
	Platform N64 Genre Action Developer LucasArts Publisher LucasArts ESRB T (Teen) Released Q4 2000

-Great Star Wars Action -Best textures that I've ever seen in an N64 game -Stable speech and great music

-Was able to finish game in one night -Strange turning restrictions during space levels

- N/A
Newsletter
Be notified of site updates. Sign-up for the Newsletter sent out twice weekly. Enter E-Mail Address Below: Subscribe \| Unsubscribe

Star Wars Episode I: The Battle for Naboo

Score: 9/10

Star Wars Episode I: The Battle for Naboo is yet another great game from the people at LucasArts. This game is very much in the same vein of action as its' predecessor Star Wars: Rogue Squadron. You play a pilot in a three-dimensional world, flying through the events of Star Wars Episode I. Starting out in the capital city, you escape during the initial invasion to help build a resistance movement to the Trade Federation. During the escape, you start out with a speeder but end up stealing personal transports (very cool). The story line leads up to the climactic final battle in space against the Trade Federation space station - but not before you get numerous opportunities to destroy bases and recover captured friends and citizens.

Advertisement

- N/A

Battles take place in four terrains: ground, air, water, and space – each of which add something a little extra to the game play. The ground missions generally involve you in a land speeder or personal transport trying to escape some area or protecting an airborne ally. You will see some interesting battles taking place here with you providing cover fire to suppress turrets and snipers. There is only one water level in the game but it is one of my favorites. You have captured an enemy ship and are piloting it toward an enemy encampment, but because of your ship

Advertisement

you can keep a low profile and sneak in unnoticed (which is easier said than done with all of the mines in the river). The airborne missions are the most plentiful and thankfully also the most diverse. Some are protection missions, others are raids on defensive positions, yet others are aerial engagements with numerous enemies – but my favorite is the bombing mission. The object of this delightful mission is to engage a fully laden convoy (you thought I was going to say "swallow" didn't you?) and slow them down enough that your people can move in to destroy the convoy before it reaches the capital and fortifies it. The final mission series take place in outer space and are by far the most difficult – every time there is a space mission prepare to curse and swear.

The positives with this title are many: an excellent looking and sounding game that displays the most realistic and seamless textures that I've seen on a game to date (for the N64). The speech is much better than any other game on the N64 – and is definitely up to par with what one expects from a LucasArts title. The game is extraordinarily fun to play although I must admit that the replay value is minimal – once you figure out the tricks and tactics for each level, it's very easy to go through a second and third time from beginning to end. The negatives you ask? The game is really easy to beat. I was able to finish the game on one night's gaming without chemical assistance (no Mountain Dew). It would be more accurate to say that I beat the game with a handicap – I drank an entire six-pack of beer in the five hours that it took to win the game on my first try. ("First try" meaning that I didn't turn off the machine – I’m not too proud to continue.) (You should have seen how many beers it took Tazman to finish Ocarina of Time! – Omni) The other annoyance is the movement in the space missions – there are some "undefined" movement restrictions that can be a real pain in the 'glutes, especially when you're heading in on one of the targets and you can't fly upwards at it because the game won't let you. It’s the sort of minor annoyance that really sticks out on an otherwise great game.

Bottom line, this is one fun game especially for younger gamers but I think that gaming veterans may find the low difficulty annoying.

Tazman