LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy puts the pieces back together, and this time they fit better. The 2006 game takes the first three Star Wars films — A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi — and builds them into a platformer full of humor, puzzles and a surprising amount of depth.
Trailer, via Keyes.
The Pieces That Hold It Together
The core idea is simple: build your way through each level, then fight your way out. You pick up studs along the way, spend them at the Mos Eisley cantina to buy characters and vehicles, and then jump back into the action. The humor comes from the game’s willingness to treat its source material lightly. Characters are rendered in LEGO form, and the cutscenes are silent, letting the action speak for itself.
What Works
The vehicle sections are the standout feature. For the first time in the series, characters can climb into and out of vehicles mid-level, which changes how you approach each stage. You can also mix and match body parts from more than 50 playable characters, creating one of millions of possible LEGO Star Wars heroes. That flexibility gives the game a longevity that earlier entries lacked.
Where It Falls Short
The difficulty stays low throughout, and the multiplayer mode feels thin compared to the solo campaign. The game is clearly aimed at younger players, and that focus shows in how forgiving it stays. Some critics noted that the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS versions, while sharing the same name, were more criticized than the console and PC releases.
The Numbers Behind It
- Developer: Traveller’s Tales
- Publisher: TT Games Publishing, LucasArts
- Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Xbox 360
- Release date: 11 September 2006
- Sold copies: over 8.2 million worldwide as of May 2009
Our Verdict
The game is a solid entry in a beloved series, and it holds up as a fun, accessible way to revisit the original trilogy. The vehicle sections and customization options push the series forward, even if the core platforming doesn’t break new ground. It’s not the deepest Star Wars game out there, but it’s one of the friendliest.
The 6.9 out of 10 reflects that balance between ambition and execution.
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