Lego Bionicle: The Legend of Mata Nui

Lego Bionicle: The Legend of Mata Nui
Promotional box art
Developer(s)	Saffire
Publisher(s)	Lego Software
Series	Bionicle
Platform(s)	GameCube, Microsoft Windows
Release	Canceled[a]
Genre(s)	Action-adventure
Mode(s)	Single-player

Lego Bionicle: The Legend of Mata Nui is a canceled action-adventure video game developed by Saffire. Based on the Lego Group's Bionicle line of constructible action figures, the game was intended to release on Microsoft Windows computers in late 2001 and the GameCube in early 2002. The game was designed as a direct sequel to Saffire's Game Boy Advance game Lego Bionicle: Quest for the Toa, which was released in October 2001. The story of The Legend of Mata Nui was meant to serve as a conclusion to the 2001 Bionicle story arc, focusing on the Toa, heroic elemental warriors destined to defeat the evil Makuta, who is attacking the island of Mata Nui with corrupted Rahi animals.

The Legend of Mata Nui has a three-dimensional, third-person perspective and a similar gameplay style to The Legend of Zelda games Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, with the player collecting items that enable them to progress further in the game's open environments. Players are tasked with rescuing villagers and defeating Makuta's Rahi and elemental monsters. Each Toa possesses unique abilities based on the element that they control, and additional abilities can be gained by finding the powerful Kanohi masks scattered throughout the island.

Development of The Legend of Mata Nui began in early 2000 and lasted until October 2001, when the game was suddenly canceled two months away from its planned December release. According to the game's development team, it was around 90% complete at the time of its cancellation, with most of the unfinished elements being in the game's climax; a planned final battle with Makuta was never developed. The game's cancellation led to the planned story content being revealed through other mediums as well as the gradual demise of Saffire. Heavily promoted by Lego in anticipation of its upcoming release, The Legend of Mata Nui became widely sought-after by Bionicle fans in the wake of its cancellation. In 2018, two developmental builds of the game were leaked online. YouTube community The Beaverhouse went on to found Litestone Studios, an independent video game development studio, with the goal of completing the game with support for modern computers. Version 1.0 of the updated game, Bionicle: The Legend of Mata Nui Rebuilt, was released on August 10, 2019.

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