LEGO’s Latest Playset Has Kids Battling Ghosts In AR
According to LEGO, Hidden Side is “the bridge between physical and virtual play you’ve been looking for.“
Based on a “chilling, creative world of ghosts,” Hidden Side is a new series of LEGO sets that use AR technology to add a whole new level of interactive play to the traditional LEGO experience.
Designed for children ages seven and up, LEGO builders will have the opportunity to watch their LEGO creations comes to life on their smartphones and tablets. LEGO is rolling out eight new kits that capture every aspect of the sleepy and creepy town of Newbury, from the paranormal school bus to the local greasy spoon, the Shrimp Shack.
Each kit can be played with individually, but by combining play sets players can take part in a paranormal story that takes you deep into a forgotten realm referred to as “Hidden Side.” The story follows Jack Davids, an average thirteen-year-old who has moved to the seemingly innocent town of Newbury with his dog Spencer. Before long, our protagonist begins to notice something unsettling about his new neighborhood. Using a special app built by genius scientist J.B. that reveals the mysterious Hidden Side and its ghostly inhabitants, Jack and his new band of ghost-hunting heroes will embark on a spooky adventure the likes of which they’ve never seen.
Here’s how it works: After completing your LEGO Hidden Side set, open J.B.’s app and scan your hand-built Lego environment in its entirety. Once you’ve finished, the app will apply an AR overlay to the kit, populating it with all forms of ghosts, ghouls, and specters. Newbury Haunted High School, for example, will burst to life with students and ghosts; the wrecked shrimp boat will become surrounded by an ocean of water. The app also provides interactive gameplay that allows you to battle and capture ghosts as collectibles.
Like traditional LEGO sets, each kit comes with the mini figurines of the characters and all of the building materials needed to create the design. Each kit features its own specific set of AR missions leading up to a unique boss fight against a variety of evil spirits, including the nefarious Mr. Nibs, the undead Mamali, and the devilish Samuel Mason, just to name a few.
In terms of gameplay, it appears as though each playset will feature its own specific set of goals that will have players participating in a mix of exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving.
Here’s a full list of the spooky situations you can tangle yourself up in:
- SHRIMP SHACK ATTACK: Chef Enzo and server Sally are haunted by boss ghost Anomalo and are causing big problems for the Shack’s guests. Drive into action with Parker Jackson on the high-tech go-kart. The playset is full of awesome details and a Shrimp Shack sign that can become haunted!
- PARANORMAL INTERCEPT BUS 300: The 2 haunted workers are attacking, and the haunted ghost monster toilet is shooting browns tiles – yuck! Can you defeat them? Pull out the command station and flip out the side cannons – time to catch ghosts
- GHOST TRAIN EXPRESS: Can you stop the ghosts in time? Join forces with heroes Jack Davids and Parker Jackson as they use the latest ghost-hunting tech created by J.B. to defeat the ghosts.
- GRAVEYARD MYSTERY: Heroes Jack Davids and Parker L. Jackson need your help at the haunted graveyard! Help Jack and Parker find and defeat the ghosts.
- EL FUEGO’S STUNT TRUCK: Jump into the driver’s seat with El Fuego for some awesome, high-flying stunts.
- NEWBURY HAUNTED HIGH SCHOOL: Can you help heroes Jack Davids and Parker Jackson defeat the ghosts and return the school to normal? Check out all the awesome details and see if you can find the hidden chamber and clues.
- WRECKED SHRIMP BOAT: There’s ghost trouble off Capers Cliffs! Explore the ever-changing Hidden Side, solve new mysteries, find cool items, catch all the ghosts to add to your ghost collection, and defeat the boss ghost, Captain Archibald.
- J.B.’S GHOST LAB: Download the LEGO® Hidden Side™ app and point your phone at J.B.’s Ghost Lab to make the model come alive and reveal the Hidden Side.
“Our years of experience pioneering the convergence of technology and physical play have taught us that kids expect exciting play experiences that move seamlessly between physical and digital worlds – something we call fluid play,” said Tom Donaldson, senior vice president, Creative Play Lab at the LEGO Group, in an official release.
“At our core we focus on tactile building, but AR presents opportunities to enhance physical LEGO play with new action and mastery elements. We’re breaking the mold of gaming-first AR play experiences to create a new type of play where the physical world actually influences the AR layer, instead of the other way around.”
All of eight of the LEGO Hidden Side playsets are available now via the online Lego shop; four of these kits are also purchasable through the Apple online store.
Featured Image Credit: The Lego Group
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