Star Wars might have begun as a live-action film (or, in the last few years, television) franchise first and foremost, but since A New Hope’s humble beginnings, it has become a billion-dollar multimedia empire. Toys, novels, comic books, theme parks, there is no medium left untouched by the cultural domination of that galaxy far, far away. Out of all of the art forms that Star Wars has dabbled in, video games have certainly become one of the most reliable wells.
Since 1982’s The Empire Strikes Back for the Atari 2600, the rapid technological development of video games has provided a great opportunity for fans to explore the myths, locations, and characters central to Lucas’ sprawling creation. However, across those games, especially the ones released in the last two decades or so, a problem starts to emerge – they’re all focused heavily on combat or warfare, from the Battlefront games to the recent Star Wars: Jedi series. Naturally, galactic-scale battles and lightsaber duels are a huge part of the series, but so is the childlike whimsy and wonder that Lucas made sure to emphasize during his time with the series – and based on the latest glimpse at the upcoming Star Wars: Galactic Racer game, it appears that we’re finally getting another game that honors that spirit.
