*Lego + Star Wars = a much better idea than it sounds*
Like millions of others of children around the world, I grew up with a couple of storage crates groaning with mismatched Lego pieces and could quite happily wile away the hours building increasingly more complicated creations.
I discovered Star Wars at a young age and for me the films will always be something special, a Saturday night film treat that conjures up a host of warm associations.
The synergy of Star Wars films with Lego pieces sounds, frankly, a bit odd. I strongly suspect that most people had the same reaction when they first heard of this game and wondered what interlocking plastic pieces could bring to George Lucas' cheesy science fiction opus.
What I've discovered since my girlfriend purchased the game is that it manages to capture the excitement of the franchise in miniature, recreating film environments very faithfully and managing to be both remarkably intuitive and simple to play, but very involving. The use of Lego throughout (collecting different pieces/characters/outfits) plays strongly to the fanboy element typically associated with Star Wars and this is a game that will appeal as much to a 10 year old who'd never watched the films as it would a diehard fan who remembers the films from their original release and has spent the last 30 years collecting memorabilia!
Players are given a chance to play through all of the Star Wars films and gain firsthand experience of what it's like to bring down the bad guys and return peace to the galaxy. It looks great and it's
pretty addictive to boot.
*Picking up studs in space*
Sorry for the slightly misleading title ladies, a boy needs to get his reads :D
As well as completing most of the original missions as seen in the six Star Wars films, there are a lot of hidden areas and side goals to be completed in the game. One of these is the collection of blue, gold and silver studs/coins to show off your 'True Jedi' status - or to show off just how much of your weekend you spent playing computer games...
There are also a host of Lego pieces hidden throughout the game worlds to collect and gathering these will allow you to unlock different options, vehicles etc.
*Platforms, puzzles and pitched battles*
Lego Star Wars is a platform game at heart and for fans of Super Mario etc. the routine of leaping, exploring and puzzle solving will be second nature. The wide range of characters means that there is real replay value to be had by visiting sections of the game several times and some of the puzzles require real depth of thought, or perfect timing.
You will frequently end up falling of cliffs, getting crushed and generally being frustrated (leading to a hunt for more studs to replace the ones you lose upon death). That said, the game is well balanced and you'll usually find yourself coming back for more as opposed to giving up.
In addition to the more cerebral sections, there are plenty of opportunities for battles with hosts of easy to kill enemies (droids, stormtroopers etc.), as well as a chance to do battle against all of the prime nasties of the Star Wars universe.
*So many characters*
The aforementioned studs (and completion of levels) unlock dozens of characters from the Star Wars universe (everything from bumbling combat droids to bounty hunters and famous Jedis) and it's also possible to create your own characters which can be used in free play mode after completing the levels in story mode. The screen which shows the characters available is a huge grid made up of minute circles and we've barely even filled a tenth of it after a week of playing.
This will greatly appeal to Star Wars fans, but it's also a fantastic idea for increasing the longevity of the game. The Lego style bodies used for the characters aren't particularly hard to animate, meaning that the game can handle loads of characters, each which has a slightly different set of in game abilities. Replaying the levels with different characters is essential if you want to collect everything and helps to keep players immersed in the game world.
*Looks great*
As mentioned in the last section, the models used for characters are typically very basic and essentially it's just their faces that differentiate between them. These, however, are well animated and you're left in no doubt who's who. These fairly simple characters play against a backdrop of far more detailed backgrounds and it's genuinely atmospheric. For example, last night we were fighting a battle against Jango Fett on a landing pad floating above the sea on the planet Kamino (for those of you who've watched the films). The sea was choppy, the rain was driving down in sheets and the lightsaber looked great as the characters jumped around.
Larger models/spaceships look surprisingly realistic, as enough blocks can be used in modelling to create models that definitely look like Lego, but manage to retain some fairly organic curves.
It's a pleasing mix of simple and complex graphics and it's certainly a winning combination in my eyes.
*Control freak*
While it takes a little bit of getting used to, the control scheme in Lego Star Wars is one of the more intuitive ones I've come across that requires the use of both the Wiimote and the Nunchuck controller.
The Nunchuck controller's analogue stick controls the movement of your character or vehicle, the 'Z' button triggers Jedi powers, grappling ropes and other goodies (dependent upon who you go) and the 'C' button allows you to switch between characters in game areas. This is essential, as Lego Star Wars is all about team play. Obi Wan Kenobi might be able to craft a mean bridge out of Lego blocks using his Jedi powers, but he certainly can't open the door at the other side of the bridge, necessitating a quick 'change' into R2D2 to progress.
The Wiimote controls jumping with the 'A' button and most importantly, your offensive move (using the 'B' button/trigger to the rear of the controller).
It's also possible to use the motion sensing qualities of the Wiimote to attack with your lightsaber, but you may save your wrist if you opt to use the trigger button instead! There are also specific lightsaber controllers available which will work with the game, but these strike me as a bit of a gimmick and something of a catchpenny.
*Playmate*
One of the things that I particularly like about Lego Star Wars is the fact that there is a heavy emphasis on team play. It's essential to use a range of characters to fully unlock the game and this is great as it encourages children and grown ups alike to play together in a meaningful way. Complex puzzles and tricky sections will require the wit of at least two people and it's really positive to see what's essentially a platform game where having more than one player is more of an advantage than a hindrance.
*Availability and pricing*
Lego Star Wars is widely available and thanks to recent falls in prices of some of the slightly older Wii titles, it can be obtained for roughly £15 new. Our copy was purchased on Amazon, although Game are also selling it for less than £15 on their website. It's also available in supermarkets and specialist retailers such as HMV.
It's probably the best £15 we've spent for the Wii.
Originally published by me under the same user name at www.dooyoo.co.uk.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Kick some brick in I through VIPlay through a film Star Wars Galaxy that combines the ... more
endless customisation of Lego with the epic story from all six episodes of Star Wars.New Gamplay FeaturesNew Levels And CharactersWield Your Lightsaber!
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: Out of stock
Its the game that never shouldve worked. Normal licensed games are usually bad enough but ... more
the game of the toy of the film? Clearly the Force was with developer Travellers Tales though because Lego Star Wars I and II were huge critical and commercial hi...
Postage & Packaging: £1.94 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Depth of gameplay, good graphics, easy to control, good co operative play Disadvantages: No real consequences of being killed, AI companions are poor.
Advantages: Depth of gameplay, good graphics, easy to control, good co operative play Disadvantages: No real consequences of being killed, AI companions are poor.
very helpful by (100%):
