Test Your LEGO Skills in Brick Like This!

How easily can you provide LEGO building instructions, when you can’t touch the bricks? How quickly can you build a shape when you can’t actually see it? Find out in this brick-building party game.

Published by Dotted Games, Brick Like This is a LEGO party game for 2-8 players, with a 15-minute playtime.

Gameplay

Everyone divides evenly into teams of two. If there is an odd number of players, one team will have three people on it, with one of those three being an observer each time. Each round, one player will be the instructor and one the builder. Roles will rotate each round.

Shape cards are placed in the center of the table, separated into decks based on the minimum number of bricks needed to build them, ranging from five to eight. This is also how many points each card in the deck is worth. All the LEGO bricks are placed in the center of the table, as well.

Each instructor chooses the top card of one of the decks. Once every instructor has one, they may all look at their card, and then the building begins.

A shape card shows a shape that the builder must build, but he cannot look at the shape card. The instructor, meanwhile, cannot touch the bricks and is not allowed to point. Using words only, the instructor tries to guide the builder into replicating the shape on the card.

Once a team believes they have finished, they shout 'Done!' and then start the 30-second timer. The other teams only have until the timer runs out to finish building their shapes.  Then, each team with a completed shape checks that it matches their shape card. If it does, they get to keep the card for points. If it does not actually match, they must discard the card. The team with the most points after six rounds wins the game.

There are also challenge cards that can be added to the gameplay. These include special restrictions to make a round harder. For example, the instructor may not say colors or the builder must keep his eyes closed for the round.

Review

LEGO bricks are so recognizable and well-loved, that this fact alone serves as a great springboard into this party game. It will draw people to this game in the same way a licensed theme typically does, but it is far more general and will appeal to a broader audience. Players will also understand that building is going to be a part of the game, so it’s already somewhat easier to teach.

Two-player teams is a great mechanic for this, when you have the exact number of players for it. It keeps everyone very engaged and active. The pieces are also small enough that you really couldn’t have two people building at the same time.

However, the game is more clunky with an odd number of players, since someone is forced to be the observer each round. Rounds aren’t that long, and it can be fun to root for your teammates, but at the end of the day it’s just more fun to be playing the game yourself.

The challenge cards really add a needed element to the game for adult players, and increase the difficulty in a very satisfying way. There are several suggestions in the rulebook as well, though, for fitting the game to a younger audience.

This is an excellent party game. There are several ways to scale the difficulty for the age group playing, and it has a great table presence. Building with LEGO bricks will bring back fond memories for a lot of players, and having a game built around that concept is quite clever. Recommended!

Pros: Ability to adjust gameplay difficulty to your group, a great hook to get people interested in playing

Cons: Odd number of players doesn’t work as well

Disclosure: we received a complimentary review copy of this game.