Lego Star Wars (DVD) (Mac) Description:

Lego Star Wars (DVD) (Mac) review:
4 stars (Review for the Alaska Apple Users Group) - Star Wars is undoubtedly one of the most popular fantasy franchises in the world. Legos are certainly some of the most successful children's toys in the world. So what happens when you put popular fiction together with famous building blocks? Pure enjoyment, that's what!



Lego Star Wars renders the people, places, and events of the Star Wars prequel films in a block-built universe. With an aesthetic that leans heavily on actual Star Wars Lego kits, the game closely follows the epic plot of Episodes I, II, and III.



Everything starts in Dexter's Diner, a locale that received brief attention in Attack of the Clones. There you can or interact with all unlocked characters, select levels to play and replay, or order up extras, codes, hints, and more at the counter.



As you progress through the chapters of each episode, you unlock new characters and collect hidden Lego part canisters and Lego "bits". The parts come together to form mini-kits and collecting sufficient bits in each level gets you parts for a super-kit. When completed, each kit resembles one of Legos real Star Wars offerings. If you head outside the diner you can even examine the kits you've collected in the parking lot.



There are several main character types with different skills. Jedi can deflect blaster bolts and use the force to manipulate Lego blocks and push enemies. Blaster-equipped characters can use their grapple guns to reach out-of-the-way locations. Droids can open special doors and are immune to attack.



Some characters even have unique abilities. Jar Jar Binks can jump higher than most. Astromech droids like R2-D2 can deactivate other droids and fly for a short time. Sith like Darths Maul and Sidious can use the dark side of the force to manipulate some objects that jedi cannot.



The variety is important because progress often requires the combination of different character. What's more, many of the mini kit pieces can't be reached without replaying levels using different characters than originally intended.



Some of those puzzles are challenging, so you'll probably appreciate that you can't really die. When the last of your hearts is taken from you, you'll simply explode non-violently into a pile of Lego components. You'll suffer a penalty in bits lost, but you'll immediately regenerate at the same spot. This keeps the momentum of the game going no matter what.



The ability to have a second player join and drop out at any time helps a lot too. Some parts of the game are easier with just one player but most are more fun with two. The game lends itself to teamwork and demands problem solving which is easier with two heads than one. Though this feature is harder to take advantage of on the Mac than on consoles, it's still an awesome innovation.



Though this Mac port has a lot of advantages over the console versions - such as better graphics and much faster load times - control is not one of them. If you don't already have one, this is a game worth buying a controller for. It's less expensive than most games, so you should have enough left over to pick up a console adapter or a USB game pad.



Other than that, the game is awesome and incredibly addictive. It's a lot of fun for gamers of all ages. It's easy enough for kids to win, yet it poses challenges even to adult players. Here's hoping that the Episode IV teaser at the end is a sign that a sequel covering the original Star Wars films is on the way!