Story Mode
Your first trip through an area takes place in Story Mode. The characters available for use are limited. You may use any of the preselected characters and switch (or “tag”) freely between them. Holding the Change Character button brings up the character wheel, which displays all characters currently available for use.
These preselected characters possess the skills needed to meet the objectives of the level, but they may lack the abilities required to uncover every collectible. Collecting everything is reserved for Free Play.
Free Play
Once you clear a chapter in Story Mode, it becomes available in Free Play. When you visit a level in Free Play, you may choose to play as any character you’ve unlocked, and then put their skills to use in gathering every collectible in each level. You’re also able to start at any of the checkpoints in a chapter, allowing you to skip areas where you’ve already uncovered every collectible.
Hubs
You get sneak peeks of the game’s five hubs between Story Mode chapters. Your ability to explore is limited until you complete the main adventure. You eventually gain the ability to switch characters freely, which allows you to gather collectibles, undertake quests, and much more. To move through hubs quicker, summon a speeder bike, landspeeder, or any microfighter.