Lightsaber Battle Game
Reviewed by Flarestorm

Number One: when I saw what this thing was called, and saw that it was being sold in kid?s sections at Wal-Mart, I was immediately put off. It was a toy, or at best a collector?s item ? it couldn?t possibly be of interest to a 31 year-old computer geek. I was somewhat curious as to why it had a ~ $50 price tag, however. Unfortunately, there were really no resources on the web actually saying ?what- it was, or how it worked. All I just saw was that ?you swing a toy lightsaber at the screen.? So I chalked it down to an expensive kid?s toy the likes of the silly hand-held games they sell in the Wal-Mart toy aisle. I didn?t really expect to hear about it again.

But I did. In April a string of coincidences occurred that put me in possession of this game. Firstly, it was my birthday. Secondly, I am impossible to shop for. Thirdly, my brother (bless his soul) knows that I love Star Wars and had $50 to spend on me. The result was Lightsaber Battle Game from him?

?we played all night and had a great time doing it! :)

The way it works is that you plug in a camera device into your TV (only two RCA plugs, anyone can set it up). The thing looks like the remote Luke uses in ANH, and is actually a camera. You take your fake lightsaber handle (which actually is a good replica of a movie handle, with a 4 inch ?blade?) and swing it. The camera picks up your movements and translates them to the screen ? in the form of a semi-transparent lightsaber blade in front of the main gameplay. The first thought I had with this was ?OMG, this is Duck Hunt with lightsabers!? And we all remember how cool Duck Hunt was when we picked it up for the first time.

Graphic-wise isn?t very impressive but is admissible with the gameplay and new technology (see below). About SNES quality. The blaster bolts (that you have to block), are expanding sprites. There?s no 3D in the game at all, but really, you can?t expect that from something that plugs into ANY television.

Story ? There isn?t one. There?s 8 ?stages? in increasing difficulty that you go through. Yoda or Mace pops up before each one telling you what you are supposed to do, but you really just beat the crap out of anything on the screen.

Gameplay ? w00t! This is not a kid?s game like I thought. You hafta block blaster bolts, fight Jedi, learn different moves, and more! The game really gives you a workout. My joints have gotten really sore after playing for less than an hour. I have to get a picture of someone playing this sometime, because you really do hold your saber in ?ready position? and grimace while you are swinging.

The technology actually works very good. There?s a calibration spiel, and as long as you are the right distance from the remote, it works great

The levels are totally pre-programmed, if you memorize the moves you need to do, you will beat it. But doing that as a PC gamer for years and actually doing physical stuff is harder that you think! I honestly am stuck on level 3, out of 7

Basically, a level is as so: some text from the Jedi Council, you are taught a special move, a duel, then the mission. The mission: one or two screens of baddies, then the boss. The bosses I have faced are Darth Maul, and Jango Fett (twice, the 2nd was a harder version). Everything about the gameplay gets harder as you progress.

Special moves means swinging the saber in a pattern, like left-down-right, and does more damage. This is actually way harder than it sounds?trying to remember the combo while you are blocking sabers and/or blaster bolts.

Another plus is that it is set up for multiple players, with their own calibration and savegames and stuff.

There are some bugs with the whole thing. It took me forever to get the batteries in the remote, the cover is so tight (4 AAs, the battery life seems to be really high). The 2nd move you learn is a lightsaber spin, but it?s hard to make work and is necessary to master the later levels. I?ve lost my progress many times, it?s not clear when I can turn the thing off.

Overall, I love it. This is an emerging technology and I am glad to have played one of the first games that is using it. Someday, we are going to be using lightsabers against each other over the internet and saying ?remember Lightsaber Battle Game?? and laughing. Is it worth $50? No, I would pay $30. But if you ever have a party with SW fans, you want to have this. Another plus is that this game got me out of my computer chair and gave me some exercise.

Note: If you play this game, your arms will get sore
Note 2: You will look like an idiot while playing this game

8 out of 10 personally (because I love the new technology, and gameplay, and its freakin cool!)
8 out of 10 for an avid Star Wars Gamer (get off your butt and swing a lightsaber, and it works, w00t)
5 out of 10 for an average gamer (The graphics and price will probably discourage you enough to not even try , expect bad reviews on other sites  ) (score may change as I play more)

Summary: Get a few friends, invest in it, and play it together! Would be awesome for a FanForce meeting!