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We need more of these! This game totally rocks and brings back memories of classic games like Final Fight and Streets of Rage, along with many other beat’em games from my classic gaming days. Most of you have probably seen the movie by now and if you want a good Star Wars game on the go, this game will suit your Jedi needs.

From the start, players have the option of playing as Obi-Wan Kenobi or Anakin Skywalker. Each character follows their own path in the game and possesses their own unique set of attacks and of course, their own set of force powers. At first, both characters are relatively equal but eventually it leads to their own separate paths like in the movie. What’s really interesting is that, unlike the GBA version, SW E3 on the DS has its very own 3D starfighter levels. A lot of these levels weren’t shown in the movie (obviously) but it is definitely a welcome addition in the game.

While in your starfighter, the controls are quite responsive and the frame rate stays at a nice constant pace. Dogfights are awesome and players can shoot their enemies down with the normal guns or lock-on with missiles. Your starfighter can also go faster if you hold down the afterburner, but you have to watch out because you do have to let it cool off after a while. Extra missiles and health packs are 

 

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found around each level so players should keep their eyes open at all times. Various actions such as barrel-rolling around are available by holding down one of the shoulder buttons. There is a multiplayer option available for the Starfighters and there’s quite a bit of fun found in them. There are things like team death matches and a number of ships that can be used including Slave 1 and the Millennium Falcon.

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The meat of the game consists of side-scrolling beat’em type levels. Like mentioned above, this brings back a lot of memories of classic gaming from the Golden Age of the 16-bit Era. There are a few different kinds of attacks at your disposal, depending on the direction button you are holding while constantly pushing down the attack button for a combo. Like the movies, players can deflect enemy lasers by tapping the block button right at the last second. There is a lot of free space for players to use as an advantage so moving around is a key element of survival. By tapping forward and then holding forward, players can make either Anakin or Obi-Wan run, which saves a lot of time and quickens the pace of the game. What separates this game from other beat’em ups is the numerous amounts of force powers and special moves. You have a force bar which acts just like a mana bar in RPGs. Every time you use a force power such as force push, pull, rage etc, a certain amount of your force bar is used up. There are items lying around such as bacta tanks to refill your hit points and little orbs to refill your mana bar *cough* I mean force meter.

After completing a level, the game rewards you with points for performance and speed. These points can be used to level up your Jedi. Leveling up includes powering up Anakin’s or Obi-Wan’s force powers or gaining new ones. You also have a choice to level up your character’s strength or extending his health or force bar.

Like all beat’em ups, this game does feel repetitive after a while and there is not a huge variety of enemies to kill. The boss battles are pretty good though, and every level has its own boss even if they were not seen in the movie.

Graphically, this game does look identical to its GBA counterpart with better animations. The 3D starfighter levels are really impressive and show just what the DS is capable of.

The difference in the audio between the GBA and DS version is that the GBA version uses a midi like soundtrack and the DS version uses music clips from the movies. The sound effects are also a lot better in the DS version. It was nice to hear Duel of the Fates in the fight between Obi-Wan and Anakin, but it is too bad that “Battle of the Heroes” from the movie was not used.

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is a strong beat’ em up sidescroller with some amazing 3D starfighter missions on the side. It would make a solid addition to your DS collection and it’s great for Star Wars fans that want a Star Wars game on the go.

- J’Tonello

(June 26, 2005)

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