LEGO City Undercover is an action-adventure game set in a sprawling open-world version of LEGO City. Players take control of police officer Chase McCain as he returns to the city to recapture the escaped criminal Rex Fury and stop a wave of crime across more than twenty districts.
Gameplay
The core loop centers on exploration, puzzle-solving, and light combat within a large city environment. Chase moves on foot or commandeers any available vehicle, including cars, boats, and helicopters. Platforming elements include climbing poles, wall jumps, and using environmental objects to reach new areas. Combat involves grabbing enemies, performing counters, throwing them, and handcuffing them to complete arrests.
A key mechanic involves switching between several disguises that grant specialized abilities. The police disguise provides a grapple gun and detective scanning tools. The robber disguise allows use of a crowbar and color gun. The miner disguise equips a pickaxe for breaking rocks and handling dynamite. The astronaut disguise includes a jetpack and ray gun for reaching high or distant spots. Additional disguises such as farmer and construction worker add further tools like watering cans or jackhammers. These abilities unlock previously inaccessible collectibles and paths during free roam.
Players collect LEGO studs as currency, gold bricks, red bricks that unlock extras, and tokens for characters and vehicles. Side activities scattered throughout the districts include timed free-run challenges, vehicle theft pursuits that require evading police, and various construction or environmental puzzles. Building LEGO objects from scattered bricks advances objectives or creates new structures.
Game Modes
Story mode follows the main narrative through fifteen Special Assignments. These are self-contained missions that mix linear objectives with open exploration segments in the city. Progress through the story unlocks new disguises and areas.
Free Play mode becomes available after completing a Special Assignment. It allows replay of those missions with every disguise unlocked, enabling different approaches to puzzles and collectible hunting that were unavailable during the initial playthrough.
Free roam lets players explore the full city at any time. This mode supports collecting items, completing side challenges such as car chases and district-specific tasks, and experimenting with vehicles and disguises without story restrictions. Local split-screen co-op supports two players sharing the same console during both story missions and free roam.
Exploration and Collectibles
LEGO City divides into numerous distinct districts, each with unique layouts and hidden items. Scanning tools highlight nearby objects and clues. Super builds require gathering special bricks to construct larger structures that often serve as shortcuts or vehicle spawn points. Red bricks purchased with studs modify gameplay, such as multiplying stud collection or altering vehicle performance.
The game emphasizes thorough exploration over linear progression. Many collectibles only become reachable after unlocking specific disguises or completing earlier objectives, encouraging multiple returns to the same locations.
Is It Worth Playing?
LEGO City Undercover delivers a complete single-player experience focused on humor, open-world freedom, and family-friendly action-adventure gameplay. The disguise system and city scale provide variety that keeps exploration engaging across dozens of hours. Local co-op adds replay value for shared play without requiring online connectivity.
Performance on Nintendo Switch runs best in docked mode, where the frame rate remains more stable during busy sequences. Handheld play and co-op sessions can show occasional drops. The game receives consistent praise for its witty storytelling and dense collection of activities. It suits players who enjoy LEGO titles with an emphasis on exploration rather than competitive multiplayer or frequent content updates. Those seeking a self-contained adventure with strong replay through collectibles and alternate mission approaches will find it rewarding.
