LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy

Star Wars fever may be over now that Episode III has come and gone, but there's still a reason to get excited about the galaxy that's far, far away. Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker will continue to find their way onto toy store shelves, giving collector's something to hunt for. LEGO is also continuing their line of Star Wars building sets, letting fans piece together everything from a Y-Wing to the Death Star.

LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy is the sequel to the game that merged the worlds of toys, Star Wars, and action/adventure video games. Returning fans are in for the same high-quality, unexpected humor. Those who missed the first game won't be able to prepare themselves for the number of scene-by-scene parodies Traveller's Tales has created. All players, regardless of their familiarity with the series, will be delighted by the gameplay; hooked by its simplistic catchiness, and dazzled by its inspired combat.

Anyone who's seen Star Wars can understand the general idea: this game will have Lightsaber battles, hand-to-hand combat, laser-shooting weapons, and some interesting Force powers.

But you couldn't predict that the game is set up like a movie set, where each level is divided into sections that feel like scenes, not typical stages. Area transitions are made with the classic Star Wars film wipe, shifting the new area in from various angles.

The camera is pretty fixed, with movement being limited to brief tilts that allow you to see slightly further than your current position.

New to the game is a creation element that lets you quickly and easily build and ride classic LEGO vehicles. If blocks are bouncing, that’s your cue to get building. Run over, hold the circle button, and the character you're controlling will go to work. Tossing each piece into the air as if they were as light as plastic (oh, wait a minute...), the Jedi throw together a new vehicle.

You'll also have to build bridges and control panels to open doors or to keep enemies locked in. Using the power of the Force (something not every character has), you might have to lift various clusters of blocks, drop them somewhere, then build an object that needs to be destroyed in order to build another object.

In short: you'll be doing a lot of building, most of which takes less than 10 seconds to complete.

Fans of Sonic the Hedgehog know what happens when he falls off a cliff: he loses his rings. In LEGO Star Wars II, falling will cause you to lose some, but not all, of the tiny plastic pieces (called LEGO Studs) you've collected. Studs act as the game's currency. They're found everywhere – inside block clusters, enemy ships, and inside pretty much any other object you can find that's made of LEGO. Studs are important but only as a secondary, replay value-adding element. You don't need them to enjoy the game, but you will need thousands if you wish to unlock all of the characters.

After being found and/or rescued, additional characters will follow you to the end of the level. You'll notice the differences between them almost instantly. Han, Leia and Chewbacca – they're big on gunfire (laser beams) and basic hand-to-hand combat. Chewie has a great attack move, as well as an oversized head that prevents him from wearing a disguise (don't look at the pics on the box – it spoils the surprise!). Luke is initially slow and cannot lift objects until Yoda shows him how.

Jump ahead to Episode VI and his powers will have grown. Though you can choose to play the story in order, you may also head back to Mos Eisley, the game's official level hub, to transport yourself to other scenarios from the trilogy.

As far as playable characters go, Yoda is one of the fastest and swiftest Jedi in the galaxy, taking all of his moves from his performances in Episodes II and III. Technically that's out of character – we didn't get to see Yoda wield anything but a cane in Episode V. But this is a game, and I would rather control a Lightsaber-wielding Yoda than one who can barely get out of bed.

In addition to the natural, pre-made Star Wars cast, players can now build and control their own characters. Mix and match body parts and weapons for a combination that's bound to turn heads. A Tusken Raider with a Lightsaber? Yoda with a gun? A man playing… Princess Leia? It's all possible and often hilarious.

LEGO Star Wars II is an excellent game, but before I tell you to run out and buy it, there are a few flaws I must note. First and foremost, this is not a pure action game. It's an action/adventure, and when compared with other top titles in the genre, this feels like one of the slowest around. Even the free-roaming vehicular levels, while awesome, exciting, and packed with explosive moments, they are rather lengthy and do not move very fast. This in no way kills the game, but it does keep it from achieving "best action game" status.

Also, the fixed camera can be slightly irritating. You might not be able to see the edge of a cliff, a cluster of Studs, or an oncoming enemy because of the angle the camera chose to apply to that scene. The camera moves with your character. You can avoid missing Studs and avoid enemy surprises by exploring every nook and cranny. But that means walking off into areas where you are unable to see, and could end up losing more Studs than you could potentially gain.

So no – the series is not yet perfect. But it's still a blast, an improvement over the original, and it's the best multi-platform Star Wars game available. As a diehard fan of both George Lucas's trilogy and the LEGO Star Wars building sets, I am happy to say that in spite of its flaws, this is another game you will want in your collection.

Gameplay: 8.6
LEGO Star Wars II's combat has a solid variety of styles that differ between characters. Vehicular combat is explored more deeply this time around, with a larger number of pods, ships, and other surprises for you to jump into.

There are dozens of characters to control, including Luke, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, R2-D2, C-3PO, and one of my personal favorites, Yoda. Many of the characters are hidden. Some of them must be found or else you won't be able to continue. But just because you've found them once doesn't mean they're yours forever. During the course of the Original Trilogy, how many times did Luke and Leia get separated? How many times were R2-D2 and C-3PO in turmoil?

Graphics: 8.6
Nearly everything you see and interact with in this game is based on a real LEGO creation. The detail is amazing, and the effects (grand explosions, real-time building, etc.) are better than most action games. Also notable is the way the characters move: somewhat clunky like a toy, bringing Pixar’s classic, Toy Story, to mind.

Sound: 8.5
Classic trilogy music. The sound effects are basic and suffice, but it’s the music that really carries this game’s soundtrack (despite coming from a movie that’s nearly 30 years old).

Difficulty: Easy
Though there are a few puzzles and enemy assaults that could hold you back, LEGO Star Wars II doesn’t offer much of a challenge. That means it’s friendly to everyone and, consequently, might be too simplistic for Star Wars’s most hardcore fans.

Concept: 8.5
One of the best, most entertaining stories of the year – and it comes without any text or voiced dialogue! Yes, we all know the tale of Star Wars, which is precisely why this game is so ingenious. It cleverly parodies our favorite scenes, re-telling the trilogy with LEGO ships, characters, and weapons. The comedy comes from their actions. We expect each character to act and react in a certain way. It’s when they act differently that you’ll be laughing.

Multiplayer: 8.0
The drop-in/drop-out co-op gameplay is just as fun as the first. Similar to arcade brawlers, the words “Insert Controller” constantly flash on the right side of the screen. Plug in a second controller and you’ll be able to finish the game with a friend. If one of the players has to leave, the game lets one exit while the other continues to progress through the adventure.

Overall: 8.6
Each of the three Original Trilogy films are retold from start to finish. Every level begins with the famous three-dimensional scrolling text, followed by a classic scene that's been given the comedic LEGO treatment. Gameplay is entertaining and amusing (Chewie is hilarious), the music comes straight from the movies, and the visuals deliver the coolest and most unique eye candy seen since the first LEGO Star Wars game.