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Wii

Star Wars Coming to Wii Next Year

by Jonathan Metts - September 18, 2007, 5:44 pm EDT
Total comments: 20 Source: LucasArts

Yes, you use the Wii Remote as a lightsaber. No, it's not a trap.

LucasArts to Unleash the Force on the Wii in Spring 2008

Star Wars™: The Force Unleashed™ Coming to Nintendo’s Platform with Exclusive Duel Mode

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Sept. 18, 2007 – LucasArts today revealed that Star Wars™: The Force Unleashed™ will come to the Wii™ home videogame system from Nintendo next spring, offering owners the unique chance to live out their Jedi fantasies by wielding the Wii Remote™ as a lightsaber while using the Nunchuk™ controller to torment foes with their Force™ powers.

The Force Unleashed casts players as Darth Vader’s “Secret Apprentice" and promises to unveil new revelations about the Star Wars galaxy. The game’s expansive story is set during the largely unexplored era between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. In it, players will assist the iconic villain in his quest to rid the universe of Jedi – and face decisions that could change the course of their destiny.

The Wii version, in development by Krome Studios, will also add an exclusive duel mode in which players can compete head-to-head with their friends to determine the ultimate Jedi Master.

“The Wii is a great platform for The Force Unleashed, because the console’s motion-oriented controllers really bring the game to life," said Jim Ward, President of LucasArts. “We’ve worked hard to make the Wii version of the game unique in order to truly let you unleash the Force."

More About Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

The Force Unleashed is the first next-generation game developed internally at LucasArts, and will be available on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.

As its name implies, The Force Unleashed completely re-imagines the scope and scale of the Force by taking full advantage of newly developed technologies that will be seen and experienced for the first time: Digital Molecular Matter, by Pixelux Entertainment, and euphoria by NaturalMotion Ltd.

“The combination of our great story, memorable characters, and the revolutionary new technology that we’re introducing will deliver something Star Wars fans have never seen before, in addition to attracting newcomers to gaming, something that is very important to us," added Ward.

LucasArts and developer Krome Studios are creating an equally enthralling version of The Force Unleashed on the Wii, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and n-Space, Inc., is developing a version for the Nintendo DS™. All will feature the same storyline, with opportunities to unleash the Force in devastating new ways.

Working with Lucas Licensing, LucasArts is preparing an unprecedented promotional effort around the launch of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, encompassing a full line of toys and game-based action figures from Hasbro, as well as a full publishing program from Dark Horse, Del Rey and Palace Press.

More information about the game can be found at the official website, www.theforceunleashed.com, which will continue to release details throughout the year.

Talkback

I have been waiting for a game like this. Now to see if it meets my expectations

TrueNerdSeptember 18, 2007

This was pretty much the first thing everyone in the world thought of when the Revolution's controller was unveiled. (Wow, that was exactly two years ago.) It better be 1:1 controls, that's all I'm saying.

SheckySeptember 18, 2007

I guess I'll have to buy another boring Star Wars game....

ArbokSeptember 18, 2007

So... Lucasarts is doing the PS3 and 360 versions, while they have outsourced the Wii, PS2 and PSP versions to the developer behind "Spyro: A New Beginning "?

Yeah, thanks Lucas...

I'm getting very, very sick of developers just developing PS2 and PSP versions of games and dropping that onto the Wii. I'd love to do what they are promising here, use the wii mote as a lightsaber, but I'd rather a game be built around the concept rather than have it shoe-horned into a game that's already being thrown across every platform imaginable. Color me a skeptic, but I doubt I'm going to pick this one up in the end.

GoldenPhoenixSeptember 18, 2007

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Originally posted by: Arbok
So... Lucasarts is doing the PS3 and 360 versions, while they have outsourced the Wii, PS2 and PSP versions to the developer behind "Spyro: A New Beginning "?

Yeah, thanks Lucas...

I'm getting very, very sick of developers just developing PS2 and PSP versions of games and dropping that onto the Wii. I'd love to do what they are promising here, use the wii mote as a lightsaber, but I'd rather a game be built around the concept rather than have it shoe-horned into a game that's already being thrown across every platform imaginable. Color me a skeptic, but I doubt I'm going to pick this one up in the end.


Yeah but is it really being shoehorned in? It appears they are creating an entireless different and unique mode for the light sabre battles, so in a way that is being built from the ground up.

This sorta came out of nowhere. But now Wii Fans are in for another 6-8 months of hand-wringing and ulcers over the quality of this port job... oh good grief

GylldasSeptember 18, 2007

Yeah we'll have to see how this turns out. So far, 1:1 sword controls seem difficult to pull off so I'm not gonna get too optimistic. I'd like to be pleasantly surprised though.

ArbokSeptember 18, 2007

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Originally posted by: GoldenPhoenix
Yeah but is it really being shoehorned in? It appears they are creating an entireless different and unique mode for the light sabre battles, so in a way that is being built from the ground up.


That's what has me worried. It sounds like it's going to be a PS2/PSP port with a new mode tossed in just to say "look, here is that concept you were dying to play, now won't it be cool when we make an actual game around this?".

To be fair, some things of this nature have worked in the past. The multiplayer in StarFox 64, while feeling like an after thought to the package as a whole, was still fun to an extent. However, in that vein, would I have been interested in the game if the StarFox multiplayer was bundled with a mediocre "main campaign"? Probably not, and that's the vibe I'm getting here.

It's unfair, but just from what little we know, and the track record of the developer it was outsourced to, I'm really not expecting much.

UERDSeptember 18, 2007

To be honest, like Arbok said, developers don't usually spend the time and effort it takes to develop and refine a tricky new control scheme just so they can tack it onto a port. If they wanted to give it a serious go, they could have done so in many better ways.

NinGurl69 *hugglesSeptember 18, 2007

STAR WARS VS. RYGAR

WHO WILL WIN?

DjunknownSeptember 18, 2007

One control scheme could be something similiar to Zelda TP. Use the Wiimote to for the lightsaber, and the nunchuck for the force powers. Which is what they mentioned in the press release...

Still the fact that Lucas Arts is getting on the Wii train is good news. Aside from a good port, can't ask for more.

NinGurl69 *hugglesSeptember 18, 2007

"good" port is already a lot to ask for.

King of TwitchSeptember 18, 2007

I can't wait to unleash the force with my wii.

EnnerSeptember 18, 2007

This was a nice surprise of a headline. Though, I agree hearing about the developer will sober any minds.
Still, I'd rather hold the doom and gloom until a review is out. Or at least a preview.

MarioSeptember 18, 2007

Quote

So... Lucasarts is doing the PS3 and 360 versions, while they have outsourced the Wii, PS2 and PSP versions to the developer behind "Spyro: A New Beginning "?

Yeah, thanks Lucas...

Also the developer behind the Ty the Tasmanian Tiger series, you poor troll. And they now own Melbourne House, who had a perfect track record making any type of game. This aint no small budget dev. Think before sounding like a moron.

Just because a developer has worked on a mascot-based mass-market family-friendly action game doesn't mean that they're somehow second-rate. That's just the sort of thing an uppity "hardcore" gamer would spout. Instead, consider Naughty Dog and their beginnings with Crash Bandicoot.

optimisticlimboSeptember 19, 2007

Ah, but let's not forget that Crash Bandicoot started as a "hardcore" "3-D" Mario-like platformer exclusively for Playstation. That wily character even stormed Nintendo's headquarters.
Back on topic, I'm excited for this game, but I'll restrain it until they actually show a preview. They have a chance to not mess it up and I hope they do well.

planetidiotSeptember 19, 2007

Quote

Originally posted by: TrueNerd
This was pretty much the first thing everyone in the world thought of when the Revolution's controller was unveiled. (Wow, that was exactly two years ago.) It better be 1:1 controls, that's all I'm saying.


Don't hold your breath face-icon-small-frown.gif I think the main problem no one wants to spend the time to solve is what you do when someone blocks your lightsaber, but you keep moving the remote.

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Originally posted by: Professional 666
"good" port is already a lot to ask for.


This.

MashiroSeptember 19, 2007

Quote

That wily character even stormed Nintendo's headquarters.


Lol still going down in history as one of the dumbest commercials made for a game.

"Hey plumber boy! Mustache man! Lets see you do this!"

I would have loved for Nintendo to do a commercial parodying it and then showing Mario 64 and laughing their asses off at Sony.

ArbokSeptember 19, 2007

Quote

Originally posted by: Mario
Also the developer behind the Ty the Tasmanian Tiger series, you poor troll.


And King Arthur, and Barbie Beach Vacation, and Extremely Goofy Skateboarding, and Jimmy Neutron: Jet Fusion... etc, etc

Ty is a decent rental title from them (the first, haven't played the others), they deserve that, but it's their diamond in the rough. If you want to just focus on their accomplishment of the Ty series, more power to you, but I will look at their total portfolio of work. In doing so, I stand by my comment.

Quote

Originally posted by: Mario
And they now own Melbourne House, who had a perfect track record making any type of game.


I assume that's ignoring Transformers and Men in Black II? Or did I miss the sarcasm?

Quote

Originally posted by: Mario
Think before sounding like a moron.


heartbreak1oz2.jpg

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