'Lego Star Wars' sequel lets you create characters
By Anonymous Wednesday, October 04, 2006, 12:27 AM EDT
Game: "Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy"
‘LEGO STAR WARS II’
Publisher: LucasArts
System: Microsoft Xbox 360
Cost: $49.99
ESRB Rating: E
Review rating: 3 stars
In an effort to appeal to a wide range of gamers, LucasArts replaced everything in the "Star Wars" universe with Lego building blocks and created an instant video game hit, "Lego Star Wars." Building on the success of last year's action-packed adventure, "Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy" adds new characters, new levels and, best of all, a nifty character creator.
While the first game focused on "Star Wars" episodes 1-3, the sequel occurs during episodes 4-6. Dozens of new characters such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca and Wicket are available to blast their way through every memorable scene from the original trilogy.
PLAY IT AGAIN
Players can rescue R2D2 and C-3PO from the Jawas, repel the Imperial invasion of Hoth, blow up the Death Star (twice) and much more.
After each level is completed, players have the option of replaying it with the character of their choice or creating one from scratch. Crafting a new and usually hilarious character is as simple as mixing and matching body parts, limbs and weapons. There's nothing to stop players from building a lightsaber-wielding Wookie with C-3PO's legs, Yoda's head and human arms. With dozens of characters to borrow parts from, you can spend hours exploring the possibilities.
Another great feature is the ability for a friend to jump in and play the game cooperatively at any time. This makes the experience much more entertaining, as players must strategize to defeat the common enemy while also avoiding friendly fire.
Even though it features rather simplistic game play, "Lego Star Wars II" is a cute adventure that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Game: "Star Fox Command"
Publisher: Nintendo
System: Nintendo DS
Cost: $39.99
ESRB Rating: E
Review rating: 3 stars
Fox McCloud takes his death-defying adventures from the Nintendo 64 and shrinks them down to pocket size to create the Nintendo DS action game "Star Fox Command." Not only does this space shooter offer a totally new control system, but it's also the first in the series to deliver online combat.
The Star Fox series has appeared on several systems offering everything from aerial to tank combat, but this title focuses on the high-flying adventures that made the original so popular. Players will get to battle a variety of airborne and ground enemies over land and in outer space in futuristic flying vehicles piloted by Fox and his friends.
‘STARFOX COMMAND’
"Star Fox Command" makes great use of the DS' two screens by showing the action on the top screen and a map on the bottom one. Sliding a stylus around on the bottom screen steers the spaceship, and tapping on different icons lets players perform aerial acrobatics to avoid gunfire. While it might sound intimidating, it takes only a short while to become proficient with the unusual controls.
If there aren't enough people around to play the game on local Wi-Fi (up to six players with one cartridge), budding pilots can take the battle online with up to three other players. Playing online is fun and mostly problem-free. However, the system to create "online friends" is cumbersome, assigning random codes to players and then requiring an exchange of codes.
STARFOX FIGHTING
Still, "Star Fox Command" is a worthy successor to the franchise, with more action than you might expect from a pocket-sized gadget.
- - -
RATING KEY
4 stars - Must have
3 stars - Pretty good
2 stars - So-so
1 star - Don't waste your time
- - -
Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
E: Everyone
T: Teen (13 and older)
E10-plus: (Everyone 10 and older)
M: Mature (17 and older)
‘LEGO STAR WARS II’
System: Microsoft Xbox 360
Cost: $49.99
ESRB Rating: E
Review rating: 3 stars
In an effort to appeal to a wide range of gamers, LucasArts replaced everything in the "Star Wars" universe with Lego building blocks and created an instant video game hit, "Lego Star Wars." Building on the success of last year's action-packed adventure, "Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy" adds new characters, new levels and, best of all, a nifty character creator.
While the first game focused on "Star Wars" episodes 1-3, the sequel occurs during episodes 4-6. Dozens of new characters such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca and Wicket are available to blast their way through every memorable scene from the original trilogy.
PLAY IT AGAIN
Players can rescue R2D2 and C-3PO from the Jawas, repel the Imperial invasion of Hoth, blow up the Death Star (twice) and much more.
After each level is completed, players have the option of replaying it with the character of their choice or creating one from scratch. Crafting a new and usually hilarious character is as simple as mixing and matching body parts, limbs and weapons. There's nothing to stop players from building a lightsaber-wielding Wookie with C-3PO's legs, Yoda's head and human arms. With dozens of characters to borrow parts from, you can spend hours exploring the possibilities.
Another great feature is the ability for a friend to jump in and play the game cooperatively at any time. This makes the experience much more entertaining, as players must strategize to defeat the common enemy while also avoiding friendly fire.
Even though it features rather simplistic game play, "Lego Star Wars II" is a cute adventure that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Game: "Star Fox Command"
Publisher: Nintendo
System: Nintendo DS
Cost: $39.99
ESRB Rating: E
Review rating: 3 stars
Fox McCloud takes his death-defying adventures from the Nintendo 64 and shrinks them down to pocket size to create the Nintendo DS action game "Star Fox Command." Not only does this space shooter offer a totally new control system, but it's also the first in the series to deliver online combat.
The Star Fox series has appeared on several systems offering everything from aerial to tank combat, but this title focuses on the high-flying adventures that made the original so popular. Players will get to battle a variety of airborne and ground enemies over land and in outer space in futuristic flying vehicles piloted by Fox and his friends.
‘STARFOX COMMAND’
If there aren't enough people around to play the game on local Wi-Fi (up to six players with one cartridge), budding pilots can take the battle online with up to three other players. Playing online is fun and mostly problem-free. However, the system to create "online friends" is cumbersome, assigning random codes to players and then requiring an exchange of codes.
STARFOX FIGHTING
Still, "Star Fox Command" is a worthy successor to the franchise, with more action than you might expect from a pocket-sized gadget.
- - -
RATING KEY
4 stars - Must have
3 stars - Pretty good
2 stars - So-so
1 star - Don't waste your time
- - -
Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
E: Everyone
T: Teen (13 and older)
E10-plus: (Everyone 10 and older)
M: Mature (17 and older)
