Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (video game)

"The adventure begins"

- Tagline

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace is an action-adventure game released by LucasArts in 1999, coinciding with the release of the movie.

Gameplay
Visually, the gameplay is similar to third-person "over the head" view games, but actions such as jumping, climbing, or pushing objects are very limited, relying mostly on interaction and dialogue options. The player controls Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Queen Amidala, or Captain Panaka in different levels. The game also offers a variety of weapons and slightly different expansion of the same movie storyline and is rather similar to the 2005 Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith video game.

Opening crawl
The game has two opening crawls. The first is identical to that of the movie:

The second crawl appears after the Coruscant level, following Senator Palpatine's proposal to call for a vote of no confidence in Supreme Chancellor Valorum:

Plot
The plot closely follows that of the movie, although it expands on some minor events that could have been silenced or cut from the movie, or shows them from a different character's point of view. For example, it follows Amidala's 'adventures' on Coruscant during Anakin Skywalker's interview in the Jedi Temple, something that is never shown or mentioned in the movie.

There are also some apparent inconsistencies or contradictions to the storyline, in order to generate a new narrative. These include, unlike the movie, Jar Jar Binks being imprisoned on his return to Otoh Gunga and the player has to rescue him to continue the adventure.

Trade Federation Ship
Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi board the Trade Federation's flagship. While they are waiting to meet Viceroy Nute Gunray, the room starts filling with poison gas. The two Jedi fight their way out, destroying battle droids along the way. At one point, Obi-Wan is separated from Qui-Gon and has to make his own way to the hangar. Along the way, he sees their ambassadorial ship being destroyed. He sneaks on board one of the landing craft bound for Naboo.

Swamps of Naboo
After landing on Naboo, Obi-Wan navigates his way through the swamps and encounters Jar Jar Binks, who leads him to Qui-Gon. He fights some battle droids and hostile creatures along the way. After reuniting with Qui-Gon, Jar Jar tells them about Otoh Gunga and reluctantly brings them there to take shelter from the Trade Federation.

Otoh Gunga
In Otoh Gunga, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan realize that Jar Jar has been banished for his clumsiness. He has been forbidden from returning—on pain of death—so he is arrested and thrown into prison to await execution. Boss Nass and the Gungan High Council agree to provide the Jedi with a bongo for their journey to Theed through the planet's underwater core. While Qui-Gon stays behind to try to convince Nass and the Council to spare Jar Jar, Obi-Wan goes to rescue Jar Jar. He uses Force mind trick to make the prison guards release Jar Jar, and then they make their way to the bongo bay to meet Qui-Gon and leave together. They navigate the bongo through the core and narrowly escape from attacks by an opee sea killer and a sando aqua monster.

Gardens of Theed
After arriving just outside Theed, the three of them are about to cross a bridge leading directly to the city gates when a Trade Federation AAT blocks their way and destroys the bridge. Obi-Wan is separated from Qui-Gon and Jar Jar, and has to take a longer route through the Theed Royal Gardens. Along the way, he encounters Royal Naboo Security Forces and joins them in fighting the battle droids. Upon reaching his destination, he destroys the AAT and uses Force push to activate the levers that would unlock the gates.

Escape from Theed
Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Jar Jar manage to meet up with Queen Amidala, who tells them her plan to escape from Naboo and go to Coruscant to persuade the Galactic Senate to help them. While heading to the hangar, an explosion causes Obi-Wan and the Queen to be separated from Qui-Gon and the rest. Obi-Wan has to escort the Queen safely to the hangar on his own. Along the way, he destroys the battle droids and helps some Naboo soldiers and civilians. They successfully reunite with everyone in the hangar, where they board a Royal Naboo Starship.

Mos Espa
While breaking through the Trade Federation's blockade, the starship comes under heavy fire and its T-14 hyperdrive generator is damaged. They decide to land on Tatooine to make repairs. Qui-Gon, Amidala, and Jar Jar go to Mos Espa to find replacement parts. Qui-Gon defeats some Tusken Raiders who ambush them along the way.

In Mos Espa, they learn from the locals that Watto, a junk dealer, might have the things they need. With help from Anakin Skywalker, Watto's boy slave, Qui-Gon meets Watto and agrees to bet with him for the hyperdrive generator in the Boonta Eve Podrace, which will be held on the following day.

Qui-Gon helps Anakin find a mass coupler and a servo control system to fix his podracer. Concurrently, he completes some side quests: finding Jar Jar (who has gone missing) in a bathhouse, fighting some street thugs, saving Vek Drow from robbers, and rescuing Tomo from being enslaved by Captain Neg.

Mos Espa Arena
In the Mos Espa Grand Arena, before the podrace starts, Ann Gella lures Qui-Gon into a trap set by Jabba the Hutt, who forces the Jedi to fight his champion. Qui-Gon slays the creature and gets 50 peggats to use in his bet with Watto. Qui-Gon and Watto strike a deal: If Anakin wins the podrace, Watto will free Anakin and give Qui-Gon the T-14 hyperdrive generator; if Anakin loses, Watto gets the Royal Naboo Starship; either way, Watto gets the 50 peggats.

Qui-Gon encounters Jym Lang, a bounty hunter hired by Jabba to assassinate the podracer Teemto, and uses Force mind trick to stop him from killing Teemto. Just before the race starts, a thief steals an ignition capacitor from Anakin's podracer and flees. Qui-Gon tracks down the thief, defeats a scavenger, and helps Anakin retrieve the ignition capacitor. Anakin wins the podrace and earns his freedom.

Encounter in the Desert
The locals, including Anakin's mother Shmi Skywalker, come to see Qui-Gon, Anakin, and their companions off. While heading back to the Naboo Royal Starship, Qui-Gon is attacked by three probe droids but he destroys them. Shortly after, he is attacked by Darth Maul, who uses the Force to cause a rockslide that blocks his way. Qui-Gon duels with Maul for a while before Maul retreats. Qui-Gon then finds another path through the rocks and moves on. When he is approaching the starship, Maul shows up again and tries to destroy the hyperdrive generator. Qui-Gon manages to hold off Maul long enough before boarding the starship just as it takes off, leaving Maul behind.

Coruscant
On Coruscant, after Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Anakin leave for the Jedi Temple, Queen Amidala and Captain Panaka follow their armed escorts to the Senate Chambers to meet Senator Palpatine. However, mercenaries and a hover cannon kill their escorts and destroy their air taxi, forcing them to find their own way to the Senate Chambers. After Panaka trades his electrobinoculars for a pair of Coruscant City Tours tickets from Mas Amedda, Panaka and Amidala try to take the tour transport to the Senate Chambers but the transport leaves without them when a hover cannon fires on it. After destroying the hover cannon, Panaka leaves the Queen alone for a while and goes to activate some controls. The mercenaries use the opportunity to kidnap the Queen and bring her into the Restricted Area. Panaka fights off the mercenaries and finds his way into the Restricted Area, where he rescues the Queen and defeats a Sun Guard who tries to stop him. They successfully reach the Senate Chambers and speak with Senator Palpatine.

Assault on Theed
Disappointed by the politicking and corruption in the Galactic Senate, Queen Amidala decides to take matters into her own hands by returning to Naboo to fight the Trade Federation to free her people. She is accompanied by her followers, the two Jedi, Anakin, and Jar Jar. While Jar Jar joins his fellow Gungans in creating a diversion to distract the Trade Federation Droid Army, the Queen and everyone else infiltrate Theed to capture Trade Federation Viceroy Nute Gunray and force him to end the occupation of Naboo.

In the hangar, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan encounter Darth Maul and duel with him while the others move on. As the duel takes them deep into the Theed Generator Complex, Obi-Wan is separated from Qui-Gon and Maul after falling off a ramp.

In the meantime, Amidala and Panaka fight their way through the streets of Theed, destroying battle droids and getting all the help they can get from Naboo soldiers and civilians alike. After destroying a large force-field generator blocking their way, they arrive outside the Theed Royal Palace and break inside through a side window.

The Final Battle
Inside the Royal Palace, Amidala and Panaka have to find three security pass keys that would grant them access to the Throne Room, where Nute Gunray is. Along the way, they clear out the battle droids and free Naboo soldiers captured by the Trade Federation. They manage to corner Gunray inside the Throne Room and take him prisoner, thereby ending the Trade Federation's occupation of Naboo.

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan navigates his way through the Theed Generator Complex, being able to only observe Qui-Gon and Maul from a distance away. He destroys battle droids along the way and uses the Force to jump from platform to platform in an attempt to catch up with his master. By the time he reaches the generator core, he sees Qui-Gon being struck down by Maul. After passing through the laser gates, Obi-Wan continues the duel with Maul and eventually slays him.

With his dying breath, Qui-Gon makes Obi-Wan promise to train Anakin, whom he believes is the Chosen One. Before the credits start rolling, the people of Naboo celebrate their liberation with a victory parade in the streets while the Jedi look on.

Cover gallery
This is a gallery of the different cover variations of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

Voice cast

 * Joe Alaskey – Important Merchant, Interpreter, Watto's Flunky
 * Dominic Armato – Coruscant Male 2, Naboo Soldier 3, Naboo Soldier 6, Ticket Vendor, Alien Citizen
 * Clint Bajakian – Jabba the Hutt
 * Bob Bergen – EV-7G7, Alien Pedestrian, Coruscant Thug 3, Gungan Citizen 2
 * Gregg Berger – Darth Maul, Mat Rags, Battle droid, Coruscant Guard, Race Fan
 * Mary Kay Bergman – Tomo, Female Merchant, Ithorian Mother, Lost Boy, Naboo Crone
 * Dave Beron – Coruscant Male 1, Race Fanatic 2, Soldier 8
 * Ahmed Best – Jar Jar Binks
 * Julianne Buescher – Concerned Boy
 * Greg Burson – Boss Nass, Guard Door, Injured Soldier 1, Jabba's Porter, Shop Owner
 * Nathan Carlson – Helpful Citizen, Sleeping Man, Tourist, Underground Worker
 * Scott Capurro – Fode
 * Scott Cleverdon – Obi-Wan Kenobi, Nute Gunray
 * Jeff Coopwood – Quarsh Panaka, Neimoidian Controller
 * Grey DeLisle – Padmé Amidala, Gungan Child
 * Nick Jameson – Palpatine, BC-55, Gungan Male, Injured Soldier 2, Rodian Thug, Tense Soldier
 * David Jeremiah – Kreg, Informant, Naboo Soldier 1, Tatooine Citizen, Techie
 * Tom Kane – C-3PO, Barbo, Jym Lang, Prisoner, Thug Leader
 * Douglas Lee – Grendle, Coruscant Thug 1, Home Owner, Naboo Soldier 5
 * Jake Lloyd – Anakin Skywalker
 * Peter Lurie – Anabar, Bum, Naboo Soldier 4, Scavenger, Twi'lek Tourist
 * Bill E. Martin – Bith Merchant, Gungan Guard, Fisherman, Lizard Boy, Naboo Soldier 2
 * Greg Proops – Beed
 * Kevin Michael Richardson – 2-3G, Captain Rutger, Vek Drow, Gungan Citizen 1, Race Fanatic 1
 * Andrew Secombe – Watto
 * Carolyn Seymour – Shmi Skywalker, TC-14, Concerned Mother
 * Heidi Shannon – Jira, DC-10, Brat, Computer Console, Female Thug
 * Michael Sorich – Mawhonic, Teemto Pagalies, Palace Official, Security Door
 * Tasia Valenza – Ann Gella, Coruscant Female, Gungan Female
 * James Ward – Angry Fan, Coruscant Male 3, Alien Guard, Gungan Jailer, Soldier 7
 * James Warwick – Qui-Gon Jinn

Alternative options
"Try me!"

- Obi-Wan Kenobi, before killing a room of Gungan guards

In almost every level, the player can commit "dark side" or "evil" actions without any negative consequences or repercussions such as having to restart the level or gaining dark side points. The options are:
 * Obi-Wan can destroy TC-14, along with other harmless droids and unarmed personnel, on the Trade Federation Ship.
 * Obi-Wan can kill all the Gungans in Otoh Gunga except Jar Jar, Boss Nass, and the Gungan High Council.
 * Obi-Wan can kill Naboo soldiers and civilian men, women, and children in Theed.
 * Qui-Gon can kill almost everyone in Mos Espa (including Sebulba and Shmi Skywalker) but not Anakin, Watto, Jar Jar, or Padmé.
 * Qui-Gon can briefly flirt with Ann Gella and Tann Gella in Mos Espa.
 * Qui-Gon can kill almost everyone in Jabba's court except for Jabba himself. If he keeps using Force push on Jabba, he can destroy the interpreter droid without killing Jabba.
 * Captain Panaka can shoot anyone (except Queen Amidala) and anything he wishes on Coruscant, taking their items instead of trading for them. He can also kill the protocol droid at the entrance to the Coruscant City Tours to avoid having to pay credits.
 * Queen Amidala can kill Naboo soldiers (except Captain Panaka) and civilians. She can also kill Nute Gunray instead of capturing him.

Behind the scenes

 * Mace Windu was at one point meant to be a playable character and players originally were intended to be able to drive an AAT-1 and a STAP-1 in the game, but these options did not make the final cut. A side quest involving Klatooine paddy frogs was cut from the final game, as were the related characters Jabba's porter and Jira. An entire planned level of the game driving the tribubble bongo in the Planet Core also did not make the final cut; neither did a conceived Gungan battle level starring Roos Tarpals.
 * Most NPCs in the game will either hold a dialogue with the PC or refuse to. Mat Rags is the only NPC who is programmed to make a random decision on whether or not he will.
 * Due to an in-game bug, Qui-Gon can kill Maul on Tatooine. Interestingly, this will result in the player failing the mission, although on rare occasions this may not happen, and if Qui-Gon returns to Mos Espa's entrance, the guards will attack him for killing someone.
 * The only characters voiced by the same actors as in the films are Watto, Anakin Skywalker, and Jar Jar Binks.
 * For reasons unexplained, Skywalker Ranch insisted Gamorrean guards on Tatooine be cut from the game. They were replaced with an as-yet unnamed gray-skinned species, to which the Scavenger belongs.
 * Some NPCs were designed to look like Gillian Anderson, David Duchovny, David Bowie, and Sean Connery. Gillian Anderson and David Bowie inspired the appearance of tourists on Coruscant. Sean Connery inspired the appearance of a Naboo prisoner in Theed. David Duchovny inspired the appearance of a hobo in the Restricted Area of Coruscant.
 * Several events and quotes of the game mimic the original trilogy, particularly in the Tatooine levels. For example, several thugs in Mos Espa claim that they have a death sentence in five systems, much like Cornelius Evazan. A Jawa sandcrawler can be found in Mos Espa Arena, its inhabitants killed by Tusken Raiders. The bar in the Mos Espa Arena is similar to Mos Eisley Cantina and a character almost identical to Max Rebo is playing in the bar. The track "Attack of the Sandpeople" plays when attacked by Sand People. Also on Naboo when you have to push a stump into a pit the track "The Magic Tree" plays when in the Swamp mirroring Dagobah.

Critical Reception
Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace received generally mixed to positive reviews, and was praised for its graphics, exploration, action and sound. However, the game was criticized for its simple gameplay controls and camera angle which provided a short field of view. The PC version holds an aggregate score of 63.35% and 56.42% for the PlayStation version at Game Rankings. The PC version has slightly better and detailed graphics in comparison to the PlayStation version.