INTRODUCTION
Nintendo’s Gamecube system takes a crack at a sequel to N-64’s Rogue Squadron space combat game.  Will they come up with another winner where everyone’s favorite rebel scum flies circles around the inept AI Imperials or does the Empire truly strike back?  Saddle up and load your astromech unit as we break it all down for you.

DIFFICULTY
Sand Snipe: For me this game was hard. I am not that great at Ship games, so I always end up dying or losing some how. There are constantly TIE fighters on you or your friends back and most of the time you have to protect something that is being attacked. If you don’t save it, you instantly get a game over. You also only have three lives and sometimes, three lives barely cut it. The hardest part would probably be if you were trying to get medals. You have to do everything right or no medal. So for me, this game is a challenge but hey, I like a challenge.

WedgeWannaBe: While this game does indeed test your skills and patience, it is still indeed conquerable. Some levels like Vengeance on Kothlis require you to either lose your sanity or sleep. However, they are far from invincible. The medal aspect does bring a certain twist to the game that while you may have found away to take out a Star Destroyer and its complete complement of TIE’s, the fact that it still took you the better part of an hour and two out of your three lives does get factored into the grand equation. I was able to achieve gold medals on the majority of the stages, but some I was happy to walk away with a bronze.

GRAPHICS
Sand Snipe: The graphics are pretty good in this game, nothing that really catches my eye. The ships don’t get battle damaged or anything like that unless you explode of course. The environment is nothing special maybe there are some cool things to it that may catch your eye but it doesn’t make too much difference because you usually want to stay away from the buildings. That and you are moving so much, turning one way and then to the other, that you really don’t have time to really stare at the scenery.

WedgeWannaBe: I would agree that the graphics were not a drastic improvement as far as the 3D shapes, but I do think they managed to fit more enemies into the same size playing arena. It’s not just detail, but also the software’s ability to handle quantity that can make or break a game. Take the Battle of Endor level for example. The Star Destroyers and TIE’s all look about the same, but now you’re flying into a cloud of TIE’s and weaving in between capital ships while in Rogue Squadron, you were going up against a handful of other craft. I find this to be just as impressive as if I can tell what color eyes the TIE pilot had as he flew past me. I also liked the movie clips from the original trilogy that were placed at the beginning of the game. Very crisp and clear, but also a nice large size.

AUDIO
Sand Snipe: I like the audio and it helps this game make it even better. There are of course the normal ship sound, blasters, engine, etc. But the part I like is that Wedge is actually Wedge’s voice from the movie, and not some dude trying to be him. I also like that your teammates respond to your commands like, “ I am on it Rogue Leader.”

WedgeWannaBe: This is the only part that I feel the game came up short. While there are certain parts where it is the original actors voice and lines from the movies, there’s other parts where it is another person trying to match. The communication is a nice aspect, but too often I find myself having to repeat the orders that I gave only seconds ago. Selecting “TIE's” from the menu directs your wingmen to attack the TIE fighters in the arena. When I give that order, I expect them to keep firing until all are destroyed or I redirect them to something else. Don’t blow away two and then ask for the next command. Just keep firing. Overall, the sound effects and music base is all that you would expect from a normal Lucasarts game. The sounds are realistic and reminiscent of the space battles on the big screen.

GAME PLAY
Sand Snipe: For you people who have the first game, the game play is just like Rogue Squadron. You have a mission screen and you pick your mission, then your ship. Certain levels have certain ships. You can ride in an X-wing, A-wing, Y- wing, B-wing and a Snow Speeder with a chance to be the Falcon. With cheats, you can be Slave 1, A Buick, the Falcon, a Naboo Star Fighter and an Advanced Tie Fighter. Each ship has the normal controls like blasters, brake, thrust, and a Com Link. Each ship also has a different secondary weapon. X-wings have Proton Torpedoes, A-wings have missiles, Y-wing has bombs and ion cannons, Snow Speeders have their harpoon cables… I think you get the point now.

A cool attribute is that you have commands for your teammates, only four but it’s better than not having any at all. You always have the command to make your team to form on you, and then you have commands to blow up certain things. You can send them to take out TIE’s, gun turrets, and anything thing else worth blowing up. One thing that makes this game a lot easier is a screen that detects your enemies. When you do this, the screen goes to cockpit mode and an orange screen pops up. This screen is actually kind of a heat sensor, your main targets are yellow and any enemy not important is purple. This helps a lot because especially in space, ties are hard to see and sometimes only some of them are main targets. This probably helps you out the most among all the tools and features. It was my best friend. Lastly you have the choice to go for medals, which to get them you have to do everything perfectly, like time, and accuracy, there is really no point to getting them though.

WedgeWannaBe: The game play is pretty much the same as with Rogue Squadron. You hit some of the same areas including another Raid on Bespin. There are some nice extra levels available as well if you know where to look and have enough medal points available to open them. In one, you are placed in one of the turrets on the Millennium Falcon as you escape the first Death Star. Your job is to destroy the attacking TIE fighters…if they aren’t coming in too fast for you that is. Another level places you at the controls of Vader’s TIE Advanced as you try to bring down the rebel fighters making a run for the trench. I found these levels, as well as an expanded Battle of Hoth level an impressing factor in the game play.

Another nice feature was the switching of craft during a battle. In the Vengeance on Kothlis level, you can switch from an X-wing, to a Speeder, and then to a Y-wing. This is a cool feature, though it is sometimes very time consuming. While your pilot does seem to run the 40 yards between craft in about 2.4 seconds, too many times I saw the transport I was protecting blow up and leave me without a way to win the level. I did enjoy the secondary weapons feature of the game, but wished they could have offered a little selection like the X-wing/TIE series on the PC. If you need a certain weapon, you have to pick that particular ship. The only weapons flexibility comes in the form of tech upgrades that can be earned through the course of the game. Advanced lasers, torpedoes, shields, etc. all help make the game a little easier as you try to reach the ultimate goal, the destruction of the second Death Star.

I really enjoyed the Strike at the Core level and the depth at which the designers of the game took when planning this out. Flying inside the Death Star is tricky but fun. The real challenge takes place as you try to get out after popping the main reactor. You learn to walk on the fine line of going as fast as possible and trying not to hit the sides of you duct work.

MULTIPLAYER GAME PLAY
Sand Snipe: None

WedgeWannaBe: Quite a disappointment for a game system that exists in a time where the healthy focus rests on multi-player. I think that the expectations of the consumer probably fell more than a little short here. Even some sort of dog fighting stage between friends would have been nice.

BONUS FEATURES
Sand Snipe: This game still does have some life after you beat it. There are medals to be won and things to unlock. When you're done playing this, I suggest going for medals, unless you don’t like cool special features or secret ships. So, I really suggest picking this up since it takes a while to play it, and with the challenges you face, things to be won and things to unlock, so it’ll keep you busy.

WedgeWannaBe: This is a great game for replay value as not only do you get some very well thought out levels, especially of the major battles from the movies, but if you don’t remember the steps you took to beat it originally, it becomes a challenge again. That’s a nice feature of a game…when you can’t simply memorize everything to beat it and then come back a few months later to walk through the motions. Medal points do become necessary if you want to open the bonus levels so you may want to perfect certain levels in order to play these. Also, if you are a true fan of the Battle of Hoth, then you could sit down and play this over and over until you realize you’ve gone four days without food or water.

REPLAY VALUE
Sand Snipe: This game still does have some life after you beat it. There are medals to be won and things to unlock. After the game, I suggest going for medals, unless you don’t like cool special features or secret ships. So, I really suggest this game, it is a pretty long game, and with the challenges you face, things to be won and things to unlock, so it’ll keep you busy.

WedgeWannaBe: This is a great game for replay value as not only do you get some very well thought out levels, especially of the major battles from the movies, but if you don’t remember the steps you took to beat it originally, it becomes a challenge again. That’s a nice feature of a game…when you can’t simply memorize everything to beat it and then come back a few months later to walk through the motions. Medal points do become necessary if you want to open the bonus levels so you may want to perfect certain levels in order to play these. Also, if you are a true fan of the Battle of Hoth, then you could sit down and play this over and over until you realize you’ve gone four days without food or water.

FINAL THOUGHTS
Sand Snipe: This game is a definite buy. With some of your favorite Star Wars ships in your hands, this game will bring you hours of enjoyment. Not to mention, all the neat stuff to unlock to make your gaming experience better. As WedgeWannaBe said, the only down part on this game is that there is no multiplayer capability, but, who needs friends when you got Rogue Squadron at your side? And with that, I say pick this game up.

WedgeWannaBe: All in all, I feel that this is a good value for your money. While it would be nice if we could get it on other platforms, this is a quality game that can be measured against. The lack of a multi-player ability is really the only thing that truly casts a shadow on Rogue Leader. That withstanding, I still think you’ve got a winner on your hands whenever you pick this game up.

GRADING SCALE