LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game

LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game is a video game based on the Star Wars-themed toy line by the LEGO Group, taking place during the prequel trilogy (The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith), and a small segment from A New Hope although all with some humorous sidelines. LEGO Star Wars was released on April 5, 2005, a full month before the final Star Wars film premiered, which surprised most people since the game contains many spoilers about the movie.

It was developed and published by Traveller's Tales and Giant Entertainment for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and Windows, with Griptonite Games developing the Game Boy Advance version. All versions were distributed on April 5, 2005 by Eidos Interactive. It was later released on the Apple Macintosh by Aspyr in August 2005, then on the GameCube in October.

While billed as a "kids game", it peaked at the top of the UK charts during early May 2005, losing the spot to the official game of Episode III, but remaining on the rest of the month on the top spots of the chart.

Gameplay
There are a total of 60 playable characters. Every playable character, modeled like actual LEGO parts (but with far more mobility) has its own unique skills. Jar Jar Binks, General Grievous, and Grievous' Bodyguard, for example, can jump higher than most characters. The 9-year-old Anakin Skywalker, and the 10-year-old Boba Fett can crawl in narrow or small spaces where other characters are unable to go. The astromech droids R2-D2 and R4-P17 are able to hover over chasms, open certain doors, and disable other droids, excluding General Grievous and his bodyguards. Qui-Gon Jinn can swing his saber four times by attacking in the right pattern, instead of three like the other characters. Darth Maul uses a double-bladed lightsaber that is slightly faster, and General Grievous has four lightsabers, but cannot use the Force. All of the different Jedi and Sith have their own unique style of lightsaber wielding, and can use the Force to solve certain puzzles. Any unlocked character can be found walking around in Dexter's Diner, the area from which you choose what level to enter, excluding the Droideka.



LEGO Star Wars also has a feature called "free play", which enables the player to play the same level again, but with the ability to switch between characters and thus get into areas containing extras the player was unable to get before. A player can use any character in free play. The free play option will only appear when the player finishes a level. Levels that are played in vehicles cannot be played in free play. Some characters, such as Chancellor Palpatine, the PK droid, and the Gonk Droid, can't do anything but walk, but the droids, including protocol droids and astromech droids, will not be attacked by a computer enemy. Much of the game revolves around collecting "studs," small LEGO pieces that are used as an in-game currency.

At the time the game was published, a Revenge of the Sith album was not yet available, and the same applied to the Official Revenge of the Sith game. As a result, all of the music in the Episode III levels use recycled music from all other episodes, for instance the Battle Over Coruscant Level uses music from the Battle of Yavin. It is interesting to note, however, that Episode II uses music not publicly available, such as some music on Kamino.

Characters in the GameCube, PS2, Xbox, and PC versions
There are a total of fifty-nine characters for LEGO Star Wars, fifty-six in the GameCube, PS2, Xbox, and PC versions. The three missing are Gungan, Tusken Raider, and STAP, playable in the GBA version though The Gungan and STAP are only avalible through cheat codes. Every character has an ability, (with the exception of Chancellor Palpatine, the Gonk droid, and the PK droid); when ever you enter free play, you get one character per ability, not including the two you choose. There are also some characters in the cutscenes that appear, but are unplayable such as Boss Nass, Mawhonic, Watto, and Kaminoans.

Unlocked Characters

 * Qui-Gon Jinn
 * Obi-Wan Kenobi (as Padawan, Jedi Knight and Jedi Master)
 * TC-14
 * Jar Jar Binks
 * Captain Panaka
 * Padmé Amidala (in battle outfit,Geonosis attire, clawed Geonosis attire, Queen,and Tatooine disguise)
 * Anakin Skywalker (as boy, Padawan, Jedi Knight and Darth Vader)
 * R2-D2
 * R4-P17
 * C-3PO
 * Mace Windu (also in Ep. 3 robe)
 * Yoda
 * Commander Cody
 * Chewbacca
 * Wookiee
 * Stormtrooper

Bought Characters

 * PK Droid
 * Gonk Droid
 * Battle droid (as infantry, Security, Commander and Geonosis trooper)
 * Droideka
 * Naboo Guard
 * Darth Maul
 * Geonosian
 * Super Battle Droid
 * Jango Fett
 * Boba Fett (Boy)
 * Ki-Adi-Mundi
 * Kit Fisto
 * Shaak Ti
 * Luminara Unduli
 * Clone trooper (as Episode 2 Clone, Episode 3 Clone, pilot walker driver, Swamp trooper and Disguised Jedi)
 * Count Dooku
 * MagnaGuard (Referred to as Grievous Bodyguard in game)
 * General Grievous
 * Emperor Palpatine
 * Princess Leia Organa
 * Rebel Trooper

Vehicles
LEGO Star Wars also had 3 vehicle levels. No characters could be bought from these levels and free play mode was not accesible either.
 * Anakin Skywalker's podracer
 * Republic Gunship
 * Obi-Wan Kenobi's Delta-7B Aethersprite-class light interceptor
 * Anakin Skywalker's Delta-7B Aethersprite-class light interceptor

Levels
Featuring a total of 18 levels, as well as one bonus level, the game plays out in a fairly standard 3D platform fashion. However, each episode also features a vehicle-based level, which runs to a predefined route. In the case of Episode I and III this takes the form of a behind-the-vehicle view, whereas in Episode II the action is played out in an isometric view. Later in the same level, the view is changed to behind-the-vehicle view.

Deleted levels
There are three (possibly four) known levels that didn't make it to the final release. The levels were "Anakin's Flight","Bounty Hunter Pursuit","Asteroid Dogfight", and "Boga Chase" Some, such as "Anakin's Flight", were practically complete. The remnants of these levels can be found with a thorough search of the install directory for the PC version of the game. The "Anakin's Flight" level can be found on the extras section of LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga. Whilst "Bounty Hunter Pursuit" added to the Episode II levels.

Game Boy Advance version
The Game Boy Advance version of LEGO Star Wars has several differences, (mostly for the sake of portability), including fewer playable characters (15, plus 23 with cheats), devalued credits (gray pieces are worth 1, blue 5, and gold 10 credits), fewer levels--including just three for Episode II--and only one player character on screen at a time, while the cutscenes are still renders of the home console versions. However, it still remains a fairly large cartridge (128-Mbit).

Cellphone version
The Cellphone version is also different. The goal of this version is to rescue Chancellor Palpatine by using movable LEGO blocks.

The Phantom Menace

 * TC-14 helps Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan through the Saak'ak. This was added to show the player how to switch characters and open doors.
 * In the game, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are together on Naboo, but in the film, they are separated.
 * In the game, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan meet Jar Jar smelling the flowers. In the movie, they meet Jar Jar running away from animals.
 * The sando aqua monster scene is omitted.
 * In the game, Amidala and Captain Panaka shoot droids in Theed before their return to Naboo, but in the movie, they don't.
 * Also in the game, the Queen and the Jedi are separated, but in the film, they aren't.
 * The dinner at Anakin's home and Darth Maul's arrival on Tatooine are omitted.
 * Shmi Skywalker is not present in the game.
 * In the game, Qui-Gon doesn't meet Darth Maul on Tatooine, but in the film, he does.
 * All scenes on Coruscant are omitted, although the events that took place there are mentioned in the rolling title of the fourth level.
 * The Naboo Space Battle is omitted (See Levels Article).
 * In the movie, Obi-Wan gets separated from Qui-Gon during the fight with Darth Maul. However, in the game, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon don't get separated at all.
 * In the game, Darth maul's lightsaber is not cut in half.
 * Nute Gunray and Rune Haako are omitted.
 * Daultay Dofine is omitted.
 * Qui-Gon's funeral is omitted, most likely for time reasons.

Attack of the Clones

 * The Chase on Coruscant is omitted. This level was later included in Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga.
 * Obi-Wan meeting with Dexter Jettster is omitted.
 * In the game, R4-P17 has a full droid body and follows Obi-Wan on Kamino, in the film, she stays behind in the starfighter. This change was made because there always needs to be at least two friendly characters on the screen at all times.
 * Obi-Wan's and Jango's fight above Geonosis never occurs, although was originally going to become a level, "Asteroid Dogfight".
 * All scenes on Tatooine are omitted. (Depicted in the Game Boy version)
 * In the game Anakin's first lightsaber is not damaged in the droid factory, but he ends up with a green bladed lightsaber and there is no explanation.
 * In the game, Anakin and others rescue Obi-Wan, but in the film, they don't even come close.
 * The reek, acklay and nexu in the Petranaki arena are all replaced with battle droids, super battle droids, droidekas, and Geonosians. Padmé still gets clawed by the Nexu.
 * In the second part of the Count Dooku fight, the two playable characters are Yoda and Obi-Wan. In the film, Yoda fights alone.
 * In the game Obi-Wan gets hurt but continues fighting, in the film Obi-Wan is badly hurt and can't fight.
 * The speech about the shroud of the dark side, as well as Anakin and Padmé's marriage, are omitted. The end simply shows Dooku and Darth Sidious plotting in The Works.

Revenge of the Sith

 * The Buzz Droids are omitted.
 * In the game, Obi-Wan isn't knocked out during the duel with Dooku.
 * In the movie, when Anakin uses cho mai on Count Dooku, both of Dooku's hands are severed. In the game, only Dooku's right hand is amputated.
 * Anakin and the others don't get captured by the droids.
 * All scenes on Coruscant are omitted.
 * Boga is omitted.
 * On the film, Obi-Wan battles Grievous in hangar 10 and on the landing platform, but in the game, only the platform appears, without Grievous's starfighter.
 * In the game, Obi-Wan and Commander Cody fight Grievous together, but in the film, they don't.
 * Obi-Wan uses Cody's blaster to kill Grievous, but in the film, he uses Grievous's own blaster.
 * In the game, Cody is knocked out or killed by Grievous, but in the movie, he isn't.
 * During the assault on Kashyyyk, most clones wear normal Phase II clone trooper armor instead of Clone swamp trooper armor.
 * The playable Clone Pilots (Episode III) wear helmets, just as the real-life minifigures produced at that time did. But in the film, they have exposed faces. This problem was fixed in 2010 when they released a new, more movie accurate helmet design.
 * The battle between Mace Windu and Palpatine is omitted.
 * In the film, the clones keep fighting the droids while Order 66 is given, whereas in the game, they work on the same team.
 * The deaths of Jedi during Order 66 are omitted.
 * Anakin turning to the Dark side and his assassination of the Separatists are omitted, shown only as Anakin killing Shaak Ti in a hologram in the Jedi Temple.
 * Because the game is based around two player co-op, Anakin and Obi-Wan, though they fight, mostly help each other during their duel on Mustafar.
 * Darth Vader's lightsaber changes from blue to red in the last cutscene during the duel on Mustafar. This may be a sign to players that Anakin is turned to the dark side, for red is the usual lightsaber color for Sith. This is fixed in The Complete Saga.
 * The battle between Yoda and Palpatine is omitted.
 * Luke and Leia being brought to their homeworlds is omitted.
 * Padmé's funeral is omitted.
 * The under-construction Death Star is omitted.

A New Hope

 * Darth Vader frees C-3PO from a cylinder.
 * C-3PO then assists Vader in his troubles with opening sealed doors.

Because of these differences, the game is considered non-canon. Many of the differences were most likely the result of the game being aimed at a younger audience and the cut or edited content was usually too violent or sophisticated for them.

Playable Characters in the GBA version



 * Qui-Gon (250)
 * Jar Jar (1,000)
 * Amidala (1,000)
 * R2-D2 (500)
 * Anakin (500)
 * Obi-Wan (1,000)
 * Yoda (3,000)
 * Chewbacca (2,000)
 * Darth Maul (3,000)
 * Jango Fett (10,000)
 * Dooku (12,000)
 * Clone Trooper (5,000)
 * R4-P17 (500)
 * Darth Vader (15,000)
 * Tusken Raider (5,000)
 * C-3PO (Cheats)
 * Droideka (Cheats)
 * Battle droid (Cheats)
 * Gungan (Cheats)
 * Geonosian (Cheats)
 * DUM-series pit droid (Cheats)
 * Grievous (Cheats)
 * Droid on a STAP (Cheats)
 * Red and Yellow Astromech droid (Cheats)
 * Black and Silver Astromech droid (Cheats)
 * Repair Droid (Cheats)
 * Kit Fisto (Cheats)

All lightsaber-users are able to deflect blaster shots aimed at them (provided they are attacking the shot), and each character has his own style. They also are the only ones (with the exception of General Grievous, who lacks Force sensitivity) able to use the Force to interact with undeployed platforms and switches.

Sequel
A sequel, LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, has been released covering the last three movies in the saga, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. It was released on the 12th of September, 2006.

LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga, which combines the levels from LEGO Star Wars and LEGO Star Wars II, was released in 2007. The original prequel levels were updated to include powerbricks, vehicles in non-vehicle levels, and other aspects found in LEGO Star Wars II. Additionally, new playable characters, such as Watto and Boss Nass, were added, and the deleted level involving the pursuit of Zam Wesell. Other levels which were changed for the new release (such as "Mos Espa Podrace") or cut from the first game (such as Anakin's assault on the Trade Federation battleship) were included as bonus content.