HomeReviews3/5 ReviewSTAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles Review

STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles Review

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Feeling the Force of Nostalgia

I need to start with a confession. I officially feel old. Seeing STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles on the Xbox store with the tag “Classics” brought this sudden and harsh realisation upon me. Then again, the original version of this game did release in the year 2000, at the turn of the new millennium. So maybe I am old.

Anyhow, STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles is the latest game to be dusted off and released from the archives for a whole new audience. This is not really a remaster (despite some settling for that label), or a remake, but instead something more akin to a makeover. 

Star Wars Episode 1 Jedi Power Battles Review 1
The Jedi Power Battles flow once more

STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles Gets a Makeover

As with Aspyr’s other releases, the most noticeable amount of work has gone into updating the visuals. The environments and character textures are much crisper, and the game boasts 4K Ultra HD and a 60fps+ frame rate. Everything feels more colourful and much brighter too, even if underneath it’s the same game from 25 years ago.

The iconic soundtrack is present and correct too, centred around the classic track “Duel of the Fates”, from the first film of the prequel trilogy. Other sound effects, such as the grunt each character makes when they jump, or when they take damage, acts as a reminder of just how old the game really is.

Unlocking the Jedi Masters

Still, Aspyr has treated us this time around to the original secret characters being available from the beginning, including the main man himself, Darth Maul. There are more to be unlocked too after you’ve completed the main story. Possibly the most divisive Star Wars character ever, Jar Jar Binks, makes his debut.

The campaign in STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles consists of ten levels, which acts as a whistle stop tour of many famous locations from the Star Wars Universe. Although the story lurches from each location, feeling very disjointed, it’s the perfect excuse to visit Naboo, Coruscant and other iconic places. 

There are also four mini games to try after the main campaign, ranging from racing to prodding Jar Jar with a large spear (give the people what they want, I say). If you complete the survival challenge then you’re in for a special reward, one I won’t spoil here. It may be to your liking or not, but all levels are unlocked from the very beginning so you can hop around the galaxy as you choose.

Lightsabers and Force Powers

You can start off with a little training if you like, which is surprisingly challenging and will put you through your paces. This will also familarise you with the double jump that is crucial to getting around during the platforming sections.

Unsurprisingly in STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles you’ll spend most of your time hacking and slashing at enemies with your lightsaber. You have a couple of basic moves, but the trick is to string together combos to deal more damage. You can also use your lightsaber to deflect enemy blaster rounds, however you must hit the block button just before you are due to get shot, as this will mean it is directed straight back at the enemy. Block too early and it will ping off in a random direction, most likely dealing no damage.

Of course, you would be a pretty rubbish Jedi without any powers, so thankfully STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles ensures you are equipped with a few tricks. These will differ by character, but will include a mixture of ranged and close quarters attacks, as well as the option to defend yourself. Using these special moves will deplete your force meter, so choose when to use them wisely.

Star Wars Episode 1 Jedi Power Battles Review 2
Various levels

May the Force Be With You

Scattered around each level are pickups, from health and force replenishment to lightsaber upgrades and mystery buffs. Pretty much everything you do, including picking these up, will contribute to your score and net you rewards at the end of the level. These include unlocking new combos, increasing your stats and even bagging extra lives. Thankfully checkpoints are to be found regularly, but if you run out of lives it’s back to the very start of the level.

I’m not exaggerating when I say most of your time is spent running around fighting enemies, so on the rare occasion you get to jump in a vehicle and cause some carnage, it’s a refreshing change of pace. Boss battles also crop up regularly, which are usually pretty straightforward affairs.

Control Struggles and Co-Op Chaos

This time around, STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles offers a choice of which control scheme to use. The modern controls reflect a setup more common in games these days, but the classic controls are also available for those wanting to go for the full on nostalgia hit. However, the issues here don’t lie in which of these you choose to use.

In general the controls are unresponsive, sometimes completely failing to register. Enemies will get the drop on you regularly because of this, often it feels unfair. Despite good intentions, you will likely end up just bashing the same button to take out your enemies. Your double jump feels stiff too, and you have very little control over your direction once you are in mid air. Sometimes your character will get stuck whilst in the hang position despite not being near the edge of a ledge. At other times they will slide right off the platform to a nasty death. A single jump seems to lock on better, but at times a double jump will be needed to clear the gap.

The dated controls really buckle during the extended encounter with Darth Maul at the business end of the game. So much so that you’ll end up battering the attack button and hoping for the best, and that’s outside of the infuriating platform sections with the turbines.

STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles can be played solo or in couch co-op. However after two attempts on co-op I couldn’t get past the first level end screen. This was possibly linked to the fact that when paused, only one player could control the menu, so when we finished, again, only one player could confirm through and when it came to the second, we were stuck. Good job all the levels are unlocked from the beginning, eh.

Also, our Jedi powers simply wouldn’t work despite pressing the correct button combos. Literally nothing happened. As well as this, the camera couldn’t zoom out, so we had to stick close together to prevent one of us getting lost off screen somewhere. Despite really looking forward to it, the co-op experience found in STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles is really poor.

Star Wars Episode 1 Jedi Power Battles Review 3
A very basic port of the original

Still, away from this STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles offers New Game+ which throws a few extra treats in. You can head back to the campaign and play on the Jedi difficulty, as well as take the new characters for a spin without having to worry about their progression. Cheat codes (even just typing that makes me feel old again) are active too, meaning you can activate big head mode, load up a radar map, start duffing up your co-op partner and more. In a nice little nod for the fans, the lightsaber colours can be changed to make them film accurate too.

A Nostalgic Trip with Missed Opportunities

Being honest, STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles feels like a very basic port of the original with mostly cosmetic upgrades. There are so many missed opportunities which means this is a game which still feels very much of its time. It may have had a glow up, but there are many deeper issues which persist.

That being said, I’m not sure anyone is clamouring for a full on remaster here. STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles may be a simple affair but there’s still some enjoyment to be had here. It’s just a shame that after 25 years it seems the force isn’t quite so strong with this one.

STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles is worth revisiting if you’re after a trip down memory lane, however limited improvements prevent it realising its full potential.


Embark on a Jedi Quest: STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles Returns! – https://www.thexboxhub.com/embark-on-a-jedi-quest-star-wars-episode-i-jedi-power-battles-returns/

Remastering a Classic in STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles – Exclusive Interview with Aspyr – https://www.thexboxhub.com/remastering-a-classic-in-star-wars-episode-i-jedi-power-battles-exclusive-interview-with-aspyr/

Aspyr Reveals a Jedi Power Surge with STAR WARS Episode I: Jedi Power Battles – https://www.thexboxhub.com/aspyr-reveals-a-jedi-power-surge-with-star-wars-episode-i-jedi-power-battles/

Buy STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/star-wars-episode-i-jedi-power-battles/9p40xp05761g


SUMMARY

Pros:
  • Impressive visual update
  • New playable characters
  • Fun New Game+ additions
Cons:
  • Dated, clunky controls
  • Co-op mode is borderline broken
Info:
  • Massive thanks for the free copy of the game, Aspyr
  • Formats - Xbox Series X|S (review), Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Switch, PC
  • Not available on Game Pass Day One
  • Release date | Price - 23 January 2025 | £16.74
Darren Edwards
Darren Edwards
I have been playing games since a very early age, thanks to my Dad's encouragement. I've been an Xbox gamer since the very beginning, the Master Chief is to thank for that. I'm also a big Nintendo geek, and my other half is a PlayStation nut. I'll play pretty much anything in any genre (although FIFA and COD maybe pushing it).
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<b>Pros:</b> <ul> <li>Impressive visual update</li> <li>New playable characters</li> <li>Fun New Game+ additions</li> </ul> <b>Cons:</b> <ul> <li>Dated, clunky controls</li> <li>Co-op mode is borderline broken</li> </ul> <b>Info:</b> <ul> <li>Massive thanks for the free copy of the game, Aspyr</li> <li>Formats - Xbox Series X|S (review), Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Switch, PC <li>Not available on Game Pass Day One <li>Release date | Price - 23 January 2025 | £16.74</li> </ul>STAR WARS: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles Review
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