Originally posted by: Gaffer Tape
Think of Yoda from The Empire Strikes Back. Think of the Emperor from Return of the Jedi. I know I'm not the only person who thinks that fighting with lightsabers is just beneath them, plain and simple. Yoda is the mentor. He lifts X-Wings from the swamp and gives philsophical discussions on the Force. He prepares Luke for his battles. Palpatine is the instigator. He watches with glee from the comfort of his chair as his lackeys go at each other with colored blades. When he needs to exert his authority, he stands up and fries people with lightning bolts without so much as breaking a sweat. And when both of them are done, they simply pick up their canes and hobble away. Giving them lightsabers in the prequels weakened them so much by forcing them to fight on the same level as the main characters.
I thought the same thing when I saw II and III. I had always thought of the Emperor and Yoda as wise sages who were so powerful in the Force didn't need to physically exert themselves. By deigning to use Lightsabers like every other Jedi, they are cheapened.
I wouldn't really be satisfied with an explanation that Yoda and Palpatine are far younger in the Prequels, and perhaps not as powerful as they seemed in the Original Trilogy.
I can understand why Palpatine dueled Mace and his lackeys - it was the final part of his plan to turn Anakin. But Yoda Vs Palpatine made a lot more sense as a Force battle, after they were done playing with the sabers. 
