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New Star Wars Game

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

This month, at Star Wars Celebration in Chicago, the trailer for a new Star Wars game, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, was released to a room full of diehard Star Wars fans. The two-minute trailer for the Electronic Arts game gave fans an intriguing story preview and stunning action-packed visuals.

I grew up playing Star Wars games. The Empire Strikes Back for Super Nintendo is still one of my favorite video games. It’s also one of the hardest. I played a little of it recently and I was reminded of how difficult each level was.

Jedi: Fallen Order had a great trailer, but there was little gameplay shown. It takes more than a good trailer to get Star Wars fans excited for a new game. The last few Star War games haven’t been stellar outings. I enjoyed Star Wars Battlefront II, but it felt like it wasn’t the game that was advertised. Star Wars in gaming is like a sleeping giant; with the right creative team and the vast universe at their disposal, something really special could be produced any year.

Star Wars games have always had excellent trailers, but most of the games haven’t lived up to their stellar previews. Jedi: Fallen Order looks like a fugitive story where the protagonist is running from the Empire. That’s a cool, original set-up. The story takes place after Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, when Order 66 was initiated. It’s like a superhero origin story where the hero has to hide their powers. In Jedi: Fallen Order, the main character’s powers are The Force. The trailer shows a new Star Wars location; that gives me hope that it’ll be entertaining. However, Jedi: Fallen Order won’t have multiplayer.

The EA game will be released around the same time as the new Disney+ series The Mandalorian. Will the Star Wars faithful be more hyped to play Jedi: Fallen Order or watch The Mandalorian if the entire series drops? Fans can do both, but my main focus will be seeing what Jon Favreau does with a Star Wars bounty hunter series. For many fans, the game will be put on hold if they can stream all of The Mandalorian.

Jedi: Fallen Order, which will be released on November 15, looks like it has great potential. Star Wars needs a game that knocks it out of the park.

Happy Star Wars Day: May the 4th be With You!

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We got excited with today being Friday (Ed: TGIF!), but we got even more excited when we realised it was the fourth day of May, Star Wars Day! So, May the 4th Be With You all!

To celebrate the day, we thought we’d curate a few awesome Star Wars stories we’ve published (just click on each pic!) which should get your lightsabers glowing!

 

Super Nintendo Empire: The Vader Challenge

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By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.

Darth Vader is such a fascinating film character. He goes away for a while, and then he comes roaring back into our pop culture conscience, better than ever.

After the spectacularly imaginative ending to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Vader is once again as popular as ever. There is something gratifying about seeing people of all ages wearing Darth Vader t-shirts again.

Like the original film trilogy, Super Nintendo’s The Empire Strikes Back, released in 1993, was the best of the Super Star Wars game series.

If you were a talented enough gamer to ultimately advance to Darth Vader, he was very difficult to defeat. That’s what made the game so good. Vader was a challenge, and battling him as Luke Skywalker was really a treat when I played the game as a kid.

Empire has the best lightsaber duel of the entire Star Wars film franchise. And I don’t care what anyone says, the Empire duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in Empire is more dramatic and thrilling than their final duel in Return of the Jedi. Just because it’s the coda of the original trilogy doesn’t make it the best lightsaber battle; satisfying, yes, but not on par with the duel that leads to Cloud City’s central air shaft.

image source: Pinterest

The lightsaber battle in the game is very similar to the one at the end of the 1980 film. However, Vader is a lot taller than Luke in the game; he’s almost giant-like compared to the young Jedi. As a child gamer, I found Vader’s height to be a little intimidating.

I spent many entertaining hours fighting Vader; to a point where I would keep track of how long it would take me to defeat him…if I defeated him. Vader’s not messing around at the end of the game. My friends and I called it “The Vader Challenge.” It was an ideal way to reenact the battle at the end of one of my favourite films.

The rest of the game action is enjoyable, but nothing is as testing and exceptional as the duel with Vader. Battling the AT-AT Walkers on the planet Hoth is really fun as well. The graphics are exceptional and the degree of difficulty adds a layer that makes this a game young Star Wars fans should try playing if they can find a Super NES copy.

It’ll stress you out a few times, but “The Vader Challenge” at the end is worth the anxiety.

 

The Force Is Strong With Stern’s New Star Wars Pinball Machines

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In Stern’s factory far, far away (from Australia), Star Wars Pinball machines are rolled off the production line in record numbers!

With Star Wars celebrating its 40th anniversary, Stern Pinball has come to the party with three machines (designed by Steve Ritchie) that will have every Star Wars (and pinball) fan drooling uncontrollably! So strong is the Star Wars franchise, the pinball machines are reportedly selling like hot cakes, with the 800 run of LE machines already spoken for! Shipping (to Australia) for the Pro model begins in July, with the LE and Premium editions to follow not too long after. Don’t fret about the Pro and Premium models selling out, Stern will build an unlimited amount of these machines to fulfil demand.

Talking to RePlay Magazine, Stern’s Director of Marketing and Licensing Jody Dankberg states that, “There’s been a lot of excitement and anticipation around this title, resulting in record sales for a game that had not even been seen in person. Everyone loves the original trilogy: It’s the basis for all things Star Wars. We felt that these movies helped us tell the best story possible while being able to use cool elements from the original films. The majority of our customers are nostalgic for those movies.”

For those curious to know why Stern chose to tap the original trilogy instead of Disney’s new Star Wars films, Dankberg told RePlay that the firm believes more customers are interested in the originals over the new movies. We reckon Stern have got that right!

Australian pricing for the three pinball models (including GST):

  • Star Wars Pro $8,350
  • Star Wars Premium $10,800
  • Star Wars Limited Edition (LE) $12,500

The force is definitely strong with these pinball machines!

source: Stern Pinball Inc.

 

A Disturbance In The Force

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SW_Cards_HDRCheck out these awesome (and very funny) Mark Hamill autographs on a selection of Star Wars collectible cards! We sense a serious disturbance in the Force 😉

You can see the rest of Mark Hamill’s autographs on the CityOfWalls imgur page!

Right, who pinged Luke on his pager?
SW_Luke_Leia

CAUTION: DO NOT PRESS!
SW_Press

Um, this looks suss
SW_C3PO

Voted as most likely to become a Jedi
SW_Luke_Jedi

Warning: Smoking causes health problems
SW_SearchForRobots

Let’s go visit dad!
SW_Luke_Vadersource: City Of Walls on imgur

 

Retrogaming Toasters, The Best Thing Since The Breadbin

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Retrogaming toasters – why not! Whether you want to play video games on your toaster, cook crumpets with your retro console, or decorate your bread with video game characters, there’s a product for you! Let’s start with the Super Nintoaster.

Super Nintoaster

As the name suggests, the Super Nintoaster is a Super Nintendo crammed inside a toaster – wow! Inventor Stupid Fingers explains it is ‘built from nothing more than a Super NES, a toaster, four different types of adhesives, magnets ripped from a broken hard drive, six orange LEDs, a bunch of resistors, plexiglass, and many many spare wires’.

super nintoaster

super nintoasterSource: Stupid Fingers via Geekologie

Nintoaster and Nintoaster II

Just as awesome as the Super Nintoaster is its predecessors the Nintoaster and the Nintoaster II also made by Stupid Fingers.

nintoaster 1 + 2Source: Stupid Fingers Nintoaster, Stupid Fingers Nintoaster II

But if you are feeling hungry, these actual toasters may be more to your liking – some are real products you can buy!

Super NES Toaster

How I wish the ‘Super Toast Retro Bread System’ was one of the real products, but alas – it appears to have been a 2012 April Fool’s Day joke.

super NES toasterSource: Spinning Hat via Bit Rebels

Space Invaders Toastie Machine

Chris Naylor designed this awesome Space Invaders Toastie Machine in response to a ‘retro Christmas gift’ brief during a one week industrial project in collaboration with M&S. Someone needs to manufacture this ASAP!

space invaders toasterSource: Chris Naylor on Coroflot via Remove the Labels

Nintendo Console Toaster

While I’m happy with a toaster being sacrificed to house a console, I’m not sure I am happy about the reverse.  It’s a good thing then, that this NES toaster is just a (fantastic) artwork (phew!).

Nintendo Console ToasterSource: Deviant Art – My Burning Eyes via The DIY Adventures

Hello Kitty Toaster

At last, here is a real product you can actually buy! Your day is sure to go well if you start it with a piece of Hello Kitty toast.

hello kitty toasterSource: Via Japan Newbie

Darth Vader Toasters

Bread, give yourself to the Dark Side.

darth vader toastersSource: Think Geek,  Amazon

Keyboard Waffle Iron

And there’s even something for PC gamers – a keyboard waffle iron, yum! This is actually one of artist Chris Dimino’s works looking at giving new life the now useless typewriter.

keyboard waffle ironSource: Chris Domino via Slippery Brick

VHS Toaster

Finally, if you are into DIY, you can make your very own cool VHS toaster. Just follow Instructables member Lemonie’s instructions. Lemonie was inspired by this clip from the classic British comedy ‘The Young Ones‘.

vhs toasterSource: Instructables

Watch it in action:


Source: YouTube

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msausretrogamerMs. ausretrogamer
Editor and Researcher at ausretrogamer – The Australian Retro Gamer E-Zine. Lover of science fiction, fashion, books, movies and TV. Player of games, old and new.

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