During the last few years Lego has been doing a variety of tabletop board games, all composed of the lovable building blocks. Last year they introduced us to a new style of buildable board game: Heroica.








These collectible games play like a classic Dungeons & Dragons adventure, Lego style. Each game board is composed of square-shaped set pieces connected by narrow bridges that represent tunnels in a cave, pathways in a forest, corridors in a castle, and other scenic avenues. Each tile with a peg in the middle is a move space. The game is played with a special Lego die that you have to assemble (like everything else), and micro-scale figures of heroes and monsters. Each hero has a "Hero Pack" where the character's Hp is represented by red cones. Also on the "Hero Pack" are pegs where you can put items, weapons, and gold that your guy acquires during his adventure. Gold is represented by gold cones.

While advancing through the maze, heroes can find helpful potions, other useful items, and treasure chests that may contain gold or a damaging trap. Your guy can spend his gold at a shop to buy weapons and potions, and he can even sell unwanted items back to the shop. Obstacles include locked doors and keys, pressure pads that cause gateways to open, and rocky cave-ins that your guy can break his way through if he rolls the right thing. Each individual adventure culminates with a boss fight. The instructions also include ideas for alternate adventures where the goal is to find a map or some other special artifact.

Each set comes with building instructions, a rulebook, instructions for assembling the set pieces and bridges, and a cute comic that shows a couple of the characters doing various things that happen when you play game.

While a bit too simple in scope, the rules do make this a nice entry level RPG for children. As always, Lego encourages creativity. The rulebook encourages players to change the rules, make up their own rules, rearrange the game board... Basically, "reinvent the game any way you like."

I modified the rules to include Hp for the monsters (a few monster "Hero Packs") and changed what a few of the weapons and items do. I also used some extra plates from my piece collection to strengthen the connections underneath set pieces and bridges so that I can pick up the entire board and move it around (by default it falls apart easily and is definitely meant for a flat surface).




Waldurk Forest and Castle Fortaan combined


Waldurk Forest


Castle Fortaan




Draida Bay and Caverns Of Nathuz combined


Draida Bay


Caverns Of Nathuz




From left to right: Knight, Barbarian, Druid, Wizard, Ranger, Rogue


From left to right: Spider, Werewolf, Dark Druid, Goblin Warrior, Goblin Guardian, Goblin King, Bat, Golem, Golem Lord

Where were these lego sets when I was a child? This would have rocked my summers.

Yeah, kids nowadays have lots of cool stuff to play around with compared to when I was young. Then again, I've never let a minor inconvenience like growing old get in my way.