After years of dominating the collectible market, Funko has finally entered the AAA gaming space with the newly releasedFunko Fusion. Developed by 10:10 Games,Funko Fusionhas taken dozens of iconic franchises and given them a Funko facelift for a whole new type of adventure. Although many fans may notice that this concept plays pretty much exactly like Traveller’s Tales' LEGO games of the past, the way the studio has gone about it seems very different.
Traveller’s Tales' LEGO gameshave been taking players on wild adventures across some of the biggest franchises imaginable, which has been fantastic to see. However, there are many franchises that it has never touched, as it has mostly stayed within the realm of family-friendly or less niche IPs. And whileFunko Fusionhas also included some heavy hitters, 10:10 Games has also delivered further into pop culture and delivered an experience that feels more catered to adults, which is a welcome change of pace, and may be exactly what collect-a-thon fans have been looking for.
Funko Fusion Takes the LEGO Formula In Whole New Directions
The Franchises Funko Fusion Includes Cater to a Different Audience
Traveller’s Tales' LEGO games first kicked off withLEGO Star Wars: The Video Gameback in 2005. Since then, the franchise hasLEGO-fied the likes ofIndiana Jones, Marvel, DC,Harry Potter,The Incredibles,The LEGO Movie,Jurassic World,Lord of the Rings, andPirates of the Caribbean. Every single one of these has been injected with the tried-and-true LEGO humor, filled to the brim with exciting things to discover, and has been built as a family co-op experience. And for the most part, they are exploring some of the biggest family-friendly franchises around.
Funko Fusionalso takes numerous franchises and delivers a similar type of experience, yet the franchises it has delved into feel a bit more niche and adult-skewing.Jurassic Parkmakes its appearance here as well, however, this version feels a little darker. Along with that, players canexplore the likes ofHot Fuzz,Jaws,M3GAN,Masters of the Universe,Nope,Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, andThe Mummy, among so many others. While families may watch these films together, they are definitely aimed at an older crowd, with some of them even having an R-rating.
Funko Fusion’s Rating Gives it a New Feel
Exploring more mature franchises is one thing,butFunko Fusion’sESRB rating also shows a game that is aimed at an older audience than LEGO. Since its inception,the LEGO games franchisehas tried to maintain an E or E 10+ rating, with the entire experience being built around making these IPs even more family-friendly.Funko Fusion,on the other hand, is rated T for Teen, due to its violence, blood, and language.
All of this means thatFunko Fusionlooks and feels like it was built for a different type of audience than the LEGO games have been. As Traveller’s Tales tries to cater to families, 10:10 Games is seemingly going after an older market, which may be exactly what the game needs. Because although there will likely be some competition, those looking for a more mature experience will know exactly where to look. Plus,the franchisesFunko Fusionhas chosen to adaptare unlike anything LEGO may ever touch, which helps it forge its own path.
It remains to be seen if this approach will pay off forFunko Fusion. If anything, fans of these IPs will probably love seeing some of their favorite characters headline a video game, with many of them likely never getting a chance to do so on their own or through LEGO. But, ifFunko Fusiondoes succeed, then there may be plenty more adventures like it in store. And if Traveller’s Tales is not careful, this more mature co-op experience may come for its crown.
