Chase McCain is a legend. If you grew up with a Wii U or picked up the remaster on modern consoles, you know exactly why. LEGO City Undercover, often colloquially called "Lego City the game" by parents and casual fans, broke the mold of what a plastic-brick adventure could actually be. Most LEGO titles are tied to massive cinematic universes like Star Wars or Marvel, which is fine, but they’re limited by the lore of those franchises. This game was different. It was an original story, a sprawling open world, and a love letter to 70s and 80s cop movies that somehow stayed G-rated.
It's weirdly deep.
The Open World That Actually Feels Alive
When TT Fusion developed this, they weren't just making a linear platformer. They built a massive, sprawling metropolis that feels like a compressed version of San Francisco and New York. You’ve got the Golden Gate Bridge (Heritage Bridge), Alki Island (Alcatraz), and a vibrant downtown. Unlike the hub worlds in LEGO Batman, LEGO City Undercover feels like a cohesive place. You can hop into over 100 different vehicles. Everything from ice cream trucks to high-performance sports cars. It’s basically Grand Theft Auto but instead of being a criminal, you’re Chase McCain, a legendary cop returning to the city to stop the escaped convict Rex Fury.
The comedy is what truly carries it. It’s genuinely funny. Not just "kids laughing at a fart joke" funny, though there is some of that. It’s the dry, parodic humor. There are heavy nods to The Shawshank Redemption, Goodfellas, and even The Matrix. Honestly, half the jokes are definitely for the parents sitting on the couch while their six-year-old plays.
Why the Wii U Version was Both Great and Terrible
We have to talk about the hardware. Originally, this was a Wii U exclusive. The GamePad was used as a "police scanner," which was a brilliant use of the second screen. You could move the controller around your living room to "scan" through walls or listen to secret conversations. It felt immersive. However, the load times were legendary for the wrong reasons. You could literally go make a sandwich, eat it, and come back before the game finished loading the city.
The 2017 remaster fixed most of this. It brought the game to PS4, Xbox One, PC, and the Nintendo Switch. It also added something the original desperately needed: cooperative play. Now, a second player can jump in as "Custom Character" and help Chase hunt down Rex Fury.
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The Disguise System is the Secret Sauce
In most LEGO games, you swap between a dozen different characters to solve puzzles. In LEGO City the game, Chase McCain just changes clothes. Each "disguise" grants specific abilities that are essential for navigating the world.
- The Police Officer: Used for grappling hooks and using the scanner to find criminals.
- The Robber: It sounds counter-intuitive for a cop, but you need this to crowbar open doors and crack safes.
- The Miner: This one lets you smash through rocks and handle dynamite.
- The Astronaut: My personal favorite. You get a jetpack and the ability to use teleporters.
- The Farmer: You can glide using a chicken. Yes, a chicken. It's ridiculous and it works.
- The Fireman: Putting out fires and rescuing cats. Classic.
- The Construction Worker: Used for drilling through floors and fixing electrical boxes.
The gameplay loop is basically: enter a new area, find a puzzle you can't solve yet, progress the story to unlock a new suit, and then come back to find all the hidden Gold Bricks. It’s a formula that works because the movement feels snappy.
Why It Outshines Licensed LEGO Games
Think about LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. It’s huge, sure. But it’s constrained by the movies. You know where the story is going. In LEGO City Undercover, the writers had total freedom. They created a protagonist who is an arrogant, somewhat dim-witted but well-meaning hero. They created a villain, Rex Fury, who feels like a legitimate threat despite being made of plastic.
The "Super Builds" are another reason this game stands out. Throughout the city, you collect "Super Bricks." These aren't just the standard studs (the currency). These are large bricks you use to construct massive structures like bridges, stunt ramps, or call-in points for vehicles. Seeing a giant LEGO ferry terminal or a space shuttle launchpad build itself in the middle of the street is incredibly satisfying. It leans into the actual building aspect of LEGO more than most other titles in the series.
Technical Performance and What to Expect
If you’re playing on a modern PC or a PS5 via backward compatibility, the game is smooth. On the Nintendo Switch, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The frame rate can dip when things get busy in the city center, and the resolution takes a hit in handheld mode. But being able to take an open-world game of this scale on a plane? Worth it.
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One thing people often overlook is the soundtrack. It’s 1970s funk. It sounds like Starsky & Hutch. The bass lines are groovy, and the brass sections are punchy. It sets a tone that is completely unique in the LEGO gaming library. It doesn't sound like a cinematic orchestra; it sounds like a Saturday morning cartoon with a budget.
Collectibles and the 100% Grind
If you are a completionist, God help you. This game is packed.
- 450 Gold Bricks: You get these for everything from finishing levels to painting all the flowers in a park.
- Red Bricks: These are the "cheats" (multipliers, invincibility). There are about 40 of them.
- Character Tokens: There are nearly 300 characters to unlock.
- Vehicle Tokens: Over 100 cars, trucks, and helicopters.
It’s not just busywork, though. Exploring the city feels rewarding because the world is dense. You’ll find a park that has a hidden subterranean cave, or a skyscraper that you can parkour all the way to the top of. The verticality is surprising. You spend a lot of time on rooftops, which gives you a great view of the "plastic" ocean and the surrounding islands.
Common Misconceptions About LEGO City the Game
A lot of people think this is just for kids. It's not. The mechanics are simple enough for a seven-year-old, but the world-building is sophisticated. Another misconception is that it’s a "small" game because it’s not a major IP. In reality, the campaign alone will take you about 15 to 20 hours. If you want to see everything? You’re looking at 50+ hours.
Some players also get confused between this and LEGO City Adventures, the TV show. While they share characters, the game is its own beast. It’s a standalone epic. It also avoids the "multiverse" fatigue. You aren't constantly being reminded of other franchises. You are just in LEGO City.
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Actionable Steps for New Players
If you're just starting out or considering buying it for yourself or a kid, keep these tips in mind to avoid frustration.
Focus on the story first. Don't get distracted by the thousands of collectibles in the first five hours. You literally cannot get 90% of them until you have all the disguises. Speedrun the main missions until you unlock the Astronaut and Fireman suits. Once you have the full wardrobe, the city becomes your playground.
Collect Super Bricks early.
Keep an eye out for large, glowing bricks. You need these to build the "Call-in Points." Without these points, you can't spawn vehicles, which makes traveling across the map a massive chore. The "Vehicle Robbery" side missions are also a great way to unlock fast cars early on.
Look for the Red Brick Multipliers.
Like all LEGO games, the stud economy is broken once you find the x2, x4, and x10 multipliers. Find these as soon as possible. They are usually hidden in "vaults" or require a specific high-tier disguise to reach. Once you have them turned on, you'll never worry about "buying" a new character or vehicle again.
Don't ignore the police station.
The basement of the police station is where you customize your characters and buy your unlocked items. It's also where you can find the "Data Scan" upgrades that show you where collectibles are on your map. It saves you hours of aimless wandering.
LEGO City Undercover remains a high-water mark for TT Games. It’s a rare example of a developer taking a massive risk on an original story and succeeding. It’s funny, it’s huge, and it’s arguably the most "pure" LEGO experience you can have in digital form. If you haven't played it yet, you're missing out on a masterpiece of the genre.