Look, everyone knows the LEGO formula by now. You break stuff, you build stuff, and you laugh at a stormtrooper losing his pants. But honestly, LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens was a weirdly pivotal moment for TT Games. It wasn't just another cash-in on a movie release. It was the game where the developers clearly realized they couldn't just keep doing the same thing they’d been doing since 2005. They had to evolve.
I remember picking this up on launch day back in 2016. It felt different. Usually, a LEGO game covers an entire trilogy. This one? It stretched a single two-hour movie into an entire multi-hour campaign. That sounds like a recipe for fluff, right? Sorta. But instead of just padding it with boring walking segments, they actually went into the lore. They gave us "New Adventures." We finally got to see how Han Solo and Chewbacca ended up with those terrifying Rathars. You can’t find that in the movie. It’s those little gaps in the Star Wars timeline that make this specific title worth revisiting even now.
What People Get Wrong About the LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens Gameplay
People think it's just a reskin. It isn't. This was the title that introduced Multi-Builds. Before this, you just held a button and one thing popped up. Now? You actually have to choose. Do you build the water cannon to put out the fire, or the turret to blast the door? It’s a small change, sure, but it added a layer of "wait, what do I do here?" that the series desperately needed.
📖 Related: gta 5 online unlimited money glitch: Why They Rarely Work and What Actually Does
Then there are the Blaster Battles. I've heard people complain that they feel a bit like "Gears of War for kids," and yeah, they kind of do. You take cover, you peek out, and you blast. It’s a major shift from the chaotic button-mashing of the older games. Some purists hated it. I think it worked because it made the combat feel like an actual Star Wars firefight instead of just spinning in circles with a lightsaber.
The Voice Acting Dilemma
This is a big point of contention in the community. LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens used the actual voices from the film. Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Harrison Ford—they’re all here. Hearing Harrison Ford say "Wookiee Cookies" is a core memory for most of us. However, there’s a trade-off. When the games were silent, the humor was purely visual. It was slapstick. With full voice acting, the jokes changed. They became more dialogue-driven. Some fans feel like the "LEGO charm" took a hit because of it, but having the original cast record new lines specifically for the game adds a level of polish you don't see in many licensed titles.
Why the Hub Worlds Matter More Than the Levels
If you’re just playing the story levels, you’re doing it wrong. The heart of LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is in the hubs. Jakku, Takodana, D'Qar, Starkiller Base—they’re massive. They feel alive. Well, as alive as plastic bricks can feel.
I spent probably six hours just on Jakku trying to track down every single Carbonite Brick. That’s another thing—the collectibles. Instead of just "Gold Bricks," they leaned into the Star Wars nerdery. Finding Carbonite Bricks allows you to unlock classic characters from the original trilogy and even the prequels. It's a clever way to bridge the gap between the eras without making it feel forced.
- Jakku: Massive desert, tons of scavenging, feels lonely in a good way.
- Takodana: Lush, great interior of Maz's Castle, lots of hidden puzzles.
- D'Qar: The Resistance base feels like a functional military camp.
- Starkiller Base: Snow, clinical hallways, and a lot of First Order secrets.
The flight mechanics also got a massive upgrade here. In the old games, flying was usually on a rail. Here? You get these open-arena dogfights. Tearing through the ruins of a Star Destroyer in an X-Wing feels significantly better than it has any right to in a game meant for all ages. It’s snappy. It’s fast. It’s genuinely fun.
The "New Adventures" Content is the Secret Weapon
Let’s talk about the DLC and the extra levels because they’re actually important. Most movie-tie-in games just rehash what you saw on the big screen. TT Games worked with Lucasfilm to make sure the "New Adventures" were actually semi-canonical (at least in the LEGO universe sense).
You get to play the mission where Poe Dameron rescues Admiral Ackbar. You see the backstory of Lor San Tekka on Jakku. For a Star Wars completionist, this is gold. It’s not just "extra levels"; it’s world-building. Most people skip these because they want to get to the "end" of the movie plot, but you’re missing the best writing in the game if you do.
The character roster is also ridiculous. We’re talking over 200 characters. You’ve got the heavy hitters like Rey and Kylo Ren, but then you’ve got deep cuts like Ello Asty or Quiggold. Even the weird background aliens from the cantina get their moment. It’s that obsessive attention to detail that separates a good LEGO game from a great one.
💡 You might also like: Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories Explained: Why the Card System is Actually Genius
Technical Performance and Legacy
Even on older hardware like the PS4 or Xbox One, the game looks crisp. The plastic textures actually look like plastic. You can see the little "LEGO" logo on the studs. In 2026, playing this on a modern PC or a next-gen console, the lighting still holds up remarkably well. It was a bridge between the old-school graphics and the massive overhaul we eventually saw in The Skywalker Saga.
Is It Better Than The Skywalker Saga?
This is the question everyone asks. It’s complicated. The Skywalker Saga is objectively bigger. It has more planets and more "stuff." But LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is more focused. Because it only focuses on one movie, the levels are much longer and more detailed.
In the newer games, some levels feel like they’re over in five minutes. Here, a single level can take 30 to 45 minutes if you’re looking for everything. It feels like a "full" experience rather than a "best of" compilation. If you prefer depth over breadth, you might actually like this one more.
Actionable Steps for New and Returning Players
If you’re jumping back in or picking it up for the first time, don't just rush the campaign. You’ll get bored.
First, focus on the Red Bricks. Specifically, the Stud Multipliers. You want to get those as early as possible because everything in this game is expensive. The 2x and 4x multipliers are your best friends.
Second, don't ignore the side quests. The quests in the hub worlds often unlock the most interesting characters. Some of them involve mini-games that are actually more challenging than the main story levels.
Third, check the "New Adventures" missions. You unlock these by collecting Gold Bricks. Don't wait until you've finished the story to play them; sprinkle them in between movie chapters to keep the pacing fresh.
Finally, play in co-op. LEGO games are built for two people. The puzzles in the Force Awakens specifically utilize character switching and teamwork way more than the original trilogy games did. It’s a much better experience when you have a friend to complain about the Rathars with.
Whether you're a hardcore Star Wars fan or just someone who likes the tactile feel of digital bricks, this game holds a specific spot in history. It was the moment the series grew up a little bit. It added complexity without losing the humor. It’s not perfect—the pacing can drag in the middle chapters—but it’s a remarkably solid piece of Star Wars media that deserves a spot in your library.