My first gaming console ever was a Nintendo 3DS. I was also a big fan of Star Wars The Clones Wars at the time, so the Lego Star Wars game was a perfect first purchase. It allowed you to play as different lego versions of star wars characters and took you through a campaign where you had to complete different missions. However, within these worlds, you had complete freedom to complete the missions as you see fit and there were tons of hidden levels and easter eggs you could explore.
The core mechanics are simple. You can run, jump, fly with a jetpack sometimes, shoot, use a lightsaber, grapple, and use different force abilities. These mechanics came together to provide a dynamic that allowed you to freely move through a world fighting and completing missions in whatever manner you saw fit. Often, these abilities were required prerequisites to complete obstacle courses or defeat enemies. The overall sensation was a total immersive experience into the world of Star Wars, where you were able to play as your favourite characters and do the same things they did. To me, this was the core enjoyment of the game, which is why I often used cheat codes to gain access to all the characters without having to complete the campaigns. Consequently, the core aesthetics that really anchored me to this game were Fantasy, Narrative, Challenge, Discovery, and Expression. As I’ve gotten older, my brother and I sometimes reminisce and will play the game together and nostalgia has become a part of the fun.
