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Star Wars is one of the biggest franchises on the planet, so it’s amazing how many times developers seem to get Star Wars games completely wrong. Perhaps it’s just the expectations people have of playing their favourite characters or using the technology and ships made famous by the Sci-fi phenomenon.
That said, I have enjoyed some of the Star Wars games that have come out over the years and I’ve just re-collected the Gamecube Factor 5 and Pandemic games to play through what was probably one of the best set of Star Wars games ever. In addition to this there have been plenty of games that tried to cash in or recreate the universe from the early Star Wars arcade game with it’s wireframe graphics and dodgy samples to the more recent attempts.
I’d thought I’d list some of my favourites:
Star Wars (Arcade, 8-bits)
This was the game that started it all. It took the best elements of the first film (Tie fighters, Death Star trench run etc) and basically put you straight in the action.
Ok, so it was all wireframe, difficult to see and the sound effects were sometimes barely identifiable, but it had a really cool cabinet and at the time it was as near as you could get to sitting alongside Han Solo or being Luke Skywalker.
The sequel, based on the Empire Strikes Back, is worth mentioning as it gave you wireframe AT-ATs to add to the mix.
Rogue Squadron series
Rogue Squadron first appeared on the N64 and it was a revelation. Vehicle based missions where you fought alongside wingmen in X-wings, Y-wings etc and completed missions as members of the rebel alliance.
But it was the sequel, Rogue Leader, on the Gamecube that really impressed. I got this at launch on the Cube and the first level was pretty much a recreation of the Star Wars arcade game but with decent graphics. The Trench Run never felt so real and having clips from the film in between missions added to the authentic feel. Later missions saw you play as Han and other characters, destroying generators and racing down canyons. It was so well designed that (to me) nothing has beaten it since.
Rebel Strike took this a stage further with Speeder Bikes, AT STs and on foot sections (though these were dodgy at best). Best of all, it took all the levels from the previous game and let you play them in multiplayer, realising the console Tie Fighter vs X-Wing dogfight in a spectacular fashion. It even lets you unlock all 3 original Star Wars Arcade games.
Clone Wars (GC)
Clone Wars was the next Cube game which featured vehicles but it was written by Pandemic rather than Factor 5. It was more shooter based but involved some pretty neat scenarios from between the second and third films. Again, the multiplayer element is really worth getting this for.
Battlefront
Battlefront and it’s sequel were great games that took the sandbox approach of Battlefield and Battlefront games from the PC and applied them to the Star Wars universe. Playing as classes and occasionally as heroes and villains this was as close as it got to being in the movies. Grab a speederbike or AT ST and mow down the enemy or just leg it and blast your way to capturing the enemy base. The Xbox version had thousands of people online playing matches together.
Obviously there have been more games since this, Bounty Hunter, KOTOR and the recent Force Unleashed to name but a few, but those above are some of my favourites. The world is crying out for a current generation version of the Rogue Squadron games.
So I guess the question is now open to you; what is your favourite Star Wars game and why? What would you like to see in a new Star Wars game?
That said, I have enjoyed some of the Star Wars games that have come out over the years and I’ve just re-collected the Gamecube Factor 5 and Pandemic games to play through what was probably one of the best set of Star Wars games ever. In addition to this there have been plenty of games that tried to cash in or recreate the universe from the early Star Wars arcade game with it’s wireframe graphics and dodgy samples to the more recent attempts.
I’d thought I’d list some of my favourites:
Star Wars (Arcade, 8-bits)
This was the game that started it all. It took the best elements of the first film (Tie fighters, Death Star trench run etc) and basically put you straight in the action.
Ok, so it was all wireframe, difficult to see and the sound effects were sometimes barely identifiable, but it had a really cool cabinet and at the time it was as near as you could get to sitting alongside Han Solo or being Luke Skywalker.
The sequel, based on the Empire Strikes Back, is worth mentioning as it gave you wireframe AT-ATs to add to the mix.
Rogue Squadron series
Rogue Squadron first appeared on the N64 and it was a revelation. Vehicle based missions where you fought alongside wingmen in X-wings, Y-wings etc and completed missions as members of the rebel alliance.
But it was the sequel, Rogue Leader, on the Gamecube that really impressed. I got this at launch on the Cube and the first level was pretty much a recreation of the Star Wars arcade game but with decent graphics. The Trench Run never felt so real and having clips from the film in between missions added to the authentic feel. Later missions saw you play as Han and other characters, destroying generators and racing down canyons. It was so well designed that (to me) nothing has beaten it since.
Rebel Strike took this a stage further with Speeder Bikes, AT STs and on foot sections (though these were dodgy at best). Best of all, it took all the levels from the previous game and let you play them in multiplayer, realising the console Tie Fighter vs X-Wing dogfight in a spectacular fashion. It even lets you unlock all 3 original Star Wars Arcade games.
Clone Wars (GC)
Clone Wars was the next Cube game which featured vehicles but it was written by Pandemic rather than Factor 5. It was more shooter based but involved some pretty neat scenarios from between the second and third films. Again, the multiplayer element is really worth getting this for.
Battlefront
Battlefront and it’s sequel were great games that took the sandbox approach of Battlefield and Battlefront games from the PC and applied them to the Star Wars universe. Playing as classes and occasionally as heroes and villains this was as close as it got to being in the movies. Grab a speederbike or AT ST and mow down the enemy or just leg it and blast your way to capturing the enemy base. The Xbox version had thousands of people online playing matches together.
Obviously there have been more games since this, Bounty Hunter, KOTOR and the recent Force Unleashed to name but a few, but those above are some of my favourites. The world is crying out for a current generation version of the Rogue Squadron games.
So I guess the question is now open to you; what is your favourite Star Wars game and why? What would you like to see in a new Star Wars game?
Jedi Academy? I think thats what it was...BEST one. Then came along Force Unleashed and in my eyes improved the game side of the franchise.. YEP YEP OH YAYY
e<3
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I enjoyed Knights Of The Old Republic. Awesome game and one I played through to conclusion. Voice acting on it was brilliant!
Spoonbeast, a COD style Star Wars game would be awesome...it would sell well as well!
Spoonbeast, a COD style Star Wars game would be awesome...it would sell well as well!
A new Battlefront would be great, or some online game where you get to be Star Wars characters, would make my year possibly (that and seeinf FF13 be released this year lol)
I heard Jedi outcast was a good game but i never had it, can anyone shed any light on this, i thought it was a 3rd person game where you leveled up - so sounded like it should potentially be good, but so many star wars games have failed over the years. They know they will sell because of the fan base but i hope we get a great Online one for the 360 / ps3!
I heard Jedi outcast was a good game but i never had it, can anyone shed any light on this, i thought it was a 3rd person game where you leveled up - so sounded like it should potentially be good, but so many star wars games have failed over the years. They know they will sell because of the fan base but i hope we get a great Online one for the 360 / ps3!
Force unleashed does get better as you get further in. Like you, many stopped before it got interesting and you ended up with more force powers as the levelling up system comes in to play.
However, it's no Rogue Leader or even SW Battlefront. What we need is a modern version of those.
Super Star Wars was ok, but as you say it was a side scrolling game, good though it was, and didn't capture my imagination as much. Star Wars Arcade on 32X however, was a great re-creation of the more modern arcade version of Star Wars.
Bounty Hunter wasn't bad either, but it was a bit generic and you couldn't play as any characters from the series, a must in my book for a good Star Wars game, though KOTOR escapes this.
The other games I forgot to mention are the Dark Forces games. These were pretty good third person shooters which appeared on PC and consoles and involved a fair amount of blasting stormtroopers and then lightsaber weilding.
Damn, that's another one to look up on ebay!
However, it's no Rogue Leader or even SW Battlefront. What we need is a modern version of those.
Super Star Wars was ok, but as you say it was a side scrolling game, good though it was, and didn't capture my imagination as much. Star Wars Arcade on 32X however, was a great re-creation of the more modern arcade version of Star Wars.
Bounty Hunter wasn't bad either, but it was a bit generic and you couldn't play as any characters from the series, a must in my book for a good Star Wars game, though KOTOR escapes this.
The other games I forgot to mention are the Dark Forces games. These were pretty good third person shooters which appeared on PC and consoles and involved a fair amount of blasting stormtroopers and then lightsaber weilding.
Damn, that's another one to look up on ebay!
I can't agree with Force Unleashed - I paid £19.99 for it (special offer at Gamestation or Play if I remember right) before Christmas and although great using the force, found it to be just like any other FPS in the Star Wars mould. It was over-hyped, and I bought it thinking it was more than it actually was. I admit I haven't got passed the first few stages...but have no compulsion to go any further with the game at this point. I actually stopped playing it to re-play Resident Evil 4.
I did enjoy Super Star Wars on the SNES though. Generic platformer it may have been, but to me did everything it needed to (for a SNES game). It even included a Death Star trench run!
As with pb though, my favourite Star Wars game is Rogue Leader - it wasn't just a Sci-Fi shooter in a Star Wars mould...it actually felt like it was Star Wars. Brilliant dog-fighting system, excellent controls and excellent feel to the game. I'm half-tempted to put it in my Wii now...
I wasn't keen on the sequel though. Sure, it had the original playable as a co-op game, but the new features (on-land play) detracted from what was great in Rogue Leader.
I did enjoy Super Star Wars on the SNES though. Generic platformer it may have been, but to me did everything it needed to (for a SNES game). It even included a Death Star trench run!
As with pb though, my favourite Star Wars game is Rogue Leader - it wasn't just a Sci-Fi shooter in a Star Wars mould...it actually felt like it was Star Wars. Brilliant dog-fighting system, excellent controls and excellent feel to the game. I'm half-tempted to put it in my Wii now...
I wasn't keen on the sequel though. Sure, it had the original playable as a co-op game, but the new features (on-land play) detracted from what was great in Rogue Leader.
Nice post pb, out of ll the Star Wars games i have played then i have to say i have really enjoyed Star Wars Force Unleashed, good plot, controls were very nice, especially when using the force. Graphics were also nice and the overall gameplay i found addictive and a game i enjoyed all the way through.
Then i really like Rogue Squadron on the GC, pretty hard towards the end and i never gave it enough respect until it was gone, like so many games.
Also for online fans, hardcore Star Wars fans and MMORPG will love Star Wars Galaxies. I had this for a while and i just did not want to pay the £10 a month because i would not give it enough time! But it had so much to offer and i really liked the original concept that only a few characters had the ability to be jedi when it first came out. Due to so many people trying for hours and wanting to be a Jedi they fixed a patch so everyone could be, but you could only get a lightsaber after putting some good hours and hard work in the game! I would recommend this to any fan of these kind of games as it was a fantastic game i really wanted to keep playing. I see it is a better KOTOR and Online lol.
Thanks again for that post pb, i am a big star wars fan and i enjoyed thinking back about all the games i have played (also remember the NES game that i never got more than 30 mins through due to it being way too hard when i was 8!)
Then i really like Rogue Squadron on the GC, pretty hard towards the end and i never gave it enough respect until it was gone, like so many games.
Also for online fans, hardcore Star Wars fans and MMORPG will love Star Wars Galaxies. I had this for a while and i just did not want to pay the £10 a month because i would not give it enough time! But it had so much to offer and i really liked the original concept that only a few characters had the ability to be jedi when it first came out. Due to so many people trying for hours and wanting to be a Jedi they fixed a patch so everyone could be, but you could only get a lightsaber after putting some good hours and hard work in the game! I would recommend this to any fan of these kind of games as it was a fantastic game i really wanted to keep playing. I see it is a better KOTOR and Online lol.
Thanks again for that post pb, i am a big star wars fan and i enjoyed thinking back about all the games i have played (also remember the NES game that i never got more than 30 mins through due to it being way too hard when i was 8!)
How about a tactical star wars game like republic commando again? or maybe a call of duty style game?
Recreate all the films best movies. Like killing all the ewoks. Oh, yes how i long to finally catch up with jar jar binks and make him eat laser. I believe battlefronts does it, but that games a bit meh.
Recreate all the films best movies. Like killing all the ewoks. Oh, yes how i long to finally catch up with jar jar binks and make him eat laser. I believe battlefronts does it, but that games a bit meh.
Star Wars is one of the biggest franchises on the planet, so it’s amazing how many times developers seem to get Star Wars games completely wrong. Perhaps it’s just the expectations people have of playing their favourite characters or using the technology and ships made famous by the Sci-fi phenomenon.
That said, I have enjoyed some of the Star Wars games that have come out over the years and I’ve just re-collected the Gamecube Factor 5 and Pandemic games to play through what was probably one of the best set of Star Wars games ever. In addition to this there have been plenty of games that tried to cash in or recreate the universe from the early Star Wars arcade game with it’s wireframe graphics and dodgy samples to the more recent attempts.
I’d thought I’d list some of my favourites:
Star Wars (Arcade, 8-bits)
This was the game that started it all. It took the best elements of the first film (Tie fighters, Death Star trench run etc) and basically put you straight in the action.
Ok, so it was all wireframe, difficult to see and the sound effects were sometimes barely identifiable, but it had a really cool cabinet and at the time it was as near as you could get to sitting alongside Han Solo or being Luke Skywalker.
The sequel, based on the Empire Strikes Back, is worth mentioning as it gave you wireframe AT-ATs to add to the mix.
Rogue Squadron series
Rogue Squadron first appeared on the N64 and it was a revelation. Vehicle based missions where you fought alongside wingmen in X-wings, Y-wings etc and completed missions as members of the rebel alliance.
But it was the sequel, Rogue Leader, on the Gamecube that really impressed. I got this at launch on the Cube and the first level was pretty much a recreation of the Star Wars arcade game but with decent graphics. The Trench Run never felt so real and having clips from the film in between missions added to the authentic feel. Later missions saw you play as Han and other characters, destroying generators and racing down canyons. It was so well designed that (to me) nothing has beaten it since.
Rebel Strike took this a stage further with Speeder Bikes, AT STs and on foot sections (though these were dodgy at best). Best of all, it took all the levels from the previous game and let you play them in multiplayer, realising the console Tie Fighter vs X-Wing dogfight in a spectacular fashion. It even lets you unlock all 3 original Star Wars Arcade games.
Clone Wars (GC)
Clone Wars was the next Cube game which featured vehicles but it was written by Pandemic rather than Factor 5. It was more shooter based but involved some pretty neat scenarios from between the second and third films. Again, the multiplayer element is really worth getting this for.
Battlefront
Battlefront and it’s sequel were great games that took the sandbox approach of Battlefield and Battlefront games from the PC and applied them to the Star Wars universe. Playing as classes and occasionally as heroes and villains this was as close as it got to being in the movies. Grab a speederbike or AT ST and mow down the enemy or just leg it and blast your way to capturing the enemy base. The Xbox version had thousands of people online playing matches together.
Obviously there have been more games since this, Bounty Hunter, KOTOR and the recent Force Unleashed to name but a few, but those above are some of my favourites. The world is crying out for a current generation version of the Rogue Squadron games.
So I guess the question is now open to you; what is your favourite Star Wars game and why? What would you like to see in a new Star Wars game?
That said, I have enjoyed some of the Star Wars games that have come out over the years and I’ve just re-collected the Gamecube Factor 5 and Pandemic games to play through what was probably one of the best set of Star Wars games ever. In addition to this there have been plenty of games that tried to cash in or recreate the universe from the early Star Wars arcade game with it’s wireframe graphics and dodgy samples to the more recent attempts.
I’d thought I’d list some of my favourites:
Star Wars (Arcade, 8-bits)
This was the game that started it all. It took the best elements of the first film (Tie fighters, Death Star trench run etc) and basically put you straight in the action.
Ok, so it was all wireframe, difficult to see and the sound effects were sometimes barely identifiable, but it had a really cool cabinet and at the time it was as near as you could get to sitting alongside Han Solo or being Luke Skywalker.
The sequel, based on the Empire Strikes Back, is worth mentioning as it gave you wireframe AT-ATs to add to the mix.
Rogue Squadron series
Rogue Squadron first appeared on the N64 and it was a revelation. Vehicle based missions where you fought alongside wingmen in X-wings, Y-wings etc and completed missions as members of the rebel alliance.
But it was the sequel, Rogue Leader, on the Gamecube that really impressed. I got this at launch on the Cube and the first level was pretty much a recreation of the Star Wars arcade game but with decent graphics. The Trench Run never felt so real and having clips from the film in between missions added to the authentic feel. Later missions saw you play as Han and other characters, destroying generators and racing down canyons. It was so well designed that (to me) nothing has beaten it since.
Rebel Strike took this a stage further with Speeder Bikes, AT STs and on foot sections (though these were dodgy at best). Best of all, it took all the levels from the previous game and let you play them in multiplayer, realising the console Tie Fighter vs X-Wing dogfight in a spectacular fashion. It even lets you unlock all 3 original Star Wars Arcade games.
Clone Wars (GC)
Clone Wars was the next Cube game which featured vehicles but it was written by Pandemic rather than Factor 5. It was more shooter based but involved some pretty neat scenarios from between the second and third films. Again, the multiplayer element is really worth getting this for.
Battlefront
Battlefront and it’s sequel were great games that took the sandbox approach of Battlefield and Battlefront games from the PC and applied them to the Star Wars universe. Playing as classes and occasionally as heroes and villains this was as close as it got to being in the movies. Grab a speederbike or AT ST and mow down the enemy or just leg it and blast your way to capturing the enemy base. The Xbox version had thousands of people online playing matches together.
Obviously there have been more games since this, Bounty Hunter, KOTOR and the recent Force Unleashed to name but a few, but those above are some of my favourites. The world is crying out for a current generation version of the Rogue Squadron games.
So I guess the question is now open to you; what is your favourite Star Wars game and why? What would you like to see in a new Star Wars game?