LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game (PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Xbox)

LEGO STAR WARS: THE VIDEO GAME forgoes the advanced special effects and computer generated vistas of the first three films (The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith) and instead constructs them from brightly colored LEGO toy blocks. Players use the standard combination of platform game moves -- jumping, running, climbing, shooting -- to enter the early days of Obi Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. Mixed in are a handful of racing and flying missions that help break up the monotony of the platform levels and accurately reflect some memorable scenes from the movies. As the game progresses, players collect LEGO studs -- the little single-block caps any LEGO user will be familiar with -- to unlock hints, characters and fun extras.

The Star Wars franchise has always occupied a lively fantasy world, but LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game takes George Lucas's sci-fi universe to new, silly extremes. The result is an even stranger invention of otherworldly beings and space cowboy heroics that should entertain fans of the movies and LEGOs alike. The excellent details make LEGO Star Wars a refreshing take on a video game franchise that has been overloaded with (both good and bad) titles.

Gameplay is easy enough to allow younger kids to solve the simple problems the game throws at them, explore the nicely detailed world of the movies, and have fun in this whimsical take on the Star Wars universe. Violent scenes from the movies are shown in the game's cut scenes, but the fact that characters are unrealistic toy figurines helps diminish the impact of the violence. That, plus the lighthearted treatment of the story and ample humor makes LEGO Star Wars the best choice for younger gamers looking to play a Star Wars title.

Available on: PlayStation 2, Nintendo GameCube, Xbox
Not available online
Genre: Action/Adventure
Developer: Eidos Interactive
Released on: April 6, 2005
Price: 39.99
ESRB Rating: E