I have to admit, this kind of taps into some of the misgivings I've always had about the LEGO videogames. While I love gaming, I've never quite been able to feel that videogames are kind of antithetical to what LEGO is about.

For me, the really uncomfortable moment came when I was watching my young nephew playing LEGO Star Wars and realized that I have never, ever seen him playing with actual LEGO sets. That seemed rather backwards, and kind of sad when I think about how much I loved LEGO growing up.

"I've always felt -- and I'm glad my government mostly agrees -- there's something particularly insidious about advertising aimed at children."

As the father of a four-year-old, I have to wholeheartedly agree. It is shocking how effective it is, especially when coupled with the image of a familiar character. As advertising shifts more and more into a product placement model I only anticipate this getting worse.

'Insidious' really is the best word for it.

I'm back and forth on this one. Yeah, advertising aimed directly at children is bad, but on the other hand I was raised in an era where every cartoon, from He Man to Transformers, was basically an advertisement for a toy and I've grown up to be a productive, red blooded American who loves the crisp, clear case of Diet Pepsi and the intense, exciting crunch in every bag of Doritos.

Seriously, though. Allow a kid to see their favorite cartoon or movie and they're just going to want the toy. That's natural. It's been going on since kids wanted official Lone Ranger masks and Moe Howard haircuts* back in the 20s when you were a kid, Tom. The problem comes in when people are exploiting that innate desire. But even that's hard to really pick out. If all business exists to make money, how can you really separate that from people who just want to entertain? And how often have you seen or heard of a cartoon or a comic or a webcomic where there is no merchandising and fans say 'I wish there was a plush' or 'I would totally buy a t-shirt'? If people want to be exploited, is it really exploitation? I guess it could be argued that He Man and Transformers have trained us to want to be advertised to, but I donno. All I do know is that if my nephew sees that there's a new LEGO game out, he tells me he wants it before I tell him he should get it.

*I may be inventing a historical craze for Moe Howard haircuts.

"If people want to be exploited, is it really exploitation?"

Um...you do understand we're talking about children here, right?

What a weird thing to say.

Bahim, I appreciate the comments, but I have to agree with dingus: it sounds as if you're applying adult rules to children. There's a reason that there are very different laws in place when it comes to advertising aimed at children. Marketing tie-ins for those of us who want a Comfort Cube plushie are entirely different than Happy Meals tie-ins, cartoon spin-offs from a line of toys, or using the Lego brand for a series that has almost nothing in common with the essence of Legos (as I've said elsewhere, I think Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts is a far better Legos videogame than anything with the actual Legos branding, so I'm glad to see the Committee for a Commercial-Free Childhood calling out the Batman game).

Did I miss something? When was the LEGO Batman toys used to promote Dark Knight?

The fact that the LEGO games have so little to do with building new things with LEGOs, but just running around with characters and design aesthetics based on the LEGO look, is definitely not something I like. A Banjo & Kazooie type game would be far more apprpriate to the LEGO brand.

Alright, I don't know why, but Tom's post didn't show up until after I posted. The Banjo-Kazooie bit was obviously already suggested.

Are you kidding me? Dude, pick your battles. McDonald's has been teamed up with Disney for decades to sell toys from their movies in the happy meals. I've never heard anyone bitching about it back then so why now and why with this game?

What about indiana jones and star wars? They made lego video games. Why is Batman all of a sudden the target? Is it because the new movie is so dark? Uh, that isn't even a part of the game. If you played it you would know that. And as far as this game teaching sexuality to children and violence. LOL Are you joking? What about World of Warcraft and every other video game from the 80's to now? And you are picking on batman? World of Warcraft basically has half naked women walking around and there is use of alcohol. I haven't once seen a half naked woman in Lego Batman or any sexuality of any kind.

Because it's just so terribly difficult for a parent to say "no" after a kid sees an advertisement on television, right? This is just more pathetic whining from the lazy breeders who expect everyone else to childproof the world for their offspring. They're your problem; learn how to deny their every whim once in a while.

Pitiful.

Parents, monitor your kids behavior and habits while they are young. Please stop putting the blame on video game and yeah..Batman.