LEGO Dimensions Launch Guide: Everything You Need To Know

Well, maybe not EVERYTHING but we’re going to try and break this down for you and give you as much information as possible to make it as easy to understand. The game launches this Sunday September 27, 2015 with four different product lines. Which ones do you need? How much is it all going to cost? Are there any exclusives? Our aim with this article is to answer all of those questions.

Exclusives

The first thing we should talk about is exclusives. As far as I know, there is one retailer-exclusive and that is 71215 Ninjago Jay and that one belongs to Toys’R’Us. He is priced at $16.99. Toys’R’Us is also getting a limited time exclusive in 71222 Chima Laval. They have it until Wave 2 is released on November 3, 2015. After that date, that fun pack will be available at all major retailers carrying LEGO Dimensions.

Where To Buy

All of the links in this article point to Amazon with a few exceptions. Amazon has a LEGO Dimensions store and, not gonna lie, they are our preferred affiliate partner. If you’re still shopping around, there are a few deals to be had on launch day:

Toys’R’Us will be open at 8:00am this Sunday for the launch and is offering a $10 gift card with the purchase of any Starter Pack. They are also offering another $10 gift card with a Level, Team, and/or Fun Pack purchase of $35 or more. Be aware that their Fun Packs are priced at $16.99, Level Packs at $31.99, and Team Packs at $25.99. I would definitely recommend getting a price match at the Guest Services counter.

Best Buy has a Gamer’s Club that is probably the best deal in town right now, especially if you plan on getting a lot of the packs. The Gamer’s Club has two membership levels, it’s the “Unlocked” level you want to pay attention to. It’s $30 per year, but with that you automatically get 20% off all of the Dimensions sets. Combine it with a My Best Buy rewards membership and you could be netting some serious savings. Purchasing one Starter Pack and two Team Packs will already pay for the membership cost. After that, you can get 20% off all of the Fun Packs, Level Packs, and Team Packs to your heart’s content. The only hiccup in signing up is that the membership requires in-store activation. But once you get passed that, you’re golden.

As far as I know, Target and Walmart do not have any special deals going on, but that may change when their weekly flyer comes out on Sunday.

The Starter Pack

Like the name implies, this is the one thing you’ll absolutely need to start playing the game. The LEGO Dimensions starter pack consists of three minifigures: Batman from DC Comics, Wyldstyle from The LEGO Movie, and Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings. You also get a mini Batmobile as your starter vehicle that can be built and rebuilt into three different models. And finally, you also get the Toy Pad and bricks to build the portal gateway. The Toy Pad is what brings your LEGO vehicles and models into the game. You get access to three levels right off the bat based on the minifigs you get in the Starter Pack.

There’s a Starter Pack for every current major home console system: Wii U, Playstation 4, Playstation 3, Xbox One, and Xbox 360. Handheld gamers and PC Master Race need not apply.

The starter pack is $99.99 and are available September 27, 2015.

Level Packs

On the surface, Level Packs seem like a terrible investment and if you’re not playing the game they are! But there’s a lot of unique stuff in these packs that you won’t be able to get anywhere else that it almost makes it worth it. Almost. Level packs come with one minifigure, two mini builds, and unlocks a new level in the game. Now the interesting things is, that the copy says the following: “There are in total 14 Adventure Worlds that can be unlocked to add even more gameplay, and each world can be unlocked with any LEGO Dimensions minifigure belonging to that brand.” So perhaps you don’t have to pony up $30 bucks to unlock Hill Valley. Maybe you just need to get the Doc Brown Fun Pack to unlock Hill Valley? The Fun Pack is half the price but then again you don’t get that sweet Hoverboard, so, dilemmas abound!

Also, chat room user Ikkad contributed the following: “Any character (be it from level, team, or fun packs) can unlock an open world based on their franchise. Level Packs characters will also unlock one story-type level set in their franchise, separate from those Adventure Worlds. ie. Bart and Homer can both unlock Springfield, but only Homer can unlock the level based on The Mysterious Voyage of Homer.”

Only three Level Packs are available at launch: 71201 Back To The Future, 71202 The Simpsons, and 71203 Portal 2.

All Level Packs are $29.99. * denotes unique minifigure.

71201 Back To The Future
Minifigure: Marty McFly
Mini builds: DeLorean Time Machine, Hoverboard
Pieces: 94
Unlockable level: A Hill Valley Time Travel Adventure
Available: at launch, September 27, 2015

71202 The Simpsons
Minifigure: Homer
Mini builds: Homer’s Car, Taunt-o-Vision
Pieces: 98
Unlockable level: A Springfield Adventure
Available: at launch, September 27, 2015

71203 Portal 2
Minifigure: Chell*
Mini builds: Sentry Turret, Companion Cube
Pieces: 85
Unlockable level: A Portal 2 Adventure (why they didn’t call it “An Aperture Laboratories Experiment” is beyond me)
Available: at launch, September 27, 2015

71204 Dr. Who
Minifigure: The Doctor*
Mini builds: TARDIS, K-9
Pieces: 83
Unlockable level: An Adventure in Space and Time
Available: November 3, 2015

71228 Ghostbusters
Minifigure: Peter Venkman*
Mini builds: Ecto-1, Ghost Trap
Pieces: 115
Unlockable level: A Spook Central Adventure
Available: January 19, 2016

71235 Midway Arcade
Minifigure: Gamer Kid*
Mini builds: Arcade Machine, G-6155 Spy Hunter
Pieces: ?
Unlockable level: Over 20 Classic Arcade Games
Available: March 15, 2016

Team Packs

Team Packs seem like a way better value than Level Packs for the non-gamer. Team packs consist of two mini builds and two minifigures as opposed to the two mini builds and one minifigure you get with a Level Pack. There are four team packs available right at the start and we’ve broken it down for you. Minifigures with an asterisk (*) are unique to this set.

Only two level packs are available at launch: 71205 Jurassic World and 71206 Scooby-Doo.

All Level Packs are $24.99. * denotes unique minifigure.

71205 Jurassic World
Minifigures: Owen, ACU
Mini builds: Velocirapter, Gyrosphere
Pieces: 103
Available: at launch, September 27, 2015

71206 Scooby-Doo
Minifigures: Scooby-Doo, Shaggy
Mini builds: Scooby Snack, Mystery Machine
Pieces: 81
Available: at launch, September 27, 2015

71207 Ninjago
Minifigures: Cole, Kai
Mini builds: Boulder Bomber, Blade Bike
Pieces: 97
Available: November 3, 2015

71229 DC Comics
Minifigures: Joker, Harley
Mini builds: The Joker Chopper, Quinn-mobile
Pieces: 92
Available: January 19, 2016

Fun Packs

This is where they get their money. Fun Packs consist of one minifigure and one mini build. At $14.99 a pop, you are still paying a premium if you’re not playing the game as well. There are 25 Fun Packs in all, with each one being a playable character and a vehicle you can ride around in inside the game.

Only 15 Fun Packs are available at launch.

All Level Packs are $14.99. * denotes unique minifigure.

• 
  71209 DC Comics Wonder Woman
  Minifigure: Wonder Woman
  Mini build: Invisible Jet
  Pieces: 41
  Available: at launch, September 27, 2015
• 
  71210 DC Comics Cyborg
  Minifigure: Cyborg
  Mini build: Cyber-Guard
  Pieces: 50
  Available: at launch, September 27, 2015
• 
  71212 LEGO Movie Emmet
  Minifigure: Emmet
  Mini Build: Emmet’s Excavator
  Pieces: 55
  Available: at launch, September 27, 2015
• 
  71213 LEGO Movie Bad Cop
  Minifigure: Bad Cop
  Mini Build: Police Car
  Pieces: 62
  Available: at launch, September 27, 2015
• 
  71214 LEGO Movie Benny
  Minifigure: Benny
  Mini Build: Benny’s Spaceship
  Pieces: 46
  Available: at launch, September 27, 2015
• 
  71215 Ninjago Jay
  Minifigure: Jay
  Mini Build: Storm Fighter
  Pieces: 48
  Exclusive: Toys’R’Us
  Available: at launch, September 27, 2015
• 
  71216 Ninjago Nya
  Minifigure: Nya
  Mini Build: Samurai Mech
  Pieces: 59
  Available: at launch, September 27, 2015
• 
  71217 Ninjago Zane
  Minifigure: Zane
  Mini Build: NinjaCopter
  Pieces: 45
  Available: at launch, September 27, 2015
• 
  71218 Lord of The Rings Gollum
  Minifigure: Gollum
  Mini Build: Shelob the Great
  Pieces: 39
  Available: at launch, September 27, 2015
• 
  71219 Lord of The Rings Legolas
  Minifigure: Legolas
  Mini Build: Arrow Launcher
  Pieces: 36
  Available: at launch, September 27, 2015
• 
  71220 Lord of The Rings Gimli
  Minifigure: Gimli
  Mini Build: Axe Chariot
  Pieces: 56
  Available: at launch, September 27, 2015
• 
  71222 Chima Laval
  Minifigure: Laval
  Mini Build: Mighty Lion Rider
  Pieces: 57
  Exclusive: Toys’R’Us until November 3, 2015
  Available: at launch, September 27th, 2105
• 
  71223 Chima Cragger
  Minifigure: Cragger
  Mini Build: Swamp Skimmer
  Pieces: 45
  Available: at launch, September 27, 2015
• 
  71232 Chima Eris
  Minifigure: Eris
  Mini Build: Eagle Interceptor
  Pieces: 59
  Available: at launch, September 27, 2015
• 
  71221 The Wizard of Oz Wicked Witch
  Minifigure: Wicked Witch*
  Mini Build: Winged Monkey
  Pieces: 38
  Available: at launch, September 27, 2015
• 
  71211 The Simpsons Bart
  Minifigure: Bart
  Mini build: Gravity Sprinter
  Pieces: 34
  Available: November 3, 2015
• 
  71231 LEGO Movie Unikitty
  Minfigure: Unikitty*
  Mini Build: Cloud Cuckoo Car
  Pieces: 57
  Available: November 3, 2015
• 
  71227 The Simpsons Krusty
  Minfigure: Krusty
  Mini Build:
  Pieces: 38
  Available: November 3, 2015
• 
  71230 Back To The Future Doc Brown
  Minfigure: Doc Brown*
  Mini Build: Traveling Time Train
  Pieces: 69
  Available: January 19, 2016
• 
  71238 Doctor Who Cyberman
  Minfigure: Cyberman*
  Mini Build: Dalek
  Pieces: 40
  Available: January 19, 2016
• 
  71234 Ninjago Sensei Wu
  Minfigure: Sensei Wu
  Mini Build: Flying White Dragon
  Pieces: 58
  Available: January 19, 2016
• 
  71237 DC Comics Aquaman
  Minfigure: Aquaman
  Mini Build: Aqua Watercraft
  Pieces: 43
  Available: March 31, 2016
• 
  71236 DC Comics Superman
  Minfigure: Superman
  Mini Build: Hover pod
  Pieces: 48
  Available: March 31, 2016
• 
  71233 Ghostbusters Stay Puft
  Minfigure: Stay Puft*
  Mini Build: Terror Dog
  Pieces: 65
  Available: March 31, 2016
• 
  71240 DC Comics Bane
  Minfigure: Bane
  Mini Build: Drill Driver
  Pieces: 52
  Available: May 31, 2016
• 
  71241 Ghostbusters Slimer
  Minfigure: Slimer*
  Mini Build: Slime Shooter
  Pieces: 33
  Available: May 31, 2016
• 
  71239 Ninjago Lloyd
  Minfigure: Lloyd
  Mini Build: Lloyd’s Golden Dragon
  Pieces: 56
  Available: May 31, 2016

Costs

Just to get started with the game you’re looking at $99.99 MSRP for the Starter Pack. That’s the bare minimum you’ll need to enjoy the game. You get three minifigures and a mini Batmobile and the all important Toy Pad portal. After that, each Level Pack beyond the starter set will set you back $29.99 per level and with it you get an additional character, two more vehicles, and a whole new level to sink your time into. Thankfully, the Team Packs and Fun Packs are purely optional. But if you can’t handle playing the Scooby-Doo level with Batman, then you’re looking at $24.99 for the Team Pack. Fun Packs, as in it’s fun to throw away more money, are $14.99 each and there are 15 to choose from at launch. If you’re the type to get them all, your grand total for launch day before any taxes or shipping is a whopping $464.79. Best Buy’s Gamer’s Club Unlocked is looking pretty good right about now, eh?