Page 39 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #2

1983. Commercially it of movie dialogue, and a The blocky
never saw the light of flight yoke to emulate the X- graphics
day, but an anonymous Wing controls. Most impor- and lack of
collector did snap up tantly, it allowed the player a speech
what is believed to be to experience a first person synthesizer
the only existing proto- perspective of flying a Rebel just didn’t
type of this game. X-Wing into the climactic cut it for
Since the game is pri- fray of the Death Star Battle. these
vately held, we can only The arcade cabinets were transla-
hope that either the built as upright machines tions, as
owner will one day but the real enjoyment came noble an
share it with everyone in from the sit down units. effort as
one form or another or Here you were able to climb they were.
another prototype inside, have a seat, and im- In 1984,
comes into existence. A merse yourself in the Star Atari re-
prototype of the game’s Wars Universe. leased a
box was found (empty) The game consisted of quirky
with the title “Revenge three levels. The first objec- “Return of
of the Jedi: Game 1.” tive was to wipe out the in- the Jedi”
The object of the coming Tie Fighters in an arcade
game is to guide your outer space dogfight (taking game. To
hang gliding Ewok over a few potshots at Vader’s mimic the Star Wars Arcade
Stormtroopers, AT-ST’s, Tie Interceptor in the proc- film, the
and Biker Scouts, pelt ess). The player then de- game’s action would alternate between
them with rocks and scended to the Death Star what was happening on the Moon of
maneuver the Ewok to surface to test his aim and Endor and flying the Millennium Falcon
the Imperial shield gen- flying skills in an attempt to in an attempt to take out the Death
erator to destroy it. (Not knock out the Towers. In Star’s reactor. The first level can only
with rocks, I’m assum- the third and final level, you be described as being a “diagonal
ing.) As much as I can’t got to pilot your way through scroller.” Hopping on a speeder bike in
stand Ewoks, it does the Death Star trench in a the Forest of Endor would earn you the
sound as if the play me- bid to fire cannons into the pleasure of dodging trees and booby
chanics had the po- Ewok Adventure as featured in exhaust port, which traps while maneuvering yourself to
tential to make for a the Parker Brothers Catalog would de- shoot down the pursu-
fun game. If you find stroy the ing Stormtroopers. The
one of these rare Death Star. point of view definitely
carts, be sure to let us know. Or better The movie dialogue, takes some getting
yet, send it to us! which was synthesized into used to.
Another rarity is simply known as the game, actually helped Atari followed up in
“Revenge of the Jedi: Jedi 2.” This enhance the game play. the arcades with “The
mysterious game has only its box as a Obi Wan lightly urging you Empire Strikes Back.”
clue to its existence. To date, no proto- to “Use the Force, Luke” in However, in an effort to
type of the game itself has been found. the trench level was, in cut corners, they simply
Judging from the box’s artwork, it fact, a hint to not fire your modified the existing
seems to be based on the skiff battle weapons and just avoid Star Wars arcade cabi-
scene in Return of the Jedi and fea- the oncoming fire. Not fir- nets with new stickers
tures the Sarlacc Pit as one of the main ing on the exhaust port and replaced the Star
perils. until Han Solo proclaimed, Wars ROM board with
“You’re all clear, kid” would the new Empire Strikes
Arcades Get the Force earn you bonus points. Back ROM board.
In 1983, Atari released into arcades Parker Brothers made a fairly im- Three new levels replaced the old
one of the most stunning games seen pressive, albeit rare, conversion for the ones, allowing the pilot to take on Im-
up to this point. The arcade version of Atari 2600 as well as the Colecovision, perial Walkers, hunt down Probe
Star Wars was comprised of vector although it just wasn’t the same experi- Droids, and blast through an asteroid
graphics, synthesized sound samples ence the arcade version had to offer. field. These conversions are a bit

SW: Empire Strikes Back Star Wars Arcade for the Return of the Jedi Arcade
for the Intellivision Atari 2600

Classic Gamer Magazine Winter 2000 39