“It brings a different dimension to our portfolio”: Dotted Games’ Birgitte Bülow and Jonas Resting-Jeppesen on LEGO Ninjago: Destiny’s Bounty Adventures

Dotted Games has a new release – LEGO Ninjago: Destiny’s Bounty Adventures! How would you pitch it?
Birgitte Bülow, Head of Studio & CEO, Bezzerwizzer Studio & Dotted Games: It’s thrilling to present our third game created together with LEGO, especially as it’s tied to Ninjago’s 15th anniversary this year. Destiny’s Bounty Adventures is a cooperative family board game. In it, you and your fellow Ninja go on thrilling adventures – facing serpents, pirates and other characters from the universe… As Ninja, you must defend your great ship – Destiny’s Bounty – from villains! You need to upgrade skills and work together using each other’s unique abilities to succeed.

Jonas Resting–Jeppesen, Head of Games, Bezzerwizzer Studio & Dotted Games: Let me put it this way: Have you ever customised a LEGO minifigure and wished you could do something more than display it? Or played a game where you got an epic upgrade card but wished you could see it physically reflected on your character? This is the game for you!

Sounds great! What aspects of the LEGO Ninjago brand was it important to capture here?
Birgitte: Creating a board game set in the Ninjago universe was a dream project for us. With such a rich, immersive world, there were countless directions we could take. We worked closely with the LEGO Ninjago team to align game mechanics with the Ninjago traits and ensure the experience would resonate with fans. The goal was to deliver a game that unites families through fun, strategy and stories, while letting players step into the shoes of their favourite Ninja characters.

Jonas: This time, we focused less on the actual LEGO building experience and more on the character growth and teamwork elements, which are central to the Ninjago story. The phrase ‘Ninja sharpens Ninja’ really informed our design approach. The co-op nature of the game reflects this beautifully. You don’t just win as a team; you need to actively cooperate to stand a chance.

LEGO Ninjago is an action-packed brand. How do you capture that ‘action’ in a board game?
Jonas: Many action-heavy board games can actually feel quite slow – a single scene from a movie could drag into a two-hour session. That wouldn’t work for LEGO Ninjago: Destiny’s Bounty Adventures. We wanted a dynamic experience where exciting things are always happening within a 25-to-30-minute game.

We focused on snappy turns, constant movement, evolving adventures and plenty of small victories along the way. The Ninja minifigures themselves add to the action… They develop over the course of the game and look amazing. Seeing them in dynamic poses naturally invites players to lean into the Ninja theme. Players, kids and adults alike, can’t resist getting into the spirit, complete with Ninja sound effects!

You mentioned this is a co-op adventure. What were some ‘north stars’ in designing an engaging co-op game?
Jonas: First, it was essential that teamwork truly mattered. Players not only work together but rely on each other for success. Ensuring that every player felt like they had an important role to play was key. Second, the game had to spark real engagement. Listen to the players around the table… Are there actual cooperative conversations going on? Does the conversation come naturally? Are the players strategizing, cheering and sometimes laughing at shared failures? During playtesting, these moments were our focus. Whether players conquered a tricky challenge or fell short, the sentiment was usually “We did it!” or “We can do better!” But always: “Let’s play again!”

Birgitte: Yes! That’s when we knew we had something special.

This has a different feel to your previous LEGO launches – LEGO Monkey Palace and Brick Like This. How would you describe the strategy behind those releases?
Birgitte: Together with LEGO, our goal is to create a versatile portfolio of games; one that offer exceptional play experiences for a wide range of players. To achieve this, we’ve intentionally developed games that are distinct from one another because players, and play situations, are so varied. LEGO Monkey Palace has an innovative combination of classic board game mechanics and creative LEGO brick use… That’s for families who enjoy a clever, light strategic gameplay. Brick Like This, on the other hand, is a fast-paced family party game where teams race to finish their LEGO models. It’s all about fun, communication and building.

Now, with LEGO Ninjago: Destiny’s Bounty Adventures, we’re bringing a different dimension to our portfolio. The game delivers an immersive experience, packed with adventures that each offer different challenges, keeping everyone engaged and coming back for more. Each of these three games offers a unique gameplay experience, and together, they highlight the versatility of LEGO bricks. Whether you’re looking for strategy, excitement or light-hearted fun, there’s something for everyone. We’re thrilled to showcase how diverse and innovative LEGO board games can be!

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