EA may be the sole provider of Star Wars content in the modern-day video game industry, but it certainly wasn’t the first. Prior to its closure following Disney’s acquisition of the franchise, LucasArts had held that title, delivering a number of acclaimed efforts, from The Force Unleashed and Rogue Squadron to the OG Battlefront series and, of course, today’s’ subject in question: Episode 1: Racer.
Considered to be the worst of George Lucas’ prequel films it may be, but The Phantom Menace‘s spectacle-laden Podracing sequence remains a fondly-remembered highlight, not least for the arcade racer it spawned back in 1999 for Nintendo 64. While this current-gen port isn’t a complete remake, developer Aspyr has taken the time to upscale the title’s textures and resolution, making it much easier on the eye in the process. Make no mistake: this very much looks and plays like a 20-year-old game, but that’s just part of the charm.
For those either entering the competition for the first time or are in need of a memory refresh, a list of key features can be found below:
- Choose from 25 playable racers including: Anakin Skywalker, Sebulba, and Ratts Tyerell
- Race tracks spanning 8 unique worlds including: Tatooine, Baroonda, and Malastare
- Work with Pit Droids to upgrade your podracer for higher top speeds and acceleration
- Discover short-cuts and secrets to master your lap times.
A blast from the past that’s definitely worth the $14.99 asking price if you ask me, and the perfect stopgap to keep idle thumbs occupied ahead of EA Motive’s upcoming adventure set in a Galaxy Far, Far Away. A space-based dogfighter akin to the aforementioned Rogue Squadron, Star Wars: Squadrons releases October 2nd for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. If you haven’t already, take a gander at some gameplay over here and see what awaits you later this year.
