Remember those Lego DLCs that you could enjoy through Forza? If you have ever wanted to experience that on a much grander scale and in a way that is entirely dedicated to LEGO, this is your chance! LEGO and 2K have just announced their latest partnership, LEGO 2K Drive, a complete LEGO racing experience. If you are interested, keep reading!
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LEGO 2K Drive
Introducing the latest driving adventure game, LEGO 2K Drive. This game isn’t just a racing game, oh no. Instead, this is a vast, open world where players enjoy the LEGO experience by building their own vehicles, exploring the world, and becoming a LEGO racing legend. You have the option of exploring through open-world driving or fast-paced competitive racing.
You can choose to keep this adventure to yourself or share it with friends and family. Yes, this means that the game has a multiplayer mode! There is a robust co-op option with a local, 2-person split-screen. Alternatively, you can participate in a thrilling competitive experience and match with other racers of your skill level online. You will need an online account to access any online features.
Story
If you love LEGO and driving but aren’t into competing with other people worldwide, never fear because this game has a story for you to enjoy and become the LEGO racing champion. The report will take you through the vast open world of Bricklandia, through its multiple biome regions that are all unique, and face off against a series of charismatic NPC rivals, all to become the Sky Cup Champion.
Although the building is the big draw of a LEGO game, LEGO 2K Drive also offers minigames, different challenges you can complete, collectables to gather and reward your exploration, and of course, things to destroy. What would be the point of a LEGO game you couldn’t wreak havoc in?
Of course, racing is a big part of the story. LEGO 2K Drive offers a “fast-paced off-the-wall experience” where you can race against other players and NPC rivals through a wide range of tracks in different environments and explore many unique power-up abilities that could change the tide of the race with the touch of a button.
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Collaboration
Not only is LEGO 2K Drive a fantastic game straight out the gate, but they also have a collaboration with supercar and hypercar company McLaren Automotive to bring some of their unique cars to the world of Bricklandia. These cars include the McLaren Solus GT and the McLaren F1 LM, perfectly encapsulating the thrilling, high-octane experience they offer fans in this game.
Diverse Vehicle Customisation System
Although there will be some well-known vehicles from themes like LEGO City, Creator, and Speed Champions, you can also build your own vehicles to suit your specific tastes. To aid you in this mission, the game offers a diverse customisation system with over 1000 unique LEGO pieces, which you can find throughout your adventure and many colour designs, stickers, flairs, and more.
Multiple Editions Available
There are three different editions of LEGO 2K Drive to get your hands — at the best bang for your buck. The Standard Edition comes in physical and digital formats and will be available worldwide on the 19th of May, 2023.
The price for the Standard Edition varies based on which gaming system you buy the game for. If you are on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC (available on Steam and Epic Games Store), or the Nintendo Switch, you can get it for around R1,199.00. If you are on the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S, it is R1,299.00. A good price difference for Next-Gen content. The price may vary depending on where you are buying it from.
The second Edition that is available is the Awesome Edition (anyone else hearing Everything is Awesome running through their head when they read this?) which is R1,599.00 on all consoles (again, the price may vary depending on where you are purchasing it from). This Edition of the game comes with a new vehicle, vehicle flair, and an in-game LEGO minifigure. In addition, you can access the Year 1 Drive Pass as part of this Edition. More details will be announced about what the pass gives you soon. Still, for now, we know that it introduces an all-new biome to the game and four individual post-launch seasons of Drive Pass content, each of which has its own vehicles and themes.
Purchasing the Awesome Edition also gives you access to the game a few days earlier, as it is available digitally from the 16th of May, 2023 (note that, unfortunately, Nintendo Switch in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong are not included in this, and will have access from the 19th of May, 2023). Physical copies of the Awesome Edition will also be available on the 16th of May, 2023, while stocks last at select retailers in select territories.
Last but not least, there is the Awesome Rivals Edition. This will cost around R2,199.00 (depending on where you buy it from), and this Edition is available digitally only. It comes with everything in the Awesome Edition but also includes a separate Awesome Rivals pack that gives you an in-game Royal Sailor minifigure, Royal Outtaliner vehicle, Royal People Rover vehicle, an in-game Reckless Scorpion Stunt Driver minifigure, and Hamburghini Royale vehicle and vehicle flair.
All three editions are already available for pre-order until the 18th of May. If you pre-order it, you will receive the digital Aquadirt Racer Pack, including the Aquadirt Racer Streetcar, the Aquadirt Racer Off-road car, and the Aquadirt Racer boat. If you are interested in getting these games, I would recommend pre-ordering whichever Edition you plan to get (unless you are waiting for a physical copy). I just checked the pricing on the Nintendo Switch for the pre-order, and not only do you get extra content, but you also get a small discount. Every cent counts, am I right?
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Multi-Title Partnership
This is reportedly the first product of a multi-title partnership between 2K and the LEGO Group, meaning we can expect more exciting titles like this. With 2K has proven in the past that they can make high-quality and engaging video games, and the cultural impact that LEGO has had on the world, we can expect great things from these two. The two mega companies have said they want to “evolve the iconic LEGO games experience that fans know and love in exciting new ways,” so who knows what we could expect next?
“Beginning with LEGO 2K Drive, we’re excited for fans to experience a fresh new take that builds on the LEGO humour and fun fans have come to expect,” said Remi Marcelli, the Head of LEGO GAMES.
The development team behind this epic new racing game is Visual Concepts. This 2K studio has reportedly built a world-class team to bring this concept to life. They prioritise AAA-quality games with incredible gameplay depth and stunning visuals.
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TL;DR
- LEGO and 2K have made an awesome LEGO building, open-world racing game.
- LEGO 2K Drive has a story, a ton of customisation options to help you build your perfect car, and many races to explore to become the ultimate champion.
- There are three editions available, each with its own level of content, and they are all available for pre-order.
- LEGO 2K Drive will officially launch on the 18th of May, 2023.03.24
Are you looking forward to LEGO 2K Drive?
LEGO 2K Drive: Is This The New Mario Kart? Written by Megan Oosthuizen for Fortress of Solitude
