Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

For an entire generation of fans, the year 1999 was magical, because Star Wars was returning to the screen. And along with the first prequel came an action game that let players walk through the film's most famous scenes firsthand.

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace from LucasArts in collaboration with the Big Ape studio is an action adaptation of the opening installment of the prequel trilogy. The player gradually takes on the roles of several heroes, among whom the Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi are not missing, and passes through key moments of the story from the planet Naboo through the Tatooine desert to fateful confrontations.

The game combines lightsaber duels, the use of Jedi abilities and shooting, all while trying to convey the feeling that you are truly part of the film's events. You pass through familiar locations, meet characters from the screen and relive moments you saw in the cinema. For the fans of the time it was a tempting chance to extend the cinematic experience at home on the console.

Like many film adaptations of the era, this title too is above all a nostalgic tie-in ride aimed at fans of the brand. The game's strength lies chiefly in how it manages to appeal to lovers of Star Wars and offer them an interactive journey through a story they know by heart. The atmosphere and faithfulness to the film source were the main draw at the time.

Today the game is an interesting document of an era when a game adaptation was almost automatically tied to every big film blockbuster. For nostalgics and collectors it remains a pleasant reminder of the time when a galaxy far, far away once again ruled pop culture.

Why play: A nostalgic action adaptation of the first prequel, where as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan you walk through key scenes of the film; a treat for Star Wars fans.