LEGO has unveiled new details about its upcoming board game, Monkey Palace. This jungle-themed strategy game marks a significant step for the Danish toy giant as it re-enters the board game market with a fresh approach that puts building at the forefront of gameplay.
Jaume Fabregat, LEGO’s Board Games Lead, recently shed light on the company’s renewed interest in board games, which began in 2019. “We decided that if the LEGO Group was to publish board games again, we would need a compelling reason,” Fabregat explained. This decision led to the development of Monkey Palace, a game that integrates LEGO’s core building mechanics into a strategic board game experience.
A New Approach to LEGO Board Games
Unlike LEGO’s previous foray into board games in 2009, which often featured static, pre-built game pieces, Monkey Palace emphasizes continuous building and rebuilding. “If players enjoy LEGO building, we want them to be constantly building, unbuilding and rebuilding with the bricks,” Fabregat stated. This design philosophy aims to showcase the versatility of LEGO bricks while providing an engaging gameplay experience.
Monkey Palace, designed for two to four players, combines cooperative and competitive elements. Players work together to rebuild the titular Monkey Palace while competing to construct the tallest staircases for maximum points. The game’s unique premise involves players receiving a handful of LEGO bricks to reconstruct a collapsed palace, guided only by a mischievous monkey character who may help or hinder their efforts.
Collaboration and Innovation
The development of Monkey Palace involved a collaborative effort between LEGO, new studio Dotted Games, Bezzerwizzer Studio, and board game publisher Asmodee. This partnership brought together expertise in game design and LEGO’s iconic building system to create a novel gaming experience.
Fabregat highlighted the importance of family-friendly gameplay and intergenerational appeal in Monkey Palace’s design. “The main guiding principle when developing Monkey Palace was to ensure that LEGO games offer a fun family social interaction,” he explained. The game incorporates subtle humor, a hallmark of LEGO products, to enhance the overall experience.
Reinventing the Rulebook
One of the most innovative aspects of Monkey Palace is its approach to game rules. The development team faced the challenge of integrating LEGO’s familiar building instructions into a traditional game rulebook. Their solution was to create a new “code of laws” that guides players through the building process and measures the impact of their decisions.
This novel approach to game rules not only maintains LEGO’s signature step-by-step guidance but also empowers players by giving them more agency in their building choices. It represents a significant innovation in both LEGO product design and board game mechanics.
Looking Ahead
Monkey Palace is set to make its debut at the Essen Spiel board gaming convention on October 3, with a worldwide release shortly after. As LEGO’s first major board game release in years, it represents a bold step for the company into a rapidly evolving tabletop gaming market.
The game’s success could pave the way for future LEGO board game releases, potentially establishing a new product line that bridges the gap between construction toys and strategic tabletop games. It also demonstrates LEGO’s ability to adapt its core product to new formats, keeping the brand relevant in an increasingly diverse toy and game market.
As the release date approaches, anticipation is building among LEGO enthusiasts and board game fans alike. Monkey Palace promises to offer a unique gaming experience that combines the tactile joy of LEGO building with the strategic depth of modern board games, potentially appealing to a wide range of players across different age groups.
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