'Naboo' Saved by Varied Combat Missions

By AARON CURTISS

Jan. 18, 2001 12 AM PT

aaron.curtiss@latimes.com

‘Battle for Naboo” aims to please from the moment players power up their Nintendo 64s. Across a blank white screen walks Jar Jar Binks, the moron lizard man from “Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.” But before players have time to groan in dismay, a giant Nintendo 64 logo falls from the top of the screen and flattens Jar Jar into a street pizza.

OK, so I’m a cheap date, but “Battle for Naboo” actually delivers the goods with a pretty decent vehicle combat game set in the cities, plains and skies of Naboo, the beautiful, green planet coveted by Trade Federation thugs in “The Phantom Menace.”

Although I’m no huge fan of the film, I can’t argue with “Battle for Naboo.” It’s a simple but well-executed title that provides a wide variety of ships and situations to test the mettle of any aspiring Jedi.

Developed by the same team that wrote “Rogue Squadron,” “Battle for Naboo” borrows considerably from that game--from screen layout to controls. In many respects, that’s a good thing. But like “Rogue Squadron,” “Battle for Naboo” is pretty rudimentary. There’s no significant difference between flying a Gian speeder and navigating a Naboo starfighter, for instance.

Go fast. Go slow. Turn right. Turn left. Shoot stuff.

Most of the missions in the game, though, require players to do more than just blast droids helter-skelter. Sometimes it’s protecting civilians, other times it’s helping out fellow pilots. These larger mission objectives add depth to the game, but in some situations they just become pesky.

I was annoyed by the fact that my wingman--supposedly my superior officer--never seemed to be able to fend for himself. All he ever did was get into pickles and then whine for help. Not once did I lose a game of “Battle for Naboo” because I got blasted out of the sky. It was always because I failed to complete one or more of the other objectives.

Sorry, but I thought the first rule of combat was to stay alive.

That pickiness aside, “Battle for Naboo” offers solid play in a series of detailed environments.

The graphics are great, helped along by the N64 Expansion Pak, and it’s a kick to speed through some of the beautifully rendered landscapes.

‘Wild Wild Racing’

The best off-road racer so far for Sony PlayStation 2 is “Smuggler’s Run,” but “Wild Wild Racing” gives it a good run for its money with a track-based racing game full of twists and turns and gobs of mud and sludge.

Although “Wild Wild Racing” features just five tracks, there’s plenty to keep even the most demanding off-road racer happy for days. Players can manipulate weather conditions and time of day--both of which change the character of particular tracks. It’s one thing to race through mud during the day, but try screaming through a snowstorm at night.

Also, the game includes timed challenges that offer access to new cars and engines. It’s this kind of variation within the game that keeps “Wild Wild Racing” fresh long after players beat the first few tracks.

This is a racing game, and it meets its obligation. The courses are wound tighter than an accountant in April. Road surfaces change foot by foot--gravel, then mud, then ice--so drivers must constantly scan the course ahead and anticipate the change in control.

And computer-controlled opponents are unforgiving--smashing into each other to gain advantage and slipping into any empty space on the track.

All of this combines for a race that requires concentration and planning--and lots of finesse at the wheel. A tiny map in the corner of the screen provides a hint of the road ahead, but not so much that it takes the surprise out of it. Funny how hairpins never look as tight on the map.

‘Max Steel Covert Missions’

Surprises are wonderful. And, boy, was I surprised by “Max Steel Covert Missions” for Sega Dreamcast. Max Steel is a television and toy franchise featuring a “technologically enhanced” hero who can perform amazing feats of strength, speed and disguise. Being the cynical dog I am, I figured the video game would be just another hack job aimed at selling toys.

But it’s actually a darn fine title--the perfect sort of adventure for kids in that awkward age when kiddie games are too, well, kiddie and grown-up games still aren’t appropriate. Players guide Max Steel as he searches for his surrogate father through some pretty harrowing situations that simultaneously demand action, thought and planning.

More than just a simple shooter, “Max Steel Covert Missions” highlights the best elements of third-person adventures and combines them with relatively simple goals that prevent players from getting too discouraged. Along the way, Max is guided by Dr. Roberto Martinez, who explains to players how certain gadgets work and provides hints on how to solve game puzzles.

Visually, the game is a delight, taking full advantage of Dreamcast’s graphic muscle. Not even with multiple bad guys on screen at once does game play slow down or stutter. And the environments Max encounters are full of detail and color.

Yes, “Max Steel Covert Missions” has an action figure for a hero. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a solid game for certain players. Older gamers might think it too easy, but it’s dead-on for younger teens.

Aaron Curtiss is editor of Tech Times.

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The Skinny

Title: “Battle for Naboo”

Genre: Vehicle combat

Price: $50

Platform: Nintendo 64

Publisher: LucasArts

ESRB* rating: Teen

The good: Great missions

The bad: Simplistic controls

Bottom line: Very cool