Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo
An arcade-style action game set during the Trade Federation invasion of Naboo.
Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo is an arcade-style action game co-developed by Factor 5 and LucasArts, serving as a spiritual successor to Star Wars: Rogue Squadron from two years prior. The development team built a new game engine for this title, expanding combat to include land and water vehicles alongside aerial ones. The player controls Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes, a member of Naboo’s Royal Security Forces, through 15 missions set during the events of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, taking place on Naboo and in the space around it.
The game offers a variety of air, land, and water vehicles, each with distinct weaponry, speed, and maneuverability. Hidden power-ups in certain levels can boost a craft’s weapons or durability. After each level, the player’s performance is measured against four medal benchmarks—bronze, silver, gold, and platinum—based on categories like completion time, enemies destroyed, accuracy, friendly units saved, bonus collection, and lives remaining. Earning medals raises the player’s rank and unlocks hidden content.
Unlockable content includes three bonus levels: “Trade Federation Secrets,” “Coruscant Encounter,” and “Dark Side,” accessible by earning all bronze, silver, or gold medals across every level, or via passwords. Additional vehicles, such as the Sith Infiltrator, Swamp Speeder, and Armored Assault Tank, become available through medal achievements or passwords. A playable model of a 1969 Buick Electra 225, based on a car owned by sound designer Rudolph Stember, can be unlocked only by password. The development team also included early design sketches and audio commentary for each of the 15 standard levels, totaling over an hour of commentary. IGN compared the commentary to DVD bonus material, and MTV’s Stephen Totilo suggested it may be the earliest such feature in video games.
Published by LucasArts and THQ, Battle for Naboo was released for the Nintendo 64, followed by a Windows port three months later. The Nintendo 64 version drew heavy comparisons to Rogue Squadron and received generally positive reviews, with critics praising its tight controls but disliking the Episode I setting. The PC port was less well-received, with criticism focused on poor visuals and difficult controls.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Factor 5; LucasArts
- Director
- Brett Tosti
- Producer
- Dale Geist; Julian Eggebrecht
- Designer
- Duncan Brown
- Programmer
- Holger Schmidt
- Artist
- Lynne Gura; Chris Doyle
- Composer
- Chris Huelsbeck; Jake Jacobson
- Series
- Star Wars
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Battle for Naboo was developed as a follow-up to Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, with Factor 5 and LucasArts building a new game engine to incorporate land, water, and aerial combat. The player controls various vehicles—including the Naboo N-1 Starfighter, Naboo Bomber, Police Cruiser, Flash and Gian speeders, Trade Federation Gunboat, and Heavy STAP—each with unique armament, speed, and maneuverability. Seven hidden bonus power-ups improve weapons or durability and apply to eligible crafts for the remainder of the game.
Performance is measured after each level against four medal benchmarks (bronze, silver, gold, platinum), each covering six categories: completion time, enemies destroyed, shot accuracy, friendly units saved, bonus collected, and lives remaining. Platinum benchmarks are undisclosed. Medals promote the player's rank and unlock hidden content, including three bonus levels, additional vehicles (Sith Infiltrator, Swamp Speeder, AAT), and a playable 1969 Buick Electra 225 based on the sound designer's car. Early design sketches and over an hour of audio commentary for each standard level are also unlockable via password.
The story follows Lieutenant Gavyn Sykes and Captain Kael as they escape the Trade Federation invasion of Theed, form a resistance, and ally with the Hutt Borvo. After Borvo betrays them, Sykes rescues prisoners and eventually joins the assault on the Droid Control Ship, partnering with R2-C4 to disable its shield generator, allowing Anakin Skywalker to destroy the ship and free Naboo.
Reader's Guide
Battle for Naboo was published for the Nintendo 64 and later ported to Windows three months after the original release. The Nintendo 64 version received generally positive reviews, with critics praising its tight and responsive controls but expressing dislike for the Episode I setting. The PC port was less well-received, with critics citing poor visuals and difficult controls. The game was heavily compared to Rogue Squadron upon release.
The audio commentary included for each level—totaling over an hour—was noted by IGN as captivating and comparable to DVD bonus material, with MTV reporter Stephen Totilo suggesting it may be the earliest such feature in video gaming. The game's unlockable content, including bonus levels and vehicles, extended replayability. Despite mixed reception for its PC version, Battle for Naboo remains a notable entry in the Star Wars gaming library as a spiritual successor to Rogue Squadron that expanded combat to multiple environments.
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