Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader


 * For the comic series, see X-wing: Rogue Leader.

Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader was an video game released in 2001 exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube. Developed by Factor 5 and published by LucasArts, Rogue Leader was the sequel to Star Wars: Rogue Squadron.

Plot summary
The storyline follows you as you command Red or Rogue Squadron through the most dramatic Star Wars battles. You start as Luke Skywalker as Red Five in his first battle of the fledgling Rebellion against the Galactic Empire, the Battle of Yavin, which follows the destruction of the Death Star I.

The Rebellion grows following this victory, as does Imperial retaliation. Red Squadron escorts a convoy from Yavin 4 to Hoth. After Luke is shot down during the Battle of Hoth, command switches to Wedge Antilles. After the Battle of Hoth, Wedge takes part in an investigation team in The Maw, to scout out an Imperial asteroid base; where he and the rest of Rogue Squadron free prisoners during the Battle of the Maw. Bothan spies beam the plans and the location of the Death Star II to the corvette Razor, which is captured by an Imperial Star Destroyer. The Rogues disable the Star Destroyer and send it crashing into the planet where the Rogues provide support and escort a commando team into the burning hull of the cruiser after its destruction to retrieve the data.

As the Rebellion prepares for its operation against the Death Star II, Wedge leads a strike team to capture tibanna gas for the Rebel fleet at Bespin. The game then leads into the Battle of Endor where Wedge must protect the Rebel fleet before going into the core of the second Death Star and destroying it.

During the final cutscene of the game, the Alliance Fleet moves to Coruscant to capture the galactic capital. The stormtroopers are overpowered in the crowds of inspired citizens, and the colossus statue of Emperor Palpatine is torn to the ground.

Gameplay
Rogue Leader expanded on the original game with improved graphics and a new tactics menu that allows the player to form up their squadron or set a target for their squadron such as laser turrets or enemy TIE Fighters. The game also expanded on the unlockable levels of the original&mdash;Beggar's Canyon is included in the tutorial, the opening level Battle of Yavin was included in both games (Rogue Squadron called the level Death Star Trench Run), and Battle of Hoth was made more authentic with the GameCube's advanced power. The other major battle in the original movie trilogy, The Battle of Endor, was arguably the biggest and most challenging scenario in the entire game.

The controls are relatively simple. "R" speeds up the ship for a limited period of time while "L" slows down the ship for a period of time. When flying the B-Wing or X-Wing pressin "R" closes the S-Foils. The ship is steered with the main control stick. "A" fires primary weapon and "B" fires secondary weapon. When flying the Y-WIng or B-Wing, holding down "B" charges the ion cannon and fires it when released. These controls are for the Nintendo GameCube.

Rogue Leader also features short clips from the movie trilogy, during the menu screens and rarely, in-game cut-scenes. Additionally, some famous moments from the movie trilogy are reconstructed using CGI, a lot of the Battle of Endor space scenes for example. Denis Lawson, who portrayed Wedge Antilles in all three films of the original trilogy, also voices the character in the game.

Characters (in order of appearance)

 * R2-D2
 * C-3PO
 * Luke Skywalker
 * Wedge Antilles
 * Garven Dreis
 * Biggs Darklighter
 * Rebel pilots & troopers
 * Imperial pilots & troopers
 * Darth Vader
 * Han Solo
 * Leia Organa Solo
 * Captain of the Redemption
 * General Rieekan
 * Karie Neth
 * an unnamed prisoner of The Maw
 * Crix Madine
 * Prefsbelt IV Base commander
 * Admiral Ackbar
 * Lando Calrissian

Pilotable ships

 * X-Wing
 * Y-Wing
 * A-Wing
 * B-Wing
 * T-47 Snowspeeder
 * Millennium Falcon
 * Cloud car
 * A 1969 Buick (unlockable by code only)
 * TIE Fighter
 * TIE Advanced x1
 * Lambda-class shuttle
 * Slave I (Boba Fett style, Jango Fett styling available by code)
 * N-1 Starfighter
 * T-16 Skyhopper (Training level only)

Planets

 * Tatooine
 * Yavin
 * Yavin 4
 * Hoth
 * Kessel
 * Kothlis
 * Prefsbelt IV
 * Sullust
 * Bespin
 * Endor
 * Coruscant

Levels

 * Tatooine Training Grounds
 * Death Star Attack (Note that the Battle of Yavin is called Death Star Attack in this game.) This level is where players can recreate the destruction of the Death Star. While playing this level players can either pilot the X-Wing or the Y-Wing.  (Please note that although on all the other levels Y-Wings have unlimited proton bombs on this level they only have six proton torpedoes
 * Ison Corridor Ambush
 * Battle of HothThe level wher players recreate the Battle of Hoth. During this level play permanately switches to Wedge Antilles.
 * Prisons of the Maw A bombing mission where players must free Rebel prisoners from an Imperial prison in an asteroid field.
 * Razor Rendezvous
 * Vengeance on Kothlis
 * Imperial Academy Heist
 * Raid on Bespin
 * Battle of Endor
 * Strike at the Core

Secret levels

 * Death Star Escape
 * The Asteroid Field
 * Triumph of the Empire
 * Revenge on Yavin
 * Death Star Endurance

Cheat Codes

 * JPVI?IJC - RSBFNRL - Infinite continues (code inactive after the system is turned off.)
 * LIONHEAD - Enable black and white mode
 * !??QWTTJ - CLASSIC - Unlock all levels
 * AYZB!RCL - WRKFORIT - Unlock all tech upgrades
 * U!?!VWZC - GIVEITUP - Unlock Ace Mode
 * BLAHBLAH - Unlock Audio Commentary
 * EXHIBIT! - Unlock Art Gallery
 * COMPOSER - Unlock Music Hall
 * ?INSIDER - Unlock Documentary
 * THATSME! - Unlock Credits
 * PYST?OOO - DUCKSHOT - Unlock "Death Star Escape"
 * TVLYBBXL - NOWAR!!! - Unlock "The Asteroid Field"
 * AZTBOHII - OUTCAST! - Unlock "Triumph of the Empire''
 * OGGRWPDG - EEKEEK! - Unlock "Revenge on Yavin"
 * ?WCYBRTC - ??MBC??? - Unlock "Endurance"
 * CDYXF!?Q - ASEPONE! - Unlock Naboo Starfighter
 * MVPQIU?A - OH!BUDDY - Unlock the Millennium Falcon
 * ZT?!RGBA - DISPSBLE - Unlock TIE Fighter
 * NYM!UUOK - BLKHLMT! - Unlock TIE Advanced x1
 * AJHH!?JY - BUSTOUR - Unlock Imperial Shuttle
 * PZ?APBSY - IRONSHIP - Unlock the Slave I (Boba Fett version)
 * VV?GXRYP - CNOOQ!ZR - JFETTSHP - Replace the Slave I with Jango Fett's version
 * !ZUVIEL! - !BENZIN! - Unlock 1969 Buick (this car will be gone when you leave gameplay.)