Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds Naboo and Trade Federation

By Elliott Chin, GameSpotPosted Oct 19, 2001 4:56 pm PT

Our second faction profiles examines the Royal Naboo and the Trade Federation.

Our second showcase of LucasArts' impending strategy game, Galactic Battlegrounds, continues. This week, we take a look at the Royal Naboo and the Trade Federation. The Naboo and the Federation are the principle political players in Episode I: The Phantom Menace and are also two of the six factions in Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds. These two civilizations are similar to last installment's featured factions--Galactic Empire and Rebel Alliance--but have their own subtle differences.

The Royal Naboo have beautiful and ornate architecture, revealing their sophisticated culture.

As mentioned before, Galactic Battlegrounds, while based on Age of Kings, has its own brand of gameplay that emphasizes ranged attacks and offensive rather than defensive tactics. Moreover, it throws in air units, Jedi, and more diversity into the gaming mix. The game definitely takes advantage of its sci-fi origins to enhance the gameplay. And the campaigns likewise are much improved due to the source material. You get to play through famous events in the Star Wars movies and in essence assume the reigns of command as your favorite Star Wars characters. In the case of the Royal Naboo, you play as Queen Amidala. As the Trade Federation, you don't play as a Neimodian, but you do assume the role of a battle droid commander named OOM-9.

The Royal Naboo are a fine illustration of the more diverse gameplay in Battlegrounds. They excel at what is different, namely Jedi and air units. In the movie, it is the Trade Federation that blockades Naboo and forces them into war. In their time of need, Queen Amidala calls on the Jedi Knights. They also muster their own air force to counter the Federation battle ships orbiting their planet. These lasting impressions from The Phantom Menace form the basis for giving the Royal Naboo their strengths in the game.

The Trade Federation's look takes its cue from the movie The Phantom Menace.

Meanwhile, the Trade Federation is in many ways the antithesis of the Royal Naboo. They aren't even like their modern-day counterpart, the Galactic Empire. As seen in the movie, the Trade Federation relies exclusively on battle droids. Moreover, they can field vast numbers of units and heavy hovertanks. However, they have poor starfighter capabilities, having been taken out in the stars by a lone boy--even if that boy was Anakin Skywalker. Worse than their air force, though, is their lack of aptitude in the Force. Yet, what they lack in the air and with Sith, they more than make up for with their own unique traits.

While these two civilizations might not capture the imaginations of gamers in quite the same way that the Empire and Rebels can, they are nevertheless worthy factions in their own right, with plenty of good qualities to recommend them. Let's start our in-depth look with an overview of the Royal Naboo.

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1 Comments

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jakeboudville
Posted Sep 10, 2006 8:03 pm PT

kinda impressive
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