LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga - E10+

Bundle of 2 older games, not new but still great!

Publisher: LucasArts Category/Genre: Video Games - Action/Adventure Platform: Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Price: $$38.99 Online Enabled: Yes Graphics: Medium. LEGO plastic looks almost photo real on Xbox 360 and PS3. Playability: Medium. Some of the puzzles require a bit of lateral thinking. Reading Level: Light Release Date: 11/05/2007 ESRB Rating: E10+ for Cartoon Violence

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this game serves as a massive promotion for Star Wars and LEGO building block toys -- and especially Star Wars-themed LEGO sets. There is little else to be wary of, save perhaps the difficulty of some puzzles (which might make the game frustrating for younger children) and the exposure players may get to inappropriate behavior of strangers if they play online. Common Sense Media does not recommend online play for any child under age 12. The game does a great job of allowing others to drop in and drop out of play with its cooperative gameplay features.

Families can talk about the multigenerational impact of a cultural phenomenon like Star Wars. Parents can tell their children about the influence Star Wars had on them when they were kids, and ask their sons and daughters what they think about the newer movies as opposed to the older ones. It might also spur an early discussion about consumerism, serving as an illustration of how corporations often think up fun and creative ways to disseminate information about their products.

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Chad Sapieha

The original LEGO Star Wars and its sequel, LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, were surprise, all-ages blockbusters, cleverly evoking nostalgia in adults who loved the movies and played with the toys while at the same time delivering action and puzzles simple enough to entice younger players (who may also have loved the movies and played with the toys).

Now LEGO STAR WARS: THE COMPLETE SAGA combines these two great games into a single, seamless (and lengthy) experience. While players familiar with the first two games might be saddened to learn that it isn't an entirely new experience with all new levels and puzzles, rest assured that Lucas Arts didn't just stitch the two games together and call it a day.

The first LEGO Star Wars was only released for previous generation systems like the Xbox and GameCube, so the art department went back into the studio to buff up the building blocks for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 editions, giving them that realistic, next-gen plastic shine. Plus, they've upgraded the game design of Episodes I through III to match that of episodes IV through VI, which means, among other things, newly enhanced character customization features and revamped vehicle stages.

Lucas Arts added extra content as well, including new playable characters (like Watto and Boss Nass), a few new scenarios (the most prominent of which is a high-speed chase inserted into Episode II in which you pursue bounty hunter Zam Wessell), and additional elective bounty hunter missions.

But not all LEGO Star Wars games are created equal.

Those who opt for the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 versions will have the benefit of online cooperative play, which is great for friends and families separated by distances too great to make playing together in the same room an option (though, as always, online play brings with it the possibility of interacting with poorly behaved strangers).

Meanwhile, Wii players get to play LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga with motion sensitive controls as they swing and dip the Wii remote to make their heroes use their force powers and speed up the LEGO building process.

Conversely, the DS edition makes surprisingly little use of the system's touch screen, opting instead for a more traditional d-pad and action button interface. It's also worth mentioning that, while similar in design, humor, and presentation to the console editions, the DS version's levels, puzzles, and challenges were tailored specifically for Nintendo's handheld platform, giving mobile LEGO Star Wars a bit of a different vibe than living room LEGO Star Wars.

If you enjoyed these adventures, check out Super Mario Galaxy and Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure.

If you are looking for more building block fun, the next batch of LEGO-themed games are due out in 2008. They're set to deliver similar gameplay, but will focus on other beloved pop culture franchises, including Indiana Jones and Batman. Still, it will be hard for these games to match the widespread and deeply felt cultural nostalgia drummed up by the Star Wars titles.

Platform Notes

Nintendo Wii
Wii players get to play LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga with motion sensitive controls as they swing and dip the Wii remote to make their heroes use their force powers and speed up the LEGO building process.

Reviewed: 12/04/2007

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content Puppy love stuff. Very mild flirtation between characters.
Violence Plastic people break into their constituent LEGO bricks when hit by lasers and lightsabers.
Language The game proper is utterly free of offensive verbiage, but the Xbox 360 and PlayStation3 versions support online play, and there's no accounting for what might be said by other players.
Message
	Social Behavior Features cooperative play, and some of the things our protagonists do might well be considered heroic.
	Commercialism It's a video game that sees toys portraying characters from some of the world's most popular films. It doesn't get much more commercial than that.
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Some of the game takes place in a cantina (an intergalatic bar).
	Educational Value Puzzle-solving requires some ingenuity.