Honestly, it’s a bit weird that we don't talk about Lego City Undercover more often. Released back in 2013, it was the Wii U's big "killer app," or at least Nintendo really hoped it would be. Most people dismissed it as another licensed Lego game, but they were wrong. It's basically Grand Theft Auto with bricks instead of bullets, and it’s arguably the funniest game Traveller’s Tales ever made.
You play as Chase McCain. He's a legendary cop returning to Lego City to hunt down Rex Fury, a criminal mastermind who escaped from prison. The setup is cliché on purpose. The game leans into every 70s and 80s cop show trope imaginable. It’s got the grumpy chief who loves donuts, the bumbling sidekick, and a city that feels surprisingly alive for being made of plastic.
What makes it stick? It’s the scale.
When you first drive across the Heritage Bridge, looking at the skyline that blends San Francisco, New York, and Seattle, you realize this isn't a linear level-based game like the Lego Star Wars titles of that era. It’s a massive open world. You can steal any car. You can climb almost any building. You can even run over pedestrians, though they just go "Oof" and hop back up because, well, it’s a family game.
The genius of the disguise system
In most Lego games, you swap characters to solve puzzles. Need to blow something up? Switch to a villain with a thermal detonator. Need to hack a terminal? Switch to an R2 unit. Lego City Undercover handles this differently through the disguise system. Chase McCain is a master of disguise, which serves as the primary mechanic for progression.
You start with the Civilian outfit. It does nothing. Then you get the Police uniform, allowing you to use a grapple gun and a communicator to track criminals. But then things get interesting. The Robber outfit lets you pry open doors and safe-crack. The Miner outfit lets you handle dynamite. The Astronaut outfit—my personal favorite—gives you a jetpack and the ability to teleport using space crates.
It’s a "Metroidvania" style of world design. You see a blue-and-white wall you can’t climb in the first hour. You won't be able to scale it until you unlock the Fireman or Construction worker much later. This creates a constant "I’ll come back for that" loop that keeps you hooked.
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Why the humor actually lands
Most games try way too hard to be funny. They use memes that die in three months. Lego City Undercover doesn't do that. It relies on physical comedy and high-quality parody.
There is an entire segment dedicated to parodizing The Shawshank Redemption. There’s a character named Blue who is a direct riff on Morgan Freeman’s Red. If you haven't seen the movie, the jokes are just "silly old man" humor. If you have seen it, it’s brilliant. The game is packed with these. Goodfellas, Starsky & Hutch, The Matrix, and even Titanic all get a nod.
It’s one of the few games where I actually watched the cutscenes instead of mashing the "skip" button. The voice acting is genuinely top-tier. Joseph May (who voiced Chase) nails the "confident but slightly dim" hero vibe perfectly.
Technical hurdles and the jump to modern consoles
Let’s be real: the original Wii U version had some problems. The biggest issue was the load times. You’d start the game, go make a sandwich, eat the sandwich, and maybe, just maybe, you’d be at the main menu. Loading the open world from a mission took upwards of a minute.
When the game finally went multi-platform in 2017—hitting PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch—things improved. Mostly.
The loading screens dropped from "eternity" to "reasonable." More importantly, they added a cooperative mode. The original was strictly single-player because of how the Wii U GamePad was integrated into the mechanics. In the remaster, a second player can just jump in as a second Chase McCain. It makes no sense for the story, but for a parent playing with a child, it’s a godsend.
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On the PC version, you can hit 60fps easily, which makes the driving feel way more responsive. Driving in the original felt a bit like steering a bathtub through custard. It’s still arcadey, but it’s functional.
The sheer volume of stuff to do
If you’re a completionist, Lego City Undercover is your nightmare and your dream. There are:
- 450 Gold Bricks.
- 290 Characters to unlock.
- 39 Red Bricks (the cheats).
- 110 Vehicles.
The city is divided into 20 different districts. Each one has its own vibe. Apollo Island is a high-tech space center. Pagoda is a vibrant Chinatown. Bluebell National Park is a massive forest with a secret karate dojo.
The game rewards exploration in a way most modern "ubislop" open worlds don't. You don't just follow icons on a map. You often have to look up. The verticality is impressive. You’ll spend twenty minutes parkouring over the rooftops of downtown just to find a single cat that needs rescuing or a coffee break spot for a gold brick.
Is it better than the new Lego Star Wars?
That’s the big question. The Skywalker Saga came out and changed the engine, added a third-person camera, and revamped the combat. It’s a technical marvel.
But Lego City Undercover has more soul.
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Because it’s not tied to a movie script, the developers had the freedom to go weird. They created an original world with original stakes. The combat is simpler—it’s basically just a counter-based system similar to the Batman Arkham games, but much easier—but it fits the vibe. You aren't there for a challenge; you're there for the vibes and the jokes.
One major criticism? The lack of a "Custom Character" creator in the newer versions is a bummer. The original allowed some tinkering, but this isn't a game about making your own hero. It’s Chase McCain’s story. You're just along for the ride.
Hidden mechanics you might have missed
Most players just drive from point A to point B. If you do that, you're missing the best part of the game: the Super Builds.
Throughout the city, there are these glowing orange pads. You need "Super Bricks" to activate them. You get these by smashing large objects or finding hidden "Large Super Bricks" (worth 10,000). Building a giant stunt ramp or a Ferris wheel feels impactful because it permanently changes the map.
Also, pay attention to the Nintendo Easter eggs. If you're playing on the Switch version, there are hidden Mario hats, Warp Pipes, and even a statue of Link if you look hard enough. They kept those in from the Wii U days, and they're a nice touch for the eagle-eyed fan.
Final verdict on the Lego City experience
Lego City Undercover is a rare gem. It’s a comedy game that is actually funny. It’s an open-world game that doesn't feel like a chore. It’s a "kids' game" that respects the intelligence of the adults playing it.
If you haven't played it because you thought you were too old for Lego games, get over it. The parody of The Matrix lobby scene alone is worth the price of admission. It’s frequently on sale for under $10 on digital stores, which is an absolute steal for 40+ hours of content.
Actionable steps for your first playthrough
- Prioritize the Story: Don't try to collect everything immediately. Many collectibles are locked behind disguises you won't get until the final chapters. Finish the story first, then go back for the 100% run.
- Find the "Data Scan Upgrade" Red Brick: This is a literal game-changer. It highlights collectibles through walls when you use your scanner. It saves hours of aimless wandering.
- Smash Everything: Seriously. You need those Super Bricks for the builds. If it's made of Lego, break it.
- Use the Helipads: Once you unlock the Astronaut and the ability to buy helicopters, the game opens up. Driving is fun, but flying across Lego City is the fastest way to spot the hidden "District Challenges."
- Check the Police Station Basement: There’s a secret area where you can enter cheat codes or view your unlocked vehicles. It’s also where some of the funniest background dialogue in the game happens.
Grab a controller, ignore the "it's for kids" label, and go catch Rex Fury. Just make sure you bring enough bricks to build the bridge first.