LEGO Junkbot
LEGO Junkbot is a puzzle platforming flash game series released by the LEGO Group.[1][2]
It was developed by Gamelab in the 2000s in association with a strategy by LEGO to create online games for the purpose of elevating their brand and e-commerce platform. Junkbot and its sequel was playable on Lego.com until the deprecation of flash.[3][4]
Description[edit]
The game involves a character named 'junkbot' that walks around the screen without being controlled by the player.[5] The player moves lego bricks around the level, to make a path for junkbot and clear obstacles. The player succeeds when Junkbot is successfully guided to a recycling can, completing the level.[6]
The gameplay of the series has been compared to LEGO Builder's Journey by Light Brick Studio, another game that follows a principle whereby bricks are shifted to move the world around characters; rather than moving characters themselves.[7]
A sequel for the original game named 'Junkbot Undercover' was released in 2003. The game and its titular character remained popular with fans years after its release.[8] In 2018 the LEGO Group paid tribute to Junkbot in a NINJAGO set, which contained an arcade machine running Junkbot. In another set of the same series, four unprinted bricks were included that could be used to construct a figure resembling Junkbot.[9]
The original flash versions of the game were archived by BioMedia Project.[10]
References[edit]
- ↑ Sean (2023-05-20). "LEGO Junkbot – an enduring legend that's ANYTHING but trash". Blocks magazine – the monthly LEGO magazine for fans. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
- ↑ "Remember Junkbot? The LEGO Group remembers Junkbot". 2021-08-18. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:0 - ↑ I LOVE TRASH: Ode to LEGO Junkbot, retrieved 2023-07-18
- ↑ "Remember Junkbot? The LEGO Group remembers Junkbot". 2021-08-18. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
Forever on the march, the only way to control Junkbot was to change his direction, ensuring he avoided hazards, picked up bonuses and, most importantly, collected trash cans.
- ↑ Sean (2023-05-20). "LEGO Junkbot – an enduring legend that's ANYTHING but trash". Blocks magazine – the monthly LEGO magazine for fans. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
the orange and grey character Junkbot was not controlled by the player – instead, the goal was to direct Junkbot where he needed to go, all while avoiding dangerous bots and treacherous obstacles. The only place Junkbot was needed, naturally, was in the direction of the nearest trash can, which he happily gobbled up before seeking the next one.
- ↑ Sean (2023-05-20). "LEGO Junkbot – an enduring legend that's ANYTHING but trash". Blocks magazine – the monthly LEGO magazine for fans. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
A sequel to both Junkbot and Junkbot Undercover would continue the trend for child-friendly, simple games that differ from modern video games. After all, if you’re too young to play Fortnite, you’d be the target age for a hypothetical Junkbot 3. At the same time, Junkbot 3 would appeal to all ages – just like its predecessors.
- ↑ Sean (2023-05-20). "LEGO Junkbot – an enduring legend that's ANYTHING but trash". Blocks magazine – the monthly LEGO magazine for fans. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
The game and title character’s endearing and enduring popularity never seemed to fully fade.
- ↑ Sean (2023-05-20). "LEGO Junkbot – an enduring legend that's ANYTHING but trash". Blocks magazine – the monthly LEGO magazine for fans. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
Thankfully, direct references to Junkbot appear in 70657 NINJAGO City Docks and 10273 Haunted House from LEGO Icons’ Fairground sets. In the NINJAGO City Docks, an arcade machine running Junkbot can be found, while four unprinted parts that can be used to construct Junkbot can be found in the attic of the Haunted House.
- ↑ Sean (2023-05-20). "LEGO Junkbot – an enduring legend that's ANYTHING but trash". Blocks magazine – the monthly LEGO magazine for fans. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
Both games are downloadable NOW as part of the BioMedia project, an internet archive of the LEGO Group’s long-abandoned online Flash games and other LEGO materials, with a focus on BIONICLE.
