Lego Star Wars II The Original Trilogy for PlayStation Portable (PSP) is pretty much exactly the same game as seen on its console counterparts, i.e. GameCube, PlayStation2, and Xbox--even the Xbox 360 version, excepting the high definition scrumptiousness. Well, smaller too, obviously, and lacking manual control over the preset viewing angles, which was only modestly effective on console anyway, so no big thing. Otherwise, the near-exact replication of near-perfect Star Wars flavored Lego gaming in your pocket is superlative.

You play as any number of snap-together plastic characters through innumerable levels loosely based on events of the original Star Wars trilogy; running, shooting, lightsaber-swinging and sometimes flying or driving through what's best described as a spoof/parody/caricature of the farmboy in space saga. Also like the console versions, the games' appeal lies mainly in the ability to run amok, blow stuff up, collect studs (money) and other baubles and otherwise tinker with Lego-branded Star Wars merchandise in a virtual setting like all kids did (and still do) in real life, except with seemingly unlimited resources and pieces.

Exclusive to the PSP version, meanwhile, are the three final levels of the second trilogy (as seen in the first Lego Star Wars game... confused yet?) which, when completed, unlocks key characters from that game, namely Darth Maul, Count Dooku, and the evil Anakin, also known as the pre-toasted Darth Vader.

All Lego Star Wars games can get pretty tedious if you play for any length of time in one sitting. Handily, each/all games are broken into self-contained chapters that only take 10 - 30 minutes to complete, so its best played like a daily snack--rather than the 99 course meal it could be--, which is perfectly conducive to portable gaming... not to mention the PSP's wimp batteries don't really allow for marathon play anyway.