As LEGO Batman: The Videogame is based on the DC Comics rather than any of the Batman films, it doesn't carry the same movie-spoofing panache as LEGO Star Wars or LEGO Indiana Jones.

However, it does manage to poke fun at Super Hero and Super Villain conventions in general, so it's still a fun and funny variant of family friendly action games with those fantastic plastic bricks and blocks bashing the polyurethane studs out of each other.

And though it plays identically to other LEGO games -- swappable characters, opt-in/opt-out co-operative multiplayer shenanigans, bash anything, collect everything --, LEGO Batman is as yet the only LEGO game that allows you to play as both the heroes and the villains, so you've the option of playing through as many mission of ne're do well as of daring dynamic-duo do. A neat twist for a LEGO game franchise that's otherwise getting a little long in the tooth.

Parents considering this for their 6-year-old should note that LEGO Batman is rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and up) for good reason. The action is heavily geared toward fighting and it's almost non stop. Sure, it's great, goofy fighting and bashing, driving and smashing, cartoonish and the whole bit, but it's definitely the most intense LEGO game yet. Intense by LEGO standards, anyway. But just so you know.