Star Wars video games have a rich history dating all the way back to the original title on the NES (amazing game, impossible to beat) and even a few Atari and arcade games before that. This legacy is now carried on in a place we could’ve never imagined back in the NES days: on our phones.
Below we’ll take a look at the four primary Star Wars titles available for iOS. Whether you’re a tower defense fan, an RPG addict or just itching to pilot the Millennium Falcon, there’s something here for you.
Star Wars The Force Unleashed
Star Wars The Force Unleashed
The Force Unleashed is a popular console title, making it a risky move to port the idea to iOS in hopes that the reputation isn’t marred by the necessarily limited experience of iPhone gaming.
Dedicated fans of the series will see a lot of familiar ideas and themes, but the gameplay is quite different than what you’re used to. Instead of maintaining full control over your character in a 3D environment, nearly all of the character’s navigation is automated. You take control of a series of gestures that unleash various Force attacks as you encounter enemies and obstacles.
The game received an average rating of 3.5/5 stars and fairly mixed reviews. Many absolutely loved the game, some going so far as to say that it was better than the console version while others hated the lack of control during gameplay in addition to the briefness of the game and low replay value.
The Force Unleashed is currently on sale for $0.99 though, so it’s definitely worth a download even if you can play through it in a couple of hours.
Price: $0.99 (currently on sale)
iTunes Link
Star Wars: Trench Run
Star Wars: Trench Run
This one will definitely appeal more to fans of the old school games from the 80s and 90s than those who grew up on next-gen immersive 3D shooters. You take on the role of Luke Skywalker in the classic scene that leads up to the destruction of the Death Star.
The mission starts with you battling TIE fighters and attempting to stay alive. Eventually, this leads to your attack run down that legendary trench where you fire your proton torpedoes into the thermal exhaust port and save the Rebel Alliance from impending doom. The entire experience is a nod to the old classics so if it seems horrible to you, just remember that there was a time when this was known as seriously intense gaming!
Since the original release, new missions have been added so you can now play various roles and pilot different ships involved in the attack. This includes everything from manning the gun turrets of the Millennium Falcon to piloting your very own TIE fighter.
The average rating received by the game is 3.5 stars with most of the complaints aimed at the simple, repetitive gameplay. If you’re longing for the old days of arcade shooters, crudely cut mullets and gloves with the fingers cut out of them, the nostalgia alone is worth the three bucks.
Price: $2.99
iTunes Link
Star Wars: Battle for Hoth
Star Wars: Battle for Hoth
The Battle of Hoth has always been one of my favorite scenes from the original trilogy. Low flying snowspeeders battling giant walking robots with tow cables, Luke Skywalker dropping an AT-AT with only a light saber and a grenade; it was pure magic. The scene really came alive to me for the first time in the old N64 title “Shadows of the Empire” where you piloted the mission first hand and then again in several following Rogue Squadron titles.
On the iPhone, you can live this battle from a very different perspective. This time you’re not in a cockpit but setting up strategic turrets and other weapons in a tower defense game. Can you protect the Rebel base from hordes of invading Droids, Snowtroopers and AT-ATs?
Just as with the previous two titles, this one received an average of three and a half stars. The general consensus is that the game is fairly average for the tower defense genre as a whole but made considerably more fun simply by the presence of a Star Wars theme. As with The Force Unleashed, this title is temporarily on sale for $0.99 so you might want to grab it now!
Price: $0.99 (currently on sale)
iTunes Link
Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner
Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner
Finally, a game that breaks the 3.5 stars curse that plagues all the others (this one has earned 4.5). Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner mixes classic shooter gameplay with modern augmented reality and the result is pure fun.
You strap into the Millennium Falcon and shoot your way through over twenty intense levels while earning upgrades for the ship. A special AR mode allows you to use your device’s camera and gyroscope to immerse your surroundings in mayhem and battle the TIE fighters invading your living room and back yard!
The Star Wars franchise really needed a win on the iPhone and this newest addition seems to be it. Fans love the beautiful retina graphics, smooth frame rate and launching the Augmented Reality mode from a swivel chair to really push the effect. At almost five bucks, it’s the most expensive Star Wars game on the iPhone, but it’s still far cheaper than any console game. If you’re only going to try one Star Wars game today, this might just be the one.
Price: $4.99
iTunes Link
Conclusion
The games above are no doubt just the tip of the iceberg in what will be a long line of Star Wars iOS titles that will hopefully only get better and better as time goes on.
Leave a comment below and let us know which Star Wars games you’ve personally tried and what you thought of them. Also be sure to let us know about any other non-game Star Wars apps that you’ve downloaded.