Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo
Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo | |
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LucasArts | |
Publisher(s) | |
arcade flight | |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo
Set in the fictional
Battle for Naboo was published by LucasArts and THQ and released for the Nintendo 64 in December 2000. A Windows port was released three months later in March 2001. The Nintendo 64 version was heavily compared to Rogue Squadron and received generally positive reviews; critics praised the game's tight and responsive controls, but expressed dislike for the game's Episode I setting. The game's PC port was less well-received, with critics citing poor visuals and difficult controls.
Gameplay
A follow-up to
The
The player's performance is measured throughout the game, and performance statistics are checked after each level against four medal benchmarks. Each benchmark contains six categories: completion time, number of enemies destroyed, shot accuracy, number of friendly craft and structures saved, number of bonuses collected and lives remaining. If a player's performance exceeds one of the level's four benchmarks in all five categories, a medal—bronze, silver, gold, or platinum—is awarded on completion. Unlike other medal benchmarks, platinum medal benchmarks are undisclosed to the player. Acquiring medals promotes the player's rank and helps unlock hidden content.[11]
Unlockable content
Battle for Naboo includes a number of unlockable secrets. The player can unlock three bonus levels: "Trade Federation Secrets", "Coruscant Encounter", and "Dark Side". These levels are made available when the player obtains all bronze, silver, or gold medals, respectively, on every level.
The development team also included early game design sketches and audio commentary for each of the game's 15 standard levels, unlockable via a password. Each level features more than five minutes of audio that totals over an hour of commentary in all. IGN likened the "captivating" commentary to DVD bonus material and believed the addition could start a trend in video games.[14] MTV reporter Stephen Totilo believes that this audio commentary "may very well be" the earliest in video gaming.[15]
Synopsis
Setting
Battle for Naboo takes place in the fictional Star Wars galaxy. The overarching conflict is an escalating battle between the Trade Federation and the people of Naboo. All 15 missions occur during the events depicted in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. The taxation of trade routes is in dispute and the Trade Federation has sent an invasion force to the planet's capital city of Theed hoping to capture the planet and steal its resources.[16] The planet's queen, Padmé Amidala, has left the city for Coruscant to try to gain support from the Galactic Senate. To help defend the planet, Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes must form a resistance movement.[17]
Plot
The game starts with an
In their first strike against the Trade Federation, Kael, Sykes, Ved, Lutin Hollis and Kol Kotha, a mercenary agent of Borvo's, destroy the communications satellite Comm 4. The satellite's destruction temporarily disables a Federation base on the planet, allowing the resistance to successfully attack it and destroy numerous droids and heavy equipment.[22] During the fight, Sykes commandeers a Federation gunboat and uses it to liberate labor camps along the Andrevea River, escorting the freed prisoners to a rendezvous point among ruins to the north.[23][24]
However, during the escort mission, Kael disappears and Sykes begins a search and rescue mission for the missing Captain.
Now in charge of the resistance on Naboo, Sykes leads a mission to liberate the Camp 4, a detention center where the Trade Federation has placed most of Naboo's important leaders.
Development
With Star Wars: Rogue Squadron and
During the development process, LucasArts supplied most of the art and level-design, while Factor 5 provided the programming, tools, sound, and most of the cut-scene and art post-production work. After contemplating the idea of reusing Rogue Squadron's game engine, the team decided it was necessary to develop a new engine from scratch. Being more familiar with the
Skywalker Sound supplied the development team with sound directly from The Phantom Menace for use in Battle for Naboo. Because its music is fully interactive and in real-time, the game required new material to be composed and pieces from the movie to be rewritten. Factor 5 again used its own sound drivers called MusyX to handle the game's sound, as it did with Rogue Squadron (then called MOsys FX Surround).[8] The game includes voice work from voice actors Jeff Coopwood, Roger L. Jackson, Doug Boyd and Terry McGovern.[36]
Unlike Rogue Squadron, which was developed and released for the Nintendo 64 and
Reception
Aggregator | Score | |
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X-Play [35] | N/A | |
Computer Games Magazine | N/A | [45] |
Publication | Award |
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IGN | Game of the Month (December 2000)[50] |
Many reviews compared Battle for Naboo to Star Wars: Rogue Squadron.[5] GamePro remarked that the games share the same "exciting aerial combat, sturdy controls, and ... absorbing story line",[40] and IGN's Fran Mirabella III wrote, "Battle for Naboo proves to be a worthy follow up to Rogue by improving on nearly everything that held it back from perfection."[5] EGM believed that, "if you liked Rogue Squadron, it's a good bet you'll like Naboo even more."[39] GameSpot's Ryan Davis, however, thought that the game remained fun despite the "general lack of innovation over its predecessor" and believed it to be "one of the best Episode I titles to hit the market".[10] The Nintendo 64 version received mostly positive reviews and received an aggregate score of 82 percent and 84 from GameRankings and Metacritic, respectively.[47][49]
Battle for Naboo's controls were described as tight and responsive.[5][10] Reviewers praised the addition of ground vehicles, which were completely absent from Rogue Squadron. Both Davis and Mirabella remarked that this addition keeps the game from getting stale or redundant.[5][10] Nintendo Power thought that the game is at its best when the action isn't grounded, however, describing some of the ground missions as "tedious" and "uninspired".[44] Some reviewers believed that the game's Episode I setting is less engaging than Rogue Squadron's original trilogy setting. Mirabella stated that "any fan of Rogue Squadron should enjoy Battle for Naboo just as much if they can get past the Episode I barrier",[5] and Davis wrote that the game's setting "does not carry the same impact as the story of the original [trilogy]."[10]
The game's visuals were a source of disagreement between some critics.
With aggregated scores of 57 percent and 54 from GameRankings and Metacritic, respectively, Battle for Naboo's PC port garnered significantly lower review scores than its Nintendo 64 counterpart.
Notes
- ^ Released on Microsoft Windows as Star Wars: Battle for Naboo[4]
References
- ^ "Star Wars Episode 1: Battle for Naboo". Amazon UK. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
- ^ IGN Staff (2000-11-17). "10 Best New N64 Games to Own this Holiday Season". IGN. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
- Allgame. Archived from the originalon November 14, 2014. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
- ^ a b c d "Star Wars: Battle for Naboo". Metacritic. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Mirabella III, Fran (December 15, 2000). "Star Wars: Episode I Battle for Naboo". IGN. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
- ^ LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts.)
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts. pp. 6–7.
- ^ a b c d "Interview: Battling the N64". IGN. November 10, 2000. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
- LucasArts. p. 4.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Davis, Ryan (December 22, 2000). "Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo Review". GameSpot. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
- LucasArts. p. 8.
- ^ Mirabella III, Fran (April 18, 2001). "Naboo: Secrets". IGN. Retrieved August 23, 2009.
- ^ "Star Wars: Episode I Battle for Naboo Cheats For Nintendo 64". GameSpot. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
- ^ "Naboo's DVD-like Experience". IGN. January 8, 2001. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
- ^ Totilo, Stephen (October 16, 2006). "Game Developer Confessions: Rare Commentary Explains Whys And Hows". MTV. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
- LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts.)
Episode I Battle for Naboo: Turmoil has engulfed the Galactic Republic. Taxation of trade routes is in dispute, and the greedy Trade Federation has resorted to violence to resolve the matter. Acting on orders from a mysterious Sith Lord, the Trade Federation has sent an invasion force to the small world of Naboo. The Trade Federation's leaders hope to capture the peaceful planet and steal its resources before the Republic can respond to the crisis. As the Trade Federation marches on Theed, Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes and the volunteer members of the Royal Security Forces are Naboo's only hope...
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts. p. 1.
- LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts. Level/area: Escape from Theed.)
Captain Kael: Heavy STAPs—we might be able to use them to escape. / Captain Kael: Now let's cross over the farmlands and head toward the swamp.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts. Level/area: Naboo Bayou.)
Rohan Wayside: I've heard rumors about a smuggler in the mountains north of here. Maybe he can provide some assistance.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts. Level/area: Naboo Bayou.)
Rohan Wayside: I'm sending Ved with you. He'll show you the way.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts. Level/area: Smuggler Alliance.)
Adela Tyché: Borvo offers our aid as a sign of his gratitude.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts. Level/area: Disruption of Comm 4.)
Captain Kael: With the Trade Federation's Comm web down, we have a short time to attack a sleeping base and capture a gunboat.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts. Level/area: Andrevea River.)
Gavyn Sykes: I've found a mining camp. The Trade Federation is using captured Naboo as slaves! / Captain Kael: Do as much damages as you can and free the prisoners.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts.)
Sanctuary Briefing: Escort them to the rendezvous point in the northern ruins.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts. Level/area: Sanctuary.)
Lutin Hollis: ...I think he went down. I'm sorry, sir. / Gavyn Sykes: Don't worry Hollis. I'm sure Captain Kael survived. Let's find him before the Trade Federation does.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts.)
Borvo the Hutt Briefing: Borvo has betrayed you. He has killed Captain Kael and now plans to sell your people into slavery.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts. Level/area: Borvo the Hutt.)
Gavyn Sykes: I'm bringing down the Hutt. / Kol Kotha: [...] I want to help stop the Hutt.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts. Level/area: Borvo the Hutt.)
Kol Kotha: Good work, Naboo-boy. You saved your people, and Borvo's limping back to Nal Hutta.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts.)
Liberation of Camp 4 Briefing: The Trade Federation has imprisoned Naboo's most important leaders in the notorious Camp Four. Reach the camp, take out the Trade Federation forces, and free the captives before reinforcements can arrive.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts. Level/area: The Queen's Gambit.)
Captain Panaka: The Queen has returned, and we're ready to take back Naboo. I've written all the resistance leaders to meet with us.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts.)
Panaka's Diversion Briefing: The Queen plans to enter Theed in a bold attempt to capture Nute Gunray. You must create a diversion to distract the Trade Federation forces guarding Theed.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts. Level/area: Battle for Naboo.)
Ric Olie: Good work! We've crippled their defenses. / RSF Officer 2: What's that? It's blowing up from the inside!
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - LucasArts (December 13, 2001). Star Wars: Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64). LucasArts. Level/area: Battle for Naboo.)
Captain Panaka: The Trade Federation army is out of commission. Naboo is finally free.
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: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - ^ "Star Wars and Indiana Jones N64 at E3?". IGN. April 18, 2000. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
- ^ Extended Play. G4 Media. Archived from the originalon December 14, 2005. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
- Allgame. Archived from the originalon December 11, 2014. Retrieved August 25, 2009.
- ^ "The Battle for Naboo Coming to the PC". IGN. January 23, 2001. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
- Allgame. Archived from the originalon July 28, 2009. Retrieved July 17, 2009.
- ^ a b c d "Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo (N64)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Ziff Davis. December 27, 2000. Archived from the original on February 11, 2001. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
- ^ a b Extreme Ahab (December 19, 2000). "Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo". GamePro. Retrieved July 9, 2009.[dead link]
- ^ a b Varanini, Giancarlo (March 12, 2001). "Star Wars: Battle for Naboo Review". GameSpot. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
- ^ McBride, Debra; Cassady, David (April 18, 2001). "Star Wars: Battle for Naboo (PC)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on January 11, 2005. Retrieved August 16, 2014.
- ^ a b Mirabella III, Fran (March 19, 2001). "Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo". IGN. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
- ^ a b c "Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo". Nintendo Power. Vol. 141. Nintendo. February 2001. p. 123.
- ^ a b Fleet, Adam (April 18, 2001). "Star Wars: Battle for Naboo". Computer Games Magazine. theGlobe.com. Archived from the original on May 2, 2005. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
- ^ a b c Preston, Jim (June 2001). "Star Wars: Battle for Naboo". Next Generation. 6: 91.
- ^ a b "Star Wars: Episode I Battle for Naboo". GameRankings. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
- ^ a b "Star Wars: Battle for Naboo". GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
- ^ a b "Star Wars: Episode I Battle for Naboo". Metacritic. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
- ^ "N64 Games of December". IGN. December 1, 2000. Retrieved August 19, 2014.