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In a galaxy far, far away....
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Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace (video game)

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This article is about the video game. You may be looking for the film or other uses of The Phantom Menace.

"The Adventure Begins"
―Tagline[4]

Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace is the action-adventure video game adaption of the Star Wars prequel trilogy film Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. It was published by the LucasArts Entertainment Company and developed in conjunction with Big Ape Productions. The game was released for PC on May 18, 1999, and for PlayStation on September 15, 1999.

Opening crawl[]

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

Episode I
THE PHANTOM MENACE 
Turmoil has engulfed the
Galactic Republic. The taxation
of trade routes to outlying star
systems is in dispute.

Hoping to resolve the matter
with a blockade of deadly
battleships, the greedy Trade
Federation has stopped all
shipping to the small planet
of Naboo.

While the congress of the
Republic endlessly debates
this alarming chain of events,
the Supreme Chancellor has
secretly dispatched two Jedi
Knights, the guardians of
peace and justice in the
galaxy, to settle the conflict....

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: 

Queen Amidala's pleas to the
Republic Senate have been in
vain. Although Supreme
Chancellor Valorum has been
removed from office, and
Senator Palpatine is poised
to replace him, the Senate
can take no action against
the Trade Federation.
Frustrated, the Queen has
decided to return to her
planet.

The Jedi Council, meanwhile,
has denied Qui-Gon's request
to train young Anakin. While
the boy's future remains
uncertain, he has joined the
Jedi as they escort the Queen
to Naboo.

Having convinced the Gungans
to aid her people, Queen
Amidala and her loyal followers
plan to infiltrate the Theed
palace, where they hope to capture
the Trade Federation
Viceroy and bring an end to
the conflict....

Plot summary[]

Although the plot closely follows the movie, it either expands on some minor events that could have been 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 not shown in the movie.

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

Trade Federation Ship[]

Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi boarded the Trade Federation's flagship. While they were waiting to meet Viceroy Nute Gunray, the room started filling with poison gas. The two Jedi fought their way out, destroying battle droids along the way. At one point, Obi-Wan was separated from Qui-Gon on the way to the hangar. As the Trade Federation had destroyed the Jedi's ambassadorial ship, Obi-Wan sneaked on board one of the landing craft bound for Naboo.

Swamps of Naboo[]

After landing on Naboo, Obi-Wan navigated his way through the swamps and encountered Jar Jar Binks, who led him to Qui-Gon. He fought some battle droids and hostile creatures along the way. After reuniting with Qui-Gon, Jar Jar told them about Otoh Gunga and reluctantly brought them there to take shelter from the Trade Federation.

Otoh Gunga[]

In Otoh Gunga, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan realized that Jar Jar had been banished for his clumsiness, and had been forbidden from returning—on pain of death. Jar Jar got arrested and thrown into prison to await execution. Boss Nass and the Gungan High Council agreed to provide the Jedi a bongo for their journey to Theed through the planet's underwater core. While Qui-Gon tried to convince the Council to spare Jar Jar, Obi-Wan went to rescue Jar Jar. He used a Force mind trick to make the prison guards release Jar Jar, and then they made their way to the bongo bay to meet Qui-Gon and leave together. They navigated the bongo through the core and narrowly escaped from attacks by an opee sea killer and a sando aqua monster.

Gardens of Theed[]

Upon arriving outside Theed, the three of them were about to cross a bridge leading directly to the city gates when a Trade Federation AAT blocked their way and destroyed the bridge. Obi-Wan was separated from Qui-Gon and Jar Jar, and had to take a longer route through the Theed Royal Gardens to enter the city. Along the way, he encountered Royal Naboo Security Forces and joined them in fighting the battle droids. Upon reaching his destination, he destroyed the AAT and used Force push to activate the lever that unlocks the gates.

Escape from Theed[]

Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Jar Jar managed to meet up with Queen Amidala, who told them her plan to escape from Naboo and go to Coruscant to persuade the Galactic Senate to help them. On the way to the hangar, an explosion caused Obi-Wan and the Queen to be separated from Qui-Gon and the rest. Obi-Wan had to escort the Queen safely to the hangar on his own. Along the way, he destroyed several battle droids and helped some Naboo soldiers and civilians. They reunited with everyone in the hangar, where they boarded a Royal Naboo Starship.

Mos Espa[]

While breaking through the Trade Federation's blockade, the starship came under heavy fire, and its T-14 hyperdrive generator sustained severe damage. They decided to land on Tatooine to make repairs. Qui-Gon, Amidala, and Jar Jar headed to Mos Espa to find replacement parts. Qui-Gon defeated some Tusken Raiders who ambushed them along the way.

In Mos Espa, they learned from the locals that Watto, a junk dealer, had the parts they needed. With help from Anakin Skywalker, Watto's boy slave, Qui-Gon met Watto and made a bet with him for the hyperdrive generator in the Boonta Eve Podrace, which was held on the following day.

Qui-Gon helped Anakin find a mass coupler and a servo control system to fix his podracer. Concurrently, he completed some side quests: finding Jar Jar (who had gone missing) in a bathhouse, fighting some street thugs, saving Vek Drow from robbers, and rescuing Tomo from Captain Neg's hideout.

Mos Espa Arena[]

JabbaChamp

Jabba as seen in the game, with his translator droid, and the corpse of his champion in the pit below

In the Mos Espa Grand Arena, before the podrace started, Ann Gella lured Qui-Gon into a trap set by Jabba the Hutt, who forced the Jedi Master to fight his champion. Qui-Gon slew the creature and received 50 peggats to use in his bet with Watto. Qui-Gon and Watto struck a deal: If Anakin won the podrace, Watto would free Anakin and give Qui-Gon the T-14 hyperdrive generator; if Anakin lost, Watto would get the Royal Naboo Starship; either way, Watto would keep the 50 peggats.

Qui-Gon encountered Jym Lang, a bounty hunter hired by Jabba to assassinate the podracer Teemto, and used a Force mind trick to stop him from killing Teemto. Just before the race started, a thief stole an ignition capacitor from Anakin's podracer and fled. Qui-Gon tracked down the thief, defeated a scavenger, and helped Anakin retrieve the ignition capacitor. Anakin won the podrace and earned his freedom.

Encounter in the Desert[]

The locals, including Anakin's mother Shmi Skywalker, came to see Qui-Gon, Anakin, and their companions off. While heading back to the Naboo Royal Starship, Qui-Gon destroyed three probe droids that attacked them. Shortly after, he was attacked by Darth Maul, who used the Force to trigger a rockslide to block his way. After fending off Maul's attacks, Qui-Gon found a path through the rocks and moved on. As Qui-Gon was approaching the starship, Maul showed up again and tried to destroy the hyperdrive generator. Qui-Gon managed to hold off Maul long enough before boarding the starship just as it took off, leaving Maul behind.

Coruscant[]

On Coruscant, after Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Anakin left for the Jedi Temple, Queen Amidala and Captain Panaka followed their armed escorts to the Senate Chambers to meet Senator Palpatine. However, mercenaries and a hover cannon killed their escorts and destroyed their air taxi, forcing them to find their own way to the Senate Chambers. After Panaka traded his electrobinoculars for a pair of Coruscant City Tours tickets, Panaka and Amidala tried to take the tour transport to the Senate Chambers but the transport left without them when a hover cannon fired at it. After destroying the hover cannon, Panaka left the Queen alone for a while and went to activate some controls. The mercenaries used the opportunity to kidnap the Queen and brought her into the Restricted Area. Panaka fought the mercenaries and found his way into the Restricted Area, where he rescued the Queen and defeated the mercenaries' Sun Guard leader who tried to stop them. They successfully reached the Senate Chambers and spoke to Senator Palpatine.

Assault on Theed[]

Disappointed by the politicking and corruption in the Galactic Senate, Queen Amidala decided to take matters into her own hands by returning to Naboo to fight the Trade Federation and free her people. She was accompanied by her followers, the two Jedi, Anakin, and Jar Jar. While Jar Jar joined his fellow Gungans in creating a diversion to distract the Trade Federation Droid Army, the Queen and everyone else infiltrated 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 encountered Darth Maul and dueled him while the others moved on. As the duel took them deep into the Theed Generator Complex, Obi-Wan got separated from Qui-Gon and Maul after falling off a ramp.

In the meantime, Amidala and Panaka fought their way through the streets of Theed, destroying Trade Federation battle droids and getting all the help they could from Naboo soldiers and civilians alike. After destroying a large force-field generator blocking their way, they arrived outside the Theed Royal Palace and broke in through a side window.

The Final Battle[]

Inside the Royal Palace, Amidala and Panaka had to find three security pass keys that would grant them access to the Throne Room, where Nute Gunray was. Along the way, they cleared out Trade Federation battle droids and freed captured Naboo soldiers. They managed to corner Gunray inside the Throne Room and took him prisoner, ending the Trade Federation's occupation of Naboo.

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan navigated his way through the Theed Generator Complex while observing Qui-Gon and Maul from a distance. He destroyed battle droids along the way and used the Force to jump from platform to platform in an attempt to catch up with his master. By the time he reached the generator core, he saw Qui-Gon being struck down by Maul. After passing through the laser gates, Obi-Wan dueled Maul and eventually defeated him.

With his dying breath, Qui-Gon made Obi-Wan promise to train Anakin, whom he believed was the Chosen One. Before the credits started rolling, the people of Naboo celebrated their liberation with a victory parade in the streets.

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.

Media[]

Editions[]

Cover gallery[]

PC[]

PlayStation[]

Credits[]

Appearances[]

By type
Characters Organisms Droid models Events Locations
Organizations and titles Sentient species Vehicles and vessels Weapons and technology Miscellanea

Characters

Organisms

Droid models

Events

Locations

Organizations and titles

Sentient species

Vehicles and vessels

Weapons and technology

Miscellanea

Alternative options[]

"Try me!"
―Obi-Wan Kenobi, before killing a room of Gungan guards[4]

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 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 destroy the protocol droid at the entrance to the Coruscant City Tours to avoid paying 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[]

  • 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 a 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 Chalmun's Spaceport 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.
  • Inside the Mos Espa Cantina, the Menu Music of "X-Wing Alliance" can be heard.
  • For the level "Encounter in the Desert" no new voice lines were recorded: everything said by Qui-Gon, Watto or Shmi has been recycled from other parts of the game. This may be because the level was created quite late into production.[5]
  • The game had cut features and content that were not finished or were removed for various reasons:
    • It was planned for the game to have a PvP component that would have pitted players against each other in an arena setting. This was cut because of time constraints, although a test arena was created.[6]
    • A dismemberment system was initially planned but implemented that would allow Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon to cut an enemy's limbs off. The game would calculate the limb to be removed based on the position of the lightsaber strike when the enemy was killed. It was removed at LucasArts' insistence as it affected every killable entity in-game, including the slave children in Mos Eisley.[6]
    • Mace Windu was at one point meant to be a playable character.
    • Driveable vehicles were planned. Players originally were to be able to drive an AAT-1 and a STAP-1 in the game.
    • 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.

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 more detailed graphics than the PlayStation version.

Sources[]

Notes and references[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Star Wars Hits The Shelves by IGN Staff on IGN (May 18, 1999) (archived from the original on November 21, 2012)
  2. ↑ LucasArtsIcon THE STAR WARS® SAGA COMES ALIVE FOR PLAYSTATION SEPTEMBER 15 IN LUCASARTS' STAR WARS: EPISODE I THE PHANTOM MENACE™ on LucasArts.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 STAR WARS Episode I - The Phantom Menace on PlayStation Store (January 17, 2024) (archived from the original on January 18, 2024)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace video game, PC edition
  5. ↑ YouTube How The Phantom Menace Game Became a Sandbox RPG | Developer Interview Part 1 | FLANDREW on the Flandrew YouTube channel (backup link)
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 YouTube How the Phantom Menace Game Almost Had Multiplayer | Developer Interview Part 2 | FLANDREW on the Flandrew YouTube channel (backup link)

External links[]

Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
Books
Full adaptations
Novel · Junior novelization · French junior novel · The Film Novel · Mighty Chronicles · Movie Storybook
3D Storybook · Shakespeare · Little Golden Book · Epic Adventures
Book-and-record · Read-Along Storybook and CD · The Prequel Trilogy Stories
Partial adaptations
Journal · Anakin Skywalker · Darth Maul · Queen Amidala
Episode I Adventures · 13: Danger on Naboo (Game Book) · 14: Podrace to Freedom (Game Book)
15: The Final Battle (Game Book) Adventures: 11: Danger on Naboo (Game Book) · 12: Podrace to Freedom (Game Book)
Anakin's Pit Droid · Anakin Skywalker · Anakin's Race for Freedom · Dangers of the Core · Darth Maul's Revenge
Droid to the Rescue · Droids Everywhere! · General Jar Jar · Gungan Trouble! · Jar Jar Binks · Jar Jar's Mistake
Jedi Escape · Meet the Jedi High Council · Obi-Wan's Bongo Adventure · Podrace! · A Queen's Diary · Ready, Set, Podrace!
Save Naboo! · Sith Attack · Watch Out, Jar Jar! · 5-Minute Star Wars Stories · 5-Minute Star Wars Stories Strike Back
Comics
Comic series: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 1999 HC · 2016 HC
Adventures: Obi-Wan Kenobi · Queen Amidala · Qui-Gon Jinn · Anakin Skywalker · ½ · Trade paperback
Manga: 1 · 2
PhotoComic · The Prequel Trilogy – A Graphic Novel · Graphic Novel Adaptation
Video games
Battle for Naboo · The Gungan Frontier · Jedi Power Battles · Obi-Wan
Obi-Wan's Adventures · Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace video game
Racer · Racer Arcade · Starfighter · Super Bombad Racing
Journeys: The Phantom Menace · Journeys: Beginnings
Activity books
Battles to Color · Heroes and Villains Coloring Book · I Am a Droid · I Am a Jedi · I Am a Pilot · I Am a Queen
Great Big Flap Book · Micro-Vehicle Punch-Outs · Queen Amidala Paper Doll Book · The Ultimate Sticker Book
Behind the scenes
The Art of · Illustrated Screenplay · The Making of · The Official Souvenir Magazine · Script facsimile
Star Wars Chronicles: The Prequels · Star Wars Storyboards: The Prequel Trilogy
Guide and reference books
The Data File · The Gungan Frontier: Prima's Official Strategy Guide · Incredible Cross-Sections · Inside the Worlds of
Jedi Power Battles: Prima's Official Strategy Guide · Obi-Wan: Prima's Official Strategy Guide · Portfolio
Prima's Official Strategy Guide · Racer Official Nintendo Player's Guide · Racer: Prima's Official Strategy Guide
Secrets of the Sith · Scrapbook · Starfighter: Prima's Official Strategy Guide · The Complete Saga
Star Wars in 100 Scenes · The Visual Dictionary (Expanded)
Who's Who: A Pocket Guide to the Characters of · What's What · Collector Edition 2013 · Anniversary Special
Other material and merchandise
Star Wars Customizable Card Game: Coruscant Limited · Tatooine Limited · Theed Palace Limited
Trading Card Game
Insider's Guide · Soundtrack · Toy line
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