LEGO Star Wars at 20: The Game That Launched a Phenomenon

      Chris Connor reflects on LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game two decades after its release…

      Today, LEGO collaborates with numerous major pop culture franchises, including Marvel, DC, Super Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, as well as films like Jurassic Park and Dune. This trend is particularly evident in the realm of video games, which have seen LEGO tie-ins for The Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, and many others.

      Although The LEGO Company had previously experimented with its own games like LEGO Creator and LEGO Racers since the 1990s, it was 2005’s LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game that pioneered and set the standard for this series of licensed adaptations. Launched ahead of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and retelling the events of the Prequel Trilogy in LEGO form, we had no idea at the time that LEGO Star Wars would redefine video game adaptations and become a massive franchise in its own right.

      During this period, new Star Wars video games were performing remarkably well, with the original two Battlefront games and Revenge of the Sith game highly acclaimed by fans. However, LEGO Star Wars served as an entry point for more casual fans, igniting levels of imagination and creativity not previously seen in standard tie-ins.

      Without dialogue, the enjoyment came from character reactions and the recreation of film moments, which felt innovative and captivating. While it may appear modest compared to the benchmarks set by the recent LEGO Skywalker Saga, it was a refreshing take on the franchise at the time, and other franchises and studios clearly recognized its impact.

      Unlike earlier official tie-in games that had limitations, the freedom to play across the franchise was part of the fun, allowing players to, for instance, incorporate Darth Maul into Revenge of the Sith or Clone Troopers into The Phantom Menace. This created endless possibilities for a generation of young fans. The co-op feature also encouraged families and friends to play together, leading to countless gaming sessions.

      The groundwork for future LEGO tie-ins was established here with its signature humor and puzzle-solving elements, such as force users needing to manipulate bricks to advance to the next stage. Although LEGO games have become a significant business and the formula may seem somewhat predictable now with fans knowing what to expect, back in 2005, this was genuinely groundbreaking—merging one of the world’s most popular franchises with a beloved toy brand in some of the trilogy's most memorable scenes.

      Beyond being a fun concept, it provided a truly entertaining and enjoyable tie-in for the Prequel Trilogy. It enabled players to experience moments that would have been hard to recreate with the technology and graphics of the time, thus offering many gamers a definitive representation of that trilogy in video game format.

      The remarkable success of LEGO Star Wars resulted in an Original Trilogy sequel just a year later, which was equally successful and even more expansive. Both games were later combined in 2007 as LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga, followed by the lesser-known but still enjoyable LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars in 2011. However, the 2016 Force Awakens game was seen as somewhat disappointing, covering only one film and receiving a mixed response.

      In 2022, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga was released, taking all the successful elements of the original games and providing the largest Star Wars video game to date, where players can invest tens or hundreds of hours to fully enjoy it. In addition to the main nine films of the franchise, it includes tie-in packs and skins for properties like The Mandalorian, Rebels, Rogue One, Andor, and much more, offering comprehensive coverage of the entire franchise.

      LEGO Star Wars truly expanded the potential for what a brand/video game tie-in could achieve. Despite showcasing moments of silly humor and absurdity, its sheer enjoyment and replayability made it a hit for all ages, allowing the series to continue resonating with fans of Star Wars and other franchises over the past two decades. While The Skywalker Saga may seem definitive, it's likely that we can anticipate further installments as the Star Wars saga returns to cinema in 2026 with a focus back on the big screen.

      What do you think about LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game? Share your thoughts with us on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…

      Chris Connor