Hands-on Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Lightsaber Duels come to the Wii.

LucasArts is prepping Nintendo Wii and DS games based on the upcoming animated feature and television series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. We got to spend some time playing both games today, and they each provide a unique experience. The Wii game, Lightsaber Duels, is all about one-on-one contests using the remote, and Jedi Alliance on the DS is more of an adventure title.

The Clone Wars is set in between Episodes Two and Three as the battles between the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Galactic Republic expands. Lightsaber Duels allows players to reenact the most important fight scenes from the new movie and series. The nunchuk moves your character around the environment while you swing the remote to attack with your lightsaber. LucasArts and Nintendo wanted this game to be accessible to any player, so the controls aren't complicated. You can accomplish a lot by randomly swinging your remote around. Swinging side to side and slicing produce similar maneuvers onscreen and stabbing will produce a thrust. You can block with B, and swinging in the opposite direction of your attacker with the B button held will parry. The A button is used for context-sensitive dodges and aerial maneuvers.

Lightsaber Duels is all about one-on-one contests.

Over on the nunchuk, holding C will allow you to force lift items in the area. A flick of the nunchuk will send these items flying in the direction of your swing. The Z button will channel the force into your attacks for more powerful assaults. You have a limited amount of force power, but it replenishes itself over time.

Recognizable characters and villains from the prequels are here like Anakin Skywalker and General Grievous. We'll also be able to control and fight against new Jedi and Sith lords. Anakin has a padawan learner, a young girl named Ahsoka Tano, and Count Dooku is training Asajj Ventress. Characters have their own play style and combo moves. Players are ushered from set piece to set piece, controlling different heroes. Each match is a "best out of three" battle, and some are multitier conflicts that spill into multiple arenas.

Each fight is preceded by a cut scene that shows a montage of recent activity. A sensational announcer reads off major events like a World War II news reel. There is a good amount of voice acting with talent from the new series and the previous animated Clone Wars. The guy portraying Obi-Wan does a spot-on Ewan McGregor. Anikan's voice doesn't sound anything like Hayden Christenson, though. Of course... maybe that's a good thing.

Some environments feature impressive scripted sequences. Midway through a battle with General Grievous, the platform we were on dislodged from its base and we finished the fight dropping through the air amidst explosions and falling debris. There are also brief quicktime events when you lock lightsabers. If you swing your remote in the right direction at the right time you'll overpower your opponent.

Both Lightsaber Duels and Jedi Alliance are set for release this fall.