LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga is worth a revisit. So here’s Aaron J. Walker’s take on one our most recommended game series.

By Aaron J. Walker

My son and I had played through both versions of LEGO Star Wars for the PlayStation 2 more times than I cared to remember. He really took the game, especially since it combined two of his favorite things at the moment: LEGOs and Star Wars.

I was never much of Star Wars fan (don’t shoot me (shoot him Greedo, -ed)) but really got into the LEGO versions.

I had read the numerous reviews that strongly suggested the game wasn’t worth purchasing again if you had the previous version. All of them said it was a rehash of the first two and the new levels weren’t worth the extra price. Trying to explain that logic to a child proved futile in the end. And, I must admit, the prospect of playing Through the Jundland Wasteland AGAIN was not that appealing.

So it was with great trepidation (don’t we already have this game?) and an emptier wallet, I got the LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga for the Wii.

Never mind they never released this for the PlayStation 2 and bypassing my most basic question: Why isn’t this game cheaper by now anyway? Even used, it was still near its original list price.

We opened the game, loaded it up into the Wii and, after about fifteen minutes, I ate some serious crow and apologized to my son for not getting this game sooner.

This game is awesome.

It was the same, yet wonderfully different. Most of the visuals seemed to have been given a spit shine and polish while using the Wiimote made more sense, especially for using the light saber.

Many of the layouts are different. They added a number of “mini-games” starting in the Cantina. The outside has been converted into a junk yard with two vehicles to build and ride around a small track.

Once back inside, we discovered the Arcade section, accessible only with two players. In LEGO Star Wars the Original Trilogy, while playing around in LEGO City (unlockable after you get 60 gold bricks), we had devised our own Jedi Battle area in one of the squares. I thought, “This would be a pretty cool idea to add, an area to have a Jedi battle.”

Someone at Traveler’s Tales must have been reading our mind because you can choose to have a 5 or 10 point Jedi battle from various locations of the movies. Up first, even before you play a single episode, is the Senate arena from the battle between the Emperor and Yoda. As you unlock more episodes, they are added to the Arcade levels.

It’s the little touches like this that made the game worth the (re)investment.

There are quite a few significant differences throughout the game itself. The Pod Race and Battle Over Courascant have been greatly simplified while still keeping the fun from the original, for example. There have been extra levels added such as the Bounty Hunter Pursuit near the beginning of Clone Wars.

Bonus levels have been greatly expanded for even more replay value. In addition to the aforementioned Arcade mode, a new LEGO City has been added (as well as keeping the original LEGO City) as well as Anakin’s Flight. The interiors of the Cantina also have new things to build.

They kept the original versions of some of the scenes that had been redone for “old school” LEGO Star Wars gamers while reimagining other levels like the Gunship Cavalry.

For what it’s worth, LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga is worth getting, especially if you and your child have replayed the game over and over and you, the parent, are starting to tire.

For your own mental sanity, get this game. There is enough new content and tweaks too many of the former levels to make the game seem “new” all over again. You and your child will find so many new things to do while replaying the levels to reignite that wonderful sense of discovery that was the hallmark of the first two LEGO Star Wars games.

And if that isn’t enough to convince you, the first time you use your Wiimote for a Jedi battle in the Arcade section, you’ll smile like a 6-year-old on Christmas Day.

Aaron J. Walker is a father, gamer, contributing technology writer for the MorninPaper blog, and an author and illustrator of children’s e-books. http://www.walkbroadpublishing.com

Tags: Misc