Play ‘The LEGO Batman Movie Game’ to Prepare for the Film! #ad

This post is in partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures.

While you’re waiting to see The LEGO Batman Movie, in theaters this Friday, February 10, check out The LEGO Batman Movie Game app! Immerse yourself in the world of LEGO Batman, along with all of the fun characters and vehicles from the movie.

First, play the game as LEGO Batman himself. Run, jump, duck, and grapple around the Bat Cave, Gotham, and Arkham Asylum, and battle villains such as the Joker, Penguin, and Poison Ivy. You can even design your own Batmobile and other vehicles from the movie. If you prefer a slightly different experience, Batgirl is also unlocked at the beginning, but you need to accumulate and pay enough in-game currency to unlock other characters such as Robin, Batman in several outfits, and all three characters’ non-super alter egos.

Check out the app trailer:

Don’t worry if you have no idea how to play. The game clearly walks you through everything you need to do as it comes up. It’ll pause the action, show you a new move or ability, and then let you continue. If you’re anything like my family, you’ll likely crash and burn, hard, the first couple of times you play, but you will improve as you go. Strafe left or right, jump, do an army crawl, toss your batarang, swing from building to building, and pick up special abilities, all the while gathering pips to use as currency. My favorite special ability is the magnet which pulls all of the pips on the screen toward you, making collection much easier.

Reach the end of a level and battle one of the villains. Poison Ivy is first. Some of the game mechanics are the same as you fight her, where you have to avoid plants that she drops, but then you beat her directly with your batarang! Next LEGO Batman heads to the rooftops to continue saving Gotham… You can also modify and unlock a number of vehicles from the movie, so players can use their favorites!

You can pause the game at any time, which is a crucial element in a fast-paced game such as this. Bonus: Whenever you pause the game, it gives you a progress report on your current missions and how much more you need to do to reach achievements.

Any time you crash into a barrier or other item, however, you have to make a choice. Start the game over, or play DJ Batman, which allows you to earn an extra life in the game. Just tap or swipe your phone to the beat of songs from The LEGO Batman Movie. DJ Batman is simple and fairly quick, but each time you need to play it, it gets more difficult. If you’ve played Rock Band or Guitar Hero, the format will be familiar, except you use your fingers instead of a guitar. If you do well enough, you can continue the regular game where you left off, but try not to need DJ Batman too much; you only get a limited number of DJ Batman opportunities per game.

The LEGO Batman Movie Game app is more than just a game, however. It has all kinds of other fun and helpful sections including access to special videos, character sheets to learn more about who is in the movie, a Super Sigfig Creator to create your own LEGO Minifig, and a place to look at the many vehicles from the movie. You can check out LEGO Batman LEGO sets, get showtimes and tickets for the movie, and play several fun mini games. There’s also a store to spend the in-game currency to upgrade your weapons and vehicles. (You can also use the currency in other ways, such as buying your way out of certain missions.) Throughout, LEGO Batman’s campy and self-important personality is ever present. It’s great fun.

My family and I can’t wait to see The LEGO Batman Movie this Friday. It’s rated PG, so it’s a great movie option for everyone in our family. I’ve heard only great things about it so far, and the trailer sucked us all in right away. In the meantime, I’ll be playing with the app to study up on what we’re likely to see!

If you enjoyed The LEGO Movie, and especially Batman’s self-proclaimed “leading man” persona, you’ll enjoy his role in his own film, where he is voiced by Will Arnett, who reprises his role in this film. Watch as he fights The Joker and learns that sometimes being a lone vigilante isn’t the best way to get things done. Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, and Ralph Fiennes also star.

Check out The LEGO Batman Movie Game app, where you can run, drive, fight villains, and be a DJ like Batman. It’s available for free on the App Store and on Google Play.

Learn more about The LEGO Batman Movie, in theaters this Friday, at the official movie website, Facebook page, Twitter account, and Instagram account.