# LEGO® Island
Play the classic 1997 PC game LEGO® Island directly in your web browser! This fan-made web port, built with Emscripten from the isledecomp project, brings the beloved adventure back to life.
Author: isledecomp/isle.pizza
Keywords: LEGO Island, LEGO, classic game, 1997, web port, browser game, Emscripten, isledecomp, retro gaming, play online, Infomaniac, Brickster, Pepper Roni

See you later, Brickulator!

A new version just arrived!

Your browser does not support the audio tag. 🔇
← Back

# Read Me

Welcome to the LEGO Island web port project! This is a recreation of the classic 1997 PC game, rebuilt to run in modern web browsers using Emscripten and WebAssembly.

This incredible project stands on the shoulders of giants. It was made possible by the original decompilation project, which achieved 100% decompilation of the original game. This was then adapted into a portable version that eliminated all Windows dependencies and replaced them with modern, cross-platform alternatives.

The technical work involved replacing Windows-specific systems with SDL for window management and input, migrating audio from DirectSound to the miniaudio library, converting Windows Registry configuration to INI files, and creating a modular graphics layer supporting multiple rendering backends including WebGL. This represents years of effort from many awesome contributors dedicated to preserving this piece of gaming history.

Thanks to this work, LEGO Island now runs on over 10 platforms including Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation Vita, and of course, web browsers. The web version uses the original, unmodified Interleaf streaming code, enabling progressive content loading just like the original CD-ROM.

Our goal is to make this classic accessible to everyone. The project is still in development, so you may encounter bugs. Your patience and feedback are greatly appreciated!

### Supported Browsers

This game requires a modern browser with WebAssembly multi-threading support. The following browsers are supported:

- Chrome — version 95 or newer
- Firefox — version 92 or newer
- Edge — version 95 or newer
- Safari — version 15.4 or newer (iOS 18+ recommended)

For the best experience, keep your browser updated to the latest version.

### Input Methods

The game supports multiple ways to play. Visit the Configure page to adjust your control preferences.

- Keyboard & Mouse — Traditional desktop controls using arrow keys or WASD
- Gamepad — Controller support with analog sticks and D-pad
- Touch Screen — Mobile-friendly controls with configurable schemes

### Audio

Audio hardware is recommended for the full experience. If the game is silent, click the mute icon (🔇) on the animated intro to enable sound. Modern browsers require user interaction before playing audio.

### Storage & Network

The game streams approximately 25MB of data on first load (more with extensions enabled). For offline play, you can install the full game (about 550MB) via the Configure menu. A stable internet connection is recommended for initial loading.

### Performance Tips

- Close other browser tabs to free up memory
- Use hardware acceleration (enabled by default in most browsers)
- On mobile, ensure your device isn't in low-power mode
- If experiencing lag, try reducing the resolution in Configure

Is this the full, original game?

This is a complete port of the original 1997 PC game. You can select from multiple languages, including both the 1.0 and 1.1 versions of English, from the "Configure" menu before starting.

How does this differ from the original 1997 CD-ROM game?

The core gameplay is identical, but this version has some great advantages! It runs in your browser with no installation needed and works on modern devices. It also includes enhancements like widescreen support, improved controls, many bug fixes from the decompilation project, and the ability to run at your display's maximum resolution (even 4K!).

Check out the "Configure" page to see what's possible.

Can I save my progress?

Yes! The game automatically saves your progress. To ensure your game is saved, return to the Infocenter and use the exit door. This will bring you back to the main menu and lock in your save state. A "best effort" save is also attempted if you close the tab directly, but this method isn't always guaranteed.

Does this run on mobile?

Yes! The game is designed to work on a wide range of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and phones. It has even been seen running on Tesla in-car browsers! 🚗

Which browsers are supported?

This port runs best on recent versions of modern browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. For an optimal experience on iOS devices, please ensure you are running iOS 18 or newer.

What are the controls?

You can play using a keyboard and mouse, a gamepad, or a touch screen. Gamepad support can vary depending on your browser. On mobile, you can select your preferred touch control scheme in the "Configure" menu.

Can I play offline?

You bet! In the "Configure" menu, scroll to the "Offline Play" section. You'll find an option there to install all necessary game files (about 550MB) for offline access.

I don't hear any sound or music. How do I fix it?

Most modern browsers block audio until you interact with the page. Click the mute icon (🔇) on the animated intro to enable sound.

I think I found a bug! Where do I report it?

As an active development project, some bugs are expected. If you find one, we'd be grateful if you'd report it on the isle-portable GitHub Issues page. Please include details about your browser, device, and what you were doing when the bug occurred.

Is this project open-source?

Yes, absolutely! This web port is built upon the incredible open-source LEGO Island (portable) project, and the code for this website is also available here.

January 2026

- New: Debug menu for developers and power users. Tap the LEGO Island logo 5 times to unlock OGEL mode and access debug features like teleporting to locations, switching acts, and playing animations
- Improved: Configure page redesigned with tabbed navigation, collapsible sections, quick presets (Classic/Modern Mode), and modern toggle switches
- Improved: Read Me page reorganized into tabs (About, System, FAQ, Changelog, Manual) with the original instruction manual now viewable in-browser

December 2025

- New: "Active in Background" option keeps the game running when the tab loses focus
- New: WASD navigation controls as an alternative to arrow keys
- Fixed: Act 3 helicopter ammo now correctly sticks to targets and finishes animations
- Fixed: Pick/click distance calculation for more accurate object selection
- Fixed: Maximum deltaTime capping prevents physics glitches in races
- Fixed: Touch controls now properly support widescreen aspect ratios
- Improved: Default anisotropic filtering increased to 16x for sharper textures

November 2025

- Fixed: Dictionary loading failure no longer causes crashes
- Fixed: INI configuration now properly applies defaults when values are missing

September 2025

- New: Additional widescreen background images
- Fixed: Jukebox state now correctly restored when using HD Music extension
- Fixed: Background audio no longer gets stuck when starting audio fails
- Improved: SI Loader actions now start at the correct time during world loading

August 2025

- New: Extended Bad Ending FMV extension shows the uncut beta animation
- New: HD Music extension with high-quality audio
- New: Widescreen backgrounds extension eliminates 3D edges on wide displays
- New: SI Loader extension system for community content and modifications
- New: OpenGL ES 2.0/3.0 renderer for broader device compatibility
- Fixed: Purple edges no longer appear on scaled transparent 2D elements
- Fixed: Transparent pixels now render correctly with alpha channel support

July 2025

- New: HD Textures extension with enhanced visuals
- New: MSAA anti-aliasing support for smoother edges
- New: Anisotropic filtering for sharper textures at angles
- New: Haptic feedback (vibration) support for gamepads and mobile devices
- New: Virtual Gamepad touch control scheme with sliding controls
- New: Gamepad/controller support with analog sticks and D-pad
- New: Full screen mode with in-game toggle
- New: Maximum LOD and Maximum Actors configuration options
- New: Configurable transition animations (Mosaic, Dissolve, Wipe, etc.)
- New: Extensions system allowing community-created content
- Fixed: WebGL driver compatibility issues resolved
- Fixed: Firefox Private browsing mode now works correctly
- Fixed: Virtual cursor transparency and positioning
- Fixed: Touch coordinate translation for proper viewport mapping
- Fixed: Memory leaks in ViewLODList
- Fixed: Screen transitions on software renderer and 32-bit displays
- Fixed: Tabbing in and out of fullscreen
- Fixed: Click spam prevention on touch screens
- Improved: Mosaic transition animation is faster and cleaner
- Improved: Loading UX for HD Textures with progress indicators

June 2025 — Initial Release

- New: Emscripten web port — play LEGO Island directly in your browser!
- New: WebGL rendering for hardware-accelerated 3D graphics
- New: Software renderer fallback for devices without WebGL
- New: 32-bit color support for improved visual quality
- New: Full screen support
- New: Joystick/gamepad enabled by default
- New: Option to skip the startup delay
- New: Support for LEGO Island 1.0 version
- New: FPS display option
- New: Game runs without requiring an audio device
- Fixed: Infocenter to Act 2/Act 3 transition issues
- Fixed: Race initialization errors
- Fixed: Jetski race startup issues
- Fixed: Plant creation bug in LegoPlantManager
- Fixed: Late-game "sawtooth" audio glitches
- Fixed: Building variant switching (Pepper's buildings)
- Fixed: OpenGL rendering issues
- Fixed: Image serialization bugs
- Improved: Transparent objects now render correctly (sorted last)
- Improved: GPU mesh uploading via VBOs for better performance
- Improved: Backface culling enabled for faster rendering
- Improved: SIMD-optimized z-buffer clearing
- Improved: Edge-walking triangle rasterization

Reactions from the original LEGO Island development team:

> This is just fantastic! What an endeavor! It is a wonderful tribute to a team that was unparalleled in talent, and we should now include you and your team in that august group. I really wish Wes was around to see it. Keep us posted on updates...

> Wow; what a trip. My first trial was on my mac; which had problems displaying any of the bitmaps applied to the characters in the safari web browser. But it ran, with some navigation frustrations. But being delivered over the web means any fix you make goes out immediately. I want you all to know it was a joy to work on and how grateful I am to have been a part of the origin. I hope you are getting joy from working on it and keeping it alive.

> This is pretty neat. At least as responsive over the web as the game was on the target machines of the time! I hadn't heard of WebAssembly until now. What kind of changes to the source were needed to get it working under WebAssembly? I foresee many hours of my time being used up experimenting with this tool!

> Well done and such fun tapping back into such fond creative memories.

> That's awesome!

> Fantastic! Love it.

> Great stuff!

← Back

> OPFS is disabled in this browser. Default configuration will apply. If you are using a Firefox Private window, please change to a regular window instead to change configuration.

Game
Version
Window
Windowed
Full Screen
Aspect Ratio ? Choose Original (4:3) to preserve the classic aspect ratio with black bars, or select Widescreen to stretch the image to fit your display.
Original (4:3)
Widescreen
Resolution ? Choose Original (640 x 480) to preserve the classic resolution, or select Maximum to render in the highest quality.
Original (640 x 480)
Maximum
Detail
Island Model Quality ? Note: using the "Low" setting will cause the island to disappear. This is not a bug, but the same behavior as present in the original game.
Low
Medium
High
Island Texture Quality
Low
High
Maximum LOD ? Maximum Level of Detail (LOD). A higher setting will cause higher quality textures to be drawn regardless of distance.
Maximum actors (5..40) ? Maximum number of LEGO actors to exist in the world at a time. The game will gradually increase the number of actors until this maximum is reached and while performance is acceptable.
Graphics
Renderer
Transition Type
Anti-aliasing
Anisotropic filtering
Input
Touch Control Scheme ?
Virtual Gamepad (Recommended): Slide your finger to move and turn.
Virtual Arrow Keys: Tap screen areas to move. The top moves forward, the bottom turns or moves back.
Virtual Mouse: Emulates classic mouse controls with touch.
Haptic feedback ?On supported devices and browsers, this provides physical feedback, like a vibration, while you play the game.
Use WASD for navigation ?Use the WASD keys instead of the arrow keys to control the game, much akin to a modern PC game.
Active in background ?Keeps the game running even when it's in the background.
Sound
Music 3D Sound
Extensions
HD Textures +25MB ?Enhance the game's visuals with high-definition textures.
HD Music +450MB ?Improve the game's music with high-definition audio.
Widescreen Backgrounds WIP ?Adapts the game's background art for modern widescreen monitors, eliminating unwanted 3D backgrounds on the sides of the screen.
Outro FMV ?Plays the unused Outro animation upon exiting the game.
Extended Bad Ending FMV +20MB ?Plays the extended / "uncut" Bad Ending animation as found in beta versions of the game upon failing to catch the Brickster.
Offline Play

Install the game for offline access. This will download all necessary files to your device (about 550MB).

Note: browsers enforce strict storage quotas, especially in private/incognito windows.

Settings saved
← Back

> "In November of 2010, after all was said and done, I started getting emails from a few kids and some adults telling me how cool they thought LEGO Island was. Some people actually still play it. I was quite thrilled by these emails and actually quite honored."

### The Making of LEGO Island: A Documentary

An in-depth documentary by MattKC that explores the fascinating and chaotic development story behind the classic game.

### LEGO Island Radio 24/7

Enjoy the iconic, high-quality soundtrack of LEGO Island anytime with this continuous live stream, complete with the original DJ interludes.

### LEGO Island Wiki

Your ultimate resource for all things LEGO Island. This fan-run wiki contains a wealth of information, research, and details about the game.

### LEGO Island Decompilation

The core open-source project that reverse-engineered the original game, making this web port and other mods possible. Dive into the source code here.

### LEGO Island, Portable Version

A portable, cross-platform version of the decompilation project which serves as the direct foundation for this web-based port.

### isle.pizza Frontend

The source code for this website! A custom-built frontend for the Emscripten version of the portable decompilation project.

### LEGO Island Rebuilder

A powerful launcher and tool for patching and modding the original 1997 PC version of LEGO Island. Essential for play and modding.

### SIEdit

A suite of tools developed by the decompilation team for viewing and editing the ".si" script and resource files from the original game.

### The Making of LEGO Island, a memoir by Wes Jenkins

Read the fascinating, incomplete memoir from Creative Director Wes Jenkins, detailing the development process and the team behind the game.

### LEGO Island: Free Poster

Download a copy of the iconic poster that was originally included with the retail release of the game.

### Development Materials Archive

Explore a collection of development materials, concept art, and other historical assets from the creation of LEGO Island.

### Video Game Flashback: An Interview with Wes Jenkins

A detailed interview with LEGO Island's Creative Director, Wes Jenkins, offering unique insights into the game's production.

### LEGO® Island - Behind the Scenes

Watch a rare promotional video created during the game's development, showcasing its progress and vision at the time.

### The Cutting Room Floor

Discover unused assets, hidden data, and other secrets left in the retail version of the game. A fascinating look at what might have been.

### Project Island High Quality Music

A complete, high-quality re-digitization of the LEGO Island soundtrack, restored by the game's main composer, Lorin Nelson.

"Whoops! You have to put the CD in your computer"

- The Infomaniac (1997)

"Hello! Hola! Aloha! How ya doin'? YO!" It's your pal, the Infomaniac, with a 2025 update! No need to search for that CD case, my friend!

This amazing LEGO Island adventure is now streaming directly from... well, from a really, really big digital box of bricks! Keep an eye on the status below!

Loading LEGO® Island... please wait! `0%`