Star Wars: Battle for Naboo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Star Wars: Battle for Naboo | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Developer(s) | Factor 5 |
| Publisher(s) | LucasArts |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo 64, Windows |
| Release date | December 14, 2000 (NA), March 23, 2001 (Europe) |
| Genre(s) | Action |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) |
Star Wars: Battle for Naboo is a video game from the fictional Star Wars universe. In this game, the player plays levels which tie into the movie Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. The player plays a Naboo leader, Lt. Gavin Sykes in the fight against the Trade Federation. Similar to the popular Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, Battle for Naboo was the first Star Wars game to put people on the front lines in tanks and other assorted land vehicles.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The player is put in the role of Lieutenant Gavin Sykes of the Royal Naboo Security Forces. During the initial invasion of Naboo Sykes and his commanding officer Captain Kael are able to escape from the capital Theed into the surrounding farmland. Though they do their best to protect the people, Federation presence is too heavy and the two retreat into the relative safety of the nearby swamps. There they learn about a smuggler hidden in the mountains who might aid them, and dodging heavy patrols find Borvo the Hutt. Helping him escape enemy forces to his secret mountain base, Borvo agrees to assist Kael's resistance movement against the Trade Federation.
In their first strike against the Trade Federation, Kael, Sykes and Kol Kotha, a mercenary agent of Borvo's, destroy the communications satellite Comm 4. The satellite's destruction temporarily disables one of the Federation bases on the planet, allowing the freedom fighters to successfully attack it and destroy numerous droids and heavy equipment. 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 the ruins to the north.
However, in the midst of this escape Kael disappears, and Sykes begins a search and rescue mission for the missing Captain. Sykes discovers a mortally wounded Kael near his crashed fighter, and it is revealed that Borvo had shot down Kael after he'd learned of the Hutt's secret plan to sell the escaped prisoners into slavery. Seeking vengeance and the freedom of his people Sykes hunts down Borvo, assisted by a disgruntled Kotha who disagreed with Borvo's betrayal, and though the Hutt barely escapes to Nal Hutta the prisoners are saved in time.
Now in charge of the resistance on Naboo, Sykes leads a mission to liberate the notorious Camp 4, a detention center where the Trade Federation placed most of Naboo's important leaders. It is then that Sykes is contacted by Queen Amidala and Captain Panaka, and the plan to finally liberate Naboo is set in motion. Taking part in the diversionary attack on Theed to allow Amidala to infiltrate the Palace and capture the Trade Federation Viceroy, Sykes joins with the rest of Bravo Flight in the climactic assault on the Droid Control Ship. The Control Ship is inadvertently destroyed by Anakin Skywalker, and with the Droid Army disabled Naboo is freed.
[edit] Gameplay
Throughout the game the player controls various ships and vehicles of both Naboo and Trade Federation origin, each with differing attributes in weaponry, defense, acceleration, etc. Some of these craft, such as the Naboo N-1 Starfighter, Flash and Gian landspeeders are first seen during the events of Episode I while others, like the Naboo NB-1S Bomber and Trade Federation Gunboat make their first appearance in this game.
The game is broken up into individual levels which the player must complete to move on. Once the player is done with a level they are ranked based on how well s/he completed it. The rank system is based on four medals: bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. Based on how many and what types of medals are earned, the player is given a corresponding rank, such as Ensign or General.
In addition to the normal missions, three secret levels can be unlocked by gaining a certain amount of medals or entering cheat codes. The first bonus mission has the player aid Naboo commandos in a raid against a Trade Federation Research base, while the second involves chasing Darth Maul across the Coruscant cityscape. The final mission has the player assume the role of Maul himself and, piloting his Sith Infiltrator, assist Federation forces in a massacre of Naboo and Gungan forces.
Some of the design choices, such as a the ability to change ships mid-mission, would be used in the subsequent Rogue Squadron games for the Nintendo Gamecube, Rogue Leader and Rebel Strike. It should be noted that the engine to Battle for Naboo is an updated form of the Rogue Squadron Engine, hence the similarities.
