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LEGO Battles is a real-time strategy game based on the popular building brick toy line, incorporating three LEGO themes: Castle, Pirates and Space.

The game's main story mode consists of six campaigns (two per theme world), depicting both sides of each conflict: King and Wizard (featuring Undead, Dwarves and Trolls), Pirates and Imperials (featuring Islanders and Ninjas) and Humans and Aliens (featuring Space Police and criminals). Humorous cutscenes in the style of other TT Games LEGO titles illustrate the storyline. Only the King campaign is accessible from the start, the others have to be unlocked. A campaign consists of three acts of four to six missions each.

Gameplay follows the standard RTS template: players have to explore the map (there is a fog of war feature) and harvest resources (i.e. LEGO bricks) to build bases and units in an attempt to defeat the enemy. Most missions require the destruction of either all enemy units or the enemy base, but there are also some other goals like timed defense missions. While the details differ between the themes and factions, the general types of structures and units is the same for all sides. Units include builders (for harvesting and construction/repair of buildings), infantry, ranged and mounted soldiers, transport ships and various specials (artillery, ships, aircraft and extra-powerful units like giants, golems and tanks). A special kind of unit is the hero. Heroes are very strong, automatically heal friendly units around them and have various special powers (magic or ESP). Buildings include farms (needed to supply units), barracks for constructing normal and factories for heavier units, mines and lumber mills (or equivalents) for increased resource production, harbors for ship construction and a main base building that creates the hero unit.

The game is mainly controlled via the lower screen of the DS. Here the game map is displayed in detail, and commands are given via a stylus-based point-and-touch interface. The upper screen normally displays an overview of the game map or details of selected units.

Besides the story mode, there is also a Free Play mode that allows players to combine any number of unlocked unit types on a number of special maps. The goal in a Free Play game can be set to defeating the enemy's hero, collecting 10.000 bricks, or defeating all enemy units. The Free Play mode is also available for multiplayer games.

The game includes many secrets and unlockables. Hidden on every campaign map are a number of LEGO studs, red bricks and minikits. The studs function as currency for the in-game store where concept art and additional maps for Free Play mode can be bought. Collecting all minikits within an act unlocks special units and picking up the red brick in an act unlocks special features selectable from the pause menu. There are also achievements called Conquests.