Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

"The game that made a Star Wars fan out of me."

Introduction-

My story with this game is an interesting one. I will tell it here as background for my ratings of this game as briefly as possible, then go into details in specific areas.

Before I came across Super Empire Strikes Back, I had been as far from a Star Wars fan as was possible. I had seen the first movie a few times, but never even saw Empire Strikes Back or Return of the Jedi once. I had even gone so far as to say "Star Wars sucks" a few times, even though I knew virtually nothing about the Star Wars saga.
Then one day, out of the blue, my parents bought me Super Empire Strikes back for the Super Nintendo... a brand new copy, too, which is really something considering that most SNES games today can only be found as dusty cartridges in used game stores. I played the game without giving much thought to the storyline behind it. I have a habit that I have had since I started out as a game player, and that is that I play games at a very relaxed pace. Having said that, Super Empire Strikes Back was a game I played for months before beating it. Even though I began without even looking at it as a Star Wars game, I finished with the world of Star Wars so imprinted in my mind that I immediately ran out and rented the two final films in the Star Wars trilogy. Needless to say, I was blown away by the universe that inspired this 16-bit gem. One thing led to another, and eventually, I became a hardcore Star Wars fan.

With that bit of background out of the way, I can get to the real point of this review: is Super Empire Strikes Back for you? I have picked this game up many times during my life, and I pretty much know it inside out. Read on...

Story- 10

The story, based on the excellent film, is told through various cutscenes throughout the game, including an intro cutscene that's about as close a reproduction of the beginning of the movie as you can get on the SNES. The whole "scrolling text" intro has become sort of cliched in Star Wars games, but the one in this game is faithfully executed. Well done.

Gameplay- 9

This is the area that turns some people away from this game, and essentially, it's the game's biggest downfall. As soon as the game starts, you are dropped off in the middle of Hoth, which, contrary to what you saw in the movie, is teeming with hostile life. To be honest, these first four or so levels are very, very hard. Harder than many of the later ones, even. The reason they're so difficult is because they're designed to take advantage of Luke's lightsaber, which is only effective at close range. His other weapon, the blaster, is useless unless you get blaster powerups (more on that later).

But once you adapt to the difficulty of the game, you will see that every other aspect is simply amazing. From the start, you'll see that the levels are HUGE, the ice caves on Hoth especially. There are many paths to choose, and tons of secrets to find. By searching every corner, you'll find there's more than meets the eye in these levels. Blaster powerups, hearts, "health sabers" (these make your life meter longer), and thermal detonators (these destroy every enemy on the screen) are just some of the secrets that can be found throughout the expansive levels. Then, as you progress, you will find that the Han Solo levels tone down the difficult and are simply a blast to play, and the "Mode 7" flying levels are also very fun. There's hardly a dull moment in Super Empire Strikes Back.

The bosses are another superb aspect of the game, and show how well Super Empire Strikes Back takes advantage of the SNES's power. Nearly every boss is huge, filling up the screen or more, and each one has to be handled differently. While a few are horribly difficult (e.g. the probe droid on Hoth, the green monster on Dagobah), most can be made easy by taking advantage of a certain trick you have at your disposal. There's nothing quite like besting an AT-AT by deflecting its shots the whole time.

Perhaps the most impressive ways this game takes advantage of the SNES's power are the Mode 7, or scaling, levels. Early on, you hop into the Snowspeeder and take down AT-STs and AT-ATs in a nice representation of the Battle of Hoth, and while using a tow cable to trip an AT-AT doesn't look good compared to games like Rogue Squadron and the sequel, Rogue Leader, it was certainly impressive for its time. Later, you get to dodge asteroids in the Millennium Falcon, and shoot down Cloud Cars on Bespin in your X-Wing (which, amusingly enough, contradicts Vader's command in the movie, "Allow Skywalker to land"). All these levels are done so well that you sometimes forget you're playing an SNES game.

Sound- 10

Unlike its predecessor, The Empire Strikes Back for the NES, Super Empire Strikes Back has music that beautifully mimics the epic scores in the films. The tunes fit the levels they're in well.

Sound effects are just as impressive. There are sounds for just about every event in the game, and while a few (the lightsaber sounds, Vader's voice) are clearly not from the films, most will be easily recognizable by any Star Wars fan.

Graphics- 10

Like the gameplay, LucasArts took advantage of the SNES's power when designing the graphics. The results are a stylish blend of CGI-modeling and classic sprite design. Levels and backgrounds are incredibly detailed, and every object in the game is recognizable. You would never see a game this good-looking on the Genesis.

Controls- 7

The controls must be mastered before this game gets any easier. They're not that difficult, but do take some practice. The only time the game gets confusing is when Luke finally gets to use force powers. Still, you'll want to find the manual or check out some online guides for a full list of the controls, so you don't feel stupid like me when you find out that you never knew about a certain button (e.g. Me: "Hey, you can activate the tow cable on the snowspeeder by pressing L or R! That makes things easier!")

Replay Value- 8

This game uses a simple password system, so by writing down the passwords, you could replay any level you want. There are also three levels of difficulty to try. The question is, once you're finished, would you want to go back? That, of course, depends on how big of a fan you are. Personally, I always like to replay some of the flying levels, and the Han Solo levels inside Echo Base are always fun. It's up to you how much fun you can glean out of a game like this.

Conclusion- 10

My experience with this game has been a rewarding one. It is a very challenging game, however, and depending on your tolerance for difficulty, you could have a blast, or you could rip your hair out by the third level.If you like the style of gameplay and not the difficulty, you should check out the other two Star Wars games for the SNES: Super Star Wars and Super Return of the Jedi. Both have slight variations on Super Empire Strikes Back's gameplay, but both are slightly easier. This trilogy of games for the Super Nintendo has, in my eyes, stood the test of time and is definitely worth playing for any Star Wars fan.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 06/28/05