It always happens. A console launches, you pick up a handful of games on day one and within a month or two you've got bored/annoyed at some stupid boss/finished them and the post-launch lull kicks in. With no big games due out for what seems like an eternity, Nintendo's latest, the Wii U, is definitely in a dip - but things aren't quite as bleak as they seem. As March comes around, the drought looks set to end, as Spring and Summer season brings with it all sorts of gaming goodness. And if you're looking for a marathon game to sink your teeth into, with the pick of the collection easily being March's Lego City Undercover, which looks set to keep us busy for a while - particularly if it comes loaded with as many collectables and unlockables as the Lego games usually have.
It's Chase McCain!
For those of you that have been following Lego City Undercover since it's announcement last summer, the Wii U and 3DS exclusive follows the exploits of undercover cop Chase McCain as he tries to track down the notorious Rex Fury, who's likely behind the recent crime wave that's washed over the sprawling metropolis of Lego City. To help him explore the huge open world, Chase gets his own wardrobe of kooky disguises, each of which gives him a new special ability - for example, dressing up as a miner lets him blow things up with dynamite, while donning the stereotypical robber's garb gives him a crowbar to prise open doors. A bit like 007, Chase McCain gets a whole host of gadgets to play with too, most notable of which is his Police Communicator - a little Lego-ised Wii U GamePad that can be used to talk to people, direct you through the city streets as a sat-nav or to scan your surroundings for clues or criminals and probably many more things besides.
But if there's one problem that comes with having a city so huge, its that getting from A to B, without wearing out your stubby little plastic feet, becomes something of a challenge. Its lucky, then, that the folks at Traveller's Tales have pulled out all the stops to provide oodles and oodles of vehicles for you to hop into as you zip around the city. We've spotted the bog-standard boats and cars of varying designs, as well as a horse or two and a helicopter too - but by far the most amazing is the ability to glide through the skies hanging onto the legs of a chicken. And did we mention the pig cannon? Not really a vehicle, and probably not with much practical use, but awesome all the same.
While details about the Wii U version have been forthcoming, though, any information about the 3DS game has been comparatively scarce - although details are now starting to trickle out. Far from being a portable version of it's console big brother, it turns out the 3DS will be getting a completely separate game, a prequel, that follows the young rookie cop Chase McCain. Currently referred to as Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins, we know very little else - although we'll imagine more details will creep out over the next few months before it's rumoured release in April.
As is often the case with the Lego games, keen fans will have the opportunity to pick up a special limited edition bundle that includes not just a copy of the game, but a Lego Mini-Figure of the games' protagonist, Chase McCain. Both editions hit the Wii U in a few months, on the 28th of March - and to celebrate the announcement, they've brought out a brand new trailer that'll be instantly familiar to anyone whose played a Lego title before. You can catch the trailer below, but sadly, there's still no clarification about our one remaining questions. Does it do co-op!
