How does ESB stack up compared to Star Wars?

SeanMcL

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I have never played ESB. I like Star Wars, and want to know if ESB improves or defiles the family.

Please rank thusly:

ESB: X / 10
SW: X / 10

Any comments about ESB are also appreciated.
 
ESB: 6.5 / 10
SW: 8 / 10
ROTJ: 2 / 10

ESB is a nice alternative if you have the cabinet already. I like the HOTH battle and the TIE Fighters, it loses me on the asteroids area. I could also do without the emporer's voice, Darth is scarier,
 
Played both for the first time last weekend on Level42 Cockpit, and they rocked!
I have a dedicated ROTJ Cockpit, but it´s cooler to play the real thing in such a thing!

SW: 9/10
ESB: 8/10
ROTJ: 4/10

-EDIT-
I too hated the stupid asteroids field in ESB, died Died DIED!!!
 
Last edited:
SW: 9/10
ESB: 7/10
RoJ: never played it

ESB is great up until the lameass asteroids level. It really ruins my enjoyment of the game since in the later runs it can eat all your shields up real fast.
 
10 for SW. My favorite of all time (VG wise).

8 for ESB. Very good game - has more than SW, lots of variety. I like the scoring system and the collect for JEDI goals. Great sequel and well done. Surprised i never saw one growing up, considering how much time i spent in arcades.

Asteroid field level does hurt the game.
 
I built a star wars MAME cab in order to play all three. I could never figure out the controls on Rotj. As a player, you'll either click with rotj's play style or totally suck ass at it. I was the latter. As a result, it was barely ever played at my house.
Now, the other two are great. Each has its own pros and cons. IMO Star Wars is without a doubt the more iconic and memorable game. When company would come over, it was the game i'd have turned on for play.
ESB is my personal favorite though. It has a much deeper game which inspires a little more thought from the player instead of just shooting ties.

SW: 9/10
ESB: 7/10
ROTJ: 3/10
 
10 for SW.

Glad to see I am not the only one to give SW a 10/10. It seems that everyone wants to play it, whether they are old and remember seeing it in an arcade or if they are youngsters just seeing it for the first time.

It has been a while since I have played ESB but I remember liking it so 7/10 for that.

Can hardly wait to get my Vectorlabs SW/ESB kit!
 
My opinion

SW 9.5/10
ESB 8/10
Rotj 7/10

There is 2 levels that I think are great on ESB (Probot,AT-AT.) The problem I had is w/ the others. I don't think the Asteroid level was good closure for the game. To a degree , in the film there really was no 'finale' space battle scene, so really can't blame the game. BUT, they should've done the Tie Fighter scene last in the M.F while ,I don't know, avoiding the tractor beam of a Star Destroyer - this is how I would've done it...:D

As far as ROTJ goes - I loved it when it debuted at a AC by me. I can see why this game gets bashed - lack of vector and the isometric view. Granted I was a 'little' let down by this, but once you get past this - it's a good game...
 
ESB is great up until the lameass asteroids level. It really ruins my enjoyment of the game since in the later runs it can eat all your shields up real fast.

Agreed 100% If only they allowed you to blow away asteroids with multiple laser fire or something...
 
I understand WHY you posed this question... Because VectorLabs is closing out the availability of their multi kit. I used to own an original ESB board set, and honestly, I think the ratings here are being a bit "generous". Like so many other games, there is a REASON why you never saw/played one before. And it isn't because it was a GREAT game...

Lee
 
Oh come now... the game is fun... but the asteroids level sucks. The bots level is OK, the Walker level is a good time... the tie fighters level is on par and at times BETTER than Star Wars tie fighter stage... then comes the asstastic asteroids stage...
 
Oh come now... the game is fun... but the asteroids level sucks. The bots level is OK, the Walker level is a good time... the tie fighters level is on par and at times BETTER than Star Wars tie fighter stage... then comes the asstastic asteroids stage...

This is pretty spot on. Another cool thing about ESB is that on the walker levels, the thumb buttons actually do something different than the trigger switches!
 
I like them both equally but boy howdy do I harbor some deep level hatred for ROTJ. I'd have to give SW the edge though because if you put a SW and ESB next to each other, same condition and price, I would go for the SW.
 
Star Wars: 10/10 - Fantastic game, probably would put it in my top ten, it's so good!

Empire Strikes Back: 7/10 - Fun game, and while I don't HATE the Asteroids level like most here it is a bit weaker than the other three stages, which I found to be a whole lot of fun!

Return of the Jedi: 3/10 - A real change from the vector games, I thought the controls sucked and the difficulty cranked up too much for the early stages. The angles of gameplay were really weird and it was hard to see obstacles that you could crash into on any level. Avoid.
 
Simply put, Think of Star Wars as 3 levels of pure gold, and ESB as 4 levels. 3 are pure silver and 1 is copper. You start on the Hoth Droid level, its cool and adds to the original story, then you go to the AT-AT walkers which is by far the best of the 4. Its super cool and has a real feel like your in the movie just like the first level of SW. Then you have the Tie Fighter battle. It feels more like a rehash of the first Star Wars fighter battle and you don't have a Death Star to blow up later, but I think the A.I of the fighters may be better. And then you end with the asteroids level. Yes, there is nothing to do and yes, it can be annoying, but it is also very challenging. And if you think about it, its pretty much like the movie. A fairly anti climatic ending. Maybe someone here could have thought up a better 4th level or even 5th level. Fight some droids, fight some AT-ATs, fight some Ties, and then what? Land on cloud city, get frozen in carbonite, have a lightsaber battle with VADER and inevitably loose. Either way you go, there isn't much of a good ending. So I say, if you like Star Wars, you'll like ESB. But personally, I would have liked to seen something like the Donkey Kong 2 project. Someone program a speeder level, an AT-ST level, A space attack level with the M. Falcon, and an internal Death Star battle. Put all 11 levels together and bam, you have the Star Wars Trilogy v.0.0

And one final thing of interest in ESB, you are piloting 2 different types of ships. The hoth snow ships and the millennium Falcon. The X-wing had a much better screen presence than either ship in ESB. But its still cool that they got programmed. But hey, that's just my 2 bits.
 
I'd be okay with the asteroids level being taken out and replaced with nothing personally. As an option of course, not the only version.
 
I think the trick to the asteroid level is lower right the whole way through. Rarely do i get hit in that corner.

Based on this thread, i went back and really focused on both for a better answer (have the kit - it RULES).

SW still comes out on top - Its mostly sentimental, the game blew me away back then and still does. ESB is nothing to scoff at either.

Get the kiT!!!
 
I think the trick to the asteroid level is lower right the whole way through. Rarely do i get hit in that corner.

I'll have to try that. I typically go upper left hand corner and usually don't get hit. not always, mind you, but enough that I keep using it.

That said, I like ESB and think it is an excellent compliment to Star Wars.

ArcadeMaze!
 
I know it's not exactly following the story line but if they did SOMETHING with the Asteroids level I'd not be so down on it... as it is...it seems tacked on without thought.

Perhaps some Tie Fighters to take out between the asteroids?

SOMETHING.

>sigh<

I too would "turn it off" if it were possible. Oh well.

:D

On a gold/silver/bronze Id have to go with:

Level 1 - Silver
Level 2 - Gold
Level 3 - Gold
Level 4 - Bronze (or did not finish)
 
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