Super Star Wars

Super Star Wars was the first of three Super NES adaptations of the original Star Wars film trilogy. Released in North America in 1992, this 2D action game provided both hardcore Star Wars fans and gamers a chance to re-live the movie in 16-bit splendor. What LucasArts delivered was a masterpiece of gaming design and challenges. This game was a welcome change, and provided a much richer game play experience than the previous Star Wars game on the original Nintendo Entertainment System.

Super Star Wars is not an easy game. You will need to channel all of your Force abilities to make it through any reasonable portion of this game. Even on the easiest setting, you will die frequently. This is a game of trial and error; you must play through Super Star Wars carefully, memorizing all the pitfalls and enemies as you go along. Unlike the later sequels, this installment does not include a password system so that you can keep playing after you run out of lives and continues.


Aside from the bottomless pits, the other aggravating feature is the boss battles. Each boss comes fully equipped with a life bar that is entirely too big. It seriously takes a hundred hits to beat these monsters. And if that's not enough, occasionally there are projectiles flying around, making some of them a true battle to the death. Boss battles push even the most hardcore gamers to their limit.

As frustrating as this game can be, it is still one of the best platform games ever made. I love the attention to detail and complexities this game provides. The weapons upgrades are awesome, the music and sound effects are fantastic, and the rich graphics really capture each scene from the 1977 movie.


If you really want to give yourself a chance at beating this game, I would recommend picking up as many health swords (light sabers) as you can along the way. It is also important to remember the pits and other hazards in each stage, as you usually end up playing through them more than once. Follow these steps, and you will be rewarded with one of the best games ever made for the Super Nintendo.

I remember spending countless hours in college playing through this game. I will never forget the excitement that came with finally beating a level after days or weeks of trying, or the anticipation I would have when I was done with classes. I looked forward to going back to my dorm room to continue the quest to conquer the next stage. Always wanting more; always excited to see what challenges the next stage had in store. That year I took my first step in to a larger world.