the House." There are several canisters that require you to interact with the environment in a sequence—if you progress too far past a door, it locks behind you. You’re done.
- Magnetic Manipulation: Look for anything glowing blue. Magneto is your best friend here. If it shimmers blue, pull it.
- Golden Bricks: Heat beams are mandatory. Human Torch or Iron Man (Mark 42) are the standard choices.
- Silver LEGO: You need explosives.
- Dig Spots: Usually reserved for Wolverine or Black Panther.
If you're stuck, look up. A lot of people forget that many levels have verticality. In the "Taking Liberties" level on Liberty Island, canisters are often tucked behind the torch or under the scaffolding where the camera doesn't naturally move.
The Deadpool Red Brick Cheat Code
Let’s be real. Finding 150 minikits (10 per level across 15 main levels) is a lot. If you want to keep your sanity, you need the Minikit Detector.
This isn't a "cheat" in the sense that it breaks the game, but it’s a Red Brick unlock that puts little white arrows on your screen pointing toward the canisters. You find this specific Red Brick in the "Stark Tower" bonus mission. You’ll need a fair amount of studs to buy it—around 200,000 if I recall correctly—but it is the single best investment in the game. Without it, you’re just licking every wall in the hopes of a prompt appearing.
The Comic Book Payoff
What’s the point? Why bother?
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Each set of ten LEGO Marvel Superheroes minikits unlocks a page of a digital comic book. You can view these in the Helicarrier. For a Marvel fan, it’s a cool touch. Each one represents a classic issue related to the level’s theme. More importantly, collecting them all is a prerequisite for unlocking the "Stan Hulk" (Stan Lee’s Hulk form) and reaching the 100% completion trophy/achievement.
There's also a psychological element. The game world is messy. Finding the minikits is about tidying up. It’s about mastery. You aren't just a guest in the X-Mansion or Latveria anymore; you own the place. You've seen every secret room and broken every vase.
Common Mistakes During the Hunt
The biggest mistake players make is forgetting that some minikits are tied to "destroying X number of objects."
You see a random plant in the corner of the Bifrost. You ignore it. You see another one ten minutes later. You ignore that too. By the time you realize there were five of them and they held a minikit, you’ve hit a checkpoint and can’t go back.
Another tip: don't sleep on the "Sandman" or "Iceman" spots. Certain canisters require you to freeze water or manipulate sand pits that look like background texture. If a texture looks slightly more detailed than the floor around it, try to interact with it.
Technical Glitches to Watch For
This game came out in 2013. It’s been ported to everything from the PS3 to the Nintendo Switch. While it's generally stable, the minikit trackers can occasionally glitch.
I’ve seen instances where a minikit is collected, but the counter says 9/10. If this happens, usually a hard reset of the console fixes the UI, but sometimes you have to replay the level and "re-collect" the ghost of the minikit. It’s rare, but it’s a nightmare when it happens on your last level.
Your Completionist Checklist
To make this easier, don't just jump into levels randomly. Organize your approach.
- Finish the Story: Don't even think about minikits until the final boss is down.
- Unlock the "Big Three" Abilities: You need someone who can fly, someone who can use magnets (Magneto), and someone with telekinesis (Jean Grey).
- Get the Detector: Play the Stark Tower mission and buy that Red Brick immediately.
- Level by Level: Work through the map in order. Don't skip around. It helps you remember which mechanics you've already used.
Once you’ve gathered all the LEGO Marvel Superheroes minikits, the game changes. You stop looking at the walls and start looking at the world. You’ve cleared the clutter. Now you can just fly around New York City as a hot-dog-vending Stan Lee, which is, honestly, the way the game was meant to be played.
Actionable Next Steps
Stop wandering aimlessly through the Chronopolis or Manhattan hub. If you want those minikits, go to the Helicarrier and enter the mission select map. Check your progress for each level. Identify which ones are at 9/10—those are the ones that will haunt you.
Start with "Sand Central Station" in Free Play. Bring Magneto. Bring a character with fire (Human Torch) and a character with stealth (Black Widow). Use the Minikit Detector. If an arrow points into a wall, look for a vent. If it points into the floor, look for a dig spot. Work your way through the 15 levels systematically. Don't leave a level until the screen flashes "10/10." Once you hit that final one, head to the Deadpool room in the Helicarrier to see your rewards.