Summary
Star Warsis a franchise that has been around for a long time, and as such, gaming has developed along with the franchise. From the earliest home consoles to the modern machines gamers use now,Star Warshas stood the test of time as a franchise that provides gamers with solid experiences time and time again.
This list looks at games from the decades-long history of the franchise that are a little strange. From mobile exclusives, to crossovers, to board games turned digital with aStar Warsskin slapped on, these games are all a little bizarre. They’re definitely more obscure than theStar Warsgames most fans will remember.
Star Wars: Tiny Death Starwas a mobile exclusive released in 2013 in which the player had to expand the Death Star to attract characters to set up shops on board. It was developed by NimbleBit, the company responsible for the development ofTiny Tower,which is in essence the same game without the Star Wars paint. UnlikeTiny Tower, however,Tiny Death Stardid not stand the test of time. Disney removed it from digital storefronts in 2014, to the disappointment of many who remember it fondly.
While the game has nothing to do withStar Warsin terms of gameplay, it was a fun, idle game to have ready whenever some time needed killing. The pixelated art style gave way to someadorable renditions of Star Wars characters. Despite the cries for Disney to bring it back,Tiny Death Starwill likely remain a remnant of the past, lost to time.
Star Wars: Super Bombad Racingasks: what ifStar Wars Episode 1 Racerhad characters with giant heads?Super Bombad Racingalso answered this question, with some truly bizarre results. If a player has ever wanted to experience Darth Maul racing Queen Amidala, all the while having the proportions of a Funko Pop, this game is the perfect experience to scratch that hyper-specific itch.
Despite the bizarre visuals, the game plays similarly to any otherStar Wars Racergame, making the player race around settings fromThe Phantom Menacewith little to do other than race over and over. Thanks to poor sales, this game never made it off the PS2, stuck with the fate of perpetual exclusivity. However, the gameplay itself is fun, and is a hilarious way to experience the thrill of racing around theStar Warsuniverse.
Kinect Star Warsis arguably the most well-known game on this list, thanks to the viral status of the “I’m Han Solo” dance level found in the game. Outside theJust Dance-style gamemode,Kinect Star Warsfeatures several modes that allow the player to experience wielding a lightsaber through the wonders of the Xbox Kinect, or try their hand at podracing with the inconsistent motion controls.
While the Kinect never took off in the way Microsoft had hoped,Kinect Star Warsis a surprisingly fun time. It offersa unique story set during the prequel trilogy, duels against fan-favorite Jedi and Sith, and numerous other ways to kill time. Were this game playable without the Kinect, it may have found its way off of this list and into the hearts of many. But then, of course, it wouldn’t stand out nearly as much, since the motion controls are as much a part of its identity as anyStar Warsinsignia.
Star Wars: DroidWorkswas one of several attempts made by Lucas Learning to produce educational and entertaining games based on theStar WarsIP. InDroidWorks,the player must create numerous droids with different abilities, all geared towards non-violence, to defeat the Empire by completing missions around the galaxy. While doing this, players would learn about concepts like energy, force, magnetism, light, and other basic scientific principles.
While it is difficult to see how a game of this nature would have succeeded in the 90s without the pedigree of theStar Warsname,DroidWorksreceived numerous accolades and was received surprisingly well.With the possibility to create over 25 million combinations of parts, the game offered an inquisitive player endless replayability and the possibility for countless hours of experiential learning.
A bizarre crossover if there ever was one,Angry Birds Star Warslaunched the hyper-popular birds into space. Each bird became their own character, and the pigs took the role of the Empire. While the gameplay differed only slightly from standardAngry Birds, the addition ofvarious concepts thanks to the space setting, as well as new powers attributed to theStar Warsuniverse, allowed for just enough of a shake-up for this game to feel unique.
On top of this, the visuals were given a fun overhaul, making the pigs, birds, and their environments feel uniquelyStar Wars, while retaining the charming identity that madeAngry Birdspopular to begin with. While these birds may have fallen from grace somewhat in the years since its release,Angry Birds Star Warsis a bizarre yet fun reminder of the hold they once had on pop culture.
Pinball FXis a franchise that has cashed in on just about every IP it is able to grasp, andStar Warsis no exception. With a huge collection of virtual tables available that are themed aroundStar Warsmedia, this game provides its players with a virtual pinball experience. There is little more to it than that. However, that is more than enough for the franchise to have a dedicated player base that keeps returning every time new tables are released.
The fact the gameplay is effectively unchanged with the addition of theStar Warsbrand makes this arguably the most bizarreStar Warsgame out there, being such in name and visuals alone.Unlike other games likeTheSims 4or crossovers likeAngry Birds Star Wars,which include gameplay differences with theirStar Warscontent,Pinball FX’s Star Wars expansions are merely repainted pinball tables to allow players to play in a galaxy far, far away.
