Great Star Wars video games are few and far between, but one exception to that rule is the excellent Star Wars Trilogy Arcade title that released back in 1998. The game let players relive classic moments from the original Star Wars trilogy with some of the most impressive graphics of the time.
A new arcade title, Star Wars: Battle Pod, looks to be Trilogy's successor, and it seems like a worthy entry into the franchise's gaming legacy. Check out some gameplay below.
In the tradition of Trilogy Arcade, the graphics are top notch as players zip through Endor on speeder bikes and pilot snow speeders on the surface of Hoth. But Battle Pod takes visual displays to a whole other level. The "POD" portion of the title refers to the "Panoramic Optical Display" that surrounds a player's range of sight when they sit down into the machine, allowing for an even more immersive gameplay experience. Couple that with vibration and gusts of air that are blasted at the players while piloting certain vehicles, and you might as well be in the original trilogy. Think of it like playing a Star Wars game with an Oculus Rift, except minus the TV strapped to your face.
Gameplay looks to be similar to the great arcade action seen in Trilogy Arcade, featuring the iconic ship battles on Hoth and against the first Death Star. It also includes "what-if" scenarios like "Vader's Revenge," which allows players to play as Darth Vader piloting his TIE Advance as he fights off the rebel's attack on the Death Star.
The game runs on the Unreal Engine 3 and was developed by Bandai Namco Singapore, which even includes some ex-LucasArts employees (the longtime creator of Star Wars games) who were let go when Disney purchased Lucasfilm.
The game is out in select U.S. arcades now and will be released worldwide in March.
