ZAM Explores Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures

SOE is already celebrating one million registered users for its newest browser-based game, so we decided to travel to a galaxy far, far away and see what this Stars Wars MMO can offer to a younger audience.

Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures launched less than two weeks ago and Sony Online Entertainment is already boasting that one million users have registered to play the browser-based, kid-friendly game. I decided to mark this early milestone by venturing into the Star Wars-themed world to see what it has to offer for young and old players alike. I immediately gravitated toward a mini-game where players use the Force to send Jar Jar Binks flying through the air. Ah, such satisfaction for older fans of the original trilogy!

All joking aside, this online game is, without a doubt, targeted toward younger gamers. Older fans can play Star Wars Galaxies or wait for the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic, but children should find enjoyment (and even some educational value) in the mini-games of Clone Wars Adventures.

Why do I keep mentioning mini-games? Well, the entire virtual world is centered around a series of games that are based on Cartoon Network's "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" animated series. When you first log into the MMO, you will be greeted with a short cutscene featuring characters like Anakin Skywalker, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu. They will explain that you're a young Jedi who must help the Republic end the war. Of course, all Jedi need to have some fun from time to time, which is why there are mini-games for you to enjoy all around the temple.

The Jedi Temple is the main setting of Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures. You can run around and show off your character, interact with other players, play games or buy items from NPCs. While we're on the topic, the graphics in the temple are surprisingly detailed for a browser-based MMO. Your actions are limited mainly to running, swinging your lightsaber and using emotes, but that's honestly all that's needed in the social hub of the game.

Aside from interacting with players, everything that can be done in the temple can be accessed through in-game menus. Do you want to buy clothing and gear for your avatar? You can either run to an NPC or simply push the shopping cart button on your interface. Do you want to play a specific mini-game? Rather than search for it in the temple, bring up the list of mini-games and click it. Do you want to rearrange the furniture in your room? You can make your way to the door in the temple or just click the big blue house icon on your toolbar. This freedom gives younger players the flexibility to make the game more immersive by exploring the temple or more straightforward by quickly giving them access to their favorite mini-games at the push of a button.

As far as the MMO aspect of the game is concerned, interacting with players in the temple is the bulk of it. Think of it as MMO-lite for kids. They have the option to interact with other players, but can have just as much fun with solo activities. The majority of the mini-games are for single players only, but they all keep track of high scores for some friendly competition. Clicking on a character in the temple will bring up their profile, which allows you to view a list of their accomplishments, read their favorite pre-written Star Wars quote, find out their favorite hero, or visit their in-game room. Each player has his or her own personal space in the game (which is surprisingly large) to decorate with furniture and show off his or her trophies. Of course, you can also add players to your buddylist and chat with them through the global chat feature or in-game messages. There is a chat filter, and other parental controls are available.

Before we talk more about the mini-games, let's discuss the game's subscription model. Star Wars: Clone Wars Adventures is technically free-to-play, but you'll quickly learn after you log into the MMO that becoming a Jedi Member for $5.99 per month (or for a lifetime membership of $49.99) will unlock a ton of new content. Paying the fee will let you customize your character and lightsaber, play as a Zabrak, buy more items, access VIP areas and events and play more games.

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