[[quoteright:554:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/untitled_2607.png]]

''LEGO Racers'' consists of games with, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin as the title suggests]], Franchise/{{LEGO}} people in Franchise/{{LEGO}} cars racing each other.

A MascotRacer similar to the ''VideoGame/MarioKart'' series, you can use weapons to help you. In this case you collect colored blocks for different types of power-ups, and collect white blocks to upgrade power-ups. Red are projectiles-like weapons, yellow are traps, blue blocks are defensive shields, and green blocks are speed boosts.

''LEGO Racers'' also contains a build mode, for which you can build your own characters and cars. As you defeat more racers, you gain more pieces to use to make more characters and vehicles.

Along with introducing some old LEGO Set characters like Johnny Thunder, this is where Rocket Racer comes from - he claims to be the best racer and you must work your way up to beat him.

It received a sequel, in which Rocket Racer, after his defeat in the first game, has once again worked his way to the top and you have to defeat him again. On the planet [[RecycledinSPACE Xalax]].
----
!!These games provide examples of the following tropes:

* AccordionToMostSailors: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_PKM-hJMeo Captain Redbeard's intro theme]] has an accordion melody, while the PortTown level [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt-9T9c_rnw Imperial Grand Prix music]] features an accordion in the harmony.
* AliensSpeakingEnglish: Gypsy Moth, Martians, and Ramas speak perfect English.
* AllThereInTheScript: The only way you would know the names of Baron Rosso and Frankie Solido is by looking in the game files of ''LEGO Racers 2''.
* AnachronismStew: Kings, pirates, adventurers, space racers, and pharaohs all racing together. It's a world of toys, after all.
* AndYourRewardIsClothes:
** In the first game, you get to use the entire CoolCar set of the newest champion, assuming that you achieve first place.
** This is dropped in the ''Lego Racers 2''; beating champions means extra upgrades for your car.
* AuthorAppeal: In at least one interview, a developer expressed the team's liking towards the grapple power-up (red plus one white) above all the rest. Although they didn't make it an integral part of the game, this would explain why there's a cheat to enable only grapple power-ups (all the other power-up cheats simply enable only one brick color).
* BraggingRightsReward: What do you get after spending tons of time looking for all the golden bricks scattered throughout the maps in the second game? Fireworks.
* BreakablePowerUp: Getting hit by a projectile causes a car to drop a collected power-up upgrade.
* BuiltWithLEGO: The setpieces (often based upon actual LEGO sets) and fully-customizable cars are built with LEGO bricks.
* CaveBehindTheFalls:
** The Amazon Adventure Alley shortcut is a tunnel located behind the waterfall.
** Dino Island in the second game has one. [[spoiler:One of the golden bricks is in it.]]
* ClassicCheatCode:
** The first game has a whole slew of cheat codes that are solely meant for messing around, such as turning all the power-ups to one type, having them always maxed out, making parts of the cars invisible (such as the wheels, chassis, or driver), and a fast-forward mode. They only work in Single Races and [[NoFairCheating are not activated if you play Time Trial or Circuit Mode]].
** ''Lego Racers 2'' also has a few, though not to the same degree as the first, as the only ones that exist are playing as Martians and a wide-angle view.
* CompositeCharacter: "Governor Broadside" in the first ''LEGO Racers'' is actually combining the name of Governor Broadside (the Imperial Soldiers' leader) and the physical appearance of Admiral Woodhouse (the Imperial Guards' leader).
* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard:
** The second has the same mechanic from ''VideoGame/MarioKart'' in which whenever there's an AI opponent behind you, it starts gaining an enormous amount of speed to catch up. Except that it ''can be turned off''. Then there's Reigel and the Berg mentioned on the YMMV tab.
** Inverted in the first game, as AI racers won't take any of the shortcuts, even if the player already opened them up... except Veronica Voltage in Time Trial mode, who can and will take shortcuts ''without'' first opening them up.
** Gypsy Moth is just plain-out faster than you [[note]] [[MyRulesAreNotYourRules Yes, even if you're using Rocket Racer's car set]] [[/note]]. You ''can't'' keep up with her without turbo powerups, or using other powerups to slow her down. Other bosses may have this, but with them, skilful driving can keep up. Against Gypsy, even that's not enough.
* ConvectionSchmonvection:
** Adventure Temple Trail features a large lava pit next to the track at the lowest point in the map, complete with minecarts with skeletons inside falling into the lava. Doesn't effect the drivers in the slightest.
** Take a wild guess what Magma Moon Marathon has. There's even a section with several small lava pits and a fireball that jumps from one pit to another. So long as the racers doesn't touch the fireball, they're safe, and even if they do, it just spins them out of control for a second.
** Some of the [[Toys/LEGOAdventurers Adventurers Dino Island]] racetracks in ''LEGO Racers 2'' pass through a volcano, and there's also a river of lava on [[Toys/LEGOLifeOnMars Mars]] and Xalax. If you fall in, you are teleported to safety. If you get hit by a fireball, your car might lose a brick, but that's it.
* {{Crossover}}:
** ''LEGO Racers'' features Toys/LEGOPirates, Toys/LEGOCastle, Toys/LEGOSpace, and Toys/LEGOAdventurers.
** ''LEGO Racers 2'' features [[Toys/LEGOCity LEGO Town]], Toys/LEGOAdventurers, Toys/LEGOLifeOnMars, LEGO Arctic, and LEGO Racers. One of the bosses is also an Ice Monster from Toys/RockRaiders.
* DefeatMeansPlayable: In a sense. As stated in AndYourRewardIsClothes above, beating a racer in first place not only unlocks their car for the player's use, but also their minifigure parts for the Build mode, basically allowing you to play as them. This also applies to World Champion Rocket Racer and Time Trial host Veronica Voltage, though the latter works differently in that instead of beating her in a circuit, you have to beat all the time trial challenges to unlock her and her car.
* DeflectorShields: The blue brick. The third and fourth levels have {{attack reflector}} bonuses against any racer who used a cannonball or a missile.
* DemotedToExtra: Slyboots went from being an opponent racer in ''LEGO Racers'' to being an Explore Mode-only NPC in ''LEGO Racers 2''.
* DrivingGame: Of the MascotRacer variety.
* DubNameChange: When set to various languages, the first ''LEGO Racers'' gives certain characters different names instead of literal translations, with these being the most notable cases:
** Captain Redbeard: Kaptajn Roger[[note]]Captain Roger[[/note]] (Danish), Kapitein Knoest[[note]]Captain Knots[[/note]] (Netherlands)
** Governor Broadside: Governador Flinn[[note]]Governor Flinn[[/note]] (Spanish), Kapitein Bakboord[[note]]Captain Portside[[/note]] (Dutch)
** Ann Droid: Indradroid (Spanish), Robotina (Dutch)
** Pharaoh's Mummy: Farao Hoteps Mumie[[note]]Pharaoh Hotep's Mummy[[/note]] (Danish)
** King Kahuka: Rey Uka Shaka Uka[[note]]King Uka Shaka Uka[[/note]] (Spanish), Kong Kanuka[[note]]King Kanuka[[/note]] (Danish)
** Islander: Uhu (Danish)
** Royal King: Koning Leeuwenhart[[note]]King Lionheart[[/note]] (Dutch)
** Commander Cold: Capitán Hielo[[note]]Captain Ice[[/note]] (Spanish), Capitano Ghiaccio[[note]]Captain Ice[[/note]] (Italian), Ijskapitein[[note]]Ice Captain[[/note]] (Dutch)
** Achu: Tempelkoning[[note]]Temple King[[/note]] (Dutch)
** Basil the Batlord: Grev Flagermus[[note]]Count Bat[[/note]] (Danish), Floris de Vleermuisridder[[note]]Floris the Bat Knight[[/note]] (Dutch)
** Willa the Witch: Heksen Hylia[[note]]Hylia the Witch[[/note]] (Danish), Hella de Heks[[note]]Hella the Witch[[/note]] (Dutch)
** Sam Sinister: Slyboots (Danish), Sluwe Sam[[note]]Sly Sam[[/note]] (Dutch)
** Blackjack Hawkins: Barbanegra[[note]]Blackbeard[[/note]] (Spanish), Jack il Falco[[note]]Jack the Falcon[[/note]] (Italian)
** Alpha Dragonis: Dragon Alfa[[note]]Dragon Alpha[[/note]] (Italian), Chamon (Danish)
** Baron von Barron: Barón von Tyssen[[note]]Baron von Tyssen[[/note]] (Spanish), Mr. Hates (Danish)
** Gypsy Moth: Navigator Sharp (Danish)
** Nova Hunter: Aramis la Cazadora[[note]]Aramis the [[ShesAManInJapan Huntress]][[/note]] (Spanish)
** Gail Storm: Tormentosa[[note]]Stormy[[/note]] (Spanish)
* EvolvingTitleScreen: In the first game, the main menu will show the champion of the next circuit pointing at the circuit option, seemingly trying to coax you into challenging them.
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: It's a racing game based on Franchise/{{LEGO}}.
* FakeLongevity: The first game completely recycles all of the first three circuits for circuits 4 through 6, only with new bosses, the tracks in reverse order from their counterparts, and with all the courses mirrored.
* FunetikAksent: Baron Von Barron's text is spelled with V's instead of W's and Z's instead of S's.
* FlyingSaucer: Three are present on Alien Rally Asteroid. The first will likely drag you violently backwards, costing you significant distance, if you don't use a blue or green brick. The other two are scenery.
* HardModeFiller: In the first game, after beating Circuits 1 through 3, the player has to do it all over again in Circuits 4 through 6. The courses are mirrored and in reverse order, and the circuit bosses (Johnny Thunder, Baron von Barron, Gypsy Moth) are more challenging than their predecessors (Captain Redbeard, King Kahuka, Basil the Bat Lord), but otherwise it's just a repeat of earlier levels padding out the game's length before the final Circuit 7.
* TheGenericGuy: Ann Droid, Islander, Willa the Witch and Gail Storm all use carbon copies of Black Knight's racing car, for some reason. Everyone else gets their personal custom car in the first ''LEGO Racers''.
* GoKartingWithBowser:
** Or rather, Go Karting With [[Toys/LEGOCastle Basil the Batlord, Willa the Witch]], [[Toys/LEGOAdventurers Baron von Barron, Slyboots]], and [[Toys/LEGOSpace Alpha Dragonis]] in the first game. [[Toys/LEGOPirates Captain Redbeard and Governor Broadside]] also seem willing to put their differences behind them in Circuit 1.
** In the sequel, Go Karting With [[Toys/LEGOAdventurers Mr. Cunningham and Sam Sanister]].
* GratuitousGerman: [[Toys/LEGOAdventurers Baron von Barron]] uses the German conjunction "und" instead of "and" in the first game.
* HomingProjectile: The fully-upgraded red brick PowerUp from the first game and the bloodhound homing missiles from the second game.
* HumanoidAliens: [[Toys/LEGOSpace Gypsy Moth, Alpha Dragonis]], and the [[Toys/LEGOLifeOnMars Martians]].
* InterfaceScrew: When the yellow brick is fully charged up, it'll summon a "Mummy's Curse" that will cause this. To be specific, it reverses steering while it's active, while also severely lowering your top speed by pulsing your brakes (if you're stopped while the curse is active, the car will actually go in reverse).
* LevelInReverse: Circuits 4 through 6 in the first game are left-to-right mirrored versions of Circuits 1 through 3.
* LoadsAndLoadsOfLoading: The [=PS1=] version has a ridiculous amount of loading, especially noticeable because the music pauses between ''every single menu''.
* LuckBasedMission: Like ''VideoGame/MarioKart'', the races can sometimes become this. Unlike ''Mario Kart'', however, the Power-Ups in the first game are not randomized, meaning there is some strategy required behind using them, making it not so luck-based as it may seem.
* MacrossMissileMassacre: Level the red brick in ''Racers'' to the fourth and you get to launch three devastating, high-speed, {{Roboteching}} missiles at once.
* MassiveMultiplayerCrossover: Well, both games ''do'' have multiplayer features, and each one is a {{Crossover}} of at least four unrelated Toys/LEGOThemes...
* MissingSecret: The Knightmare-athon and Pirate Skull Pass shortcuts, both of which were [[invoked]]DummiedOut.
* MyRulesAreNotYourRules: Veronica Voltage is immune to track edge friction, letting her cut corners across dirt and sand where anyone else would be slowed if they tried.
** May or may not be a [[SubvertedTrope Subversion]], as [[GuideDangIt turbo powerups also let you ignore friction while they're active]], and if you watch carefully, this ''is'' what she's doing (at least sometimes). [[DoubleSubversion However, this doesn't change the fact that some circuit racers are just plain-out faster than you.]]
* NintendoHard: Good luck in Circuits 3, 6, and 7 of the first game. And it will take far more than just "luck" to beat the time trials.
* NoNameGiven:
** [[Toys/LEGOCastle King Richard]] is only identified as the "Royal King" and [[Toys/LEGOPirates Cannonball Cordoba/Don Diego de LEGO/Sergeant Speedy]] is only called "The Admiral" in ''LEGO Racers''. The Islander and Black Knight are also left unnamed, though to be fair, they had no names in the original lines.
** Two characters in the second game (Frankie Solido and Baron Rosso) aren't named in the game, as they only show up as racers and never in explore mode as someone you can talk to. The only way you'd be able to know is by [[AllThereInTheScript hacking into the game files]].
* PalmtreePanic: Imperial Grand Prix, Tribal Island Trail, and Pirate Skull Pass.
* {{Pirate}}: Captain Redbeard and Blackjack Hawkins.
* PlotCoupon: The golden bricks in the second game.
* PowerUp: Power bricks show up in both iterations, but work rather differently.
** ''Racers'' has a four-color brick system and implements a fifth color, white, to essentially increase the effect of the other four colors.
** ''Racers 2'' has only one sort of brick which, like ''VideoGame/{{Wipeout}}'', randomly decides the power up a racer will gain depending on the position of the racer in the track. Losing racers usually get strong, offensive {{area of effect}} bricks which devastate other racers' cars if used in close proximity. Winning racers get weak, defensive bricks like {{invisibility cloak}}s to avoid {{missile lock on}}s and maintain the racers' current positions.
* PowerupLetdown: Yellow + one white in the first game is arguably worse than yellow with no white. Yellow with no white lays down an oil slick that causes the player who comes in contact with it to spin out; it stays for a fairly long period of time, so if you're a little ahead, there's still a chance that a player could run into it. A yellow and a white throws a keg of dynamite behind you that creates explosions, sending the victim flying upwards and slowing them down. The problem is that it works more like a backwards projectile rather than a trap, meaning that if there's nobody immediately behind you, it's a complete waste. The 3 explosions are potentially more dangerous, but it's much harder to hit someone with.
* PurposefullyOverpowered: The game's design suggests at least some self-awareness of Warp's status as the best power-up, as [[spoiler: it's [[FinalBoss Rocket Racer's]] preferred powerup,]] and his track is set up to allow [[invoked]]''[[GameplayDerailment both of you]]'' to [[{{Whoring}} spam]] the ''heck'' out of it.
* RewardingVandalism: This tends to open shortcuts and some even have enough white and green bricks to upgrade to warp turbo boost.
* RollercoasterMine: While you can't ride on it yourself, you can see the end of one in Adventure Temple Trail.
* RubberBandAI: Interesting in that only the Boss Racers seems to have it in the original.
* SecondPlaceIsForLosers: Aside from not winning the host's vehicle, reaching the second place podium has your character clearly angered although he or she raised the cup triumphantly at the end.
* SequenceBreaking: On many tracks in the first game, it is possible to fool the game by driving only a short distance from the start/finish line, then turning around and driving a short distance back past the start/finish line, then turning around again to complete an entire lap.
* ShesAManInJapan: Nova Hunter's DubNameChange in Spanish is "Aramis la Cazadora", which translates to "Aramis the Huntress".
* ShiftingSandLand: Desert Adventure Dragway.
* ShoutOut: Adventure Temple Trail is a pretty obvious ''Indiana Jones'' knockoff, since the golden idol and a lightning-shooting chest a la the Ark of the Covenant from ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'' are present.
* SlippySlideyIceWorld:
** Ice Planet Pathway in the first game.
** Arctic in the second.
* SpeakingSimlish: In ''LEGO Racers 2''.
* SpellMyNameWithAnS:
** On the results screen and in his intro cutscene, [[Toys/LEGOCastle Basil the Bat Lord's]] name is written as "Basil the Batlord" (though, oddly enough, it is written "Bat Lord" on the main menu). Similarly, [[Toys/LEGOPirates Black Jack Hawkins]] has his name written as "Blackjack Hawkins". [[Toys/LEGOSpace Alpha Draconis]] has his name spelled "Alpha Dragonis", although it is spelled correctly in the Dutch version. In some languages like Dutch, [[Toys/LEGOAdventurers Baron von Barron's]] name is spelled "Baron von Baron".
** In ''LEGO Racers 2'', [[Toys/LEGOAdventurers Sam and Alexia Sinister's]] last name is spelled "Sanister". The Martian leader's name goes with the "Riegel" spelling.
* UnstableEquilibrium: If you get ahead of the pack, you get the first pick of all the powerups and upgrade bricks... but you're vulnerable to getting hit with red attacks, which make you drop your upgrade bricks (and knock you back). When you're behind, everyone else grabs all the good stuff first. But if you can get ''far enough'' ahead that the former isn't a threat, such as through a Turbo Start followed by an early Warp... GG.
* VocalDissonance: The first game mixed up the voices of ''dang near every'' opponent (the PC version, for example, gets exactly ''one'' of the twenty-three opponents). While Rob-N-Hood speaking with the voice of Captain Redbeard isn't much of a deal, hearing Willa the Witch TalkLikeAPirate in the grumpy voice of Blackjack Hawkins is all kinds of wrong.
* TheVonTropeFamily: Baron von Barron, at least in the [[DubNameChange non-Danish versions]] of the first game.
* WackyRacing: Powerups, turbo boosts, and the freedom to build your vehicle makes for silly shenanigans. The sequel even makes your car lose bricks as it takes damage, and if you've taken too many beatings it ''breaks'' and you're forced to run to the nearest pit lane on foot to get your vehicle back.
* WeaponBasedCharacterization : In the first game, each boss racer favors a particular brick type. It's very noticeable in-game.
** Captain Redbeard prefers red bricks, especially the cannonball.
** King Kahuna prefers blue bricks, usually first level shields and sometimes second level shields.
** Basil the Bat Lord uses them all dangerously well, but appears to ever so slightly prefer green bricks and the occasional magic wand
** Johnny Thunder prefers red bricks, particularly the grappling hook.
** Baron Von Barron prefers blue bricks. Especially the third level shield.
** Gypsy Moth uses red bricks the most, usually devastating the racers with Rockets, but will often go with anything she can get.
** Rocket Racer only picks up green bricks unless you prevent him from getting any, which is when he'll use rockets instead. He prefers the infamous warp turbo boost. Good luck, you'll need it.
* AWinnerIsYou: The GBC version of the first game ends with nothing more than a text box of Rocket Racer saying the exact same thing as he does on the console/PC versions, just without mentioning you winning his car set (the GBC version lacks unlockable car sets). Basically, nothing more than "Congratulations, I knew you had it in you! You are the greatest LEGO racing champion of all time!"
----