Gamecube - Lego Star Wars review:4 stars (A good GameCube port of a surprisingly-fun game) - This GameCube version of Lego Star Wars was released a full six months after the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions of the game, an odd decision considering the frequently-assumed target audiences of the different consoles. Even so, this delayed port is nevertheless a very solid one, and gamers who have Cubes can pick this one up knowing it looks and plays just as well on this console as it does on the others.
Lego Star Wars is a game that is forgiving enough that children will enjoy it (i.e. a character who gets "killed" is simply resurrected nearby). At the same time, also has a few challenges that will give adults a share of fun. The game features a VERY large number of unlockables and extras that can only be completed by collecting certain items and collecting large enough numbers of the game's currency (known as bits). Some of the levels are not terribly difficult to beat - but can be challenging to beat with sufficient numbers of bits, some of which are lost when a character dies.
Of note, Lego Star Wars also has an easy-to-use cooperative feature, which is a great deal of fun regardless of the age of the people you are playing with.
The presentation of this game is outstanding. The graphics are beautiful and glossy and portray the "Lego" and the "Star Wars" both wonderfully. The cutscenes are funny and capture well the storyline of the first three episodes even though there is no voicework to speak of. John Williams soundtrack is here and the game even has the appropriate tracks for each level. Hearing that trademark "Darth Maul" anthem during the duel with the Sith is a real treat.
There are only a few drawbacks to the game. One, it's a bit on the short side - an adult could probably plow through the entire campaign in 6-8 hours. That being said, each level has hidden items and unlockables that are only accessible after you've beaten that level in the regular story mode, so there is a lot of incentive to go back. Two, a couple of the levels might actually be a bit hard for kids, such as the podracing level... perhaps all the more reason for an adult to sit down and enjoy the game with them. :) Finally, a couple of the platforming sequences have some odd camera angles that can result in excessive deaths the first time through, but this less of a hassle considering the fact that it's impossible to die completely in the game.
Overall, though, this is one of those unusual games that is easily recommendable to both older Star Wars fans and younger kids... and is all the better if your household has both!5 stars (My son loves this) - My son is a leg and star wars freak so when this came out he could not wait to get it. He loves playing it. Although he says it is a bit easy he would still recommend it. |
