Published , by Donovan Erskine
Published , by Donovan Erskine
The Star Wars brand is omnipresent, staking its claim in just about every form of media there is. It’s such a big property that even Lego Star Wars, a franchise within a franchise, has had a similar effect. We’ve seen Lego Star Wars games, movies, TV shows, and more. The franchise has had a couple of mobile releases, and now it’s getting a fresh one specifically designed for the iPhone with Lego Star Wars Battles.
Lego Star Wars Battles is an action strategy game in which players collect characters, vehicles, and creatures from across the Star Wars universe, taking them online to battle against other players around the world. Players will build Lego towers on the battlefield, with the objective of destroying their opponent’s tower and claiming their territory. There are several different arenas, all inspired by locations from the Star Wars franchise.
I got to see Lego Star Wars Battles in action during a behind-the-scenes preview with developer TT Games. I got to see the building process, in which players assemble their tower during the early phases of a match. Something that was mentioned to me that I found really interesting was that the towers are made from actual Lego pieces, and that players could recreate them in real life if they wanted to.
The towers help players to defend their base. They can provide extra forces, or even shoot down enemy aircrafts that try to invade your territory. There’s a variety of different towers that players will be able to choose from in Lego Star Wars Battles, such as the Droid Factory or Turboblaster.
Although it’s a Lego title on mobile devices, fans shouldn’t sleep on how impressive this game is visually. Lego Star Wars Battles features real-time lighting, as well as reflections off of every surface. When the devs were showing me gameplay on Kamino, I could see the light reflecting heavily off of the Lego pieces as they were being hit with rain.
In Lego Star Wars Battles, players will build two decks - one dark and one light. These decks feature different characters from across the Star Wars universe. Having the full franchise roster at play will make for some fascinating matchups. Whether it’s a flock of Porgs trying to take down Boba Fett, or a showdown between Luke Skywalker and Darth Maul, fans of the series will get a kick out of all the potential matchups in Lego Star Wars Battles.
Players can collect new characters and units through the Season Pass or the in-game store. That said, it’s important to note that there are no microtransactions in Lego Star Wars Battles. As an Apple Arcade title, there will be no in-app purchases that allow players to use real money. Instead, players earn currency from winning battles and completing challenges.
Each card has its own abilities, stats, and bonuses. For example, the Tusken Raider does fast melee damage, and works well when paired with Stormtroopers. The Gamorrean Guard has high health and is strong against Porgs and Ewoks. A lot of the strategy comes from assembling a well-rounded deck, and knowing how and when to use them on the battlefield. Lego Star Wars Battles is a PvP focused game, so practically all of your matches will be against other players online.
Lego Star Wars Battles looks like a fresh take on the Lego Star Wars franchise, putting the focus on strategy and collection. Of course, the game will still deliver the goofy humor that fans have come to expect from the property. Lego Star Wars Battles is available now on iOS devices for Apple Arcade subscribers.