
Jedi Arena
Released: 1983
Systems: Atari 2600
The Basics
The red Jedi takes a shot at the blue Jedi.
Remember the scene in Star Wars in which Obi-Wan begins Luke's Jedi training by having him go up against a small, floating globe that shoots out electric shocks? Well, back in the days of the 2600, a two-minute scene like that was enough material to base an entire game on, and Jedi Arena is the result.
The Details
The object of Jedi Arena is to break down your opponent's Force shield while trying to protect your own, using the previously mentioned globe (called a seeker) for offense and your lightsaber for defense. The action takes place on a static playing field with a top-down perspective.
The blue Jedi takes a shot at the red Jedi.
Pressing the fire button causes the seeker to shoot a bolt toward your opponent. The direction of the bolt is determined by the angle of your lightsaber, which is moved by turning the paddle controller. Simultaneously, your opponent will be shooting bolts at you. Since the game does not let you move, you must block the bolt with your lightsaber. If a bolt hits your Force shield, a piece of it will disappear. If a bolt touches either of the Jedi's bodies, the round will end, and a point will go to the winner. Each game consists of three rounds.
The seeker is invisible.
Every so often, an immense amount of energy builds up inside the seeker, and it begins to go wild, shooting out random bolts at both players. During this time, only defense is allowed. The game's options let you make the seeker invisible and change its speed.
The Verdict
This is a simple but effective variation on games like Pong, Breakout, and Warlords. Since playing against the computer can get monotonous, definitely play this one with a friend - that is, if you can find someone who won't laugh at your request to play a 16-year-old game.
For the ultimate challenge, make like a Jedi and try playing with your eyes closed.
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