JVC and Lucasfilms LTD. have teamed up again to bring us
the second installment of the Star Wars trilogy, The Empire
Strikes Back! Once more Luke Skywalker and his courageous band of
rebels do battle with the evil Empire in this outrageous game cart for
your NES system.
The game begins when, as Luke, you must destroy the Imperial probes invading the ice world of Hoth, trying to find the rebel alliance base. Armed with a blaster and riding your favorite Taun-Taun, you must explore Hoth's ice caverns where you will battle fierce ice creatures, ice bats, and more Imperial probes to help Luke find his light saber and the Force. Be careful - that icy cavern floor is slippery! All this excitement and you're still only on the first level!
I'm not going to bore you with the descriptions of all the levels in Empire, because it would take away from the game (and I'd probably get writer's cramp). I'm just going to tell you about some of the very nice touches this cart has in it, starting with the characters. The gamer can be Luke, Han Solo, and just about anybody in the Star Wars clan depending on what level you are currently playing. A nice touch when you're Luke is the digitized image of Ben Kenobi giving you guidance during your mission. Another really neat attribute of this cart is that it follows the sequence of events of the film, which keeps you heading back to that NES since you'll be interested in what happens next. This cart kept me on the edge of my seat!
The graphics and sound are really good, but the characters tend to be
on the small side. The opening cinematic display is terrific! The controls
for Empire also handle very well and are not very confusing to learn.
Perhaps the most admirable attribute is the gameplay - it's tough. I think
even the most talented of gamers will have a rough time, but you'll keep
coming back for more.
Whether you're a big Star Wars fan like myself or a gamer looking for a real challenge, pick up Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and give it a try. I can't wait for Return of the Jedi. May the Force be with you! You're gonna need it!
