Lego Star Wars: The Video Game Cheats and Hints (Xbox)

On paper, the entire concept of a game called LEGO Star Wars might seem crazy to Star Wars fans that are used to gritty, dramatic games like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, and Star Wars Republic Commando. And it is crazy-the good kind of crazy. This brilliantly conceived alliance blends the unique world and designs of LEGO play materials with the unforgettable characters, stories, and vehicles of the prequel era of the Star Wars universe.

Unlockables

Unlock Super Battle Droid
Enter the following code at the diner to unlock the Super Battle Droid for purchase in free play mode: XZNR21

Unlock Count Dooku
Enter the following code at the diner to unlock Count Dooku for purchase in free play mode: 14PGMN

Tips and tricks

Join Together to Fight the Dark Side
You can play LEGO Star Wars as a solo affair, but the game's well-designed multiplayer cooperative mode is really where it's at. You can "tag" another heroic character to swap places with him at any time, whether you're playing co-op or multiplayer. This is especially helpful if your teammate takes control of a third character. To tag another character and take control (whether it's a hero or a secondary character) get close to them and hold down Y.

Two can work much faster than one to take down enemies and save the Republic (well, sort of ... the game does cover Episode III, after all, and we all know what happens there). Put one Jedi on attack when the droids start pouring out, and have the other player start hitting moveable LEGO pieces with the Force.

Non-Jedi Are Heroes, Too
Often, even a Jedi Knight can't accomplish a certain task, like slicing into a computer-controlled door or leaping to a hidden treasure or switch. (Yes, they can slice almost anything with a lightsaber, but in this SW-ese case, "slice" means "hack"). In that case, take control of the third support character and see if his or her special ability can do the trick. On board an enemy starship, you might need to take control of a protocol droid to open the exit to the hangar bay. Or when you're struggling to reach that last LEGO perched in an unreachable spot, see if Jar Jar can reach it. (And don't worry, you cynical types-there's no dialog in this game, so you'll be spared Jar Jar's voice. Promise.)

Cooperation Is the Key
Once you progress deeper into LEGO Star Wars, you find that many challenges require cooperation between both heroes and secondary characters. For example, if Jar Jar still can't reach that high point, consider letting the Jedi use the force to build him a higher jumping platform. Need to open a switch near two buttons? Odds are you're going to need to get both Jedi in there, one to a button.

LEGO Star Wars uses a more or less static camera like that great SW platformer of yore, Jedi Power Battles. That means you need to keep your team together during co-op play, or one of your Jedi may get hung up in a bad place with no way of seeing the enemy. And if you find yourself playing alongside someone with a self-control deficit (e.g., if you're a parent and playing LEGO Star Wars with a child) make sure to keep up! This will also protect you from enemies that can sometimes fire from just off-screen.
Get Creative with Free Play
You can unlock almost any character in the game-ally or enemy-and use his or her special abilities in Free Play mode. In this mode, you can go back and replay any level you've already completed, using any character you want. Not only can you take characters and drop them into situations they never saw in the movies-Geonosis, meet Darth Maul!-but now you can use that character's special abilities to reach secrets and hidden treasures you could never get to before.

The Force Brings Balance to the LEGO
LEGO Star Wars may initially look simple, but don't let the blocky (and exquisitely recreated, by the way) character and ship models fool you. There's a lot of strategic depth in how you approach any challenge, and many different ways to take on the forces of the Dark Side. Against droids, you can wade in with your lightsaber and some simple combo moves keyed to the attack button and the left thumbstick. You can also use the Force to fling weaker droids against the bigger ones, turning the enemy into a weapon. The game will clue you in to where and when you can use the Force to reassemble a broken structure or item, build a whole new LEGO creation that lets you meet the mission objective, of flip a switch from a distance. Such objects and items will glow with your Jedi's lightsaber color when you get close. Watch for the glow!

Here's what an unbreakable shield can do: