Concept: 5/5

I’ve always believed that gaming console technology would only truly have come into its own when we finally had a realistic Star Wars game, one that could truly capture the thrill of lightsaber combat. My assumption that this achievement would come in the form of a FPS game went unquestioned–until I started this bad boy up. Now we can fully enjoy the Star Wars universe in this enjoyable little fighting game.

The Light and Dark sides of the Force are well-represented here in 10 playable characters. Unfortunately we can’t play as Yoda, but he’s often hard to integrate into games (remember Soul Calibur 4?) Some of the cast are famous from the movies, others you might recognize from the Clone Wars animated show, which CWLD meshes with perfectly. The arching plot of the show is fully featured through an amazing variety of dialogue, always matched to the fight at hand, and really helps advance the idea that a war is going on. It’s witty and often ironically funny, for example when our main villain Count Dooku tells Anakin, “There may be hope for you yet, young Skywalker.” Common remarks center around how the Dark Side will utterly consume you, and how the Jedi are total pussies who are goin’ down. Campaign mode is ok but you definitely bought this one for Multiplayer.

As befits any great Wii title, casual play is perfected here to such an extent that it totally validates how goofy you’ll look swinging the remote like the fat kid from the Internet. In a jaded gaming market of voicechat, ranking ladders and Facebook integration, you can forego the newest titles and have some seriously kickass fun just picking up a lightsaber and charging in. Search your heart–you know it to be true.

Gameplay: 5/5

CWLD uses the Wii Nunchuck accessory, so you do need one of those to play (there’s also a glowing plastic lightsaber extension sold separately for the Wiimote, although I dunno if I’m quite nerd enough to spring for that). Of course our main focus here is the multiplayer, so you’ll want two.

The ‘chuck controls your movement and Force powers while you swing the Wiimote as your lightsaber. The controls are simplicity itself, and unlike many Wii games, you don’t have to have that mystical knack for aiming the Wiimote. This lends gameplay an effortless feel, which is why it’s so fun to dismissively flick your Nunchuck at the screen and blast the other guy halfway across the stage. Admittedly the combos can be a little bitchy if your Motion Sensor isn’t in the best place (yeah, mine neither), but it’s not a big issue.

Every character gets 5 combos that are easy 3- or 4-hit swings of the controller, so even serious players don’t have to spend time memorizing anything harder than a Shoryuken. There aren’t even throws, for those of you who hate being forced to watch cutscenes while eating damage. Once you get the hang of parrying and learn to use your character’s ranges, you should do fine.

A lot of the flair and charm of the game comes just from the jump button, which powers a lot of the action. Characters leap across wide pits, deftly roll aside from thrusts, even vault over the enemy to finish with a midair slice. This simple mechanic adds so much to the experience of being a Jedi as you Force Jump around the stage and let loose with your glowstick of death. The fluidity of movement is refreshing; you can run all over the map, often leaping up or down levels, making every fight worthy of a space opera.

Each character is rated in 4 stats: Force Attacks/Combos/Force Energy/Speed. In practice, the stats don’t matter too much since most of the characters share some combos and have the same abilities, i.e. Anakin is the Mario, his Padawan Asoka is the annoying little girl in every fighting game ever, etc. Likewise, some characters have two lightsabers, and General Grievous boasts four, but again, this doesn’t affect game balance, it just makes the fights fun to watch. No single aspect of the game really dominates, ensuring a balanced and engaging match. You can wade right into melee or hang back and use your superior knowledge of the Force to win. I was delighted to see that per the canon, droids can’t use the Force, although they have their own Force Attacks such as chest lasers and flashy unblockables. Happily there is enough variety here to lead to differing opinions about who’s the best, which of course is the mark of a good fighting game.

Often during combat, you’ll lock lightsabers and have to win a shoving match or outclass your opponent with quick reflexes. These occasional contests really utilize the Wii’s interactivity while adding pure Star Wars drama. The environment plays an equally exciting role in the fight, containing objects you can manipulate with the Force, as well as more active threats such as laser-toting droids, land mines and even the Sarlaac pit monster.

The various Singleplayer modes are all handled well, with challenges to unlock all the characters and stages. Obi-Wan was wise to hide them from me.

Graphics/Sound: 4/5

We’ve got cool arenas, all the classic lightsaber sound effects crashing out from the Wiimote, the bold colors of Star Wars flaring brightly…all the necessary elements are here. Technically the graphics are not as demanding as in many other games you’re used to, but I haven’t played a lot of Wii so I don’t know what the console is really capable of. That aside, what I particularly admire is the lavish attention paid to all the details of the animated series, including tons of voiceovers from the original cast of the show, and a clear art direction from LucasArts. If you’re a fan of the show, you should find this a perfect translation, and if you’re unfamiliar with it, it’s a great example of Star Wars done right. One in a million, kid.

Fun Factor: 5/5

Within ten minutes of popping it in, I realized this is one of the most fun games I’ve ever played. CWLD is just so easy to pick up and really enjoy. My wife and I have found it to be a worthy 1v1 Wii title since it immediately gives you the experience you’re after and doesn’t overwork your arm or your patience. You…want this, don’t you?