Marvel's Lego Avengers Red Brick Locations Guide

If you want to rack up enough studs to buy some of the more expensive vehicles and characters in Marvel's Lego Avengers, a stud multiplier or three definitely helps. Before attempting to snag these precious power-ups we recommend beating the main campaign, which gives you access to Scarlet Witch, The Vision (who can slip through grates to access new areas) and Ultron, whose cosmic power is needed to bust open shiny black blocks. You will also need a character with the dig ability; we recommend Moon Boy, who can be found milling around the Burton Farm hub with Devil Dinosaur.

Below you'll find a list of each red brick's location as well as instructions on how to unlock it. Once you pick up a brick, you will need to head on over to The Collector's room located inside the Shield Helicarrier, buy it with your hard-earned studs and then activate it from the Extras menu.

Finding The Collector's Room

If you're having trouble finding The Collector's location, here are some directions to help you along. First, get yourself onboard the Helicarrier (found in the skies above Manhattan) and take the circular elevator down to the control room. From there, exit via the door on the left hand side, then head up the corridor and into the first room on your right. You should now find yourself in a small room with a glowy portal-thing at the top,simply  head through this to access The Collector's room.

Red Bricks Location Guide

Attract Studs
Location: The Collector's Room

Can be bought directly from the Red Brick console in The Collector's Room.

Studs x2

Location: Struck off the List (Part B)

Our second red brick is located inside Count Strucker’s shadowy Hydra base. To access it you will need The Vision or a character with the stretch ability, such as Ms. Marvel. Once you’ve selected the appropriate minifig, head left until you see a grate with purple edges set into the wall. Use it to access a new area. Now, head right until you encounter a control panel, complete the simple puzzle (the code is 287) and then head inside the room that opens up. Smash everything in sight to uncover Strucker’s monocle. With this in your possession, fly over to the topmost right-hand corner of the room and speak to The Collector who gives you a shiny red brick for your trouble.

Studs x4

Location: A Loki Entrance (Part A)

Standing between us and our next red brick is the arrogant Asgardian, Loki. As soon as the action starts, head directly to the left side of the room and jump down to the level below. Here you’ll find The Collector standing in front of some red cabinets. Once you’ve heard his request, switch to a character with the flight ability (preferably Vision) and keep flying upwards until you find a catwalk overhead. Set yourself down and then head right until you find a scientist in a small glass-fronted cubicle. Use Vision’s mind control ability to get inside his head and pull the lever (note: the prompt to activate the lever will not appear unless you speak to The Collector first), this will cause the chest overhead to open and reveal your prize: a small toy rocket. Take this back to The Collector and he will reward you with the Studs x4 red brick.

Studs x6

Location: Rail Hydra (Part B)

Our quest for the third red brick takes us back in time to the second world war and a showdown with the Red Skull. Take control of a flying character and make your way to the top of the stage; above you is a gangway with a blue and white launch pad on the right, land here and have a quick word with The Collector. Once you’ve accepted his request for a Red Skull mask, select Quicksilver and activate the launch pad. Quicksilver will zip through the flames and knock loose a crate containing the grisly mask; use Ultron (any Ultron will do) to break it open, scoop up the mask and hand it over to The Collector in exchange for the Studs x6 red brick.

Studs x8

Location: Shakespeare in the Park (Part B)

To get the fifth red brick we have to go toe-to-toe with The God of Mischief once more. First things first, we’re going to have to deal with Loki: fend off the first two waves of his goons and wait until he retreats to the top of the stage. Here he will block the way forward by multiplying and forming a line. Ignore the trickster for the time being and select a character with the flight ability. Take to the air, fly over Loki and head left to find The Collector. This time round, he has a hankering for a hot dog which can be found by flying back to the beginning of the stage and heading all the way to your right. In the vicinity will be a hot dog vendour with a question mark floating over his noggin. Use a character with the mind control ability (Scarlet Witch, The Vision) to take control of the hapless hot dog chef and follow the on-screen instructions to rustle up a snack. Take the tasty treat back to The Collector and exchange it for your prize.

Studs x10

Location: Helicarrier Havoc (Part C)

Of all the red bricks we’ve collected so far, this is by far the easiest to get hold of. The Collector will be standing directly in front of you when the level begins, so mosey over and listen to his request. Like Agents of Shield’s Agent Coulson, it turns out The Collector has a thing for Captain America trading cards. To get your hands on one, use Ultron’s cosmic power on the glowing junk directly behind you. Use the resulting debris to construct a robot. Once it's completed, the robot will zoom into the corridor overhead, hoover up the card and drop it at your feet. 

Unlimited Avengers Team-Up Moves

Location: Avengers Assemble (Part B)

Another simple one to find, this brick requires you to snag a wig (yes, a wig) for The Collector. First of all, check in with the man himself who can be found on the walkway above the shops lining the left-hand side of the street. Listen to his request before heading back to ground level and making your way to the bottom right hand corner of the stage where you'll find a wig shop. To get ahold of the syrup, use Vision or Scarlet Witch to shift the debris blocking the entrance. The wig itself, a gnarly green punk hairdo, is located in the last room to the right. Once The Collector has the piece in his possession he will give you red brick 18, which allows you to use powerful team-up moves with impunity.

Fast Fix
Location: Earth’s Mightiest (Part C)

Play through the level up until the moment Hulk beats the living snot out of puny god Loki and throws his scepter onto the roof. After this, the action will switch to another character, immediately switch back to Hulk and take control of a flying minifig so you can reach The Collector who’s hanging out at the left of the screen. After speaking with him, head toward the Shield terminal on the left and use it to gain entry to Tony’s penthouse. Once inside, head to the right of the room where you will find a doorway made of cosmic bricks. Get rid of these using a character with the Power Cosmic (Ultron), grab the J.A.R.V.I.S. program and hand it to The Collector to earn yourself another red brick.

Character Token Detector
Location: Lack of Insight (Part A)

Make your way through the level until you pass the area with the shipping containers and the elevator. The Collector, who wants a pair of Arnim Zola's spectacles for his collection, is waiting at the top of the elevator. To get hold of Arnim's eyewear, simply carry on through the level until you come to the SHIELD terminal at the very top of the ship; use this once to make it into a Hydra terminal, then use it a second time with a Hydra Operative to reveal the location of the glasses.

Gold Brick Detector
Ready A.I.M. Fire (Part C)

At one point during this stage you'll find yourself standing underneath a glitzy golden Roxxon sign. Once you've finished admiring it, head left to find The Collector once more. In order to find the Iron Man armour he's got his eyes on, fly up to the area directly overhead and solve the puzzle there to access a new area. Make your way through this area, solving the puzzles as you go, and you will eventually come across a set of Iron Man armor.

Minikit Detector
Location: Lost in the Aether (Part C)

As soon as the stage loads make your way to the bottom of the screen, here you'll find The Collector standing in front of a huge teapot. Before he can make himself a cuppa, however, he's going to need a teacup, which is where you come in. Directly to the right will be a blue car; use Scarlet Witch to crack open the boot and claim your prize.

Stan Lee in Peril Detector
Location: No Strings On Me (Part B)

There’s a party at The Avengers Tower and everyone’s invited, even The Collector, who can be found to the right of the stage, in the area just above the bar where Bruce Banner and Black Widow are getting all lovey-dovey. The silver haired klepto doesn’t think Tony’s tunes are bangin’ enough and asks you to find him something more suitable. After hearing his request, jump down and head up the stairs just to the left of the bar and keep going until you come to a set of turntables. Destroy them with the Power Cosmic to reveal a record that’s more in keeping with The Collector’s tastes. With that done, head back and trade the tunes for another red brick.

Quest Detector
Location: Anger Management (Part A)

After the cutscene ends, turn around and make your way to the left hand corner of the stage. Speak with The Collector and then head right, carrying on across the catwalk until you come to a silver door. Dispose of this door using a character with access to explosives (Coulson, Hawkeye) to reveal a container of precious Vibranium which The Collector will take off your hands in exchange for a red brick.

Fast Build
Location: Korea Prospects (Part C)

You’re going to need a character with the ability to dig to get this brick. If you haven’t already got one, get yourself over to Barton’s Farm and unlock Moon Boy (easy to spot as he’s hanging out with a colossal red dinosaur) or Squirrel Girl. Once that’s taken care of, load up the level and immediately head left to find The Collector standing behind a car. Hear him out and then head right until you come to a burger stand, use a character with the sense ability (Black Widow, Daredevil) to uncover The Collector’s prize: a smelly ol’ fish. The fish will fall down when you try to grab it, at which point you must use a character with the dig skill to root around in the dirt and get it back. Once it’s back in your possession, head on over to The Collector and claim your reward.

Fast Dig
Location: Rise of Ultron (Part C)

As soon as you start, you’ll see The Collector right in front of you. Listen to his request and then switch to a character with the sense ability (Black Widow, Agent Hill) and use it on the green truck nearby to reveal a set of Hulk handles. Switch to the big guy and use his super strength to take the truck apart and then use the pieces to create a ramp which will allow Quicksilver to knock the flag off its pole. With this Slovakian souvenir as payment, The Collector will part with yet another Red Brick.

Collect Ghost Studs
Location: Ultron Undone (Part C)

After Hawkeye fires Quicksilver over the barrier, head to the top of the screen to find a small, muddy pile. These are dig tunnels, so you’ll need a character like Moon Boy or Squirrel Girl to continue. Dig on down to make your way to a previously inaccessible area containing The Collector and an old tomb. Speak with him before using Cap’s firefighting ability to put out the flames directly to your left. You’ll need Scarlet Witch and her weird powers to make a crowbar which can be used crack open the tomb. Cobble together the skeleton that spills out, knock his block off and then hand it to The Collector for the final red brick.

Splatoon: Paint and decorate your way to victory with our beginner's guide

Stay fresh with our guide to Splatoon's most useful tips and tricks

 

Nintendo's first foray into the world of competitive online shooters isn't your garden variety multiplayer game. Whereas most shooters encourage you to pile up the bodies and rack up as many kills as you can, the goal in Splatoon is not to squash the opposition, but to cover the map in as much paint as possible. Killing enemy combatants is a good way to free up space and buy time to lay down some precious paint, but if that's all you're doing don't be surprised to find yourself at the bottom of the leaderboards. So, if you want to post some ink-redible scores and help your team dominate the competition, follow our tips and become the freshest squid on the battlefield.

Art attack

As we mentioned above, the aim of the game in Splatoon is to cover as much of the arena in your team's colour paint as humanly (squidly?) possible. The more gallons of emulsion you squirt onto the playing field, the higher your final score will be. Painting should be your priority, always.

Keep in mind, walls don't count towards your team's total, so save your paint for floors, ramps and sloped surfaces only. 

If an enemy happens to cross your path, by all means, blast them into oblivion, but don't fall into the trap of thinking of Splatoon as another simple death match shooter. If you do, you and your team will lose.

Squids in

The best way to travel in Splatoon is by turning into a squid. By assuming this slippery form you can zip through paint like greased lightning. In fact, if you're not locked in battle or redecorating the arena, there's no excuse not to be a squid. So, embrace your inner squid and go forth - not only will this make it harder for enemies to spot you, it'll also keep your paint reserves in the pink. Just keep an eye out for that pesky Echolocator perk- this special ability will let your opponents know where you're lurking, even in squid form. 

Keep a close eye on your map

Be sure to consult your map by taking a gander at your gamepad every now and again. This will give you a better idea of what the enemy is up to, as well as help you identify areas in need of a touch-up. Often you'll see teams that clump together in the middle of the map, concentrating on killing each other when they should be painting. Instead of getting drawn into the fracas, this is your chance to slip past the enemies' defences, push into their spawn area and lay down some serious ink.

Of course, your enemies will seek to do the same. To stop them getting the jump on you, always pay special attention to your own spawn area: a single enemy inkling armed with a paint roller or ink-strike can quickly turn the tide of battle if they manage to infiltrate your half of the map in the dying moments of the game. By keeping a close eye on your map, you'll always know when to push forward and when to fall back and defend.

Try before you buy

The best way to get a feel for the many different types of weapons, subs weapons and special abilities in Splatoon is by taking them out for a test drive. The humble Splattershot is easy enough to get to grips with, but the more specialised weapons, such as Chargers, Rollers and Blasters, aren't quite so straightforward. Instead of breaking them in on the battlefield against live opponents, spend 5 or 10 minutes playing around with each one in test mode. This will help you get a feel for how they play and familiarise you with their strengths and weaknesses.

Don't sit on your special ability

Cover enough square footage with paint in Splatoon and you'll fill up a bar in the top left corner of the screen which grants the use of a special ability. Unlocking these powerful abilities is easier during the early stages of a match when there's plenty of fresh ground to immerse in emulsion. Later on, when untouched ground becomes a rarer commodity, they're much harder to unlock. To make matters worse, these abilities expire when you do. This means it's often a good idea to use your special as soon as possible. Sit on it too long and you could lose it completely, along with a healthy chunk of your ability gauge. 

On a roll

Depending on who you ask, the roller is either the most formidable weapon in the game or one of the weakest. In terms of raw painting power, the roller is a beast, able to lay down vast swathes of goo with alarming speed. This makes it easy to rack up big points and charge your special ability in the ink of an eye. Come up against a half-decent player with a ranged weapon, though, and you're going to get splatted. 

You can even the odds somewhat by using the Kraken special move, a formidable ability that turns your inkling into a whirling, dervish of squiddy death. For the most part, however, you'll want to avoid charging into the fray; concentrate instead on flanking enemies, making paths for your team-mates and running around mopping up uncontested territory. 

If, on the other hand, roller-happy inklings are giving you headaches, concentrate on taking them out from afar. Unless a roller sneaks up behind you or bushwhacks you from cover, they're not too much of a threat. Just keep a cool head, hang back and pick them off - if you're facing a roller head-on, 9 times out of 10 you should be able to put them down before they are able to close the gap. 

Look before you leap

At any point during a match in Splatoon, you can leap to another player's location by tapping their icon on the gamepad.  Following a short delay, your inkling will assume squid form, blast off across the map and land next to their comrade. Handy, eh? This makes it a cinch to cover a lot of ground quickly, press your team's advantage, and make inroads into enemy territory. 

Unfortunately, if used haphazardly they can strand you in no-man's land and give the initiative to the opposing team. I've seen jump-happy teams wiped off the map in seconds, so eager to get back into the thick of battle they unwittingly parachute into a crossfire, dying one after the other and leaving the path to their base undefended. 

So, have a care next time you think about super-jumping. ask yourself: am I jumping to victory or certain doom?

Second that motion

Aside from letting you use the right analog stick to manipulate the camera, Splatoon's default controls also let players aim with the Wii U gamepad's inbuilt gyro. If, like me, you've spent a lifetime playing shooters with traditional twin-stick controls, wiggling around the gamepad to aim is going to feel highly off-putting at first. 

Instead of turning the motion controls off after five minutes, though, I'd urge players to step out of their comfort zone and give them a whirl. I'll admit I found them frustrating at first, but after spending an hour or so tinkering with them incampaign mode, I came to appreciate the added level of accuracy and responsiveness they provide.

Handy hint: With motion controls enabled you can execute a fancy, instant 180-degree turn by facing away from the camera and hitting the 'Y' button.

A beginner's guide to Bloodborne

It may sound like a cliche, but if you're playing Bloodborne for the first time, prepare to die. A lot. This is a game filled with traps designed to trick the unwary, punishing level design, and enemies that can whittle your health bar down to nothing in just a few hits. On the surface, Bloodborne may look like just another Souls game, but the mechanics underpinning it are very, very different. So much so, even series veterans may find themselves struggling at first. This may be the same old song and dance, but it’s faster, meaner, and if you can't keep up, Bloodborne will leave you behind, broken, bleeding, and begging for more.

If you’re a new player, about to join the hunt for the first time, keep yourself alive with our handy beginner's guide to Bloodborne. These indispensable tips will turn you from mewling milquetoast to lord of the hunt in no time:

Death is its own reward

Death has always been an important part of the Souls series, and Bloodborne is no exception. You will die. Over and over, in a variety of nasty, horrible ways. In most games, this would be cause for an extended bout of teeth gnashing, but in Bloodborne it’s par for the course. Instead of viewing death as a failure, it should be viewed as a learning experience. That pitchfork wielding boogeyman that burst out of a stack of crates may have killed you the first time, but now you know where he is, you can take him out with ease. So, go forth, die, and learn from your mistakes. In Bloodborne, knowledge is power, and that knowledge almost always comes at the expense of your life.

Pick your fights

The early areas of Bloodborne throw a lot of enemies at you, and if you don’t pick your fights carefully, you’ll soon find yourself staring at a game over screen. Instead of wading into large groups of baddies, try to lure out one or two at a time. If you do find yourself hounded by a large group of enemies, take the fight to an area that gives you an advantage, such as a staircase or doorway. This forces them to come at you one at a time, and (as any good Spartan knows) makes them easier to deal with.

The reverse is true for larger enemies; most of these have far-reaching, crippling attacks that are hard to avoid in cramped areas. When facing off against one of these, try to do it in an area with plenty of room to manoeuvre. This will make it easier to strafe, dodge, and, if need be, turn tail and run.

Later on, you’ll find yourself in possession of some pebbles. Lobbing one of these at an enemy will draw its attention and bring it scampering your way. This makes them ideal for whittling down packs of powerful enemies --the werewolves on the bridge at the beginning of the game, for example-- as you can draw them away and take them down one at a time.

Lastly, if you find yourself facing overwhelming odds, don’t be afraid to run away; most enemies will only pursue you so far, before drifting back to their original positions. This is handy if you find yourself needing to heal, or get caught unawares by a horde of enemies.

Lust for Blood

If you ever need a quick pick-me-up during Bloodborne, hitting the triangle button will cause your hunter to crush a blood vial in their fist and recover a chunk of health. If you’re anything like us, your initial instinct will be to hoard these vials away, using them only in the direst situations. The truth is, blood vials are so plentiful you can pop them like Pringles and still have plenty to spare. Your Hunter can tote around a maximum of twenty vials at a time (more if you equip certain runes), and keep an extra ninety-nine in storage. This means you will very rarely find yourself up the creek without a vial, so don’t be stingy, especially against bosses.

If you ever do run out --a very real possibility should you run up against a troublesome boss-- here’s a route that will net you ten-plus vials in just a few minutes: from the first Central Yarnham lantern, hang a left and head down the stairs. There will be a black coated enemy at the bottom who will sometimes leave behind a vial upon death. From here, head through the door in front of you; take care of the two enemies on the bottom floor, hoovering up the bullets and any vials in the process, and then head back outside. Descend the staircase on the left, and vanquish the two ogre-like enemies patrolling the courtyard. These lumbering brutes normally drop two vials apiece. With them out of the way, head back upstairs, and find the staircase leading up to the bridge. The two wolves here will drop three vials each when killed, and the ogre surrounded by crows at the other end will drop another two. Run back to the lantern on the bridge where you fought Cleric Beast, rinse and repeat. Stronger characters will be able to complete this loop 2-3 times in roughly ten minutes. We found that doing a few reps every few play sessions was enough to keep our blood supply in the pink right up until the end of the game, preventing the need for any heavy-duty vial farming.

Shortcut to success

Nearly every area in Bloodborne has a shortcut or two to waiting to be discovered. These handy ‘cuts make getting to and from boss fights significantly easier, so be sure to poke your Hunter’s nose into every nook and cranny to find them. Normally, they will be close to boss areas, and usually take the form of elevators, doorways and ladders. If you find yourself having to struggle through massive amounts of enemies on the way to a boss over and over again, chances are there’s a shortcut you've missed.

Like a boss

Unlike Dark Souls, boss areas in Bloodborne aren't obscured by swirling gates of fog. This means it can be all too easy to blunder into a boss area, get stomped and lose all your precious blood echoes. Luckily, boss areas are easy to identify thanks to their large, open, arena-like structures, so keep your eyes peeled and don’t go traipsing in unprepared.  

Before you face a boss for the first time, we recommend hightailing it to the nearest lantern --which shouldn't be too far away provided you’ve opened up some shortcuts-- and banking all your blood echoes. This way, you won’t have the added stress of losing all your echoes, and can focus all your attention on cutting the boss down to size.

Keep calm and parry on

In Bloodborne your character lugs around a gun instead of a shield. This frivolous firearm isn't much when it comes to dealing out damage, but it does have one indispensable use: parrying. Pulling off a parry is as simple as squeezing R2 when an enemy is just about to swing a piece of steel into your face. If you time it right, you’ll hear a special sound effect and your enemy will slump forward, leaving themselves open to a devastating counterattack. These counters deal huge amounts of damage, and can make short work of even the most difficult boss encounters. The timing can be tricky, and varies from enemy to enemy, but learning how to parry correctly is crucial to beating the game. It’ll seem hard at first, but with a little bit of practice you’ll be parrying like a pro in no time.  

Born to run

There will come a time in Bloodborne when you find yourself facing insurmountable odds, particularly towards the end of your adventure when the environment becomes just as much of an obstacle as your enemies. To avoid a lot of cheap deaths (here’s looking at you, Nightmare of Mensis), and unnecessary frustration, simply take to your virtual heels and run to the next Lantern. That’s right, many of Bloodborne’s trickiest areas can be conquered by a spot of gentle jogging. Of course, unless you fancy running out of puff in the middle of a mob of angry monsters, you’ll need to keep a careful eye on your stamina. Otherwise, this cowardly strategy is surprisingly effective.  

Community service

Your greatest ally in the fight to retake Yharnam is the community itself. Like the Souls series before it, Bloodborne has already spawned hundreds of wiki entries, tips, guides, and tutorials to help players. So, if you find yourself lost, or are struggling to take down a stubborn boss, don't be afraid to head online in search of a helping hand. There’s the in-game community, too, which allows you to summon another hunter to your aid. Two hunters are better than one, especially if you’re in an area, or facing a boss, that’s giving you a lot of grief.

A little light reading

There’s one obstacle in Bloodborne that no player, no matter how skilled, will be able to overcome: the load times. A few days before its release, the internet was rife with angry web warriors threatening to cancel preorders because of it, and while it’s definitely not as bad as all that, there’s no denying that load times in Bloodborne are long and, given the difficult nature of the game, something you will see very often. With that in mind, we recommend sitting down to play Bloodborne with something to distract yourself with during these lengthy loads. Why not flick through your favourite magazine? Annoy your favourite celebrity on Twitter? Put the kettle on? Post a message on the internet about how annoying the load times are? The possibilities are endless.

Got any of your own tips to share with us? If you can tear yourself away from the game for a few minutes, let us know in the comments section below!