Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings

Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings is a video game published by LucasArts for the Wii, Nintendo DS, PSP, PS2 on June 9, 2009. The game takes place in 1939, following Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and involves Indiana Jones searching for his former mentor Charles Kingston while competing with rival Magnus Völler for the Staff of Moses.

Publisher's summary
''Step into the shoes of the legendary hero, Indiana Jones, in an all new epic adventure! Set in the year 1939, Indiana Jones® and the Staff of Kings™ follows the rogue archaeologist on an all-new globe-trotting quest.''

From San Francisco's Chinatown to the lush jungles of Panama, Indy must use his whip, fists and wits to fight through ruthless opposition as he spars with his nemesis, Magnus Völler, in a race for a relic of biblical proportions — the Staff of Moses.

''Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings features completely interactive environments, where players need to call upon their wits and daring to make each spring-loaded environment a weapon in order to dispense of foes in clever and unexpected ways. Also, embark upon thrilling action sequences that remain true to the spirit established in scenes such as Indy's pursuit of the motorcade in Raiders of the Lost Ark, the mine-cart scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and the free-for-all aboard the tank in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.''

PSP version
In 1922, Indy joins his professor Charles Kingston, and fellow student Magnus Völler for field work in Panama. They were taken to the resting place of the Jade Sphere in an ancient Mayan city. While there Magnus left for the location on his own, trying to get the Jade Sphere before everyone else. Jones followed after Magnus in hopes of stopping him before something went wrong. Shortly after catching up with Magnus, Indy is told that the Sphere is just beyond the next door. Indy warns Magnus that Kingston hadn't yet translated the incriptions in the temple, and that their could be booby traps. Magnus mocks Indy for being timid, and pulls the sphere off its pedestal. This causes the room to close and giant bolders to start rolling through the room. Magnus yells for Indy to save him, prompting Indy to find a way of disabling the trap. Indy finds three altars with pressure plates on top, pushing all three caused the altars to sink into the ground. As indy pushed the pressure plates Magnus continued to whine for Indy's help until he pushed the last pressure plate. Magnus noted that it was working, and that the trap had been disabled. He then ran towards the exit running into Kingston, who had been drawn to the location when it sounded like the place was going to cave in, and wanted to make sure everyone was safe. He asked where Indy was, Magnus lied saying that he was wondering through the ruins looking for pot shards. Magnsu then claimed that he had brought the Jade Sphere to Kingston. Kingston suggested they quickly go to the Temple of Cosmos before nightfall and that Indy could catch up later, Magnus agreed.

Seventeen years later, in 1939, Indy received a call from Chinatown, San Franscisco in Califonria. A merchant named Archie Tan was requesting that Indy see something from his old friend and archaelogy professor Charles Kingston. After Kingston had disappeared a few years before, Indy had assumed he had died on a dig somewhere. Indy didn't know why it was so urgent, but was told to come right away. Indy quickly travelled to Chinatown and reached his office, but found the door partially open, and heard strange sounds behind it. Sensing trouble he slowly opened the door, and found a chinese man rummaging inside of Archie's desk. He called out to the man, who started escaped through the window, to the fire escape. Indy gave chase following the man up to the rooftops (the "San Franscisco Skyline"). Indy jumped accross to another building, finding the man around a corner. The man yelled, telling Indy to stop following him, and fire his gun hitting a pipe, causing steam to escape. Unperterbed Indy continued to chase the man accross the roof. Around another corner he saw the man had reached the roof of another building. Seeing no other way across he pushed an antenna over and quickly made his way across. Following the path the man had taken indy came across a short circuiting fuse box that was sending arcing bolts of electricty between the fuse box and a couple of barrels. Indy carefully made his way past the electricty, finding a gun, that the man had dropped. Looking across to the next building, he saw the man standing on a roof watching him. Indy quickly shot a at flat of crates being held up by a crane. Hitting the rope the crates fell, giving Indy room to use his his whip to swing across to the next building via the crane. Once over, Indy had cornered the man or so he thought and started to question him as to Archie's location. However the man was waiting for him and came at him with his fists ready. After Indy had taken care of the guy, more of his friends started pouring out of the doorways on the roof trying to stop him. Indy quickly dispatched them. Having knocked them all out he couldn't question them, but found a business card on one of the thugs from the Lao Che Lounge. Indy discovered that the lounge was controlled a local gang, the Hip Chen Tong. Indy suspected they were the ones who had kidnapped Archie, and travelled to the lounge to find him.

Indy entered the lounge and asked the bartender where he could find Archie Tan. The bartender mocked that he was glad to help. He and another thug started to attack Indy. Soon after more Tong started to enter the lounge. After one pulled a gun on him, he used his whip to bring down a chandelier breaking a hole through the floor. While fighting indy searched for evidence that would lead to Archie Tan. He noticed that a picture had been exposed on the Grand Pinao when the music had been blown away by the falling chandelier. Picking it up he recognized it as a picture of Suzy Tan, Archie's grand daughter. Indy suspected she was being used as leverage to convince Archie to comply with their demands. Behind a shield on the wall he discovered a map to all the Hip Chen Tong land holdings, but didn't know where on the map to go. On a table he found a note to Blind Duck telling him to take Archie to a Fireworks Factory. With the map he discovered that the Tong only owned one fireworks factory and where it was located. Following the evidence he tracked down Blind Duck, the leader of the Hip Chen Tong who operated out of the Fireworks Factory. Although he was cautious of dangerous Blind Duck, he decided to save Archie and Suzy before they were killed.

DS version
One day Jones is contacted by Archie Tan over the phone. Archie tells indy that men have been his store asking about Charles Kingston, Indy's old professor. Indy asks what is going on, but the phone is cutoff before he can find out. Sensing his friend is in danger he travels to Chinatown, San Francisco to save him. After hitting the streets of San Fran, he notices an old man being accosted by a couple of hooligans. The old man is able to fend off one with his cane before Indy steps in to help. After a quick brawl, indy knocks out the remaining goons with a shovel. The old man thanks him, and asks for Jones identity. Indy tells him his name, and tells him he is looking for "Tan's Exotic Imports". The old man then recognizes Indy as Archie's friend, and introduces himself as Loo Sing. He informs Indy that Archie had been kidnapped by the Hip Chen Tong, a chinese gang. He then explained that Archie's grandaughter Suzy saw the event, and hid in his shop. Indy asked Loo Sing for the directions for the shop, and was told to take to the rooftops. After Indy crossed the roofs he made his way to the main gate to archie's section of town. Indy travelled through a construction area, and blew up a gas station to take out more Tong, on his way to Archie's office. Reaching the office he discovered that the Tong were inside, trying to get to Suzy, who had locked herself in Archie's office. She exited the office after Indy dispached the thugs. Indy asked her what the Tongs wanted with Archie, and was that they wanted a Jade Sphere. Suzy believed it was probably locked in the basement. She couldn't find the entrance, and Indy volunteered to find it himself. He started his search in Archie's office. Inside he discovered Zodiac panels alongside the wall, and an ancient Chinese Lantern Projector on Archie's desk. He closed the window shades, and turned on the projector, discovering that it cast Zodiac images on the wall. By blowing on the projector he was able to change the images it projected. The images pointed him to the order to push the panels on the wall. After figuring out the order, a panel opened on the wall, containing the basement key, a round seal.

On the way out of the office, Suzy asked Indy to find the secret basement. Indy found that the seal opened a passage on the bottom floor of the store. Inside he found a Cipher of Meribah, inside was a letter telling him that the Jade Sphere is hidden inside of the Star of the Orient, and that he is to find a hidden passage inside the Lao Che Lounge. He asked Suzy for directions to the lounge. He was told its location and was given a key to unlock a door to the rooftops from Archie's office, in order to find Loo Sing who knew the password to get in. Indy then made his way to the lounge, and entered it. After a quick brawl, he was able to make it into the store room, and discovered the secret passage to the Star of the Orient behind a gong. Indy searched the cavern for a key to the ship, and made his way into the ship's hold. Inside he found Kingston's Chest (another Cipher) containing the Jade Sphere. On his way out of the cavern he found his escape blocked by Magnus Völler, who was pointing his gun at Archie's head. He threatened to shoot Archie, if Jones refused to give him the Jade Sphere. Before Indy could hand over the sphere, Archie quickly used his cane to knock the gun out of Magnus hand, and they escaped to the streets and onto a trolley. Magnus ordered the Tong to chase after Indy. While Archie sped up, Indy fought the Tongs from the trolley's roof. After Indy fended off the henchmen, Archie discovered the breaks were broken, and it was going to crash. Luckily they were able to jump onto a truck Suzy was driving, just before the trolley crashed into the bay. Afterwords Indy asked why Kingston had Archie keep the Jade Sphere, Archie didn't know, but he was told to lock the sphere in the cipher chest, and to call if anyone ever came to look for the sphere. Indy explained that the sphere was a key to the door of a Mayan Temple, and that he needed to get back there to find answers.

Next Indy headed to Panama. While tried to hire a riverboat to head down river. The captain told him the boat was already hired, and that he could take Indy down the river the next day. Jones attempted to convince the captain to charter his boat for double the payment, if he cancelled the other passenger's charter, and took him that day. While he attempted to convince the captain, a woman showed up wondering why Indy was trying to steal her charter. Indy apologized and offered to pay the women for her troubles, if he could take her place. She told him she didn't want his money, and that she had an important deadline for a prestigous magazone she worked for. While they were talking Nazis showed up on the river and attempted to kill Indy to take the sphere. Indy quickly told the women to get on board fast before he was caught. She wondered who he was, and why the germans were shooting at them. He told her he would explain after they escaped. The Nazis quickly caught up and boarded the riverboat, indy quickly dispatched them just before the boat reached a waterfall, and was about to go over. Indy and the women quicly swung away from the ship, just as the boat went over the edge. He told the woman to hide, and that he would come back for her after the coat was clear. She was not willing to listen to him until he introduced himself. After which she introduced herself as Maggie O'Malley. He told her to stay behind while he entered the jungle. He fought his way throught he jungle and made his way to the temple. After figuring out how to enter, he explored the temple. After he found three Mystic Keys he was able to reach another cipher at the top of a tall platform. Inside Indy found Kingston's notes, and research about the Staff of Moses.

Magnus had tracked him down, and told Jones to give up the notes. Indy threw the notes into the air letting them blow away, and ran running into Maggie. She asked Indy about the Staff of Moses, he explained that it was a dangerous weapon potentially if in the wrong hands. Maggie decided to stick to Jones, claiming it would make a great story for her magazine. Indy mentions that the notes speak of a Shepherd, a man in paris, whose identity is hidden in the Paris Catacombs. After traveling to Paris, indy told Maggie to wait at the train station while he explored the dangerous ruins. Inside Indy found the place crawling with Germans. Traveling deep into the catacombs he found they had constructed an underground bunker. Working his way through the bunker, and the hidden base there, he was able to discover a secret path back into the catacomb that lead to the Roman Maze where the Shepherd was kept. At the end of the maze he discovered another cipher inside of the Shepherd's sarcophagus, inside was another note from Kingston, telling him to go to Lukla, Nepal. After escaping the catacombs, and finding Maggie at the train station, Indy found that Magnus was there as well. He destracted them and lead them up on top of Orient Express where he dispached them as it travelled down the tracks. Jones then disconnected the last car, leaving Magnus behind. Making his way inside he explained to Maggie that they were heading to Nepal where the staff was hidden. After plane flight to Lukla, they climbed into the moutains and crossed a frozen wasteland to reach a hidden city. While Maggie and Indy were were discussing how much farther they had travel, they had inadvertantly walked into the city unawhares. Charles Kingston, who was still alive, interupted their discussion and greeted them. Indy surprised asked why Kingston had never contacted him. Kingston replied that he had promised to keep the secret of the Staff Guardians. He was glad that Indy had found his trail of clues. Kingston learned that Magnus was on his way, and believed the Staff Guardians could deal wit him, until he learned that he was bringing an army. He told Indy to get to the cave below the temple at the top of the city. Jones sent Maggie and Kingston to get everyone to safety while he went after the staff. Making his way through the temple he searched for the three eye gems for the God head statue that were kept in three rooms of the temple. After finding the three gems he was able to open the secret path under the God Head.

In the undergound section of the temple he had to cross a trapped tile floor, on the other side was a passage leading outside to a cliff. After passing through the snow he reached the entrance to Moses' Chamber. The room contained another cypher puzzle, and waterfall at the end. Solving the cypher parted the wateral exposing a statue behind it. Indy found the staff in the statue's hands. Removing the staff caused the cave to start to collapse. Indy quickly made his way back out of the room. After making it outside, he was greeted by Magnus. Magnus had captured Kingston and Maggie taking them aboard his airship, the Odin, and threatened to kill them if Indy didn't hand over the staff. Indy complied, as Magnus headed back to the ship, he told his guards to kill Indy. However Jones freed himself from his captors by sucker punching them, and then headed for the Odin (as it was flying towards the Bay of Bengal). He caught a mooring line, but lost his gun in the process, and climbed on board the air bags. He was met by Germans coming out of a hatch on top of the ship. After fighting his way to the Hatch he made it inside. Climbing down a ladder he reached the catwalks inside, working his way down he found a code that allowed him access into the Bottom Level of the ship. After passing through a small store room he was able to enter one of the ship's cargo holds. Climbing onto the back of one of the trucks he took out a small force of Germans by using a machine gun mounted there, from the cargo hold he made his way to one of the ship's hanger bays. Pulling a switch he dropped some nazis out the floor hatches. He made his way to small kitchen and entered a dumbwaiter that lead up the ship's galley. Searching through an office down a hallway from the galley he discovered a code that opened up to the bridge. There he found Maggie and Kingston tied together and Magnus watching from a catwalk above. Magnus sends out a few goons to stop Indy, but he quickly overpowers them. Magnus then lowers himself via an elevator and attempts to attack Indy. Indy succeedes in defending himself and gets the staff. However, Magnus pulls a gun on him. Kingston quickly jumps from his wheelchair infront of Magnus saving Jones life. In his dying breath Kingston tells Indy to protect the staff. With the gun still pointed at him, Indy grabs Maggie and jumps out a window with the staff. As they land in the bay below them the waters begin to part allowing them to land on the ocean floor below. Magnus sends his troops to the vehicle bay to bring them back. A few half-track motercycle reach the bottom just before Indy reaches land. Indy uses the staff to split the Odin in two and sending it to the bottom of the sea. As it collapses into the part in the sea, indy raises the staff allowing the water to collapse down onto the ship completely submerging it. Magnus yells out Indy's name in his dieing breath. Contemplating their success, Maggie asks Indy what they will do with the Staff. Indy believes it should be in a museum but wonders how it could be kept safe from the next person who would try to abuse its power. As he's thinking that the staff turns into a snake in his hands. He quickly tosses away, saying "Well, I guess it can take care of itself". Both Indy and Maggie walk off into the sunset.

Characters

 * Marcus Brody
 * Indiana Jones
 * Magnus Völler
 * Maggie O'Malley
 * Charles Kingston
 * Henry Walton Jones, Sr.
 * Archie Tan
 * Suzie Tan
 * Blind Duck
 * Loo Sing
 * Sudao
 * Museum Curator

Locations

 * Sudan
 * Sudan Temple
 * Völler's German camp
 * San Francisco
 * Chinatown
 * Rooftops
 * Grant Avenue
 * Lao Che Lounge
 * Alleys of Chinatown
 * Fireworks Factory
 * Tan's Exotic Imports
 * Archie Tan's Office
 * Secret store room
 * Secret Basement
 * Star of the Orient
 * Panama
 * Riverboat
 * Mayan Jungle
 * High Road
 * Jungle Village
 * Ancient Mayan City
 * Mayan combat arena
 * Temple of the Cosmos
 * Three Rivers
 * Four Paths
 * Ball court
 * Causeway
 * Planetarium
 * Völler's Panama Camp
 * Turkey
 * Istanbul
 * Sultan's Palace
 * Mosaic rooms
 * Museum room
 * Moseleum
 * Gear room
 * Four statues
 * Sultan's Secret Areas
 * Sultan's Bath House
 * Turkish Gardens
 * Radio room/old library
 * Roman Cisterns
 * Waterways
 * Clock room
 * Nepal
 * Lukla
 * Himalayas
 * Jones' Cave
 * Suya Desh (Nepalese village)
 * Temple of the Staff
 * Odin
 * Bay of Bengal
 * Paris, France
 * Catacombs
 * German Bunker
 * Roman Maze
 * Orient Express
 * Treasure Room
 * Bottomless Pit
 * Harem

Artifacts

 * Staff of Moses
 * Jade Sphere
 * Cipher of Meribah
 * Copper Statue
 * Silver Statue
 * Gold Statue

Sudan

 * Gold Ram's Head
 * Nubian Bust
 * Limestone Tablet

Chinatown

 * Chinese Puzzle Boxes
 * Antique Ivory Figurine
 * Ancient Alchemical Equipment
 * Ceramic Figures
 * Bronze Flask
 * Bronze Horses
 * Gold Censer
 * Dog Statue
 * Ming Vase
 * Earthenware Jar
 * Ancient Bank Note

Panama

 * Snake Huacas
 * Ceremonial Arrowheads
 * Warrior Huacas
 * Ceramic Bowl
 * Wooden Figurine
 * Death Mask

Istanbul

 * Khazars Brass Medallions
 * Eastern Empire Official Seals
 * Byzantine Empire Cross
 * Royal Shield
 * Royal Gauntlets
 * Gold Belt Buckle
 * Gold Relic
 * Bejeweled Aigrette
 * Dagger of Topkapi
 * Gold Flask
 * Selim's Water Bottle

Nepal

 * Ancient Lichavi Incriptions
 * Khukri Knives
 * Apocrypha Scriptural Texts
 * Ivory Buddha
 * Jambhala Statue
 * Mask of Bhairava

Odin

 * Orichalcum
 * Fragments of the Mirror of Dreams
 * Solomon's Jewels
 * Germanic Shield

Miscellanea

 * Hip Chen Tong
 * Natives
 * Elephant

Game differences
Each version for the Nintendo DS, PSP, and Wii/Playstation 2 contain significantly different storylines.

The DS version includes Paris instead of Istanbul, while the PSP version includes a level that takes place in Panama in 1922. The PSP version does not contain the Star of the Orient, instead Archie leads Indy to a place in Chinatown where he hid the Jade Sphere after the trolley chase.

The PSP version has more puzzle and action adventure game elements than the Wii version. It has several levels where Indy must defend or fight alongside a partner character. The partner character may help solve certain puzzles.

The DS version includes cipher box puzzles (Cipher of Meribah) & other puzzles that take advantage of the DS microphone feature. The ciphers involve moving a ball of water around a maze to an exit to open a box. The last battle and endings of all three versions are different.

The Wii version includes the Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis graphic adventure from 1992 as an extra feature as well as an original co-op mode story.

The PS2 version is the same as the Wii with a different control scheme. It lacks the Fate of Atlantis and the co-op mode.

Game development and release
Previously the game was said to be in development for the PS3 and Xbox 360 platforms as well, and promoted on the LucasArts website to be the first of the franchise to be made under the direction of Indiana Jones creator George Lucas. Also promoted was "Euphoria", an advanced physics engine designed to make objects and characters react in real-time instead of relying on the tradition of preset animations.

The release date of the game was first announced as 2007 before being pushed back to 2008. It was delayed again till 2009 to avoid conflicting with the release of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, a significant LucasArts project involving George Lucas.

In late January 2009, a trailer for the game was released on the internet, confirming a release date for "June 6, 2009" Nintendo DS, and Playstation platforms. On LucasArts' official mini site for the game, it was revealed that a PS2 release was included for release on "June 6, 2009"

In May 2009, LucasArts released a set of Flash-based games on multiple websites as the Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings Scavenger Hunt to promote the release of the game. Players could complete mini-games on different sites to unlock exclusive promotional content.

Rumors suggested a return of Lao Che from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, including a sign on a wall promoting "Lao Che Cocktails" in the trailer to the game, but Lao himself does not appear in the finished game. Indiana Jones: The Ultimate Guide was the first source to confirm the game will partly be set in San Francisco's Chinatown area as mentioned in the 2007 trailer and Panama.