Did You Know There Was a Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back Arcade Game?
75We all know that there's a Star Wars (A New Hope) arcade game, but how many knew that there were also Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi Arcade games? Thanks to the Arcade 1Up machine, I can now play all 3. I never saw ESB or RotJ in arcades, but now I have them.
If you're a fan of the original 3 Star Wars movies, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and the Return of the Jedi then you need to check out this 40th Anniversary Arcade1Up Star Wars Cabinet! This is the perfect cabinet for fans of all ages, and it's sure to make any scruffy looking nerf herder happy. Come along as The Force Was With Us as we recently scored an Arcade1Up Star Wars Arcade Cabinet to Review.
Whether you call it Arcade 1up, 1Up Arcade, Arcade1Up, or any variation, they have been creating cool arcades for some time. Rumors have been swirling around for years that the Star Wars arcade would be making a return. Arcade 1Up likes to release cabinets, discontinue them, make some improvements, and re-release them. They've done that multiple times with Pac-Man, Street Fighter, and other cabinets. Well, Star Wars has now gotten the same treatment! In late January 2023 Arcade one up announced that the Star Wars Arcade cabinet would be making a return, and it's bringing along some new features.
Only 3500 units are being re-released, with 308 available directly through Arcade 1Up. Well, those sold out right away but will ship before the end of January 2023. The other units will be sold through their partner website ShopHippo.com. I did not get my order in in-time for one of the first 308 but I did get one ordered from ShopHippo.
The assembly of the Star Wars Arcade 1Up arcade cabinet took me a little more than 2 hours. It would have been a bit faster but I decided to install the GRS Flight Simulator Yoke, which they so graciously suppled for us to check out. To install it, you need to remove the standard Arcade 1Up yoke by undoing several screws and bolts, along with disconnecting the wiring. A second set of hands can be beneficial as you install the yoke on the flight control board, but all in all it is pretty easy to install the GRS Flight Yoke, as is the rest of the cabinet.
Upon firing up the cabinet the marquee lit up, the Arcade 1Up poped on-screen, and then there the 3 game menu was. I loved seeing it, I loved hearing it, and I couldn't wait to play. I hovered over each of the titles and heard R2's whistle as I went from each menu item to each menu item. I lauched into the Original Star Wars game, and was instantly taken back to Butler Skateland in Butler, WI and my 8 year old self as I the familiar menu and title screens greeted me yet again. I heard Luke, Obi-Wan, and R2 all as I played, shooting down Tie Fighters and the shots coming towards my X-Wing, and it was great! The GRS Flight Yoke was also simply amazing, the pivoting of the yoke and the button presses were amazingly precise and truly made the experience wonderful.
Next up was The Empire Strikes Back which I had nerver played before. This was awesome as it followed the same basic layout of the first game with a Hoth Level fighting Probe Droids, then attacking AT-ATs and AT-STs, and finally in space fighting Tie's and avoiding astroids. This was super fun and something I had not played before, and did make use of the top buttons on the flight yoke to shoot the Harpoon and Tow Cable out.
Finally, Return of the Jedi is a game, it's not a good game, and that's because of the isometric screen. I did play it some, it is a better graphical game than the originals but no-where near as fun.
Why it RoX:
- Brings the Arcade Experience Home
- Same Feel and Experience as the Original
- Beautiful Artwork
- Lit Marquee and Coin Doors
What Could Be Improved
- $100 more than original price
- Instructions are a bit off with peeling the screen protector off
- A bit of distortion at time in the audio
- Stock yoke is janky
- A bit on the short side
- Riser vs all-in-one side plates
- Only 3 games
Should you buy one?
At $100 more than original, this is a bit of a tougher pill to swollow, but it is still an amazing machine I absolutely love. Return of the Jedi is the weak link here, but Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back are both amazing and I love them so much. The stock flight yoke leaves a lot to be desired, but the GRS Flight Toke from Glen's Retro Show solves all of the stock unit's shortcomings. I legit cannot suggest it highly enough. If you loved the original arcade machine this is a must have. I am glad it is in my collection now, and have loved every minute I have played it.
#StarWars #arcade1up #Arcade #shortsmaschallenge #shorts #shorts30
#returnofthejedi #RotJ #empirestrikesback #ESB
Did You Know There Was a Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back Arcade Game?
The footage used in this review are used under the Fair Use laws, referenced below:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/107