Of all the games to get a re-release...
Roughly 25 years after its PlayStation release back in April of the year 2000, Star Wars: Episode 1 – Jedi Power Battles will re-release on Steam this coming year: on January 25, 2025. Courtesy of publisher and game port specialists Aspyr, Jedi Power Battles is coming back. I’m not sure who was asking for this specific game to return in 2025, a classic movie tie-in from the era of every single major blockbuster having a game tie-in. Jedi Power Battles is a particularly difficult-at-times arcade-style couch co-op game from 2000—but going purely by comments on the YouTube trailer there are at least some people with copious nostalgia for it.
Jedi Power Battles is a combination of frustrating platformer and full on beat ’em up as your jedi characters smash down a lot of droids. Just. So many robots. And also inexplicable laser walls you have to avoid jumping into while navigating one of the many bottomless chasms that seem to populate the Star Wars universe.
“Take back the Theed Royal Palace in this fast and furious lightsaber action game. You will have the power of the Force and your trusty lightsaber to help you ward off legions of battle droids, destroyer droids, assassins, and other creatures from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace,” reads the official description, which I’ll hazard a guess is nearly the same official description as it was 25 years ago.
The game will include the classic characters from the original release alongside previously locked characters who have, you know, guns and stuff. It’ll also include the original two player couch co-op mode, which is certainly why most people who remember this game remember it at all—because arcade-style stuff really thrives in that environment.
The re-release will also include a classic and New Game+ styles of play.
“Use classic or modern control schemes, toggle your Lightsaber colors to match the films, enjoy new playable characters such as the Tusken Raider, enter classic cheat codes like Big Head Mode, and discover more surprises in this 25th anniversary celebration of Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles,” says the store.
You can find it under the the embarassingly-formatted title of “Star Wars™: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles™” on Steam.
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