Posted in: Aspyr Media, Games, Review, Video Games | Tagged: aspyr, Jedi Power Battles, star wars, Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles

Review: Nostalgia Arrives With Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles

Return to a galaxy far, far away with Aspyr’s latest retro game Star Wars: Jedi Power Battles which captures old school nostalgia 

If you've been craving a galaxy far, far away served with a generous helping of retro nostalgia, then Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles has made a triumphant return thanks to Aspyr. After 25 years, this co-op beat-'em-up classic is back, letting us once again live out our Jedi dreams once again. This game was surely not on anyone's bucket list, but it is a surely welcome release, and honestly? It's still a blast! Originally released for the PlayStation One and Sega Dreamcast, Jedi Power Battles lets you step into the boots of Jedi legends Mace Windu, Plo Koon, Adi Gallia, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, each armed with their signature lightsabers and unique abilities. 

Whether you're deflecting blaster bolts, slicing through endless battle droids, or falling to your death because of the jump mechanic, this game oozes early 2000s charm. Aspyr's modern re-release does help polish away some of the quirks like graphics, slightly modified jumping mechanics, and modern and classic controller layout options, but still, it's rough. Jedi Power Battles feels like opening a time capsule from an era where split-screen couch co-op ruled supreme, and every game was a blast to play. Sure, the graphics have been spruced up for modern screens, but the heart of the game—the chaotic lightsaber duels, cheesy sound effects, and surprisingly punishing difficulty—remains unchanged. 

There are some interesting additions to the game for this 25th-anniversary release, starting with lightsaber color changes. The original games were being made during Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, so some modifications have been made to adjust to the times. The original game features an orange lightsaber for Plo Koon, a red lightsaber for Adi Gallia, and a blue lightsaber for Mace Windu. While yes, these are not "correct," it was fun to play with them as a kid, and that is an option with a new "updated" color option as well. Aspyr did, oddly enough, alter the opening cutscene to have these new lightsaber colors match, but that ruins the nostalgia of seeing it, which is sad. Another slight change was that the character selection had been changed to be just a screen and not the Jedi Council area showing off our playable characters. I assume this is due to the newly added and extra characters in the game.

These are just small things, but when messing with nostalgia, you have to get it right. Overall, this game is still a blast from the past. Aspyr was sure to add other new elements to the game, such as new characters to play with and hidden characters already being offered at the start, like Ki-Adi Mundi. Other additions consist of new playable characters like Jar Jar Binks, Tusken Raider, Weequay, a Droideka, and a few more, along with cheat codes to add some humor to your playthrough. What makes Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles special is its unapologetic nostalgia. It's not trying to compete with today's slick, cinematic blockbusters like Jedi: Survivor—and that's the point. This is a game for those who fondly remember classic Star Wars games, shouting at their siblings taking hogging health packs or spending hours trying to nail that insane STAP Speeder level.

 Jedi Power Battle is near and dear to my heart, so seeing this on my Switch and PlayStation 5 is heartwarming. From wacky jumping and getting glitched into the wall to some crazy rocket launcher droids, this is a game that is everything you loved as a kid and now with a $19.99 price tag on it. In short, Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles is a perfect slice of retro fun that reminds us why we loved (and sometimes hated) old-school gaming. It is nice to see releases like this return after 25 years, and it's clumsy, chaotic, and completely delightful to play once again. Be sure to get a copy for yourself on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox and May the Force be with you.

Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles

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Review by Tyler Roberts

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8/10

Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles is a 25 year old game that made a surprised return in 2025. It's driven by nostalgia but the old school graphics, issues, and even updated features keep a fun game that Star Wars fans will appreciate.

Credits

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Publisher

Aspyr

Developer

LucasArts

Release Date:

January 23, 2025

Reviewed On

Nintendo Switch

Also Available On

PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

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