{{Short description|1997 video game}} {{Good article}} {{Use American English|date=August 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox video game | title = Lego Island | image = Lego-island.jpg | caption = Cover art featuring the Brickster (left, on motorcycle) and Pepper Roni (right, on skateboard) | alt = An image of a tropical island featuring buildings and foliage constructed from Lego bricks, within a blue pattern frame of Lego stubs. On the right, Pepper Roni, a hat-wearing Lego minifigure on a skateboard, throws a pizza at the head of The Brickster, a Lego minifigure wearing a prison uniform and riding a Lego motorcycle, on the left. A pile of Lego bricks is displayed at the bottom of the box. The game's logo, "Lego Island", is positioned at the top, with "3D Action Adventure CD-ROM Game" in white text underneath the big mostly yellow "Island". Several company logos and included offers are listed along the sides. | developer = Mindscape | publisher = Mindscape | platforms = Windows | released = September 26, 1997 | genre = Action-adventure | modes = Single-player | director = Wes Jenkins | producer = Scott Anderson | designer = {{Unbulleted list|Dennis Goodrow|Wes Jenkins}} | programmer = {{Unbulleted list|Dennis Goodrow (manager)|Jim Brown|Randy Chou (3D)|Alex Goldobin|Eric Ellis}} | artist = {{Unbulleted list|David Patch|Jan Sleeper}} | writer = Wes Jenkins | composer = Lorin Nelson }}
'''''Lego Island''''' is a Lego-themed open world action-adventure game developed and published by Mindscape. It was released for Windows on September 26, 1997, as the second Lego video game overall and the first one outside Japan. In the "proto-open world" game, players explore the eponymous island as one of five unique minifigure characters, and can build vehicles and complete side quests; the game's main story involves Pepper Roni, a pizza delivery boy, and his efforts to stop an escaped prisoner known as the Brickster from destroying the island.
''Lego Island'' was the first video game developed after the Lego Group began efforts to gain a foothold in the video game industry. The game's main characters are each modeled after an intelligence type according to the theory of multiple intelligences. The development team studied how children engaged with Lego bricks to help shape the game's scope and gameplay.
''Lego Island'' received generally positive reviews from critics. It was a commercial success, selling close to one million copies by 1999. The game was followed by two sequels, both developed by Silicon Dreams Studio: ''Lego Island 2: The Brickster's Revenge'' (2001) and ''Island Xtreme Stunts'' (2002). It has since gained a cult following, with a fan-made sequel in development {{as of|2020|lc=y}}, and unofficial ports developed through decompilation released in 2025.
== Gameplay == thumb|left|Lego Island as it appears in the game, including the Information Center (top-left) and the Brickster's jail cell (top-right)|alt=Two vertically positioned images show different parts of an island where all the structures and vegetation are made from Lego bricks. The upper image shows a bridge over the water leading to a small outcropping with a lone jail cell. On the cliff overlooking the cell is the Information Center, a building with a tall tower emerging from the center. The lower image shows the island from overhead, with an elevated area in the distance. Visible landmarks include a lifeguard station on the beach, a small pizzeria, a bank, a race track, and a gas station.
''Lego Island'' is a nonlinear video game played from a first-person perspective. The player is able to freely roam around the eponymous Lego Island, interact with non-player characters, build and drive vehicles, or complete several different missions.<ref name="Kotaku: Influence" /><ref name="Destructoid: Nineteen" />
The game features five playable characters: police officers Laura and Nick Brick; pizzeria proprietors Mama and Papa Brickolini; and their adopted son<ref name=Manual>{{harvnb|Lego Media|1997}}</ref>{{rp|p=23}} Pepper Roni, a pizza delivery boy who serves as the protagonist. Each playable character possesses their own unique abilities and interactions modeled after different intelligence types listed in Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences;<ref name=Manual/>{{rp|p=14}}<ref name="PC Gamer: Adventure game devs" /> the game showcases two additional intelligence types via non-player characters the Infomaniac, the island's founder<ref name=Manual/>{{rp|p=21}} who serves as a tour guide, and the Brickster, a criminal incarcerated in Lego Island's jail.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|p=17}} Each character can perform a different action to customize non-player characters and vegetation on the island, such as changing their colors or giving them different hats. The game also includes numerous Easter eggs spread across the island.<ref name="Kotaku AU: Lego game evolution">{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Leah J. |title=The Modern Lego Games Owe A Lot To Lego Island |url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2021/06/lego-island-games-evolved/ |website=Kotaku Australia |access-date=July 9, 2022 |language=en-AU |date=June 23, 2021 |archive-date=July 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709005736/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2021/06/lego-island-games-evolved/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The player can also construct a race car, jet ski, dune buggy, or police helicopter with the help of mechanic Bill Ding, which can be customized and used in missions or to explore the island.<ref name="Kotaku: Influence" /><ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|p=2}}<ref name="Pause">{{cite magazine |last=Zucaro |first=Lou |date=August 27, 1997 |title=Our Trip to LEGO Island |url=https://www.lugnet.com/pause/techzone/games/legoisland/index.html |url-status=live |magazine=Pause Magazine |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080720042156/https://www.lugnet.com/pause/techzone/games/legoisland/index.html |archive-date=July 20, 2008 |access-date=August 23, 2023 |via=LUGNET}}</ref> There are five missions that the player can perform as any of the playable characters: a motor race at the race track; a jet ski race at the beach; a pizza delivery for Brickolini's Pizzeria; a towing job for the Octan gas station; and ambulance driving for the hospital.<ref name="Kotaku AU: Lego game evolution"/><ref name=USG>{{cite web |last1=Revely-Calder |first1=Cal |title=Revisiting the Long-Forgotten Proto-Open World of Lego Island |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/heterotopias-004-extract-lego-island-proto-open-world |website=USgamer |access-date=July 3, 2022 |language=en |date=April 26, 2018 |archive-date=July 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703072908/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/heterotopias-004-extract-lego-island-proto-open-world |url-status=dead }}</ref> The player will be awarded a red, blue, or yellow brick per character for each mission depending on how they place in the race or how quickly they complete the mission, which can be viewed on the Score Cube at the Information Center.<ref name=Manual/>{{rp|p=9}}
While there is no running story or necessary objective to ''Lego Island'', a special mission will occur if the player has built a police helicopter and delivers a pizza to the Jail as Pepper Roni.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|p=16}} Using the fumes from the extremely spicy pizza, the Brickster melts the lock to his cell and escapes in the helicopter, stealing the power brick from the top of the Information Center. He then disassembles the helicopter and steals vehicles from the hospital and police station, planning to disassemble everything on the island with a laser gun powered by the stolen power brick. Giving chase on his skateboard, Pepper pursues the Brickster and recovers the pieces of the helicopter. Once it is rebuilt, Pepper uses the helicopter to fire donuts to speed Nick and Laura up and pizzas to slow the Brickster down, allowing him to be captured.<ref name=USG/> The Brickster is thrown back in jail, and the citizens congratulate Pepper and the player. If the Brickster is not caught before he disassembles all the buildings, an alternate ending occurs in which the Brickster gloats about his success as the citizens break down crying, though the Infomaniac reassures the player that they can rebuild the island and the Brickster will be returned to his cell.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|p=16}}
== Development and release == thumb|The development team created a model of Lego Island to study how children engaged with it. From left to right: Scott Anderson, Wes Jenkins, and Dennis Goodrow.|alt=A miniature model of an island is positioned on a table inside an office building, with computers in the background and signs that says "Mindscape" and "Lego" on the wall. Various Lego buildings, vehicles, plants, minifigures, and other pieces are placed on different parts of the island. Three men, development team members Scott Anderson, Wes Jenkins, and Dennis Goodrow, are standing over the model and playing with small Lego vehicles in their hands.
''Lego Island'' was developed by Mindscape, a developer of edutainment software based in Novato, California. The head of one of the company's departments was looking for a partner company in the toy industry and, after some research, settled for the Lego Group, the producer of the Lego line of toys. Mindscape subsequently hired Wes Jenkins, who, in turn, brought on Paul Melmed. Jenkins and Melmed drafted a game concept based on the "Town" theme of Lego sets. Both attended the Toy Fair in New York City in February 1995, pitching the concept to the Lego Group.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|p=13}}
Around the same time, the Lego Group (as well as other toy manufacturers) were trying to explore or gain a foothold in the video game industry.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|p=11}}<ref name="Next Generation: Game Block" /> The only previous Lego-branded video game was ''Lego Fun to Build'', which was released by Sega in December 1995 for the Japanese Sega Pico market.<ref name="Kotaku: Influence" /><ref name="IGN SEA: Bits N' Bricks" /> The Lego Group had established the Futura research and development group in Boston, which was looking at possible intersections between Lego products and digital media, including video games and virtual reality experiences. In 1995, the Lego Group employee Tormod Askildsen was tasked with exploring the company's potential venture into the video game market. He hired a handful of people and prepared a report, titled "Elvis", which he presented during a workshop on December 21, 1995. The report stated that the Lego Group's entrance into the video game market was a necessity, rather than an option.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|p=11}} Mindscape and the Lego Group jointly announced their collaboration for a Lego-branded personal computer game on January 27, 1996, then targeting to release the game in the fourth quarter of that year.<ref name="Mindscape: Team Up" /> The game was given a budget of {{USD|2 million}}.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Bernhard|last=Warner|url=https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=GPS&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA19149764&v=2.1&it=r&sid=bookmark-GPS&asid=bba98dc5|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250716211833/https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=GPS&u=wikipedia&id=GALE%7CA19149764&v=2.1&it=r&sid=bookmark-GPS&asid=bba98dc5|title=Rom realm|magazine=Brandweek|archivedate=July 16, 2025|date=February 17, 1997|accessdate=|via=Gale Research}}</ref>
Jenkins headed the project as its creative director, while Melmed acted as the education and research director. Other leads included senior producer Scott Anderson, director of development Dennis Goodrow, project manager Mari Collings, and the lead 3D artist Dave Patch. The lead programmer, Jim Brown, was hired at Anderson's request. Randy Chou was hired to make 3D performant and functional. The engineering team was made up of five people.<ref name="The Making of LEGO Island: A Documentary" /> The rest of development team eventually grew to more than 100 people, mostly artists, which allowed for the inclusion of multiple playable characters. As proposed by Melmed, who had a background in psychology, each of these characters would represent a different form of intelligence as described by Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|pp=16–17}} The game featured full voice acting for all its characters, with cast members including John Morris as Pepper, June Foray as Mama, Ralph Peduto as Papa, David Lander as the Brickster, and Jenkins voicing several minor roles.<ref name=Pause/><ref name="BTVA">{{cite web|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Lego-Island/|title=Lego Island (1997 Video Game)|website=Behind The Voice Actors|access-date=August 22, 2023|archive-date=August 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230822052740/https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Lego-Island/|url-status=live}}</ref>
The development team created a bespoke game engine for ''Lego Island'', which was intended to be reused in potential sequels.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|p=2}} The DirectX technology set was used to render 3D environments.<ref name="Kotaku: Influence" /> According to Brown, graphics accelerators were in their infancy, so ''Lego Island'' was designed to work on computers that did not have one, while simultaneously being able to take advantage of an accelerator if one was available.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|p=15}} Jenkins, his wife Kyle Bogertman, and Anderson created a real-world model of the game's island, and the development team invited children to play with the set, observing how these children would interact with the various elements.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|p=18}} According to Anderson, girls tended to decorate the island, such as with trees, while boys were more interested in racing elements. Subsequently, more of the game's elements, including the sky and trees, were made customizable with the goal of incentivizing girls to play the game.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|p=18}} In so-called "Yes meetings", team members could present any further ideas they had to the rest of the team. If another member agreed, the proposer would sleep over it and, on the next day, try to frame a realistic implementation of the feature.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|p=18}}
During 1996, the Lego Group established Lego Media as its video game division based in London, invested {{US$|2 million|link=no}} in the development of Lego-themed video games, and created Darwin, a "Strategic Product Unit" that absorbed most of Futura.<ref name="Next Generation: Game Block" /><ref name="The Free Library: Lego Media" /> Mindscape regularly communicated with Lego Media and Darwin, which led to the inclusion of further buildings and vehicles in the game, as well as the exclusion of non-Lego elements like ropes.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|pp=17–18}} In January 1997, Mindscape and the Lego Group reintroduced the game, now titled ''Adventures on Lego Island'' and scheduled for a release in the third quarter of 1997.<ref name="CSoon: Adventures on Lego Island" /> As ''Lego Island'', the game was released worldwide on September 26, 1997; copies of the game included a comic book that acted as the game's instruction manual, as well as a Lego minifigure of the Infomaniac.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|p=19}}<ref name=Pause/><ref name=Manual/><ref name="Mindscape: Sneak Preview" /><ref name="The Free Library: Release" /> One day prior to the release, Mindscape fired the entirety of ''Lego Island''{{'}}s development team. The company had a program for bonuses in place, so several of the affected employees believed that Mindscape laid them off solely to avoid paying royalties.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|p=19}}<ref name="Eurogamer: Mindscape" />
== Reception == In a contemporary retrospective of ''Lego Creator: Harry Potter'', another Lego-based edutainment game, ''Kotaku''{{'}}s Zack Zwiezen noted that edutainment titles in general (including ''Lego Island'') were rarely reviewed by video game critics upon release due to the young target demographic.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zwiezen |first1=Zack |title=The Very First Harry Potter Game Was A Weird LEGO Joint |url=https://kotaku.com/the-very-first-harry-potter-game-was-a-weird-lego-joint-1843827426 |website=Kotaku |access-date=February 19, 2024 |language=en-US |date=June 5, 2020 |archive-date=June 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200606042107/https://kotaku.com/the-very-first-harry-potter-game-was-a-weird-lego-joint-1843827426 |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite that, the game received mainly positive reception among critics from newspapers; Gary Duchane of the ''Hartford Courant'' praised the game's graphics and animations while appreciating the multiple player characters and side quests.<ref name="Courant: Review">{{cite news |last1=Duchane |first1=Gary |title='LEGO Island' Captures Imagination Of Child And Adult |url=https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1997-11-20-9711190068-story.html |access-date=July 9, 2022 |work=Hartford Courant |date=November 20, 1997 |page=F4 |archive-date=July 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709083121/https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-1997-11-20-9711190068-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The ''Windsor Star''{{'}}s Paul Dame was dismayed with the restricted building options in the game, though he recommended it to "children who love Lego."<ref name="Windsor Star: Review">{{cite news |last1=Dame |first1=Paul |title=Computer Game Reviews |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105255764/computer-game-reviews/ |work=Windsor Star |date=November 13, 1997 |page=E6 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=July 9, 2022 |archive-date=July 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709083240/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105255764/computer-game-reviews/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Writing for Tribune Media Services, Pam Gleichman commented that the game was widely acclaimed by boys while receiving more mixed reception among girls after they tested it out.<ref name="Star Tribune: Review">{{cite news |last1=Gleichman |first1=Pam |title=Fun 3-D adventure game requires a powerful PC |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69640847/fun-3-d-adventure-game-requires-a-powerf/ |work=Star Tribune |date=October 25, 1997 |page=E9 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=July 9, 2022 |archive-date=April 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429152145/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/69640847/fun-3-d-adventure-game-requires-a/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Minor criticism was leveled at the game's system requirements; Aaron Curtiss of the ''Los Angeles Times'' complained that the game was "an absolute resource hog, pushing most home desktops to the limit—even in low-resolution mode."<ref name="LA Times: Review">{{cite news |last1=Curtiss |first1=Aaron |title=Hexen II and Lego Island Have Little in Common, Except Greatness |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-oct-16-ca-43148-story.html |access-date=July 9, 2022 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=October 16, 1997 |page=43 |archive-date=July 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709083120/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-oct-16-ca-43148-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Duchane concurred, noting that he attempted to load the game on computers with Pentium processors clocked at 90, 133, and 200 MHz, and found that the game "only ran happily on the 200."<ref name="Courant: Review" />
''Lego Island'' won the Interactive Achievement Award for "PC Family/Kids Entertainment Title of the Year" during the inaugural Interactive Achievement Awards.<ref name="AIAS: Updates" /><ref name="AIAS: Winners" /> In 2016, Sam Loveridge of ''Digital Spy'' ranked ''Lego Island'' as the 14th best Lego game in a list of 15.<ref name="Digital Spy: Best Lego game" />
In the United States, ''Lego Island'' sold over 909,000 copies between 1997 and 1999, making it the 15th-best-selling computer game of that period.<ref name="Wargames Handbook" /> It was the country's 11th-best-selling computer game in 1997, with 323,085 units sold and almost {{US$|12 million|long=no}} earned in revenue.<ref name="PC Gamer: Strong Revenues" /><ref name="PC Gamer: Best-Selling" /> It reached eighth place on the United States' chart for the January–November 1998 period.<ref name="IGN: Best Selling" /> It ultimately placed seventh for the full year of 1998, with 404,858 sales. Its revenue that year alone was over {{US$|10.2 million|long=no}}.<ref name="PC Gamer: Numbers Game" /> The following year, it dropped to the 15th position on the annual sales charts, with 309,698 units sold.<ref name="PC Gamer: Money-Maker" /> The success of ''Lego Island'' revived Mindscape's business, which was in trouble at the time.<ref name="Next Generation: Revival with Legos" /> The company's total sales rose by 70% in 1997, driven primarily by ''Lego Island''.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|p=20}}
== Legacy == In partnering with the Lego Group, Mindscape had gained the rights to produce multiple Lego-branded games. Prior to the ''Lego Island'' developers' dismissal, they had been conceptualizing and prototyping a follow-up to the game, titled ''Beneath the Lego Phanta Sea''. This follow-up would have explored the "importance of ecology and environmentalism from an educational perspective". However, after the release of ''Lego Island'', the Lego Group terminated Mindscape's license for future Lego-based games. Silicon Dreams Studio eventually developed two sequels: ''Lego Island 2: The Brickster's Revenge'' (2001) and ''Island Xtreme Stunts'' (2002). During the development of ''The Brickster's Revenge'', the studio was aware of the original ''Lego Island'' and ''Beneath the Lego Phanta Sea'' but decided to build a new concept from scratch. ''Island Xtreme Stunts'' became the final entry in the ''Lego Island'' series.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|pp=20–21}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.conceptdotcom.com/comicbook-productguide.pdf |title=COMIC MANUAL – preliminary rough / first draft |first=Wes |last=Jenkins |page=12 |via=conceptdotcom.com |archive-date=June 11, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070611222044/http://www.conceptdotcom.com/comicbook-productguide.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref>
''Lego Island'' has inspired a number of preservationists and other enthusiasts. Among other things, fans of the game have distributed archives of old production material obtained from the developers, produced documentaries and podcasts, and developed unofficial patches to allow the game to run on newer computers.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|pp=21–22}} A fan-made sequel, ''Project Island'', was initiated as a solo project by Floris Thoonen in the mid-2010s. The game was formally announced around ''Lego Island''{{'}}s twentieth anniversary in 2017. As of 2020, around 50 people are working on ''Project Island'' with varying degrees of activity, with all of them contributing during their spare time.<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04" />{{rp|pp=22–24}}<ref name="PCGamesN: Project Island" /> The project team irregularly publishes update videos and intends to release a demo entitled Port Pizza, featuring a small island with a limited scope.<ref name="PCGamesN: Project Island" />
On July 11, 2023, YouTuber Matthew "MattKC" Wong announced that he had started decompiling ''Lego Island''. The project was hosted on GitHub, allowing virtual volunteering. In December 2024, the project was considered 100% complete with only minor accuracy issues. A fork was later created, aiming to alter the code to make porting to other systems easier.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |first=Dustin |last=Bailey |date=2025-05-09 |title=28 years later, Lego Island's lost source code has been rediscovered – but the fans who spent nearly two years painstakingly decompiling it by hand "can't have it" |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/28-years-later-lego-islands-lost-source-code-has-been-rediscovered-but-the-fans-who-spent-nearly-two-years-painstakingly-decompiling-it-by-hand-cant-have-it/ |access-date=2025-05-12 |website=GamesRadar+ |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250509174005/https://www.gamesradar.com/games/28-years-later-lego-islands-lost-source-code-has-been-rediscovered-but-the-fans-who-spent-nearly-two-years-painstakingly-decompiling-it-by-hand-cant-have-it/|archive-date=9 May 2025|url-status=live}}</ref> Following the project's completion, Wong was connected with a Lego Group employee and helped them locate additional ''Lego Island'' development material for their archives. This led to the rediscovery of the original source code, though the Lego Group does not intend to publicly release it.<ref name=":0" /> In June 2025, the first decompilation-based port was launched, allowing users to play the game in a web browser.<ref>{{cite web | last=Bailey | first=Dustin | title=Lego Island is now fully playable in your browser, thanks to a group of fans who spent years painstakingly decompiling the game's original code by hand | website=GamesRadar+ | date=June 24, 2025 | url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/lego-island-is-now-fully-playable-in-your-browser-thanks-to-a-group-of-fans-who-spent-years-painstakingly-decompiling-the-games-original-code-by-hand/ | access-date=June 25, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250624220938/https://www.gamesradar.com/games/lego-island-is-now-fully-playable-in-your-browser-thanks-to-a-group-of-fans-who-spent-years-painstakingly-decompiling-the-games-original-code-by-hand/|archive-date=24 Jun 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="AIAS: Updates">{{cite web |url=http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardupdate.htm |title=The Award – Updates |website=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |archive-date=June 15, 1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980615090128/http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardupdate.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="AIAS: Winners">{{cite web |url=http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardwin98.htm |title=The Award – Winners |website=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |archive-date=June 15, 1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980615090115/http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardwin98.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="Bits N' Bricks E04">{{cite web |url=https://www.lego.com/cdn/cs/set/assets/bltd399c039fb565168/bits_n_bricks_s01e04_lego_island_feature_and_transcript.pdf |title=LEGO Island: Birth of a LEGO Video Game |first1=Brian |last1=Crecente |author-link1=Brian Crecente |first2=Ethan |last2=Vincent |date=December 30, 2020 |publisher=The Lego Group |access-date=January 17, 2021 |archive-date=January 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109113942/https://www.lego.com/cdn/cs/set/assets/bltd399c039fb565168/bits_n_bricks_s01e04_lego_island_feature_and_transcript.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="CSoon: Adventures on Lego Island">{{cite web |url=https://www.csoon.com/issue22/p_mind1.htm |title=The Lego Group and Mindscape Turn Lego Bricks Into Bytes on CD-ROM |date=January 25, 1997 |website=Coming Soon Magazine |access-date=February 8, 2021 |archive-date=May 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516160846/http://www.csoon.com/issue22/p_mind1.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Destructoid: Nineteen">{{cite web |url=https://www.destructoid.com/lego-island-is-nineteen-and-vaporwave-approved-389689.phtml |title=Lego Island is nineteen and vaporwave approved |first=Ray |last=Porreca |date=October 2, 2016 |website=Destructoid |access-date=June 12, 2017 |archive-date=January 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105055510/https://www.destructoid.com/lego-island-is-nineteen-and-vaporwave-approved-389689.phtml |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Digital Spy: Best Lego game">{{cite web |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/videogames/a799578/best-lego-games-ranked/ |title=Which is the best Lego game? We rank the top 15 |first=Sam |last=Loveridge |date=December 22, 2016 |website=Digital Spy |access-date=February 8, 2021 |archive-date=August 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811192036/https://www.digitalspy.com/videogames/a799578/best-lego-games-ranked/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Eurogamer: Mindscape">{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-01-04-lego-island-studio-mindscape-fired-staff-to-avoid-paying-bonuses |title=Lego Island studio Mindscape fired staff to avoid paying bonuses |first=Tom |last=Phillips |date=January 4, 2021 |website=Eurogamer |access-date=February 8, 2021 |archive-date=January 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128053125/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-01-04-lego-island-studio-mindscape-fired-staff-to-avoid-paying-bonuses |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="IGN SEA: Bits N' Bricks">{{cite web |url=https://sea.ign.com/lego-1/166684/news/lego-celebrates-25-years-of-video-games-with-bits-n-bricks-podcast |title=Lego Celebrates 25 Years Of Video Games With Bits N' Bricks Podcast |first=Dale |last=Bashir |date=December 3, 2020 |website=IGN Southeast Asia |access-date=February 8, 2021 |archive-date=December 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201220083858/https://sea.ign.com/lego-1/166684/news/lego-celebrates-25-years-of-video-games-with-bits-n-bricks-podcast |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="IGN: Best Selling">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/01/05/best-selling-games-of-1998 |title=Best Selling Games of 1998 <!--|author=Staff--> |date=January 4, 1999 |website=IGN |access-date=October 28, 2018 |archive-date=October 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028190240/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/01/05/best-selling-games-of-1998 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Kotaku: Influence">{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/the-influence-and-legacy-of-lego-island-1795623638 |title=The Influence And Legacy Of ''Lego Island'' |first=Ben |last=Bertoli |date=June 3, 2017 |website=Kotaku |access-date=October 28, 2018 |archive-date=June 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170607045257/http://kotaku.com/the-influence-and-legacy-of-lego-island-1795623638 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="Mindscape: Sneak Preview">{{cite press release |url=http://www.mindscape.com/cgi-bin/omixlink?6064885397465+news/archives/legoe3.htm |title=The LEGO Group & Mindscape Offer Sneak Preview of First LEGO CD-ROM Game |publisher=Mindscape |date=September 1997 |archive-date=January 21, 1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980121173128/http://www.mindscape.com/cgi-bin/omixlink?6064885397465+news%2Farchives%2Flegoe3.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="Mindscape: Team Up">{{cite press release |url=http://www.mindscape.com/cgi-bin/omixlink?1139577084+company_info/press_releases/pr_lego.html |title=The LEGO Toy Company and Mindscape Team Up to Create CD-ROM Game |publisher=Mindscape |date=January 27, 1996 |archive-date=November 11, 1996 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961111052749/http://www.mindscape.com/cgi-bin/omixlink?1139577084+company_info%2Fpress_releases%2Fpr_lego.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="Next Generation: Game Block">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/stream/nextgen-issue-021/Next_Generation_Issue_021_September_1996#page/n25/mode/2up |title=Lego Builds Game Block |first=Christian |last=Svensson |magazine=Next Generation |volume=2 |issue=21 |publisher=Imagine Publishing |date=September 1996 |page=24 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
<ref name="Next Generation: Revival with Legos">{{cite web |url=http://www.next-generation.com/news/020498j.chtml |title=Mindscape Builds Revival with Legos |date=February 4, 1998 |website=Next Generation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980204072747/http://www.next-generation.com/news/020498j.chtml |archive-date=February 4, 1998 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="PC Gamer: Adventure game devs">{{cite web |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/the-adventure-game-devs-that-challenged-kids-to-think-and-learn/ |title=The adventure game devs that challenged kids to think and learn |first=Will |last=Uhl |date=September 28, 2015 |website=PC Gamer |access-date=February 8, 2021 |archive-date=November 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108101054/https://www.pcgamer.com/the-adventure-game-devs-that-challenged-kids-to-think-and-learn/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="PC Gamer: Best-Selling">{{cite magazine |title=The Best-Selling Games of 1997 <!--|author=Staff--> |date=April 1998 |magazine=PC Gamer US |volume=5 |issue=4 |page=44}}</ref>
<ref name="PC Gamer: Money-Maker">{{cite magazine |title=Shake Your Money-Maker <!--|author=Staff--> |date=April 2000 |magazine=PC Gamer US |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=32}}</ref>
<ref name="PC Gamer: Numbers Game">{{cite magazine |title=The Numbers Game <!--|author=Staff--> |date=April 1999 |magazine=PC Gamer US |volume=6 |issue=4 |page=50}}</ref>
<ref name="PC Gamer: Strong Revenues">{{cite web |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/news/news-1998-02-02.html |title=Mindscape Reports Strong Revenues |date=February 3, 1998 |website=PC Gamer |archive-date=February 18, 1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980218070304/http://www.pcgamer.com/news/news-1998-02-02.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="PCGamesN: Project Island">{{cite web |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/lego-island/sequel-project-island |title=Lego Island is getting a fan-made sequel called Project Island |first=Dustin |last=Bailey |date=January 7, 2021 |website=PCGamesN |access-date=August 8, 2021 |archive-date=August 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210808153819/https://www.pcgamesn.com/lego-island/sequel-project-island |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="The Free Library: Lego Media">{{cite web |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/LEGO+Media+International+Introduces+Three+New+Software+Titles.-a053019714 |title=LEGO Media International Introduces Three New Software Titles. |publisher=The Lego Group |date=September 22, 1998 |via=The Free Library |access-date=October 19, 2018 |archive-date=October 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007145530/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/LEGO+Media+International+Introduces+Three+New+Software+Titles.-a053019714 |url-status=live}}</ref>
<ref name="The Free Library: Release">{{cite press release |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+LEGO+Group+and+Mindscape+Release+the+First+LEGO+CD-ROM+Game.-a019786216 |title=The LEGO Group and Mindscape Release the First LEGO CD-ROM Game. |publisher=Mindscape |date=September 26, 1997 |via=The Free Library |access-date=October 7, 2018 |archive-date=October 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007145508/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+LEGO+Group+and+Mindscape+Release+the+First+LEGO+CD-ROM+Game.-a019786216 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
<ref name="Wargames Handbook">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zm8CwHiUjwIC |title=Wargames Handbook: How to Play and Design Commercial and Professional Wargames |first=James F. |last=Dunnigan |edition=Third |year=2000 |page=16 |publisher=iUniverse |isbn=9780595155460 |via=Google Books |access-date=October 28, 2018 |archive-date=June 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210626151405/https://books.google.com/books?id=Zm8CwHiUjwIC |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref name="The Making of LEGO Island: A Documentary">{{cite book |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG55COe_f8I |title=The Making of LEGO Island: A Documentary |first=Matthew |last=Wong |date=January 17, 2025 |via=YouTube |access-date=January 27, 2025 }}</ref> }}
== Bibliography == {{refbegin}} * {{cite book |title=LEGO Island: A Totally Wacky But Very Helpful Instruction Manual |year=1997 |publisher=Lego Media |url=https://archive.org/details/LEGOIsland-manual-US-2298821/mode/2up |type=Instruction manual |ref={{harvid|Lego Media|1997}}}} {{refend}}
== External links == * ''[https://www.mobygames.com/game/5188/lego-island/ Lego Island]'' at MobyGames
{{Lego video games}}
Category:1997 video games Category:Action-adventure games Category:Helicopter video games Island Category:Mindscape games Category:Minigame compilations Category:Open-world video games Category:Single-player video games Category:Video games about police officers Category:Video games developed in the United States Category:Video games featuring female protagonists Category:Video games set on fictional islands Category:Windows games Category:Windows-only games