LEGO Star Wars is a one/two player level-based action-adventure game. That means that instead of wandering through an entire game world looking for challenges, you have a base area that leads to various levels. In this case, it's Dexter's Diner. There are four doors - one for Episode I, one for Episode II, one for Episode III, and one for the bonus level. At the start, you can only go through the first. Then, after beating the first level, you can go through the II and III doors. The bonus level is unlocked after you get all the #Superkit pieces.
In each level, you start in one place, and try to get to another. Some also have objectives (or a boss).
There are two game modes - Story and Free Play. You must beat Story mode first to unlock Free Play mode. Free Play allows you to switch between characters using L and R, in Story, you're stuck with the characters involved. Story also has more cutscenes, Free Play cuts them out.
However, some levels - starfighter missions - can only be played in Story mode, and are almost like a completely different game (except for the graphics).
Characters[edit]
There are 56 playable characters in the game. You unlock them after playing as them in a level or buying them in Dexter's Diner. They're available for purchase after you beat them in-game. You normally play as two characters, but you may encounter friendly characters, who you can switch with by pressing Y, in some levels.
Objects[edit]
There are many types of objects in the game, most of them destructible. Almost everything that's destructible explodes into a shower of studs. However, some objects, such as mines, harm you.
Hints[edit]
The first time you have to use a certain technique, a little icon will appear at the bottom, along with text telling you what to do. For example, in Negotiations, when you meet TC-14, a hint will appear telling you to press Y to switch with her.
Enemies[edit]
There are many different enemies in the game, with different abilities. Most are playable. You can buy them in Dexter's Diner. You can buy an enemy as a playable character after beating it in a level.
Bosses[edit]
At the end of each Episode, you have to fight a boss battle. Bosses have much more hearts than normal enemies. After they lose a certain amount of hearts a cutscene will play and their fighting tactics will change. There are also mini-bosses in some levels.
Death[edit]
At some point of the game, you'll probably die, exploding into LEGO pieces. When you die you will respawn where you last were, temporarily invincible. You have infinite lives, but you lose money with each death.
Objective icons[edit]
Some levels have little icons at the top of the screen that give you objectives you must complete in order to move on in the level, with the face of an enemy you have to defeat or a person you have to rescue.
Minikit pieces[edit]
There are ten minikit pieces in each level. They're hidden throughout each level, though some are in plain sight. If you get all ten pieces you get 50,000 studs and a minikit, which is basically a LEGO model of something in Star Wars. For the locations of the minikit pieces, see minikit piece locations.
Superkit pieces[edit]
There are seventeen superkit pieces in the game, one for every level of the game. You get a superkit piece if you collect enough studs, achieving “true Jedi”, in one play of a level. Every time you get money, a little bar appears at the top. Your goal is to get it to turn all gold. When you collect all the superkit pieces, they combine to make the superkit.