During the first Nintendo Direct of 2022, Aspyr Interactive announced that it is porting Star Wars: The Force Unleashed to the Nintendo Switch. Fourteen years after its initial release in 2008, the Star Wars title will see new life with this port.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and its sequel told the story of Starkiller, Darth Vader’s secret apprentice who is ordered to hunt down Jedi after Order 66. The first game was the fastest-selling Star Wars game at its time of release, with many enjoying the chance to play as a new, never-before-seen villain in the Star Wars canon. The second game, while less well-reviewed, did continue Starkiller’s story and set up what looked like it was going to be an interesting conclusion. However, when Disney acquired Lucasfilm, and thus Star Wars in 2014, the proposed third entry in the series was scrapped as The Force Unleashed was relegated to the non-canonical segment of content known as Sar Wars Legends. So, the conclusion of Starkiller’s story may never actually be told.
But now, according to a press release and a trailer on Starkiller’s story when The Force Unleashed comes to Nintendo Switch on April 20th, 2022. While the port looks faithful to the original graphically, the game has been altered to take advantage of the Switch’s motion controls and Joycon, offering inventive ways to use the Force as the Wii version did before it. There will also be a one-on-one “Duel Mode” in the game, in which players can go head-to-head in lightsaber battles after choosing from 27 different characters.
Thus far, this port only seems to include the original game and not its sequel. Perhaps if this one does well financially the second will also get ported. Even if not, though, this still gives fans a chance to relive a piece of Star Wars history that stood out. Allowing players to be a villain on the side of the Sith as well as Darth Vader’s secret apprentice was a unique angle to take on the Star Wars mythos. The Star Wars games that have come out since then, such as Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, have taken the more expected path of casting fans as followers of the Light Side. So, for its main character alone, The Force Unleashed set itself apart.
It is genuinely surprising that Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is getting a re-release after all this time. While it’s unlikely that this will lead to the development of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 3 and a continuation or conclusion of Starkiller’s story, at least it will be a fun trip down memory lane. It’s a reminder of how Star Wars can be when it goes off the beaten path.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed will be released on April 20, 2022 for the Nintendo Switch.
Source: Aspyr/YouTube
