10 Censored Moments In Lego Indiana Jones Video Games
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We’ll start with an obvious one, that being the typical bad guys that Indy and his allies face for most of the franchise. For “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “The Last Crusade”, Belloq, Toht, and the other baddies are all portrayed as normal soldiers with a dastardly agenda. The same thing occurs in “Lego Indy 2’s” portrayal of “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” for Irina and her lackeys. Why so generic and bland-looking? Well, The Lego Group probably wouldn’t be too happy seeing swastikas and Soviet Union imagery on their bricks and minifigs, which is understandable.
Kah-Li-Nah
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Speaking of villains, one we left off in our previous entry was Mola Ram from “Temple of Doom”. Though he and the other Thuggees remained unchanged in their appearances, there is one detail that was kept from the Lego games. Look, if we can’t have Lego characters wearing horrific symbols from the darkest moments of world history, we certainly can’t show them performing ritual sacrifices on each other. You can get away with that in something like “Mortal Kombat”, but not in a game based on a children’s toy brand.
Toht’s Toasty Tots
If Mola Ram wanted to give anyone a hand, Arnold Toht could certainly use one. In “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, Toht intrudes on Marion’s bar to steal her medallion, which can help him locate the Ark of the Covenant. However, her medallion gets thrown into a fire, and Toht has the bright idea of grabbing it with his bare hand. A mistake in the moment, yet the scars come in handy for him and Belloq later. Of course, we can’t show this mildly grotesque bit in a Lego game. Toht still burns his hand, but it only gives him a reason to flee the scene.
You Chose Poorly
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Any Indy fan will recall the harrowing moment where Dr. Jones and Donovan are tasked with determining which of the grails is the Holy Grail. In the movie “The Last Crusade”, we see Donovan choose the wrong grail, causing him to turn into a husk and die. The Lego version sort of retains Donovan’s demise, albeit in a manner that parents would be okay with. Donovan drinks from the false grail, turns into a husk, and then… falls apart. In all honesty, TT Games couldn’t have picked a better way to depict the downfall of Walter Donovan.
Chains of Love
We know that we have touched upon this a few times in previous videos, but the romance between Indy and Marion really is a key aspect in the story of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and why it’s so good. Their story is one about two people who really loved each other before recognizing how wrong it was for the both of them. It’s not until later when they see how they’ve evolved for the better and find their true spark. All of this was completely expunged from both “Lego Indy” games. Sure, Indy can use his whip to kiss Marion, but for the most part, the romance is dead. Literally.
No Dancing, No Death, No Dinner!
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One of the oddest decisions made in “Lego Indy 2’s” version of “Temple of Doom” was the near-complete removal and botched retelling of the movie’s opening. There is no extravagant dance scene (save for a few seconds of some goofy dancing), there is no poison used by Lao and his goons, and there is no explosive shoot-out. “Lego Indy 2” wipes that whole segment within a span of about twenty-five seconds. Given that this was one of the very few good scenes in “Temple of Doom”, it’s a wonder why so much here was changed.
The Game is A-…Head?
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Going back to the first “Lego Indy” game, there is a death midway through the campaign for “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, specifically the boss fight against the mechanic in the “Pursuing the Ark” level. The fight against the mechanic is much more cartoony than the movie’s version, and it’s kind of funny in concept. As for how the mechanic is defeated, well, we can’t exactly show an explosion of ketchup in a kids game, you know? The mechanic’s death was altered to show him still alive, but headless.
Food for Thought
Honestly, we don’t know if this is more disturbing than the movie version. One famous scene in “Temple of Doom” is the dinner scene where Willie and the other guests are served chilled monkey brains. While we don’t get a good look at the brains themselves, we can only imagine how disgusting the picture is. The first “Lego Indy” game makes it less visceral, but still somewhat more disturbing. When the monkey brains are served, we’re given a less detailed monkey head…AND THE MONKEY IS STILL BLINKING!! On top of that, the DS version sees you actually make this disturbing delicacy!
Close Encounters of…Nothing
Perhaps the strangest alteration and censorship in the “Lego Indy” games was the ending of “Crystal Skull” in “Lego Indy 2”. At the end of Part 3, Dr. Jones and Marion are forced to fight Irina, who has become empowered by the Interdimensional Beings. Upon defeating her, she breaks apart and disappears. We’re not quite sure why such a drastic change was made when nothing like this happens in the movie; Irina simply dies from the overwhelming knowledge and power she’s given. Eh, we know the song and dance by this point - no violent deaths in Lego games are allowed.
Dance Your Heart Out, Marion!
Funny enough, the first game sort of kept the terrifying visuals of the famous Ark scene. Obviously, it was somewhat toned down and made appropriate for Lego, but "Lego Indy 2" went a bit further with the alterations. Belloq, Toht, and their henchmen are forced to endure the most hardcore dance party of their lives. None of them survive, but we have to admit this was a very creative approach to one of cinema's most graphic and horrific scenes. And the remixed theme ties it all together perfectly!
