LEGO Racers fans can rejoice because LEGO racing games are back on the menu thanks to LEGO 2K Drive. While it is not technically LEGO Racers 3, LEGO 2K Drive seems to have everything that fans of the series could want. Its release will mark the first AAA LEGO game not made by Traveller's Tales in a while, and will hopefully pave the way for even more LEGO games like it.
LEGO has seen a plethora of video games over the years, but recent titles have mostly been licensed LEGO games from TT Games. The days of games like LEGO Island, LEGO Rock Raiders, and Legoland seemed to be long gone as the brand focused on the licensed titles. However, the release of LEGO 2K Drive will see the grand return of non-licensed AAA LEGO games. If the game is a success then this could kickstart a new era for LEGO, and it should bring other classic LEGO titles along for the ride.
LEGO 2K Drive Looks Like LEGO Racers 3
LEGO 2K Drive is not connected to the LEGO Racers series, and 2K is not calling it a spiritual successor. There really is no connection between the two series, but it is probably the closest thing fans will ever get to a LEGO Racers 3. It will be an open-world racing game filled with LEGO shenanigans, and should be everything that fans of the classic racing franchise could want.
LEGO 2K Drive will bring players to the massive open-world of Bricklandia. They will be able to build their dream LEGO cars, and race across the world in classic racing fashion. They can race against their racing rivals as they try to get the coveted Sky Trophy, or compete against other players in split-screen or online multiplayer. It looks like it is going to be a lot of fun, and LEGO fans do not have long to wait. If it is a success then it will likely lead to even more AAA LEGO games from other studios, and that will hopefully bring about a resurgence of classic LEGO games.
It is Time for a Classic LEGO Game Resurgence
Before Traveller's Tales became the primary developer of LEGO games, the LEGO brand explored numerous genres. These titles were not licensed games like LEGO Star Wars or LEGO Batman; they were original IPs that all mostly delivered on the promise of playing in a LEGO-fied world. While some of these experiences still exist, the LEGO brand has put a far greater emphasis on TT Games' LEGO series.
One of the first major LEGO games came in the form of LEGO Island in 1997. This game brought players to an open-world island and set them loose on it. They could customize it, build vehicles, chase criminals, and run around as five playable characters. It was a very popular game at the time, and would spawn multiple sequels. LEGO has not done anything with this series since 2002, but the release of LEGO 2K Drive should change that.
LEGO Island is not the only classic LEGO game that deserves a sequel of some kind. LEGO Rock Raiders was a fun LEGO RTS based on the Rock Raiders line, Legoland brought the LEGO formula to the management simulation genre, Soccer Mania LEGO-fied Soccer, Bionicle got loads of video game tie-ins, and even chess got a LEGO version through LEGO Chess. While these titles all varied in quality, they gave LEGO a far more diverse catalog than what it has today.
LEGO 2K Drive will hopefully see the return of non-licensed LEGO games from studios that are not Traveller's Tales. While TT Games should still make its LEGO titles, the LEGO brand would also benefit from a bit more diversity in its video game lineup. There are loads of titles that could all be revisited in this new era, and LEGO 2K Drive should be the one to pave the trail.
LEGO 2K Drive releases on May 19 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
