Today’s article is about two games that I loved then and still love: Lego Star Wars I and II. They were the first two Lego games developed by Traveller’s Tales and inspired virtually all subsequent Lego video games – plus they have sparked my enthusiasm for it. How exactly can you read here.
When I first played Lego Star Wars: The Video Game I didn’t know how great I would think it was. I had played other Lego licensed games before; I really enjoyed Lego Racers, as well as Lego Island or Lego Loco. I also like them today, but I think TT Games really gave the brand a boost.
I don’t think I have to explain to anyone what it’s about: in the first part you play the first three episodes of Star Wars, in the second part the original trilogy. Each episode is roughly divided into levels. It’s probably best classified as a 3D action game, with a definite focus on combat. But there are also acrobatic climbs and smaller puzzles. Since these are children’s games, they are of course not too difficult, but that doesn’t bother us at all. On the contrary, I found the flow of the game to be comfortable, but not boring.
The catch of these games is that you play the original stories, but in a Lego world with Lego figures. This graphic, especially in places where someone is injured or killed, makes the whole thing much more suitable for children. In the worst case, instead of blood, you see small Lego bricks shooting around. While there are a few scenes where it’s obvious that the Empire really is evil, even these are lightened up by the games’ humor. At no point is there any kind of fear, anxiety or even shock.
And that brings us to a point that makes these games (and all their successors) so awesome for me: the humor. TT Games manages to create its own situational comedy in every game I’ve played from them so far. Since the figures do not speak, but at most make inarticulate sounds, they use a lot of imagery and gestures to convey messages – often with Lego elements that do not fit into the Star Wars universe at all. Coupled with slapstick interludes, the games have always entertained me a lot.
Another (in my opinion ingenious) idea is the abilities of the characters. The levels thrive on the fact that there are always at least two characters – the game is definitely made for a couch co-op. These characters always have the suiting abilities for the level, such as a Jedi Master who can use the Force and a droid who can control computers. In multiplayer, each person controls one character, in singleplayer you can switch back and forth by pressing a button. Care is taken to ensure that both characters have about the same number of tasks – so there is not a main character and a little helper, but both contribute equally to the level.
As the game progresses, you unlock new characters with new abilities – even users of the dark force. This can then be used to play levels a second time. You can then enter areas that you couldn’t reach on the first playthrough and find new items or simply Easter Eggs – humor is not neglected here either. I always found this to be very motivating, as the love of discovery drives you to play the game much longer than the main story alone would let you.
And that brings me to the last point: progress. With the points mentioned above, it wasn’t just an idea to do a 100% run – I was absolutely thrilled to do so and spot every single detail, collectible or even just Easter egg. We did that on both games, and while I don’t like the grind at all in a lot of games, it wasn’t an issue for these games, back when I played them for the first time or now.
Is there anything negative to say at all? I mean, of course – no game is perfect. We had a few technical problems at one point or another, which are probably due to the age of the games. In addition, the second player’s AI was a bit dumb in some places, so we had to make simple actions awkward in order to achieve our goal. And graphically the game is of course not up to date at all.
Nonetheless, I was thrilled to be able to relive the two games. I’ve rediscovered many things I had forgotten and have been able to measure myself against some challenges again – the excitement for these games has definitely been rekindled in me and we will follow with other titles of this kind. Especially these two, Lego Star Wars I and II, will always have a special place in my gamer’s heart – they simply inspired me too much.
What do you think? Do you agree with me or do you see it completely differently? Have you played Lego video games and do you have a favorite part? Feel free to join the discussion on Discord!