NES Game Review #20 – Star Wars
There’s a general fondness for the SNES Star Wars Trilogy but rarely do I hear people speak positively about the NES Star Wars offering. I’m here to correct that!
Star Wars can be divided into two distinct segments, firstly Tatooine; a non-liner collectathon. Second a more liner Death Star segment divided up by some space flight missions. I imagine a host of those most critical, never made it past Tatooine, likely unable to work out what the hell you’re supposed to do there.
Star Wars doesn’t hold your hand. Besides automatically driving you into the first cave where you can locate the faster blaster, you’re on your own. What’s rather unique for a game of this era, is that you can complete it having missed nearly all of the key factors, ie rescuing R2-D2, Han, Leia, or Ben Kenobi. At the end of the game you’re given a completion total, which to gain 100, you’ll need to not only rescue all characters and make it to the end with them all alive, but also complete every cave on Tatooine, and find the map room in the Death Star!
Funny that a game like Star Wars is criticized for not being more forward with its secrets when something like Zelda, is lorded by most as a masterpiece.
Making it out of Tatooine and onto the Death Star is where the rest of the negativity usually comes from. People moan about the two lift mazes, but usually this is because they have failed to find the map room where R2 can display where you need to go! Easily the part that takes the most criticism has to be the Death Star escape. Many people that make it here complain of the difficulty! First glance at the stage is one of dread. Whoever designed the Death Star clearly had a hard-on for spikes! The key to this section is using all the characters. The variety in jumps is helpful as is the extra life. OB1 can replenish health and even bring back the dead, apparently making him even more powerful than Master Yoda?
Nostalgia may cloud my judgement but I find it hard to think this as anything other than a good game. To me it’s a great game and a system highlight. Dont judge till you’ve given it a fair go!
