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LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game 3DS
Metascore
71 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 16 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 16
  3. Negative: 1 out of 16
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  1. GamingXP
    May 23, 2011
    85
    It's the best game on the 3DS I've ever played and the mix of LEGO and Pirates of the Caribbean, the gameplay, the atmosphere and the story is nearly perfect. If you like Pirates of the Caribbean, then this one is a no-brainer.
  2. Vandal Online
    May 27, 2011
    80
    This is a fun and well-built adventure which knows how to use the 3D effect. A good start for licensed games on the system, providing a very enjoyable experience, although with no multiplayer.
  3. IGN
    May 11, 2011
    80
    The 3D really is a big addition in this case, as well, allowing you to see environments more clearly and complete jumps that would otherwise be much more difficult. And with the small number of 3DS games on the market right now, you could certainly do worse than LEGO Pirates.
  4. Official Nintendo Magazine UK
    May 12, 2011
    78
    A nice take on the Pirates films, but it's too simplistic for seasoned gamers.
  5. MEGamers
    Jul 13, 2011
    75
    Lego Pirates of the Caribbean on the 3DS does a solid job of showcasing how fun Lego games can be.
  6. GameShark
    Jul 13, 2011
    75
    There's nothing in here that transforms the LEGO experience for the better or worse, but it may be the best Pirates of the Caribbean game produced thus far.
  7. NintendoWorldReport
    Jun 2, 2011
    75
    A fun, if incredibly easy, single-player action game for the Nintendo 3DS which actually makes good use of the 3D. If you are looking for a fun diversion on your new handheld, it's a game that may very well fit the bill.
  8. Nintendo Gamer
    Jun 13, 2011
    70
    Repetitive, well-worn gameplay. [June 2011, p.62]
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  9. Cubed3
    May 24, 2011
    70
    Whilst LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game has some fantastic ideas included that help make it appeal to all audiences, at the same time there is far too much retreading of old ground during the adventure and the overall challenge is considerably lacking, thus relegating this to a 'rent first' type of game.
  10. Digital Chumps
    May 23, 2011
    70
    I fully realize this is for the younger gamer that enjoys more collection/customization, but I expected just a bit more action in this game like I experienced in the console versions. The modifications and cuts from the bigger console versions really made a difference, as there is just a bit more 'dull' in the 3DS version. It's still fun, but not as fun as it could be.
  11. Nintendo Life
    May 20, 2011
    70
    An enjoyable addition to the series and a fun experience. The level design and lack of difficulty make this particularly suitable for less experienced or casual gamers while potentially disenchanting seasoned players.
  12. Pocket Gamer UK
    May 16, 2011
    70
    As far as film tie-ins go, Lego Pirates of the Caribbean is easily one of the better ones, but it's doesn't compare so well to the other Lego tie-ins.
  13. Eurogamer Portugal
    Jun 2, 2011
    60
    In general, this portable version of Pirates of the Caribbean is a good game, full of memorable moments for those who know the movies, with even some references loaded with humor. Although it has plenty of incentive to prolong the game, the adventure is too short, and essentially devoid of challenge.
  14. Eurogamer Spain
    Jun 1, 2011
    60
    As expected, it's a fun game for children, but the problem is that the formula begins to show its age and the experience is too limited.
  15. GameSpot
    May 11, 2011
    60
    Lego Pirates of the Caribbean is cute, colorful, and boring.
  16. Gamekult
    May 23, 2011
    40
    Quotation forthcoming.
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User Reviews

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User Score
7.1 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 10 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. andrewcruze
    7
    I never thought I’d say this, but a Lego game made it onto my list of most anticipated games for spring 2011: Lego Pirates of the Caribbean for the Nintendo 3DS. I bought my stately, black 3DS on March 27th, and have spent the past month-and-a-half wringing as much life out of it as possible. I tore through Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars in a week, collected nearly all 1,000 Lums in Rayman 3DS, sunk a solid 50 hours into Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars, and got my ass kicked all over Super Street Fighter IV. Then I ran out of games. Well, 3DS games. I still had my untouched copy of Dragon Quest IX to beat, which I did, and some puzzles left to solve in the latest Layton adventure. But as much as I still enjoy last generation’s handheld titles, I find myself craving the more graphically robust 3D romps of the 3DS’ still-thin library. That’s why Lego Pirates was so intriguing. I know the Lego game drill (cute Lego characters dressed up as familiar franchise personalities hack through enemies and destroy blocky environments to collect all the hidden items), but the formula has taken on a whole new relevance since my obsession with the 3DS. Oddly enough, on the one platform without real multiplayer, these Lego games come to life. Take Jack’s Pelegostos costume. On the PS3 or Xbox 360, I’d immediately write off that version of Jack Sparrow. The hat’s way too over-the-top. It’s tall, ostentatiously colored, and it bobs and weaves precariously to Jack’s drunken gait. However, on the 3DS it gives his character model a very real presence. It lifts him from the screen and makes him look substantial. I feel like I can almost pluck that hat from his head between my thumb and forefinger and wear it like a Bugle. Controlling Jack (or any of the other roughly 70 playable characters) through the 3D environments is also a pleasure for the gamer charmed by Nintendo’s dual parallax screens. The 3D effect is often subtle, but in a good way. Unlike, say, Rayman 3DS, there are few occasions of blurring when a wall or a dock jut out from the foreground. The best way to describe the effect in this game is immersive. Lego Pirates does little to remind you, overtly, that you’re playing a 3D game, but when you turn the 3D slider all the way down, it’s quickly apparent what the 3D adds. It adds a smoothness to the graphics and an elegant separation between the background and foreground that makes you feel like you’re playing on a much more powerful system. However, your enjoyment of this game will likely be contingent upon a number of caveats, as it has been for me. First of all, you have to be looking for some mindless fun. Lego Pirates has almost no challenge to speak of, aside from locating the stray collectables in Free Play mode. Enemies are infrequent and a cinch to beat—just press the attack button five times and they’re vanquished. There are zero unique boss battles. Bosses always engage you using the dull, QTE-based duel system. But if you do somehow manage to die, like in other Lego games, you respawn with almost no penalty right where you left off. The platforming is also incredibly simple. Don’t expect any Mario-style ledge leaping or wall jumping here. And, while we’re at it, don’t expect any head-scratching puzzles. Not sure how to proceed to the next area? Well, have you smashed all the blocks? Have you held down the build button on top of that pile of Mexican jumping bricks? If you do decide to pick up this game, be prepared to play beyond the Story mode, because the biggest sense of accomplishment, by far, comes after the main campaign is over. But don’t worry. It doesn’t take long to get there. The campaign takes only 5-6 hours to complete. Then it’s time to round up your crew of smarmy misfits and hit Free Play mode, which is where the levels really open up in terms of space and complexity. One of the more sincere compliments I can give this game is that it makes you want to replay its levels. Notice those clumps of moss, those doors guarded by the floating skull and crossbones, those cones of mucous-green light? Of course you did. They’re all over the place in this game, and you can’t unlock their secrets without the right set of characters and the ability to return in Free Play mode. I’m sorry to say the challenge doesn’t ramp up when you can finally access these new areas, but if you came to this game craving 3D exploration you will be rewarded for your return trip. The unlockable environments are often full, sometimes multi-tiered, rooms—not just tiny nooks hiding an errant Ship Bottle or Red Brick. And they’re plentiful. Each level contains multiple offshoots accessible only in Free Play mode (and, again, only with the proper set of characters and special abilities). If you’re looking for a point-of-comparison, look no further than... (Continue reading at andrewcruze.com.)… Full Review »
  2. hit925
    5
    As a fan of the films, I didn't really enjoy this. The cutscenes were very funny and the 3d effect looks very good but the gameplay is far too repetitive and the game is a bit too short despite spanning 4 films.… Full Review »
  3. AeitZean
    7
    Having loved many of the previous Lego interpretations of classic films, and also loving the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, I expected to adore this game. Perhaps I set my expectations a little too high, because what I got was a good, but not great platformer. The graphics are as pretty as ever, and all the characters look right, but the problem comes from the fact that barely any of the environments are made of Lego themselves, or if they are they don’t appear to be. Much of the games environments are normal realistic style areas, walls etc, with certain doors and a few fixings made of Lego. Previous games have made even environments feel 'legoish', but the feeling is absent here. That is not at all to say it is a bad game, the music is beautiful and orchestral, very faithful to the movie's. The characters also look and act as you would expect them to, with Johnny Depp's characteristic pirate swagger captured perfectly. I did feel a bit let down by the hub-world however, as it is literally a tiny town with only one exit, and upon leaving you are presented with a level select screen for all the chapters and all the levels. Previous games obscured this process by having large interactive hub worlds, where different exits corresponded to different chapters, but here there is just the one exit. The 'plot' if there is one attempts to be true to the films, but since the Lego characters don’t talk, if you don’t know the plot you will have no idea what is going on. I knew the plot for the first three films but even then I struggled at de-cyphering the Lego interpretation, only to end up presented with a fourth film I have yet to see and absolutely no clue what was going on. My final criticism is that the game is terribly short and easy. While I dont expect a lego game to be a sprawling hardcore 80 hour epic, in only a few hours play time I was able to complete all the levels, get all the 'hidden' items and unlock all the characters and un-lockables. Despite its flaws, it still manages to flaunt both its Pirates of the Caribbean and its Lego charms. Worth a play, but wait for the price to drop.… Full Review »
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