Star Wars Trilogy: Apprentice of the Force GBA

Many Star Wars fans agree that the best parts of the film saga are Episodes IV, V and VI, the so-called Original Trilogy. Star Wars: Apprentice of the Force is a special offer for them, as the game is based on the first three Star Wars films by George Lucas: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi.

The player becomes Luke Skywalker, a young Jedi apprentice. Obsessed with the thought of becoming the best pilot in the galaxy, he decides to leave the boring life on his uncle’s farm on Tatooine and join the Academy. However, the meeting with Obi-Wan Kenobi puts an end to these plans. The old Jedi knight changes the youth’s life and becomes his mentor. The game depicts all of the important moments in Luke’s life that happened throughout the Original Trilogy: from fighting the Sand People in A New Hope and all the way to the duel with Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi.

The three chapters included in Star Wars: Apprentice of the Force contain the total of 19 missions, most of which are side-scrolling platforming levels, in which Luke fights his way through a vast number of enemies. Another type of missions is protecting and escorting allies (Leia, R2D2) to a specific location. In yet another one Luke gets into a vehicle and enjoys turning enemy TIE Fighters into cosmic dust (while steering an X-Wing) or smashing soldiers of the Empire into trees (when on a speeder). For the duration of the above-mentioned sequences, the view switches to top-down perspective, which is a most fitting solution for this type of dynamic combat.

As far as the visuals are concerned, the game employs cel-shading for character sprites and features detailed animations. Luke can perform many different moves: slides, jumps, flips, dodges, etc. Apart from being very agile, he also gains the ability to use impressive special attacks and spectacular Jedi powers. Another noteworthy feature are the high-quality cut-scenes that bind the story together. In terms of audio, the game gives no reason to complain. Blasters, lightsabers, or the ominous breathing of Darth Vader sound exactly as in the films. The gameplay is accompanied with the famous music composed by John Williams.

Completing Star Wars: Apprentice of the Force unlocks a gallery of Star Wars pictures. It also lets you replay any episode. The enthusiasts of multiplayer gameplay can compete with their friends as X-Wing pilots in head-to-head mode or try a classic capture the flag. Notably, only one cartridge is required for multiplayer.

Last updated on 10 December 2007