Star Wars Review

Star Wars Review

Review by Brandon

Pilot an X-wing fighter and battle your way through enemies and obstacles as you race to destroy the Death Star in this remake of the 1983 classic Star Wars arcade game. Battle TIE fighters above the Death Star and dodge turret fire as you make your trench run. Sound effects and music from the movies help make for a fun and exciting Star Wars experience. On top of that, it's completely free.

Look at the Size of That Thing!

In the game, you are piloting an X-wing fighter through increasingly challenging waves of enemies as you work towards destroying the Death Star. Each wave consists of three different phases that you must survive. You aren't required to destroy any enemies, but it can help.

The first phase has you taking on a group of TIE fighters in outer space above the Death Star. The second phase has you skimming the surface of the Death Star under fire from towers and turrets. The final phase has you dodging obstacles and turret fire as you fly down a narrow trench toward an exhaust port. If you manage to survive all the phases and destroy the Death Star by firing on the exhaust port, the wave is over and you advance to the next one.

No Difficulty Settings

There are no difficulty settings or options, but you can select one of three waves to start on. You can start on an easier wave or skip right to the harder waves. There's also an option to make your fighter invincible, which is a good addition that lets you have some relaxing fun as you blow away fighters and turrets. More control over the difficulty would have been useful, but the game does provide some options.

Simple Controls

The controls in Star Wars are very simple, even though the game doesn't introduce or explain them in any way. You move your fighter, aim, and fire all with the mouse. The one downside to the controls is that since everything is done with the mouse, it's difficult to move and aim at the same time. Moving your mouse to the left to move left will also make your aim to the left. It would have been nice to be able to do them separately or have an option to do so (even though you couldn't in the original game).

Presentation

The graphics in the game have been updated from the original arcade game and look far better in every respect. At the same time, they are still a bit dated compared to more modern games. It won't detract from the gameplay, but it is still noticeable. The sounds, however, are perfectly done. The sound effects and music are taken straight from the movies for this game. There are also voice clips from the movie as well that help draw you into the game and improve the Star Wars experience. You'll hear Obi-Wan telling you to, “Use the force,” as you make your trench run towards the Death Star's exhaust port. The audio is one of the better parts of the game.

Repetitive

One issue with the gameplay is the repetitive nature of the waves. Every wave is the same as the last save for the number of obstacles or enemies you face. It can get repetitive quickly, especially since the phases and waves are so short that it won't be long before you've gone through them several times.

Conclusion - Good for Those Looking for the Classic Game

Star Wars does have some positive aspects to it, but it also has some problems as well. If you're absolutely crazy about anything Star Wars or looking to satisfy your nostalgia, this game could be what you're looking for. For anyone else, this game probably wouldn't be your best choice. However, it is free so there's no reason not to give it a shot and see how much you really enjoy the game.