Developed by HotGen and published by THQ and LucasArts for the Game Boy Color in 2000, Star Wars Episode I: Obi Wan’s Adventures presents you with the opportunity to play as Obi Wan Kenobi, the young Jedi apprentice, during the events of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

The game is an isometric action/adventure featuring nine complex levels, each with its own objective. As Obi Wan, you must explore the scrolling environment, solving puzzles, opening doors, fighting enemies, and collecting items and power-ups, until you complete your primary task, explained to you in the opening cut scenes. Your ultimate goal, though, is to confront Darth Maul at the game’s climax.

Obi Wan can switch between using his lightsaber, his Force powers, and a blaster. The lightsaber can deflect laser fire back at enemies, which is useful when fighting Rollies (or Droidekas). His Force powers allow him to toss enemies aside and move things around. His blaster of course allows him to shoot things.

In some situations, Obi Wan cannot leave the current area until all enemies have been destroyed. A box appears around the screen when this happens.

At the bottom of the screen is a health bar (H), a Force powers meter (F), and an ammo counter (A). Far left of the panel shows the currently-selected weapon; far right shows whether you’re in move mode, or use mode (which changes automatically, depending on where you’re standing).

The in-game characters are tiny, but the small scale works really well and the animation of individuals is excellent. The gameplay in Obi Wan’s Adventures is simple but absorbing. A variety of musical themes warble along as you progress, making it feel like Star Wars.

There are the occasional vehicular excursions, to break up the on-foot action. Cut scenes use still, digitised images, with text exposition and dialogue. Everything in the game is well-presented, with crisp, defined, nicely-coloured graphics.

Obi Wan’s Adventures can be played on easy or hard difficulties, and uses passwords to allow you to continue from specific levels.

Although Obi Wan’s Adventures did come in for a fair bit of criticism at the time of its original release, I have to say that I really enjoyed playing it. Titchy Star Wars adventures appeal to me, and this one has solid gameplay and enough variety to keep your average Star Wars fan happy for double-digit hours. I recommend it if you want a fun and uncomplicated hack-and-slash Jedi experience through the Star Wars universe.

May the fourth be with you!

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