Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (video game)
Action shooter platformer based on the Toy Story spin-off series.
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is an action-adventure platform game from Traveller's Tales, released in 2000 by Disney Interactive and Activision. It draws from the animated series that spun off from the Toy Story movies. The game came out on Dreamcast, PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, and Game Boy Color; a Nintendo 64 version was planned but canceled without explanation.
In gameplay, it’s a third-person action shooter set across several fictional planets. Players control Buzz Lightyear, racing a villain to the end of each level, where a boss fight begins. During the race, enemies try to stop Buzz, and coins can be collected to buy weapon upgrades, shields, and vehicles like a hoverboard, jet bike, or jet pack. Players can also spend coins on shortcuts such as teleporters and boost pads. At a set point in each level, Buzz can call on his partner Booster to stomp and clear nearby foes. If the villain reaches the finish first, the player gets 15 seconds to catch up before the villain escapes. If Buzz wins the race, his partner Mira briefly appears to drain some of the villain’s health, making the battle easier. The final fight is against Evil Emperor Zurg. Medals, needed to unlock later levels, are earned by collecting Little Green Men and hitting money targets. After winning a level, players can replay it in two modes that also award medals: one where they retrieve parts of Buzz’s robot partner XR, and a time trial. The home console and Windows versions have 14 levels and include clips from the TV series; the Game Boy Color version has 12 levels, uses a top-down perspective, and includes the same vehicles.
Reception for the Dreamcast and PlayStation versions was mixed, according to Metacritic. Critics pointed out camera issues—GamePro said it “swoops around like a roller coaster gone mad”—and found the TV clips irrelevant to the story. Some felt Buzz’s dialogue lacked the character’s usual bravado and wit from the films, and many thought the game would mainly appeal to younger kids. Kristian Brogger of Game Informer criticized the PlayStation version’s graphics and gameplay. Adam Cleveland of IGN praised its graphics and voice actor Bobcat Goldthwait but called the music “forgettable” and the racing portions “downright pointless,” noting the game’s genre was hard to pin down because it “tries to paste itself together with elements from other games.” He also
- Developer
- Traveller's Tales
- Publisher
- Disney Interactive, Activision
- Release Year
- 2000
- Platforms
- Dreamcast, PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, Game Boy Color
- Genre
- Action-adventure platform
- Based On
- Buzz Lightyear of Star Command animated series
Lore & Background
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is an action shooter platform video game played from a third-person perspective. The player controls Buzz Lightyear, who must race a villain to the end of each level, where a battle then occurs. During the race, the player defends against enemies and collects coins to purchase weapon upgrades, shields, and vehicles such as a hoverboard, jet bike, and jet pack. The player can also pay for level shortcuts like teleportation machines and boost pads. At a certain point in each level, Buzz can summon his partner Booster to stomp the ground and kill nearby enemies. If the main villain reaches the end before Buzz, the player has 15 seconds to reach the end before the villain escapes. If Buzz beats the villain, his partner Mira briefly drains some of the villain's health. The final battle is with Evil Emperor Zurg. Medals are required to advance to later levels and can be earned by collecting Little Green Men and enough money. After winning a level, the player can replay it in two game modes: one to retrieve pieces of Buzz's robotic partner XR, and a time challenge.
Reader's Guide
The game received mixed or average reviews on Dreamcast and PlayStation according to Metacritic. Critics criticized the camera perspective, with GamePro writing that it 'swoops around like a roller coaster gone mad.' Some reviewers criticized the inclusion of clips from the television series as having little relevance to the game's story and levels. Others believed Buzz's dialogue lacked the character's bravado and wit from the Toy Story films. Kristian Brogger of Game Informer was critical of the PlayStation version's graphics and gameplay. Adam Cleveland of IGN praised the graphics and Bobcat Goldthwait's voice acting but called the music 'forgettable' and the racing portions 'downright pointless.' Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine considered the game a 'muddy mix of platformer, shooter and arcade racer' that 'doesn't quite work' due to controls and uninspired levels. The Dreamcast version was found repetitive by Jon Thompson of AllGame, though sound and music were praised. Electronic Gaming Monthly believed the Dreamcast version was graphically superior, while Miguel Lopez of GameSpot thought the PlayStation version had a superior frame rate. The Windows version received praise from PC Magazine for crisp graphics and smooth action. The Game Boy Color version was criticized by IGN's Marc Nix for graphics, poor weapon arsenal, and controls. The PlayStation version was re-released digitally on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on December 18, 2023, and both the PlayStation and Game Boy Color versions will be re-released in 2026 as part of the Toy Story: Retro Roundup! compilation.
Did You Know?
- A Nintendo 64 version was planned but cancelled for unknown reasons.
- The PlayStation version was re-released digitally on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on December 18, 2023.
- The PlayStation and Game Boy Color versions will be re-released in 2026 as part of the Toy Story: Retro Roundup! compilation.
- The Game Boy Color version is an action game viewed from a top-down perspective, unlike the third-person perspective of other versions.
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