Parents and kids everywhere rejoiced when LucasArts announced a new Lego Star Wars game earlier this year. The newest installment gives the minifig treatment to the Clone Wars animated series, which happens between Episodes II & III from the prequel trilogy. Continuing our interviews with the minds behind the upcoming Star Wars games, we spoke with LucasArts producer Buren E. Renick III to find out how they’re applying the fun Lego game formula to the surprisingly grim Clone Wars universe.
What does Star Wars mean to you? Aside from a job? How has it inspired you as a piece of fiction?
Star Wars has always been a part of my life. I would watch the movies over and over again in my young life, and I keep hold the lessons it taught me to this day. As a piece of fiction, it has such universal appeal because it touches on such core things like love, hate, family, and friendship. It is a broad and beautiful story.
Do you think there’s an essential difference in how kids and adults experience the Star Wars mythos? How do you think that plays out?
Yes and no. The message and the morals of the Star Wars universe are as tried and true to kids now as they ever were, but kids like different stuff.
How have you tailored Lego Star Wars III to home in on that?
LSW3, at its core, is a game for all ages. It is designed to be fun and digestible for children. But much like the franchise as a whole, the game is full of charm, humor, great puzzles, and experiences that a person of any age will love to play and be a part of. It’s a perfect game for families to play together as well with al the new co-op capabilities which you’ll hear more about very soon.
When were you able to share Star Wars with your children or significant others? What was their reaction?
The best and most common reaction to those who haven’t seen anything from the Star Wars saga is an immediate connection to the characters and overarching story. Star Wars is such an integral part of Americana that my family and friends always seem to have a comfortable and fun experience with the films and TV series.
Clone Wars is the most visible piece of Star Wars entertainment now. What do you hope the experience will be in your game for the players who come here from watching the show?
The excitement, the adventure, and the scale of the entire Clone Wars era definitely come through in the game. The Clone Wars is about big battles, revealing adventures on the part of the heroes, and ultimately connecting the future and past of Star Wars. From the hilarious retelling of the story to the scale of the adventure, LSW3 really hits the mark.
The Lego Star Wars games set a very high bar for games aimed at children. What do you this makes them consistently enjoyable?
Utilizing the creativity and whimsy of LEGO and the classic stories and character from Star Wars, the LEGO Star Wars franchise is consistently fun and engaging for people of all ages. We are so fortunate to work with Traveller’s Tales as they are so consistent at finding and teasing out the funny in all the Star Wars situations and delivering the addictive gameplay we’ve come to know and love.