Players can relive the events of the Star Wars prequel movie trilogy (Episodes I, II, and III) in LEGO form in LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game. Players assume control over thirty characters and experience key scenes from The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith. The plot includes most of the significant events in the films, with a few sequences omitted or added. On the other hand, the presentation of these events is amusing, with all of the characters and environments made of LEGO bricks. Objects frequently break apart like physical LEGO bricks, characters have comical expressions, and gestures replace all dialogue from the movies’ related events.
The basic gameplay consists of action, platforming, and light puzzle solving. Players guide two or more characters through stages, each representing a chapter in a film. These chapters must be unlocked in a plot-determined order to complete the movie. Characters use various weapons (blasters, lightsabers, crossbows, etc.), and each character has unique abilities. Jedi, for example, can use force to lift, combine, and destroy objects; robots can open encrypted doors; and other characters can use a grappling hook to reach higher platforms, among other things. Some of these abilities overlap (i.e., a problem can be solved in multiple ways), but dealing with the situation often requires a specific character. One player can switch between the available characters in single-player mode; two players can navigate at least two different characters in co-op mode.
A few levels have players flying aircraft, fighting hostile vehicles, overcoming obstacles, or destroying ground targets. Players can return to previously visited stages with any characters unlocked in Free Mode, which could result in the discovery of previously inaccessible areas. During exploration, you can collect various collectible items and LEGO studs (which serve as currency). Characters in the game cannot die permanently; when a character is killed, they only lose collected LEGO studs.
