Pairing Star Wars with the Lego toy brand is a bizarre concept to begin with, let alone making a video game based on this surprisingly fun (and lucrative) cocktail. Since the Danish toy maker's release several years back of Star Wars-related items, collectors have gone crazy over Lego versions of their favorite characters such as Darth Vader, Yoda and Obi Wan. They all share Lego's signature look, right down to their hooklike hands and stubby legs. Even the ominous Death Star can be constructed out of hundreds of plastic building blocks. Now a video game version of this crossover is available for the PlayStation 2, with pint-sized Darth Vader intact.

"Lego Star Wars" is a light-hearted romp through the first three episodes of the movie series. The story of Darth Vader's childhood, his acceptance of the Dark Side and everything in between are played out in the Lego universe starring cute toylike characters. The game's quirky humor becomes apparent from the first time players load up the game; Anakin Skywalker having a tantrum in kid-friendly graphics is just too silly to be taken seriously, and thankfully the game's developers ran with this humorous bent. In fact, the folks at Traveler's Tales did such a masterful job that even love-to-hate character Jar Jar Binks is funny this time around.

The action is played out in colorful 3-D as the player (and one friend) can wield light sabers and hack their way through fields of brain-dead enemies, just like the movie. Opponents like the delicate Battle Droids collapse into toy pieces with one slash, yielding valuable studs which can later be cashed in to unlock bonus characters. The ability to hook up another joystick and bring a friend along is a big plus. With each player controlling a robed Jedi master, tons of fun can be had coordinating strategies and saving each other's hides.