Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy is a 2006 Lego-themed action-adventure game developed by Traveller's Tales and published by LucasArts and TT Games Publishing, and is the sequel to Lego Star Wars: The Video Game (2005). Part of the Lego Star Wars series, it is based on George Lucas' movie franchise of the same name and The Lego Group's Lego Star Wars construction toy line. It follows the events of the first three original Star Wars films: A New Hope (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983). The game allows players to assume the roles of over 50 Lego versions of characters from the film series; customized characters can also be created. Camera movement was improved from its predecessor (which was a video game adaptation of the prequel trilogy), and the concept of "vehicle levels" was explored more thoroughly. The game was revealed at American International Toy Fair. Promotions for the game were set up at chain stores across the United States.
Lego Star Wars II was released on 11 September 2006. It was critically and commercially successful; it has sold over 8.2 million copies worldwide as of May 2009. Critics praised the game for its humorous and "adorable" portrayal of the film series and due to preference for the original trilogy films over the prequel trilogy films. However, the game's low difficulty, as well as the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS counterparts in general, were more criticized, with the latter being considered to be one of the worst video games of all time. The game received awards from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and Spike TV, among others. A mobile phone adaptation, Lego Star Wars II Mobile, was later developed by Universomo, published by THQ, and released on 5 January 2007. Lego Star Wars II and its predecessor were compiled in Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, released later that year.
Gameplay
Lego Star Wars IIs gameplay is from a third-person perspective, and takes place in a 3D game world that contains objects, environments, and characters designed to resemble Lego pieces. Its gameplaya combination of the action-adventure, platform, and sometimes puzzle genresshares elements with that of Lego Star Wars: The Video Game (2005). While Lego Star Wars followed the events of the Prequel Trilogy: The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002), and Revenge of the Sith (2005), Lego Star Wars II is based on the Original Trilogy: A New Hope (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983). The game comically retells the trilogy's events using cutscenes without dialogue. The player assumes the roles of the films' characters, each of whom possesses specific weapons and abilities. At any time, a second player can join the game, by activating a second controller. During gameplay, players can collect Lego studs – small, disk-shaped objects, which serve as the game's currency. The player has a health meter, which is displayed on the game's HUD. The player's health is represented by four hearts; when these hearts are depleted, the player dies, and a small amount of their studs bounce away. However, they instantly respawn and can often re-collect the lost studs.
The game's central location is the Mos Eisley cantina, a spaceport bar on the planet Tatooine. At the counter, the player may use their Lego studs to purchase characters, vehicles, gameplay hints and extras, as well as view unlocked Story cutscenes and activate cheat codes.Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (GameCube) instruction booklet, p. 21.Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (GameCube) instruction booklet, p. 12. In a small area outside the cantina, players may view collected vehicles. The game is broken into levels, which are accessed from the cantina; each film is represented by six levels,Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (GameCube) instruction booklet, p. 14. representing key locations and scenes in that film. The locations include Hoth, Bespin, Dagobah, Tatooine, the Death Star, and Endor. The game also features bonus levels. During play, the player defeats enemies, builds objects out of Lego bricks, and drives vehicles. Certain levels are played entirely while piloting vehicles, including a TIE fighter, a Snowspeeder, and the Millennium Falcon. Levels must first be played in Story Mode. This unlocks the next level as well as a Free Play mode for the recently completed level. Gameplay is identical in the two modes. However, Story Mode restricts playable characters to those followed in the film scenes the levels are based on, while Free Play offers all those unlocked. Levels can be replayed in either mode to collect studs and secret items.
Three types of secret items are available: gold bricks, minikits, and power bricks. Within each level is one hidden power brick. When a power brick is collected, its corresponding extra, such as invincibility or stud multipliers, becomes available for purchase. Each level also contains ten hidden minikits that are ten pieces of a Star Wars vehicle.Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (GameCube) instruction booklet, p. 22. When all ten have been collected, the player is awarded a gold brick. Collecting a certain number of gold bricks unlocks free rewards, such as a spigot that spews out studs. Gold bricks are also awarded when levels are completed, and when a predefined number of studs is accumulated in a level; ninety-nine gold bricks are available. The vehicles represented by the minikits are displayed outside the cantina. As each vehicle is completed (all ten minikits collected), it becomes available for play in a bonus level.
Playable characters 68 characters from the films are playable over the course of the game, including variations of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Lando Calrissian, R2-D2, C-3PO,Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (GameCube) instruction booklet, pp. 25–26. Darth Vader, Wicket the Ewok, and Boba Fett. Character abilities have a greater role in Lego Star Wars II than in Lego Star Wars. Certain characters armed with blasters can use a grappling hook in predesignated areas. Characters wielding lightsabers can deflect projectiles, double jump and use the Force.Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (GameCube) instruction booklet, p. 19. R2-D2, C-3PO, and other droid characters are needed to open particular doors.Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (GameCube) instruction booklet, p. 20. Small characters like the Ewok and Jawa can crawl through hatches to reach otherwise inaccessible areas. Bounty hunters, such as Boba Fett, may use thermal detonators to destroy otherwise indestructible objects. Sith, like Darth Vader, can use the Force to manipulate black Lego objects. Some characters have unique abilities; for example, Chewbacca can rip enemies' arms from their sockets, Darth Vader can choke enemies with the Force, Princess Leia possesses a slap attack, and Lando Calrissian can use a kung-fu-like attack. Special abilities are often necessary to unlock secrets, and story mode does not always provide characters with needed abilities. This means that some secrets can be found only in free play mode. The player can unlock the "Use Old Save" extra, which imports all unlocked characters from Lego Star Wars for use in free play; however, a Lego Star Wars saved game must be present on the same memory card that contains Lego Star Wars IIs save data.
Players can create two customized characters in the Mos Eisley cantina. These characters can be built using both miscellaneous parts and those of unlocked characters; 2,258,163,204 combinations are possible.Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (GameCube) instruction booklet, p. 15. Entering two cheat codes, publicized by IGN, makes pieces for a Santa Claus character available. The game generates names for the characters based on the pieces used (for example, a character made from pieces of Darth Vader and C-3PO might have the name "Darth-3PO"); alternately, the player may create a name.
Development Lego Star Wars II was created by the British game developer Traveller's Tales. LucasArts – busy with other projects – had deferred publishing of Lego Star Wars to Eidos Interactive, but regained the "necessary resources" to publish its sequel alongside TT Games Publishing. Lego Star Wars II was created for Microsoft Windows, OS X, Xbox, GameCube, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance (GBA), Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable (PSP), and Xbox 360. Differences exist between platforms: the DS and GBA versions have some different playable characters than the other versions, and the DS and PSP versions support a "Wireless Lobby" for multiplayer gameplay.
Lego Star Wars II uses a modified Lego Star Wars engine. However, many gameplay improvements were made over its predecessor, most notably camera angles and movement. Camera movement in co-op was a specific point of concern, as LucasArts received critical feedback from fans over this issue. Traveller's Tales looked to expand upon the concept of levels completed entirely in vehicles. These "vehicle levels" were explored more thoroughly in Lego Star Wars II than in its predecessor. In response to complaints from fans, LucasArts and Traveller's Tales granted the ability to build bricks to all non-droid characters. Character customization, an entirely new concept, was considered a significant improvement over the original game, and is one of three features highlighted on the game's final back cover. Tom Stone, director at Traveller's Tales, stated of the various improvements made over the original game:
The designers attempted to recreate the films' characters and events in a "cute" way. Assistant producer Jeff Gullet said that, in the game's recreation of a Return of the Jedi scene where Luke Skywalker "jumps off the plank... and somersaults onto the skiff", Skywalker "performs an all-out acrobatic routine with all sorts of jumps from the plank. It's hilarious". LucasArts producer David Perkinson said, "unless you've got the heart of the Emperor, you are going to chuckle at many of [the characters] the first time you see them – you just have to. They're so darn cute!"
Marketing and release history
On 2 February 2006, images of the game were leaked to the Internet. However, they were quickly removed, and LucasArts, if telephoned, did not confirm or deny the game's development. The game was formally announced on 10 February, at American International Toy Fair 2006. A preview was later hosted at Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2006. Because the original Lego Star Wars had been well received commercially and critically, selling 3.3 million copies by March 2006 and winning several awards, its sequel was highly anticipated both by fans of the original game and by video game publications such as IGN and GameSpot. Shortly before the game's release, promotions were set up at chain stores across the United States, including Toys "R" Us, Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, GameStop, and Circuit City.