Video game:Lego Island 2 The Brickster's Revenge

Whether you follow a design and instructions, or make your own creation, LEGO blocks have stimulated imaginations in children and adults since their introduction in 1958. These simple bricks join together to form millions of combinations, and have left a significant impression in popular culture and the way we play. Thanks to television and video games, users are not limited in the ways they choose to interact with LEGO pieces; they can build, control characters, and take part in interactive stories without ever leaving the couch.

Electronic Arts released the first LEGO video game in 1997. Entitled "LEGO Island," this computer game allowed players to explore a world made entirely out of LEGO pieces and complete different missions. "LEGO Island" received excellent reviews and led to the creation of two sequels, as well as many more LEGO games.

LEGO released the sequel to "LEGO Island" in 2001. Entitled, "LEGO Island 2: The Brickster's Revenge," this action-adventure game allows players to return to the LEGO universe as Pepper Roni, a pizza-delivery man who must save the world from the Brickster. "Brickster's Revenge" differs from its predecessor in that players must complete the missions in linear order, and there is only one available character to play.

Unlike the first "LEGO Island" game, "Brickster's Revenge" received mixed reviews from critics and players, who found the gameplay simple and best suited for young children. In his review, Craig Harris of IGN called the game "very basic, and mildly amusing," and wrote, "This adventure is strictly average, and if you're out of Elementary school then this title isn't for you." Nevertheless, LEGO released a follow-up game in 2002 entitled "Island Xtreme Stunts," and continued to develop LEGO-themed video games. Along with original worlds and storylines, LEGO also released video games that tied into popular franchises, such as "Harry Potter," "Star Wars," and "Lord of the Rings."

In 1998, the National Toy Hall of Fame, calling the blocks "an ideal toy," inducted LEGO into its ranks. Two years later, "Fortune Magazine" named the LEGO brick "Toy of the Century." Thanks to computer animation, LEGO figurines appear in multiple television series, as well as a full-length movie. More than 50 years after its initial release, LEGO's interlocking plastic block remains popular and continues to evolve.