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Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron (Nintendo DS, PSP, Nintendo DSi)

common sense media says

New Star Wars adventure solves problems using violence.

parents & educators say
See all 14 reviews | Review it

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron has a violent narrative set during the mythology's Clone Wars. Players rarely know who to trust, and it seems as though all problems are always solved through violence, be it with a blaster, a lightsaber, or a grenade (though no blood or gore is ever shown). Also note that its Star Wars logo may mean that kids who have been engulfed by the Star Wars phenomenon may desire it based on the brand alone. The game is available on the PSP and Nintendo DS, but both games are slightly different when it comes to style of play. The DS version has reduced graphical power which makes its visuals pack a little less of an impact and it is rated "E10+" instead of "T." But both games follows a very similar story progression and contains the same characters.

Educational value: Not applicable.
Positive messages: The Star Wars lore makes knowing who to trust difficult in the game. One second you’re fighting with the clones, the next against them. As with the movies, the themes of control and rebellion against organized factions is ever-present.
Positive role models: Characters resort to violence to solve all problems and get themselves out of jams. Plus, the moral ambiguity makes it difficult to view the characters as good role models.
Ease of play: It's generally a very easy game to play and learn, but the controls on the PSP sometimes make particular areas of the game tough. For example, you can’t move the camera vertically, so you may have difficulty viewing tough-to-reach areas without moving the character's entire body. Also, the space shooting sections can be disorienting due to the PSP's finicky control nub.
Violence: Characters use guns, staffs, grenades, and lightsabers to defeat enemies. No gore is involved but violence is the primary method of advancing in the game. 
Sex: Not applicable.
Language: Nothing noticed. It’s as clean as the movies.
Consumerism: Star Wars is a megabrand among children, with toys and gadgets for everything from bath toys to bed sheets. This game feeds into that stream of merchandising.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about branding. You can explain to your kids that makers of children's products understand that kids will be interested in games based on logos alone, and will try to sell them games based on that knowledge.
  • Families can also discuss violence in video games. Do you think that the violence depicted in this game is in keeping with the content of the films, which is generally G-rated? Do you think that the game's moral ambiguities make the violence more difficult to stomach?

What's the story?

What's the story?
STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT: ELITE SQUADRON is the second Battlefront-themed game to grace the Sony PSP and the first one on the Nintendo DS. Both feature essentially the same story progression, but look dramatically different due to system limitations on the DS. You play as a clone of a Jedi who must fight his way through squadrons of troopers and other familiar faces like General Grievous and the Emperor. Levels generally cover both ground battles and some form of vehicular combat, be it land speeders or space ships, but this pattern exists in almost all levels making it repetitive.
A turn-based method of play is also included which is akin to the board game Risk, where you move armies from one planet to another and skirmishes take place behind the scenes. It's a big change from the standard game mode, but a very welcome one that ads strategy to an otherwise action-oriented experience.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
As between the PSP and the DS versions of Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron, the PSP version of the game is the better of the two. It has sharper graphics and a sharper presentation, mostly because the developers were able to fit more voice work into the story. Controls are fairly easy to learn and use, but your inability to completely control the camera detracts from the overall experience. A powerful auto-aim option makes shooting almost entirely automatic. Enemies tend to go down quite easily, making the game a breeze to play.

Online interaction: The PSP version has an online multiplayer component, but actually finding a game to play online is going to be difficult.  Since there is no method of directly interfacing with other players, parents don't have to worry about exchanging personal information or hearing bad words.

Game themes & details

Game Details
Available on: Nintendo DS, PSP, Nintendo DSi
Available online
Genre: Action/Adventure
Developer: LucasArts
Released on: November 3, 2009
Price: 29.99
ESRB Rating: T for Fantasy Violence
Screenshots
This review was written by Jeff Paramchuk
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

elite gamer
kid, 11 years old
7
 
bor-ing!
it isnt as fun as battlefront 2, (isnt even fun, by the way) but commonsense needs to get some common sense. it isnt as horribly violent as they say it is, but it still has some violence.
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helped me decide (6) | had useful details (7) | read my mind (6)
movie fan141999
kid, 12 years old
13
 
so cool and alsome
some blood and kiling and ugly careters
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helped me decide (4) | had useful details (5) | read my mind (7)
hunter98
kid, 13 years old
10
 
different than all the others
i love this battlefront but after u unlock everything it could get boring and online gets hacked alot but no problems with the game
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helped me decide (4) | had useful details (6) | read my mind (5)
SciFi-C123
kid, 13 years old
9
 
Good for DS
This game is okay, but it also is sort of dark. X1 tries to kill his sibling X2. X1 & 2's dad is killed. Despite the violence this game is awesome!
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helped me decide (5) | had useful details (5) | read my mind (5)
gamerzboyz
teen, 14 years old
5
 
bleech!
not very good, @ least for the ds. super easy and have beat it. the last level battle agains the main charachterr's brother is a joke. no matter how far away you are from him he uses a move that automaticly kills you.
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35 hockey
teen, 15 years old
8
 
really fun
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zakzak22
kid, 12 years old
8
 
i think it would good for a 8 year old and up
i love this game i am dificulty jedi master and iv earned amost all levels
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newdeath1701
teen, 16 years old
5
 
Best psp battle front yet
This game is a multi dimentional battle like real war it adds the real battle effect to it elite gamer you are a lazy moron who should be playing barny instead of a real game infadel
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helped me decide (3) | had useful details (3) | read my mind (4)
CaliforniaKid
kid, 12 years old
11
 
Good for older kids.
Lots of killing, but there isn't any blood. Easy controls.
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andreiguy
teen, 15 years old
9
 
Its not extremely violent. When you kill someone (you play epic battles in the star wars universe so yes you need to kill people) they will fall to the ground. nothing that bad
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Mi3
adult
11
 
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helped me decide (2) | had useful details (2) | read my mind (2)
Calavera
teen, 16 years old
6
 
CSM, maybe not so much? Common Star Wars knowledge thinks so
The CSM review is way too harsh here. Almost as though they don't know what's going on. The "lack of trust" issue is irrelevant, there's no decision making process anywhere. Players follow the story of a clone trooper created with jedi DNA. This clone has a twin, and when Order 66 is issued (the betrayal of clones against jedi, watch the movie) one twin follows the new empire, while the other sticks to what's good and turns to the light. I don't see where CSM was ever going with this.... Violence is moderate, barely much other than the occasional "UUUGGH!" that you'll hear from a newly downed trooper. No blood, no swearing, just your everyday Star Wars game...
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killer98
kid, 11 years old
6
 
Horrible
this is not a very fun game compared to the others. The review higher up was right though common sense needs to get some common sense it is not violent at all when people die they just fall and disipear no blood at all.
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greenergere
adult
8
 
try it.goes real fast
allright game
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