Aside from the excellent PSP version of the previous game in the series, the LEGO Star Wars games have not had much luck on handheld systems. The two GBA titles range in quality from not-very-good to rather bad, and the last DS version was a promising game wrapped in layers of glitches and game-breaking bugs. It would be an understatement to say that we were somewhat wary of this new attempt to cram all six LEGO-ized Star Wars adventures onto Nintendo's portable system.

It looks like we weren't the only ones concerned about this game. In the past, LucasArts handed the GBA and DS games off to developers other than Traveller's Tales, the creators of the excellent console versions of the games. This time, however, LucasArts decided to take the portable version seriously by letting Traveller's Tales design this game from the ground up for the DS. The company's background with the license has definitely worked in the game's favor. Considering the less powerful hardware, this version of The Complete Saga does an admirable job of cramming the console game onto the DS. Some sacrifices had to be made, but otherwise, this is an extremely well-made DS title.


If you're unfamiliar with the series, it's based on the popular toy line that is itself based on George Lucas' much loved movie series. The game is broken up into six segments, one for each of the Star Wars films. Within each section, there are five chapters to play through. Most of the chapters are 3D platformers with a healthy mix of puzzle solving, but there are a few vehicle-based stages as well. The puzzle solving is all based around the various character classes (like Jedi, Sith, astromech and protocol droids, "blaster" characters, etc.) and their unique skills.

Considering its license, you'd be forgiven for writing the game off as kiddie shovelware, but you'd also be completely off-base. LEGO Star Wars is one of the finest examples of a family game that we've ever encountered. The action is simple enough for youngsters to enjoy but it's also fun enough for older players to get into. Although the game is extremely simple, there are enough bonus modes, hidden power-ups and unlockable characters to warrant repeat plays.