The Star Wars Retrospective: Episode I

35 Comments by Griffin McElroy Mar 15th 2008 6:30PM
Filed under: Culture

As promised, the first of GameTrailers' ten-part series chronicling the history of Star Wars' numerous adaptations to the video game world premiered today. The games discussed in this particular episode are probably before most of our readers' (and our) times -- an era characterized by cutting-edge vector graphics and Speak-and-Spell quality vocal tracks. Still, it's interesting to see the origins of one of the most prolific video game franchises on Earth. Little light on the Lando for our tastes, however -- an oversight we hope they'll correct in Episode II.

Tags: arcade, atari, atari2600, gametrailers, lando, lucasarts, retrospective, starwars, starwarsretrospective

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(Page 1) Reader Comments

ComradeTrotskii: Mar 15th 2008; 7:02PM

Pretty good as always from Gametrailers, though I'm not sure how many times I can abide Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi being referred to as Episodes 5 and 6 without wanting to force choke somebody.

Cesaria: Mar 16th 2008; 1:22PM

Out of all the things to get pissed at...you get pissed at that?

onetrueping: Mar 17th 2008; 9:54AM

Particularly since they WERE Episode 5 and Episode 6, even when they first came out.

ComradeTrotskii: Mar 16th 2008; 8:30PM

There wasn't a whole lot else to get pissed at from what I recall.

The original 3 films was always be referred to by me (and pretty much any other Star Wars fan now over the age of about 20) as simply Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. All this calling them by Episode number is just nonsense instigated by Lucas when he decided to make the prequels.

And yes, this matters. Because I am a huge rancid nerd.

Zabimaru: Apr 6th 2008; 3:51AM

I must strongly disagree. Me and my fellow Star Wars nerds always reffered to them as episode 4-6, and looking forwards to the promised prequels.
Of course we were royally dissapointed (to say the least) when that time came around, but I get pissed when people try to claim that prequels was something Lucas came up with recently...

Jonah Falcon: Mar 15th 2008; 7:08PM

Didn't I submit this a few hours earlier? :/

dramamoose: Mar 15th 2008; 7:25PM

No.
*waves hand*
You must be remembering incorrectly.

Mr.ESC: Mar 16th 2008; 3:17PM

You have to love the funky disco version of star wars.

Mr.ESC: Mar 16th 2008; 3:18PM

Ops that wasn't a reply.

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force): Mar 15th 2008; 7:18PM

I wanna Star Wars rap now. =D

umm....hello???: Mar 15th 2008; 7:22PM

fascinating. you never realize how much is going on around you in the world as a child.

Scott: Mar 15th 2008; 7:42PM

Heh. I'm old. I actually had the original Empire Strikes Back game for the Atari 2600.

Jonah Falcon: Mar 15th 2008; 9:54PM

So did I. Played it to death.

Raikage (LDF CRAB BATTLE!!!): Mar 16th 2008; 2:59AM

I have the port of the arcade version on the 2600... still works too... wonder how much it's worth...

Nick the Hero of Canton: Mar 15th 2008; 8:28PM

All I know is this. Those two Star Wars games that came with our N64 (Episode I Racer and Rogue Squadron) are like...two of the best games. Ever. Evar.

Daniel: Mar 15th 2008; 8:28PM

That was really cool.

I wish I could get all those audio cues for the sound effects and songs used in the games!

Shogan: Mar 15th 2008; 8:47PM

The '2600 PacMan' they showed was not from the 2600. I know I'm being picky, but I keep seeing this happen.

Nick the Hero of Canton: Mar 15th 2008; 8:49PM

The death star game (the one with the sitdown and stand up in arcades) look awesome, so did the follow up thing.

inect: Mar 15th 2008; 8:58PM

My mom would kill me if she found out i played a video game for 54 hours straight.

Misquito: Mar 15th 2008; 9:01PM

You know... If you're going to do a STAR WARS retrospective, its only right to start with an episode 4.

DangerMouse: Mar 15th 2008; 10:09PM

True, but then nobody would watch the first three, knowing ahead of time that they would turn out to be a pile of steaming dog shit.

horngreen: Mar 15th 2008; 10:33PM

Jesus this is a bit much. How much info on a game some played to death back then and others wouldn't even touch today do we need. I guess I didn't realize it would be a detailed history of every lame Star Wars game out there. Lucas is a money grubbing whore and Star Wars and Empire were the only two worth seeing.

JRM: Mar 15th 2008; 11:24PM

You don't understand how big that phenomenon really was. Not only was it worldwide, but it touched every facet of pop culture as we know it--Including a disco song for people to dance to. Nothing, to this day, compares to it. People may buy Halo games in record numbers, but it pales in comparison to the cultural consciousness that Star Wars created.

Now, about those arcade and atari games. I had the first Star Wars game for the 2600. I think it was the toughest game I ever played. I could only ever manage to down ONE AT-AT before getting my ass kicked. The Return of the Jedi arcade game had a pretty long life, also. I remember it was still prominent in many arcades right up to the late 80's.

legios: Mar 15th 2008; 11:59PM

Man I'm old. I played all of those games to death...well except for the vector graphics Empire game. I didn't even see that one until I got to college.

Also, we had an Intellivision and did not have the Atari 2600, so I didn't get to play the Parker Bros. Empire game until much later.

I can't wait for the other episodes. I can't wait until they get to the PC Xwing game...I was the ISCA BBS champion for a long time. (like I said...I'm OOOOLLLLDDD!

INCH75 Vocals: Mar 16th 2008; 1:32AM

When you say ISCA champion, are you talking about the Iowa State Computer Association? What was it, bbs.isca.iastate.edu? I used to waste a lot of time on isca. And a whole lot of time playing X-wing vs Tie Fighter. Good memories.

legios: Mar 16th 2008; 9:04AM

The one and only

jesus_bon_jovi: Mar 16th 2008; 6:58AM

That disco song made me sick to my entrails . . .

t_m: Mar 16th 2008; 9:39AM

Star wars arcade rocked so much... especially the sit in cockpit version.

Never knew there was a ESB version.

Yuccadude: Mar 16th 2008; 12:21PM

Just a note here gametrailers-narrator-guy, it's AT-AT, not atat. Say it with me, A-tee, A-tee.

Cesaria: Mar 16th 2008; 1:29PM

atat is also correct.

Ken Seang: Mar 16th 2008; 2:54PM

Man if those people were to play Rougue Squadron back in their day, it would blow their minds!!!

Tommy Mang: Mar 17th 2008; 8:43AM

It's "All Terrain Armored Transport" not "All Terrain Attack Transport"... (AT-AT)

Star Wars Geek Alert... I know

qwho: Mar 17th 2008; 9:02AM

I can't wait till they get to the golden era of Lucasarts, with X-wing, Tie Fighter, Rebel Assault, Rebel Assult 2, X-wing vs. Tie Fighter, Dark Forces... I hope they mention yoda stories too haha.

Deozaan: Mar 18th 2008; 5:39PM

So the first Star Wars Videogame adaptation was the Battle of Hoth and they're STILL remaking that same battle over and over?

hvnlysoldr: Mar 30th 2008; 3:45PM

I was too young to have played any of these games.

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