LEGO Marvel Super Heroes – Universe in Peril

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes – Universe in Peril is a 2013 Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by Traveller’s Tales and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows, and published by Feral Interactive for OS X. The game features gameplay similar to other Lego titles, such as Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga and Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, alternating between various action adventure sequences and puzzle solving scenarios.

The handheld version of the game by TT Fusion was released under the title Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Universe in Peril for iOS, Android, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita. A Nintendo Switch version was released on October 8, 2021. The game’s storyline sees various heroes from the Marvel Universe joining forces to foil the schemes of Doctor Doom and Loki, who have also recruited a number of villains to aid them, and seek to conquer the Earth using the Doom Ray of Doom, a device built from the shards of the Silver Surfer’s board called “Cosmic Bricks”. 

Lego Marvel Super Heroes received generally positive reviews, and is currently the best-selling Lego video game of all time. A spin-off titled Lego Marvel’s Avengers was released on 26 January 2016, and a sequel titled Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 was released on 14 November 2017. Following the gameplay style of past Lego titles, players are able to control 180 characters from the Marvel Universe, each with their own unique abilities. 

For example, Spider-Man can swing on his webs and use his spider-sense while the Hulk, who is larger than the standard minifigures, can throw large objects, as well as shrink down into Bruce Banner to access computers. Galactus was chosen as the main antagonist of the game. According to game director, Arthur Parsons, and producer, Phil Ring, one of the main settings of Lego Marvel Super Heroes is a Lego version of New York City’s borough, Manhattan, and can explore the islands of both Liberty and Ryker. In addition, a Lego version of Asgard was created.

The creative team has also incorporated Marvel Comics co-creator Stan Lee in the game. He is a part of missions called “Stan Lee in Peril” (similar to “Citizen in Peril” missions from previous games). He is also a playable character and has several of the other characters’ abilities (such as Spider-Man’s webbing, a combination of the Human Torch’s heat beam and Cyclops’ optic blast, Mister Fantastic’s ability to grapple, Wolverine’s adamantium skeleton when all health is depleted, and the ability to transform into a Hulk-like version of Lee).