Lego Star Wars

Platforms: PC, Mac, PS2, GC, GBA, XBox

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

I haven’t gotten my hands on the second installation of the series yet, but I’ll post a review as soon as I complete it. If number II is anything like I, you should jump for it. Lego Star Wars is another unique joint venture with a just as original gameplay. One might describe it as a platformer, but then again it doesn’t fall solely into any category. You can play as over 30 different characters from the second trilogy of the Star Wars story. One of the features stressed in their marketing is the jump-in co-op system. Whenever you play, there’s two characters there at least. You control one and if you’re playing by yourself, the AI controls the other. However, someone else can walk by your computer and decide they want to play with you, so they hit a key on the keyboard and they control the previously “dummy” character.

I really enjoy the unique level design and especially the hidden items you find in each level. Sometimes an object you didn’t realize was force-sensitive will do something entertaining. In the first level, in the first room, use the force on the chairs surrounding the table. You’ll see things like that all over the game! If you find the level too easy, as some will be, try hunting down the ten hidden capsules in every level. Usually you’ll have to come back and use a certain character to unlock a door or fly over to a ledge holding some treasure. There are also single silver, gold and blue “studs” that when collected, add to your funds as well as fill up your “true Jedi” bar. When this is full, you’ll recieve one piece (or clump) of a megakit which can be assembled by filling up the bar in every level. This is harder than it sounds, because by getting hurt or dying in any way will make you drop a LOT of studs! Fortunately, once the bar is filled up, it can’t drop, depending on the system you’re playing on.

Now to the not so good stuff. In the Arena Battle level behind door II, every Jedi there is a playable character! The downside is that you can’t switch to ANY of them. The only other clear dissapointment is that… well… at the end of episode three, there’s a very nice treat. Naturally, you have to go through the whole dang level every time to get to it. You should be able to just play it from a seperate door or something.

Other than that, it’s a great game and one that you should pick up, especially if you have kids.