LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga was long-awaited, and it was worth it.
The game allows players to experience the entire nine movie Skywalker Saga in Lego form, complete with the typical humor and easter eggs that we are accustomed to from Lego Star Wars. Each of the nine episodic films are given five levels, but there’s much more in the story mode than just those levels. Then outside of playing through the saga, there are tons of planets to explore, giving players hours upon hours to keep busy with.
But for many players, the levels remain the staple of the game, as is tradition for Lego Star Wars games. So I thought it would be fun to rank my favorite levels, and I’ve compiled a list of my 15 favorite (out of the 45 total levels). If you’ve played the game, I’d love to hear what your favorite is!
Before we begin, a word about how I evaluated them. It’s hard to determine a strict criteria, but it’s based primarily on how much fun I had to play them (so quite subjective), taking into consideration the storytelling, cut-scenes, graphics, uniqueness of gameplay, creativity, etc. Additionally, though I very much tried to avoid ranking these just based on my favorite scenes from the saga (that list would look different), nonetheless I’m sure some of my favorite scenes did get a bit of a bump. One other thing to note is that, since I’m very familiar with the previous Lego Star Wars games, I took a particular liking and enjoyment in the levels (or episodes) that felt new and fresh from those, so that was a factor too.
So here’s my attempt at ranking my favorite levels in a game that, if I’m honest, didn’t really have a level I disliked.
15. Ground A-Salt (8.5)
This one probably received a bit of a boost because it’s one of my all-time favorite Star Wars scenes, plus the fact that it’s brand new to any Lego game. But I’ll also give it credit for the creativity, as the entire duel with Kylo is about avoiding his attacks, surrounded by some fun cut-scenes, and then transitions to having to find a way to escape the base on Crait. It’s a totally unique level from any of the others, and that’s what pushed it onto this list at number 15. I do wish, however, that we got to play more of the Battle of Crait; other levels have multiple sequences, and I’d have loved to start with either the speeder battle or the Millennium Falcon, then go to Luke, then escape the base. That would have put this much higher.
14. The High Ground (3.5)
There are plenty of high ground jokes to go around in this game (some more hidden than others), and this level makes it obvious. Fighting Anakin Skywalker here is the most extensive and drawn out lightsaber battle in the game, and it deserves to be. Because of that, there are several changes of scenery as you play your way through the facility on Mustafar, leading up to the moment where Obi-Wan Kenobi finally does get the high ground. There’s nothing entirely unique about it, but it’s still a great moment and a great level.
13. Destroying Starkiller (7.5)
When I mentioned what I did about the Battle of Crait earlier, I had this level in mind. You start by flying as Poe Dameron in attacking Starkiller Base, and then you transition to fighting as Finn – and then Rey – against Kylo Ren. This keeps the level moving, but it’s also well done.
12. Fulfill Your Destiny (6.5)
Luke versus Vader turns into Luke and Vader versus Palpatine. What’s not to love about that? This level progresses much like it does in previous games, and part of the reason it’s a bit lower here is because we got a similar version of it a few years ago in LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens. But the fact remains that a great level is a great level regardless, and this one fits the bill.
11. Revelations! (5.5)
The storytelling around this level is about as good as it gets, from the cutscenes to the action to the progression of the level. The gameplay itself is relatively straightforward, however, so it doesn’t stand out in that regard – but the way this iconic scene gets translated in Lego form for a new game makes it a worthy inclusion. They manage to capture the feel and look of this level perfectly, and it’s about as straight from the film as the game gets. Which, given how great that scene is in the movie, makes sense!
10. The Strength to Do It (9.4)
On the one hand, this is just another lightsaber duel level, like so many others. But on the other hand, this level adds in a foray through the Death Star ruins as you pursue Kylo Ren, mixing a good balance of exploration with dueling. And when the dueling happens, there are fun opportunities to defeat Kylo in multiple ways, whether as Rey or as BB-8.
9. Stay on Target (4.5)
I’ll give a disclaimer that may or may not already be obvious from this list: I’m not a huge fan of the flying levels. They’re fine – and I found the ship combat massively more enjoyable in this game than in previous ones – but they just rarely stand out as particular highlights for me. That is not the case with this one, however. It’s an iconic scene, of course, but it also is really enjoyable while avoiding being excessively tedious. That’s a balance that ship levels don’t always strike with me, but this one does it perfectly.
8. The Copa-Khetanna (6.2)
I figured this level would be fun, because it’s hard to make such a fun scene not be fun to play through in a Lego game. I was right, but this level did it in different ways than I expected. You don’t really fight on the skiffs above the sarlacc pit, but instead duel Boba Fett and Jabba’s thugs aboard Jabba’s Sail Barge – and then you get to fight Jabba and Salacious B. Crumb as Leia, something I most certainly didn’t expect. So this level deserves a lot of credit for still managing to capture this scene well, keep what makes it so fun, and yet almost completely re-vamp and translate it differently than the previous Lego game did.
7. A Plan to Save Han (6.1)
The previous level does much the same thing, allowing you to infiltrate Jabba the Hutt’s Palace as both Leia and Chewie, and Luke Skywalker, before culminating in a fight against the Rancor. This might be a surprising inclusion this high on the list, but here’s why I’ve put it here: I appreciate how the level allows the player to make a wide variety of choices about how to proceed in the level, as well as making good use of a wide variety of abilities and skills that the different characters have.
6. Petranski Panic (2.4)
What’s not to like about this scene? It starts with you as Obi-Wan, Anakin, and/or Padmé getting free from the beasts in the arena, neutralizing them one-by-one, and then leads to a massive Jedi battle in the arena, in which Jango Fett is the big boss. The pacing is really good, the combat is really fun, and the chance to ride the Reek into battle makes it all the better.
5. Hoth and Cold (5.1)
I’ll give another disclaimer with this one: I am predisposed to dislike levels that aren’t really in the movie it’s adapting. While I thoroughly enjoyed LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, for example, this was one of the things that wore on me the most. But this level is proof that it can actually be done really well. The level is all about Han Solo’s search for Luke Skywalker on Hoth, but the level is Han and General Rieekan exploring Hoth for Luke. That requires activating several beacons. It’s all fairly straightforward, but it combines a good mix of puzzles, combat, and exploration. And it’s helped immensely by the gorgeous environment that was created for the planet Hoth. The only shame is that this excellent map isn’t included at all in free play mode, as Hoth is all inside Echo Base. That’s really unfortunate, but perhaps that’s what makes this level stand out all the more.
4. No Snoke without Fire (8.3)
This one might be this high because it’s brand new to a Lego game, but it’s also excellent. It starts off rather slow, as Rey and Kylo walk through the Supremacy toward Snoke’s quarters, but it’s building the tension and continuing the story. Then you get to Snoke’s throne room, and the instantly iconic scene plays out. That leads to you alternating between playing as Rey and Kylo as you take out Praetorian Guard after Praetorian Guard. It’s all actually pretty straightforward, but it’s still really fun to play.
3. Senate Showdown (3.4)
This level is fantastic, and surprisingly it’s one that wasn’t included in the original Lego Star Wars game! Yoda versus Sidious, in the Senate building. The level starts in the office underground, but that quickly gives way to fighting in the Senate itself, against “the Senate.” Palpatine throws several different tricks at you, which makes it different than some of the other lightsaber levels, and it takes place in a really fun environment too.
2. Better Call Maul (1.3)
This is a scene that’s basically perfect for a game like this to play through, and it doesn’t disappoint. It follows the film almost exactly (except for the fact that you fight a few battle droids here along the way), and that means you get to chase Maul through the reactor, overcoming whatever obstacle he tries to put in your way.
1. Be With Me (9.5)
In my playthrough, I went through the saga in chronological order, so this was the final level for me to beat. And as I was playing it, I was thinking about how it was the perfect conclusion and a near perfect level. It starts with you alternating between Rey and Ben Solo, fighting either the Final Order protectors or the Knights of Ren. It’s similar in this regard to No Snoke without Fire when it comes to the combat style. But what really makes it stand out is not simply that it’s in a really cool environment on Exegol, but the comments made throughout the sequence by the characters. Palpatine steals the show – there are some truly funny lines, some deep-cut references (such as to him wishing they’d called Rey Kira), and other homages that are an absolute joy to listen to. It’s worth prolonging the fight just to hear Palpatine’s sarcastic, humorous commentary. And even Ben gets some funny lines this time (imagine that, giving Ben a line or two?). It’s great. You then get to play as the Resistance soldiers atop one of the Final Order Star Destroyers, which is fun making the charge to destroy it. And then you return to play as Rey in a heavily scripted sequence, putting an end to Palpatine once and for all.
Star Wars Thoughts 