Lego Star Wars - The Video Game

From The Phantom Menace...

The combination of the Danish words 'LEg GOdt' (Play Well) have had quite an impact on the world of toys. The world has changed somewhat since Kirk-Kristiansen began producing wooden toys, as has the way children play. Lego are trying to keep up with this change which has led to an alliance with the great LucasArts and Giant Interactive.

With the rights from the former and the expertise of the latter, Lego offers up a videogame including the characters from Star Wars.

...through Attack of the Clones...

The game follows the story of the three prequels, even though the third film has yet to have its premiere. Playing Lego Star Wars will therefore provide a tiny glimpse at how and why Anakin Skywalker becomes the dreaded Darth Vader.

You may wrinkle your nose at the thought of your beloved Star Wars favourites becoming all squared and plastic-like. It may seem wrong, but we can assure you that you will surrender at first glance. It is simply so well made that no-one will feel cheated and the full experience of the universe is present.

Lego Star Wars is fundamentally a platform game, but you will be Pod Racing and flying through space. Most of the time, however, is spent jumping around on the ground collecting bricks and Minipots. The bricks work like money and will enable you to buy the items and unlock the characters you encounter when playing a level and taking them with you if you want to play that level again.

... to Revenge of the Sith

You are not necessarily finished with a level when you complete it. Every level contain ten Minipots which must be found. Every Minipot found awards you with a part of a spaceship which relates to the level in question. Collecting them all awards a cash bonus but it is by no means easy.

Every character has different abilities. Some can use a lightsaber, others a blaster and some jump really well. When first playing a level you are limited to two characters who are fully interchangeable, but often they lack a certain ability you will need in order to find the last remaining Minipots. When replaying a level you will have access to all the characters you have unlocked. By using the right persons for the right tasks, you will be able to get where you have not been before.

Toys for kids and adults

To sum up, Lego Star Wars is a game for all ages. It is very entertaining and quite challenging, and if you want all the details it will keep you in front of the screen for a very long time.

Playing Lego Star Wars is a bit like playing with virtual Lego. Everything in the game consists of Lego-bricks and you might as well be messing about with the real thing. Even though there is quite a bit of fighting in the game, it is virtually non-violent. A defeated opponent is simply seperated into the bricks he is made of.

Lego Star Wars - Yes Please!

The graphics are simply state of the art. Virtual Lego, and perfectly implemented. All characters are easily recognized and nicely match the brickmade surroundings, who are all taken from the films and astonishingly well made.

The sound effects are - due to the LucasArts license - the real Star Wars sounds, a fact that raises the game to the very top. Swinging your lightsaber or blasting an opponent sounds exactly like it does in the movies. The only thing you will miss is speech in the cutscenes, but the again, Lego does not talk.

You will probably have noticed by now that I have fallen completely for Lego Star Wars and I will not hesitate to put it with the very best children's games out there. If Star Wars and a PlayStation live in your house, you will be cheating yourself by not adding Lego Star Wars to the fray.

Source: Boomtown DK
Translated by: William Bjarnø (Dworkin)