A LEGO retelling of the Clone Wars
LEGO Star Wars III - The Clone Wars takes stories from the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series and rebuilds them in the LEGO style, complete with the usual tongue-in-cheek humor. The campaign runs across more than 20 story missions and 40 bonus levels set throughout the Clone Wars era. Alongside the platforming and combat you expect from a LEGO game, this entry adds large-scale ground battles where you command clone trooper battalions, build bases, deploy vehicles and call in reinforcements against the droid army. There are also multi-layered space battles to fly through, and boss fights against massive enemies from the series, including Gor and the Zillo Beast.
Playing together
The game supports co-op, and the improved dynamic split screen lets a second player jump in or drop out as you go. SceneSwap is the feature that shapes group play: teams are split across separate locations, and you work through each area's objectives by switching between them with a single button press. That works in both single player and co-op, so two players can each hold a position and coordinate on the same mission. Puzzles are built around teamwork and shared building situations, so having a second pair of hands is useful rather than optional. Remote Play Together is available, which lets friends join over a connection instead of sharing one screen.
Before you start
Combat is more mobile than in earlier LEGO Star Wars games. Characters have new lightsaber abilities, including cutting, throwing and climbing, plus grappling moves that open up puzzle routes. The Force can be used on LEGO objects to reach new areas, lift and throw enemies, and even turn them into weapons. Between missions you can fly to 16 different star systems, playing as Republic heroes, Separatists or bounty hunters, and explore capital ships such as the Resolute and the Malevolence. A controller is supported, and the game is rated for family play, so it suits a mixed group.