Thankfully there are quickfire challenge missions that are also available for accumulating gold bricks, which can be found by running around in open areas based on the core planets and areas. Some of the unlock requirements for extras are steep, it must be said, with plenty of 'Free Play' and repeated plays needed to rack up enough gold bricks to access all levels. Pleasingly, these stages also benefit from following their own scripts, with the extra freedom enabling some interesting level design. The additional stages will give Star Wars fans some thrills, as they touch upon subplots and clarify some small aspects from the film.
In addition, though, there's an introductory stage to please fans of the older movies and a series of extra levels and challenges that can be tackled afterwards. The core story campaign stretches out to over 10 levels, though a couple are stretching the film thin.
In fairness, this game delivers with some clever workarounds. Though a hugely successful movie, plenty wondered whether its limited number of set pieces and action sequences would be enough for a retail LEGO release. This summer LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens joined the ranks, and it deserves credit for making the most of limited source material while also introducing some fresh ideas. It seems that as long as an IP has scope for action, it can be a LEGO game, though the success rate can vary when TT Games struggles to turn the source material into exciting gameplay. The LEGO series has been an ever-present for a number of years, covering a broad range of franchises.