Star Wars: Rogue Leader - Rogue Squadron II (GameCube)

Rogue Leader has some of the best graphics ever seen on a home console and it's proper, old-fashioned, Star Wars--if that doesn't raise at least an eyebrow of your interest then there's probably not much in the world of video games that will. Thankfully, the jaw-dropping graphics are matched up to a very playable shoot 'em-up that works as a slightly more in-depth version of the PS2's Starfighter, except without any of that Episode I nonsense; instead it recreates everything from the Death Star trench run to the Battle of Hoth.

The game is actually a sequel to Rogue Squadron on the N64--an excellent game that many only remember from the rather lacklustre PC version. It's structurally very similar to the original, with a dozen or so levels and a Star Destroyer full of secret levels and ships. There are a few new ideas, such as controllable wingman and ground troops, and some of the levels are set in deep space instead of just planetside, but at its heart this is still Rogue Squadron Deluxe.

What elevates the game to an object of worship is the graphics--they really do look almost identical to the movies, with several scenes being copied exactly, and move with a fluidity and grace you wouldn't have thought possible from a £150 console. The only flaw is that the missions are needlessly short, but there's plenty of replayability, and by gosh there's those graphics...--David Jenkins

"The most memorable--and certainly the best-looking--Star Wars game yet. 87%."

Luke Skywalker and the elite X-wing unit of the galaxy's most daring pilots return for duty in the flight action game Star Wars: Rogue Leader--Rogue Squadron II. As in the N64's acclaimed Rogue Squadron, players will once again jump into exhilarating flight combat against the worst evil the Galactic Empire has to offer. Rogue Leader--Rogue Squadron II showcases the stunning technological capabilities of the GameCube. The game includes crisp movie-like visuals that complement the intense action arcade experience with eye-popping detail such as a decaying Podracing track and Jabba the Hutt's palace.

Rogue Leader--Rogue Squadron II features 11 exhilarating air-to-ground and air-to-air mission scenarios over planets and in space including the perilous Death Star trench run and the legendary battle on the ice planet Hoth. The game also includes numerous bonus missions which players can unlock by completing various goals throughout the game. Players choose from numerous legendary Star Wars crafts including the legendary X-wing, A-wing, B-wing and many others.