Hey Speed Readers,

Just a quick reminder that Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes featuring The Flash is available tomorrow, 06/19/2012. Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes features for the first time in a Lego game: open world game play, actual voice acting and a healthy roster of DC heroes and villains. In fact, this game almost sounds like Lego Justice League.

As with most games these days retail exclusive and downloadable content will be available for Lego Batman 2. Gamestop/EB Games is offering a special villains pack featuring Flash villains, Captain Cold and Gorilla Grodd if you preorder by today 06/18/2012. Black Adam, Bizarro, and Black Manta are also included:

On that same token if one preorders the game from Best Buy or Amazon they will be privy to a bonus Heroes pack featuring Shazam (Captain Marvel), Robin (Damian Wayne),  Nightwing, Zatanna, and Katana:

Of course this also means that if you want both at launch you will have to purchase two copies of the game to get two different codes from two different outlets. Or you could wait until they inevitably release the bonus characters as separate downloadable content. Although who knows how long that could take? Of course one could just return the unwanted, unopened copy, but should one have to go through this much trouble?

That is one of the problems I have with retailer exclusive and downloadable content. Oftentimes if you want the complete game you have to jump through hoops or shell out extra money after you’ve already plopped down 50 or 60 bucks. And for minuscule additions or things that really should have been included in the game in the first place (I’m looking at you Capcom) at that. Remember when Capcom released Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and then not six months later released a much more complete game called Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3? I won’t be purchasing another Capcom game anytime soon unless they somehow manage to pull off DC vs. Marvel. And even then I would wait six months to buy it to see if they will release a slightly cheaper version of the game, with more characters, more stages, and more awesomeness called Ultimate DC vs. Marvel.

I really can’t complain too much though as I’m going to be one of those people grabbing two copies of the game and returning one effectively contributing to the problem. Oh well. I want my bonus characters!

Who else is going to be picking up Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes? Anyone plan on preordering an extra copy for all of the bonus characters? Let us know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading,

-Devin ‘Flash’ Johnson

Original Article

Hey Speed Readers,

I’d been away from the net for a few days so I hadn’t heard that the first picture of The Flash in Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes had been released by Game Informer Magazine. This is the first visual confirmation of the Scarlet Speedster we’ve had since USA Today revealed his presence in the game a couple of months ago. The only picture so far is in the magazine that I don’t own but luckily the internet is full of all kinds of cool cats posting scans and vids:

Picture courtesy of Youtube user, SuperheroesLego

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome! I just replayed Justice League Heroes earlier this week and man, have I been hankering for some fresh super speed action.  We can only speculate about what alternate costumes they have in mind for our flashy friend but if there are indeed alternative attires I’m hoping for something interesting. Remember Dark Flash and Jay Garrick from Justice League Heroes? We definitely need something akin to those skins.

Jay Garrick from Justice League Heroes

Dark Flash (Walter West) from Justice League Heroes

But that isn’t all; while scouring the net for info on The Flash appearance in Lego Batman 2 I found an ad from EB Games Australia:

So apparently as a preorder incentive, Australian EB Games (or Gamestop to us) customers will be receiving 5 bonus villains which will include two Flash villains: Captain Cold and Gorilla Grodd! YES, YES, YES! I’m counting on US customers also receiving these characters in one form or another. We do know for a fact that it won’t be via preorder as the only bonuses I’ve been able to track down for preordering are a limited edition Lego Lex Luthor from Gamestop and a bonus hero pack featuring Nightwing, Shazam (Captain Marvel), Katana, Damian Wayne (the latest Robin), and Zatanna from Amazon. If anyone has any additional information about the villain pack please let us know.

With the ability to play as over 50 DC Comics characters in a open world environment, customizable characters for creating unique variations and characters that may not have been included, as well as two player offline and online co-op play I have a feeling this just may be the ultimate DC Comics video game.

Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes will be in stores June 19th for all current generation consoles and handhelds: Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS, 3DS, PS Vita and PCs.

Anyone plan on preordering this game? Let us know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading,

-Devin ‘Flash’ Johnson

Original Article