There are a few constants in life—death, taxes, and perhaps we can add the annual release of a new Star Wars game to that list. And there's a good reason for it: George Lucas' epic space opera has a tremendous worldwide following and is set in a universe conducive to all sorts of videogames. So when the first Lego Star Wars game became a hit, with over 3 million copies sold, it came as no surprise that a sequel was announced.

The first game, actually published by Eidos, was more of a hit than anyone expected. The lighthearted humor, the simple and fun gameplay, and the large amount of replayability gave it a widespread appeal. When LucasArts reclaimed the publishing duties, they hoped the same magic would work again, this time with the beloved original trilogy of Star Wars.

We talked with Ilkay Can, Product Marketing Manager at LucasArts, about why the Force is with Lego Star Wars II.

I'll give my guy Darth Vader's head...
Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy had four different SKUs on NPD's Top 20 games for September. The Xbox 360 version was third best selling on that system, and the PS2 and Xbox versions would have been the best selling titles on their respective platforms had it not been for EA's Madden 07. The GameCube version was far and away that system's top selling title of the month. With success like that across SKUs, it's no wonder LucasArts reported that over 1.1 million copies of the game had been sold across all platforms less than two weeks after the game's September 12th release.

"We had high expectations for the title since we knew we were launching a quality game for all ages," said Can. "With all of the buzz that preceded the game, we knew we had a hit on our hands. However, we've been pleasantly surprised by how well the game has done, and we can say that yes, it has exceeded the high expectations we already had!"

"Lego Star Wars: The Video Game did quite well, and so we built upon that fan base," Ilkay continued. "With Lego Star Wars II, however, we've grown the market to make sure we talk not only to Lego and Star Wars fans, but also to families who may not have purchased the first game because they didn't hear about it. Lego Star Wars II is an even better seller than its predecessor was at this point."

...the Princess Leia Slave Girl body...
Helping Lego Star Wars II was also the simultaneous release of the original, unaltered Star Wars Trilogy for the first time on DVD. An extensive ad campaign also ran across numerous TV stations in September. To find out more about the way Lego Star Wars II was advertised, please read GameDaily BIZ's Ad Watch column.

"Making sure the advertising nailed the sense of humor and fun that was in the game was essential," explained Can. "All of our spots captured the essence of Lego Star Wars II and ensured that consumers who played the first game saw that we didn't fix what wasn't broken. Likewise, we made sure that consumers who hadn't played the first game could clearly see what the combination of Lego and Star Wars meant.

"Releasing Lego Star Wars II alongside the new Star Wars Original Trilogy DVDs was extremely beneficial. We at LucasArts believe in working with our Lucasfilm counterparts as much as possible - we launch integrated events for the Star Wars brand. In recent years, this has led to sales success with the launches of Lego Star Wars II, both Star Wars Battlefront titles as well as the Episode III game, and we fully expect to continue this practice into the future."

...and Greedo's pants!
Some people might really scratch their heads about the Lego Star Wars series' success, but it's quite simple really. The game has gameplay that's very easy to pick up, and it's designed to play with friends, significant others or siblings. Plus, a combination of two of the most successful brands in the world designed for kids and kids at heart doesn't hurt.

"Lego sensibilities shine through all aspects of the game," asserted Can. "The sense of humor in Lego Star Wars II is very much built in seeing the Classic Trilogy re-created in Lego. From characters falling apart when they are 'eliminated' to seeing the Lego Death Star, consumers get to see their two favorite brands combined from the first five minutes of the game to the last.

"Yes, the game was designed for gamers of all ages and types to play. This means that kids can pick up and play, while older adults won't get bored either. And while the controls are simple and don't require many button combos, we also have lots and lots of unlockables for more proficient gamers to locate to keep them excited about the game. Finally, the sense of humor in the game also appeals to people of all ages. This is one of those games that is enjoyed by everyone."

So will we see more Lego Star Wars, now that the reserve of movies has been exhausted? Can responded, "The lack of movies does present a challenge, but you never know."